Project Life 2013 Begins!

This project was such a labor of love for me last year.  With the new year coming up, I knew I wanted to continue but I also know how much work went into those three jam packed albums, and I really wanted to figure out a way to scale it back some so I could get back a bit of my crafting time to well, craft other things. What I've decided to do is to do bi-weekly spreads.  Each 12 x 24 layout is going to cover two weeks instead of just one.  And so far, it's working.  I am still every bit of in love with Project Life as I was last year, only it doesn't feel all consuming any longer.    I really think this is going to work out well for us this year.

New monthly dividers!  I have too much fun making these to give them up!

 

Another thing I have started doing is using photo collages to get a bunch of pictures in one 6 x 4 space.  This normally would have been an insert of a beach trip we took at the beginning of the year, but I was able to cover it all in such a smaller space.  Underneath I've used a flip pocket to add a few more photos.  I heard about these little ingenious little things on the Two Peas board and quickly picked up some on Amazon.  They come in handy when you have just a few extra pictures you really want to use but don't want a full insert.

Lots of writing.  One of my goals for 2013 is to journal more and have my family journal more.  My mother in law did the journaling cards for the weekend the boys spent with her and their Auntie.  They took fabulous pictures too!

Go Falcons!  Okay, maybe next year.  They did win this game though!

 

Yes, I have quickly become a photo collage junky.  I'm trying to mix it up though.  You'll see color and black and white photos put together.  I've been playing a bit with different photoshop actions as well. 

And that's it.  The first four weeks of 2013 covered in four pages.  I LOVE it.  Totally caught up and not the least bit stressed about it.  I'm able to be a little more leisurely about taking pictures and putting it all together.  All in all I think 2013 is going to be a fabulous year!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Valentine's Day Notebook

This is a very quick post for a very simple project.  I am about to send my sister another batch of cards, and decided to make her something really quick just for her.  I didn't do any embellishing because the paper was really enough.  Super quick, and fun.  I hope she likes it.

Paper:  SEI

Silhouette:  book, cupid cut out and perforated pages

Ribbon:  My Stash

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Bloom and Grow Card Set

I own a ton of stamps and rarely do I use them like I should.  So when I saw this card by Laura Bassen I knew I wanted to give this a try.  It took me a minute to get the technique down and I threw away lots of starts and mistakes, but ultimately I got it.  Love using all of my stamps this way.  This is a set from Verve.  It's a couple years old, I think it's called Bloom and Grow.

Paper:  Bazzil, Studio Calico
Stamps:  Verve
Embossing Folders:  ProvoCraft Cuttlebug
Bling:  Doodlebug Designs
Ink:  Stampin' Up

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

You Look Lovely . . .

I've been a card making fool today.  First up is a card featuring the new DCWV 6x6 stack, Twinkle Glintz.  It's full of DCWV's glittery paper, which I have said before, and will continue to shout from the rooftops, is the best glittery paper out there by far.  Cuts like buttah in my Cameo!  Here she is . . .

Paper:  DCWV's 6x6 Twinkle Glitz Stack; DCWV's Silky Smooth Neutrals, Recollections brand kraft paper

Silhouette:  frame, flourishes, center flower

Spellbinders:  Foliage dies

Wood Veneer:  Studio Calico

Red Flowers:  Fleurettes by Mark Richards

Bling:  My Stash, and Doodlebug Designs

Embossing Folder:  Chevron  -  Lifestyle Crafts

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Hello!

Did I say that was the last 34th Street card?  Turns out I have one more.  And this is actually the first one I made!  I am pretty proud of myself for getting at least five cards out of this kit.  I could probably make some more.  Here it is:

Thanks for stopping by!

My Happy Place

One more 34th Street card . . .

Thanks for stopping by!

I Heart U

Another Valentine's Day card.  This one featuring a Valentine's stack I never got around to using last year.  A little bit of paper, some twine, and a little bit of bling.

Paper:  MME's Love Me, Lost and Found

Washi:  Wicked from Studio Calico's 34th Street Card Kit

Bling:  My Stash

Twine:  May Arts

Wood Veneer:  Freckled Fawn 

Thanks for stopping by!

Project Life - The End of 2012

And it's a wrap!  Really, it is.  Okay, if I'm being completely honest there are like 2 or 3 journaling cards that need to be filled in (by my husband no less) but other than that it really is DONE.  I have to say that I am super proud of myself for starting this massive project and sticking with it.  There were definitely times I wanted to quit, but after watching my son pull these albums out day after day, week after week I realized how very important this is for our family.  

I finished the year with 3 albums!  Barely.  And wouldn't you know it, the BH Clementine albums I bought actually started falling apart. (insert gasp and then pissed off face here) I had one album that basically wouldn't close with the loops lining up so I ended up replacing all three.  Why?  Uniformity of course!  WRMK is my new found love and joy and I will use these for all of my PL albums from here on out.  Aqua is the word of the day, or should I say, the word of 2012.  Without any further adieu, here is the final week of 2012.

 

 

My Mother in law is a Christmas baby so she always gets her very own special birthday cake after Christmas dinner.  

Brandy and I look good in this photo.  I might have to scrap this one!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

34th Street Here I Come!

Back in December I decided to try something new and I subscribed to the Studio Calico card kit club.  I've never subscribed to anyone before and I thought hey, maybe I'll come up with something different and new.   Well, two kits have arrived and I have looking at them like, "Now what?".  So tonight I thought I would play around with the first one - 34th Street to see what I could come up with.  I'm not 100% sure this is *me*, but there were parts that were fun just because they were different.  

So there they are.  Much different than my usual fare.  I'm sort of pumped to move onto the next kit to see if this type of thing is going to stick.  I added a few things to the basic kit - some of the stamps are from Studio Calico/Hero Arts, Papertrey Ink, and Cas-ual Friday stamps.  There are mistable clouds, twine from my stash (The Twinery) as well as wood veneers from Studio Calico.  That's it!

Thanks for stopping by!