Brisbane trip

I was on a roll and finished another couple of pages from my trip to Brisbane back in March. These kinds of events are what I like to record the most. I’m finding that my regular day-to-day photos are all looking the same – cats, rabbits, vegie garden and food I’ve cooked. My kids are all either teens or Tweens and HATE it when I take their photos. So sad for a creative type like me.

But never mind – I still have plenty of things to record.

My first layout is from the Mater Hospital Chicks in Pink fun run I did in Brisbane. I love to run, but I do not love running in humid Queensland. It was hard work. But fun.

SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Jade Kit, Becky Higgins Midnight Kit, Studio Calico wood veneers

SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Jade

I pretty much let the photos do the talking on this layout. Very minimal but I like it that way.

Next up is a page dedicated to my gorgeous niece and nephew. I stayed with them for two nights which was lovely. They live in Ashgrove just around the corner from where we lived when two of the kids where little so we went for a reminiscent walk to the park. I used to feed the ducks with my babies on that very bridge – and play in that playground.

SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Baby for Him kit, circle card designed by me.

Last but not least I finished a page from my visit to my dear friend Morgana and her family where I finally got to meet the adorable baby Quinn. I’m in love!

SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Baby for Him kit, Studio Calico wood veneer (I think).

Well that’s it for now. Hope you enjoyed my layouts.

A long overdue Project Life post

Well it’s been quite a while since I last shared a project life layout. It has kind of taken a backseat to study (which I finished back in June), housework, and my new love Get Messy Art Journalling.

I also found myself stuck on a few weeks of layouts that I just didn’t like. Does that ever happen to you – you get the photos in and start adding filler cards but it just doesn’t sit right and you can’t make it work? Well I was well and truly stuck! In the end I have decided to just leave those layouts and come back to them when I can. I really need to keep moving and get some memories recorded.

SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Jade Kit, Becky Higgins Midnight Kit, Studio Calico wood veneers

This first layout is from back in February at the touch football Tassie Cup. It was such a great weekend and I took waaaaayyyy too many photos of football games. It was almost impossible to whittle the choices down to just these. And then to get them all to work on the one layout. But I got there in the end.

The same weekend of the football cup we discovered our bunny had become a mumma bunny – some weeks earlier – she had hidden her little babies in a hole in our yard (the bunnies are free spirits and have full access to the front yard). These little creatures are just the most adorable things I have ever seen.

SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Jade Kit, Becky Higgins Midnight Kit, Studio Calico wood veneers

While on my hiatus I have also been re-evaluating my workspace,supplies and workflow. It was freezing over winter in my craft area so all of my favourite things have been packed in storage boxes and moved upstairs so I can work at the kitchen table. This has meant I am limiting my stash to two or three kits and minimal embellishments. And I have to say – I am loving it! Less choice makes the decision making process so much easier!

Let’s hope I don’t have such a gap between layouts in the future, but if I do it doesn’t matter right?

Where am I blogging from today?

Playing Catch Up – Day 7 of Blog Every Day in May

OK – so I have fallen behind on the Blog Every Day in May project so I am playing catch up. There was an interesting prompt from the last week – where are you blogging from today? Normally I’d be saying from my desk. But on Wednesday I decided to make it interesting and blog from my seat on the bus. Some might think that’s weird – but I love that everything is so flexible and portable. I started the post on the bus – but only just finished it from the comfort of my desk – rugged up in my dressing gown and slippers.

I thought I’d share some Project Life layouts that I have been working on. I am slowly working my way through a few projects – 2013, 2014 and a wedding album – but I am still tempted to start new ones. What is with that? Anyway, here I am sharing a couple of weeks from my 2014 album. I hope you enjoy them.

SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Jade Kit, Becky Higgins Midnight Kit, Studio Calico white camera and wood veneer.

SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Jade Kit, Becky Higgins overlays, Studio Calico wood veneers, Kellie Stamps wood veneer.

Making Progress – slowly but surely

Hi again

I thought I would share my Week 4 layouts with you all. Week 4 was rather busy for us – so there are a few double page spreads. So lets get started.

SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Just Add Colour Kit, Becky Higgins Midnight Kit, Becky Higgins Jade Kit, Studio Calico wood veneers.

We had a couple of holiday adventures this week – a trip up Mount Wellington with my Mum who was visiting, and a T20 Cricket match (Go Hobart Hurricanes).

SUPPLIES : LHS: Becky Higgins Midnight Kit, Mambi stickers, KellieStamps wood veneer, Freckled Fawn wood veneer. RHS: Amy Tam Plus One kit, thickers.

I am really loving using wood veneers – they are my all time favourite embellishment. And I am also totally loving the Becky Higgins Jade Kit. I love the colours and patterns used by the designer.

SUPPLIES : Studio Calico wood veneers and cork stickers, Becky Higgins Just Add Colour kit, Becky Higgins Jade Kit washi tape, Two Peas veneers, Freckled Fawn wood veneer, thickers.

So there you have it – another week of Project Life recorded. I try not to think about ‘being behind’ in my recording, because seriously, I would never keep going if I did. I have 37 years worth of my life to record – that is a lot of project life albums – but I’ll get there one day – one layout at a time!

Thanks for stopping by.

It’s been a while …

Well I kind of dropped off the radar there for a while. Returning to work and study has put a dampener on my crafting and blogging unfortunately, but I have managed to finish a couple of pages that I would like to share with you.

So here is my Week 3.

SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Jade Kit, Thickers, Studio Calico wood veneers.

I’m sticking with my simple layouts, designed digitally, printed on my trusty PictureMate (otherwise known as Stan) and lightly embellished, mainly with cards, veneers, thickers and appropriate stickers or stamps. I think this design style reflects my personality and gets the job of recording memories done quickly and easily.

Thanks for stopping by. I’d love to know what you think.

2014 Project Life – I have started!!!!

Well it has been a little while since I posted – and I blame one thing – work!!!! My holidays finished on 6 February and I have been so busy that I haven’t had a chance to craft or post. But this week has been a little bit better.

I have started work on my 2014 Project Life album. It was fun working on more recent photos. So much easier to remember what was happening in the pics. And it has helped me with my return to work because I have been able to have little flashbacks of the holidays each evening.

Anyway, here is Week 1 and 2. I hope you enjoy what you see.

SUPPLIES : Polly! Scrap monthly kit (can’t remember which month though), cork letters from Studio Calico Project Life Kit.

SUPPLIES : Poly! Scrap Monthly Kit, Becky Higgins Jade Kit, Dear Lizzy pink heart, Erika Eagle Month card, Studio Calico wood veneer.

SUPPLIES : Poly! Scrap monthly kit, Studio Calico wood veneers.

SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Jade and Just Add Colour 3×4 and 2×2 cards, Studio Calico wood veneers, Stamp by Kellie Stamps.

I used a Kellie Stamp on this card and then decided that it needed something extra. So I doodled. I haven’t done that before, but it was fun and I quite like how it turned out.

Well that’s it for now – weeks 3 – 5 will hopefully be up in the coming days. xoxo

Project Life – April 2013

Well as my holidays draw to a close (back to work tomorrow) and my next semester of study approaches (in early March), I have been thinking about the progress I have made on my Project Life albums. I have completed January – April for 2013 (which you can see here) and have even made a start on January 2014 (I’ll blog about that one at a later date). I have also been working on my One Little Word album (which you can read about here as well).

I am pleased with my progress, but get the feeling that it will slow down quite a lot from now on. But that is life I guess.  All good things must come to an end and all that.

But in the mean time, I thought I would share my latest batch of layouts – April 2013. There are quite a few – I’m not sure how that happened really.

I have a bit of an obsession with taking photos of the view from my front verandah. Some months I take a photo everyday. I just love my view.

  
SUPPLIES : Paislee Press calendar card. Overlays designed by me.

This next layout is a selection of photos from the month of April. Possibly not in any particular order, just as the photos fitted on the pages.

SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Just Add Colour 2×2, Becky Higgins 5th and Frolic 3×4. Studio Calico and Freckled Fawn wood veneers. Washi tape.

This next spread is an event page for Oliver’s first game of soccer for 2013 and a page of dishes I have cooked from the Jamie’s 15 Minute Meals cookbook as part of a challenge with my friend Laura.

SUPPLIES : Studio Calico 3x4s. MAMBI 3x4s. Becky Higgins Cut and Paste and Jade 3×4s. Studio Calico wood veneers.

The rest of the layouts are a combination of April photos – again in no particular order, but providing an insight into our happy little life.

 
SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins 5th and Frolic 3×4 and 4×6 card. Studio Calico and Freckled Fawn wood veneers. Washi tape. Stamps by Kellie Stamps.

 
SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Midnight 3×4 and 4×6 card. MAMBI 3×4 card. Studio Calico wood veneers.

  

SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Midnight and 5th and Frolic 3×4 and 4×6 card. Studio Calico and Kellie Stamps wood veneers. Washi tape and MAMBI stickers.

Thanks for taking the time to take a look at my pages.

One Little Word – ACCEPT – January

Part of the One Little Word project that I signed up to includes following some prompts each month. The prompts include two main features: a reflection (something to think or write about) and an action (something creative).

Well I thought about them all month – I have to admit I did use the excuse of not having the album and pocket pages for not completing them – but really it was my aversion to journalling that was putting me off the most. I don’t really like sharing my feelings and thoughts with many people – and I guess writing it down makes it real – and means that I may need to commit to something. That said, I signed up for this program to extend myself in many ways and I need to ACCEPT that sometimes I may not like what is asked of me.

Despite not completing the prompts, I have definitely been living my word. I have had a few moments throughout January where I have had to take a step back and ACCEPT what is going on around me. Being on holidays has made it easier – and when I return to work next week I am sure I will challenged a lot more.

Anyway, I have completed the prompts – well most of them. I decided that I would choose the prompts that spoke to me the most. Here are a few photos so you can see what I did.

    

SUPPLIES : Studio Calico paper and wood veneers. Washi tape and thickers. Handwritten script by my beautiful friend Sue Ko from The Making Table.

   
SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Jade, Polka Dot Party and Midnight kits. Studio Calico wood veneers.

My symbol – which kind of happened by accident is a butterfly – I guess it symbolises opening up and developing into a beautiful creature. It doesn’t really represent the word ACCEPT but I can relate to it in what I am hoping to achieve this year by listening to my word.

March 2013 Project Life

Hi there – it’s me, back again with another month of layouts. So I’m up to March – I have to say I am pretty impressed with myself – holidays have been good for my mojo.

I started the month with a layout about my new car. We had been living with one car for a few years so it was a great addition to the family. We call it Mario 🙂

  
SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Midnight 3×4 and 4×6 card. Studio Calico wood veneers and Freckled Fawn enamel dots. Black circle card designed by me.

The rest of my layouts are a mixture of photos we snapped throughout the month, including a double page spread plus single layout for our Easter weekend.

  
SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins 5th and Frolic 3×4 cards. Studio Calico and Freckled Fawn wood veneers and Studio Fourteen Forty flair.  Freckled Fawn LOVE paper clip. Calendar card by Paislee Press.  Black circle card designed by me

SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Jade 3×4 and 4×6 cards. Studio Calico stamp and wood veneers. Black circle card designed by me.

  

SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Jade 3×4 cards. Becky Higgins Just Add Colour 2×2 cards. Studio Calico wood veneers. Black circle card designed by me.

  

SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins 5th and Frolic 4×6 card. Dear Lizzy embellishment card. White chipboard letters.

So there you have it. I think I have settled into a good workflow and I am really happy with the style that I have settled on. I hope you enjoyed looking at my layouts too.

February 2013 Project Life

So my progress is slow, very slow! I’m not sure if it is my technique, or just that I have been short of time, but it has taken me two weeks to complete my layouts for the month of February. At this rate I will only get to start 2014 at the end of the year.  That was not part of my plan, but for now I am ACCEPTING this and just getting as much done as I can before I return to work in February.

So, here is a bit of what I have been working on.

Basically, my albums are going to be a mix of traditional and Project Life layouts and February starts with a traditional double layout based on my FMS PhotoADay project.

  

Because of the traditional layouts I decided to start the Project Life layouts with a faux Design E page which kind of looks more like a traditionally scrapped page, but you get the idea I am sure.

SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Cut and Paste 3×4 cards. Studio Calico and Freckled Fawn wood veneers.    Overlays designed by me.

I have chosen to make my layouts a bit more like events than weekly or monthly pages so my first few layouts show my garden harvests and my rascally pets.

  SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Jade 3×4 cards. Studio Calico and Freckled Fawn wood veneers.

    SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Jade 3×4 cards. 3×4 filler cards designed by me. Studio Calico wood veneers.

  SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Cat Theme 3×4 cards. Studio Calico wood veneers.

  SUPPLIES : Studio Calico 4×6 and 3×4 cards (I think). Studio Calico wood veneers.

Notice how I love to include large images in my pockets by cutting them down. Its a great way of highlighting my favourite photos, but still using Project Life.

After I prepared the event/theme type layouts I realised I still had plenty of photos that I wanted to record (not to mention the thousands of images that are still sitting on my hard drive), so I made a double page spread to highlight them.

SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins 5th and Frolic 3×4 cards. Paislee Press calendar card. Studio Calico wood veneers. Flair from Studio Fourteen 40. Enamel dots by Freckled Fawn.

My last layout for the month was the kids back to school page. I was a very slack Mumma last year and only managed to squeeze in two or three photos. The kids are older now and really don’t like me taking their photo very often, least of all in the school uniform – boring! But I managed some, so have included them as an insert using a 6×12 pocket protector.

    
SUPPLIES : Becky Higgins Jade digital papers. Studio Calico wood veneers. I can’t remember where the other items card from – just found them in my stash.

So that is another month recorded. Now to get cracking on March which I suspect will be a quiet month as study commenced for me this month and things began to go just a wee bit pear shaped.

Thanks for reading, until next time 🙂