Layouts Can Be Fun Too

Hello everyone,

I'm sorry for not being around as much lately. I've been trying to tackle some LIFE things lately that have been neglected and needed doing. I wanted to share two layouts that I did a few weeks ago.  A friend and I went down to the local scrapbook store for a crop and had so much fun. I kind of forgot how fun layouts were to make !!

This first one I did for one of my design team assignments. I wanted to get the story down of how Maddie kind of taught herself to read. I'm glad that I did.

I took the photo with my phone so the quality isn't that great. The paper and stickers are from Cosmo Cricket. The stencil and the read sticker are from Jenni Bowlin. Love how it turned out.

We had our last professional family pictures take two summers ago and yes I am just getting around to scrapbook them. I always knew that I wanted to do a 2 page layout with them and so that is what I did. A quick easy layout that I love.

(click to view larger)

I am working on my week 13 right now. Working on some inserts so its taking longer than a normal week. But I'm hoping to have it done soon. Also want to share some pictures from our hike on Memorial Day !! Take care everyone and happy scrappin'.

Everyone Needs A Day Off

Yesterday I took a day off. A day off from dishes, from cleaning the house, from paying the bills, from the TO DO list, well you get the idea.

Everyone deserves a day off, an escape, a break from LIFE. Yesterday I took one. We packed up the car and made the trek down to Disneyland. The "Happiest Place On Earth." And for the day I got a break. It was delightful. More often times than not I call Disneyland my "Happy place". 

It was just me and the kids this time.  I let them take the lead and they decided where they wanted to go and what they wanted to do.

I took the double stroller with me but with three kids someone was always walking. Noah really enjoyed walking about but could sense the danger of the crowds and preferred to hold my hand. I was in heaven, because I have to force him to hold my hand when we cross the street or the parking lot.  I tried to get some of these type of photos to document my day, to remember these little details.

He also held my hand during the whole Small World ride and Little Mermaid. I will treasure this day for sure. I love this little man so much.

One of the first order of business was to get the girls new "EARS". By that I mean hats. I still can't find Katelyn's old one and Maddie's string came apart last trip. So even before we hit the rides we went hat shopping. These were the winners.  These two girls went around all day with their new hats on saying that they were princesses. So fun.

Learned some lessons while we were there. Taking turns being in front(of the line). Turns being in the back (of the stroller). These were not easy lessons. Threats were made to take all of them home early in the day, thankfully things got better and all the kids were great the rest of the day. Also learned another lesson the really hard way. Take the time to snap a pic with your phone of where you are parked in the parking lot or pay the price !! Ha Ha ! Lesson learned.

There was one lesson that was learned that had to do with a bow and arrow. We were fortunate enough to meet Merida from the Disney movie Brave that is coming out soon.

After we had an introduction the kids got to have a very quick archery lesson.  Katelyn was so excited and after asked if we could buy a bow and arrow.  Notice Katelyn's eyes are closed !! I think she will need to work on that ! Ha Ha.

On the way out and bought me a little souvenir for my van. Oh yeah, I have been so busy that I haven't told you that I bought a minivan !! Yes, maybe I can get a few pics and show you. But this little souvenir is now going to be a constant reminder of our trips to Disneyland.

That is all I have time for today. Reality is calling, by way of the toddler crying out from his time out chair asking if he is done !

Project Life Week 12

Another week is done and I am so excited. This past week I decided to go a little bit simple so that it may help me catch up faster.

No inserts this week. Just a plain old week but fun non the less.

HERE IS THE FIRST PAGE :

TITLE CARD :

Used the yellow doily from My Minds Eye. The gray circle is from Ali Edwards Photo Love.

THE PHOTOS :

I started running/walking with some of my lady friends today. We are training for a 5K in about 6 weeks. Before today I had not done any exercising for years !! As you can see, I have my old reebok's and my pajama pants on. I am now sporting great running shoes and a whole new wardrobe when I run !!

This is Katelyn and her Best Friend Alana. She was moving away the next day so we had her over to play.

Journaled on some cardstock and put the sticker on.

I turned this picture black and white because the colors were clashing with the rest of my page and it was kind of dark. Just don't mind me in my pajamas !!

Cut some of the bottom off the photo and journaled onto some patterened paper. The circle W is from here . Sticker from Jillibean Soup.

THE JOURNALING CARDS :

AC Thickers. Heart is from October Afternoon Farmhouse. Outside is from Ali Edwards Go Outside found  here.

Butterflies from Studio Calico kit, Sassafras makes them.  Saying sticker from Jillibean Soup.

Journaled about some of the things that we loved from the week.

This is a filler card that I used. Added washi tape and then put this saying on cardstock. Added US to the bottom, they are American Crafts.

Didn't have anything else to add to the week so I had fun with this filler card.

THE SECOND PAGE :

Again went with the simple on this side. 

THE PICTURES :

Looked for this brush but couldn't find it. Think I took parts from two different brushes from this brush set. 

 I love these pictures of Noah. Even though they are fuzzy, have shadows, and such. He was sitting on the desk next to me while I was working on the computer. He started making these funny faces at me so I grabbed my camera and snapped away. I tried to get him to stay still but it didn't happen.  Oh and you can't forget his messy jam face !! 

Brush from here . Used this free photo template from Paislee Press.

Noah came in the house beaming and grinning with these beauties in his hand. "For You Mommy," he said proudly !! Love him.

Arrow from Ali Edwards here.

THE JOURNALING CARDS :

LEFT SIDE BLUE CARD is a freebie from here. 

RIGHT SIDE : Used the airplane Hamly Transparency, cut it down to 3x4. Stuck Patrick's ticket stub on there with a badge from my stash.
 

Patrick took this pic of Downtown Houston. He flew there on Sunday for a 4 day conference.  More on that in the next week of PL.

Brush from here.

That is it folks. Week 12 is done. Now I have to do go do my Monday chores so that I can reward myself with a day in Disneyland tomorrow !! Our annual passes are blacked out for the summer so I wanted to go a few more times before that happens.  We are surprising the kids !

P.S. Designer Digitals is having a HUGE sale right now. I believe it's 30 percent off everything. So if you need or want some digital stuff, now is the time to get it. I'm heading over there to get a few new things that i've had my eye on !!

P.P.S. Hope you all are having fun with your albums. Until next time.

A Day In The Life Layout

I am really enjoying being on the design team at the local scrapbook store here in town. It gives me just the right amount of opportunity to create "Traditional Scrapbook layouts". And I do love to do regular layouts along with my Project Life.  Since I am such a slow scrapbooker it takes me forever to finish a layout !! So I really don't have time to do that many of them these days.

So I wanted to share a layout of my kids at the Utah State Fair back in 2010.  They have this exhibit for the kids to go and pretend to be farmers. They gather eggs, milk the cows, plant and harvest vegetables. I am working on finishing up some of the layouts that I had planned into my PL album from that year.

HERE IT IS : CLICK TO MAKE LARGER.

I am off now to check some things on my to do list tonight while the children are sleeping !!

Project Life Week 11

I am so excited to have finished up another week of PL ! It's been done for a few days, but just haven't had time to photograph and blog about it until now.

By the way, Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers, grandmothers out there. (even though I am a day late).

I have to apologize about the recent bad photos of my layouts. I know they have never been great, but lately I have noticed that they are just horrible. UHHH !! So I really need to work on that, maybe try a different photo taking spot or something. Anyways. Here goes Week 11.

A little run down. Grandma and Grandpa were still here for half of the week, so lots of them in the first part of the week. Also had a birthday party.

HERE IS THE FIRST PAGE :

THE PICTURES :


Grandma and Grandpa went and visited Katelyn's school and then brought her home. 

Made a journaling block and made it sort of see through by reducing the opacity of the journaling block. The Today you brush from here.

The kids love to read to grandpa and grandma or get read to by either one of them.

Katelyn loves to ask Grandpa to get the kite out and go flying. I used a transparency from My Minds Eye - one of their new lines - and put it over the photo. Also took so of the lyrics from the famous song and put them on the picture before I printed it.

THE JOURNALING CARDS :

LEFT SIDE : Journaled about them going to the school. Also needed more more so I continued the journaling on the back side. Great way to utilize space.

RIGHT SIDE : Used another picture of the kite flying activities. 

LEFT SIDE : I hate to admit it but me and the MAC are still having printing issues !! ACKK ! I know. So it resulted in small text on this card. I had already but some of the embellishments on the card and did not want to redo the whole thing. So I am going to forgive and forget.

I used one of the chipboard kites My Minds Eye.

RIGHT SIDE : Maddie wanted a picture of her and her GAMA. She is so cute. She can say grandma correctly now but still calls her GAMA.

 As I mentioned earlier, we had a birthday party for Maddie. I choose to use one of the templates from Cathy Z, click here to find it, and change it up a little bit to suit my needs.  The template allowed me to save some time and it still looks great.

HERE IS THE INSERT:

 Patrick brought this cool Halliburton piece of paper home a while ago and I knew that I had to use it, and that is why he saved it for me! I love him so much fun for thinking of things to save for his scrapbooking crazy wife ! HA HA ! So I used it with some pictures he has sent me over time of the trucks on the job site. Brush found here .

THE SECOND PAGE :

THE PICTURES :

Caught Noah playing with the water. The heart tag is from Studio Calico, but could easily be duplicated. Want to remember to do it myself. I put a strip of one of the filler card underneath the hearts. The banner is from My Minds Eye.

With this picture I wanted to capture a little bit of what we usually do if someone is sick. Take temperatures and get red boxes.

Wanted to be a little playful with these overlays from My Minds Eye for a while now. Printed my journaling onto patterened paper and then put the overlay on top. The favorite stamp is from Heidi Swapp. Buttons are from My Minds Eye.

Some of my favorite boys. Out enjoying themselves.

THE JOURNALING CARDS :

LEFT SIDE : Saved the bag from Trader Joes. Lemon and hearts from Jillibean Soup. Washi tape.

LEFT SIDE : Tag from Maya Road.

RIGHT SIDE : Thickers and used my new heart punch and some patterned paper. The arrow stamp from My Minds Eye Oh Happy Days stamp set. 

That's it for Week 11. I really like this week. Clean, and simple. Going to keep this theme for a little while so that I can try to catch up. How is everyone else's album coming along ? Good I hope.

Did anyone else catch Becky's video chat this morning ? Kind of fun. Had it on while doing this and that.

So super excited about all the new plastics that are coming out soon. Can't wait.

I have been working on finishing up a layout for my design team assignment. I will try to share tomorrow. Take care everyone.

Project Life Week 10

I know, I know, I am so far behind !! Please don't remind me. But it is okay and I am not going to stress about it. Life has been way to crazy to do any catching up. We have been traveling, had a wonderful house guest (My mother), trying to do some spring cleaning, putting in two grow boxes for the garden, ect, ect.

We have no near future travel plans, no MAJOR projects coming up, and no crazyness up ahead and I am hoping to carve in some PL time soon.

I did finish Week 10 yesterday and want to share it with you all.

HERE IS THE FIRST PAGE :

THE TITLE CARD :

I decided to embellish this weeks title card. Doily is from Martha Stewart. The yellow circle from Jillibean Soup, the scalloped sticker from Crate Paper Storytellers. Yellow AC Thickers. 

THE PICTURES :

We had a multiple birthday celebration this week and my mom brought down a cake from our favorite bakery back home. 

I used part of a journaling card for some extra journaling on the picture. The little wood stars are from Studio Calico.

I used this freebie journaling card and cut the top part off. Changed the size to be 4x6, reduced the opacity so it would be see through. Then added the photo underneath the photo journaling card. Added the word everday from Ali Edwards from here.

THE JOURNALING CARDS:

LEFT CARD: The word family is from Ali Edwards Family Hand Drawn Word Art. The squiggly  line on the bottom if from the Cobalt Extra Embellishments pack, changed the color to match the Clementine Collection. 

RIGHT CARD : Iphone photo.

Banner from the Clementine Extra Embellishments Pack.

LEFT CARD : Yellow AC Thickers. October Afternoon blue letters. The journaling goes with the two pictures of Maddie and Grandpa swinging at the park.

RIGHT CARD : Used this day of the week journaling card overlay. Washi tape. Wood banner from My Minds Eye.

THE SECOND PAGE : 

THE PICTURES :

Used this brush. 

Grandpa and the girls cleaned his car.  

Scalloped tag from Jillibean Soup. Butterfly from Studio Calico. Letters from Basic Grey.

Washi tape. Heidi Swap word.

THE JOURNALING CARDS:

LEFT CARD: Hambley Studios camera transparency.  Printed out this Ali Edwards Photo Love circle and cut it out. 

LEFT CARD : Used this adorable freebie journaling card from A Vegas Gril At Heart. The colors already match the Clementine colors !! And she has one for the Cobalt collection as well !! Isn't it cute !

RIGHT CARD : Date night with my husband. Went out to dinner and then got ice cream at the local ice cream shop. Took a flyer they had and cut out their logo. The little people are from Studio Calico.

That about covers Week 10. Lots of fun stuff that happened. Stay tuned for more PL layouts, hopefully I can get some more done soon.  Until next time.