Project [This Is Your] Life

I am trying people. I am trying really hard.

The good news is, it's not taking over my life! The bad news is, it's not getting done.

Fits and starts, and good intentions, and realistic expectations are all coming in to play here.

But when I finally do sit down to play a little, it feels wonderful!

The photos on the left are Instgrams printed 4"x4" and placed in a Project Life 4x12 page protector. I have to cut the top off to fit in my 8.5x11 binder, and re-punch the holes, but I love these damn things!

Stickers and text right on the photos means I can add more photos and less fillers. Still needs some journaling though!

Super simple...missing some journaling still...and some background paper now that I look at it! Oops!

Here you can see how I incorporate my layouts into the body of my Project Life. I don't have a separate album for my "traditional" scrapbooking layouts, so they get inserted into the right week in my complete album. And these ones all happen to match! HA!

I made these layouts using the July kit from Treasured Memories...that I pulled together all by my little old self! I made a butt load of layouts and still have a tonne of product left over. I am awesome...

 With most of these latest spreads I have been focused more on adding photos and explaining them, then getting fancy with my embellishments. I guess it saves some time, but it also saves bulk and space in my book!

I write on my photos with an American Crafts Slick Writer, or this random old pen I found in my stash! Sharpies are also a good plan. When stamping on photos, use your StazOn ink.

Favourite supplies for PL: sticker labels! They are good for titles and journaling, and add a little extra colour and fancy things up a bit without adding too much time and bulk to the book. And they come in every damn colour now!

More pretty - and recent - layouts. Apparently I am on a sorbet-pastel-colour kick lately!

For this title card, I had mis-cut the papers in the slots below. So I ripped some washi tape to fit, used some sitcker letters and stamps and called it a night! I actually LOVE how it turned out and might use this technique for future weekly markers. Thank goodness for super wide washi.

I haven't shared everything here. There are still a lot of spreads not pictured that need a lot more work! But you get the idea. I have been working on weeks 17 through today...week 34. Yep, I am super behind! But I also enjoy taking my time and plodding away at it as I go. I haven't even touched the majority of the photos I printed from vacations this summer, but those will come.

I've learned something about life and Project Life in the past month or so. When you are feeling crummy about your life, it's really hard to want to document it. Good parts included. But at the same time, reliving those wonderful moments help take some of the sting out of the bad.

And that's my two cents for the day!

later loves

Layout Flashback

Layouts for TM. I handed them in late, but I hope I won't get in trouble! Hi Nadine! I used the paper like you wanted! I hope it's okay...please don't fire me....

I had to go back to last year to print photos that worked. It really made me want to go camping and go to the lake! Summer, you better bring it this year!!

Cute!! Oh Bestest Best, I heart you.

This was Dude's "birthday party" last year. Camping at the lake, with some cake and presents and family time thrown in for good measure. He could spend everyday at the lake and be the happiest kid in the world. Hmmm....point taken....

Note to BFF: I want to go on an adventure here.......I'm serious. Just name the date, and I'll be there.

Any adventures planned for this summer? Close to home? Across the Universe?! I want to hear about it!!

later loves

Layout Catch Up

Even though I'm not technically working for them anymore doesn't mean that I've stopped creating lovely things for Treasured Memories! Nadine keeps giving me kits, and I keep using them! Here are some of the latest...

Hello Cutie! I should put some words on here or something.

There was a weird drunk lady sitting behind us who kept cheering for the Oilers, but we were at an Oil Kings game. Dude was really bored, but we stayed for the whole game, which we lost. But it was still a fun afternoon!

Hi. I'm a dork.

I love those Fancy Pants tiny paper bags! I plan on adding some "private journaling" to this one.

The ampersand button/badge on this one is a Treasured Memories Exclusive, designed & created by "Mr. TM" Daryl Benson.

I usually cheat a little with my TM layouts...I have a hard time confining myself to one company, and I'm always cutting everything up in to tiny pieces so a lot of the product becomes unrecognizable. And that, my friends, is why I could never be on a design team!

Happy Monday! 

later loves

Three Weeks in a Row!

That's right people. I have finished three weeks of Project Life in a row. I hate to say I'm on a roll and jinx myself, but I am pretty darn excited!

Here is Week Sixteen for your viewing pleasure...

I thought I would share a pic of how my week looks with the layouts included right in with the spreads.

Well...that's it! Pretty simple.

There's that yellow/green card from this post. I love how that worked out. I have a bunch of photos from my last day of work that I will include as well. I made sure to take a photo of myself with all the ladies! (Except Party Pooper.) And Fayaz was in as well, so I made him feel loved with a piece of cake and then awkward with a photo! HA!

And here's another. Layout that is.

Photos censored for BFF birthday purposes. I just found out he sometimes reads my blog, so...

I forgot some journaling on this next one! Oops!

Ratio of "real camera" photos to Instagrams: 9 to 16

Holy Shit! I got a lot of photos in!!

Highlights of this week include: Bliss-ologie business cards arrive // Lakewood AGM // Delicious ice cream treat // Last day of work!! // Beers with BFF // Famoso dinner with the boys  // Uncle James came over for games // Cleaned the whole damn house! // Lots of art-making...

For more on how I make Project Life work for me, check out these posts:

Staying Organized

Supplies

Other Project Lifers who inspire me...there are a couple more to add to the list now!

How I really feel about it most days!

later loves

When something isn't working...

It's okay to scrap it and try and again.

While that green (yellow?) card is cute, it just doesn't work on the layout.

So let's make it work in my Project Life spread!

And with a little tweaking...much better!

please note: This lesson applies to scrapbooking as well as real life.

Today is my first day at my new job. Wish me luck.

later loves

P.S. I am selling the extra April kit Studio Calico sent me last month...and charged me for. Nerts! The kit is pictured below. I am also throwing in a bunch of extra goodies from my collection!! The kit was originally $29.50 (USD) with my subscription (shipping extra). I'll give you this one for $20. Send me an email if you're interested.

I'm a lucky lady!

To have such sweet gentlemen in my life...indeed.

photos taken at Lego Land in California. December 2012

And BFF! I think he is kind of, sort of getting used to how often I pull out my silly camera. It didn't hurt that this represented an amaze-balls symphony date...and we did look pretty spiffy!

photo taken at the Winspear Centre in Edmonton. February 2013.

I have NOT been inspired to create anything scrapbooking related lately. I ordered some photos from Prinstagram, but even those aren't doing it. My printer has been kind of an a-hole lately, and the colour is really weird and wrong, so I can't print photos (reliably) at home. And when I ordered some online, I learned that the place I used to use all the time doesn't do one-hour pick up anymore. So I am super behind on Project Life, and just not feeling like I care enough to get caught up.

That's not to say I haven't been busy creating...

(I'm a little bit obsessed...practice makes perfect, and this needs to be perfect...)

And I am behind on blogging as well. As I write this I only have two posts in the queue. That's not how I like to roll! Get moving lady!

later loves

Update: I don't know why, but I changed one little print setting and it's working now! And I did some Project Life last night...wowee wow wow.

Embrace your inner dork...

Remember how I'm kind of a dork...

Well, some things never change.

photos taken September 20, 2007...that's three days before my 27th birthday.

I bought two of these shirts in two different colours because I liked them so much. I wore the teal one on Lucas' first birthday. I still have these glasses, but one of the arms has since come off. Now I wear them when I dye my hair. I did a layout using some of these photos, featuring lyrics from my favourite song at the time. But I can't remember what prompted taking them. Flashback Fridays are fun!

later loves

Love, Sweet Love

So I rarely scrapbook in this size. I stopped doing 12x2 layouts regularly about 3 years ago, and I've never looked back. But every once and awhile...I get the urge to step out of my box.

I actually completed this layout for Treasured Memories, but I don't work there anymore...so...I guess I have to find somewhere to put it! HA!

And this next one is just too cute not to share! I have the best nephews (and niece! and "nieces"...but that's a whole other post!). Candace gave me two Batman action figures one night, and I thought Jacob might enjoy playing with them. Well, that was the understatement of the year! The only time he put them down that night was so he could have his hands free to eat dinner.

I love moments like this because I know Jacob is going to continue to be this completely AWESOME person as he gets older. And I get to share in a little of that every time we hang out!

And that is all...I'll have something non-scrapbooking related for y'all tomorrow! I promise!

later loves

all of my layouts are posted on Flickr as well...that's here.

I have the best friends! (and) Who Needs A Silhouette?

I was cleaning off my desk the other day (cleaning off does not mean clean, by the way) and I found this photo of Nadine taken at Kara's surprise birthday evening back in September. You see, we made a stop in a fun antique/second hand store on Whyte Ave and while wandering through the book corner Nadine noticed this book. This Vampire Diaries book. "Don't make fun of me Lisa" were the words that came out of her mouth immediately after the squeal of joy directed at KC & myself & any one else who would share in her joy.

I can't remember what was so awesome about the book - next in the series, couldn't find it at the library, fills in some blanks of the tv series - but it was a completely awesome find.

I only made fun of her a little.

Ah BFF. Thanks for being my forever symphony date. And thanks for putting up with my shutter-happy ways. You're the bestest!

Layout details: The "friend" heart and "BFF" circle were hand drawn and hand-cut by me and my trusty tiny scissors. Hence the "who needs a Silhouette?" portion of my title. With more practice (ie. more than twice) I hope to do more intricate designs. But I really just hope to not fuck up as much! HA!

later loves

Scrapbook Flashback

So, if you follow me on Instagram you might have noticed that I went a big crazy in the scrapbook-shopping department a couple of weeks ago. This meant I had piles of pretty paper to play with. Which then means that I have to dig back through the photo archives to find pics I haven't played with yet and get gluing.

Here is a sweet photo from New Year's Eve...enjoy!

 We got home from Disneyland in the evening, around 6pm I think. I had been texting Mom, letting her know we got in safe and she let me know that my sister was having some family over for snacks and games. I called them up as soon as we got home, and ensured we would be cordially greeted when we arrived an hour or so later!

We were tired from the full day of travel, and the early wake up (like 4am or something ridiculous! Youch!) but Dude really wanted to see Jacob & Evan, and I really wanted to be somewhere other than in my own house for New Year's!

It was a fun, low-key night. Jacob was SO HAPPY to see Lucas, he pretty much just followed him around all night. I've got a good Instax picture of them snuggling in a big chair reading a book that I should find...hmmm. Oh. I see it on the wall. We're good!

I especially love ringing in the new year with my favourite guys! I had to teach Dude about the New Year's kiss. I even texted BFF to say hi. We caught up on our missed chats and I wished him a Happy New Year, but he fell asleep before the clock struck midnight! Oh my...at least I didn't have to watch Bieber on TV like last New Year's Eve!

later loves

A Technique for Your Tuesday

So, in case you haven't been paying attention, I work at a scrapbook store. I also create content for their blogs, and post on said blogs. Sometimes I really impress myself with the cool techniques I share on the TM Inspiration Blog, so I am going to share a couple of those layouts here today! If you want to learn how I made the various elements on them, you'll have to check out the TM Blog! HA! Self-promotion!!

This layout shows off some sweet sweet GLITTER, and how to embellish your embellishments with the stuff. Now, you may not have guessed that I kind of love glitter. I know! Weird eh, being "not ladylike" and not. I kind of totally dig sparkles. Go figure.

Oh, and there is a sweet story on this layout as well. Because for me, scrapbooking is the way I tell my story. And connect my past to my future. And remember all those amazing moments that make life glow.

You might have to wait about 45 minutes for the TM post to go live, depending on when you are reading this. First thing? Yep, you're gonna have to wait. But it's worth it....

later loves