Invincible Summer

Project Life - Week 4

Moving on to week 4!  :)

 

 

A couple of close ups... I am using 7Gypsies journaling tags and stickers in my album - used the "It's a Girl" tag to document Emma Kate's arrival!  The flowers are left over from the album I made for her; I colored them with Glimmer Mist and added the pearls to the center.

 

I used a soft epoxy gingerbread man by Love Elsie on the right, to tie it back to the gingerbread house photos on the far left. 

 

I also snapped a picture of the basket I am using to organize my Project Life stuff.  I went through my stash and pulled out 7Gypsies cards, stickers, some Basic Grey rub ons, and a few other items that I want to use in my album.  The basket allows me to keep all of that together, as well as all of the journaling cards that came with the kit.  I took them out of the little boxes, so that I can find the ones that I want quickly.

 

On to Week 5!  :)

Project Life - Weeks 1-3

As I mentioned in my previous post, I kept a separate file of photos so that I could make up for lost time when my Project Life kit arrived.  Here are my first three weeks...

Title page - used the cards they sent for it, but added some embellishments.  I used a Basic Grey monogram letter M (painted green), Basic Grey chipboard numbers for the 2011 (painted blue), American Crafts "thickers" for the TCM, and the flowers were chipboard that I covered with beads and dimensional adhesive.  I like that I can change this up as the year goes on, if I get tired of them, or want to add photos or memorabilia...

Week 1

I have a left and right page, but also included an 8.5x11 page protector in the middle with my weight loss challenge layout (doing this monthly), backed with some other odds and ends related to weight loss.

Left-- (mostly Chick-fil-A Bowl)

Center-- (8.5x11 - Template by Cathy Zielske)

 

 
 (Info blurred to protect the innocent, the modest, and the embarrassed...) 

Right--

 
(Still need to do something with the "manila" area - haven't decided what, and decided to come back to it another day!)

Week 2

I have a left and right page, but also included a page in the center with small photos of the snow... the center page protector had three columns for photos; I only wanted two, so cut the last column off. 

Left--

Center--

 

 

Right--

 

Week 3--

Just a straight two-page layout for Week 3.

Left--

 
(I went to Denver this week, so found a photo of the Denver airport online (upper right) and used a 7Gypsies "claim check" card to journal about it.)

Right--

 

And that's it - first three weeks!

I have had some fun digging through my stash and pulling out long-unused items that I think will work well with this project!  I bought a little basket to keep my journaling cards and such in, and have added those items as well, so they will be "present" when I sit down each week to complete a new spread.

So far, I have printed all of the photos at Rite Aid - they are right around the corner, the prints are only $0.19 each, and it saves me the ink, paper, and effort of having to cut them out.  I upload to their website, and they are ready in an hour.

I am not using the date stamp or number stickers that came in the kit - no particular reason, just haven't felt a need for the stickers, and quite frankly, don't feel like cleaning the stamp.  I am okay with just my handwriting for this project!

Loving that Big Picture Classes has a *FREE* Project Life class - it's a message board and gallery.  I spent some time last night looking through the gallery and reading the boards - there are some great ideas out there!  www.bigpictureclasses.com

Project Life!

I finally decided to order Project Life, only to find out it was SOLD OUT!  I really wanted to do it, so I have been filing photos and making notes since the first week of January, so I could "catch up" when I finally got my kit - and I got it today!!

 

I couldn't wait to dig in!



 

 

I got the Turquoise edition and had some fun putting it all together tonight... will post some photos of the other contents and my first couple of pages this weekend.  :)

 
 
If you're interested in Project Life, check it out on Becky Higgin's blog, under products - she has some great information there.  :)  www.beckyhiggins.com

It's a Girl - 6x6 Album

Ryan, if you are reading this, please stop now.

I mean it, I know you are seeing this post on Facebook, and you need to stop reading - right - now!

Okay, if you continue and spoil the surprise, it is out of my hands - I warned you!

My cousins, Ryan & Stacy, are having a baby girl soon, so I made them a little album.  :)

I started out with this cute 6x6 "book" album by Karen Foster.  I *love* these albums - need to get my hands on a few more 12x12's before they are all gone!

 

A few common themes that I repeat throughout the album:

- I used the Porcelain line by Basic Grey (paper and stickers).  I adhered the stickers with pop-dots to make them stand out, and added pearls for shine.

- I used Glimmer Mist to color all of the flowers, adding pearl accents to the centers. 

- I cut some word art and silhouettes on the Cricut, using the Nursery Rhymes cartridge.  All of the pieces were cut from ivory cardstock, backed with kraft cardstock.  I glazed all of the Cricut pieces with Distress Crackle Paint - gave them some shine and texture.  I adhered them all with pop-dots.

 

I colored the lace with Glimmer Mist also.  I cut the "eks" on the Cricut (welded the background). 

 

 

I tore the "B" page out of an old dictionary and colored with Glimmer Mist.  The Cricut cut-out represents "Rock-a-bye baby, on the tree top..."

 

 

 

Another page from the dictionary - yes, I know there is a rhinocerous on the page - my cousin will appreciate his presence.

 

 

 

 

 

I tried to leave plenty of room for photos and memorabilia - hope they like it!  :)

Explore and Snow Layouts

I love the We-R-Memory Keeper page protectors with assorted sizes for the photos!  It's a nice alternative to traditional 12x12 layouts! 

 
A couple of months ago, I used the layout with the 3 horizontal 4x6 slots and one vertical 6x12 to showcase photos from Lookout Mountain, and I finally had the perfect photos for the back of that page!

 

Note, the top and bottom 4x6 photos will line up evenly with 6x12 photo, once they are trimmed and inserted into the page protector.

Word art by Katie Pertiet

Next up, I used the layout with the 6x12 horizontal pocket across the top, with 3 vertical 4x6 photos underneath. 

 

I put together a panoramic photo of our house after the Christmas snow, with a cute snowman - and a cute Asher - to compliment!

Alice Winter kit by Tangie Baxter; journaling paper by Katie Pertiet; orange button by Rachael Scutt.

I finally decided to order Project Life (Becky Higgins), so looking forward to using these for that project!

Dali - Layout

I was thrilled to be able to see some of Dali's work in person, at the High Museum in Atlanta.  I wanted to a page (or two) so I would remember...

For the journaling, I used a quote from Dali himself... "Every morning upon awakening, I experience a supreme pleasure: that of being Salvador Dalí, and I ask myself, wonderstruck, what prodigious thing will he do today, this Salvador Dalí."

My favorite piece in the exhibition was the Sistine Madonna (left page).  (This is not the entire painting, just what I could fit into 8.5x11.)

 

(On the left, do you see the Madonna and child, in the ear of an angel?)

Here's a closer look at the right page--

 

Template by Ali Edwards (modified); papers and most of the ephemera by Christina Renee Designs; vintage clock face by Traci Sims; alphabet by Katie Pertiet.

Miles Mini Book

At some point in the last two years, I picked up a handful of coasters at Outback and thought - I could make something with these!

A friend of mine recently got a new kitty - they came home from Thanksgiving dinner with her family to hear a kitten crying, and found the little guy near their house, dirty, wet, and miserable.  He decided to stay with them (wink), and his name is Miles.  I asked her to send me some pictures of him...

The coasters are 4x4, so I covered them with the photos and patterned paper, painted out the edges, and bound with a red O-wire.

Here's the cover with a green foam "M" for Miles... :)

 

I decided I didn't like the green M, so changed it for a red felt M... and no, didn't do any better with getting it straight the second time either!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are a couple of additional two pages with photos of my friend and her hubby holding Miles.  Now she will always have something to remind her of when he was a tiny little guy!  :)

Happy New Year! - Layout

 

Template by PageMaps (altered); Angelo kit by 7 Gypsies; "Happy New Year" by Annie Banannie; stitches by Christina Renee Designs; "Celebrate" by Katie Pertiet; vintage New Year postcard by Scrappy Cats. 

Queen Mary - Layout

Finally finished this one - a "remake" of a layout I did in 2006.   :)

 

 

 

Template by Ali Edwards (white background); cardstock by Emily Merritt; cruise tag by Christina Renee Designs; cardboard tag by Mitia Assef; alpha by Foxy Designs.

Merry & Bright - Layout

 

 

 

Template by Cathy Zielske; "Be Merry" by Cherie; Christmas word art by Ali Edwards; "Sugar" striped paper - don't seem to have the designer for this, but I think it came from JessicaSprague.com; scalloped border by Monique Gaston.