baby's 1st year album

On my desk this morning is an almost finished album of my baby girl's first year! I officially started it way back in Spring 2012 when I was on maternity leave with her. But truthfully at that time I only did maybe part of one layout. I did most of the pages this past February/March when I was laid off from one of my jobs.

  

I love that it is packed full of memories! I have always used post bound albums. I had one 3-ring album and just didn't like how it sat on the shelf for some reason...so didn't really use it until recently. But I decided that I wanted to put her album into a 3 ring because it had gotten so full and I was adding in a few pages here and there and that is a pain with a post bound album. This weekend I picked up this colorful chevron album at Michael's...it's a Becky Higgins Project Life album. I don't do PL but loved this album. A typically pastel baby color just doesn't fit my little girl! I'm so excited about how this has come together. Today I need to go through all the pages and see which one's still need dates added and little details. There are 3 or 4 pages that need to be finished...and I like to do a title page. Over the next few weeks I'll finish it up.

I also worked on a few more layouts this weekend during nap time...I tend to scrap in bulk. When I do get a chance to sit down I finish quite a bit....

1. You Make Me Happy: I got this second piece of Crate Paper's sunshine paper from The Pier collection at my LSS recently because I had already used up a piece I got in  Cocoa Daisy kit and loved both sides. I used the opposite side on another layout but loved this wide chevron. I played around with layers and blocks, some washi tape paper I picked up recently and some old stickers. This layout is about a walk to the boulevard and beach with my parents this spring around when my dad was finishing up rounds of chemo before surgery. Memories with them and Ellie are bright spots for all of us with these challenges going on...

 2. Learning to Brush: I just love these pictures! My husband was helping her learn and she picked it up quick! I used the June Cocoa Daisy kit for this layout. Trying to work finish up the kit...pretty simple layout.

3. @the Show: This is a follow-up layout to another I did about our trip to Disney on Ice this winter. The two layouts don't "match" I just used colors for each to set the mood of the photos. These were some neat shots I got of the skaters and Ellie clapping. I used to figure skate for about 10+years so it is special for me to take her to her first ice show!

 4. Big Snow: This was my favorite layout I finished. It is about the blizzard we had this past winter. The photo is outside our condo door. I used all icy colors and some new Thickers I picked up at Marshall's for $1.49 this past week. The rhinestone snowflakes have been in my stash for years!

 5. Happy Snow: This title is supposed to have some humor to those who know the story. Ellie did not like the snow and/or her snowsuit too much! I took her out the day after the blizzard and she just looked miserable! And she is a February baby! I think I want to add a bit of journaling under the photo and title to tell the story. The "Happy Snow" card is cool...I got this on a bus trip with my LSS. Every fall they get a coach bus and it travels to all the local shops. At the Paper Source in Boston they gave us a little bag full of goodies and there were a few winter letter pressed card pieces in it. This was one of them....they are so pretty.

Hoping to get some things done around the house today. It's my last week of only working at my clinical job. The college classes I teach start up next friday. And I'm feeling a bit under the weather today. Ugh. Kids and their germs!

Happy Monday!

inspired

Finished two more layouts using my June Cocoa Daisy kit. I used to be afraid to use my favorite patterned papers. I didn't want to use them up or I wasn't sure how to incorporate them. I am the same way with clothes I've noticed. I usually buy and wear solids but admire patterns on other people and the rack. In scrapping Glitter Girl has inspired me to use my favorite patterns as backgrounds. This is a look that isn't for everyone but I'm finding I really like it! They make layouts that are busier so I don't add a whole lot else...but that is my usual style. Very few embellishments typically.

I am also not someone who usually buys patterned paper according to what is new or part of a specific line or manufacturer. But lately I am finding myself drawn to certain lines. The Pier is one of those! I really love this lines colors. So much that in the first layout above I got only one sheet of that background paper (sunshine) in the kit. Yesterday I went to my LSS and bought the only sheet they had left because I also loved side B!

I didn't buy much at my LSS...mostly patterned papers. I got a few Maggie Holmes from Crate Paper...I found I really like her lines...also I'm really excited about some new releases. Especially Say Cheese from Simple Stories. I don't usually like heavily themed stuff but I love Disney and love that this collection is somewhat universal and not overly themed. I watched all the new CHA videos on two peas and actually found myself loving a lot of new stuff!

Well...back to reality. Getting some stuff done before I have to head to class tonight. Really should be reading the long book chapter I have to lecture the class on next week. Ugh!

Happy Monday!

today

Ellie playing with sand dollars she found at the beach

My sweetpea brightens my mood. Things have been difficult lately in many ways. I was hoping things were looking up but we've had several household issues that are stressing me out. Waiting for the AC guy to come by and finish fixing the center air. It's been two weeks and hot and humid. The problem is a little more complicated than we originally thought. Then today I noticed a larger spot on the rug in our closet and a shadow of a spot starting on the babies carpet. I am concerned we are growing 2 spots of mildew. Ugh. We have a basement level condo with a cement basefloor. Never had a problem before but it appears to be starting? Don't even know where to start with that one. Hopefully the AC will be fixed in a day or two and we can get the humidity out of this house. Then I can tackle cleaning the spots. On top of all that for the past 6 months+ my car has had a reoccurring issue with stalling and it is happening again. We thought the problem was finally fixed after 2 mechanics having trouble diagnosing the issue. So that is going in the shop again tonight. I just want a week/day without a major issue. We are frugal with money and all this will be adding up and is concerning. So in an attempt to de-stress...here are some photos from my little green "space"and a layout or two....

First the layouts from the past month or so....

Easter: I did this one over the weekend. Just need to add journaling...

you & the budgies: Last summer/fall we went to the local zoo and they had these parakeets they call "budgies." The baby LOVED them! It was so cute to see her so fascinated. I just need to add the date and the journaling on this one. I really like how it turned out. I don't usually use super bold backgrounds but I loved this paper.

the fabulous lady in the big hat: I love this picture from last summer! I found this funny sunhat in the Gap on sale for her. She looked so funny and cute in it! This layout is very simple and finished.

And now some pictures from our little yard...

Thank you for looking and "listening!"

Happy Monday and Happy 1st of July!

busy. busy. busy.

What a busy week it has been. I started my new job and it has been a whirlwind! It is so overwhelming. Good. But overwhelming. I haven't had much of a chance to do anything for myself this week. Just now I worked on a layout. But I'm tired an in a bit of a funk so I'm not real happy with it. But the journaling was meaningful.

Anyhow...here are a few other layouts I don't think I've posted that I made over the past few weeks. Hopefully when I figure out my new routine I'll have time to do even one layout a week.

Christmas Day & Eve: Two page spread

Halloween: This was before I added the journaling.

1st Birthday: This page was difficult. I couldn't make any decisions and I'm still not sure how I feel about it. Still need to add journaling. My goal is to do that while it's fresh in my mind!

Guard Christmas: This photo was also taken before I did the journaling.

Thanks for reading. Hoping to catch up on others blogs this weekend!

on a roll

Here's some layouts I have completed recently...

My First Mother's Day: I really like how this turned out. It is more my style. Details but not too busy. I feel like I'm already getting into a rut where everything is starting to look the same. I know that can be an issue more often when using 4x6 photos...but I'm determined not to let that get in the way. Used mostly new stuff on this page though I don't remember all the specifics...sorry! I'm terrible at that. When I set up to work I don't think to write down each thing as I use it typically.

Our First Family Photo: Another favorite out of my recently completed layouts. I love the black journaling card that says "This makes me happy." It is a nice balance to have that dark black almost as a shadow under the photo. That is from Glitz's Uncharted Waters line. I got the sheet of cutouts and one sheet of 12x12 at my LSS recently. I really like it. It's a little different from other things I have recently seen.

Here's one more....

Beautiful: This one is a favorite because of the photo and because I kept it simple. I finished it at a crop on Wednesday at my LSS. These pictures were taken by my dad this past Spring in their yard. My parent's have a picture of me when I was little in the same daisies. I was a little older in thier photo...I want to take her picture in them each year.

Tomorrow I teach two classes at the college and then next week is Spring Break...still anxiously waiting for word on the other job opportunity. But as I mentioned yesterday I am really enjoying this time with my daughter and time at home. My house is clean and I love it! I don't feel frantic and rushed. It's great. I hope I can maintain that when I got back to work full-time. Fortunately by the time I do go back there will only be another month of classes left at the college before summer break so I'll be back to part-time for a few months. I really do like my usual schedule. I'm so nervous about starting something new...but I think it will be good and I'm definately ready for new.

Thanks for reading!

mayville, ny

Here are my pile of layouts I created last week to document a Girl's trip with my Mom & sister we took in 2010...

We took the trip to a small town in upstate NY where my mom lived when she was in kindergarten and my Grandfather worked at Welch's. It was so much fun and let us see my mom in a different way...

The grapevines...I used a pile of journaling cards on this layout.

closeup of the tags..some I have had for years.

Just us Girl's: we stayed at a hotel my mom remembered staying in as a kid...and we had a pile of junk food! We always refer to ourselves as the snack family. We also played mini-golf...and this is one of only a few pictures we have of the three of us.

closeup: some pretty buttons from the old CD kit. I also cut some banners. Trying to layer papers...

A layout of all the random things we did on the trip. Pretty simple with just a few stickers and patterned papers. 

I also took some time last week organizing my old albums and finishing them up with journaling, album covers, titles, etc. Took out extra page protectors and labeled each on its cover somewhere with the year. It felt good to do that. I am also making great progress on the baby's album of her first year. It is by far the thickest album I have! This morning I fought with the posts to add more pages and organize the pages by date. Added in a few pages that I want to complete. It has been so fun to do and has reinvigorated my love of scrapping. Last night I went to a crop at my LSS. There were only a few women there and I mostly kept to myself since they all knew each other - but it was fun to get out and get some layouts started/finished. I'll post the rest of the layouts I've been working on over the past few weeks tomorrow!

Thanks for looking!

everything has a beginning

I have two layouts today that I finished earlier this week. I've been on a roll!
 

I just realized that the title of this first layout is the same as one I created a few weeks ago about our wedding. Well...both things were perfect...baby girl and my wedding day. The first layout was again created with a lot of old stash and a few new(er) embellishments. I wanted to keep it relatively simple so that her baby hands and feet were prominent. I really like how it turned out. I just need to add the journaling on the bottom, right corner.

This second layout is about our engagement. For the background I used a piece of stitched paper that was in an old CD kit from about 2 years ago. I didn't really like the paper on its own...but once the layout came together I was pleased. I was also happy to use a small scrap from a piece of pp that had old fashioned advertisements on it...it was perfect. The little scrap with the ring box that says, "Diamonds."

On this page I challenged myself to use a lot of pieces from my scrap box and an old CD kit. I have really been trying to work through those old kits. The title, "Everything has a beginning" has special significance to us. I gave Cary an engraved keychain early in our relationship that had that saying and the date we met on it. At our wedding, this saying was printed on tags attached to little boxes of wildflower seeds we gave as favors. The photo with the roses are from a plant at my parents...the plant was grown from a piece of my grandmother's rose bush at the house where my dad grew up. It just seemed to fit on this page.

I have truly enjoyed getting back into this hobby I love. It has helped me to heal and to cope with difficulties. It is a fun outlet that lets me reflect and tell stories. It has helped me immensely lately. For a few years I just couldn't "go there" and work on pages. But I'm glad to be back.

Thanks for looking!

preoccupied

playing in her room

 I've been very preoccupied worrying about one of my favorite people in this world. We found out they have to go through surgery and chemotherapy for the second time. Praying and hoping that it works this time. So this week I probably won't be posting very much. That little face in the photo above is helping me and my favorite person immensely!

This weekend while my dh was out with friends on saturday I decided to have a few friends over. One is a beginner scrapper and the other sells her sewing projects on Etsy. We had a quiet craft night. I got two layouts finished for baby girl's book. Yesterday I finished up the journaling. I noticed that in my older books, in some cases, I left the journaling blank to finish later...and never did the journaling! I don't want that to happen from here on out on my pages. Anyhow...here are the two layouts. I again used mostly old stash on the first layout but used some of my new stuff on the second.

"Getting ready": I was being lazy when I photographed these and kept them in the page protectors...so I apologize for the glare...It is pretty simple. I tend to rely on the papers a lot rather than a pile of embellishments. I used some old stash again and kits I had laying around.

"Blessed": This layout is of baby girl before she came home from the hospital. The picture quality is poor because of the hospital lighting. I may reprint them in b&w at some point. She was in the Special Care Nursery/NICU for a week. Minor things....we were lucky but it was so hard. She was born 2/12/12 so many of these were taken on Valentine's Day a few days later. Our little Valentine! I used some new tags I got but most of the rest is old stash.

I'm really in need of some resources for working with 4x6 photos. I used to get a lot of photos printed by scrapbookpictures.com and they printed in various sizes. I don't like printing as I go on a home printer. I print photos on snapfish one month at a time. I like the convenience of scrapping with 4x6 since it is a traditional size and I don't have to think ahead about what size I want them printed. I like how my pages turn out if I used 1 or 2 photos or if I crop a few...but in many cases I can't crop the photos down any and I like to include 3-4 photos to really tell the story. Any page map resources that you know of for 4x6 scrapping?

Happy Monday!

using stash

I {almost} finished two layouts last night and got a chance after work to pick up some new paper from my LSS. I hadn't been in there in so long. I now remember why I love paper so much! But I actually didn't end up using any of my new paper on the layouts strangely enough! I have about 20 Cocoa Daisy kits I got several years ago that still had a lot of papers and embellishments left in them. I used some of that stash and a few older pieces. I'm not one that really worries about something being "new" or not. I'm like that with most everything. There are times that I want the newest of something....but usually I wait. I find that over time if I don't love a paper anymore I give it away but there are many that I'm still drawn to years later.

Here are my layouts:

This first one is my favorite. It is a page that is going into Ellie's 1st year scrapbook. I used old papers and embellishments and kept it pretty simple. Our wedding was beautiful and simple as well. I made my own invites from Paper Source stamps and my computer (in the photo), we got married with the ocean in the background with just 40 or so of our friends and family on a Sunday morning. The brunch reception after was wonderful. I made my bouquet and my sisters (she was my maid of honor) and my dress cost $150 off the rack at Lord & Taylor. It was everything I hoped.

My second layout is unfinished...and I'm not as happy about it. I started getting overwhelmed with choices and where to put the 4 photos so I just committed and taped them down finally. I used a really, really, really old Making Memories sticker! And the little envelope will have journaling that I'll finish this weekend. I used some washi tape I just got recently. It's not my favorite layout but it was still fun to make.

Here's some of the goodies I got at my LSS that I'm hoping to dig into this weekend!

I bought nothing but paper. Lots of paper. $26 worth!

I saw this recently and loved it! I have a thing with birds. Especially chickadees.

I don't usually buy according to line but I really liked these new papers from Authentique's Renew line. Pretty pale yellows, greys, blues, and touches of black.

Another bird! This one is My Mind's Eye: Follow your Heart

This quote got me. It reminds me of my dad. Its from Kaiser Krafts: Sears & Son Collection. I didn't love the paper...just the quote.

I love everything about this collection! So colorful and fun. I bought several sheets of it.

This was only the 2nd time I've really scrapped at my art desk in a few years and I was realizing how much I want to reorganize my supplies. I have had to baby proof everything so I can't really set it up the way I'd like but it could use some change. I have a tiny desk in the corner of our bedroom but it's perfect for me. I just wish I could have more space for storage near the desk. I have all of my old Cocoa Daisy kids still in their bags inside 12x12 storage boxes. But I store them away in our utility closet because there is more space. I hope I can reorganize and find a place for them near my desk that way I will use them up. There is still a lot of great product in them.

Maybe when I finish reorganizing I'll post a picture...

Thanks for reading! Happy Thursday!