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Monthly Archives: January 2012

1/24/2012

Project Life : Week Three

I mentioned it in yesterday’s post, and I will say it again–this is such a fun project!  I feel like I have such a better handle on what is going on in our lives, and there is something so…..I guess peaceful is the right word for me…..in getting memories/photographs/stories written down and preserved.  I now no longer worry or feel guilt about time passing by without me remembering what happened that day/night/weekend.  I am constantly snapping pictures, writing things down, or sitting at my computer playing around in photoshop.  I hope some day the girls appreciate all this work!  Here is a recap of our week and what you’ll see on our pages.

Last week had us housebound quite a bit.  Minnesota finally had “normal” winter temperatures, which for us can mean zero or below. Justin taught Holly the card game war, and I played more than one board game with her each evening.  Current faves are Guess Who, SpongeBob Yahtzee, Connect Four, and Hi-Ho Cherry-o.  Justin attempted to teach her Sorry, but Holly couldn’t quite get it yet.

I was able to get Marie in the photography studio for fifteen minutes at least!  It wasn’t the best day to try it out (Friday)–my car’s new battery was dead (turns out we were sold a bad battery so thankfully the old Mazda is still kickin’) so I had Holly with me instead of at preschool as I tried to take Marie’s pictures.  It didn’t go well.  Holly wasn’t in the mood to sit quietly, Marie wasn’t in the mood for pictures period, and I couldn’t shut the car off.  I was able to run it locked with an extra key, but since I was just about out of gas this had me a little worried I would get stuck at the studio and have to walk home in -10 temps.  Just another crazy day around here!  But…I did get a cute photo of my baby girl, so even if I never get the chance to do it again I will always have that:)

We did two big house projects, refinishing our tub and cleaning Holly’s room.  Her room was so bad that, yes, I would put that into the category of a house project.  It took us seven hours!  But, we did get things really organized and it’s looking quite cute.  She now has lots of room to play preschool and restaurant, two of her favorite activties. I was able to show a little about both of these imaginative play themes in this week’s layouts.

That about sums it up.  Now onto the pages!  Thanks to all of you out there last week that stopped by my page and left comments by the way.  I LOVE connecting with new people online, and really love all of the inspiration I get by checking out other’s blogs and pages.  Keep stopping by and keep commenting!

This week I used Design A for the left page, and Design E for the right.  Really liked Design E once I figured out a way to get more photos displayed.  I designed a few templates for a 6×6 space that I am happy to share! I am in the midst of trying to figure all of that stuff out, by next week I should have it all set up:)

Please spread the word and send others this way, I intend to keep designing and hope to have more products and downloads coming soon!

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Aunt Shelley - absolutely love the “everyday” pics. The one of Holly doing preschool is priceless! Chuckled as I thought back to the days my kids were young and doing that sort of thing!

Kelli - love all your photos! your daughter teaching, hilarious! And design E whoa mad fun! it’s like 4 mini 12x12s in one sorta…how can you not love that! And I agree this project makes me definitely want to stop and record the story and it is Peace. it is. i love that! Keep Calm and Project Life On! :)

Megan - Best of Fates - Gorgeous – I just love how you use writing on your photos. I can’t decide if I don’t take photos that work as well with that or if I’m just not good at it!

Cami - Absolutely adore photo of your little one teaching her “friends”. Such a great moment to capture and you did it so well.

Love, love, love your pages! So inspiring!

Nadine Karen - Your pages are beautiful! I love the layers you’ve added to your photos!!

Julie - Absolutely lovely! Love your digital overlays. I just started using those the past couple of weeks & I’m totally in love with it! Hope you have a great week!

sharon71 - Adorable photo of your daughter teaching.

You are very creative with your pics – I was wondering how to use the Design E and your collage has given me some ideas.

1/23/2012

Hello Monday!

It’s hard to believe that so many days have passed since my last post, all I can say is we have been one busy family!  The picture above gives a glimpse of one of the things we did together this weekend–sledding! Our yard has a perfect slope for kids, so for the first time we gave it a whirl.  Needless to day, Holly loved it!

I also was back in the studio.  I have been very lucky to find a spot to rent per session at the end of our block, which makes leaving my nursing baby for a few hours much easier.  (When she needed to eat, Justin just walked her down the block!) Had a wonderful newborn session yesterday, I have posted a few of the photos on my photography Facebook page.  Such fun–and it felt so good to be back doing something I love!

I also had another successful weigh-in at WeightWatchers.  I am down 9.8 pounds this month–only 4 more pounds to go and I will be at 199….somewhere I haven’t been in six years.  It’s hard for me to write that, let alone admit to that, but I think that’s all part of the process for me.  It’s time to stop hiding in the house, and time to stop pretending that I haven’t been healthy in quite sometime.  My goal is lose just a pound a week–and so far I am doing much more than that.  I haven’t even started exercising yet–but I have a date with the shovel this afternoon so something tells me I am going to get quite a work out in!

Week three of Project Life will be posted tomorrow!  If it’s possible I love that whole concept more each week:) Ok.  Better get to shoveling, the snow finally has stopped.  What I wouldn’t give for a Starbucks Hot Chocolate instead!

 

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Solar Panels London - Gorgeous picture! Well done you for losing the weight! I have always found weight watchers the BEST way to shed unwanted weight. It makes you so motivated and gives you something to focus on (the points)Good on you for getting out there and doing it!

1/19/2012

December Daily : Day 25!

Woo Hoo!  It’s done, done done! The journaling reads: We had a very Merry Christmas this year. Marie wasn’t too aware of what was going on, but Holly was completely into the holiday! Holly opened up princess dresses, a Dora Dance game, and lots of clothes. Grandma and Grandpa enjoyed having us at the Farm as is our custom each year. This year we were surprised with a visit from Amy and Jim too!

It will be so nice to actually start posting other projects and creations on this blog, I have a bunch of different categories listed but not much under each one yet. Just today I cut out a crayon apron, four placements, and two tablecloths for my four year old’s kitchen.  Can’t wait to share tomorrow:)

For now, I will post my last page and enjoy the silence that occurs when both girls are asleep.  I don’t know whether to eat a snack/meal slowly (I have yet to do that since Marie came home from the hospital in November) or just stare at the ceiling and think of nothing…if only for a few moments!

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1/19/2012

December Daily : Days 20 through 24

So excited that this album is just about ready to share.  I have to tweak Day 25, and will be posting it tomorrow, and then off to Shutterfly it goes!  Definitely feel like giving myself a pat on the back for completing it this year–a newborn and the holiday season do NOT mix well together!  It may lack a bit in creativity, but the most important stuff like the photos and the stories, are recorded.  Can’t wait for next year!

First up–Day 20.  Profiled our advent calendar by Playmobil, love those things!  I first learned about them via Ali Edwards, and now I can safely say they will be a holiday tradition.  The journaling reads: Like I said before, this was definitely the year of the advent calendar! (We had two going strong!) This was our first year trying out one by Playmobil, and I completely love them as does Holly. We went with a dinosaur theme, Holly just loves dinosaurs! It was fun to build upon the scene each day, and very hard to keep Holly from peeking ahead!

Day number 22 was about our extended family Christmas.  Loved that we were able to get the whole group together for a picture!  The journaling reads: This year we managed to get a group family photo at the Grace Christmas.  We are quite a large group!  This year’s party was at Bill and Kathy’s and the little second cousins had a great time playing in the “clubhouse,” riding four-wheelers, or riding horsey on one another!!

Day number 23 is about the day we went to Santa at the Mall of America.  We had a great time, it was so nice to get out after Holly had been so sick that week. The journaling reads: A visit to Santa, a warm Cinnabon, and twirling in the falling snow.  Perfect December Day!

Day number 24, Christmas Even, was unfortunately a “staged” shot.  This photo was taken the week after Christmas, as on the actual Christmas Eve this year I was sick, sick, sick! The journaling reads: This is how I WISH I could say we spent Christmas Eve. Unfortunately Justin and I were both very sick that day, and spent much of it on the couch. A few days later I was well enough to snap this picture–which is what I had planned to do that day had I been feeling better!

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1/17/2012

Project Life : Week Two

Can I just say again how much I love this project?!?!  So incredibly liberating to not have to think about the design of it all, and just work on taking fun photos and telling stories.  I am so much more aware of life going on around me now, and what is so amazing is that the whole house is actually becoming part of it!  (What was an exclaim of “oh I am so facebooking this,” now has become “this has to go in your book Heather/Mom!”)  So happy with the stories told this week–particularly the one the doesn’t have a picture.  There is no way I would have remembered a moment like that without Project Life as a prompt.  This week I still have just a two-page layout, but there really isn’t much going on.  I have a feeling there will be some longer stories to be told soon (we just decided we were going to have a Valentine’s Day party for Holly and her friends) and I also plan on doing a letter to each of my daughters at the end of each month.  I still have to design a template for that, what is out there now just won’t work for what I want to do.

Neat things I incorporated this week include the diptic app, and a 4×6 templates from the-lilypad.  Totally crazy about the diptic app–and instagram?  AH!  How is it that I am so late to the party?!

My December Daily album is nearing completion and the last five pages will be posted by the end of the week, so be sure to swing on back and take a look at it.  I had originally planned to do a 12×12 book, but I have three codes for free 8×8 at Shutterfly books–so I think that will win out.  Can’t do better than free!

Anyway…back to Project Life.  Check out my second week:

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R - I really enjoyed the little glimpse into your life, you have a gorgeous family! Sending smiles from Sunny South Africa :)

sharon71 - Love the look of your pages – get a great sense of a lovely family life.

The pedicure picture is so cute – I have a pedi pic with my 3 year old this week too.

dawn - This is gorgeous, great photos. I love the little writing your daughter said about Cinderella, how precious and funny.

I agree PL is the best thing to record all those little things we would normally forget about. This is my 4th year and it just keeps getting better.

Great job on getting all this in, looks wonderful!!

Jenn - Beautiful Photos!! Love your pages!

Jenn

Cami - Love the quote about mom making her do things like Cinderella’s stepmother and love the photo with the grandparents. Great pages!

kristina - LOVE your week two, Heather! SO great and full of so many wonderful photographs and snippets of the week! BIG hugs! Thanks for linking up on my blog and for stopping by!!! :)

Heather Johnson - Sharon–I was just over at your blog, and read the whole thing. We are kindred spirits, I specifically started this blog on the first of the year for the EXACT same reason. And you know what else? Hexagon quilts just happen to be my favorite!!! You are officially bookmarked and I will be checking in to see your projects progress:) I hope to get doing some different ones here soon, so far it’s just been scrapbooking but I have BINS and I mean BINS of other stuff to do!

Amanda - Your layout looks great! Such a good idea to incorporate the “what I wish I had a picture of” card!! Your daughters are beautiful!!

Laura Jane - I love your layouts! I’m doing the physical version this year, but seeing these wonderful digital layouts is tempting to go digital to catch up on past years.

Heather Johnson - I would definitely recommend it–particularly to catch up. It’s so incredibly quick and easy to do digitally–once I tried it I never went back to paper again! If you ever need any help just let me know:)

Kim - I love seeing all digital pages. I kind of go back and forth between paper and digital scrapbooking. I wasn’t sure I could quite pull PL off in digital during my first try at it, so I decided to go paper. But seeing this almost makes me wish I had gone the other way! It looks really great, and I love the little photo collages.

Christy - I LOVE your pages. I think they look great and it looks to me like there is a lot going on! It’s perfect if you ask me:) I love that everyone is getting involved in the process. My daughter is 22 months, but I can’t wait for her to get older and be able to help and leave her mark in our PL albums! So much fun..and I bet the Valentines party will be a lot of fun as well:)

april - looking good…I too am loving finding the little things in everyday to remember :)

Angie - It’s nice to see the digital layouts, and I love that you can have a background with it.

Megan - Best of Fates - I really like how your album looks, it flows perfectly! And that Cinderella’s stepmother quote is hilarious!

Stephanie - It’s about time I jumped on the comment bandwagon. This blog is AMAZING!!! Pure talent, and I’m so stinking jealous. Maybe one day IF I ever have a family of my own, you can teach me how to do this too.