Hello Again

Just a quick update to say hello…again! If you have stayed with me this long, I want to say thank you!

Life in 2015 has been anything but smooth. I knew it was going to be a bumpy ride, but I had hoped to be able to keep up with things better. But, some things including this blog had to go on the back burner for a while.

But hopefully that is behind me. Decisions have been made. Life goes on. And happy to say we are in a new space! Out of the apartment and into a really really real house! can't tell you how awesome it is to see how much Maggie loves it--especially the backyard. One of the things I'm working on is making this place our own and embracing being where we are. Grow where you are planted, right?

My plan is to start sharing some of the project life layouts I've made with the Project Life™ app. I'm in the process of getting those off my phone and into my album using Persnickety Prints. I had some layouts printed with them and have always been very happy with their quality. Plus I was able to visit their store this spring and got to see first hand their "persnickety process!"

Currently I have project life layouts finished through Week 7 as well as other layouts  and the 15 on the 15th project. See below for one of layouts I created on my phone.

Other things I've been up to (besides work):

I've also been working on layouts for my 6x8 personal album as well as various other layouts. I am subscribing to Ali Edwards Story Kits and Stamps and I love love love them! The education and inspiration plus the products are so worth it! I'm still working on getting going on actually making things.

And last month I started subscribing again to Studio Calico. This time to the scrapbook subscription. I had subscribed to the Project Life™ kit since the beginning but last December I cancelled it because I knew the first half of this year was looking to be tough. And honestly I just needed a change. With the recent move I saw how much stuff I had collected and went through a big purge. Since I'm wanting to create more layouts I decided to subscribe to the scrapbook kit and plan to purchase some Project Life kits when I want to. I've been purchasing the digital cards each month so I still get my fix that way for right now. And I can use those in the app! So it's a win.

Hoping to share more about my 15 on the 15th project soon too. I've really liked this project although in April I was away on business and am going to be "flexible" on the actual date to make April work.

So here's a look at one of the layouts I created on my phone using the Project Life™ app and Letterglow. These are cards from the Dazzle and Love Story editions in the app and Ali Edwards digital cards: Simple Lines 3x4 cards. Love that set.

This is a simple two page spread showing my daughter in her new room. She loves her new loft bed from IKEA. And yes, those boxes in the corner are still there…work in progress, work in progress. Big sigh. But she loves her room and it will get there in time. It's all good.

I've had quite a few questions about using Letterglow and am planning on making a video once the update is live. There will be fewer work-arounds and app-smashing together. It's going to be awesome!

So that's where I am right now! Considering upgrading to a new site but everything is a work in progress, right? 

Thanks for sticking around and for your support! Hope to be back soon!

Project Life Hybrid Introduction Page

One of the things I like to do is have an intro page each year. In past years I have documented the details: where we live, what cars we drive, etc. Just the basic facts. I like having that record.

This year I wanted to do something more that still shared the state of where we are, but not specifics. We have worked hard these past five years getting my husband through school but now we are faced with some more decisions about our future. Working out the details and taking new leaps (for me) are challenging. I am a big believer in going for our dreams. Really, I am. But I'm no longer a 20 something college student. I have a family to support and those dreams sometimes take a side seat. But, new opportunities may exist and I hope to be open to them.

The thing is, I hope that no matter where we are location-wise that we embrace this idea: "life is full of adventure" and that we make lots of fun traditions and celebrate life.

So when I was looking at the word art package "Messy Daily Circles" from Ali Edwards, I knew I wanted to do a big page and focus on that "life is full of adventure" word art. (This was an assignment for the Digital Creative Team for Ali Edwards--for which I am super thankful and excited to be a part of.)

This two page spread is a pocket page on the left (the back of the title page) and then something for the back of the beginning of my weekly digital pages (from the Project Life app.) I went with a super simple enlargement mounted on white cardstock.

A closer look at the word art from the Messy Daily Circles word art set from Ali Edwards. I used the circles as they are on two of the photos. On the "hello awesome life" photo I traced around just the words and then copied/pasted those directly onto the photo. It worked great! Really fun and I love that this page just screams "embrace the awesome!"

The cards "on beginning" and "Hello new beginning" and "completely new direction" are from Ali Edwards Story Kit from the Firsts prompt. (if you subscribe to both the stamps and the kit so you get the digital set as well. I don't think these are available right now but please direct any questions directly to Ali's site to get the best information.)

Another look at the "hello awesome life" word art. The Observations chipboard and the "Life is good" chipboard pieces are from Ali's Week in the Life kit (currently available as of this post.) The awesome "start fresh" card is an old one from Lindsay Letters (from a Studio Calico Project Life kit.)

The word strip stickers are from Ali's Firsts Story kit. That cute hello stamp is from my friend and fellow Austinite Molly Frances. The yes wood veneer was from the Ashley Goldberg class at Studio Calico. I like that I just used it instead of keeping it for "that perfect" page. I sometimes hoard too much and using this plus the awesome Lindsay Letters card was an attempt to get over that perfectionism and just have fun with the products. And I love how they turned out.

And here is the full page 12x12 traditional layout. Super simple and fun. I printed it at 8.5x8.5 because that's the size of my printer. Initially I thought I would do a full 12x12 but that would entail waiting for said enlargement to come in the mail or piecing it together. I am always looking for ways to add white space in these albums and so just putting it on a 12x12 piece of white cardstock worked great!

I added the "Life is Full of Adventure" and the text directly onto the photo (print a test run first to ensure placing.) Then I added the chipboard "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone" and the "yes" burst (both from the Firsts story kit.) Simple. Fun. And DONE!

So there it is! A fun little introduction page setting up a theme for this year, giving a peek into where we are right now and the decisions we are making. And it makes me realize I want more of this: more big photos, more playing with the mix of digital and physical products. And more of the simple, do what works for me type of things. I can be working on a page like this and tinker around with things while cranking out a month of PL on the PL app. It's all good.

I'm also working on some tutorials to show more about Mobile Memory Keeping with the Project Life App, Letterglow, Collect and other apps I use. Is there something you would like to see? I have been wanting to work out my own workflow before I shared but I think I am ready to show some tips and techniques.

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you have a great week!