Live from Tormville!

Project Life: Week 19 and 20

Week 19

Did I mention that I pulled out the extra six foot table this morning? I did. I've got so many things to work on, so much end of the year paperwork coming home with the kids, and other papers piling up - that I needed to pull out more space. My intention is to keep it up for the next 7 days and see what I can accomplish. 

This morning? I got two weeks done on my Project Life album. Off to a good start! 

On the left side of week 19 I've got Mark's preschool Mother's Day brunch, the cake I made for it, the Super Moon - three days later after the clouds cleared, our neighbor girl running her Mock 5K - we had gone to cheer her on, Greg working in the garage and Markie wiping his spilled milk off the floor. 

The weeks are busy and full. 

I can't remember if I even mentioned the Mother's Day brunch on the blog. If you look closely - Mark (the tall guy on the left) is using his favorite avoidance tactic. The five minute yawn.  Preschool graduation this week should be a hoot.

Week 19 - the right side. I had been thinking I had so many photos of this week that I'd have to include an extra insert - but it seems like it worked out without. I always long for more journaling spaces - but this worked. 

This was the week my sister was in town, and I like that I could include all three photos. I also went ballooning twice - and Greg went for his first time, so snippets from each of those, and then the annual Mother's Day photo of our four kids. 

A rare week that all six of us made the spread. *pumps fist* 

Week 20

Went ballooning three times this week and also included my new 'business' card on the journaling card. Wendy still has a couple weeks left of volleyball - but we realized that this would be the last game when all the players were in attendance so we took a quick team photo. 

On the right side - a photo from Wendy's 5th grade program, and I put in a mention in the journaling that there is also a video floating about so we'll remember for future reference. 

On Saturday morning the boys were thrilled to see dad was home, and engaged him in a unforgiving game of Go Fish. A kid on a bike, a new shirt and another lost tooth. Brian remains the most documented kid for 2012. 

you can always click the photo to see it larger/better read the journaling

Some close ups of the three journaling cards. 

The card in the middle includes a candy wrapper - and shares that one kid in this house still has Easter Candy and hasn't even cracked open his chocolate Easter Bunny yet. So him. He'll hold onto it until Sunday School picnic candy - and that candy he'll hoard until 4th of July parade candy - and then that candy he'll hoard until Halloween candy...and it goes on. He'll never finish the loot until the next one comes in. He's been like that for years. 

The journaling card on the right - I still had that stamp from the May Studio AE - Simple Joy by Ali Edwards set curved on a block, so I decided to utilize it here. Worked swell! 

Bring on Week 21! 

 

Project Life: Week 18

Now, if you're paying close attention to my Project Life album, you'll notice that I haven't shared Week 17. There's a reason for that.  It's not done. Week 17 was busy busy busy, I took very few photos, and I still have to go back and try and figure out what to fill the blanks with. All in due time. 

Week 18, however, was so photo full that I really had to pick and choose what to put in the blanks, and for the first time, I put my date in a smaller box because I couldn't find it in me to get rid of any 4 x 6 slots. 

It was a good week. 

If you want to see my mom with rollers in her hair, you have to come over and look at the album in real life. 

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Lots of exercise
Managed to get a few pictures of the teenager
Enjoyed my mom in town
Finished Wendy's homework project
Field trip to the farm

And now for this week:

• Got the oil changed this morning
• Going to work on figuring out why the engine light is on in the van. It's not the gas cap, I checked. 
• Bike to school day
• Mother's Day Brunch at the preschool
• My sister comes to town tomorrow
• Volleyball
• Cub Scouts
• Purple Heart which equals closet cleaning
• four day school week
• Dentist. 
• Keep meeting my Fitbit goals
• Cards
• Layouts

I'm working on some creative shares this week - I cleaned all day on Saturday to clear my week for play. 

I like my play time. 

Be Good! 

 

Project Life: Week 16 * May Studio AE

Even with all the busy, I'm still managing to keep somewhat up to date on my Project Life. I have week 17 to share too - but I have a few more slots to fill before it's ready, but then - caught up. If I can do this project - anybody can. 

While I'm using the Cobalt Core Kit for a lot of my journaling - I'm already planning for next year to make more of my own cards. I'm a huge user of the visual triangle, so my plan is to create packets of coordinating cards throughout this year to pull from next year. For this year though - the occasional self-made card with a majority of the kit. 

For the above card, the current Studio AE set worked really well.  I began with a 4 x 6 piece of lined cardstock and just took it from there. 

Technique Tuesday's May Studio AE - Simple Joy by Ali Edwards

What I love about this set is that the sentiments are so useful for this project along with most of my scrapbook layouts, and that the small ones fit along the 4" side and the long ones will fit in the 6" direction. I'll be sharing a few more cards throughout the month. 

Week 16 didn't leave me a lot of empty slots to work with. Volleyball, the church moving, the trench digging and the two photos that I put the split journaling circle on are from the spring picture packets that come home from school. 

I included an insert this week to include my daughter's 5th grade photo. If you look closely, there is an orange printing blog error across the left side of the photo (unfortunately, right over Wendy) so we were able to get a replacement. Wendy got the good one, I kept the defective one for this album. 

On the flip side of the insert, I included the church move instructions. It was a very well organized job that greatly helped in everything running smoothly. 

On the right side - Uncle George from the jamboree, my brother, Brian learning to finger knit and a photo of my dad along with a business card from the week's running and some more journaling. 

Another week complete. 

Ta-dah! 

Project Life: Week 15. And Fences.

Week 15! Go me!! 

Once again I got my pictures printed at Walgreens rather than Costco, and I'm thrilled. They are bright and colorful. I only regret that I didn't switch over sooner. They are also ready very quick and biking distance from my house. 

One my left page I have the teenager lacing up his work boots, a puppet show, finger (and toe) knitting and our afternoon at Greenfield Village. 

One the right - the seven year old scrubbing spuds. He was excited to learn (no - really) how to make his favorite food. Another week with hot air balloon photos, the hubby relaxing on a lazy Sunday afternoon and the boys attempting to sleep in their bed.  The journaling card on the left is about how yesterday was our last Sunday at our current church. I think I was the only one there without a camera (I long for a small pocket camera) so I'll be going back through my photo files to dig up a photo for that spot. The yellow square indicates where that photo will go.  I journaled heavy on the back of that card. 

The card on the far right is cut from the packaging for my new Fitbit and I journaled about how it came on Thursday and I met all the activity requirements for the rest of the week. I enjoy having visual goals to meet in the graphs and charts. I like how it syncs automatically every time I come close to my computer. 

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The photo cue word for today is Fences - so I took these at Greenfield Village with that cue in mind:

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Random stuffs:

• I am so glad that it's Monday, you don't even know. After three busy chaotic weeks - I'm embracing a few days of routine. And quiet. 
• We had considered buying a new grill this year as ours is an accident waiting to happen. Coinidentally, our neighbor offered us hers yesterday in exchange for some work that Greg has done for her. We accepted graciousy and enjoyed burgers on the grill for dinner. I'll say it again - I love our neighbors.
• This morning I was Googling "signs of dementia is older dogs"  Tippy - our 14/15 year old Border Collie - has been doing just a few odd things lately. Last night, for instance, she chose to sleep in the hallway rather than the kitchen or living room where she usually sleeps. She moved quickly when I nearly landed on her at midnight. I'm just thankful that neither of us were seriously hurt. This morning she was acting as if I was going to let her out of the front door - a door she's never used. She is also doing more pacing than usual. 
• Ham for dinner. With no time to really enjoy it as we have a full schedule tonight. Monday nights are activity loaded. 
• The wind chimes are singing loudly today
• Happy Monday!

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One more favorite from our afternoon at Greenfield Village. 

 

Project Life: Week 14

I'm still caught up. I seriously love this type of scrapbooking. It suits my life perfectly during these busy years. It also helps to remind me to catch more pictures of the other kids in action. For some reason - Brian is the easiest to capture right now. The teenager is never home, the 5 yr old tends to fake meltdowns, and in the end...my album seems Brian heavy.  He's been showing a competitive streak lately so this suits him. 

I did manage to catch the teenager lacing up his work boots yesterday morning anyway - so week 15 will have him in it. And I've been sharing his artwork consistently - like here on the date card. 

Then again - I'm also sharing Brian's. How could I resist a yellow on yellow flower?

On the back side of this flower I added a vertical photo. This week I really went back and forth if I should switch the right side protector to one with more verticals. In the end - it was just this one vertical photo that I needed to find a place for so I added it here. The top portion will have some journaling about a completely different topic - so I might end up making that line between the grey journaling spot and the green even more distinct with a border or something. 

On the right - my first balloon launch for the season, my new haircut, bowling and my Hello Routine stamp from the set I shared on yesterday's blog hop. 

Our hoverball scores. 

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Other stuffs

• my cursor on my laptop seems to be jumping all over the place more than usual, as if some setting I had set previously is now changed. It's driving me CRAZY this week. Anyone have any tips?  (I use a wireless mouse)
• I'm still fighting something. I drank so much liquid yesterday that I slosh, and yet I woke up this morning feeling even worse.  I have NO time to be sick right now so this pretty much just ticks me right off.  So much so that I'm going back to bed after I type this post. 
• I ordered a fitbit last night.  What sold me on it were the reviews, the fact that it syncs with the computer whenever you're within 15 feet of it, and that you can add friends on fitbit and get a little competitive with them with how many steps you take per day. It'll also be interesting to see how many steps I'm already taking with walking kids to school, hanging laundry on the line, etc - if it's anywhere close to the recommended 10,000 steps per day.  Do any of you have one?  I haven't added any friends yet, but if you'd like to add me - this is my so far empty profile. 
• We had snow yesterday. On spring break. I made more plans for next spring break. 
• Time for my morning nap.....

be good! 

Project Life: Week 12 and 13

WEEK 12

I had some time this morning to finally catch up - again - on my Project Life album. Part of the reason that I had fallen behind - again - is that I've become extremely unhappy with the prints I've been getting from Costco.  

So this morning I added them to Shutterfly and ordered them to my local Walgreens. They were ready within 20 minutes, and the difference in the color, brightness and vibrancy is huge. I purposely had a few reprinted out of curiousity and the difference was huge.  So I'll be trying this route for awhile - it's close, it's convenient. 

Week 12 included the Pinewood Derby. I have to go back and take and add a photo of his car. 

It was also the week of the lower grades art show. I blacked out the information only because it includes the names of so many other kids. 

I have to go back and put his art in this album now that we've gotten it back. Right now it's on the shelf in my kitchen. 

WEEK 13

Week 13 - my mom came to town, my husband got older, I enjoyed a Weldon's Pasty, Mark got a haircut at the local barber (I have to remember to bring my camera with us next time) and I did a late night run for my Arnold Palmer. 

Cub Scouts and Volleyball

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And I'm half done with Week 14.  Tra-la-la!! 

 

Project Life: Week 11

You'll notice I'm not getting too fancy with these pages. My main goal is to keep up with this project because it's worth it. If I get too fancy, I fall behind. It's as simple as that. I know myself. 

For Week 11, I added a Design G Page Protector. I put all of Brian's birthday event photos onto both sides of this protector.  Our dinner at Red Robin's, the cupcakes he brought to school, a birthday card, the parade, his cake....  I like the G protector because it's 10 x 12 and still offers a lot of space while obviously playing the part of an insert within the week rather than another week. (did you follow that?) 

I love that I was trying to take a picture of Brian and Mark wanted to be in the picture too. 

I've been picking my pictures up at Costco each week. I'm not a fan of so much at home printing, (I'll do some - but not this much quantity), and Costco is half the price of some of the other places I use. 

How
Ev
Er

I've been increasingly frustrated by how dark they are printing.  I lighten each print a TON before I submit it, I uncheck the auto correct button so they should not be auto correcting my prints, and they still come out dark. But this week they added a bonus. See the blue ink heartbeat line going across the bottom of my husband's photo?  That was added free of charge, but it's not quite the look I was going for. It's on several of the prints. (I picked up my order in the morning and I opened it after 9 last night when I was ready to work with them. I'm sure I could get them reprinted for free, and I will get them reprinted, but it's the 'last chance/straw' moment)

So I'm done fighting it. I put out a poll on facebook last night and I'll try a few different places until I find what works best for me cost wise and quality wise.  Some options will have me loading my Project Life a little later than usual.  

Some of my photo challenge photos are mixed within my week, although I've not had time to upload them daily. The flowers, the close-up, the shelf, the trees....  See, I'm still playing.  :) 

Happy Friday!! 
My husband could work this weekend, but he's taking it off at my request. He woke up this morning in the 3:00 hour so he'll be tired, and tomorrow is the Pinewood Derby - I prefer that to be in his ballpark.

As for me - I'll be scrapping.

Starting now.... 

Project Life: Week 10

I'm posting and running this morning - my clock says I have one minute to get out the door. 

This is how life has been lately. Busy.  It kills me that I'm already, in March, a week behind on my Project Life. I was hoping it wouldn't be a struggle until the end of April.  I hope to have week 11 up this evening or tomorrow morning. 

I have to stay on track. This project is worth it. 

gotta fly......

 

Project Life: Week 9

My goal for this week was to get all six of us into the album, and while some are in more than others - and some are hiding - we're all here.  

I've been looking at a lot of different Project Life albums popping up in the galleries I look at and the blogs I read, and man - some are so creative.  I love them.  With mine - for now - I'm keeping it simple.  I have to, or I won't get it done - our life just propels so quickly forward.  

While I like the many personalized journaling cards and embellishments - the premade set just works for me this year. Not sure I'll do it again next year - I'd love to make my own - but for this year = perfect. 

Most of the photos above have been shared on my blog throughout the week with the exception of me ironing, the neighbor boy helping Allan with the dishes and Mark - all registered for kindergarten - with his class of 2025 owl and man that makes me feel old. 

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Photo of the Day for yesterday

One assignment was someone I love and another assignment was the rule of thirds - so I was trying to get a picture of my husband who is sitting here recuperating after hosting ten cub scouts out in our garage for pinewood derby car crafting - but Wendy was in a silly giggly mood and kept peeking into the camera. 

I love them both. 

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I got a real deal on Lightroom last month - 69.95 for the full blown package - and it came in the mail yesterday. I had it before, and through a series of mishaps, we lost it completely when our computer crashed. This time I have a hard copy.   I couldn't wait to load it up last night and play.  My large collection of hot air balloon pictures seemed like the right place to start. 

I can't wait for the ballooning season to start up again this year. 

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Today I have to wake up a kid for story hour (I switched back to Tuesdays), and then I'm going to work a bit more on another project that I'm anxious to share. 

I love projects. 

Happy Tuesday

WHAT??????   It's Tuesday???!!!!   

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Calvinball Points = 17

 

 

Project Life: Week 8

I had week 8 done a couple days ago, I've just been photo lazy. February is my lazy month. 

During week 8, I focused on trying to get everybody into this spread. The last couple weeks have been little boy heavy.  I accomplished my goal - or so I thought, until I realized I didn't get myself. 

Oops. 

The first picture I took for week 9 - was of myself. 

I free hand cut the 8 from one of the journaling cards. The week letters are stamped with the alphabet stamps I got in my Stepping Stone add-on from Studio Calico last month. 

A quote from Mark: Today I decided that I do hate onions

And a blurb about Wendy's new haircut, and how my yooper core was a tad embarrassed that we had a snowday on Friday when I could still see the midnight footprints on our back deck - and the grass in the yard. 

I brought back my retired A Date With Ali stamps - and yes, I redid the card for last week. I hate twitching. 

On the first journaling card - a few blurbs

• Allan:  Wendy!! Will you PLEASE stop singing that song!  You CAN'T set fire to the RAIN!
• Brian: Oh yeah, well I'm the king of the ninja monkeys - so there! 
• Bought milk at Aldi's for $1.89 - I can't remember when I last got it for under $2.29
• Greg got home Monday from his fourth weekend in a row in Chicago

And on the next journaling card - my Saturday, time slot by time slot. It was a busy day - it's fun to document the busy ones.  The Saturday cardstock sticker is from Jillibeans Days of the Week set.  I've already decided I want - need - more of these. 

The next journaling card - I fussy cut a flower from my pillow fabric and documented my February sewing. 

The last card (7 Gypsies) - I decorated the front with some Studio Calico Scrap Pads and the new Wishes stamp from Technique Tuesday. There is some hidden journaling on the back of this card of a more personal nature.  Not everything that happens during a week is all roses, and I can't put everything out there out of respect for my kids. 

But I still like to - need to - document, if only to remember the whens and emotions. 

I will, however, be including Brian's groan from this morning:

School AND rain...on the same day????