:: week nine ::

Today the Paper Issues DT are highlighting the I AM collection by Simple Stories.  I am loving this collection and I'm glad I was able to be a part of this product spotlight! I chose to use parts of this collection for my Week 9 project life spread.  It was exactly what I needed to complete this project.

How do you handle documenting difficult stories in your Project Life?  

Week nine was a really difficult week for us, both personally and professionally. 

My One True Love and I work in the same school district, and have worked at various buildings over the years. During this week we lost two long time district employees to murder suicide (they were married).  MOTL and I knew them both fairly well, and it was devastating for everyone involved.  They also left behind this sweet dog; a therapy dog that went to school to be with students every day. Primos is a survivor, so I made him this card.

And here is the left side of this week's two page spread.

This entire side of the layout is dedicated to the story of Sherry, Mitch and Primos. The way I chose to document this story was through hidden journaling. 

The two cards above started out as just plain white card stock (4x6).  I typed my journaling on the inside and then embellished the outside.  That circle stamp is from Ali Edward's Story Stamps.  I used washi from my stash, and the other elements are from the I Am Collection.

 When you pull out the card, you can open it up to see the journaling inside. One of the cards tells the basic story of Mitch and Sherry as we knew them.  The other one is all about Primos and what I did with Primos that day.

In some cases I used I AM patterned paper and just cut it down to size.  Other times I used the cards that come on 12x12 sheet with the collection.  For one of the cards on this side of the layout, I used some of the patterned paper, but cut it so that most of the sentiments worked. Then I took some of the stickers in the collection and put more appropriate sayings right over the less meaningful ones to make this card work.  I like how this collection is really about strength, journeys, beauty and goodness.  These are all great words to help tell Sherry's story, as well as how we have responded to the tragic even in our small community.

I decided to dedicate the whole other side to happy stories, and stories that tell about how thankful I am to have my family, and how life does go on, a new normal arrives at some point.  We still dream, our children grow, and we smile again.  Here is the right side of the two page spread.

This week our nephew turned ten and we had a birthday gathering at My One True Love's parent's house. Our nephew got a dog for his birthday!  What could be better than that?

The above card is one of my favorites because I love the paper clip!!!  :-)  That paper clip actually came from a Swag Bag at Paper Issues!

Here is a look at how the two page spread came together.

The I AM collection was perfection for this week's stories.  If you'd like to pick up this collection, a Swag Bag or just about anything else you need -- check out the Paper Issues store and use the code orangegearle for 20% off your entire purchase!

:: project life : week 7 ::

Hi friends!  Welcome to week 7.  I'm  almost completely up to date on my sharing for this year!  I had just gotten a package from The Paper Issues Store full of Simple Stories Life Documented yumminess.  So I broke it open and got started (and I even caught it all on video, see below) This was Valentine's Day week. I have a two page spread, with an insert of valentines!

:: week 7 left ::

:: week 7 right ::

:: week 7 spread ::

:: week 7 spread with insert ::

I took B.'s valentines from school and cut them up into 2x2 squares -- sometimes showing the kid's writing, sometimes showing a portion of the valentine itself.  I filled this coin protector, front and back.  FUN!

I struggled a bit this week because I didn't have very many photos -- but I like how it turned out and I love that insert.  I grabbed my iPhone and took video as I created the two page spread.  Check it out if you are interested. I hope to do more process videos (PL and otherwise), so subscribe if this is something that interests you!

Since I used flair from {a flair for buttons}(Script Words in Color and Words to Live By 1) I'm linking this up to our latest issue at Paper Issues (last day to link up!), sponsored by {a flair for buttons}.  Nearly all the rest of the supplies I used can be found at Paper Issues here.  Use my code orangegearle for 20% off your entire purchase!

Thanks for stopping by!  See you soon!

:: project life : week 6 ::

Hi!  Today I'm sharing 2015: Week 6!

:: week 6 left ::

This week I dug into my huge stash of Project Life core/mini kits.  I was feeling a bit watercolor-y (totally a word), so I grabbed Amy Tangerine's Plus One mini kit and the 6x6 paper pad from the collection and got busy!

:: week 6 right ::

I got out my gelatos and a water brush and "painted" the words Friday, Saturday, Sunday on that 3x4 card.  This was mainly just to add some color, but also the stuff on that page is from those three days, too.  I also painted the "here we go" which was originally white. I also had a story to tell without a photo -- so guess what I did?  I told the story (on the Today card) without a photo.  :-) This is how it looks all together:

:: week 6 spread ::

As always I love working with products that Amy Tangerine has designed! The 6x6 pad had little cards in it like the "xoxo", "so this happened" and "brand new".  I cut those up and added them as embellishments to the cards. I love the way that turned out!

The Plus One 6x6 paper pad is still available in the Paper Issues store if you are interested.  Don't forget to use the code orangegearle to receive 20% off your entire purchase!

Thanks for stopping by.  See you again soon!

:: project life : week 5 ::

Welcome back!  I'm here today with another Project Life share -- this time week 5.

:: week 5 left ::

My week started with a visit to the hospital!  Not for me, but for my older daughter, my "Number 1", H. The photo of her in the hospital bed at the top flips to the right and there is another photo and private journaling underneath.  She is doing much better!

:: week 5 right ::

Snow, work, sunsets, and a little paint on the carpet. All documented!  The photo of my B. and her friend, (and neighbor) A. outside in the snow flips up to reveal another photo and some journaling.  I didn't need to hide it, this was just a way to get another photo and some extra journaling in!

journaling flip

Since I am not subscribing to Studio Calico's PL kits anymore, I've decided to use up some of my stash some weeks.  This week I grabbed one of my favorite collections (Echo Park's Creative Agenda) and used mostly items from that.  I have used so much of this collection already, so I really only have partial pages of patterned paper left -- just enough to fill up this week with color -- and I was able to use up some of the chipboard and sticker embellishments, too! This is what the spread looks like all together:

:: week 5 spread ::

There is still some Creative Agenda available in the Paper Issues Store if you are interested!  Don't forget to use the code orangegearle for 20% off your entire purchase!

Thanks for stopping by!

:: project life : week 4 ::

Hi!  I'm here today with Project Life :: 2015 sharing!

:: week 4 left ::

I used mostly items from the January Studio Calico PL kit. When the kit came there was a dog card and a cat card -- we have neither.  But one night during this week a lost dog showed up at our house and spent a little time with us while we located her owner!  Lovely coincidence! I'll take it!

:: week 4 right ::

 More cousin time for B. and a date night for us. Awesome!  This is what the spread looks like together:

:: week 4 spread ::

I am way behind on sharing PL -- but at least my 2015 album is current!  Look for more PL sharing during this week as I catch up on sharing!

:: project life : week 3 ::

I'm on the Paper Issues blog today with a product spotlight.  For week 3 of my Project Life album, I used a kit that I purchased from the Paper Issues Store called the Becky Higgins Desktop Kit.  Here is a look at the left side of my two page spread.

And the right side looks like this:

That photo in the upper right flips up to reveal another photo and some journaling that I wanted to be a bit more private.

Here are the two pages together -- without the insert:

This was a birthday week for our nephew -- and he just happens to be Bea's best friend. Here is what it looks like with the insert (you can see the front)

Here are the two inserts (front & back):

And here is what it looks like when that insert page is turned:

I enjoyed working with this kit!  There are several PL kits available in the Paper Issues Store here.  Don't forget to use the code orangegearle at check out to get 20% off your entire order!

Thanks for stopping by! I will be back soon to share week four!

:: project life : week 2 ::

And week two is in the books!  Here is the left side of this two page spread.

Documenting all the organizing that I've been doing in my scrap space -- and B. has been playing in the boxes, of course.  Also documenting that I was sick. Ugh.  That awesome calendar card is from the January free printable over at Paper Issues.  You can grab that (did I mention it's free?) here -- along with the rest of the free files!  Here is the right side:

Documenting a bit of the creating that happened in our house this week -- creating and a little bit of silliness.  Here is the two page spread together.

This week I also added a 8.5x11 insert.  The front is a letter that B. wrote me when I was sick. I plan on documenting the page with proper spelling, I just haven't decided how I want to do that yet. Dear Mommy I feel sorry that you don't feel good today and go to the doctor today. Love, Bea.

This week B. discovered the typewriter.  I documented that story with photos and words in the two page spread -- and here is the first "book" that she wrote on the back of the insert.  I love that I can get these things into the book! It's probably one of my favorite parts of Project Life.  Here is her story about cows in the forrest.

I used the same black alphas (two styles) throughout the layout to tie it all together.  I chose pinks and greens from my collection of PL cards.  I think most of them came from the Kiwi Kit.  If you want to know where a specific card came from, just ask and I'll track it down for you!

:: project life : title page ::

Hello!  I kind of did this backwards.  I was working on my title page and my first week of PL at the same time, and I am sharing them backwards. Please forgive me! ;-)

I decided that this year I would use a 6x12 page for my intro.  I actually took a regular 12x12 "a" style page, and just cut it in half on my paper cutter!

This is what it looks like over week one's LO.



And here it is "open" so you can see the back:



I worked on week one and the title page at the same time, so I was able to use a few things in both to tie them together. I thought this was important because I was only using a 6x12 for the title page, and because I knew the back side of the title page would be seen when looking at Week 1. So, I brought the gold into week one and I used Elle's Studio cork on both the title page and Week 1!  As a result of that last part I am linking this up to the Current Issue at Paper Issues -- Popping the cork.

A few close-ups:



I typed on vellum and then stapled it to the card.  Added the "us" from the Open Book collection, and a 3x4 card.

Pretty much gold is everywhere, eh? So I went with it! These cards are from Theresa Collins WRMK edition. I cut two 4x6 cards to about 4x4 (above and below).  Then I grabbed a couple of the clear photo overlays from the Desktop PL (Becky Higgins) edition. I machine stitched the cards to the overlays and added some sequins on either side.

 I didn't use any photos on my title page! That may seem strange, but I kinda like how it turned out!

See you soon!

:: project life 2015 ::

Week one is in the books! I used the January SWAG bag  and a few items from my stash (including some embellishments from past SWAG bags)!

I decided to go with a one-pager for this first week. My weeks will go Monday-Sunday this year, and so this is just the 1st-4th.  My goal is to keep it pretty simple this year and I think I've succeeded on this one! I do have a flip, and a pocket, though.  Here are a couple of close-ups.

I wanted to include another photo and a bit more story, so I used some washi to create a flip up. The photo flips up (another photo is attached to it) and I typed my story underneath. I am so excited to use my typewriter this year! I think it will help with the simple & clean style that I'm going for (however, there will likely still be a lot of color)!

There was a pocket in the Swag Bag which was perfect for holding (hiding) this screenshot from my phone. The app is called Authentic Weather, and there are lots of inappropriate words, so I hid the photo in the pocket. ;-)  

There is a Swag Bag spotlight over at Paper Issues Blog today! Check it out here. Interested in the Swag Bag? Check that out in the Paper Issues Store here. And if you use the code orangegearle, you can get 20% off your entire order! 

Thanks for stopping by, see you soon!