Project Life 2015: First Layouts

I posted earlier today the first layout I had completed for Project Life 2015. Since I had a little time this afternoon I went ahead and completed the right side of my two page layout using Traci Reed's January 2015 kit.

And without further ado...here it is:

 I think it works out just fine with squared corners (my big dilemma for 2015) and my new slightly larger templates are a bit faster for me to work with.  Besides the Traci Reed elements and papers I used a few templates from the Lily Pad and Lori Whitlock.

Here are both pages side by side:

What can I say?  It's a start!

Happy Crafting!

Project Life, 2014: Week 35

The layout for Week 35 which covers late August was a little more difficult for me because I used a standard digital scrapbooking kit...not one that had journaling or title cards already created.  I. Had. To. Make. My. Own.  Which means...it took me a bit longer.  But still fun...except when I closed out my layout and had forgotten to save it! HORRORS!  The good news...after I uttered a few expletives...is that it was easy to recreate because I had saved out the individual cards I'd already created.

I wish I had never looked at Donna Gibson's layouts at 365 Days of Donna.  If I had never looked at her blog I would just have simply plopped pictures in the slots and added a few journaling cards.  But no...Donna makes gorgeous pages with lots of individual templates and treatments so I have jumped on that bandwagon.  But it does all look so great...and is mostly worth the time and effort!

I used Traci Reed's Little Joy kit which you can see here.  When I saw the elements included in it I thought it would be perfect for Project Life-Style scrapbooking.  And it was!

Here is the two page spread:

And here is a closer look at the left side:

I love these very candid shots of my grandkids.  They may not be portrait perfect but it does capture them living.  I especially love the one in the top left of David playing hopscotch.  Their mother does a fantastic job of getting those kiddoes outside running and jumping and playing!

Here is the right side:

Well, that is all for today! Hope you all find time for some fun and beauty in your lives today!

And Happy Crafting and Keep Creating!!!

Rehearsal Photo Album and Guest Book

As I was planning my rehearsal dinner I knew that there would be photos and I thought of a great idea to do with the candid shots we would end up with.  I decided beforehand to include them in a mini album which would double as a guest book.  I had seen on Becky Higgins' (the founder of Project Life) website that she had done a mini album in this manner for a wedding.  I thought it would work perfectly for my rehearsal events.

I looked at various albums and settled on one of the Project Life Mini Albums instead of a ringed binder type book.  The good news is that the pages are sewn in...the bad news is that you have that limit on pages...you cannot add to them, of course.  But I thought I would make do and it really all worked out fine.

I didn't put a lot of time into this...I didn't want a lot of embellisments and I wanted the album to lay flat. Pictures and insert cards were about it!  I used insert cards from the Becky Higgins Blush Project Life core kit.

Here is the outside:

I added an engagement photo of the bride and groom.
On the inside I posted this:

Not everyone filled out a card but I got pretty good response.  I was impressed!
Here is the cover page:

Then I simply loaded up the album with photos of the evening and cards that were filled out by guests.

I added a few diecuts here and there but this whole process was very fast and very easy!

The couple is returning from the honeymoon today and I will see them tomorrow for Mother's Day.  I will give them this album as a little momento of the evening and I know they will both love it!

Happy Crafting and Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers out there!

Project Life: Christmas Pages

It was rainy here yesterday...I mean, rain pretty much ALL DAY!  So what does one do on rainy, icky days?  Why eat junk food, watch reruns of Gilligan's Island (seriously...but mostly because it came on after Roseanne.  I love Roseanne.  She was my role model as a mother.  ;)  Anyway, I was too lazy to change the channel once the Roseanne marathon was over and it went to Gilligan's Island!), take a nap and CRAFT!  I finished up my Project Life Christmas pages and also made several cards!  I was so productive! 

So here are the pages...not much too them.  I sent some notes to my daughter about what we need to make sure we do this next Christmas in terms of photos.  1.  We need to make sure that we get a group shot of all 3 kids.  2.  I need more photos of the fronts of people and not their back. 3. My daughter and I need to fix ourselves up a bit more for photos.  LOL!  4.  I need to make sure I hand the camera over to someone and get in one or two pictures.  Yep!  NOT 1 PHOTO OF ME OF Christmas, 2013!  Lol.  It's like I was non existent!  Oh well... 

For these pages I used the same Simple Stories paper pad that I had purchased at Michaels in that fabulous sale: 

*ooops....I see I did not journal on the photo of Taylor coming down the stairs .... I will take care of that, I promise!

I made this little 3D paper bow with a die from Simon Says Stamp.  It's so cute!

Now I can sort of officially say DONE.  I do need to add some paper to the backs of the last page in my album so it's not naked....but 2013 is DONE!!! 

Now onto PL 2014!  I still am on the hunt for ways to simplify the process!

Happy Crafting!

Project Life: Week 52

I don't know why it has taken me so long to finish out 2013 and my Project Life.  I seem to have loved the process from weeks 1-50.  The last 2 weeks have been killers!  LOL!  But week 52 is done.  With that you would think I would say "I AM DONE"! ...but no....I still have tons of pictures from Christmas Day and have decided to do separate pages as there are too many for an insert.

The Never Ending Project...

LOL!

But I guess we hope that LIFE is never ending, huh?  So profound.  ;)

Here is the left side:

I used papers from a paper pad I bought at Micheal's by Simple Stories and most importantly, bought it at a huge, huge discount! Pennies on the dollah...pennies on the dollah! 

I cut the "Week 52" letters and numbers out on my Silhouette Cameo.

Here is the right side:

I did these pages while I was away from home without all my supplies.  I could go back and add some buttons, twine, etc....but I think I will just leave them the way they are.  Simple and most importantly, DONE!

Happy Crafting!

Project Life: Week 51

I'm finishing...I'm finishing....
I actually have finally completed weeks 51 and 52 for Project Life.  That is a major accomplishment for me and I'm proud of it...and I am most happy to say "I'M DONE"!  Well, not quite done...as I have an insert layout or two to finish and I do need to complete some touches to make it totally done!

But it's getting there.  And as I struggle to close out 2013 I am getting behind with 2014! LOL!!!

If it weren't for 3 cutie pie kiddos who are growing way to fast and a huge event for us this year with the wedding of my son...well, I just might skip 2014 altogether!  But no...

I was not at home when I did this layout so I didn't have my huge stash of stuff and made do with what I had on hand. 

I used some papers from BoBunny...and now I realize I have a whole 6x6 pad so maybe when I get a chance I'll add a few things!  Who knows...?

Here is the left side:

I used my Silhouette to cut out "Week 51" with the Impact font.

I love the photos on this page...especially the one of my son in law holding the baby and both are fast asleep.  I also love the photo of me reading to the children...they do love books and stories.  And I love, love, love all the ladies in the top photo...what great times we have together! (These are the ladies I play tennis with...although a few were missing!)

Here is the right side:

 What great stories these photos tell!
I made the journaling card by cutting out the one panel and then layering it with some foam tape.  I added a button and some ribbon to spiff it up a bit! ;)

 

I added a little ribbon  to the following journaling card in another attempt to "spiff" it up!  LOL!

And that's if for today, my friends!

Happy Crafting!

Project Life: Week 50

Well, it is happening...I'm getting close to the end of the year!  (And already behind for PL 2014!....lol!)

Here is my left side:

I used We R Memory Keepers cards for this weeks' layouts.

Here is the right side:

That's my future daughter in law and me in the middle right photo at the P!NK concert.  She looked adorable in her mohawk...I looked ridiculous in my 'fro...but we sure had a good time.  I snagged that photo of P!NK from a photo on the Great World Wide Web.  She was amazing...so acrobatic and physical...such an incredibly physical performance....and she never missed a not.  That girl has some pipes on her!  We had a great time at her concert and even made the jumbotron in our wigs.  Our 15 "seconds" of fame.  LOL!
I cut "P!NK" with my Silhouette Cameo.

And added a little ribbon to my journaling card:

And that's it for Week 50.  2 more weeks to go! ...well 2 more weeks and half a week as the 31st was in the middle of the week.  Oy Vey!

Happy Crafting!

Project Life: Week 49

I am getting near to the closing of Project Life 2013.  Just a few more weeks....just a few more weeks!

Here is the left side of Week 49:

 I was quite happy with my little cards for this week.  I used scraps of paper left over from the Simon Says Stamp Card kit of the month.  Woohooo for that!  Project Life doesn't have to be expensive or costly...you know?
Here is my week card...I used some Hero Arts stamps which I heat embossed with white and used the corresponding die to cut them out.  So fast and so easy!  I added a few rhinestones for bling!

 I made a journaling card with more scraps and another snowflake and sentiment I also heat embossed in white.

And here is the right side:

I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut out the phrase "Photos with Santa".

My album is so nice and thick with pages.  I adore this whole project!!!  I can't believe I've filled up two full albums!!!  And the little ones will have a record of what all they did during the year.  Amazing.  Project. Life. Is. Amazing.

Happy Crafting!

Project Life: 2014: DIGITAL!

I have totally loved doing Project Life.  I love paper, I love embellishments, I love bling, I love stuff that makes my albums all fat and wonderful but mostly I love telling our story.   I have bemoaned here more than once how time consuming and what a huge commitment it has been to me.  I have toyed with the idea of going digital but really didn't want to give up paper.  I mean...I HAVE A LOT OF PAPER!   I have a lot of stuff.  I really love playing with my toys.  But the photo editing, getting photos printed were all tasks I didn't love....once I had them in hand I enjoyed making my pages and I loved seeing them.  I thought maybe I'd just go ahead and do physical (as opposed to digital) but do just event scrapping in the Project Life format instead of weekly pages.  And then my friend Kim sent me a link to Tracy Larsen's blog HERE that showed how the wonderful Tracey Larsen is ALSO going digital.  I read it...and got so excited seeing the simplicity of her pages.  I have used some of her templates for 4x6 photos through the year and thought...well, this is just peachy keen.  So after a few sleepless nights...well, ok, that's a slight exaggeration....but after some serious thinking I have decided to go DIGITAL, too!  I am still going to do physical stuff....cards, my grandson's scrapbook. And really, I can print out these pages...slap a button or a piece of ribbon on them and make them hybrid, you know? And if I want to do some real physical pages, I can always do that, too.  The skies the limit!

I'm excited.  I feel happy.  I feel relieved.

So here is my title page....I'm going to use Cathy Zielske's templates as I like the soft drop shadows and the very slight rounded corners.

Woohoo me....

So this layout took me about 15 minutes total and I am soooo happy with it!

Here you go, 2014!  Oh...and this is a pretty close and shameless (or maybe shameful) CASE of Tracy Larsen's page you can see HERE.

Another great thing about digital and posting to a blog is that you don't get glare! LOL!

Happy Crafting! Happy Digital!  Yay, Technology!

Oh and my Florida State Seminoles won the National Championship last night!  Yay, 'Noles!

Project Life: Week 48

And here we are at Week 48!  Well, actually we are in week 1 of Project Life 2014.  Have I started that yet?  Nope...need to finish 2013!

But here we are and I'll make this short...

Here is the left side:

I used Doodlebug papers for the cards this week...and some beloved Thicker stickers for the Week card.  See?

I added a few little leaf sequins and a round one, too.  They add a little fun and shine!

Here is the right side:

Mostly photos with a little journaling.  This shouldn't take me hours to complete but, of course, it does! LOL!

This week included Thanksgiving.  I had my eye rolling family do a Grateful Tree again.  I had them do it last year, as well...you can see that HERE if you'd like.  There are a few who will remain unnamed (my daughter) who thinks this is a great idea and goes right along with it.  Then there are those who would make you believe they'd rather have a root canal than have to write down something as corny as what he or she might be grateful for!  Sheesh!  I didn't get much out of them...but I did get something and here is the end result:

And someone forgot to use the PRINTED PAPER side and wrote on the underside.  But I stuck it on anyway....

 I would think that my family would have so much to be grateful for that this would be the most leaf filled tree ever.  LOL!  And not one person wrote they were thankful for OMIE AND THE GREAT MEAL SHE SLAVED OVER TO MAKE!  HAHA!  I'm bad....

And by George....I am going to make them do this for 2014,  too...out of spite! HAHA!  I think we will not eat until they complete at least 3 leaves each.  What do you think of that?  ;)

Happy Crafting!

Project Life: Week 47

Onto Week 47 of Project Life 2013.  Just a few more to finish up this here book (Volume 2, by the way!).

Again, I continued with my photo heavy approach.  Photo Heavy + Less Time Needed to Make Cute Stuff for Filler Cards = Faster Pages and a Happier Susan

Sigh....

I look at my first pages of the year and they are full of fun, creative things.  I look at my final pages of the year and think...well, it's done but creativity is out the window.  LOL!  I'm ok with that.  I've got my vinyl, you know...

I used the Becky Higgins Floral theme pack.  OK...there is a story behind that.  Until just now when I was googling this card pack to see what the name was I thought all along I had the "Fall" kit.  When I opened it up and looked at it I thought...why on earth would Becky be using all these flower things for the fall?  That doesn't make sense to me, Becky.  Well, apparently when I thought I was buying "Fall" I was really buying "Floral"!  And I only now realized it!  I guess that happens when you don't have your 3.0 readers with you and you can't see a thing!!!  LOL!  Oh well....the colors were sort of ok and now that it's done I am not redoing.  Sheesh!  And David, Taylor and Wade will not mind one bit that I used a flower here and there in the middle of the FALL!.

They will like this one day...when they can read (and they won't need readers for a long, long time!)!  I put a couple of Studio Calico arrows on the card.  I love that....and I love them. 

Here is my Week card done with a couple of sets of Thicker letter stickers.

Here is the right side:

There is my booboo foot after the surgeon took off the bandages.  Icky.  HAHA!  But it is my story, isn't it?  And the flowers on the cards balance out the grossness of the foot.  And that is the REAL reason I chose flowers this week.  (NOT!)

I am sure in the middle of the spring I will accidentally use a snowflake theme because I will think it looks like flower.  Oh well....

I'm meeting up at Archiver's today with friends, Christine, Kim of the Basement Stamper, Heather and maybe a few others.  Archiver's...my favorite store...is closing its doors forever as of February 15.  So sad....  I'm sure I will get up there again before the closing but we ladies are meeting up for shopping and lunch.  The beginning of our farewell tour...  :(

Happy Crafting!

Project Life: Week 46

I mentioned yesterday I had a few layouts from my Project  Life album that I had yet to post.  Here we are at Week 46:

 Look at my cute "week" card.  I designed the card in my Silhouette Software...cut it out, put a printed piece of paper to back it and then added a cute burlap bird which has absolutely NO significance for this week except that I THOUGH IT WAS CUTE!  It's all about cute...whether it has meaning or not!

 I did an insert page of Wade at one month.  Amanda had gotten a chalkboard and put some of Wade's vital statistics on it.  She took about a dozen pictures but it was hard to position the poor little guy.  I think it's adorable though...and will be fun for her to do it  monthly his first year.
I had it printed as a 5x7 for my insert.

 On the reverse side of the insert page of Wade is another 5x7 of all of us (minus my husband who was out of town) when we went to eat one evening. I am next to my BFF of many, many years (as in over 30), Ronni who came from South Florida to take care of me when I had my foot surgery and needed a little extra help.   That is some kind of best friend, isn't it?  I <3 her so much!

 Here is the right side:

 Taylor went to a birthday party (western themed) and got to wear a moustache.  She loved that look.

At the birthday party she actually got to milk a cow which was "awesome".  I used a little Studio Calico word bubble for that photo.  Hard to see it here but she is holding the milk producing part of the cow's body.  LOL!

 I think when I take the time to actually journal on the card it helps to free up spaces for more photos. And I am perfectly happy with the photo heavy approach.  And I bet when you saw this sweet photo of little one month old Wade you said..."Awww.....".  I know I did when I saw it when my daughter sent it to me by text.

And that's it for today, friends.

Happy Crafting and Happy New Year!