:: hulk mad ::

I've recently started receiving "Swag Bags" from Paper Issues.  I love them.  They have all kinds of fun little goodies in them each month.  Sometimes I use them in my Project Life Book, and sometimes I use them on layouts.  Today I have a traditional LO to share.

Those are the perfect alphas!  I love them -- Simple Stories DIY and Typeset alphas (also available at Paper Issues).  

And wow!  I knocked this layout out in about 30 minutes.  When I saw this awesome "orange is the new black" layout over at Paper Issues, I knew I had to scrap lift it! Thanks Cassie Box for the inspiration! I used the May Swag Bag from Paper Issues for all of the little bits of paper and most of the embellishments.  I added flair from Amy Tangerine's Plus One collection, the paint splatters and the background patterned paper -- but most everything else is from that Swag Bag.  Awesome!

I'm linking this one up over at Paper Issues.  The Current Issue is "It's Raining Cats and Dogs".  I'm linking up because I used Simple Stories products, and this was taken during one of our first nice days this spring!

Thanks for stopping by!

:: project life notebook ::

In December I shared this post, and the notebook that I would try out for the first few months of 2014.  This is my finding:

I think it would be difficult for me to do this whole project, without it!

Since the first planner went only through April, I've made my second.  The inside looks very similar to my first one -- and I used  Traci Reed's template again --  so I'll just share how I did the cover! I am super happy with it!

It all started with a bunch of random washi tape on white card stock:

You know when you are working on a project using washi tape, and there are parts that aren't used -- like you grab too much off the roll, or you change your mind or whatever?  Well, if I remember, I stick it on card stock.  When I have enough, I seal it with Matte Medium or Mod Podge or something similar (I use this).  For this project,  I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut out some butterflies from this paper for my flowers.

To prep my planner, I used Matte Multi-Medium to adhere some old piano music to my covers for a background (I used a heavy chipboard for my covers). Then I went over the music with some gesso, mostly to make it a bit more subtle. I used some orange, red, and yellow tissue paper on paper torn out of a book (adhered with more Matte Medium) for the vase. I drew some lines for the "stems" and then added the butterfly flowers  ALL of that was applied to the background with more matte multi-medium to seal it all.  I went back and outlined it all with a black pen, and then distressed the edges of the book with some brown ink (StazOn) and my Tim Holtz blending tool. This was so much fun to make.  I love it when you make something and it turns out pretty much like the vision in your head!

I am in the middle of LOAD (LayOut A Day) and playing catch up with project life (I am pretty much done through April, but very behind with my sharing!). This time of year is so busy at work, so I'll only be sharing here now and again. Then I hope to be able to share more regularly again this summer!  Eighteen school days left!  :-)

I am using LOAD to work on Bea's first year of life.  Before May I had only one page of her first year!  YIKES! Here are a few sneaky sneaks.  I will share the full layouts soon!

:: hello may ::

Hello drinking more water.
Hello taking care of my body.

Hello craft re-organization.
Hello purging the old.
Hello sorting by color (awesome).

Hello LOAD514.

Hello May flowers (please?!).
Hello celebrating My One True Love.