Bewitched Crafts with Tracy Miller

Join me for a chat inspired by the Lazy Genius on including the everyday moments that define the season in our scrapbooks.  I'm talking both the season of Autumn and Thanksgiving as well as our season of life.  Let's dive into the rituals that make the best of where we are in our lives with evocative photos and introspective journaling.  

In this episode, let's talk about what it feels like to celebrate this treasured American holiday.  Growing up, sharing this holiday celebration with a large extended family gathered at my Grandmother's home there were distinct roles defined by age and gender...kids played outside, the men played cards.  Thanksgiving has changed a lot since I was a kid and I'm determined to capture how it felt in my scrapbook.  I've included some of my favorite tips in this episode and I'm sharing more over on the blog at bewitchedcrafts.com

It's the beginning of a new month and time to schedule three things that restore and energize you.  In this episode, I'm sharing my REPORT...R is for what I'm reading, E for eating, P for playing (hint: there are some super cute Spellbinders stamps and dies on my craft table), O for obsessing, R for recommending, and T for treating myself.  I hope you'll find inspiration here.

  ✨ How intentional planning can inspire your most meaningful scrapbook pages In this inspiring episode, hear how my love of planning and list-making has transformed my scrapbooking process — and my life. We're talking about The Big Three, a simple but powerful approach inspired by YouTube creator Muchelle B, where you schedule three non-negotiable activities each month that light you up. Most of myfavorite scrapbook layouts come from these joyful "Big Three" moments — experiences centered around self-care, creativity, and connection.  🗓️ Topics Covered The Big Three Game: How scheduling three energizing events a month creates memories worth documenting. Mini Adventures for 2026: Six small adventures (one every two months) to keep life exciting without breaking the bank. The 26 for 2026 Challenge: Completing 26 little "shoulds" before year-end — and declaring yourself a winner after just one! Creative Habits That Support Memory Keeping: Cleaning and backing up phone photos monthly Printing favorites for scrapbook layouts Using tech like the Amazon Echo Show to keep your memories visible Story Spotlight: Tracy's quirky and heartfelt plans for a girls' trip to the Circleville Pumpkin Show — a new addition to her mini-adventure list. Behind the Scenes: A sneak peek at the upcoming Bewitched Crafts Digital Planner, featuring prompts and tools to help crafters build creative habits and plan meaningful projects. 💡 Key Takeaways Prioritize joy: Schedule what fills your well — not just what fills your calendar. Small steps matter: Even one completed goal from your "26 for 2026" list counts as a win. Your memories deserve space: Keep photos organized, accessible, and ready for your next scrapbook page. Planning fuels creativity: A few minutes of reflection each month can transform both your energy and your craft. 🧡 Connect & Share Share your Big Three List for November and the scrapbook layouts inspired by your chosen activities.  Plus, let me know your ideas for the Paper Crafter's Digital Planner! 📧 Email: tracy@bewitchedcrafts.com 📱 Social: Facebook • Instagram • YouTube

✨ Episode Summary In this heartwarming episode of the Bewitched Crafts Podcast, host Tracy Miller shares how to capture the joy and color of the season through your camera lens. Inspired by a recent family outing to a local Fall Festival, Tracy offers practical photography tips for scrapbookers . From hayrides and pumpkin patches to golden-hour light, she'll help you see your memories with fresh eyes and creative inspiration. 📷 Photography Tips for Scrapbookers: Document the Details: Capture the festival logo or entrance sign for easy journaling and page titles. Pumpkin Perfection: Include photos of pumpkins, flowers, and seasonal décor to round out your layouts. Action & Emotion: Snap candid shots of laughter, games, and pony rides — don't stress over perfection. Play with Light: Try golden hour, backlighting, or even shooting from low angles for artistic effects. Shoot Freely: Digital photography means unlimited takes — click away and delete later! 💾 Bonus Tip: Don't forget to back up your photos regularly. Mid-month is the perfect time for a digital cleanup and backup.   💌 Stay Connected Subscribe to the Bewitched Crafts Newsletter for a free weekly card tutorial and creative inspiration straight to your inbox. Sign up  Follow on Facebook and Instagram

Do you love Fall?  Let's explore how to capture the cozy, creative energy it brings. From the back-to-school excitement of September to the inspiration sparked by seasonal colors and everyday ordinary magic, I want capture that feeling of Fall with my photos and scrapbook pages. Whether you're documenting your favorite memories or diving into new creative goals, this episode will motivate you to embrace Autumn with joy and purpose. ✨ Key Takeaways Fall offers a natural surge of creative energy—use it to start or revive your craft projects. Scrapbooking is a powerful way to capture the feelings and moments that make this season special. Don't let fear or perfectionism hold you back—your creativity deserves space to flourish.  Try new things with your phone camera.  Create collage, junk journal pages, or scrapbook layouts. Everyday Fall experiences like changing leaves, cozy evenings, seasonal foods deserve to be savored.  The magic is in the little things! Want to keep your creative momentum going? Join my mailing list for weekly inspiration! Each email includes step-by-step instructions to create a handmade card—and new subscribers receive a free card tutorial as a welcome gift. 👉 Sign up here to get your free card tutorial

🌟 Episode Summary What happens after Eigth Grade Summer?  Inspired by the Happier With Gretchen Rubin podcast, my summer theme brought joy, fun, and relaxation — and now I want to carry that intentional energy into Fall. This season's theme centers on growth, definition, and creative renewal, encouraging listeners to get clear, savor the moment, and craft unique projects. 🗝️ Key Takeaways Seasonal themes as life anchors: Choosing a theme helps guide priorities and keep energy focused throughout the season. "Eighth Grade Summer" mindset: Reconnecting with childhood joys—like biking, swimming, and pizza nights—can help combat burnout and restore balance. Transition to Fall: It's time craft a more mindful, creative autumn as a Woman In Total Control of Herself! The power of reflection: A simple theme can remind you to make intentional choices and celebrate small wins.   ✨ Bonus  I'm sharing about new projects including my Fall Art Journal, exclusive content over on Instagram @bewitchedcrafts, and Pastry School.

I've got an update on my home office (don't miss the picture of my gorgeous new desk over on Facebook) and I am planning the three things I'll do for myself in October.  These three things will likely become my  favorite scrapbook layouts for the month.  They are the craft festivals and artist dates that fill my cup, ramp up my creative energy, and leave me feeling refreshed.  I hope you'll play along and take photos!

What if making cards and scrapbook layouts is more than just your hobby?  In my case, I value connection, communication and creativity so paper crafting is part of living my values.  Being a stamper, a card maker, and a scrapbooker is part of my identity.

Once upon a time, in the days of the LSS (local scrapbook store) there were large communities of paper crafters working together in a sort of quilting bee style.  Before that online communities were spaces to share techniques and organize themed swaps.  Let's bring back the best elements of those communities!  Share your projects and feedback at www.facebook.com/bewitchedcrafts

It turns out I am not alone in experiencing the magic of back to school energy as an adult.  Have you seen the new trend of creating a personal curriculum?  Traditionally, it's designed to include research and satisfy your curiosity, but in this episode, I'm putting a crafty twist on it.  Let's look at ideas for ramping up creative energy, mastering paper crafting tools, and completing holiday cards.

Setting a theme for my summer brought me an easy way to focus on giving myself the experience I wanted most.  8th Grade Summer was a huge success!  I wanted a fun break and I gave myself all of my favorite elements of summer break.  I rode my bike, enjoyed long floats in the pool, played a few video games, and even took a summer reading challenge.  How will I ever top that for Fall?

I took the 52 Book Club's Connection Challenge this summer and documented it all in a summer reading journal.  This episode is for the readers and book girlies!  This challenge had me reading a variety of genres and helped me clear more than a dozen books from my TBR.  Don't forget to share your favorite read of the summer with me.

Let's talk about the little things that delight us.  I'm sharing childhood memories of pinwheels and play doh.  Seventeen magazine and cassette tapes were the special treats of my teenage years.  These days I go for fancy coffee and massages.  How do you treat yourself?

Kids in my area went back to school today.  The end of summer vacation always signaled the end of summer itself when I was a kid.  Of course we went back to classes after Labor Day, but still...old habits.  Anyway, i found myself saying I'm not ready!  I'm stil savoring a few weeks of the season and I'm using them in a deliberate way to set myself up for a terrific Autumn.

With back to school season fast approaching, now is the time to make the most of summer days.  Immerse yourself in your favorite seasonal experiences.  I am reliving my 8th grade summer complete with bike rides, swimming, and video games but with one significant difference.  Listen in to learn more.

It's not exactly the Mid Year Book Freak Out tag, but it's definitely inspired by it!  Let's talk great reads, surprises, and a few disappointments.  Where do your hobbies lead you and how will you document it?

I don't watch much tv and I rarely talk about shows, but today I'm sharing four recommendations for streaming.  I'm planning to capture a little about each of them in my album as part of my endeavor to document the everyday, ordinary things about my life.

Author Gretchen Rubin tells us novelty and challenge have a lot to do with our happiness.   Once you see things through this lense, you'll find it explains the thrill of everything from travel to baking an elaborate cake.  How do we find the right balance to apply it to our favorite hobbies?

I've been away a lot since this Spring.  Comng home with fresh eyes, I am noticing lots of changes.  Somethings seem to have popped up overnight and others took more time.  I'm ready to capture change in a new way in my scrapbook and I hope you'll give it a try.