Category Archives: Graphic 45

A New Phase in My Life: From Journaler to Writer to Video Content Creator

Nautical Pocket Page Scrapbooking Layouts for 6x8 Album

Nautical Pocket Page Scrapbooking Layouts for 6×8 Album

Updated 2-17-2024: I originally shared this blog post a few months ago with the intention of also posting the photos to go along with it at Instagram. However, my life around that time got crazy, and I never actually posted the pics on Instagram. So I am sharing them today and bumping this up to the top of my blog in case any of my Instagram friends want to check out the video link. Thanks so much for visiting!


6x8 Sailing Themed Pocket Page Scrapbooking Layout Featuring Supplies by Graphic 45, Altenew, Pinkfresh Studio, Simple Stories and Tim Holtz for Ranger Industries

6×8 Sailing Themed Pocket Page Scrapbooking Layout Featuring Supplies by Graphic 45, Altenew, Pinkfresh Studio, Simple Stories and Tim Holtz for Ranger Industries

I have been a journaler and writer for almost as long as I can remember. I started daily journaling when I was around 11 or 12 years old; I don’t remember my age at the time, exactly. I tore up my earliest journals, so I don’t have a record of the exact date when I started; my oldest intact journals are from when I was a teenager.


The precise timeframe doesn’t matter. The point is, I’ve been at it for a long time.


I continued with daily journaling until the time I graduated from high school. When I started college, I stuck with journaling but couldn’t manage to do it daily; I usually made a few entries every week, but the pace of my journaling definitely slowed.


After Mike and I met and I started working full-time in the textile industry, my journaling became even more sporadic and basically stopped, although I have several random entries per year from those years.


Then when I discovered scrapbooking around 2006, I decided that my journaling and scrapbooking should be merged. I wish this idea had occurred to me earlier than it did. I am still in the process of going back through old scrapbooks and merging my journaling with my photos. This project is not my highest priority, so it is taking a long time. It might take the rest of my life to finish, and I am at peace with that understanding.


And I am now working as a freelance writer, although most of my writing now takes the form of digital marketing for paying clients.


All this to say that being a writer is a central component of my identity. I see myself as being a journaler and writer. I have held other jobs in my life: restaurant server, theatre costume assistant, retail store sales associate, assistant store manager, textile designer, director of design, search engine optimizer, content marketer, digital marketer and freelance writer. In hindsight, I realize that ALL those other roles have been essential to my success as a writer, because writers need solid, real-world experiences to draw from, or they have nothing to write about.


Through every role change, I have never ceased to think of myself as a writer…


…until this past month when I was doing my planning for the months ahead, and I had a startling realization.


In the long term, writing does not appear to be the smartest path forward for my personal projects as a content creator — and, in particular, for my crochet patterns and other craft projects.


I believe I am an exceptional writer; I have devoted a sizable portion of my life to improving my proficiency at the craft of writing. I really don’t want to stop being a writer, and I don’t plan to give up writing. I am blessed (and sincerely grateful!) to have an amazing lineup of freelance writing clients who still value human writers in general; in particular, they value the life experience and insights I bring to the table as a writer.


But considering that robots are now able to write passably well, it seems inevitable that my skills will need to evolve if I hope to stay relevant as a content creator in the long term.


Up until now, I have not really thought of myself as being a videographer. However, I have all the skills required to excel at videography, so there is no earthly reason that I shouldn’t think of myself as being a videographer.


That’s because Mike, my husband and the love of my life, is an exceptionally talented videographer, and he has been super generous about teaching me how to film, edit, and attend to all the little details that successful videography requires. He used to work in the Hollywood film industry and was involved with the filming of many impressive productions; he also founded and managed a local TV channel. I picked up the basics of videography along the way by helping him make the videos he needs for his businesses, which are heavily reliant on audio-visuals.


One of the first things Mike taught me about videography: A video will only be as successful as the script it is based on. Outstanding script => Outstanding video. Mediocre script => Mediocre video. Terrible script => Terrible video.


I am excited and hopeful at this thought, because, if this is really true, there will be a time in the future when I will be able to call myself an exceptional videographer. I am not there yet, but my script writing skills are solid (I know this because I write some of the video scripts for Mike’s productions).


So I basically just need to make a shift in mindset and also a shift in my day-to-day habits; from here on out, I plan to start incorporating videography into my usual, daily content creation process.


I am announcing this intention to the world now: You can all now start thinking of me as being both a writer and a video content creator.


So let’s get this party started with a brand new video, shall we? It’s a video I made about the sailing-themed pocket page scrapbooking layout pictured above. You can find more pics plus the video and supply list posted at my craft website. I hope you will be forgiving enough to overlook the mistakes in this video, which are numerous. I learned a thousand things from making this, and I promise you, it will only get better from here.


Thanks so much for checking out this post and spending a portion of your day with me. I appreciate your interest in this project!


P.S. Did you notice that there’s a lot of space devoted to journaling in this scrapbooking layout? By now, you’ve probably deduced that it’s not a coincidence. 😀 The photos and video show you how the journaling blocks look “before the pen.” I will have to transfer the actual journaling I have from this trip onto the page at some point in the future, because right now, my old journals are packed up in moving boxes and not easily accessible.

Wedding Card Making Ideas Featuring Sentiment Dies by Emily Moore Designs and Patterned Papers from Graphic 45’s PS I Love You Collection

Want to Make DIY Wedding Cards to Use for Sending Well Wishes to a Happy Couple or Giving Them a Gift They Can Use as They Embark on Married Life Together? Read on to Find 3 Wedding Card Making Ideas.

Handmade Wedding Cards

Handmade Wedding Cards

Amy Solovay, Guest Designer at Emily Moore Designs

Amy Solovay, Guest Designer at Emily Moore Designs


Hello, friends! I’m guest designing for my ultra talented friend, Emily Moore. You might already “know” Emily, too; her work is stunning, and you’ve probably seen it posted around the internet at places like A Cherry on Top Craft Shop, where Emily is a design team member.


What you might not know about Emily: She recently decided to launch her own collection of paper craft supplies, branded with her own name, Emily Moore Designs. Emily’s product offerings thus far include stamps, dies, papers, and even a Card Maker’s Essential Bundle where you can get your hands on her most popular items all at once.


Emily invited me to guest design for her website, and the projects I’m sharing here are ones I’ve made using her dies. I hope you’ll love them!

“Congratulations” A2-Sized Wedding Card With a Gift Card Holder Inside

Wedding Card Made With a Stamped Image by Hero Arts, Card Sentiment Dies by Emily Moore Designs, and Patterned Papers From Graphic 45's PS I Love You Collection

Wedding Card Made With a Stamped Image by Hero Arts, Card Sentiment Dies by Emily Moore Designs, and Patterned Papers From Graphic 45’s PS I Love You Collection


Here’s What the Inside of This Card Looks Like: Notice the Addition of the Easy-to-Make Gift Card Holder:


The inside of this wedding card features a gift card holder you can make using a die by Emily Moore Designs.

The inside of this wedding card features a gift card holder you can make using a die by Emily Moore Designs.

LOVE A2-Sized Wedding Card With Gift Card Holder Inside

Black and White Wedding or Anniversary Card Featuring Patterned Papers From Graphic 45's PS I Love You Collection Plus Die Cut Tags Made Using Card Sentiment Dies by Emily Moore Designs

Black and White Wedding or Anniversary Card Featuring Patterned Papers From Graphic 45’s PS I Love You Collection Plus Die Cut Tags Made Using Card Sentiment Dies by Emily Moore Designs


Handmade Wedding Card With Gift Card Holder and Gift Card Inside

Handmade Wedding Card With Gift Card Holder and Gift Card Inside

Slimline Wedding Card Featuring Die Cut Shapes From Emily Moore’s Card Sentiment Die Set

Slimline Wedding Card Making Idea Featuring Dies by Emily Moore Designs

Slimline Wedding Card Making Idea Featuring Dies by Emily Moore Designs

Supplies Card Makers Will Need for Creating Wedding Cards Like These

Patterned Papers, Dies and Other Craft Supplies You'll Need for Making Your Own Wedding Cards Like the Ones Pictured Here

Patterned Papers, Dies and Other Craft Supplies You’ll Need for Making Your Own Wedding Cards Like the Ones Pictured Here

I recommend the following craft supplies for making these cards:

Get Free Instructions for Making These Wedding Cards!

Tomorrow, 12-21-2023, I will be updating this post to add a link to the free step-by-step tutorial for making the slimline wedding card, so please check back soon!

Learn More About the Card Sentiment Dies by Emily Moore Designs


Card Sentiment Dies by Emily Moore Designs

Card Sentiment Dies by Emily Moore Designs

Emily Moore’s Card Sentiment dies are versatile and practical. If you already own other card making supplies like stamps and patterned papers, you’re likely to find that these dies are the perfect sizes for helping you make the most of your existing craft supply stash.


I used one of the dies from this set to cut out a stamped sentiment image that says “Congratulations” to use on the front of the tan, black and white wedding card. Hero Arts is the manufacturer of the stamp; it’s part of the “Togetherness” stamp set that also includes a stunning flower bouquet and a variety of other sentiments, some of which can also be cut out with Emily Moore’s Card Sentiment dies.


The day I received this die set in the mail, I sat down with these dies and my die cutter, and I cut and stamped my way through a massive pile of scraps that had accumulated in my stash. I stamped and die cut more than 100 sentiments, some of which are ones where that the manufacturer never originally made coordinating dies for. (For example, I don’t think the birthday gift stamp has a corresponding die; although many of the others that found their way into this picture do have coordinating dies, I don’t happen to own any of them).


Stamped and Die Cut Card Sentiments Made Using the Card Sentiment Die Set by Emily Moore Designs

Stamped and Die Cut Card Sentiments Made Using the Card Sentiment Die Set by Emily Moore Designs


If you’ve been paper crafting for awhile, and you have stamp sets that were made before the widespread popularization of die cutters, I think this die set is really going to be a useful purchase for you. It will allow you to get a LOT more use out of stamps that are probably just collecting dust in your stash if your current creative process now focuses more on die cutting rather than fussy cutting out your stamped images. And this versatile die set will also expand your options for using many of your current existing stamp sets, even if you already have the matching dies. I am finding new ways to use my stamps to make cute tags, banners, and scrapbooking page titles cut out using Emily Moore’s Card Sentiment Dies.


Just to give you a clearer idea of what is possible: I was able to use these dies to cut out a variety of sentiment stamps and image stamps by Gina K Designs, Lawn Fawn, Pinkfresh Studio and Simon Says Stamp. You’re likely to find many other compatible matches if you pull out your sentiment stamps from virtually any manufacturer, past or present, and pair them up with these dies.

Gift Card Holder Die by Emily Moore Designs

The inside of this wedding card features a gift card holder you can make using a die by Emily Moore Designs.

The inside of this wedding card features a gift card holder you can make using a die by Emily Moore Designs.

Of course, you’re already aware that when you’ve been invited to a wedding, it’s customary to give the bride and groom-to-be a wedding gift. If they’ve created a gift registry at a popular department store, it’s easy enough to choose a gift from the registry that they’re sure to use.


However, there are many good reasons to skip the gift registry and give them a gift card instead:

  • The couple is likely to need lots of assorted little things like food, cleaning supplies, tape and picture hanging hardware that aren’t necessarily available or worth requesting via a department store gift registry. Your gift card purchase could help to defray the costs of these items, making their transition to married life much easier.
  • If you’ve waited until the last minute to select the gift you’ll give them, their other friends might have already purchased all their gift registry selections — or left only gift registry items that are either beyond your budget or too large and awkward to be easily transported to the wedding.
  • It’s also possible that the couple’s preferred department store doesn’t offer a location that’s within easy driving distance of where you live.
  • If you’re really well acquainted with the couple, you might be aware of needs they have that their department store gift registry doesn’t address. A gift card will allow them to purchase items they might need, but may have been reluctant to request via their gift registry.

So if you’re onboard with giving gift cards, and you’re also a card maker, you can see that this Gift Card Holder Die by Emily Moore Designs could be a really fantastic addition to your craft supplies stash.

Even if you don’t consider yourself to be a card maker, Emily Moore’s Gift Card Holder die could be a worthwhile investment for you if you own a die cutter and frequently give gift cards to other people. Once you own a die cutter plus this die, all it takes is some cardstock or cardstock-weight paper plus paper-friendly adhesive to transform any A2-sized greeting card into a professional-looking, attractive gift card holder that will impress your friends with its beauty and functionality. When you properly attach one of these die cuts to the inside of a greeting card and then place a gift card inside the holder, the gift card will stay safely secured in the greeting card until the recipient is ready to remove it and place it in their wallet or purse.


I think this gift card holder die is really a genius invention. One of the best things about it: You can reuse it as many times as you want to. Whether you need to make one gift card holder, dozens of them, hundreds of them, or even more than that, this die will help you crank out perfectly-cut, elegant looking gift card holders.

So there you have it: wedding card making ideas you can use for making useful wedding or anniversary cards you can present to your loved ones, whether or not you want to include a gift card along with your greeting card. Thanks so much for your interest in these projects! I hope you enjoyed checking out these ideas, and that you’ll be inspired to create some lovely new cards for the people in your inner circle.

Where to Find Emily Moore Online

  • Emily’s products are all available for sale at her website, HERE. Buying from her directly is the very best way you can support her work. Although Emily’s business is relatively new, she has already completely sold out of her dies and restocked them, so you will be in good company if you place an order with her! Her website is also the only place I’m aware of that you can get her Card Maker’s Essentials Bundle. You can also sign up for her newsletter through her website.
  • Get the Gift Card Holder Die HERE.
  • Get the Card Sentiment Dies HERE.
  • A Cherry on Top Craft Shop stocks Emily’s dies, papers and stamps; you can find her collection HERE. This is a fantastic option to consider if you also need to pick up other art or craft items; A Cherry on Top stocks a huge selection of art and craft supplies beyond just paper crafting items, and they have super reasonable shipping rates, which is handy at times when you need to load your cart with project materials. I spend a bundle with them and highly recommend them.
  • You can find Emily Moore on Instagram, HERE.

Thanks for dropping by my blog today. I appreciate your presence here and also your interest in these projects!

More Paper Craft Projects Featuring Craft Supplies by Graphic 45:

Posted by: Amy Solovay


This page was last updated on 12-21-2023.