Double Take - scary

So thanks to the sweet hubby for working his magic on the scanner and getting it to work I have FINALLY finished this layout.  Made this ages ago but wanted to post the finished product - needed the photo of me scanned and reprinted to add.  

Yes, that's me in about 1977 at my birthday party (in red) and that is Elsie, my little girl, in the purple.  I have always know she looked like me, but sometimes it just smacks you in the face.  The expression is even the same.  Uncanny.  Totally makes you do a double take.  She even thought it was here.  Gotta love that.

Made this one using items from - Basic Grey's What's Up Collection, Echo Park (wood grain) along with a sticker from Crate Paper and a random piece of paper I found at Hobby Lobby.

Gold lame anyone?

And no, I am not referring to the gold lame drill team outfit I wore for an officer competition in high school - Go Regal Eagles! - I am talking about Heidi Swapp's Gold Lame color shine mist!  Wow this stuff is amazing!  I kept seeing people talking about it,but you truly do have to see it in action for yourself to understand what it does.  It adds just a bit of glimmer and sparkle to things.  I did some larger drops to get a more visible effect on the dark paper.  Loved how it turned out.  

This is a quick page I did to record the story of a date with my hubby for our anniversary a couple of years ago.  Used some of Studio Calico's Darling Dear line, a piece of Crate paper (Hazelnut Cafe - Acorn Avenue) from the Cocoa Daisy Kit and some new washi I picked up.  Even made a little flip up journaling spot with some.  

Project Life 2013 Week 2

And week two was finished right on time!  Still loving the photo printer.  It is an Epson Artisan wireless wide format and it is amazing.

So keeping it simple with the date spot - still using this calendar, the kraft card stock which has texture from a Stampin' Up embossing folder.  The font for the week numbers is Blossom by Quickutz for the Revolution.  I love that machine.  Used a lot of October Afternoon's Midway collection that came in my December Cocoa Daisy Kit from.

A few cards from an old Jillibean soup paper.  Some Cocoa Daisy Stamps and a stamp from Elle's Studio.  Some MME washi tape which seemed to match perfectly.  And a piece of Dear Lizzy's fifth and frolic to fill in for a photo. Wondering if I should start taking some close up photos similar to Michelle Wooderson at Mish Mash.  Goodness I adore her blog.

So that is it.  Such a fun week.  I am trying to be more aware of the accomplishments of each week and the good stuff that is going on.  Project Life totally helps me do that.  Until next time!

Project Life 2013 Week 1 & Thoughts on Getting Started

A few thoughts before I get started.  

History:

So I did Becky Higgin's first version of Project Life -  Project 365 - back in 2009.  That year was quite the year to pick.  First off I had just had a baby 6 months before.  We also had a 2 year old. And as if that wasn't enough, yep, there's more - my father, Grandfather, and Auntie "M" (the closest thing I had to an aunt) were all battling cancer, I was president of the local Association of Fundraising Professionals Chapter (one of the largest and BEST in the country), I was to start Leadership Houston (a yearlong leadership program) in the fall and I was working full time as a development director for a major university.  Whew!  Just thinking about all of that makes me tired.  

So I did the project as intended - a picture a day for a whole year.  It was magical.  It was hard.  It was freeing.  It was tiring.  I am SO GLAD I did it.  I look back on that simple album - no embellishments - just photos, cards and journaling and it is precious.  I have photos I would have NEVER taken - but Project 365 gave me the license.  I carried my point and shot with me everywhere.  I pulled it out all of the time.  I have hilarious photos.  Everyday photos.  Extremely sad photos.  Ones that I will cherish forever.  Ones that my kids think are crazy.  I was hooked.  then I completely fell off the wagon with the deaths of aunt and father.  But I took my photos.  I was determined.  And I finished it about two years later.  It is a cherished possession.  I have more photos of my daddy and granddaddy than I ever would have just doing the usual special occasions.  Project 365 taught me to look at my life differently, to capture things differently and to see things.  

Needless to say, I took a break in 2010.  I was in full-on mom mode.  We lost Granddaddy that year.  

In 2011, I just wasn't ready.  I finished the 2009 book.  And to this day I love looking at it.  

2012 - the project beckoned to me again.  I was suckered in.  I craved the memories I had from 2009.  I got the, black signature binder, design A page protectors, Clementine Core Kit.  I asked for it for Christmas.  I asked my husband to help me.  I went strong through the spring.  The stumbled in the summer.  I have been working at it - inching along - I have the photos, the stuff, the calendar to get it done - AND I WILL.  

Late 2012 - I wanted to do it again, but knew things weren't working the way I was doing it.  Ordering photos and waiting for prints - getting behind - that's not how I am successful.  I searched everywhere for an answer.  One thing kept surfacing - weekly progress -- habits - a rhythm - it all spelled - p-r-i-n-t-e-r.  

I asked for a photo printer for Christmas - yes, mother, a gift with a cord - every southern gal's worst nightmare.  But I wanted it.  He agreed and even researched the right one for what I wanted.  It arrived - it came with Photoshop elements, I found a free app to print directly from my phone - can you hear the choir too?  

I bought the plastics on sale during the Black Friday sale Becky had on Amazon.  I did not buy a core kit - I still had supplies from the year before AND I have a stash, a stash I love.  Every month I get more by way of a subscription to Cocoa Daisy.  I have what I need.

So here is Week 1 of my 2013 Project Life.  Super excited to get started.  

I am using this calendar from A Vegas Girl at Heart on each spread - keeping it simple.  That is important.  Plus those thickers from last year add a lot of bulk.  Grabbed a few sheets of Echo Park's new photo freedom line Today's Story and a sheet from Studio Calico's Darling Dear line.  I'm using my embossing plates from Stampin' Up as a way to add some texture without much bulk.  Keeping is cohesive with some kraft paper on every date/title spot.

Most of the supplies are from the Cocoa Daisy Kits.  Don't tell, but I even cut up full sheets sometimes!  I find it spurs me on to make actual layouts with these scraps - sometimes cutting into a sheet is the hardest part about starting a layout - now I just throw what I have on the page and start.

I also got some washi - FINALLY.  I am hooked.  It's a great addition to this project.  So that's it. I am trying to keep parts of it simple and parts of it pretty and creative.  So far - I'm still in love.

One more from last week

I have had these photos forever - printed extras from my instagrams through Postal Pix for my Project Life and hadn't used them yet.  Finally put them together to tell the story of little miss Elsie and her favorite color - PINK!

Used my Cocoa Daisy kits and added some Martha Stewart flowers and My Minds Eye brads from my stash.  Still need to complete the journaling, but at least the page is done! 

Finally used new mask!

Well I finally got this mask out and put it to use. It's by Pink Paislee. It used Heidi Swapp's new color shine in sweet cherry might I mention I am in love?  Wow that stuff is cool and adds such a lovely shimmer to the page.  Papers are all from my Cocoa Daisy kit!  Punch is from Creative Memories. 

This page is about the one month challenge we put on for Wyatt to stay on "green" at Preschool.  If he did it for one month - we would get him a Beyblade (if you don't know what this is - you mist not have young boys at your house!).  He did it, and of course, to be fair, Elsie got a little something too. 

1 Month Challenge

Project Life 2013

The 2013 Project Life title page is done!  Why yes, I did look like a complete idiot outside on the front lawn photographing my family's feet, while wearing workout clothes and my summer sandals, but who cares! 

Printed these on the new Christmas present which takes up a ton of room, but makes up for it with lovely prints. Now I finally know what everyone is raving about with having a photo printer at home.  It is like I have a goose that lays golden eggs!  I get giddy every time I print a picture.  So here it is . . .

Project Life 2013 - yep lets do this

Here we go again. While I have not finished 2012 (that's another post entirely) I still love project life. I have the original project 365 album completed from 2009 and it is absolutely priceless. Wouldn't trade it for anything-all those photos I would never have had true courage to take! So here is the title page - well, almost!

More Cocoa Daisy layouts

Happy New Year! Been working on new layouts and have this one mostly figured out. Haven't adhered anything yet but I think it is almost there.