Project Life, Week 36

I finally got the last few photos printed from Riah's birthday for my week 36 layout. My baby is 2!!! Wow. I kept it simple with one of my favorite inserts, Design I, to include some Instagram and other photos I snapped during the day. I've been enjoying using the Rhonna Farrer app to add cute overlays, text, and designs to my photos right in the phone, which minimizes the time I spend editing on my computer each week. Some weeks I actually do all the editing and ordering prints from my phone - isn't technology amazing?! I do want to work on taking more DSLR pictures, though.

On the left side, I worked in a few little hybrid touches. The "letter b" collage is from the 365: Unscripted 3x4 collage cards, by Traci Reed, with a paper and letter from her recent collab Virtuoso. I printed that "Together is the best place to be" overlay (I think it's from my Studio Calico class) onto transparency paper. Paper products used include Studio Calico cards and that awesome Scraptastic "Feeling Like This" stamp. Plus my usual washi, veneer, and sequins :)

More hybrid here including the chalkboard card from Traci Reed's Mr. Mister cards, a Studio Calico freebie (polaroid picture), and the Rhonna Farrer app. And it's a little hard to see in the photo, but there's a days of the week overlay on the middle right journaling card. That's from Traci's 365Unscripted: 3x4 Transparencies 2 set. Next time I print transparencies I'll be sure to make the colors darker!

I wrote a short letter to Riah and tucked it in a little pocket behind his photo. I did the same thing for Avyn this year, and hope I remember to make that a tradition for each birthday now!

And here's the insert. I took several videos throughout the day to share with family who couldn't celebrate with us, and after some trial and error, managed to (hopefully!) create QR codes that link to those videos. I should probably test that...

Week 37 happens to be Ali Edwards' Week in the Life project, and I chose to participate again this year. I won't have it all finished until next week, but it will be several spreads and inserts. Basically I did it as a more in-depth Project Life style. I'm also still keeping up with 30 Lists, following along with Fat Mum Slim's photo a day on Instagram, and just started a class I won, Picture Everyday, at Big Picture Classes. Whew. Busy month for memory-keeping, but I'm loving it. Keeps my mind off the more depressing stuff of life, and I really need that right now.

30 Lists, In the Middle

I intended to share my lists for the 30 Lists workshop weekly, but my computer's been having some health issues and it's been more or less out of commission the past couple weeks. I've finally got it patched up a bit, and now it's time to play catch-up with my blog. I'll also have Week 36 (?) of Project Life up in the next day or two. 

But today, my lists! I've been jotting them down every morning, in my few moments of peace before the kids wake up. I'm so glad I prepared my album and mini-kit ahead of time, I love having it all in that little bag and just flipping through it for the perfect journal card and maybe a sticker or sequin. I've kept the embellishing very minimal - I think the cards are pretty enough! After I finish my list, I snap a pic and post it to Instagram, where I usually end up browsing other participants' lists. Fun to see the different answers!

Day 1: What's new so far this year?

Day 2: Projects I'm working on

Day 3: Things younger me would like about current me (planning to add a selfie in the left pocket)

Day 4: Favorite time wasters

Day 5: Things I worry about

Day 6: Rules to break

Day 7: Today I see

Day 8: Childhood chores 

Day 9: Things that make me cry

Day 10: Memorable Gifts given and received

Day 11: Things my family taught me

Day 12: Things I love about this month

Day 13: Bad habits

Day 14: When Josh is home (adapted from the "weekend essentials" prompt)

Day 15: In my junk drawer

I've really enjoyed this workshop. I think I'll do it the next time around and just keep adding to this album, since it's loose-leaf. Or maybe add in other lists. Or whatever I feel like :). 

Project Life, Week 35

We started (home)school this week, along with about half the country, and I spent an unhealthy amount of time searching for the perfect filler card to document it. A friend on my Project Life facebook group linked me to an adorable free card by Jennifer Valencia at Pixels & Co, and it's perfect. So now, I can finally share my pages.

I wanted to use that Story card, which is actually the back side of a card I used on last week's layout, so I switched things up and moved my title card over a slot. My brain is only twitching a little bit.

I played with several new stamps this week, including my August Scraptastic and Gossamer Blue ones, and a couple foodie stamps. The coffee card is one I made for a green-themed card swap. Love how it turned out!

You probably can't tell, but I attached sequins on the pool photo with French knots! Another new, useful technique. See that little mustache clip poking up? I wanted to include a funny story about Cai but ran out of room, so I tucked another card in. Here it is pulled out:

And the back reads: 
"I tried tape, and glue, and sparkling glue, but NOTHING WORKS for all that stuff!" Think I better go check my craft supplies. Cai and his imagination crack me up.

I love that kid. He takes ideas and scenarios from TV shows, and runs with it, coming up with far crazier situations than TV writers could ever dream up!

So there's week 35! I'll be back in a couple days with my first week's worth of lists for 30 Days of Lists. It's not too late to sign up if you want to join me!