{guest post w/ videos} for american crafts | summer week

Hello Everybody! Today I have an extra special summer themed guest post up over on the American Crafts blog : ) There are FIVE projects total, THREE of which I have process videos for on my YouTube channel. I also have a BONUS Project Shares Overview Video of all five projects up as well. I hope you enjoy!!! Happy summertime to you! XO

P.S. Below is a sneak of the cover of one of my four videos that go along with these projects ; )

{prompt 4} scrapbook your quote

Welcome to day 4 of our Foxy 14 scrapbooking prompts!  Today's prompt is crafty and lots of fun!!

Prompt  4:  Scrapbook your quote from prompt 3.....AND, I created the two journaling cards below as a FREE download to help speed up the process!  You can download them HERE.  The idea is to use the 4x6" journaling card with the lines to journal about your quote and what it means to you.  Feel free to add the journaling however you like.  I used my computer and added in the journaling before printing, but you can use your typewriter, handwrighting, or whatever you like.  For the 3x4" card with the heart, try to add in your quote without using your own handwriting.  I used a combination of alpha stickers for mine.  Also, you can add in these journaling cards to whatever project that strikes your fancy.  I used a Becky Higgins 6x8 page protector (with one 4x6" and two 3x4" pockets), adding in a Sunshine Core Kit card to the third pocket.  It was the perfect spot to add in the date!

Here's is the process video, showing what the journaling cards look like printed onto a 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper as well as how I put my page together:  

Here's a close-up of the 3x4" card to hold your quote.....

And a close-up of the 4x6" journaling card to hold the journaling about your quote.....

Also, this is what the example I used for Prompt 3 looks like printed out....

I hope you have fun with today's prompt, and it helps document something special.  XO

List of prompts so far:

• Prompt 1
• Prompt 2
• Prompt 3

{project life} week 2 video

This week has been crazy busy for me (hence the absence of blog posts), so today I have only the process video for my Project Life Week 2.  I have a feeling, that every once in a while there will be weeks where I don't have any project photos, but instead a process video and I hope that's okay.  I'd rather share what I can when things are busy rather then nothing at all : )

For this video I tried my hand at doing a voice over instead of only music and would love to know what you think/prefer.  Also, if you have any questions or suggestions please leave a comment.....I'd love to hear from you!  Have a great weekend!!  XO

Project Life is a memory keeping system created by Becky Higgins. You can read more about her amazing system and how to make it work for you here.

{project life} week 1 + video

Hello Project Life Week 1!   It's time to try this project again.  Below is the process video for December 31st - January 5th. I apologize for the over exposed lighting, I'm still adjusting to the moody weather here in Seattle.....

 

I sewed a few of the elements down to make them more permanent using yellow thread and my sewing machine.

Isn't that puffy lion sticker cute!?!  I used the Project Life Sunshine Core Kit for all the 3x4 and 4x6 card inserts.

Love it when photos have negative space for adding embellishments.

Below is the first of two inserts for this week's spread.  The recipe I used for baking yummy donuts!

I cut a piece of Glitz Design Wild and Free paper down to 8x12 and ran it through my printer to add the recipe.  For the page protector to hold this 8x12 insert, I just trimmed off the right side of a 12x12 page protector and sewed the right side shut with my sewing machine.  It fits perfectly.

The backside of this insert is an enlarged photo of Gatsby, enjoying the afternoon sunshine.

The second insert is a single row of 4x6 photos/inserts.  The 2014 calendar is a free download from Jasmine Dowling.

I also sewed the top opening of the 4x6 insert below to keep the confetti from falling out.  I thought it was a fun addition to our new years eve photo.

The Chargers logo was cut using my Silhouette.

For the journaling, I printed what happened on each day using my printer and a Sunshine Kit 4x6 card.  I'm sure in the future, I'll have more detailed stories to tell, but for now I'm liking this format a lot.

And that's it!  Happy Project Lifeing!! XO

{one little word} january + video

This week my friend Amanda and I signed up for Ali Edward's One Little Word Class.  I've chosen a word to represent my main goal for the last four years, but this year was a little different.  I decided it was time to take extra steps to make my word visible since it is going to play such an important role in my life.  My word for this year is STRONG.

This first page is a visual reminder of what my word is and what it means.  I cut up a Becky Higgins page protector and sewed an old piece of Hambly to the top.  On the transparency is my word and the year, and below are photos of me and the definition which I added using my home printer.  I just love these bright, happy, energetic colors!

There are many ways in which you can be strong, but the two main areas I'm focusing on this year is physical and emotional.  One the physical side I'm focused on my health.  I cope through life due to health issues, and even though I'm a very happy person I know it's time to challenge myself to be more.  In the past I was not actually capable of more, but this last summer I had a revelation per say and found that my body has slightly changed giving me strength I didn't know I had.  Don't get me wrong, it's NOT easy to push your body through the tough stuff, but I'm slowly making progress and it feels great!  I want to be stronger so I can be more for my family, more for myself.

On the emotional side, let's just say that having a clear head makes everything easier and leave it at that.  I'm sure I'll share more about it later, but I think it's pretty obvious that most people can benefit from having emotional strength : )

For the backside of the first page, I cut up a 4x6" card so it would fit into two 3x4" pockets, and just slid the other 4x6" card into it's own pocket.  Each of these cards (including the one on the front page) was made using Ali's OLW Class png's and adding my text in PhotoShop. I printed the completed png's using my home printer onto paper from the Dear Lizzy Polka Dot Party 12x12" paper pack.  The journaling is very personal, so I'm not going to share it in detail here, but let's just say that going through each of the different prompts for this month has made me really think about what I want out of my word and how I'm going to achieve it.

There are two more full sheet pages which are both 8.5x11", and I did the same with printing them out as the others.  It was fun going through the paper pack and choosing patterned paper that would still show printed text well.  That peach paper has a beautiful white paint splatter to it that I love!

That's pretty much it for sharing my OLW for this month.  If you're also taking the same class, I'd love it if you could leave a comment so I could take a peek.  Have a great weekend!  XO

{project life} week 1

 

Hello and welcome to my first week of Project Life!  I've personally found Ali Edwards to be the biggest inspiration with documenting an entire year using this method, and am thrilled to finally be starting this fun project.  So, let's get to it.

 

Ryan's friend (since they were kids) was visiting from San Diego this week.  All the photos I took were from my camera phone as well as mostly being Instagrams.  The two main activities I joined in on were a hike to the Twin Falls, a visit to Snoqualmie Falls, and a day trip to the EMP at Seattle Center.  In addition to the two page protectors, I added in a coin pocket page for all the extra pics.

 

All the nature pics are from our visit to the falls.  The Instagrams from the EMP are all from their horror exhibit (which we LOVED!), one pic from the guitar exhibit (also awesome....especially with the audio guide giving you the option to listen to each of the guitars being played), one pic of the Nirvana exhibit sign outside, Ryan and Andy outside the EMP with the mirrored wall behind them, my gluten free peach pie and ginger beer lunch from the mall at Seattle Center, and two pics of the Space Needle.  There are also two pics from New Years Day when my Mom and sister came for visit to do some baby shopping (so fun!).

 

The zombie badge was a souvenir from the EMP as well as the member sticker I wore while visiting.

 

We went to a movie and saw Parental Guidance.  It was so funny and heartwarming.....a great family movie (plus we love Billy Crystal).  We all thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

One night we all sat down and watched a DVD I had gifted Ryan for Christmas called High Road to China.  It's an 80s action, adventure movie with Tom Selleck where a Buddhist monk says, "The oxen are slow, but the earth is patient," which started an entire conversation about how the guys use to repeat that quote when they were kids.  So of course it had to be added in ; )

 

I also threw in a pic taken from the car while driving Andy to the airport during the Seahawks game.  The Space Needle was flying a #12 Seahawks flag, and they ended up winning their game, making it to the playoffs.  Exciting memory.

 

During our hike to the Twin Falls, I listened to slacker satellite radio and the combination of hiking in the winter (there were even icicles), getting exercise, and listening to music gave me the best natural high.  I was in heaven....skipping, and dancing along, enjoying the prettiest views.  I wanted to make sure to document this, so I added a little extra text in the Instagram page pockets.

And I think that's pretty much it.  Putting this spread together was fairly easy and not too time consuming, plus I know that once I get the hang of documenting this way the process will go even faster.  Anyone else doing Project Life this year?  XO