Looking Back, Slowing Down & Holding On

I’ve been thinking lately about how easily we move on from moments before we realise their significance. How often we rush past something - a phase, a feeling, a conversation, only to look back months or years later and wish we’d held on a little longer.

As I get older, I’m recognising more and more times in my own life when I wish I’d slowed down and embraced the moment because, in hindsight, I sometimes long to be back where I once was. To enjoy a phase a little longer, to return to a conversation or a hug that’s no longer possible.

This week I have a new Mixed Media Collection called ‘One More’ which began with a quiet morning in the park and a little robin - and grew into something that holds space for the stories we carry, the ones we miss, and the ones we’re just beginning to understand.



One sunny morning after dropping my two little ones at school, I made time to just sit and listen - to the trees, the birds, and everything happening quietly around me. And while I had to move on, I found myself wishing for just one more moment. That’s where the inspiration for this kit began.

At the entrance to our local park, there’s a narrow path lined with lush trees and a long fence with a high hedge behind it. It’s a favourite spot for our little robin friend - and if we’re lucky, we’ll catch a glimpse of him darting from the fence to the willow tree that stands tall on the opposite side.

I couldn’t resist including a little robin in this collection - a nod to my friend in the park, and a quiet symbol of those fleeting, meaningful moments we hold onto long after they’ve passed.

Carrie used our little friend on her stunning celebratory grad themed page



Creative Team Member Natasha shared a story with me that I thought you’d find sweet.

While travelling around Spain last summer, her son started a little game of posing for ‘thumbs up’ photos in front of anything that he thought was cool.

Fast forward to this year, her daughter’s graduation and the ritual continues - which was definitely a ‘thumbs up’ kind of photo with the whole family joining in!



Natasha paired her photo beautifully with the One More Collection, new for this weekend’s Build Your Own Collection - she picked up the little ‘thumbs up’ strip from the Journal Prompts & Paper Clusters Pack.



Carrie and Natasha used the Miscellaneous Mixed Media Papers and Bits and Bobs to embellish the rest of their stunning pages.





Creative Team Member Jan pays tribute to a very special little fella in this darling page, choosing the ‘here for this’ and ‘best’ paper strips to celebrate this moment for what it was and to honour what makes her happy and feel blessed.



Aly has created this beautiful page marking the end of an era with a proud diploma award.



If you’d like a helping hand with composition, I’ve put together a layered template for you which includes suggested placements for your photo, a dimensional element, paints and stamps and more.

As always, you should feel free with templates to use them as a springboard. Dress them down by hiding layers that you feel are not necessary or dress them up by adding extras on top and making it truly yours.



Here’s a page I’ve put together myself pairing the template and the collection together along with a sweet photo from last weekend whilst we were out to lunch.

I dressed it up a little and filled in lots more of the gaps with paper fragments and fun mixed media paints from the packs.



Save 20% through Sunday with Buy More Save More offers in place (take a peek at all of the other goodies from the other designers and mix and match!)

OR if you'd like all of my four packs in one swoop I've set up a 40% discount with no minimum purchase necessary - this offer excludes buy more, save more discounts.

Shop 'One More' for the June BYOC here and take a peek at more design ideas in the shop and the gallery!

 

Whilst I haven't journaled on the page itself, here's the reason why I chose to use this Kit for this photo, it wasn't just a random page scrapped

This looks like the perfect brother and sister staged photo. There are lots of hidden 'feels' behind this photo and moment for me, and I want to hold onto the moment and feelings forever.

With Keaton's neurodiversity regulating emotions, dealing with what others would perceive to be the 'routine demands of every day life' are debilitating for him, but this photo, was one of those moments I long for. I didn't ask them to hug for a photo, this just happened whilst we were in a cafe. There was no anxiety, no worry, no fear, he was relaxed, he was happy, calm, joyful, and he himself was holding onto this moment. He wanted to hold his dear sister so close, they shared two or three hugs.

In that moment my heart melted and I rushed to get the iphone out to capture it!

Here's my page in the gallery

 

Thank you Eva, no two days are the same are they, heck no two moments!! I'm so happy I was able to quickly capture the moment and lovely to be able to scrapbook it.

I hope you're able to do a little BYOC shopping, everything looks so pretty this month!

 

Thank you Christa and for the Froggy Fave!!

I love this photo of your mom, I was going to ask you if you knew where she was going and I see your little journal spot that she was working at the bank

 

Thank you!!

 

Gaelle that's gorgeous!! I love your page!!

 

Roxana has paired the new Kit with our June Challenge - just a few more hours to shop if you wanted to grab this one whilst it's on sale

 

How sweet . . well she sure does look glamorous!!