monday adventures

I've been enjoying this little lady's company for the past four days. Well....it hasn't been easy sailing the whole weekend. Cary was away for drill this weekend and the little Miss through several challenges my way. One involved a diaper mess, a nap, and her crib. Another involved crying and asking for endless things between 1am and 3am. It was not easy. But all-in-all it was a good weekend. I love her!

Tomorrow starts my short work week. I love summer weeks. I only work my clinical job (rather than juggle that and my academic job). And this week I have one extra day off leading into having next week off. I have been on a roll as far as scrapbooking! I've been getting at least 5 layouts done each week. Sometimes more.

I just discontinued my script to Studio Calico. I got it for about 3 months during there "no commitment" promo and just wasn't happy with it. I felt like I wasn't getting much for the money. I do like their style and their products I just wish more came in the kit. Years ago I subscribed to Cocoa Daisy for a long time and always felt like I had a lot of product to play around with in each kit. So after much thinking (because I'm on a tight budget) I decided to subscribe to Scraptastic. I'm excited!

Here are a few recent layouts....

The first is a layout with a great story behind it. My little girl used to skype her Auntie Lauri (my sister) when she was in Scotland last year. For a long time after, when she walked by the computer she would look for Auntie. Recently, we started doing facetime with my husband's sister in Maine. Ellie loves it. The first time we did we were playing tea party with her in her room. When she realized her Auntie Teri could see her on the phone she decided she should pour her a (pretend!) cup of tea into the phone. It was so sweet! Love.

To make this layout I stuck to just the 12x12 paper pad of Pink Paislee's Switchboard collection, some old Thickers and tile letter stickers. I used my 1 in circle punch and fussy cut the larger phone dial's out of the patterned paper. Lately I've been having fun challenging myself to use my patterned papers as embellishments since I'm on a tight budget...

facetime tea party (closeup)

facetime tea party

This next layout was created with my July Studio Calico kit and some of my own Thickers. That was actually one of my complaints about Studio Calico kits...the lack of a really useful alpha set with the kit. This month we got a really cool wood veneer alpha but there is only 1 of each letter...that makes titling a big challenge.

hello sunshine

This last layout is one I made last week. I used a photo I had edited on my iphone using the Rhonna ap. So fun! I used a variety of papers, scraps, PL cards, tile letters, and washi on this layout. It was fun to make.

Thanks for looking! I'm hoping to update again this week with a few more recent layouts before we leave for vacation later this week. I used to be so good about updating several times a week (at least)...but I just can't seem to keep up recently! But I have missed this outlet and the connections I've made with other bloggers.

Thanks for reading!

monday vent...and some layouts

View of the pond across from our condo

I originally intended to write this blog entry at 9 this morning. I uploaded some recent pictures, sat at my desk, and then the HVAC guy came to look at our leaking unit. Ugh. We have owned our condo for two years this July. We had some trouble with the AC last year and the first quote we received we were told we would need to replace the entire unit due to the exterior unit having heavy rust damage because of where they were located in the condo complex. My husband was away in El Salvador for National Guard AT so I had to make all these decisions alone. I got a second opinion and they suggested ust getting a few parts repaired for now.

Fast forward to this a.m.

I'm a researcher by nature. I want to know all there is to know about an issue so I can make an informed decision. But unfortunately, my nature stresses me out. We were told this a.m. we need to (at least) replace the exterior unit because 1/3 of the lower coils are rusted out. But because it runs on the type of freon that was outlawed in 2010 we have to replace the outer unit ASAP because they are no longer manufactured. If we don't we will need the entire unit and connectors replaced which will be very costly and complicated because of the set up of our condo townhome. Though from my research we might have to do this anyway since it seems in 2020 the freon used in our older unit will no longer be available.

Ugh.

We are just about to trade in our pick up truck and buy a much needed car. Both of ours are 10+ years old and need to be replaced. We don't want additional debt so we are trying to do that mostly loan free. But now the AC unit?

Ugh.

I'm trying very hard to accept. It is what it is. We will do what we have to and we will get by. It is just discouraging to each be working 2 jobs and still feel like we are just scraping by with a little extra for an occasional dinner out but not much more.

I would like to hit the "good news" lottery instead of the "bad news" variety.

I'm sure others can relate?!

Now that I have vented....I am going to try hard to switch gears and focus on what is good. I have some recent layouts I completed that I really like.

I've been inspired lately by layouts I've been seeing with a grid-like design with clusters of pattern paper "stacks." So I created this using the Dear Lizzy Neapolitan 6x6 pad and a few other random bits.

love

 I scraplifted this layout from one I pinned on pinterest by lilybee. I  documented some of my favorite books.
I wanted to try out the heavy marker lines for my journaling that I keep seeing others do...

some favorite books

I've been enjoying watching all the YouTube scrap process videos I can, browsing pinterest and blogs for inspiration. I don't usually use sketches but have found it refreshing. Changing things up a bit. I think I want to try some challenges too. Any scrapping challenges out there that you enjoy?

Thanks for reading:)

little girl layouts

hey gorgeous!

I love scrapbooking our girl. She's just so funny! And I have a good excuse to use cute elements I never could before. The above is my new(er) favorite layout. She was all decked out in her sunglasses (upside down), her play headband, toy cell phone, and one of my wristlets! Ready to go! When I got these diecuts I had no idea if/how I'd use them (the one's that say "Hey Gorgeous," "You are so fabulous")...this was the perfect opportunity!

The next layout has one of my new(er) favorite photos from this winter. We took E to the zoo which we do a lot. The leopard was sleeping up against the glass and it almost looks like E is petting her...she was definitely trying to! I used some Project Life cards from a mini pack, some very old letter stickers and a random pink chipboard butterfly to pick up on E's pink coat in the photos. The background paper is from my stash. If you've read my blog for awhile you know that I never remember to write down products when I scrap. It just isn't part of my process. And I tend to pull from old and new when I scrap. It's all the same to me!

Thanks for looking!

documenting home

I mentioned in my last post a few ways that I like to use pocketed scrapbook pages. Since the New Year I have started a project where I am photographing each room in our home. Little by little. I love looking back at my parent's and grandparent's photos and being flooded with memories when I see their homes in these images. Long lost objects and architecture that created home. I want to document these memories for our little girl and for ourselves. Here's how I've been doing this so far.

Our Room page 1

Our Room page 2

In January I went on a major organizing spree. It started mainly in or storage closet...but since that is connected to our master bedroom in our smallish 2-BR condo...our bedroom was a natural starting point for this project. I took photos around the room and documented the memories...

Since this first spread I have completed a spread about our Living Room & Kitchen which are one open concept space. I tried to get some photos from our toddler's perspective. Low to the ground! I know that someday I'll look back fondly at these photos of her little Princess castles...

Our Living Room & Kitchen page 1

Our Living Room and Kitchen page 2

I'm hoping to continue this project documenting more of our spaces. I think Ellie's room is next. This is an idea I'd like to revisit this from time to time in the years to come as things change.

Thanks for looking!

my take on Project Life

 I admire other scrapbookers ability to keep up with a traditional version of Project Life. A weekly recording of their everyday life. But I find the idea overwhelming. I'm lucky if I get a few hours a week to do any scrapbooking. I have found that for me, if I have "deadlines," self-imposed or not, when it comes to my hobbies...I quickly lose motivation and interest.

I let go of the idea of being "caught up" years ago. What a GREAT feeling that was! Now I scrap at my own pace. Since my daughter was born in 2012 I have been able to keep up with one family album per year. The first being her baby album. And that works for me. I will never be "caught up" with the boxes and boxes of photos I have from previous years. With that said, I am loving using pocket pages in my own way. This year I have found myself doing 1-2 pocket page spreads each month. And occasionally I use the pocketed pages for those events where I have a lot of photos I want to share but can't fit them all on a traditional layout. This is where I can put those photos and little moments that I lived but don't need a whole 12x12 spread to share. (Though I will say, my favorite layouts (and those of my husband) are still my traditional 12x12's.)

January page 1

January page 2

February page 1

February page 2

March page 1

March page 2

I also have another way I've been using them...to document rooms in our home. I find that looking back at my parent's and grandparent's old photos I love seeing my childhood memories of their homes captured. A glimpse of a counter-top, carpet, or piece of furniture. These tell my childhood stories. I want to capture these things for my daughter. And for myself and my husband. Those everyday spaces that we take for granted now will be distant memories years from now. I am enjoying capturing them and their stories. I'll share these spreads in my next post!

Thanks for looking!

little scrapper

This crazy little side-kick of mine has seemed to enjoy all things creative since she could walk and talk! A girl after my own heart! She loves paint and can focus on it for quite a long time for her age (2). As an art therapist it has been so much fun watching her learn and develop creatively. My husband has been saying that I should set her up with some scrapbook supplies and a few extra photos she can play with while I'm scrapbooking. This way I can have some time to do my hobby and she will be entertained...

I tried it out a few weeks ago and it worked! She sorted through some of my old supplies and played while I scrapped at the kitchen table. It was so fun. I have set up a little box of scrap papers for her to play with when I scrap. If I'm scrapping at my desk I give her that or she looks through my little dishes of diecuts and talks about the shapes she sees.

Speaking of scrapping...I got a lot of pages done this weekend! I will upload them and post about them later this week. I love summer when I have shorter work weeks because I'm not teaching at the college. I truly enjoy being at home, playing with Ellie, cleaning, cooking, and organizing. It's when I'm most at peace and happy. But then the chaos begins again in September when I am juggling both of my jobs. It is not easy and I am grateful for this time to breathe. How do you all juggle work and life?

Thanks for stopping by....

Happy Tuesday!

I'm back!

I'm finding I've REALLY missed blogging! It's been almost a year. I blogged at least a few times a week since at least '07 I think! I've been really getting back into scrapping, reading blogs, watching YouTube, creating....and sharing what I do was always part of my process that I enjoyed. I don't really have a group of scrapping friends close-by so this became my network so-to-speak.

I recently subscribed to Studio Calico and have been playing with my first kit: Camelot. Also picked up some goodies yesterday at M's: the Switchboard and Lucky Charm paper pads I don't usually like paper pads but loved these and they were under $7 a piece! I'm on a really tight scrapping budget so I figured I could get creative and get my money's worth with these. I also got a Tiny Attacher with a 50% off coupon. I've been eyeing them. I have a little stapler but the look just isn't the same.

I'm hoping this post will be the first of many as I get back into the habit I enjoy of blogging! Trying to figure out the quirks of blogging from my iPad since I rarely open up my laptop anymore. This is just so much more convenient!

Here's a few of my recent layouts...using mostly the May Studio Calico kits along with a few things from my stash....

Thanks for stopping by! 

Happy Monday!