Scotty Girl Designs | New Release

Scotty Girl Designs has a fabulous new release this week: Tangram Templates. I have always loved using templates, and these are so much fun because of the triangles! A few weeks ago I posted some pictures of a typical Saturday, and I used a couple of those photos for my layout:

I also created a layout using Scotty Girl's Layered Template No. 5:

I plan on printing both (sized to 8x8 inches) and inserting them directly in my Project Life album. I seem to fall w-a-y behind with PL when I have family visit (and this year was no exception!), but I worked on my album last night and finished up three weeks of layouts. Only three weeks to go until I'm completely caught up! I have learned to slip papers + notes in the album, even if I don't have time to work on full spreads. I don't feel too far behind when I know several of the slots are already filled.

I picked up the Seafoam addition back when it was released, and while I love the overall design and the graphic feel to it, I don't like how repetitive it is (the 3x4 cards especially). I haven't counted, but I don't need 25-30 of the same design. I really wish I had more variety to work with! I subscribe to the Studio Calico project life kit, which has definitely helped add variety to my layouts... but the new Midnight addition (coming in May, I think) is on my radar. Truthfully, the Kraft, Honey, Jade, and Cinnamon additions are all beautiful! But I think the Midnight addition will work well with the Seafoam kit I already own.

Sorry for the Project Life tangent... I am trying to get back on track so I can fully enjoy this project again. Falling behind is never fun.

Have a great week! We will be enjoying spring break + Evan's 7th birthday. :)

Love

I am working on week 10 for Project Life, and I came across this photo on my memory card. I forgot I took it early last week... a quick shot of both boys & Rocket. All happy and smiling on Evan's (unmade) bed.

And I adore them. :-)

Project Life Week 4

Welcome to Week 4!



We had a pretty busy week... doctor's appointments, a quick trip to the zoo, Jack and Mark had a cold, and a baby shower for one of my good friends.


Jack wasn't feeling great so we didn't stay at the zoo very long, but he enjoyed petting the 95 pound turtle, looking at the hermit crabs & sting rays, and saying "hi" to Errol the Owl.


The red/cream tag is My Mind's Eye, and the white/red tags are Papertrey Ink stamps & dies. The "today" brush on the photo is Karla Dudley Designs, and the lower right card is a freebie I found online. The "E" and "J" are thickers by American Crafts.


I used a couple of digital products from Cathy Z. this week: Days and Holidays No. 01 Layered Journaling Cards & her freebie Quote Card.

I have spent the last three weeks making cards for a Paper Crafts magazine submission call... my office is a mess, but I submitted 22 cards tonight. Now I have to wait until Friday when the acceptance e-mails go out... it's going to be a long week because I am not very patient!

Project Life Week 3

Welcome to Week 3!

It's only been three weeks, but I have printed more photos this year than all of last year. And as I've been putting photos in pockets I've noticed a few things:

* I take a lot more photos of Jack than Evan these days. Evan is in school 6.5 hours per day while I'm home with Jack, so I spend more time with the little one... but now that I'm aware of the clear one-sidedness, I'm making a better effort to take some pictures of Evan after school. Also on my list is to capture our hectic/chaotic mornings. Maybe with my iPod & Instagram next week.

* While I'm trying to get in more photos, I need to do a better job of it. And I need to get Mark in more photos, too. It's Project Life, not Project Evan and Jack.

* I love little labels & tags, but I would like this project to be more artsy at times... I have a whole studio full of scrapbooking products. There is no reason I shouldn't be using them!

(Click on the pictures to make them larger.)

Here is the full spread. I have a two inserts this week: one 8.5 x 11 page protector with Evan's report card and Achievement award, and one trimmed page protector with three pockets.

This week I used Cathy Zielske's Tiny Templates No. 1 for a couple photos. So cute & really easy to do in Photoshop. I also used Liz Tamanaha's Photo Booth journaling cards, and one journaling card from the Clementine core kit.

I had quite a few photos I wanted to include this week, so I trimmed down one of my page protectors to fit three photos on the front, one photo & two journaling cards on the back. I adore the picture of Rocket getting ready to lick Jack... they play together a lot while Evan is at school.

The back of the trimmed page protector. I included one picture of Jack, a trimmed picture Evan drew, and a journaling card. The red type on the journaling card was an accident... I didn't realize a certain 2 year old had switched the ink color from black to red on my typewriter. Oh well! It matches the drawing. :-)

Evan's Achievement award is on the front side of the 8.5 x 11 inch page protector. His report card is on the back.

This page has one more tiny template, a magazine cover, two pictures of Evan, and a couple of pictures of Jack. I also included a Week in Review card. Under the card with the alarm clock is a letter from Mark's office with his raise information. To protect our privacy I covered it before posting it here.

I just checked Designer Digitals, and Cathy Z. has three more Tiny Templates available this week. I really like the look of these... I might just have to buy them. :-)

Have a great weekend!

Erin.

Project Life Week 2

I cannot believe it is Thursday already... where did the week go? I completed week 2 for Project Life last Sunday, but I had trouble taking photos of my pages this week due to glare from the page protectors. I took two sets of photos before I decided to try a different location, which worked! No more glare.

On to week two:

(Click on the pictures to enlarge them.)

A few months ago I took Jack with me to goodwill and I found these awesome milk glass vases for $.59 each. I was thrilled! And I love pink carnations... together they make me smile.

The first page. This week I used one, 8.5 x 11 inch insert. One side has a digital scrapbook layout, and the other has some of Evan's homework from last week.

Left side. Another "places" card from Paislee Press, journaling card from the Clementine kit, and label stickers from 7 Gypsies I purchased these ages and ages ago. They might even be from a Jenni Bowlin kit from years ago... I can't remember. Anyway, I put the label sticker sheet in my type writer, and I'm really pleased with the results. I wasn't sure if the ink would smear, but so far it hasn't. The stapler I use is a Tim Holtz Mini Attacher. Love that thing!

The back of the insert, plus the right side. I attached Evan's homework to a sheet of 8.5x11 cardstock, stuck a label on it, and slipped it into the page protector.

The ride side. Evan's school picture, a couple photos of Jack, some journaling, a grocery list, week in review, and a card I made out of Evan's artwork. I had Ev draw me a picture (he chose to draw me a scene from Angry Birds), then Mark scanned it & I resized it, printed it, and turned it into a greeting card. I am sending Ev's school picture in the card to some family members.

A close up of the card... which I am realizing our family hasn't received yet, so I guess I ruined the surprise. Oops! I have a few papers behind this week's layout that I forgot to remove before taking pictures... I plan on using Evan's report card & Achievement award in this week's layout & I didn't want to lose them, so I stuck them in the binder for safe keeping.

My One Little Word this year is simplify, and when it took my 6 hours to finish the first week's layout, I knew I needed to simplify the process. This week I printed all my pictures on Saturday, and did the journaling/labels/"week in review" on Sunday. I worked for about an hour on Sunday, so two hours total. A much more manageable number.

Supplies-

Journaling cards: Clementine Core Kit, Paislee Press Photobooth Journaling Cards

Label stickers: 7 Gypsies

Staples: Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher

Other: Typewriter

Project Life Title Page & Week 1

When Becky Higgins introduced her Project Life kits in late 2010, I was super excited. I wanted to jump on board & make it happen. Then Mark got a new job and I knew all my scrapbooking stuff was going to be packed away for most of January (and as it turns out, most of February, too). So I put it off and told myself I would start in 2012. And here we are! I ordered the Clementine Core Kit and several of the divided page protectors. However, the main page protectors are sold out until February so I am using page protectors from an old Project 365 kit I never finished. When the design A page protectors come back in stock I will probably switch to those.

(click on a picture to make it larger)

For my title page I used three 4x6 cards from the Clementine Core kit + photos + a few embellishments. I wanted to keep it clean & simple. Supplies - "celebrate everyday life" letter stickers: BasicGray. Doily die: Papertrey Ink. Butterfly die: Papertrey Ink. "Taylor 2012" stickers: American Crafts Thickers. Heart border die: Papertrey Ink. Tag die: Papertrey Ink. Stapler: Tim Holtz Mini Attacher. Cardstock: Papertrey Ink.

Here is week 1. When I started editing my photos I realized the long journaler on the right is sticking up out of the page protector. I guess between trying to keep Jack from turning the pages & Rocket from stepping on the book it must have slipped out. I used one of Ali Edwards' Long Journalers, stuck it in a page protector, trimmed it, and used three staples to secure it. My sewing maching isn't working at the moment, but when I get it fixed I plan on sewing the pocket closed.

The left page. Last week was very photo heavy, and I'm okay with that. We had a very busy week and I was a little shutter happy.

I used two inserts this week. One long journaler, and one 6x12 three-up page protector. Also on my to-do list is picking up some Avery tabs to attach to the 6x12 and 8.5x11 inserts.

On the backside of the long journaler I attached a piece of kraft cardstock, a butterfly, button, and some twine. When I was at a dentist's appointment last week, our babysitter, Jen, took some photos of the boys that I really liked. She did a great job capturing them in motion while they played outside, and I happily included them in this week's spread with some journaling using my typewriter.

The back side of the 6x12 divided page protector.

On the right side of the page, I included a thank you card from my Aunt Shelly, a few pictures, and some journaling. The cute little red striped journaling card is a Liz Tamanaha/Paislee Press printable. I am undecided about the photo of Jack's hand and the play-dough, but it's printed and I'm leaving it there.

We are half way through week 2 and I'm already excited to get this week's layout put together.

This project has made me slow down and really take note of the funny things the boys say, take more photos, and remember to enjoy the little things.

Have a good week!