#NSDSC15 | Challenge 10 - Keep it Simple with Stephanie Bryan and Leena Loh

It's easy to add and add to your pages (after all, there are so many pretty things to use!), but it's also fun to take a step back and go minimalist with a project for a fresh perspective! Start with what you're photographing - and don't think meals or downtime don't count as great inspiration. Scrap every bit of your day, from morning coffee to your after-dinner wind-down by keeping things simple.


Stephanie Bryan: I absolutely love the idea of challenging myself to “keep it simple”. Sometimes I find that I overthink a layout too much and spend too much time contemplating paper, embellishments or the design of a page. For this challenge, I decided to stick with what’s most important for me when it comes to documenting - photos and words. I printed several photos from April and the added my journaling directly to the photos with my typewriter. I played around with the placement of the photos, but really tried not to “overthink” the process. In the end, I decided to group my photos in a vertical band on the page. I added the “April” script word from the Lisse Street Project Life® kit and just a few additional elements for texture and depth. I love how this page turned out and I love how a simple page of photos and words can still be so powerful!

Supplies: Lisse Street Project Life® kit


Leena Loh: I've been very busy with my work traveling schedule lately and to be able to continue documenting my Project Life without feeling overloaded with limited time, I've been taking a simple and minimal approach to my pages. Photos, journal cards and words are now the main focus of my pages. They're easy, takes me little time to document my stories and gives me more time for my family. Try keeping this simple and you'll love how it turns out!

Supplies: Cirque Project Life journal cards, Bakers Street journal cards


We can't wait to see your take on this challenge! To be entered to win a prize from the Calico Closet, please post your project in the Studio Calico Gallery by May 10th and add the tag #NSDSC10 in the description. Challenges may be combined - just add both tags in your description. Winners will be posted on Monday, May 11th.

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42 comments

  1. josmary says…
    05/02/2015

    simple is my style i love it

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  2. Brinkleyboy says…
    05/02/2015

    Clean and simple...love that! @stephaniebryan how do you type on your photos? Doesn't it bend them?

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  3. photochic17 says…
    05/02/2015

    @Brinkleyboy I'm guessing the typing is done in Photoshop before printing the photos.

    0 Reply 0 Replies
  4. stephaniebryan says…
    05/02/2015

    @Brinkleyboy - I just run them right through my typewriter. It curves them a little as I run it through, but they straighten right out when I adhere them down! :)

    2 Reply 0 Replies
  5. toribissell says…
    05/02/2015

    Oh this is going to be soooo hard for me but I accept the challenge.

    0 Reply 0 Replies
  6. toribissell says…
    05/02/2015

    so it actually wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be.It was sorta fun to go so minimalist.

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  7. noraraa says…
    05/03/2015
    0 Reply 0 Replies
  8. KALI says…
    05/03/2015

    Thanks for this challenge ;)
    Here is mine : http://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/162793-review-of-today

    0 Reply 0 Replies
  9. sandyang says…
    05/03/2015
    0 Reply 0 Replies
  10. crusty says…
    05/03/2015

    Thank you for this great challenge!!
    Here is my layout: http://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/162852-always-more-love

    0 Reply 1 Reply
    1. pamllaguno says…
      12/09/2013

      Hi Jen! :)

      I'm happy to meet someone Filipina! I think I'll also love it here! <3 Hopefully, SC will still be around by the time I have my own family!

      0
  11. Leah says…
    05/03/2015
    0 Reply 0 Replies
  12. AnnetteH says…
    05/03/2015

    Simple is my favorite. Love both examples. You both do a great job with simple / minimal photos + design. So lovely.
    here's mine: http://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/162872-m-a-april-2015

    0 Reply 0 Replies
  13. vixendeity says…
    05/03/2015

    I've always tried to scrap simple, but this time I went *really* simple even with the use of mixed media - I just needed its help to capture and keep the magic of my birthday alive :) Even the title, "24", was perfectly minimalist. It was so fun!

    http://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/162891-24

    0 Reply 0 Replies
  14. juliee says…
    05/03/2015

    I am much better at keeping cards simple. This one is entirely from things on my desk - I didn't use a single tool - not even scissors.

    http://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/162951-smell-the-roses

    0 Reply 0 Replies
  15. Kimiluna says…
    05/03/2015

    Done and uploaded! I made a graphic, black and white border of Zentangle to frame a quote I printed from the Internet! It took a lot of time, but I am really pleased!

    0 Reply 0 Replies
  16. penny says…
    05/03/2015

    Simple card with the focus on the words: http://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/162967-you-got-this

    0 Reply 0 Replies
  17. Kimiluna says…
    05/03/2015

    Done and uploaded! The Photo is grainy because it is night and I kept getting glare off of the page protector, so I had to snap it in the shadows.

    0 Reply 0 Replies
  18. Neela says…
    05/04/2015
    0 Reply 0 Replies
  19. baersgarten says…
    05/04/2015
    1 Reply 0 Replies
  20. AnkeKramer says…
    05/04/2015

    Loved this challenge. Here's my layout:http://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/163123-today

    0 Reply 0 Replies
  21. b_manies says…
    05/04/2015

    I have a hard time keeping it simple but here ya go! :) http://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/163168-nsdsc15-challenge-05-and-10

    0 Reply 2 Replies
    1. melanielouette says…
      12/12/2013

      Thank you! I'll definitely try to walk you through it this weekend if you want to pm me, or I can also post my method here if that can help others, it's super easy. What program are you using for your pics?

      0
    2. mugsie says…
      12/12/2013

      That would be fantastic! I would so appreciate it :) I'm using Elements 10 I just get used to it and then don't use it forever and have to start all over which I'm finding is just wasting a bunch of time and then it doesn't turn out right haha! I'm wondering if Picasa or some other simpler program would do the same thing

      0
  22. Neela says…
    05/04/2015

    Keeping it simple with minimal embellishments!
    http://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/163177-sb-fair

    0 Reply 2 Replies
    1. CarolineHancock says…
      12/12/2013

      Love this. Do you just put it through your printer? amazing.

      0
    2. mugsie says…
      12/12/2013

      Awesome! I love adding canvas to my minis but never gave I thought to print on it! I've gotta try this tonight!! Hehe :)

      1
  23. kymkt says…
    05/05/2015
    0 Reply 0 Replies
  24. penny says…
    05/05/2015

    Kept it simple and also tried to tell the story beyond the event in the photo. Great challenge!!! http://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/163216-this-is-my-favorite

    0 Reply 0 Replies

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