Another Layout Share

Today I wanted to share a layout I made the other night while Skyping with my good friend Erin from Sweet & Simple. Every once in a while we get the urge & free time to Skype with each other. Since she lives all the way in TX, this is the only way we can see each other, for now. 

I had a TON of Elle's Studio tags that I wanted to use & a layout idea that would work together perfectly. I made a kind of puzzle with the tags on the right side of the page & a large photo collage. So I put them together with the highlights from my year as 24. 

It took a while to figure out the exact placement of the tags, but I love the way it turned out.

To make my thickers glittery I put a layer of mod podge on top, then sprinkled on the glitter and let them dry. It's a great way to alter the thickers. Since they are more pricey than your average letter stickers, being able to change them to fit into any project really makes them worth the price!

I made my photo collage in Picasa, a free photo editing program from Google. I created a custom size, then printed it. I love making collages for layouts and Project Life. 

Layout Share

Okay, so like I promised, I'm here with a layout to share.

I've had a photo of my dad holding me on the day I was born for a long as I can remember. I've been wanting to get it scrapbooked, but I did't know how I wanted the story of it to go, especially since I only know stories of that day, & I don't actually remember it. Well, I finally figured out I would just let it live in perspective of today. So a few weeks ago, I turned 25. That's a big deal, a quarter of a century! So I got my dad to take another photo with me, & I made a page with the 2 photos together. I have to say, honestly this is my favorite page I have made to date. I didn't do any journaling or anything, I let the title tell the story. I'm a serious Dad's girl, so this page really means something to me.

I was getting kind of nervous about the page as I was starting. I didn't want to mess it up, so to speak. Then the 2 photo sizes and finishes kinda freaked me out. But my friend Erin set me straight. She was over at my house for a crop and she challenged me to use the photos as is. No editing. & I'm so glad she did. It gives me the perspective of not only the change in my dad and I but also in the era of photography. Polaroid vs. DSLR. I'm really glad I have these photos and memories to cherish. I know some aren't that fortunate. I love my Pop, with all of my heart & I can't wait to spend 25 more years with him!

It's that time. FINALLY.

This past week, (yesterday to be exact!) I turned in my final research paper. I have read 1000s of pages in both English & French, written 100s of notes, & 20 pages into a paper... I'm exhausted. I'm ready to take a break from school. I have literally 1 week & 9.5 hours before I will be graduating from university. It's been a long time coming. I've learned so much, not just about history, math, French, literature, but about myself, what I love, how I want to live my life, & where I want to be. I'm ready for next Saturday to come & pass. I'm sure it will be a whirlwind of an experience, but I want to absorb every moment.

I'll leave you with a photo of my giant stack of books that I literally turned back into the library yesterday evening, just before I turned in my final draft, after having them for a few months!

I will be back tomorrow with a new layout to share with you. 

MIA

I've been totally MIA from here for over a month! geez. I'm counting down the days until graduation... but more importantly I'm counting down the days until my HUGE research paper is due. I have just over a month to finish it. & that may sound like a lot but that means I need to be writing at least 1 page per day & editing it at the same time. I'm in a slight freak out mode.

Lately the only scrapping I've been doing is when I'm cropping with friends. So I haven't been making videos, sorry. I switched our guest room & my scrapbook room around, so my video set up is gone, I need to figure out a new way of doing it now. I may force myself to take photos of my scrapbook room & organization, it's nothing special though.

I do have a few layouts to share today. I went on a weekend cabin retreat with some of my friends and the weekend was memorable to say the least. I did get 2 layouts & a mini album finished... which was awesome for me. (I hardly accomplish anything around others haha, what can I say? I'm a talker)

Okay so here's the first layout:

I think this is my favorite photo of myself to date. It makes me want a haircut though. lol.

& the second layout:

 

I love this photo of Ryan. The title says it all. 

I don't have photos of the mini album to share yet, I'm working on figuring out the binding... it is TINY, so I have to find a way to bind it without ruining it, or the photos inside. 

Tomorrow, I'm going book hunting with my dad. We're trying to track down a book that is sure to help us in our genealogy quest. & Friday we're hoping to get over to the Archives in Atlanta before they close it... is the state still planning to do that? I hope not. But just in case, we're going there to copy anything that we can. Gotta get some advice from my genealogy pro friend... best to go in knowledgeable than to look like a schmuck. :) Saturday I'm having friends over, we're going to crop until the late hours of the night. I've still got to find out what foods to prepare... yikes. Better get on that!

Remembering

Remembering lives lost
Remembering sacrifices made
Remembering a country united
Remembering the tears
Remembering fear
Remembering uncertainty
Remembering this day
Remembering forever

This day will always be imprinted on my mind. I never want to forget how fortune I am to live in a country so wonderful, that can recover from tragedy and unite. It's been 11 years, & every year it feels like it happened just last year, but also so long ago. I won't ever forget it.

Remembering 11 September 2001

My Life, Right Now!

I'm in full on research mode. I never imagined how much research it takes to keep a 20 page paper interesting.

Everyday I right a new question to bring up to my professor.
Everyday I read a portion of a book, either in English or French.
Everyday I search for new articles.
Everyday I write down ideas.
Everyday I alter my topic just slightly, narrowing it to precision.
Everyday I take notes.
Everyday I reread those notes.
Everyday I think.
Everyday I post-it something new.
Everyday I bookmark another site.
Everyday I print another piece of paper.
Everyday I write a few sentences.
Everyday I talk out my topic to myself and to Ryan.
Everyday I ask an opinion.
Everyday I translate.
Everyday I stress.
Everyday I think about what I will present about.
Everyday I change my idea of which primary source is the most important.

Whew. I'm tired just thinking about it and everything left to do. I'm ready for December to be here. I'm ready to get my presentations over and my paper printed. I'm seriously ready. You know what's really crazy, though? I already have another research topic in mind for my six or so months off between undergrad and graduate programs. I hope it works out.

Okay I'm off, I really need to get back to reading and writing.

September My Creative Scrapbook Guest Designer!!

Hi everyone!! I'm dropping in from the uncomfortable seats of my school, to share some EXCITING NEWS!! I was asked by Pam & Delaina from My Creative Scrapbook Kit Club to work with the fun Creative Kit for September. Of course, I jumped at the chance... Literally, when I got my box I opened it, stressed a bit, since I've never worked with a "kit" before, then embraced the challenge, & got to work... by the next afternoon I had finished 3 layouts and 2 cards!!! I was on a serious roll. I loved working with the group. They are all so sweet & they treated me like I had always been meant to be there! So anyway, I'm here to show you my projects... drum roll please!

Seriously. Love how this card turned out. I've only made 1 other card that I absolutely loved. ONE! but this one changed that. I did stuff I'm not used to doing, like creating a background scene with the strips of paper as buildings and the clouds. & That yellow flag piece, was a happy coincidence... it was the leftover piece from my layout below [Let's Go Explore]... I had cut it to make a shorter banner for the layout & the curve of the leftover piece just looked like one of those flags that fly behind special planes with messages or advertisements!

I was on a mission to use every one of the small diecut papers. So when I only had the circle one left, I knew I had to turn it into a card. There I am again, creating a background. Stepping out of my comfort zone into something that I love! I would've never known that without this kit!

I tell ya. After walking up 425 steps to see the waterfall at Amicalola Falls more closely, it deserved to be scrapbooked. I mean, what an accomplishment. It doesn't sound like a ton of steps, but try doing it in October, while it's still steamy hot here in GA, with 2 kids that have just eaten lunch, & are probably ready for a nap in the car on the drive home. I didn't think we would ever make it. But we did. & It sure was beautiful.

Ryan and I are always on the lookout for some cool places to walk & explore. I love just walking next to him all by our lonesome, & just talk. We talk about the mundane, the future, where we are together as a couple, what we want to be doing next, where we will be this time next year... & so much more.  It's these kind of adventures that really make me appreciate what we have together. It's not very often people get to marry their best friend. 

This was my very first page I created with the kit!! I LOVE the color combo on this. I used an EK Success & Crafter's Workshop Mask to trace all of the stars. I love stars and I love how if you think outside of the product box, you can find so many uses for the tools you already own!

Everyone should go check out the My Creative Scrapbook blog today... they are having an awesome blog hop with their Design Team!

Lastly I'd like to say thanks again to Pam & Delaina for including me! I had a great time with the kit!

Now I'm off to take a look at everyone else's AMAZING projects! 

I survived...

my first day back at University after a 3 month summer break. whew. & I could still speak French. I'm always terrified that if I don't practice for that long that I will lose it all. I don't want that! Also. I had the most amazing time the night before... Incubus + Atlanta + me & Ryan = one of the best nights of my life... again.

I do have some photos to share with you.

So the night started out kinda rough. We were late leaving, but since it was a Sunday there wasn't a ton of traffic so that was a plus. Then after we got there & got seated [on the lawn, mind you...] it started to rain. It wasn't some terrible downpour or anything, just the slightly annoying, slow drenching kind...
Luckily I remembered to pack our rain jackets... best investment ever, here in GA we get that nasty, cold, rain that will soak through your clothes quickly & leave you shivering afterwards [all winter long]

So the first band that played was MuteMath... they were cool, but honestly I was so distracted by being cold, the non-stop rain, & the already drunk people being escorted out of the venue, that I didn't really pay that much attention to them... my favorite being a pair of young women coming in already stumbling, pouring beer all over each other... quite the scene, & not a good one at that... more like a wreck you can't look away from. yikes.

So finally the rain starts to die down, just in time for Incubus to be on stage. [insert extremely happy face here]... They were amazing. & honestly much better than last year, BB was joking around, playfully singing INXS, & BK was really into it, he was all over the stage & I LOVED EVERY MINUTE. The best part, they were about to go off stage & BB asked if there was time for one more... HELLO??? OF COURSE!!! so M.E. brings out a lute & nearly DIE. They started playing my ALL TIME FAVORITE SONG!!! Aqueous Transmission. I think I had the biggest goofiest smile on my face the entire time. That's the first time I've heard that song live & it was amazing.

So here are some of my favorite moments/photos of the show...

Then after they were finished playing I had a brief moment of sadness because it has been reported that they are going to go on a hiatus for a bit... not as long as last time [5 years!!!] but BB wants to work on another solo album & the others have things they want to do too... sad. I guess If Not Now, When? will have to keep me going for now. 

I love you Incubus, I can't wait 5 years to see you again, so please don't make me wait that long & I will continue to love you forever. Sincerely, obsessed & in love. 

Genealogy

My dad has gotten into this kick of wanting to learn about our family's ancestors. Boy is that a job. Being his only kid, I'm always asked to help. I enjoy it, it has the potential to be fun & interesting,... & sometimes it is. But most of the time its just plain hard. Seriously. Didn't these people keep photo albums or something... where's that family Bible that every family seems to have... except ours. So we dig and dig. Sometimes we find a tiny sliver of hope, sometimes we feel like we found the whole pie, but most of the time we just have to continue digging.

It's funny how times change. I have known almost all of my aunts & uncles... even my great ones, but my dad didn't even know that his grand-parents had brothers and sisters... he was the 2nd youngest of his bunch, and his mom died early in his life, so that may have something to do with his lack of knowledge... but here we are trying to learn all we can before I get back into the grind of university, because to be honest I'm going to be doing so much research for my final undergraduate paper that my family history is going to have to sit on the back burner for a while.

I'm literally sitting here in the Genealogy Room at the Waycross-Ware Public Library. We've been working almost nonstop for 2 days now, & we have half of a day tomorrow before we travel home. I don't know if I've ever seen my dad so excited and enthralled in something before. It's nice to see him invested in something so heavily... he must think about this family tree everyday.

So as we continue on our journey to discover our ancestors... the Pioneers of Wiregrass, GA, I'd like to ask anyone who has done this sort of research before if they have any advice.

All of that being said. It makes me realize why I do this. Scrapbooking that is. I don't want my grandkids and their grandkids to have to guess about who I was. I mean seriously. & after looking at countless pages of newspaper on microfilm, I'm going to start documenting the small stuff... you know like what gas prices were like & why, how much a bottle of coca-cola costs, how much an average trip to the grocery store costs & what the store looked like. To me these are the things I wish I could learn about my ancestors.... but for them their everyday might have been like what their seasonal crop looked like, how much money their agriculture was worth, what their house looked like, heck, even what they looked like, town gossip [who doesn't want to know that ;)], where their friends lived and what transportation they used.

For me this solidifies doing Project Life again, among other things...
I've also considered using my digital skills to create a quasi-family tree book, to keep all of the stories we can find, facts about the people & where they lived, & everything else I can find. Wouldn't that be nice to have as a shutterfly book or something.

So I better get off of here NOW before my dad starts to get anxious about me helping him out. Seriously, if you have any advice I'd really appreciate it or projects like this, I would love to see them! & maybe it will inspire me, then I can share mine. Yay!

okay, bye now.

University.

I have to face it. My last semester as an undergrad is slowly approaching. While I'm excited to be exiting this chapter in my life [finally]. I don't want it to be here. I've had an ENTIRE summer to hang out, create endlessly, lay in bed, read what I want, when I want, & stay on social media all day... those days are about be cut short. I have exactly 13 days left of freedom. 13! That's it. Then I'll be at school 4 days a week... yuck. I'm going to have my head stuck into French Literature & plastered to a computer screen doing constant research for my final senior paper. YIKES! As of today, 15-25 pages seems impossible. That seems like SOOOOOOO much research, reading, note taking, outlining, writing, editing, proofreading, editing again, adding, subtracting, citing, hand cramping, & eyes hurting. I'm not looking forward to it. NOT at all! But I love my field of study & French makes my heart swoon... [wish Ryan could speak it too] so I'll make it through, & in the end I will love every minute.

In the past years, University has been a HUGE part of my life... & French has taken over my brain. I studied French in Junior & High School, but I never felt a love for it like I do today. I had wonderful foreign language teachers in high school, but they are on a different playing field than my professors... I never knew how much a professor could make me love a subject until I took my first "upper level" [past core/major] history course & then again when I took my second university level French course. They have a different mode of encouragement to give out to students. After leaving my final require foreign language courses I really felt connected... so when I came to a crossroad in what I would love to do with my life I knew I wanted French to be a part of that. I still don't know how this amazingly beautiful language will play into my future. I know I will keep it as a part of me.

I decided it was necessary to document just how important University has been to me. I have several photos from my adventures there, & the many books I have had to read throughout a semester. So what better way to document than to scrapbook it? ;)

2 Total Goofs

I've been working hard on getting back in the groove of making videos... it's hard to stay on top of it, life gets busy & YouTube gets slower. I swear. It seems like since I've started uploading videos it seems like it takes longer & longer... but I do enjoy it so I'll keep trekking along working harder and harder to make it more consistent.

With that said I have a new video & layout to share

The title is total truth. These 2 little girls can sure show how crazy they are!!

Here's the process video:

Currently Reading...

What a Professor Learned By Becoming a Student

Since I chose the non-traditional route of living at home as a freshman in college... I'm hoping it'll give me some insight into what college life living on campus is like. So far, I'm really enjoying it.. but it makes me wonder how accurate it is. I can totally see her point of students sharing their thoughts and realness to other students over their professors... I mean Ryan met some guys in some of his classes that openly admitted cheating to him & other students when the professor wasn't around. hmph, so I see her points on this, a reason for going "undercover". I can't wait to see what else is to come and the other truths that she discovers... maybe it'll make me feel like I wish all of my professors would do this, but then again it may make me say "so glad my professors don't know those things about our generation". Who knows?

I also checked out this book from our local library...

It's been a while since I've read a good classic. & I'm not familiar with H.G. Wells. I think the last time I read an English language classic was back in my American Literature course... I read books like, The Scarlet Letter, Huck Finn, The Awakening, The Sovereignty & Goodness of God, The Life of Frederick Douglass, & other such text... boy it's been a while. I've been so caught up in reading French Literature that I've been slacking on my American, British & other classics. But I sure do love French Literature & it would be really hard for me to give it up for some of those I mentioned... is that wrong of me?

Anyway, I'm looking forward to these books, I should be able to get a few more from the library too before the semester starts... then it's back to history journals, research & French Lit. but hey, I'm not complaining yet! ;)

Instagram Wednesday

Pool injuries are the worst. 

She cut her leg open a bit, after falling. She was fine, but she sat out of the pool for a bit. :(

Can I profess my love for...

Yeah! Burger, again? & again?

Because I will. Over & Over & Over... until I'm blue in the face. I'm literally wearing a Yeah! Burger shirt RIGHT NOW, as I type this.



Ryan has this thing with food. Well, we both do. His, less socially awkward than mine... but maybe it's just me?!? Anyway, Ryan WILL NOT eat food that he cannot be assured is all-natural or organic. That's one reason we like to shop at Trader Joe's. So for a long time, we had a hard time finding restaurants to eat at... well then after I FINALLY downloaded Yelp, we discovered Yeah! Burger. [BTW if you don't have the Yelp app, it is one of my favorite apps] After reading GLOWING reviews, I scoped out the menu online. I almost always check out a place's online menu before I go there. Call me cautious. So after we found out they served only all-natural or organic food, & that they served something other than burgers [that's one of my food problems] we decided it would be our next spot to try... well if you know us, you also know that we haven't tried another new restaurant since. It's that good. I would recommend that if you go into Atlanta, you have to stop. There are 2 locations, West Midtown & Virginia Highlands. We always end up at Midtown, so that's the only one I can vouch for, but I'm sure both are just as good.

So the point of the post was not just to recommend an awesome Atlanta restaurant, but rather to share a layout. :)

Here it is, another layout to profess my love for this amazing restaurant! Like I don't have enough as it is... lol.

I used some of my many instagrams from our trips there... boy does that shake & grilled cheese look good. Oh & I used some Paislee Press & Studio Calico Digi stuff.

So there you have it. 

A New Digi Page

so I've been getting the urge to create... well I LOVE using new product & since being on a design team I've gotten kinda spoiled b getting access to NEW stuff as it comes in. So I've gotten into this habit that I have a hard time creating with older product, it just leaves me uninspired after using it a couple of times. After I lose my want to create with a certain product I usually just throw it into my project life bin to get good use out of it...

We are at that point in our industry we're there's a lull in available product. CHA has just ended and product won't be available to ship from most companies for quite a while... so I've also been in that lull... but I found a way to get out of it. After being desperate for something new to work/play with, I started to look all over the internet for some cute digi stuff that could keep me inspired and creating until new CHA stuff starts shipping...

Today I have a new digi page to share with you. I have fallen in love with Paislee Press... her tag line is embrace your inner minimalist. I love that. Her products are so amazing. I wanted to buy it ALL! but I settled for 2 collections. Photobooth & The Weekender. I love the color palettes for both collection & they actually coordinate quite well. [at least to me they do :)] So as soon as they downloaded & I organized them into their correct places on my computer, I began creating. It was amazing.

I find that if I throw a digi page into my usual paper mix I get so inspired and ready to create something else. & it just keeps going.

So after getting home from seeing The Dark Knight Rises, I wanted to scrapbook my photobooth strip that I took with my iPod at the theater... they had a photobooth there, but my strips were FREE & I already bought the app, so why not use it... their photobooth did inspire these photos though. :)

To say that this movie wasn't Epic... well I would be lying. It was my favorite of the trilogy. I LOVE Christopher Nolan & Joesph Gordon-Levitt... who doesn't love him?? :) I think there will be more DKR pages in the future to profess such love. 

So I used a pretty equal amount from both kits & tried to "cut" the title from the background page & lift it off of another piece of pattern paper, but I guess my drop shadow wasn't good enough to make the effect look right.. oh well. maybe next time. 

I'm still alive.

Wow. I was on a roll with those posts there for a while... Well, I'm still alive if you were wondering, just enjoying the spoils of summer before its long gone. I've been working like a crazy person trying to get caught up on my project life. I found my mojo. I think I lost it when my LSS closed. But my group of friends has started cropping again, & now I've found it. So I'm getting that project life outta the way, I'm working on getting another couple of process videos uploaded... YouTube is my enemy when  it comes to uploading [it takes SOOOO LONG], plus I'm going to try to remember to video me catching up on one of my project life weeks. So there you go. I'm alive. I'm well. & I'm getting crafty. Hopefully you'll see the finished projects soon. I think it'll be time for you to see my Project Life too! Yay.

Ok I'm off!

a new video

After a catastrophe yesterday, (my cat knocked over a fresh glass of koolaid onto my project life!!) I haven't really been feeling especially crafty. Luckily it wasn't my first album, which is FULL to the brim, but it was my second album, which I started in May. I have a few photos that I must decide whether to leave them with pink topped borders or reprint. hmm...

So on a happier note. I do have a video to share with you today...

Here's the layout:

& the video:

thanks for reading and watching!!

I'm going to be an aunt again!

My beautiful sister-in-law is being induced today. We've been waiting for this day, as a family, for a while. Little C will be her first baby, so I'm sure she feels like she's been waiting forever too. We had a baby shower for her almost a month ago, so in honor of my SIL J & Little C, I thought I post a few of the projects I did for her for the baby shower and the gifts I made.

I made this banner for the shower. She sent me a .pdf to print and cut out. but as a paper crafter I had to take it to the next level. I used my Silhouette SD to cut everything. But once it was cut I had to adhere each individual stripe and chevron... luckily the polka dots were the negative so I didn't have to glue those like that.

I also printed out and cut the matching cupcake toppers. Boy was that a job. 

I don't have kids of my own, so I have the HARDEST time shopping for baby gifts, even with a registry. I'm always the crafty one trying to think of something new & interesting to make for the little one. I made this C frame with my Silhouette, some vinyl, and Ikea frame, & some navy tone on tone striped pattern paper. It's a shadow box & I wanted to add a little alligator inside of the frame (thanks Megan, for that idea), since that's the kind of thing she's going for in the nursery, but I couldn't ever find one that wasn't too realistic or small enough.

These are 2 of the onesies I made him. I also made one that said Snips & Snails & Puppy Dog Tails. She loved them. 

So we will be meeting Little C soon. I'm so excited. I guess I'm lucky to have such an amazingly HUGE family (there will be 27 of us in the immediate family this time tomorrow, 2 babies in 2012!!) from Ryan, it's one of the best things he's ever given to me, & since we don't have kids of our own yet, I get to live vicariously through my SILs and ooh & ahh over the new arrivals. Sometimes it's hectic having such a big family, & coming from a 3 person family it gets overwhelming fast, I wouldn't trade it for the world. I love the Gordons so much & I'm happy I get to call myself one of them.

Summer Project Life

So I found that as I was altering the BH Template I had bought for this summer's project life, the rounded corners were becoming weird looking. & in my traditional project life that I am making to document my life from the day I turned 24 to the day I turn 25 I don't do the whole rounded corner thing. So this week I decided to take it upon myself and create my own template with regular square corners, that way I can alter it to make it fit into my style of photos and such for the week without it look wonky and silly.

So now that I've made the template I'm going to go back and drag all of the stuff from my other weeks onto my new templates to that I can make them cohesive, so that when I have the book printed for them at the end of summer they will have an AWESOME book to look back on the summer with. It also makes me want to go back and create a photo book for last summer too. Definitely not journal intensive or anything, because, lets face it. The only details I have left is the summer book I made last summer for myself. But I'm not a BIG journaler in mini books so I doubt there would be enough there to make it into a project of the same magnitude.

So here's the 2 page spread for the first full week of June.

Like I said, I used my own template. I used some Ali Edwards brushes, the Echo Park Sweet Day Digi Kit, & some random fonts. 

I love how this spread came out. It's what I envision Project Life looking like all of the time. 

Thanks for looking & if you have a recommendation for a book printing service I would LOVE to hear about it. I'm looking to have a hardcover bound, 20-30 page book. I've only had experience with Shutterfly, & while I loved the book, the fact that I got a coupon for a free book could have made me biased. I don't want something with a glossy cover though, which is how my Shutterfly book turned out. I want something linen, no photos on the front, maybe just Summer 2012 or something. I'm still trying to work out the details on that. But any suggestions or recommendations would be great!

Layout Share

Hi everyone. I'm here today to share a layout I made yesterday, along with a process video. I've really been inspired by the song, Monuments & Melodies, if you can't tell already. The words speak to me and definitely feel like some of the words were written for Ryan and I, like the words I used for the title of the layout I'm sharing... "you magnify my better half". He certainly does that. :)

Here's my layout >>>>>

I really enjoyed making this. It felt like it flowed right out of me. I think that's the sign that my mojo is back. wahoo!

Here's my process of the whole thing >>>>>

Thanks for reading and watching! I'll be back tomorrow with more to share! :)

Minecraft

I can't be the only person out there who's house has fallen prey to the game Minecraft. We've been playing everyday on our Xbox360 both alone, as partners, & as a family. It's so much fun. Sometimes it ends in a fight, lets be honest. Kids, or at least these 2, seem to love to duke it out (on the game) until they die, & the other person takes all of their stuff. Then they cry a little bit and accuse the other of being mean. Then I ask the most important question. Who started this virtual duel, it always seems to be the one who lost all of their stuff & died.
What I do love about this game is how creative the kids get to be & all of the problem solving they have to do during a game. You can build just about ANYTHING from the little blocks of dirt, stone, sand, gravel, & brick. But somethings take multiple components to build or make, & they need several tools to get it, so they have to make those tools with other tools, & the problem solving and interest continues. They enjoy making houses the most, then they turn it off peaceful mode and let the zombies, spiders, and creepers invaded, at which point they either hide in their house and sleep or go on an adventure to kill them. Sounds brutal, but in reality, this game is far from brutal. It reminds me of games from when I was a kid and everything was made of pixelated blocks and basic colors. With the video games that are available today, this game is certainly one I will let them play anytime of the day, especially when its too hot to play outside. :) I think I need to document this in their Summer Life & a scrapbook page or 2. :) With a little thank you to Ryan for introducing it to us, of course.

Summer Life

So I've been diligently trying to take photos for my Project Life album and just general memory keeping. When I started this journey of a year in photos, I had this idea that I didn't have a very interesting life, well as it seems I had plenty to photograph and say about my life in those first several months. And it's funny because I didn't have ALOT going on then. I was just living the life I had been living for a long time... just me, Ryan, and our cats. Well here we are in Summer 2012. This is my first summer off since I started college. I decided not to take any classes, because to be frank, last year with 2 little girls running around our house while taking classes was a horror story like no other. I don't have a bunch of experience with children. I am an only child. All of my cousins were older than me. I was more easily close to adults than kids my own age. So here I am with a 9 & 10 year old 5/7s of the week. Finding things to keep them busy and sister-fight free, is a job on its own. I've reached the most  hectic, busy, photo-worthy time of my year, and I'm struggling. Days pass where I don't take a single photo of anything that has happened. Anyone out there have the same problems?? It also seems that I tend to favor my iPod over my DSLR. I certainly love the photos from my Nikon more than my iPod, but I guess it's just convenience. But I can't blow up the photos to 4x6 from my iPod, making my Project Life look way more product heavy rather than photo and story based. I transgress. I'm really here to show you how I've been working on my Summer Life, digital Project Life. I do know that if I take on this project again, I will probably be doing it digitally... but then again I do love the book I have filled up so far, so I may change my mind.


So here we go. 

This was my Memorial Day spread. I had a TON of photos from the day. So I went ahead and did a double page spread for the day. I thought I would do this for the major holidays in their book, but turns out they will be gone on the 4th of July & back at home for Labor Day, so I guess it will be only this holiday. hmph. 

Since S & S are here for 5/7s of the week (i.e weekdays only) I decided to make their Summer Life album cover just those days that they are here. So instead of a 7 day span they have a 5 day span. It works out for the best. This was the first full week they were with us, from Monday to Friday. I really enjoyed documenting this week, but I feel like I want to go back & add some more words, maybe a little bit about what they have been eating for lunch, what their schedules look like, their chore chart, what books they are reading. I guess those are things I can fill in the weeks I'm lacking on photos in. :)

So that's what I've gotten finished so far. I'll be back with more updates as I finish the spreads. It's so much easier to share when they are digital, rather than trying to film or photograph the spreads. I'll also be back with a share of some layouts that I've made as I dipped my foot back into the pool of digi scrapping. It's nice to get my mojo going with some templates and products I haven't been able to get in paper. Yay!

Smash*ed.

I seemed to have misplaced my mojo... do you have it?


That being said, the only thing I've felt creative with is my Smash Books. I'm hoping the bits and pieces coming together in my books will help me find my mojo. Let's pray it does. I honestly think the culprit to stealing my mojo is Project Life, which I've been behind in for the past few weeks. I've got the pictures in most of the pockets, but honestly I haven't been feeling up to doing it. I'm past the half way point... this week will be my week 31st week. I should be in the downhill slope, but I'm feeling like its the uphill drag. I find that even though it's summer & we have way more going on day to day, I'm taking less pictures. But I'm determined to finish this year. I have loved the process. I think if I do it next year I will be doing it digitally. I've been doing a digital version for Stephanie and Sue; I've been enjoying the final product. :) 


So now that I'm FAR OFF TOPIC... I'll get back to my point of why I'm here today. I'm here to share my Smash Book. I have 4 total. I have a red one, it is my book dedicated to the people, places & things I LOVE!! I also have an orange one, which I used for our staycation back in 2010. My mini Smash Book which I used to feature all of the photos of Ryan and I on date nights! & finally a new black one that I haven't even started up yet. yay! :) Today I'm going to share a flip through my RED Smash Book, which is unfinished... I want to be able to add new Favorites as they come along with my past and present favorites that I think will hang around for a while.

Studio Calico Sunday Sketch

Hi. I'm here today to tell y'all that a few weeks ago I was asked to contribute to the Studio Calico Sunday Sketch. Needless to say I was super excited and got right to work. Anyways, you can check out my post HERE. I also made a process video for this layout... here it is:

Thanks for reading and watching!!

my favorite flower

Ryan... he's a man. Sometimes he needs help getting the idea. I've told him over and over that I love daisies, and he KNOWS that they are my favorite flowers, but he doesn't KNOW when to buy them. He doesn't get the point of flowers, bought at a store, in a vase. Needless to say, we don't have alot of greenery in the house. :) Anyways, the weekend of Easter this year, while at Trader Joe's in Midtown, we saw the prettiest Gerbera Daisies in a pot. I said something about them, and Ryan bought them. Now he didn't buy them on his own volition, but it's a start in the right direction. Since then he's bought me a another bouquet of daisies, which I lovingly accepted. So we're getting there. Anyways, I decided that I should document this practically momentous occasion, with a scrapbook layout :)

not your typical family photo

I have a new video to share. I'm off for summer break from university and I have been scrapbooking, reading, hanging out with friends, the works. YouTube has been a PAIN lately. I had to upload this video 4 times to get it to actually upload, every time there was some sort of "error". Anyways, I have another video I'm about to upload too, so keep an eye out for that coming soon.

I took this photo a couple of weeks ago, the lighting was terrible, Ryan and I were bumming, so we were both dresses terribly, & overall it just wasn't a photo taking kind of day... but I got out my camera anyways, I wanted to capture what our life REALLY looks like everyday, with me in front of the camera. :) So I got out my trusty camera remote ( I LOVE that thing), we were sitting in our favorite chairs, and I captured what I wanted, but then I thought, we don't have hardly any pictures of both of us + our cats, I mean come on they are our family! So we wrangled them up, sat back down, because they are a bunch of wiggle worm cats. & I snap as many photos as they would let me. This one was close to best...

Isn't that hilarious? Boog looks totally uncomfortable and unwilling to participate in anything, Mo looks like she's trying to get away from Boog, & Ted, well she's just being Ted. lol. So that's our family, I wouldn't change it for anything. :)

Here's my layout:

& a detailed shot

I used some of my Studio Calico Narrative Add-On, plus my favorite stamp, Plano by Hero Arts for Studio Calico & my go to mist Mister Huey Warm Calico. I feel like I've been using them on everything! So without further adieu, here's my video, I hope you enjoy it.