OLW

I thought I'd show you the page I made to put in my PL album this year. It will sit in the current album I am working in do I can add to it regularly. I made a card for each of the things that have specific challenges for myself.

My updates are as follows:

1. I have indead gone back to Weight Watchers- every Saturday

2. Started back at the gym- aiming for 4 days a week, so far I'm on target

3. The hunny and I have had 3 "dates"

4. Working on my 2015 PL and DD

5. The purging is the biggest. I've gotten rid of 81 things so far!

6. I've tried 4 new recipes, bit am cooking regularly.

7. Currently reading "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up"

8. Have not purchased any new Scrapbooking supplies. Ok, I did purchase a paper pad in the heat of anger, but returned it when I came to my senses! I've been digging through my things for forgotten items, and gotten rid of some I know I won't use!

9. No cross stitching as of yet, nor have any home projects been completed (progress is happening in a few areas though!)

10. Have my FLY shedule, did the kitchen week, did not do this weeks items:(

11. The money challenge is on track

12. Water, I've been drinking so much water thanks to friends, I've been floating!

Thanks about it so far. On the other side of the page I will put it some pics pertaining to each card.

Project Life: 2015- Week 40

I may jump around a bit, but it will all get done! This is week 40. I had one insert for apple picking. I used Felicity Jane's November kit for this. Yes I do realize it's an October layout!

This is the one insert. Front and back sides.

Other items added to the layout:

Amy Tan foam Thinkers
October Afternoon flair
Martha Stewart labels
Becky Higgins PL Seasons journal card
MME alpha (square ones)
Studio Calico alpha and title and journal card
Tim Holtz stapler
Seven Paper by SC puffy hearts

OLW: CHANGE

CHANGE

This is my "One Little Word" for this year. What really needs to change, is my activity level on this blog! Life gets in the way, and some things need to be pushed aside, and this was it. I started fostering cats/kittens last year, and got into it full speed ahead. I was consuming my every moment. I am still fostering, but I have "changed" my degree of fostering. I am taking me time, as well as family time.

So my changes are as follows:
(Bear with me, this is longgggg)

1. SPENDING: I want to cut coupons, stop eating out.

2. READING: I used to be an avid reader, and yet again when things have to be pushed aside...
I want to read 52 books this year.

3. COOKING: Not a lot of that happens at my house. My family really prefers to eat out, not that I am a horrible cook. I will try 52 new recipes this year.

4. HEALTH: I am going to watch what I eat, get back to Weight Watchers, and rejoin the gym.

5. ORGANIZATION: I need to get on this! Learn new techniques, tricks.

6. MARRIAGE: Needs to be more effort here. Talking, doing things together, the girls are older now, time to start doing more for us. I bow 52 "dates " with the hubby!

7. SCRAPPING: Oh my, talk about behind. I want to change how much time is spent completing projects. Goal, finish 2013 and 2015 December  Daily(s), finish 2014 and 2015 Project Life(s), and stay current with 2016. Also I would like to accomplish some 12x12 layouts.

8. JOURNALING: This needs to change. I am not a huge journaled, which is not good, it's why we scrapbook, to preserve our memories. I would like to take a class to improve this.

9.  PURGE: I am changing my outlook on what's important enough to keep. My goal is to throw/donate/give 1000 items from my home.

10. GARDENING: I had a beautiful garden the summer of 2014, I want to get back to growing a large amount of our summer foods. Incest in a couple lemon and avacado trees.

11. ME TIME: Do a bit more for myself. Go to more crops, lunches with friends, CKC!

12. FLYLADY: Oh yes, I need to change my current relationship with her! I was so on track when we were together;)

13. CHARITABLE GIFTING: I would like to get back to "giving back". Donating to St. Jude's, ASPCA again. I would also like to look into going to senior centers, maybe to read to them, make cards for, decorate their doors, make baskets for the holidays if they have no families around.

14. "BASH YOUR STASH" CHALLENGE: I'm in! You are to use only your own stash for the year, no purchases, aside from glues, inks, things that deplete that are needed to continue. I need to rethink the items in my craft room, will I use them? Definetly don't need anything new!

15. MENTAL: I need to relax. Be more positive. BREATHE!

16. EDUCATION: Learn 52 new things over the next year, can be anything. Again, a journaling class, maybe a sewing class?

17. ENTERTAINING: I love having people over, having parties, cookouts. I need to do more of this.

18. HOME: 52 projects. I have many that need conquering. Finish front porch, driveway, family room and art rooms in the basement (currently being built) just to name a few.

19. MONEY CHALLENGE: Complete the 52 week money challenge this year. $2 first week, $4 second, $8 third etc.

20. DECORATING: I'm a Scrudge! I don't decorate for anything, this must change. I want to hang a wreath or something for on the door for each holiday for starts. Get crafting Michelle!

21. WATER: Drink it. One can not live strictly on 4 cups of Dunkin Donuts French Vanilla coffee! (Although I'm sure Dunkin Donuts wouldn't mind if I did!)

22. CROSS STITCHING: I used to be a cross stitcher, I have fallen off that wagon too. My goal is to finish some of the many projects I have started.

23. MOUTH: Hardest one of all. "Hi, my name is Michelle, and I am a potty mouth". There, I said it, and I hate it.

24. CARDS: I used to sell Stampin Up, so, I made cards. I don't sell it anymore, and no one gets a card from me. Not a"hi, how ya doing", no, " hope you feel better", a "happy birthday", forget about it! You get the point, this too shall change.

And last, (your thinking thank goodness, if you haven't stopped reading already!).

25. RECIPE PROJECT: Of course this is a surprise for my girls. I will leave this one as is, in case they read it!

Keep following for updates on all my "changes".

The Art of Napping

Can you believe it, a scrapbook page and its a double post today. Wow, I'm on a roll! I couldn't resist doing this layout. I have been feeling inspired by some many beautiful layouts on the web. I don't want to start scrapbooking albums again, but I think I will start doing single page layouts and hang them in frames up my staircase. I can change them out as often or as little as I want. I do have one hanging in my craft room that I change out every now and again. So here it is.

I used Stampin Up! cardstock, October Afternoon alphas, spray ink, and card from one of their miscellany sets, Amy Tangerine stamp, Elle's Studio tag, and Basic Greys Joann exclusive lines "Hey You!" Hope you liked it.

Project Life Week 17

Good morning all! Yes I have realized I skipped week 16. I have yet to put together the "events" pieces that belong in that week. So, rather than hold up what I can post here we are, week 17! For this week I used a set by Maggie Holmes for Crate Paper, which I received in my Citrus Twist kit. I think Crate Paper may have moved up to number one on my love list now! I just love all the colors in this line. Much of what went with it was sold out on Two Peas (my favorite place to shop!!!!)

Its funny, when I saw the new Project Life kits being advertised, I was totally committed to the Jade line as my number 1, and then Blush. I got both sets through HSN during their sale, and I think the Blush is my go-to grab for journal cards quite a bit. I used quite a few this week. I did use one from the Clementine line as well. I used washi, tab stickers, alphas, and tid-bits from October Afternoon, alphas from Lily Bee, an arrow from Studio Calico, labels from My Minds Eye (not sure for what line) and a stamp set from my Citrus Twist PL kit. Also, I always rummage the dollar bins at Target and they had pads of paper with list and to dos on them. I cut the one pad up so they were 4 sets of 3x4 cards, "To Buy", "To Do", "To Remember", and "To Call".

 

 

I have 2 inserts for this week, one covers an outing with the girls for summer clothes, and the other our first fire of the year. I also included Megans choir program, and a letter we received from the girls pediatrician telling us she is retiring. I include these things in my album whenever they I get things, but I do not photograph them, they are important to our family, but not to the general public!

Thank you again for stopping by, and if you are a newbie, please stop by again. I try to post every Tuesday.

Project Life Week 15

Hello all, I'm here with week 15 today. Its a pretty straight forward week, 1 insert that holds my daughters Bird Migration report. For this week I used Hey Girl! from Basic Grey. Its one of their Joanne exclusives.

 



 I also purchased the Hello page flags, journal die cuts and die cut shapes. I added some Studio Calico veneer starts, a Martha Stewart doily,  a Studio Calico arrow, some Stampin Up! pennant punches, Thickers, Oh Snap!, Making Memories and Basic Grey alphas, Project Life journal cards and title card.

 

 



 Yes, I have just discovered Downton Abbey for myself. Sad but true! I love it. I watched all 3 seasons in 3 days! I have since gotten some books on Downton Abbey as well as others related to it.
I can not wait until Nov for season 4. My journaling about my new obsession is inside the journal card.

That's it, hope you enjoyed it, thanks for taking a look. Week 16 is just about done. I need to print some events pics and it will be complete.

Project Life Week 14

Hello all, I am here with our busy Spring Break week. I tried to give the  girls some things to do during the week, we got haircuts, went to Canstruction and the NYS Museum, the Zoo and Erie Canal Museum, out to dinner, a birthday party and a sleepover at Nana and Grampy's.  For this week I used all Echo Park Photo Freedom line. Wow, talk about versatile, they have many patterned papers, journal cards, prewritten cards of both sizes, alpha/number, day/month, and various other stickers. I love the colors from this line, its like a mini project life kit in itself.  So here we go...

 

 

There, that was the main week, now onto the inserts. I used Designs F and G as well as 2 6x12's and 2 Staples brand 8 1/2x 11. Yes I am aware that husband has not contributed any of his journaling yet, but I didn't want to wait forever to post! The first insert is of the Canstruction and the NYS Museum, followed by the map of the Museum.

 

Then  2 inserts of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo.

Next  I have a Random Thoughts page with were we went that day on the back. An insert holding our maps and brochures.

 

 

 

The next insert is of our trip to the Erie Canal Museum on the front, and my nieces birthday on the back. I then added our menu from dinner.

 

Ok, that's it, are you on PL overload yet? Thanks for stopping by, I will have week 15 for you soon, it is complete.

Project Life Week 13

Welcome back! I have week 13 for you today. This was the week of Easter, so I got to break out the pretty colors. I used Echo Park Sweet Girl line, and LOVED it! I bought the extra journal page as well as the stickers for this line as well.

 

 

 



I was so happy with how this week turned out. After a long winter its nice to break out the bright festive colors! I used journal cards from the Project Life  Blush line, as well as grid cards. I used alphas from the Sweet Girl line,  Dear Lizzy puffy alphas from Thickers  and from Basic Grey. The tags were from Elle's Studio, Chic Tags and October Afternoon.

 

 

 

I had one insert and it was for Easter. We had none of they young siblings for Easter, so there was no egg hunt. Pretty basic day really, very relaxed.

 

 

Well, that's it. I have week 14 done as well so I will be posting that soon. That was a very big week with lots of inserts due to it being Spring Break for the girls. Thanks for stopping by, hope to see you again.

 

 

 



 

Project Life Week 12

Hello everyone, it has been a while! I finally completed a very big week of Project Life. Megan had her school play at the end of this week, so the week before is always hectic. Hopefully you are not totally bored by all the "Hello Dolly" talk.   The first is a pic of the full week without any inserts in it. Next will be of each side individually.

 

  For this week I used DIY from Crate Paper. The vintage feel just seemed fitting for the week. For the alphas I used Basic Grey, Oh Snap,  Pebbles, and Echo Park. I used journal cards from Project Life ( including the new Jade line- HSN), and one from the Studio Calico Project Life kit. I pulled labels from the Crate Paper coordinating sticker sheets as well as from Jillibean and October Afternoon. I added a number from Basic Greys Hey Boy line, and a arrow and chick wood veneer from Studio Calico. My Tim Holtz stapler is always in the list of "used" items as well.

I have many inserts included in this week... memorabilia from the play, 2 of play pics, our church program/thank you letter from the play directors, and Megan's music. This is probably one of my favorite things about Project Life. I have always  been a saver of little mementos, and this really allows me to keep them with the actual moments. I would never want to add them when I was scrapbooking because I felt it took away from the beautiful layout ( I mean, can you believe they don't coordinate the ticket stubs/programs/receipts etc, to match MY scrapbook spreads!)  Well, on with the pics now.

 

For the journal card on the above insert I will be adding the names of my daughters friends she is in the pictures with. I have learned the hard way not to assume on the spelling of their names! There are many that are not the way I would expect! So they will be added.

I hope you enjoyed this weeks spread, it was so nice to relive the fun from the week. See you again soon, I week 13 almost completed, and the future weeks are also in full progress.

Project Life Week 10

Hello everyone! As some of you may know, I mentioned I needed to skip week 10 because I needed pics from someone else. I decided to show the week and the front of the insert and not worry about the back of the insert. For this week I used Pebbles Walnut Grove collection. I loved working with this line, the colors were so vibrant!



As always you will find some form of Thickers in my layouts, as well as an October Afternoon label or two. I also used the label paper from October Afternoons Farm Girl line, Martha Stewart labels, an arrow sticker and veneer stars from Studio Calico and Tiny Tim. I also purchased the sticker sheet and washi sheet to go with the Walnut Grove line. I also used some journal cards from a Pebbles journal stack.





Here are a couple close ups.





This is the front side to the insert, the back is still waiting for pics.



Enjoy, I am almost done with week 12, will post soon. Its a big week, lots of inserts for the Hello Dolly play my daughter was in. Come back again.