Thursday, June 23, 2011

The Ella Publishing List It! eBooks & A Giveaway

Ella Publishing just released a new series of eBooks - the List It! Journaling Guides. This one is the Childhood Edition, but there is also a Holiday Edition and soon, an Everyday Edition. Journaling is not my strong suit. If I can do it in list format, it seems so much less daunting. That's why these are so great - they are chuck full of journaling prompts for lists (This edition has 91 prompts) So simple, so easy.

Each journaling list is formatted onto a cute, curvy, lined journaling block. You can print them. Use them on a project. Make a mini album or journal out of them...the possibilities here are pretty endless. There are even blanks included if you need more space or have some of your own ideas for lists. (If you're digital savvy you can get the Digi Plus version, which includes the complete printable PDF as well as all 91 list files in PNG format, for just $2 more.)

Here's a page I made with the prompt "A typical summer day from my early childhood included" which I printed on kraft cardtock and trimmed out:
all materials from Studio Calico kit "Lawn Party"; cardstock: Bazzill; patterned paper, coffee filter: Fancy Pants; banner stickers, chipboard: Crate; corrugated houses: Jillibean; letter stickers: Basic Grey, American Crafts

I grew up in Brooklyn - lived there until I was 8. Most of my really fun kid summers were there. Despite the fact that lawns and playgrounds were scarce, we managed to have fun. I'm sure some of the things we did for fun then would horrify most parents today (myself included). For instance - we were permitted to roam our block until we heard our mother's calling us for dinner. (Brooklyn blocks are huge, and we had free reign to circle the block as long as we didn't cross the avenues that bound it.) We borrowed spray caps from the local police precinct to put on our fire hydrant. They supplied it to you with a giant wrench so you could open the hydrant, put the spray cap on and use it as a giant (and extremely powerful) sprinkler. We would run through the sprinkler in the street. When cars came, we'd move to the let them pass, then get back to the business of getting soaked. Can you imagine your kid walking up the street with his/her friends and a gigantic wrench that it takes 2 of them to carry? Then announcing their plans to play on a busy street? I don't think it's legal to use the fire hydrants in Brooklyn anymore - for anything besides putting out a fire, that is. anywho...back to the layout....

I'm actually not thrilled at how girly this layout turned out. I would like for it to have been more graphic and 70's looking.  I was determined to use up this kit, though. I tried to make a little city out of those corrugated houses - which reminded me of  Brooklyn houses:
That photo is me and mom on a rare swimming occasion.  Here is a close up of my actual list of Brooklyn summer fun:

So, back on the topic of the Ella's List It!; in honor of the release of these great journaling tools, I'm giving away a copy of the Childhood Edition of List It! (regular or digi version) courtesy of Ella. Just leave me a comment on this post and I will draw a random winner on Sunday.
Tune in tomorrow to see a project I made with the Holiday Edition!


14 comments:

Sarah Webb said...

Great layout! Wonderful colours and layers and little touches!

Brenda Johnston said...

This layout is fantastic! I LOVE it! Obviously, keep me out of the giveaway. : ) Great job!

~jan said...

First off, that photo of you and your mom is so precious. (and I see so much of you as a little girl in Marilyn). Loved reading about your memories and I do agree with you-we had a lot more freedoms when we were younger that our kiddos do today. Love the textures on this wonderful layout!

DoggiNo said...

I sometimes wonder if kids today still really have a childhood.
And I realized last weekend, how little pictures we adults have from when we were kids (even if there are a couple of albums full), compared to little ones now. Hurray for digital photography !
Thanks for the chance.

papirdiva said...

I would love to win this! Been meaning to document more of my childhood...

Sarah said...

Love the layout, even if it is more girly than intended. It's the story that sells it, which is part of why I'm interested in the new Ella lists. They seem to be inspiring some great pages.

the mustik said...

FANTASTIC layout, thanks for the inspiration and love to win a copy !!!

aurorafedora said...

great layout! so lovin the little houses!!

Aliza said...

I love seeing New York layouts! And this is a great one. I have yet to tackle my childhood pictures.

Melonie said...

Fantastic LO!

Jenny said...

I love your layout! Love the picture! This book looks fabulous!

isa dona said...

This layout is amazing!
Thanks for the chance and the inspiration

tina said...

I absolutely love your Brooklyn style LO...it's gorgeous and the pic is so sweet. I am really excited about the list making books, they sound like great prompts. Thanks for the chance to win.

Wanda Cullen said...

Val, your scrapbook pages are so wonderful! I also loved reading about your childhood memories in Brooklyn! Times have certainly changed! :-)