Alphabet Book Complete!

I finally got a chance to order Hudson's alphabet book that I've had sitting on MyPublisher since March! They had a really great coupon deal on Groupon a few weeks ago, so I took advantage and ended up only paying $16.00 for the book, which is great because any other time it was going to cost me $30+ dollars to buy it.

As you might remember, his alphabet book was my Winter Pinterest Challenge project, so I'm glad to finally have it done and here. It turned out great, with one exception. While I was making the book, the My Publisher program kept switching 2 of my pages around. I have no idea what the issue was, but even after I would switch it back and save it, it would switch it again. I actually had a similar problem with our first family album. With that one, I wanted the date on the front to be white, but every time I would change it from black to white and save it, it would always go back to black! It was very irritating and I ended up with a black date on the front that isn't very visable. I was disappointed when it arrived that way, but in the end, the rest of the book is so great that it doesn't matter all that much. Anyway, I digress. So, I had the pages just the way I wanted them in Hudson's book, saved it and ordered it. Well, when we received the book, the same two pages were switched AGAIN! I'm a little disappointed, but since Hudson has a pretty good handle on his ABC's, it's not that big of deal.

I wanted to share the finished book with you today! The pages turned out great! The colors are bright and the text is clear. Most importantly, Hudson likes it! Here it is; warning, this post has lots of photos. I included one of each page.

I chose photos of objects or activities that are special for Hudson with the except of umbrella and vacuum. Those are really hard letters to find corresponding words that fit on a personal level.

Summer Captured 2012:Update

I recently posted about how I wanted to document our activities that we cross off our Summer Family Fun List (you can find that post here). I decided to call my project, Summer Captured 2012. Well, we've already crossed quite a few activities off our list and are having so much fun doing it! I also began working on the inserts for my Project Life.

I mentioned how I was going to document the activities in a previous post which you can check out here. I'm using the instagram app on my iphone in order to have 2x2 photos, as well as the ability to use the filters on the photos. I wanted to use 2x2 photos so that they would fit into a plastic page made for displaying coins. I also planned to add a card with just a little bit of journaling about each activity.

I printed a bunch of the photos the other day. I plan to print as we go, maybe after every few activities. When I planned to add the 2x2 journaling card I was orginally just going to cut a bunch of white cardstock to size, but decided I wanted something a little more colorful and fun. I searched etsy.com and came across some digital chevron scrapbook paper for $3.00, so I bought the file. It included around 24 different colored patterns, three variations of each color. I used one of each color, which I think totaled eight different colors. I made my patterned journaling cards using Word. I use Gimp for a lot of my memory keeping tasks, but I knew it would be really simple to create the squares using Word.

It didn't take me long. Once I printed the pages, I used my fiskers paper cutter to cut them down to size. After that I organized them, added my journaling and put them into the page pockets. Here is a look at how the inserts are coming along so far.

I'm adding the activities in the order that we cross them off our list. Page one is full and I've already started adding some to the back side as well.

Here is a close-up of the orange chevron card;

 The hot pink chevron;

The purple chevron;

I really like how it's turning out! I think it will be so great to look back at this when the kids are grown and remember all the fun things we did as a family!

Documenting Our Summer Fun=Summer Captured 2012

I had an idea about a special way to document the activities that we actually cross off of our Summer Family Fun List. I want to be able to incorporate a special insert(s) into my Project Life album. I was inspired by this insert idea from Elise over at http://eliseblaha.typepad.com. She used a coin pocket page purchased from amazon.com to display all her instagram vacation photos.

photo source here

So Genius! I went straight to amazon to order some of my own! They hold 20 photos in the front and 20 in the back side, which I also thought would be perfect for this project. This is what they look like:

I've already used one page to display our family vacation instagram photos and it's probably my favorite page so far! Here's a look:

Looks pretty cool, right?! I think so too!

My next source for inspiration comes from Marcy Penner over at http://www.marcypenner.com/?p=7224.

She used the same concept to document Day In The Life this year, only she made her own pocket page by sewing one out of a 12x12 page protector in order for it to fit her Project Life album. I really love how she alternated between an instagram photo and a small journaling card in order to add words to her photos. Take a look. Love it so much!

So, my idea is to fill up three 20 pocket pages using the fronts and the backs. I plan to alternate an instagram photo of each activity and a small journal card detailing the fun we had. Our list contains 50 different activities, so in all I'll need 100 pockets, which will take up 2 1/2 pages leaving just the back side of the third page empty. I decided that I can either fill up the back side with some pretty patterned paper, one giant photo cut up to fit the squares or, if we end up adding more activities to the list, I will have room to incorporate those into the spread as well.

This seems like such a great way to not only document each activity, but also to make us more likely to complete the entire list, which is all about having FUN together and focusing some attention on family time. I may even print out another copy of the list and insert that into an 8 1/2 x 11 page protector and add that in the same spot. I have a lot of ideas flowing! I do know for sure that we plan on tackling one of the activities this weekend, so I think I'll add the inserts in between the first week of June spread.

I can't wait to see how it turns out! And if any of you are fellow Project Life junkies like me and you want to join in the fun, I would love a link to check out how you plan to document all your summer fun activities! Just leave it in the comments section or send me an email!

I think I'll nickname this project Summer Captured 2012, hence the blog title.

I'll be posting updates as I add to my pages.

Here's to a fun-filled summer full of family and of course photos!

Playing Catch Up

I haven't been doing much crafting or major cooking lately. I've been spending most of my free time catching up on my Project Life album. I had to go back and pick out all the pictures that I wanted to use and mark them according to week and then load them for printing. We haven't replaced our ink cartridges yet, so I printed them at Target, which I must say, I'm super happy with. I had previously been printing at Walgreens because it's very close to our house and they always have a discount on prints, but the quality was horrible. I knew I didn't want poor, discolored photos for my Project Life, so I switched to Target. They cost a little more, but the quality is soooo much better and well worth the extra pennies!

Anyway, I've been going through and adding the photos and then adding journaling, keepsakes (such as receipts, mail, clothing tags, etc.) and embellishments. So far, I'm LOVING the outcome. I still have a ton more to do before it's all caught up, but I'm really enjoying the process! I'm also working on the current week at the same time, so it's been a lot of work! As soon as I get entirely caught up, I will be sure to photograph it all and have a big post. After that, I hope to post my weekly spreads as I go.

Here's a peek:

 (I apologize for the photo quality. It's been dark and rainy here all week, so I just snapped these quickly this morning.)

Oh, I did manage to FINALLY sew a set of curtains for Harper's room! They are far from perfect (and I actually did have a major screw up), but I'm so happy I completed my first sewing project! I still have to make the other set for the second window. I plan on finishing those up this weekend and then getting the hardware to hang them. So exciting! I would take a picture for you, but right now, they're folded up sitting on the ironing board and I think they will look much more impressive (maybe) when they're hung up.

*If you would like to learn more about Project Life check out http://www.beckyhiggins.com/.

Mini Books-Yay or Nay?

Now that I'm back at the whole scrapbooking thing I've even been considering putting together a mini book when we go on our 5 year anniversary trip. We're still trying to decide where to go. We've considered San Francisco, Seattle, Jackson Hole and a few other places. Anyway, I digress, when I was at Archiver's a few weeks ago, I saw the new Amy Tangerine mini books by American Crafts. She has one called Off The Map that I'm loving! I think it would be kinda fun to get all the supply to take with me and add things as we go.

I just think this stuff is so cute and fun! Plus, I've never done a scrapbook on the go, but think I would like it. And anything I don't add to this book I would add to our Project Life book later.

I don't really have to think about it for a while though because our trip isn't until August, but I'm all about planning ahead! Especially when planning ahead involves buying lots of new scrapbooking supplies!

Has anyone else ever done a mini book? And if so, how do you store them later? I've never done one because I don't really know what to do with them later.

Day In The Life

On Wednesday, February 8, I followed along with Ali Edwards to capture "A Day In The Life". Things have changed quite a bit around here since completing Week In The Life back in September, so I thought it would be fun to look back and note what's gotten easier and what's gotten more difficult, how much the kids have grown and what our schedule is like now versus then. I just ordered my Project Life plastics on Friday, so I haven't started my book yet, but knew I wanted to add this project in an 81/2x11, 9 pocket page protector. I added 18 photos taken throughout the day and also printed out the daily journal pages from Ali's blog to fill out throughout the day as well.  Here is what the pages will look like:

*note* I still have to print the photos onto 81/2x11 photo paper and cut them to add them to the page protectors. Some of the photos will be switched around a little.

1. Having my morning coffee, checking email, facebook

2. Jeremy's getting ready for work

3. Saying goodbye to the kids.

4. Reading blogs still drinking my coffee

5. Breakfast for the baby

6. Hudson's ongoing obsession with shoes, especially daddy's shoes

7. Harper pulling my hair...her favorite thing right now...not so much fun for me.

8. Hudson taking pictures of me taking pictures of him.

9. Harper's nap time.

10. Hudson enjoying some Little Einsteins

11. My Project Life core kit and binder came in the mail! Yay!

12. An afternoon nap for Harper and some snuggle time for mommy.

13. Finally getting around to folding some laundry.

14. Taking a bath after dinner. I had a nasty headache.

15. BBQ chicken salads that Jeremy picked up from Panera. Delicious!

16. Play time with daddy.

17. About to feed Harper and put her to bed for the night.

18. Jeremy and I watching one of our favorite Wednesday night shows.

It was a VERY typical day around our house. Perfect for what I hoped to document with this project. It will be a nice addition to my Project Life, which by the way, has gotten so big this year that some of the new shipments that arrived at amazon.com on Friday sold out within hours! Craziness. I'm glad I got mine! I also talked my friend Kari into jumping on the PL bandwagon ( Hi Kar!). I hope she likes it as much as I do!

December Daily Final Pages & Thoughts

I'm back with my final post about the December Daily project. I know I'm kinda dragging this out...considering it's almost February, but there were a lot of pictures, so I really needed to break up the post. Today we're starting with:

Day 13:
Harper turned 6 months old, so that was the big story. It has nothing to do with Christmas, but that's what's so great about this project. Not only do you document all of the holiday happenings, but you also capture the everyday happenings. Although, I think turning 6 months old is a big deal, and I love that it happened during the holiday season!

The silver chipboard "H' is from a letter pack that I found in the Target scrapbooking aisle.

The "fantastic memories" is another digital brush from Ali Edwards and the journal card is from bananafish

studios. 

Day 14:

Here is another example of a day when there wasn't really a "big" story to tell. I decided to document the weather because it was so unseasonably warm around here this year.

The background is some wrapping paper I was using for our gifts and wanted to include it in the book. This was the perfect page for it. The journal card is another one from bananafish studios.

Here I simply went to our local news channel's website and printed out the week's forecast. Normally the temps are about 30 degrees colder!

Day 15:
The story for this day was about wrapping presents. I added it because we didn't have any gifts under the tree yet, so we had lots to do and I forced Jeremy to help.

This photo includes another one of Ali;s brushes.

I used more of our wrapping paper under the photos and a journaling card from bananafish studios.

Day 16:
This story is about our Christmas lights tour.

All the little embellishments on the photo were part of a 12x12 piece of cardstock and another digital brush from Ali Edwards.

Day 17:

I caught Jeremy in a very sweet moment with his baby girl, so I snapped a bunch of pictures and turned them into the story of the day. LOVE these pictures...minus the filthy dirty windows...

Digital brush from Ali Edwards.

Here I created a pennant banner out of some leftover scrapbook paper from my advent calendar project and some Martha Stewart baker's twine. Oh, and some star brads from Archiver's that I bought a long time ago. The journal card is yet another from bananafish studios.

Day 18:

For me, this was the best day of the season. We made gingerbread houses. Well, actually graham cracker houses, but that doesn't matter. It was so much fun! I had never done that before, but it's now a annual tradition.

I created the 8.5x11 collage in Picasa and then transferred it to Gimp. The little round tag came from a garage sale signage kit that I bought from Target a few years ago. I figured they would come in handy at some point and I loved them for this project.

I used another circle tag on this page and another digital brush. Not only was this my favorite day, but it's also my favorite spread in the book. I really love all the colors.

Day 19:
Today I wanted to highlight the handmade projects that I made for the season.

The cream ribbon is from a package I ordered from West Elm and the circle tag is from bananafish studios.

All the tags are from bananafish and the red & white paperclip is from Smash.

Day 21:

One of Ali's prompts was to take a self portrait and since I'm always, well almost always the one behind the camera, I thought this photo suited me perfectly for the season!

I got the green paper at Archiver's and the words are cut from the back side of a different piece of cardstock from Archiver's.

The "T" is from Target.

Day 21:

I wanted to write a letter to each kiddo as one of my stories, so I did it for today.

The Christmas stickers are from Archiver's and are a little more cutsie than the rest of the embellishments in the book, but I liked them for this layout since it's about the kids and adds some playfulness and color to the page.

The "happy holidays" tag is cut from a Trader Joe's paper bag and the letters are from Target.

The tag and star strip are also cut from a Trader Joe's bag and the paperclips are from Smash.

Day 22:

Today we had a picnic by the tree which was one of our Advent activities. Loved it and will definitely continue to do it every year!

All I did here was add some journaling over the photo. The font is Garamond.

On this photo I created my own text strip to divide the photos in half.

Day 23:

This day was incredibly busy and then we made the trip to my parent's house for Christmas, so that's what I wrote about.

I simply typed out the journaling using Remington Noiseless for the font and then cut it into strips to add a little interest.

Here I used an Instagram photo taken with my iPhone and the holly berry sticker is from Michael's. The letters are from Target. 

Day 24:
This is the day when we open our family gifts, so that was the story. We took some pictures of all the grand kids and we took another family pic and a pic of our kids by the tree.

I used another digital brush and added journaling. 

The letters are from Target.

Day 25:
This page is all about Christmas morning and the visit from Santa Claus.

The pennant flag is from bananafish studios.

The Santa's are from a bit of leftover paper I kept from a previous page and I just cut them out.

So there you have it!

FINALLY!!!!

I have a few thoughts to share about the project now that it's complete.

First, I knew this project would be a lot of work, and it was, but SO worth the effort. Sure there were some days when I felt like I didn't have a story to tell, but now that I look back at those days, I'm glad those stories are a part of the book. Somehow they just work.

Second, this is by far my favorite project ever! I've done tons of scrapbooks over the years, but this one takes the cake. I loved the holidays when I was young, but for a while I went through I period when I wasn't loving them so much. However, now that I have my own kids, I'm loving the season more than ever and this is such an incredible way to document it all. I plan to tackle this project for as long as I'm enjoying the process.

Third, I learned a lot about my new scrapbooking style and how I have a completely new approach to story telling. When I used to scrapbooking religiously back in high school and college, I didn't add much journaling. It was all about the photos. I may have added a few sentences here and there if I thought it was something I might forget over time, but mostly I just added lots of photos and lots of patterned paper and embellishments. Now, I care more about the journaling and recording the stories and emotions surrounding the photos.

I'm so glad I stumbled upon Ali Edwards blog and took the time to complete this book. Her creativity is inspiring.

If you have any questions about my project or would like more details about the products I used, please leave a comment or send me an email. I'm happy to help!

I'll be back tomorrow with a couple of recipes that I tried for dinner last night. Loved them both!