Project Life 2015: Week Five, Part Two

Week five also required two spreads... I just can't narrow down photos!  I don't have a problem with it, though.  I enjoy documenting our life and I'm not willing to sacrifice memories for the sake of only having one spread a week!

This spread was a little difficult for me because I don't work with reds and greens very much, so I had a hard time deciding on cards and embellishments.

I love the letterpress card that I got from the Studio Calico sneak night in December.  I have a card for each month and they are all so lovely!!  The "Favorite Moments" card is the perfect card to record my favorite January moments, which is one of the goals I made for this year.  I added the "January" from my Calendar stamp set.

My favorite card in this spread is the "Books" card that I made!  Another goal I made for this year is to document all the books I read or listen to as audiobooks and rate them.  I used the stars in my This Year stamp set (all five stars are attached), and then colored the appropriate ones to rate the books.  It turned out sooooo great and I love it!

At the end of January, Berlin and I got SO sick.  I made an enchilada soup, and B ended up loving it!  We love that she loves food so much - even food that is a bit spicy!

The "Good Times" are chip board stickers that I have had for so long.  You know, if feels really good to use all these embellishments that I have had for... years?

This washi is one of my very first rolls of washi and again, I rarely use it... It was perfect for this spread, though!

Although the color scheme is out of my comfort zone, and it took me awhile, I like the way the spread ended up.  It's a good end to January!

Currently Listening to:  You Can't Keep Me by Amy LaVere

Project Life 2015: Week Five, Part One

Here is the fifth week of my 2015 Project Life!

This week, Berlin turned 11 months old and I tried so hard to get some good photos of her!  While she most definitely would rather be doing something else, and she did throw a little fit, I managed to get some acceptable photos of her.  The journaling card on this page is from the Studio Calico Far Far Away PL kit and the January card is from an add on from the December kits!

I love this photo of B leaning in for a kiss from Omi!  I attached some glitter tape, a banner cut in half, and a chip board sticker to highlight how cute this moment was!

I used some Project Life cards from my stash for this side of the layout.  I don't use many of the Design D pages, but I really want to add variety to my book.  These layouts are difficult for me, for some reason!  It gets me out of my groove and I stall a little bit before I can make any decisions.  I like the way this page turned out, though, and I'm really glad that I'm pushing myself.

I added some wooden sequins to this "Today" card to jazz it up a little.  It felt empty and I love the way the sequins look.  The "JAN" is a wood veneer that came in my January Far Far Away kit and it looked perfect adhered to one of my hand painted cards.

I have had this little piece of wood for such a long time!  I have never known what to do with it, but when I laid it on the card I felt like this it was in the right place!  I added the baker's twine and the puffy flowers sticker from my stash, and dug out the little camera charm.  This is one of my favorite aspects of this page!

The "it's happening" is from my This Year stamp set, that I just stamped on a chip board banner.  I thought it was a great way to document Berlin's first tooth since we have been waiting so long for teeth to appear!

I love this spread.  The extra details really do add so much more to the pages.  I didn't use a whole lot of embellishments in my Project Life last year, but now I don't think I could go back to having unembellished pages!

Currently Listening to: The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Project Life: Week Four

Here's another spread that I just love and I really enjoyed putting it together.

I used more cards from the January Far Far Away Studio Calico kit, except for the 4x6 cards that I just pulled from my stash.

The rhinestones I added to this "Best year ever" card are my favorite element of this page, although the glitter pennant is a close second!

Confession:  I love buying ribbon.  I never use it.  Another goal I have is to use more ribbon!  Now that I've started, I don't think it will be to tough because I just love how this card turned out!

This spread turned out super great - definitely one of my favorites!  What do you think?  Are you documenting this year?  I would love to see what you're doing, leave a link in my comments and I'll check it out!

Currently Listening to: To Kingdom Come by Passion Pit

Project Life 2015: Week Three, Part Two

I just love how this layout turned out!  Even though Berlin wasn't really cooperating when I took the photos of her, I made it work.  I love documenting her little personality - even the ones that aren't so happy!

The Colorado "Fresh" onesie was a a gift from her uncle for Christmas and I was just waiting for a warm enough day to put it on her!

I have been hoarding these mint alpha stickers for years.  Literally.  I couldn't resist any more when I saw how well it paired with the Project Life card that came in my Studio Calico Far Far Away January kit.  I drew around some of the animals with a yellow Stampin' Up blendabilities marker.  I love the way it turned out!  The yellow card is from the Mad Lib card and stamp set that was an add on with the Studio Calico Park Ave. December kit.  

These are the photos that I took when Berlin was totally done with the photo session.  I definitely wanted to document her unwillingness to wear her headband, sit on the blanket, or even be around the camera!  

This also gave me an opportunity to use the "stinker" card that came in the November Walden Studio Calico kit and the "No" cork sticker that I've had for so long I don't remember when I got it!

This spread is definitely one of my favorites so far.  I love all the little embellishments and details that I added.  I also feel pretty good about keeping a fairly cohesive color scheme, which I'm not so good at!

Currently Listening to: Sleepyhead by Passion Pit

Project Life 2015: Week Three, Part One

I went pretty simple with this layout, I think the feeling at the time was to just get it done!

At the moment, my scrapbook area set up is less than ideal, so I forget about a lot of the good stuff I have.  One of those things is this "Currents" stamp from Life.Love.Paper that was sold on Studio Calico a couple years ago.  I love this stamp, but I hardly use it!

I love this page that documents my projects.  I didn't document my projects as much last year, choosing to focus on our daughter instead.  This year I definitely want to document the things I accomplish, big and small!

This quilt is my fifth Lillian + Oliver and the cross stitch is the first installment (out of twelve) in the Story Time Sampler.

Here's the simple spread all together.  It's simple, but I still like it!

Currently Listening to: Helena Beat by Foster the People

Project Life: Opening Pages for 2015

I agonized over putting these pages together, and I really like how it all came together!  I feel like it's a great introduction to the book that will document this year.

I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to label each of us and list our ages.  I thought of this as I started working on these pages, but I left off the decision until the very end... when I had nothing else to do.  Then I decided to just go for it!  I like how it turned out.  It's a good introduction to all the main characters and where we're currently at.

Also, I just love that "Twenty Fifteen" overlay from the Studio Calico Far Far Away kit!  I stitched it on the "Hello" card and trimmed it down.  Hello, twenty fifteen, indeed!

Yes, the introduction continues because, like always, I can't control myself when it comes to choosing which photos to print! I also wanted to take the opportunity to document the goals that we have set for ourselves this year.

I made the cross stitch chart for this 2015 and stitched it up with gold embroidery floss.  I absolutely love the finished product!  I'm considering digitizing the chart and offering it here on the blog for free, if there is any interest.  Let me know!

In addition to documenting our family goals, I wanted to write about what Jake is currently up to with his job and church responsibilities, how Berlin and the dogs are doing, and the things that I want to accomplish this year, too.

The little grey 2015 and the "Best year yet" both came from the Studio Calico December kit, Park Ave.  The big, pink 2015 and the grey 2015 polka dot are from my 2015 stamp set.  I am so excited to use my 2015 stamps throughout this year!

Here are the two pages together.  I'm so happy with how these pages turned out! It's going to be a super great year and I am so excited to be documenting the year on paper and also on this blog, with all of you.

Have you done an opening layout for 2015?! If so, I'd love to see it!  Add a link in the comments and I'll check it out!

Currently Listening: Middle of Nowhere by the Hot Hot Heat

Lillian + Oliver 5: Finished!

I know I just finished a Lillian + Oliver quilt, but this pattern is just perfect for babies!  I made this quilt for one of my great friends from college.  She came to me some time after she found out that she was pregnant and I was so honored to make this quilt for her first baby!

My friend had the colors for the nursery picked out, so I did my best to follow suit - checking in with her on every decision!

Some of the fabric is from my stash and the rest of it I found after scouring the quilt shop for what felt like hours!

The back of the quilt is a flannel from Bonnie and Camille.  It is so nice and soft!  It was a great choice for the back and I just love it!

The binding is the silver and grey print from the Cotton + Steel basics line.  The grey matched the other greys perfectly and I think that the binding is just the cherry on top.  It was a great way to finish up this little quilt!

I don't currently have another Lillian + Oliver on the books, but I'm sure that I'll make another at some point!  If you're in need of a baby quilt pattern, this one is a great one!  It's quick and versatile!  Check out my other four quilts!  One, Two, Three, and Four!

Currently Listening to: Miss You by the Holdup

Recents >>

One of the things that I wanted to do for my Project Life this year is to actually have an opening page.  For my first album, I just sort of started.  The second album started with the birth of Berlin.  This is the first time that I'm starting the album with the beginning of the year, so I wanted to get some photos of the family.  Yesterday was the day!  No one was sick, there was plenty of sun, and we were all getting dressed up for church anyway.

Berlin was pretty good during the photo shoot.  I didn't get any photos of her smiling, but she wasn't crying or throwing a fit, so that's good enough!

These photos are printed up and I am super excited to get started on my opening pages of the album!

I have also completed the January installment of the Story Time Sampler!!  The frames and the title are coming along slowly, and I am in no rush to get it all done.  I just want to stay caught up month-by-month.

More recents >>
loving > double chocolate muffins
excited for > Studio Calico reveal tomorrow!
planning > the opening 2015 Project Life lay out
reading > Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
current temperature > 45°

Currently Listening to: Make Light by Passion Pit

Project Life 2015: Week Two

Here is the second week of Project Life!  As I get better (I can't believe I'm still sick!), I intend to spend more time on my spreads and make them more intricate.  Being sick, I wanted to do something, but I didn't quite have the attention span to do anything fancy!

Big moment that week: Berlin learned how to go down the stairs! It's the cutest thing ever.

I'm glad to be staying relatively caught up!  

Currently Listening to: Home by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

Project Life 2015: Week One

Last week I became SO SICK.  Usually, when I get sick, it's for about 24-48 hours and I'm good to go again.  Today is day #6.  I am feeling better, but I am still sick and I hate it!

I did manage to make it down to the studio to work on my 2015 Project Life!  I have plans for a great opening 2015 page, but I haven't taken the photos for it yet because it's been one thing after another.  Hopefully I'll get those photos taken this week so I can get that going!

Anyways, here's the first page I have done!

I never shared any of my Project Life spreads last year, but since we had Berlin I have been documenting her growth week by week.  It's been a lot of fun, but also so much work!  After she turns one, I plan on still keeping up with her, but only taking these deliberate photos once a month instead of every week!  B is always going to be a huge part of my Project Life, but I really want to strive to document the other things that happen around here, too.  Such as those amazing cookies that I made!

So, I'm happy to have gotten a start and I can't wait to get back down to the studio to do more!

Currently listening to: Anna Sun by Walk the Moon

Get Ready to Stitch!

While I was blogging in 2013, I occasionally posted about the Woodland Sampler  cross stitch that I was working on.  Well, I finished that year long stitch-along (SAL) at the end of that year and here is the finished product (still not framed...)!

After finishing that sampler, I immediately purchased the 2014 sampler to keep stitching along with everyone.  That sampler is the Once Upon a Time Sampler and it was so fun!  Here is this one finished, also!

This year's sampler is the Story Time Sampler, which starts on Thursday.  These SALs are SO MUCH FUN and I absolutely love doing them.  This year long project is perfect for just biting off a bit at a time, since each month's section is delivered to your inbox at the beginning of each month.  It's easy for me to stay current and excited for the next installment!

You can join any of these samplers at any time, although for the previous samplers, you will get the whole pattern at once instead of a month at a time.  I hope you'll consider stitching along with me and following the hashtag #storytimesampler on Instagram!

Currently Listening to: You Are All I See by Active Child