DYL 2.0 Week 2, Layout 2 The Story of Summer

I took some photos at the pool today that lend themselves well to this hybrid layout for Week 2 of Design Your Life 2.0. I used some Cosmo Cricket patterned paper, some deep purple cardstock, and some black cardstock layered behind my photos.  I also used a couple of Ali Edwards stamps.  The arrow sticker border is, I think, from a Simple Stories set. All is placed on a piece of cardstock from Stampin' Up!

Sweet Caroline (Ba-ba-baaaa) DYL 2.0 Week 2, Sketch 1

This week's first sketch had an emphasis on the design elements of repetition. I decided this page lent itself well to a spread on our Neil Diamond concert experience. Some repetition used: The "So Good" circles were used three times, with the bottom one elevated; word phrase stickers (Ali Edwards) to the left of Neil's picture, to the right on our picture (Simple Stories) and in the upper right hand corner (Ali Edwards), affixed with a mini staple.  I felt that something was needed to bring the page together so I framed it with gold metallic.  I also used the gold metallic to "dot" the scalloped edge at the bottom of the page.  That patterned paper and the paper behind our raised photo are the same paper (Pink Paislee Sweet Freedom Collection used in the last sketch...using those scraps!). The blue jean pockets, "borrowed" from the Interwebs, give a nice touch and shout out to Neil's "Forever in Blue Jeans," a favorite song of mine.

Project Life® 3/25 through 3/31/2017

This week was one of travel, so many photo options were possible.  

I decided to use a photo of the plane I was about to board in Hartford, CT, as my title card for this spread, since most of my week was on the go.  Each picture has the date stamped on in in StazOn Opaque White. Almost everything on the page is from Ali Edwards, except the "Life" card.

I used some elements from the Ali Edwards Bond Story Kit on this pic, as well as some word stickers from other kits.  This is a pic of my sister-in-law and I as we ran errands.

I used the backs of some cards from last week's spread, as they worked pretty well.  "The story of now" card was the back of last week's "the story of then" card from Ali's Old + New Story Kit.  "Life" is from the Kraft Project Life® Kit, which remains one of my favorite kits.

Page 2 includes some additional elements.  The "How About No" sticker of from the Simple Stories #Whatever kit. I used the Instaweather app for the photo of me in the airport. Ali's Magic Story Kit was used for the arrow and the phrase on the mall pic when we saw Beauty and the Beast.  "The Story of this Tough Day" is from the Tough Story Kit.

 There were many food photos from the week. I used some of Ali's elements from the Eat Story Kit.  I did a small collage of some of the foods and added the "Yum" sticker at the bottom.

Next week: Ignatius is documenting!  Stay tuned!

Project Life® 3/18-3/24/2017

This week, I used Ali's Handdrawn Days digital files on each of the photos for some unity in the layout. Again, multiple products from Ali's Story Kits were used, among other random (probably Simple Stories and Project Life) cards.

I added the stamp "Scrap" from Technique Tuesday's Paper Hoarder set to a card from Ali's Read Story Kit.  It worked quite perfectly for the story I had to tell about Max pouring over scrapbooks.  I also used cards from Ali's Drive kit (Miles and Miles) and Numbers kit (Cost of Goods Right Now). The title card is from Ali's Craft kit.  Embellishments are all from one AE kit or another.  I believe the "hustlin'" card is from a Simple Stories sheet. The stamp on Tuesday's photo is from the Technique Tuesday stamp set as well.  I stamped using Staz On Opaque white ink.

Embellishments again are from Ali's kits.  I have them broken up, so it would be hard to say which ones.  The grid card is a Project Life product.  The Yikes from the Surprise kit was perfect for the journaling about my unexpectedly green calzone. The journal card about my throwback photo was from Ali's Old + New kit, which was my first Story Kit purchase (AKA the gateway drug).  The #Cool card was, I believe, from a We R Memory Keepers kit...or Simple Stories...not sure.

A close up of some flair.  

Catching Up with One Little Word® 2017

I appreciate the simplicity of One Little Word®. It's really easy to stay "caught up."  Here's February:

Last year had the same theme for the month of February.  Choose something that you want to practice.  This year, I chose daily prayer--spending 1% of the day with God.  It was a good thing to stay cognizant of. (Circle embellishments from Ali Edwards; cross from Micahels; heart stickers from Starfoam)

Since March does best as a double-page spread, I decided to use this card from the Simple Stories Posh kit as a starter. I love the message.  Embracing loving the days.

Again this year, Ali suggested a vision board that related to our words.  I chose the two scenes because relaxation and rest have been underrated in my life, except on weekends when I tend to crash. I need to embrace the need for these each day.

The final page is also from the Posh set.  I really like that set a great deal.  Lots of uses.

December Daily® Days 19-25

After watching some of Storytelling with Project Life, my mojo kicked in.  I decided that finishing December Daily® needed to happen!

I knew I wanted to include Christmas cards in the book  So, I took a 12-up 6 x 8 page and cut portions of cards into 2 x 2 squares. I used two of the squares for the date and a quick journal.

Day 20 is more like a "Day in the Life" type of spread.  Here's what happens at this time of year.

Days 21 and 22 are quick 4-up 6 x 8 pages.  I added some Snapchat fun and a couple word stickers, with a star sticker as well to accent closing on our house!  Day 22 is, of course, dedicated to the Christmas party.

For Day 23, I included some newer wrapping paper for this year, a favorite funny meme, and I included a 6 x 8 page rather than a page protector.  The right side was part of the pre-made portion of my album.

I really liked the flipside of the "Joy" page, so I added some words from the ephemera kit from Simple Stories that I have been using throughout.  For Christmas Eve, I decided to use some 4 x 4 photos, and the page protector with two 4 x 4s and a 2 x 8 worked great.  I included traditional "in front of the tree" photos from Christmas Eve,

For the flipside of Christmas Eve, I used a strip that I had pre-made for the 2 x 8 part.  For Day 25, I decided to have a 4 x 6 journal card to wrap up the album.  I used two 4 x 6 collages to highlight different gifts of the day,

The tree is from last year's December Daily kit.  The letter stickers are Thickers from Dear Lizzy.  They have light little polka dots on them.

The final 6 x 8 is of my son before we opened gifts Christmas morning.  He looked so joyful.  It's definitely one of my favorite Christmas photos.

And there you have it.  Finis.

December Daily® Catch Up and January OLW

Worked on some archiving today.  Not much to say (because I feel like poo), but I wanted to share. The fruits of my labor:

Clean and simple days 16, 17, 18 in the December Daily.

The start of One Little Word 2017

December Daily® Day 15

Day 15: Keepin' it real.  This day discusses the life of a teacher before Winter Break.

Journaling: This shirt was a “must-have,” especially during the “most wonderful time of the year.”  Kids can be a little insane at this time of year for several reasons.  For some that I teach, the prospect of being home with family is not attractive.  School is a place with food, heat, and a general lack of chaos. For others, they are excited for the break from school and the prospects of gifts Santa will bring.  So, this was my shirt choice for today-- a warning to all my little minions. When I came home, I made up a Boboli crust for Scott and I.  The cheese was not what I expected, but the company was delightful.

December Daily® Day 14

For December 14, I decided to create a spread based on the weird December weather.  It was also time to insert the third and last divider for the album.  I used the InstaWeather app for some pictures of the season (left side).

I used StazOn Opaque white and a rotary date stamp on the photos.

 I used several word strips, some from Ali Edwards, some from Simple Stories.

The #struggle stamp was from one of Ali's Story Kits, as was the story tab.  The i just can't sticker is from Simple Stories as well.