project life. week 4. jan 22-28.

so, this week, I started wondering... what would my Project Life pages look like in digital? maybe not the exact layout & format that I've been doing in paper, but just wondering what I could do. if I'd be happy with the results, what kind of time I'd put into it vs paper, plus, I was really wanting to try out some digi items I've done recently in the PL format & see how I liked them {plus sort of seeing what I'm wanting/needing to create}.  I'm pretty happy with the results. I'm not totally sure which way I'm going to go... stay with paper, switch to the digital, or maybe I'll just mix the two? I'm enjoying saving the kids' papers & some of the "extras" we have from the week, so I know they will still find their way into some inserts. I started out trying a few different things. I tried putting it into the format that I've been using {design A}, but finally went with the Protectors Set 1 from Karla Dudley.  I created a layout with them before & just loved how they looked. Of course it's smaller overall, but I just placed it on the Grid paper from my Everyday paper kit. I like how I feel like I'm still fitting everything into the little pockets.

so here is page 1...

on this page I've used elements from the Everyday kits, LoveLoveLove, HelloLove, Kraft Funday & Party, Tag You're It all from my shop & a tag from Jen Allyson, a tag & sticker from Karla Dudley & part of a journaling card from Paislee Press. Papers are from Kraft Party, Everyday & LoveLoveLove from my shop.

& page 2

on this page I used elements from LoveLoveLove, HelloLove, Kraft Funday, Everyday & InStitches Freebie from my shop & also used a few tags from Karla Dudley's a Life Recorded. Papers are from Kraft Party, Everyday & LoveLoveLove from my shop. I also used Gennifer Bursett's Toolbox shadow styles.

in the end, I probably ended up spending as much time as I usually do per week, but that also included time i put into figuring out my layout, etc. I did save time when it came to not having to photograph & edit photos of the pages, which was nice. I think since I have a layout figured out, I'd probably save quite a bit of time on the following pages.

soooo, what do you think?

{robyn}

project life. week 3. jan 15-21.

week 3.

here we go:

page 1

Saturday it snowed & on Sunday the kids finally had some measurable snow to play in & I caught Collin & Lydia out playing in our driveway. We also worked at finally getting our Christmas decorations put away. It was up for over 2 months. It was time. Monday Evan & Lydia didn't have school, so we went on a morning trip to a few stores & then I treated them to lunch. Evan has been asking for a long time to go to Wendy's.  Lydia was most excited about the TruMoo chocolate milk. The girl is a commercial junkie. I saved part of the packaging that Evan's burger came in & sewed it on the card.  The same day I caught a photo of the sun streaming through the clouds when we were leaving to pick Collin up at school & added the quote from Lydia. Also caught a pic of the girl & her new favorite trick of riding the rail, the love of her life, Froggy, a card with a quick overview of the week & pieces of a states test Evan took & a note from his teacher about the tests.  We've been in non-stop study mode for states & capitols tests.

page 2

Thursday was a busy day. Lydia had a dentist appt first thing in the morning {no cavities}.  Right next door to our dentist is Target {with Starbucks inside}. We had a while before we had to be anywhere, so we checked out toys, clothes, whatever & I enjoyed some Starbucks too.  Then we were off to Evan's school for his Invention Convention.  They start before Christmas break on planning & inventing, so it was great to finally see it all come together.  He created a revolving closet {the model is a mini version} & everyone seemed to have good things to say about it. I loved his "commercial" line "It's like a deposit for your clothes" so I included that on a label.  Other things were a picture of Lydia doing her homework before school one morning {she insists that she do it herself now}, a piece of her homework that was in her backpack {the week before was L week, which she's been waiting for all year}, a pic I took while playing scrabble with Evan & his chosen first word, which I put on the folded up paper we used to keep score.  Friday night Lydia decided she wanted a sleepover at my sister's house, so I took a pic of us leaving to take her there, along with her haul, which, of course, included her huge frog & a text conversation with my sister.  I also made sure I got my sister to take some pics of Lydia while she was there & she sent me the sweet photo of her sleeping {with a photo of grandma & grandpa that she brought along}. Saturday night Dan & I had a much needed date night.

& a few inserts. Lydia's photocopier art from school.

& a letter Lydia wrote to Dan {via my sister when she had a sleepover} so cute. the next insert is the scoring for Evan's invention from the judges.

& I flipped the written comments from the judges & put it on the other side.

so week 3 done. week 4 is already in the works.  I had week 3 about 95% done since Sunday, but trying to catch up on design work & kids' homework definitely slowed things up this week.  I also think I need to change the way I photograph my pages... any hints for me?

{robyn}

project life. week 1. jan 1-7.

yay! I've completed my first week of project life! I'm loving it. I started printing out a few pictures Friday night & had been making notes on paper {& in my head} about what I wanted to include.  Saturday I worked on it here & there in short segments when I was able to escape up to my studio. Sunday was much of the same, printing off more pictures & moving stuff around. This morning I finished up just before I had to go get the girly from preschool.  I wish I could have taken photos of it this morning.  I didn't get back home until late this afternoon, so if it's sunny in the morning I may retake these, but I'm just jazzed to get these up :)  so, here's the spread... ***edited to include better & more photos*** :)

page 1

page 2

& a closeup of each page

 overview of the week: this week started the new year of course & we basically didn't do much!  Monday Collin went to stay at his friend Bailey's house {his mom sent me this pic of the boys before going off on an airsoft war}, Evan had the xbox all to himself {this is rare}. Tuesday we picked Collin up & had lunch together with our friends before heading home, Lydia packed her suitcase after we got home & was quite certain she would be spending the night at Bailey's house the next night. Wednesday was back to school after Christmas break & Lydia was soooo excited! the girl loves school :)  Thursday Lydia & I babysat my sweet great niece & the boys wanted to pose for this shot {Lydia was slightly over-tired if you can't tell}, Dan came home a little early to play ball with Evan.  The weather has been crazy warm for January in Iowa. I also received my replacement iPhone. After months of mine restarting constantly & then it completely dying on me, I was ready for one that worked.  Friday my new office file cabinets came & I love them! Saturday was the start of building Evan's invention for a project at school, Lydia went to see Tin Tin with aunt Carol.  I also included a printout of a screenshot from my blog.  One of my readers left me the sweetest comment & it totally made my day {maybe even my year}.

*next week I'll try to be better about keeping track of what I'm using on the layouts & add a supply list... :)

{robyn}

happy 2012 & the start of project life

hello 2012... hello project life! I've been itching to start this project & have been brainstorming ideas for my cover page over the last week.  I probably spent way too much time on it, but I think I'm happy the way it turned out... except I can't decide on placement of a few things.  I initially had it like the first, but then when I put this photo up it looked top heavy... so then I mixed them up & can't decide. I know... overthinking it, but what do you think?

I found this cool canvas M at Hobby Lobby & knew I needed it for this page.  I added the grey stitching to make it stand out a little more against that awesome My Mind's Eye Lost & found 2 paper.  I've got a thing for the Studio Calico Scraps {the blue scalloped tissue paper}, so I had to stitch on a little of that too. the 5 sticker is from Crate paper.

I cut apart the Sasparilla High Noon paper from October Afternoon to spell out our name & the initials & numbers on the cards at the far left & right.  Then I stitched them together & added the My Mind's Eye Kraft Everyday Fun banner border at the bottom of each.  The die cut number tags are from the December Studio Calico kit {Ormalu}.  again, more stitching :) I added the Kraft Happy Days & Everday Fun chipboard buttons to represent each of us too & attatched them with my new favorite tool, the Tiny Attatcher. The papers under each number is from Crate paper & the papers under the stitched letters are from October Afternoon.

yay! again, can't wait to take on this challenge.  I love seeing what everyone has done with it over this past year & my goal is to keep up, keep it simple & enjoy the process!

now... ready.set. let's make some memories :)

{robyn}

december daily {days 18-25}

first, let me say, I've loved doing this album.  It was definitely a challenge for me & I was really excited that I completed it.  Next year, though, I'm going to simplify for sure.  Photo a day.  I found that as soon as the rush of all the Christmas to-do's hit me {school parties, wrapping, last minute holiday whatever & kids home} I basically just had to drop it & wait until after Christmas to complete it.  I really wanted to include more in those last days, but it would have just been too much for the book {plus I was just ready for it to be done}.  I'm planning on layouts to tell a more complete story of our Christmas Eve & Christmas & also want to make a mini for our Elf, Jessie & his daily happenings.  So anyway, here it is...

12.18.11

on this day I dove into wrapping. of course I had a little "helper" too.  I added in a page I made from a brown lunch bag, which was what I used for a lot of our wrapping.

12.19.11

on this day, Evan's class had a gingerbread house day {his teacher has been doing this with her class for years... it's so much fun}. I went to help him out & loved what we created together :)

12.20.11

on this day I was in gift-making mode.  the kids' last day of school was the next day {which included Christmas parties} so I HAD to get the teacher gifts made! I didn't send out too many actual cards, but wanted to include the card I had sent out & the photo of the kids I had included in them somewhere in the book, so this is where it ended up.

12.21.11

on this day, there was so much going on! seriously if I included it all, it would probably be 6 pages... Christmas parties, babysitting, Christmas concert & best of all... grandma & grandpa came home!  The photo of Evan & my mom is priceless... he was SO excited to see her!  The back of the page is a folded program from Evan's concert with his name circled.  The concerts/plays at our elementary school are always the best.  We are so lucky to have an incredible music director!

12.22.11

on this day we did tons of baking & making!  Lydia had been asking me constantly about making cookies for Santa, so that's what we did!  I was messing around with a few things for this page on my Silouette sd.  I cut the from banner, but it didn't cut all the way through, so I just peeled away the letters & included it anyway :)  I also made the cookies for santa title that I made up with a font on my computer. 

12.23.11

this was a not-so-happy day. although it was my moms birthday, we also spent the night at my aunt Betty's visitation, who had passed away a few days before.  on the upside, it was great to be able to see all of our family.  I included 2 pictures I captured while we were visiting of Lydia & Collin with cousins we don't get to see too often.  this was the reason my parents made the trip back from Texas as well, which was a major bonus for us as well, as we weren't planning on getting to spend Christmas with them this year {which would have been a first}.

12.24.11

I always have LOVED Christmas Eve... for as long as I can remember, it has been when my family celebrates together.  We start with mass, then supper & then PRESENTS!  We've changed it up over the years a little, but it still is my favorite.  Again, this one could go on for pages & pages, but I kept it super short.  The day started with my aunt's funeral & then went onto church with Dan's dad & then fun with the Klesner family at my sisters.  Then home to get ready for Santa!  The picture is our tree that night after Santa had made his way to our house... :)

12.25.11

on this day... it was Christmas!  Since we've had kids, this is our day to spend together at home.  It always starts with the kids waking us up at the crack of dawn & excitedly ripping through stockings & presents. This is followed by a homemade breakfast, lots of assembling, playing & relaxing. This Christmas we did something new & had Dan's family over that night for supper.  It was great to get everyone together, with his family in all different directions, it's nice to be able to see everyone & have a relaxed time to visit.

done.

{robyn}