October 23, 2026

Add Texture to Your Fall Pages with Embossed Shimmer Squares

Give your fall photos a cozy, textured finish! The Die-Cutting & Embossing Autumn Decorative Bundle brings together the Grateful and Simply Autumn Titles & Icons and the Diamond Plaid Embossing Folder, so you can add shimmering plaid squares and leafy die-cuts to any autumn page.

Layered with warm Autumn Abundance papers and a row of embossed Copper and Gold Shimmer squares, this layout is a beautiful way to celebrate time with the people you’re most grateful for.

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To create this layout, you will need:

Layout by **Krislyn Mattei**, Creative Memories Design Team Contributor

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The word 'Instructions' displayed in a bold, stylized blue font on a black background.

Step 1: Use a sheet of brown leaves tonal paper as the base for this layout. Cut an 11-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ piece from plaid designer paper and adhere it on the top of the layout as shown.

Step 2: Cut a 10-1/4″ x 7-1/2″ piece from green tonal paper and adhere it on top so the sides and top are evenly spaced on the plaid piece.

Step 3: Trim a trees border sticker to 11-1/2″ and adhere it along the bottom edge of the plaid and green pieces.

Step 4: Cut a 2-3/4″ x 12″ strip from both Gold Shimmer Paper and Copper Shimmer Paper.

Step 5: Place the Gold Shimmer strip inside the Scattered Leaves Embossing Folder. Sandwich it between the Embossing Base Plate and the Universal Top Plate and run it through the Die-Cutting & Embossing Machine. Repeat with the Copper Shimmer strip and the Diamond Plaid Embossing Folder.

Step 6: Cut four 2-3/4″ squares from the embossed Gold Shimmer strip and two 2-3/4″ squares from the embossed Copper Shimmer strip.

Step 7: Adhere four squares along the bottom of the layout, evenly spaced, as shown. Adhere the other two Gold Shimmer squares on the green piece.

Step 8: Crop two photos to 2-1/2″ x 2-1/2″ and mount them on the Gold Shimmer squares on the green piece.

Step 9: Using the Grateful and Simply Autumn Titles & Icons, place scraps of shimmer and designer papers on the Cutting Base Plate. Lay the desired dies on top ridge-side down (using Place & Peel Tape to secure them as needed) and top with the Universal Top Plate. Run it through the Die-Cutting & Embossing Machine, then use the Dual-Tip Die-Cutting Tool to remove the shapes from the dies.

Step 10: Adhere the die-cuts on the layout with stickers and embellishments as desired, popping some up with Foam Squares for dimension.

Step 11: Cut a 6-1/2″ x 4-1/2″ mat from brown floral tonal paper and adhere it on the layout. Cut a 6″ x 4″ mat from Copper Shimmer Paper and adhere it on top.

Step 12: Crop a photo to 5-3/4″ x 3-3/4″ and mount it on the Copper Shimmer mat.

Step 13: Using the Chocolate Dual-Tip Pen and a ruler, draw a few journaling lines. Journal as desired.

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Text graphic stating 'Life is yours to craft.' in a stylish blue font on a black background.

October 22, 2026

Practical Planning: 3 Ways to Use Your 2027 Scrap Journal Planner

A new year deserves a planner that does more than keep track of appointments. The 2027 Scrap Journal Planner Kit is back with a fresh new look, and it’s part calendar, part memory keeper and completely yours to customize. Use it to plan the month ahead, bullet journal your to-do lists or fill every date with the little moments you never want to forget.

Unlike a typical store-bought planner, this one is made to hold photos. Slip the pages into the new 2027 Scrap Journal Cover and you’ll have a photo-safe planner you’ll want to keep long after the year is over. Whether you’re brand-new to planning or a lifelong list lover, here are three practical ways to use it, plus the supplies that pair perfectly with the Natural Beginnings look.

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What’s Inside the 2027 Planner Kit

Everything you need to plan your year comes in one easy kit:

26 single-sided blank calendar papers with fun designs and spaces for writing notes, lists or bullet journaling
1 sheet of clear planner stickers with months of the year, special occasions like Birthday, Anniversary, Game Day and Date Night, plus travel icons, arrows and more
A perfect fit for any 6.75×10 Scrap Journal, including the 2027 Scrap Journal Cover with its gold foil 2027

Start Any Month of the Year

Here’s the best part for beginners: there’s no need to wait for January. Because the calendar pages are blank, you can add a clear month sticker to the top of the page, fill in your dates and start planning right where you are, whether that’s this week, next month or halfway through the year.

Missed a few weeks? No problem. Simply pick up with the next page. Nothing goes to waste, and your planner stays completely your own.

3 Practical Ways to Use Your Planner

1. Turn Every Month into a Photo Calendar
Think of this as your planner’s look-back view. Once the days have happened, use your photos to commemorate them. Trim small prints to fit inside the date boxes, from the first day of school to a lazy afternoon on the couch. When a day is extra special, like a family trip, let one photo stretch across two or three boxes so it stands out.

Write short notes sideways along the edge of a photo to fit narrow spaces, and add a clear planner sticker like “Life’s Little Moments” to celebrate the ordinary days, too. For a little extra dimension, tuck a die-cut camera, filmstrip or frame from Captured in Time Titles & Icons beside a favorite photo, or caption an everyday moment with a phrase from Real Life Titles & Icons. By the end of the month, you’ll have a full picture of everything you did.

Creative Idea: Print several small photos on a single 4″ x 6″ print, then trim them apart with the Photo Trimmer. A fine-tip pen like the Black Micro-Tip Pen makes it easy to write in the smaller date boxes.

2. Keep a Running List of Monthly Highlights
Every calendar page includes space for notes, which makes it the perfect spot for a monthly highlights list. Jot down first trips, birthdays, new milestones and funny moments as they happen, then add a favorite photo or two below the list. It’s a quick way to capture the story of the month without writing a full page of journaling.

Have more to say? Tuck Mini Notebooks or Pocket Notebooks into your Scrap Journal for longer stories, goal lists or meal plans.

Creative Idea: Add an Envelope & Pocket Set to hold the little keepsakes from each month, like ticket stubs, handwritten notes and party invitations.

3. Map Out the Month Ahead
This one puts your planner to work before anything happens. At the start of each month, sit down with your calendar page and mark everything that’s coming up: birthdays, anniversaries, game days, date nights, appointments and deadlines. The clear planner stickers make it quick to label each one, and you’ll have the whole month in one place before the busy days arrive.

Small die-cuts make the big dates easy to spot at a glance. Cut a cake, balloon or gift from Celebrate Today Titles & Icons to flag birthdays and parties, and add Holiday Icons to holiday dates. For a quick symbol, the Accent Arrow Punch points to an upcoming deadline and the Document the Date Punch highlights a day you can’t miss.

Creative Idea: Planning a trip or a week of camp? Run a strip of Passport to Adventure Washi Tape across the dates to mark the whole stretch at a glance.

Why Choose a Photo-Safe Planner?

Most planners aren’t made with photos in mind. Your Scrap Journal Planner is designed for memory keeping, so you can add your favorite prints with confidence and keep them protected for years to come. When the year is over, your planner doesn’t get tossed in a drawer. It becomes a keepsake of everything your family did together.

Make It Your Own with Natural Beginnings

The 2027 Planner Kit was inspired by the Natural Beginnings collection, so its soft neutrals and botanical accents pair beautifully with your planner pages. Start with the Natural Beginnings Decorative Bundle to get the entire decorative collection at once, or pick your favorites:

More Supplies That Pair Perfectly

Notebooks & pockets: Mini Notebooks, Pocket Notebooks and the Envelope & Pocket Sets for extra journaling and keepsakes
Washi tape: Passport to Adventure Washi Tape to mark trips and multi-day events
Stencil: the Scrap Journal Stencil to trace tidy shapes and lines for trackers and journaling spots
Cardstock & designer paper: Cardstock & Shimmer Paper and the Natural Beginnings Paper Pack for photo mats, tabs, dividers and die-cuts
Die-cuts: Celebrate Today Titles & Icons, Captured in Time Titles & Icons, Real Life Titles & Icons and Holiday Icons, cut with the Die-Cutting & Embossing Machine, for small titles, icons and captions that fit right into the date boxes
Punches: Document the Date Punch, Celebration Cake Punch, Word Bubble Mini Punch, Accent Arrow Punch, Banner Flag Punch and Embossed Leaves Punch for dimension and event symbols

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Your Year, Your Way

There’s no right or wrong way to fill your planner. Some months might be packed with photos, while others are simple lists and a few stickers, and that’s perfectly okay. Start with the month you’re in, add the moments that make you smile and watch your year come together one page at a time.

October 21, 2026

Skip the Photo Dump: Start a Gratitude Scrap Journal with Inner Light

Your camera roll is full of little moments worth remembering, so why let them get lost in a photo dump? This two-page spread kicks off a brand-new gratitude Scrap Journal with the Inner Light Scrap Journal Bundle, full of warm golds, soft blush tones and botanical prints. Faux postage stamp photo mats made with the 12-inch Trimmer Stamping Blade, layered paper scraps and a hand-torn journaling spot come together for a page that’s easy to make and so satisfying to flip back through.

What’s a photo dump? It’s a big batch of everyday photos shared all at once on social media, like Instagram, instead of one carefully chosen picture. It’s a fun way to share the little moments, but those photos are easy to scroll past and forget. A Scrap Journal gives them a lasting home!

Gratitude journaling doesn’t have to be a big production. Taking a few minutes to print, trim and write about your favorite moments from the month is a simple way to slow down and reflect. It makes everyday memories feel a lot more meaningful than a quick scroll ever could.

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To create this layout, you will need:

Layout by **Madelyn**, Creative Memories Home Office

Watch Madelyn create this spread:

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Step 1: Use a sheet of yellow striped designer paper from the Inner Light Scrap Journal Paper Pack as the base of the left page.

Step 2: Swap the 12-inch Trimmer Straight Blade for the 12-inch Trimmer Stamping Blade. Cut six 2-1/2″ x 2-1/2″ squares from a mix of Inner Light designer papers to create faux postage stamp mats.

Step 3: Switch back to the Straight Blade and cut six 2-1/4″ x 2-1/4″ squares from White Solid Cardstock. Center and adhere one white square on each stamp mat to create a double mat.

Step 4: Use any photo editing app to arrange six 2″ x 2″ photos on a single 4″ x 6″ print. Trim them apart along the lines with the 12-inch Trimmer — no measuring needed!

Step 5: Center and adhere a photo on each white square. Arrange the six matted photos in two columns of three on the left page and adhere.

Step 6: Use a sheet of floral designer paper as the base of the right page.

Step 7: Trim a few strips from leftover yellow designer paper scraps and layer them vertically on the page, tearing the ends for a relaxed look. There are no exact measurements here — place them where they feel right.

Step 8: Cut a piece of White Solid Cardstock for the journaling spot and hand-tear the edges. Adhere it to the center of the page, overlapping the yellow strips.

Step 9: Frame the journaling spot with Inner Light Embellishments, adding a sunburst at the top left and an arch frame at the bottom right.

Step 10: Trim a photo to fit inside the arch frame and adhere it in place.

Step 11: Add journaling by using the fine tip of the Black Dual-Tip Pen

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October 19, 2026

An Eight Nights Hanukkah Layout with Jewish Holidays

Let your Hanukkah memories glow! This one-page layout features a paper-pieced menorah made from strips of Jewish Holidays designer paper, topped with punched gold “flames” that shine against a softly inked background.

The heart punch from the Key to My Heart Mini Trio Punch Set creates the perfect candle flames, and the Love & Light Foiled Embellishments add a sparkling finishing touch. It’s a simple, meaningful way to celebrate eight nights with the people you love.

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To create this layout, you will need:

Collage of two photos celebrating Hanukkah with friends. The top photo shows three people toasting with drinks at a festive table, while the bottom photo features two people sitting at a table with a menorah and food, adorned with decorative elements and text detailing the celebration. — Layout by **Melissa Ullmann**, Creative Memories Design Team Contributor

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Step 1: Use a piece of Navy Solid Cardstock as the base of the layout.

Step 2: Cut a piece of gold designer paper to measure 11-1/4″ x 11-1/4″. Adhere it to the cardstock.

Step 3: Cut a piece of white patterned designer paper to measure 12″ x 4-1/4″. Ink the edges with the Tangerine Ink Pad and Craft Blending Brush, using a circular motion. Adhere this piece to the layout, lined up with the bottom edge of the gold paper.

Step 4: Cut two squares from blue designer paper to measure 2″ x 2″. Cut each square from corner to corner to create a total of four triangles. Ink the edges with the Navy Ink Pad. Adhere a triangle to each corner of the white paper, leaving about 1/8″ around the outer edges.

Step 5: To create the candles, cut eight pieces from a variety of designer papers to measure 1/2″ x 2-1/2″ and one piece to measure 1/2″ x 3″. Ink the edges with the Navy Ink Pad. Adhere the candles centered along the bottom edge of the white paper, with the 3″ piece in the middle.

Step 6: Using gold designer paper, punch nine hearts with the heart punch from the Key to My Heart Mini Trio Punch Set. Use scissors to cut the hearts in half to create the candle “flames.” Ink the edges and adhere one flame above each candle.

Step 7: Cut two photo mats from blue designer paper to measure 5-1/4″ x 6-3/8″ and 4-1/4″ x 5-3/4″. Ink the edges. Adhere two 5″ x 3″ photos to the larger mat and one 4″ x 5-1/2″ photo to the smaller mat. Tuck the mats under the top edge of the white paper and adhere.

Step 8: Cut strips from white designer paper, ink the edges, then adhere them to the layout for journaling. Journal as desired with the Navy Micro-Tip Pen.

Step 9: Adhere embellishments to the layout, using Foam Squares on some for added dimension.

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October 16, 2026

A Folded Chevron Layout with Hydrangea Haven

Some of the sweetest memories are made in the kitchen. Rolling dough, sharing a laugh and simply spending time together. This Hydrangea Haven layout frames those everyday moments with rows of folded paper chevrons, soft stenciled blooms and hand-drawn faux stitching for a page that feels as warm as the memories on it.

It’s a fun way to use a little bit of every pattern in the paper pack, and the triangle scraps you trim away become a coordinating bonus border so nothing goes to waste!

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To create this layout, you will need:

A blue and green scrapbook layout with three photos of a mother and daughter baking together, rows of folded designer paper chevrons, stenciled blue flowers and stars, and hydrangea stickers. — Layout by **Brenda Rose**, Creative Memories Design Team Contributor

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Step 1: Use light blue tonal paper as the base for this layout.

Step 2: Cut two strips of green striped designer paper to measure 12″ x 1/2″. Adhere them along the top and bottom edges of the layout.

Step 3: Using the 5×5 Polka Dots Stencil with Avocado Ink and a Craft Blending Brush, ink polka dots along the upper left, middle right and lower right areas of the layout.

Step 4: Using a ruler and pencil, lightly draw horizontal lines 3″, 4-1/4″ and 5-1/2″ from the bottom edge of the layout. Use these lines as guides for placing the folded pieces.

Step 5: Cut 18 strips from a variety of designer papers to measure 4″ x 1″. Place one strip along the 45-degree angle on the 12-inch Trimmer with the point of the paper at the cutting line, then cut. Flip the strip over, place it along the 45-degree angle with the point at the cutting line and cut again. Fold the strip in half, then fold up the tails to create a “V.” Repeat with the remaining strips.

Tip: Save the small triangles you trim off each strip — you’ll use them to create the bonus border!

Step 6: Adhere the folded pieces along the pencil lines across the layout.

Step 7: Cut three photo mats from Avocado Solid Cardstock to measure 4″ x 4″. Adhere them to the layout as shown.

Step 8: Adhere three photos that measure 3-1/2″ x 3-1/2″ to the mats.

Step 9: Using a White Gelly Roll Pen, draw faux stitches around each photo.

Step 10: Using the 5×5 Starry Blooms Stencil with Cornflower and Songbird Blue Inks and Craft Blending Brushes, ink the floral blooms onto Bright White Solid Cardstock. Fussy cut the flowers with scissors, then tuck and adhere them into the folds of the paper pieces and behind the photo mats.

Step 11: Using the same stencil with Cornflower Ink and a Craft Blending Brush, add stars randomly across the layout.

Step 12: Finish the layout by adhering stickers, using Foam Squares on some for added dimension. Use a Navy Dual-Tip Pen to doodle dotted flight trails behind the butterfly stickers.

Bonus Border:

A 12-inch scrapbook border of blue and green designer paper triangles on light blue cardstock with a scalloped green edge, a Garden Therapy sticker and gardening tool stickers.

Step 1: Cut a piece of Baby Blue Solid Cardstock to measure 12″ x 2″.

Step 2: Using a ruler and pencil, draw a line across the cardstock at 6″ to mark the center. Use this line as the guide for placing the triangles.

Step 3: Starting at the pencil line, adhere the saved triangles along the top and bottom edges of the cardstock.

Step 4: Fill in every other “V” with triangles, leaving open spaces of cardstock in between. Adhere stickers in the open spaces using Foam Squares.

Step 5: Replace the Straight Blade in your 12-inch Trimmer with the Scallop Blade. Cut a piece of Avocado Solid Cardstock to measure 12″ x 2-1/4″. Adhere the Baby Blue Solid Cardstock piece to the top of the scalloped piece.

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