Project Life 2013

So, I've taken the plunge and decided to do Project Life this year.  I'm finding it a bit daunting already and I'm only at the end of week 2.  I think I need to accept that I'm just not going to have each week done right at the end of the week.  The biggest reason for this would be photos.  I live in a small town and while I can get my 4x5s and other traditional sizes printed pretty quickly via Wal-Mart, I am wanting to get a lot of smaller photos done as well, so sending them off to my new found photo processing love, Persnickety Prints.  I really adore everything I have gotten from them, including the photos I used for my cover page spread for my PL album.

Anyway, I am kind of falling into a process with sketching out what I want to include each week and taking notes, so I'm sure it's just a matter of tweeking that to find what will really work best for me. 

So, without further ado, I present to you my Project Life 2013 cover page!

 

I thought it would be fun to feature the people (and fur people) who are most prominent in my life with a "starring" theme.  I think it really worked well. 

 

Supplies:  stickers - Simple Stories "Snap", American Crafts; arrows - Studio Calico;  flair badge - Evalicious; tape - American Crafts (Amy Tangerine), October Afternoon; stamp - Studio Calico

 

I'm actively working on my other weeks, but it's slow going for me!  Week one is almost completed and I'll have that up as soon as I can.  I will also try to get a photo without so much reflection next time!

Now that I'm able to upload to blogger again, you'll be seeing more from me. 

Thanks for reading everyone!

My 101st Post!

Wow...I can't believe I've surpassed the 100 mark.  I'm pretty impressed with myself, as one who lacks stick-to-it-iveness, I've done pretty well with this little blog of mine over the past year and handful of weeks! 

I have another new layout to share today.  This one I created from bits and pieces of different collections...leftovers of various Studio Calico kits and things from my stash.

One more thing I have to mention.  I have read lots of reviews of Persnickety Prints, so decided to get a bunch of my Instagram photos developed through them as I haven't been happy with the quality of the prints I have coming from my at home printer.  This is the first photo I've scrapped from that order, which I just received Wednesday.  And WOW...I am absolutely in love with the qualit of these prints.  They're fantastic and I will use them again and again.  The prices are reasonable, but even better than that, the shipping is sooooooo much more reasonably priced than say some of the other photo processors out there. 

You Make Me Laugh

I realized after I uploaded this layout that I had another recent layout about Lisa with the same title!  I guess I need help in the coming up with creative titles department.

 

I think I've mentioned before how much I adore the Darling Dear collection from Studio Calico.  The background paper from that collection was my jumping off point.  I knew I wanted lots of pops of color to balance out the neutrals in the photo as well as the black and white of the background.  These are my favorite kinds of layouts - crazy, messy, and full of color!

 

I've had the hardest time finding ways to use these stencil cards from Fancy Pants, but this came together pretty well.

Supplies:  patterned paper - Basic Grey, Echo Park, Fancy Pants, Lily Bee Design, October Afternoon, Studio Calico; stickers - Echo Park, October Afternoon; tapes - American Crafts, Bazzill, Freckled Fawn, October Afternoon; die cut card - Fancy Pants Designs; flair badge - Studio Calico; flag - October Afternoon; wood veneer - Freckled Fawn; button flower - Bella Boulevard; other - brads

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great weekend!

Fourteen Fourteen Fourteen!

I'm loving the new Crate Paper Fourteen line wayyyy more than I expected to.  I'm not one who feels they need a huge amount of Valentine's papers and embellies, but I really liked a lot of what I saw because it seemed rather versatile and like something I could use for less themey layouts.

I had this last photo of Lisa hanging about from a pile of photos taken at this same time in this same restaurant and really wasn't sure how to document it.  Then I realized she is looking at something other than the camera, seemingly unaware that I'm still shooting photo after photo of her and thought it would be a good photo for just a simple layout about how I feel, thus this one was born from the marriage of said photo and this amazing CP line:

I Just Love You

 

I'm not really a fan of the color green, but I think this shade is absolutely dreamy. 

 

I added a flair badge from Ormolu.

 

And one of the new Freckled Fawn wood veneers.  Wood veneers are one of my two favorite embellisments as of late.  The second are flair badges!

 

A stitched label and an "L" letter sticker from Basic Grey for Lisa's initial and done!

Supplies:  patterned paper, die cuts, stitched label, washi stickers - Crate Paper; wood veneer - Freckled Fawn; flair badge - Ormolu; letter stickers - Basic Grey, Jenni Bowlin, October Afternoon

Thanks so much for reading!  Have a great Thursday!

New Challenge at Sketches With Color

Hey all!  We have a new challenge up at the Sketches With Color blog.  This time in addition to the color combo and sketch, we're asking that you include a handmade banner on your layout.

The sketch & color combination:

Driving Tour

 

I really loved the muted tones of this color combination and how well they worked with this photo I took while we drove the Ring of Kerry in Summer 2011.

I had a ton of embellies that worked really well with the colors.

My approach to the banner was a little different.  I used strips of washi tape to create a very subtle banner behind my title.

 

 

Supplies:  patterned paper - Lily Bee Design, October Afternoon, Studio Calico; journaling spot, letter stickers - American Crafts; flair badge -  Evalicious;  die cut, wood veneer - Studio Calico; spray ink - October Afternoon;  washi tape - Bazzill (grid with flourishes), unknown (triangles, measuring tape); circle sticker - Crate Paper; Other - doily

 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Happy New Year! (and some thoughts by me....)

Happy New Year, Friends!

In addition to the usual New Year’s resolutions that I come up with every year, such as lose weight, pay off my debts, be nicer to others and to the Earth…I came up with a list of Crafty Resolutions.  This was inspired by a thread on the Two Peas in a Bucket message boards.  I tried to find a link and was stumped, so if anyone out there knows which one I'm talking about and would be kind enough to share a link in the comments, I thank you!

So without further ado…My New Year’s Crafty Resolutions:

 

1.  Learn how to use my new DSLR properly!  I have no idea what I'm doing, folks.  It's always hit or miss.  I'll think I have an awesome shot, then when I upload it to my computer, it's a blurry, fuzzy hot mess.  Along with that, have a working understanding of PSE 11!

 

2.  Blog more!  I'm so inconsistent.  I would very much like to carve out time in my schedule to blog on a more consistent basis (at least 2-3 times a week?) and relaunch some of the features I'd started and played with before.

 

3.  Quit comparing my work to others.  Because what does that do for me?  Nothing.  Other than making me second guess my own creativity, making me feel crummy, and taking the fun out of this hobby for me.  I am me and I have my own style and I do what I do and I like it!

 

4.  Make time everyday to be creative.  Even if it's just for 15 minutes.  Scrapping, knitting, sewing, coloring my niece's coloring books....whatever it takes.

 

5.  Try something new at least once a month.  This could be a new scrappy technique or a totally different crafting venture I've wanted to try out - aka quilting (quilting scares me to death, btw). 

What are some of your resolutions for the new year, crafty or otherwise?