Chances are, you went on a trip this Summer. Or had a family reunion. Or played close to home with a staycation. Today I’m sharing an idea with you. An idea on how you can quickly and easily create a photo book with your favorite Summer pictures. Don’t mind the horribly un-flattering freeze frame here. Nice.
The marvelous thing about basic supplies, such as the Photo Pocket Pages and Journaling Cards, is that you can leave them in their most basic, simple form and have absolutely classic, timeless results. Or you can get creative, work your magic, and transform them into whatever you want, for whatever you need! Below are some ideas that will surely get the wheels in your head turning. These ideas are the result of our “Just the Basics” contest that we held this Summer.
NOTE: We have sold out of the Journaling Cards, but more are coming and due to be in stock by October. We currently have some Design A and Design B of our Photo Pocket Pages in stock on Amazon.com.
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ARTIST: Elaine in California
CONCEPT: Create custom title cards and journaling cards to enhance your photos/theme. Elaine cut out little custom shapes, used designs from cardstock she had, and even did some hand-stitching for this particular scrapbook layout.
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ARTIST: Janet in Pennsylvania
CONCEPT: Home Management Binder. Janet uses the Photo Pocket Pages and 3×4 Journaling Cards to organize things such as her pantry/freezer inventory and her birthday/holiday list. She says, “I love being organized and these ‘BH Basics’ work like a charm. The Photo Pocket Pages are great for keeping all my info in one place as well as any notes (love that they are double-sided) and my shopping lists. And of course, no project is complete without some photos of loved ones. I love how these basic products made my Home Binder even more functional and certainly pretty.”
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ARTIST: Tami in Washington
CONCEPT: Spinner Display. Tami created a high school graduation party guest book for her daughter, but with a twist. More on her idea, in her own words: “My daughter wanted a guestbook, but to be honest, I wasn’t thrilled with the idea because it seems they get stowed away never to be looked at again, but them I came up with this idea which I think is a great way to display these memories in her dorm room this Fall.
“I used the Journaling Cards and punched them using a rolodex punch and a template from one of the original spinner cards. I placed them on a table next to the spinner and invited guests to leave their wishes for Hailey. I decorated the spinner using KI Memories patterned papers and a few assorted embellishments. I printed several of her senior photos in wallet size and added them to the spinner, this was a great way for the guests to see all those great photos! I set a camera on the table next to the spinner and asked guests to take their own photos and I’ll be adding those (as well as some additional party and commencement photos) to the spinner as well.”
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ARTIST: Sandy in Florida
CONCEPT: Dig into your stash of cardstock and cut it into 3×4 blocks to place in the 3×4 pockets. Mix these pages into other scrapbooks. This is such a simple form of scrapbooking. And even simpler because you’re not using adhesive!
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ARTIST: Maria in British Columbia
CONCEPT: Favorite Photos Flash Cards. Maria used a tea tin (there are lots of tins and containers around this size), decorated it with patterned paper, and created a home for favorite family shots. She says, “Google’s Picasa now makes it easy to get little photos printed at my local grocery store. After a little click, click, click with my corner rounder, the pictures look great on the 3×4 Journaling Cards.” Maria even used a Journaling Card to label her cute little tin, and utilized the back of each 3×4 card to document the who, what, when, where, why of each photo.
Let’s just get right to it. Ladies and gentlemen … the following items are what we will have available by October 2011. Please read my commentary for details.
Yes, this looks familiar for a reason. It’s the same Turquoise binder we’ve had all year. But we’re running out of these, like everything else that has sold out. So I’m telling you now, this is the time to stock up on this binder if you want. More of these binders will become available, but the new binders are likely going to be a little more expensive than our original binders for several reasons. As soon as we have new images/info/pricing, of course I will share. FYI: The new binders will have a solid color spine that coordinates with the album, as well as a metal bookplate for labeling the binder. Those are the main visual differences.
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No, this is not a mystery box. I’m not keeping the contents secret. I just don’t have the actual Core Kits here to photograph yet, so this graphic will have to do for now. The box is approximately 7″ x 7″ x 4.5″ tall. What’s inside? The Project Life CORE components. Specifically, this includes all the title cards, filler cards, first and last page cards, journaling cards, bi-fold journaling cards, and stickers you would need to complete a full album (and then some!). As a bonus, we even threw in a stack of 3×4 Grid Journaling Cards! The aforementioned “core contents” are still pictured here. NOTE: Only what I’ve listed here, is in the Core Kit.
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Now you can get as much 12×12 cardstock in your favorite Project Life collection(s) as you want! This quality double-sided designer cardstock is meant to be used with other Project Life components if you’d like, or not at all. These are great designs for any scrapbooking, card making, and crafting projects.
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See Turquoise Binder above. Same story. Amber binders still in stock can be found here.
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See Turquoise Edition of the Core Kit above. Same story.
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See Turquoise Cardstock above. Same story.
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This is another item that may be familiar to many of you. These incredibly versatile, incredibly popular little boxes of 100 grid Journaling Cards have sold out and we’re bringing them back. Plain + simple, they’re a staple.
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Remember the Scrapbook Dividers that came in the full Project Life kits? They were designed with numbers and/or months. We know you have more uses for these, so we made them as generic as possible — keeping the design neutral, versatile, and classic. Think about your other scrapbooks. Think about those school and childhood albums you are working on (or will be working on) for your kids. Or any kind of scrapbooking that you do! Oh, the organizational possibilities. And … we’re including sticker labels for the part that sticks out above your page protectors. Those stickers are all about options. We’re giving you months and numbers and school years, that are even applicable to most countries. And … of course blank labels for whatever you want! The material is a sturdy, sandblasted, acid-free plastic that is still thin enough to not add bulk to your album. Leave them classic + simple or embellish the Scrapbook Dividers however you’d like. The sky’s the limit.
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You have been begging for these! Hooray that they’re finally coming! Made of a similar material as the Scrapbook Dividers, these pockets will hold artwork, papers, memorabilia, cards, and any treasures you want. The flap tucks into the front (no bulky snap), and you’ll have a place to label and identify your contents with the pocket and label cards. There is plenty of room inside this 12×12 Big Pocket Page. For planning purposes, you may want to have a Big Envelope Page per year for your child’s scrapbooks.
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You are already familiar with Design A. It’s the classic Project Life design that allows for 4×6 photos and 3×4 Journaling Cards. We anticipate selling out of what’s currently in stock at the moment. So get what you want now, if you don’t want to wait until more come in October!
NOTE: We’ve raised the bar and have improved the quality of all of our new Photo Pocket Pages. You’re going to love them!
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Same story as Design A. We currently have some of Design B in stock on Amazon.com, but we anticipate selling out soon.
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Okay … NOW … Let’s unveil the NEW Photo Pocket Page designs. I’ll preface with this: You likely have a problem called sooo-many-photos-that-I-need-to-do-something-with, right??
Solution: Don’t stress about designing scrapbook pages if that’s not your thing. Just use these Photo Pocket Pages to slip in your photos and even your memorabilia. We have title cards + Journaling Cards to fill in the gaps and help you organize and document it all. Easy-peasy my friends.
Design F is one of my absolute faves. Think wallet-sized school photos, or filling them all with Journaling Cards that have anecdotes and memories written on them. Think receipts and tickets and handwritten notes. And of course 3×4 photos. With a 4×6 title card at the top, of course.
This is our solution for including horizontal and vertical photos and Journaling Cards in one page. The unique size is intentional, as we know many of you enjoy various page protector sizes. There is not a single wasted inch in this design.
We used to include a pack of 54 Photo Pocket Pages in our full Project Life kits. Now we’re throwing in a few extras because we know how much you love the versatile designs for so many projects! There are plenty of these pages to fill an entire album or two (depending on how bulky you get!). These come in a classic white Becky Higgins box that you’ll love for long-term storage of … whatever you want.
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Another Big Pack of Photo Pocket Pages, and this one has a variety of designs. For planning purposes, this is what I strongly recommend you pick up to go along with all the school/childhood products that are coming early 2012. We’re just offering this Big Pack ahead of time so that you can start organizing and working on such things. I’ll be talking more about that in the coming weeks.
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{ a few last notes }
1. Prices. I know you want prices but we don’t have those solidified yet. I will let you know when we know. In general, manufacturing costs have gone up and that is out of our control, but we are doing everything we can to keep the prices low. We love making scrapbooking affordable!
2. Timing. Everything that has been pictured in this blog post is anticipated to arrive to Amazon.com by October. Earlier would be even better, but when we have to depend on others’ schedules, we can’t promise anything. As of now, the timing is on-track and looking good. Thanks for your patience as we’ve sampled and re-sampled and re-sampled again in order to make these products spectacular.
3. Pre-orders. If you’re in the U.S., we can’t do pre-orders because our products are sold + distributed through Amazon and that’s not how they work. When the items arrive at Amazon is when you can order. Amazon is phenomenal at processing + shipping orders in record time. I will give you plenty of heads-up via facebook + twitter + here on my blog.
If you’re outside the U.S., most of you will have pre-ordering available to you beginning as early as this week. Those of you in New Zealand and Australia will want to check here and those of you in Canada and elsewhere should check here.
NOTE: If you are international, please be sure to pre-order what you want so these distributors can order sufficient quantities. If you don’t pre-order, there is no guarantee they will have product available for you. If money is tight right now but you have plans to purchase products in a couple months, it’s worth at least notifying/emailing the distributor with your intentions. This will help with their order quantities. We don’t want anyone feeling frustrated over sold-out products.
4. Products-at-a-Glance. Want to have all of these product pictures together in one place? For your convenience and reference, here is the Product Catalog for the Fall 2011 items. (Just be sure to click on the green Product Catalog to open that PDF.) Feel free to print it, dream up what you’re going to do with the new goodies, and mark it up. Of course we’ll share the updated catalog when we add specifics and images of the November stuff — including the new 2012 Project Life designs, etc.
5. New 2012 Project Life.Yes, I am about to share images of our two new editions soon.These items are due to arrive by November, so we’re getting very close to being able to let the cat out of the bag on all of that.
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I seriously am giddy about what’s coming. These are the tools — this is the system — that is going to help me (and you) get pictures into books. So many of you reading this are already doing Project Life. You get how solution-based and simple and easy it all is. Now you just have more options. Everything we do stays with that same philosophy: Simplify the process of documenting life.
Enough of the waiting already. Let’s announce those WINNERS! Congratulations to these 5 ladies, who each won $100 for their great idea.
Obviously we will be sharing their ideas and pictures. That’s coming next week. There were also many more entries that we loved and want to share. A huge thank-you to everyone who submitted their ideas and pictures. Very inspiring! We are excited to share loads of ideas with you next week.
Remember that video I did for the Big Giveaway from last month? Remember at the end, how I pointed out the knob issue in the background? Well … I finally got around to switching those knobs.
I present to you … my latest home project. Ta-dahhh!
Everyone loves before + after shots. So here you go.
Aria cabinet: We got this from World Market about 5 years ago.
Cabinet function: We store CDs, DVDs, games, and other random little stuff.
Knobs: I picked these up from Hobby Lobby. They have a great knob selection and I was in the mood for a variety … but all black + white. The letters are family name initials.
Big wooden/painted frame on top of cabinet: Found at a boutique in Gardner Village south of Salt Lake City.
Green paint on the walls: It’s just about as Chartreuse as you can get. I don’t have an official paint name for it because I had Home Depot make the paint color based on matching a swatch of something … five years ago.
Super Helpful Project Assistant: Crew – age 2.
Time it took to switch all of the knobs: 15 minutes.
Time it took screw some back in after Crew realized he could loosen the knobs: 2 minutes.
Congrats to the winner of Thursday’s giveaway: Karen in St. John’s, Arizona! She said “I would love to do t-shirts for family and friends to support my sister in Paralympic competition!” What a great idea, Karen. Shoot an email to Ricky@tamboink.com and they’ll hook you up with $50 toward your custom t-shirt order.
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Remember the Kiki Creates giveaway I did back in March? I said, “Check out this print. It’s fill-in-the-blank style and you write on the glass with dry-erase marker and change it as often as you want. I’m so getting this for each of my kids.”
Well I so did. I got 3 prints, put them in these frames from Target, attached them to the wall (with our favorite velcro) — the wall we see as we come in from the garage. And there is a dry-erase marker resting on top of the top frame for our convenience. Our little messages can change within a matter of seconds. Any time we feel like it.
I love that this is now the first thing the kids see as they walk in the door each day. Just another fun way to help our kids feel loved and special. And I love that this little project helps us to focus on the specifics of what we love about them. Sometimes it’s silly and light-hearted. Other times it’s more thoughtful and sincere. That’s the fun in rotating the sentiments frequently.
You can find Kiki’s latest designs in her super cute etsy shop. Plus, she has a wonderfully patriotic (and free) downloadable print here.
Tis the season for family reunions. Today I’m sharing a little reunion t-shirt inspiration in case some of you are thinking along those lines. Having your own t-shirts made can be really easy! I’ll come back to that in a minute. First, here’s a look at our reunion shirts from 2007.
My youngest brother Andrew (my super creative brother who makes it possible for you to be reading this right now because he is the technical force behind my website) … came up with this design. There are 6 siblings, and therefore 6 families. Each line represents the size of each of our respective families. Going left to right, my oldest brother has 4 kids, the next brother has 2, then 5, then 5, then 2 (that’s us), then 4. Those were the number of children/cousins at the time. The “graph” would look a little different now.
Andrew made brown shirts for the men, tan for the boys, and pink for all the women and girls. A very photogenic color combo. This was a 12×12 page I did for our family scrapbook in 2007 (using only Photoshop).
Here’s another idea. Backing up a decade to 2001 … this may go down in history as my all-time favorite reunion t-shirt. The concept is by my oldest (and also incredibly creative) brother Jonathan. He had his son (the oldest of all the cousins) draw stick figures of everyone in our big family, oldest to youngest, left to right. Tyler was 7 years old at the time.
On the far left is my sweet Grandma Allgaier, who was the family’s only living grandparent at the time, and she joined us for this reunion. She is using a walker in Tyler’s little illustration. How cute is that!? Then you see each of the little families, including itty bitty toddlers and babies who are in carriers. The next-to-last little family is me and David. We didn’t have children at the time but Tyler drew a tree next to David. He used to call him Uncle Tree because David would throw him really high in the air — as high as the trees. : )
The back of the shirt would be the coding for the illustration. It’s everyone’s first initial of their names. Clever.
The ? in KLET? represents the baby Kevin & Lauren were expecting at the time. By the way, pardon the wrinkles (I wasn’t in an ironing mood the day I photographed the shirts) and the faded fabric (true sign of a well-loved t-shirt). Another page for another reunion in another scrapbook –
Looking for more inspiration? I saw some cool t-shirt designs on Design Mom’s blog. I’m sure with some google time, you could find oodles of other ideas. These t-shirts from our own family reunions just might get your wheels spinning with some ideas on creating personalized designs.
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Now. What about actually getting the t-shirts made?? Great question. Check out OneColorInk.com. Our friends print custom t-shirts for individuals, families, and businesses and they offer this as a more affordable option for those who want to have t-shirts made for less. Hence the one color ink. Be sure to check out the video (“In Action”) so you can see how the shirts are made. It’s a fun process! Plus, Ricky’s just too cool for school. He has been in this business since he was a kid. He knows custom t-shirts. If you’re interested in more options than one color, their main business is TamboInk.com.
Guess what? We are so doing a giveaway! Yes we are. Anyone in the U.S. is welcome to enter for a chance to win $50 credit toward your custom t-shirt order from One Color Ink. Just leave your name, city, state, and tell us what t-shirt project (reunion or not) you have in the works! A randomly selected winner will be announced Monday.
Introducing … a contest that anyone can enter. And I really do mean anyone. You, for sure. Your neighbor? Absolutely. Your kids? You bet! Sounds like a great Summer project to me.
{ THE SCOOP }
Our Photo Pocket Pages and Journaling Cards are basic items. Basic, basic, basic. They are timeless. They’ll never go out of style. They are instrumental in helping lots of people get scrapbooking and other projects done without the stress of “designing” layouts and without cutting and pasting. This is truly as simple as it gets. We create scrapbooking products that are practical and very solution-based.
Maybe you’re a mom who is catching up on pictures from past months and years. Maybe you’re a designer with a knack for creating amazing things with simple products. Maybe you’re a crafter with plenty of scraps to use and you can’t wait to dress up those plain grid cards. Maybe you’re a photographer with plans to let the photographs be the shining stars in those Photo Pocket Pages with little or no embellishing.
See where I’m going with this? Anyone can enter. No matter what you’re doing with the product. The prize? We hope to choose 5 winners with the best ideas or the best overall style/results. Each winner will win $100 cash.
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{ CONTEST RULES }
1. When I say anyone, I mean anyone. You could be a personal friend or I could have never heard of you before in my life. You can be any age. Male or female.
2. You need to use Becky Higgins brand Photo Pocket Pages or Journaling Cards. Either or both. All items can be found here.
3. Keep it really, really simple if you want. Basic is beautiful. Or get crazy and elaborate if you want. That’s beautiful too. We’re looking for a variety of ideas.
4. You can absolutely use any other supplies you want. Papers, stickers, fabrics, trinkets, paint, whatever.
5. You can submit up to 3 layouts or projects.
6. When you email me (submissions@beckyhiggins.com), please include a brief description of your layout(s) or project(s) in the email. Also include your name and the state or country where you live.
7. Deadline submission is Friday July 15, 2011.
PS: Please take the best pictures possible of your layout(s). This usually means a very simple background and natural light (turn off that flash) and in-focus (always a good idea).
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Oh, I can’t wait to see what you guys are creating. Really. And do me a favor: Don’t second-guess yourself. If you have any thoughts like “Oh, my layouts are too simple” or “This isn’t elaborate enough” or “My style is busy and Becky’s isn’t” or “There’s nothing inspiring about my work” … push all of that to the side. Because when it comes down to it … you just never know.
And getting a $100 check in the mail next month could be a really beautiful thing.
Now — How about an update on upcoming products? I am pleased to announce that we chose TWO winners of the 2012 Project Life design contest! They were each chosen for their style (of course) and skill and we are so thrilled about what they’re going to add to the Project Life line-up. They have both hit the ground running and are working hard on the new 2012 designs as you read this.
A very special thank-you to each one of you who submitted designs. I am very grateful for the interest and submissions. It was so much fun to see such a variety of styles and ideas.
Without further adieu I present to you our two guest designers for Project Life 2012. They’ll tell you a little about themselves so you can get to know them.
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{ say hello to Lili Niclass }
I’m 32 years old, I’ve been married for 8 years now and we don’t have children yet. We live in Japan with our sweet and funny cat, Kiko-chan. We moved here from Switzerland 2 years ago because of my husband’s job. He is Swiss and I’m Brazilian, and we used to live in Switzerland before.
I got a college degree in communication back in Brazil, then another one in French when I moved to Switzerland. I always wanted a creative and artistic job but it took me some time to find exactly what I liked. I came across digital scrapbooking in 2006 and opened my first online shop in 2007 with the help of a wonderful designer, Nancie Rowe Janitz. Since then I’ve been in love with the scrapbooking world and never stopped designing. Today I also design paper products for Fancy Pants Designs. I have a new collection coming out next month.
I live in Charleston, West Virginia. I was a 70s baby and am still an 80s girl. I have been married for almost 8 years (to my elementary school crush) and we have a beautiful 3 1/2 year old boy — who is my greatest joy, my miracle baby and my saving grace.
I’m a full-time creative director for a small advertising/political consulting agency. I’ve been in advertising and marketing for 15 years starting as a creative assistant to the advertising team at a local department store chain. Some of my design work has garnered local and national design awards for both advertising and political work. I’ve been creating, crafting, painting and drawing all my life. I strive everyday to share that creative spark with my son, who has a natural talent for drawing already. Often overheard in our house, “Mommy, let’s art today.”
I’ve been a Project Life fan(atic) since January. My mother was our family’s historian, so to speak, and a hardcore paper scrapper. I loved looking at her work and shopping for supplies with her. I attempted paper scrapping when my son was born — with the best intentions. BUT it became so overwhelming, I’d just file everything away. Now that my mom is gone, I’ve started to take on that storyteller role for our family. It’s one way I can honor her memory in a way she would love.
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Now that you know who the 2012 Project Life guest designers are, I’m sure you’d like to know more!
DESIGNS. I know you’re curious.Well … the sneak peeks are coming. But not quite yet. It’s still a little early for that as we’re in the beginning stages of designing the 2 new Project Life looks. I am working closely with the graphic designers to ensure that we will have two more beautiful choices to offer.
OPTIONS. In case you missed the announcement, we are reprinting more of Amber and Turquoise Editions, so this means FOUR options of Project Life. Sweet. Those are being made now and I’ll give you an update on when we are expecting those … as soon as I know.
TIMING. Fall 2011. We’re still aiming to have the new Project Life products available by November and we’re working hard and fast to make that happen.
OTHER PRODUCTS. We were hopeful to have some of our other products come out late Summer and as it turns out, we are spending extra time on quality control and being very picky about details that will, in the end, result in better products for you.
So the bummer is that those of you who were anticipating new items by August/September are going to have to hang on a little longer. The good news is that these products are going to ROCK. At this point, it is possible that everything is released together, at the same time, this Fall. New Project Life stuff, all the new Photo Pocket Page designs, all the school/childhood stuff … everything.
As always, I will continue to give you updates and sneak peeks as often and as early as I can. You can trust that we are working our tails off to make things happen in the best possible way for you. Thank you for wanting to know more. Thank you for chomping at the bit to see what’s coming down the pipeline. Thank you wanting to use our products to help you organize your pictures, memorabilia, and memories.
And please welcome me in congratulating Lili and Kim!
Okay, first of all — I have 2 winners to announce from this week’s giveaways! The winner of Laura Vanderbeek’s Photo First Aid online class is Lisa Walton in Perth Australia. The winner of Creating Keepsakes’ newest Creative Spaces special issue is Brenda in Houston, Texas. Congratulations, ladies! Lisa, email laurav@reneepearson.com and Brenda, email projectlife@beckyhiggins.com with your shipping address and I’ll give that information to CK so they can ship you a little package.
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{ tv segments }
This week I had a little fun on tv, thanks to the invitation by KSL’s Studio 5 producers. Watch for Monday’s post when I share more about that day. Lots of fun pictures.
First, here’s a quick little Skype conversation I had with the hosts Brooke & Darin on Tuesday to promote the live event that was coming a few days later.
And as for that live event, you can check out the whole show HERE on Studio 5′s site. If you wanted to just check out my segments …
1. panel discussion about the little things mothers do is around 13:00 to 21:00.
2. 5 things I think mothers should keep for their children is around 25:00 – 32:00.
NOTE: That part when I mention that I share a picture-of-the-day idea just about every day on Twitter? So sorry, my sweet and supportive facebook peeps. Totally didn’t mean to leave you out. I share the very same POTD ideas on both facebook + twitter. Just in case you didn’t know that. And if you’re not already following me on facebook or twitter — you should. It’s an extension of the sharing I do here on my blog.
I think the whole show is fun to watch but if your time is limited, that’s understandable. I do recommend for every mother to watch the segment by Matt, Studio 5′s relationship coach. That’s at about 36:00 – 44:00. Seriously, this guy is fun. And he reminds us of things we should hear. Really, the whole show was just great. I so appreciated the opportunity to be a part of something that honors, reveres, and celebrates motherhood.
Thank you KSL, for focusing on what really does matter most.
Speaking of my home office (did you see my real-life photos in yesterday’s post?) … Creating Keepsakes has a brand-new special issue hitting newsstands now. It’s called Creative Spaces 2011. You can even virtually flip through a few pages in the sneak peek here.
They have featured my home office in this issue and there are a LOT of other really inspiring spaces to see in this issue. Want a chance to win a copy of this for free? Leave your name and mention where you live. This giveaway is open to everyone — even international readers. Oh, and here’s a coupon code that you can use to get free shipping within the U.S., if you’re planning to make the purchase: SPACESBB. This expires May 27. The winner will be announced on Friday.
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Oh, and guess what? Laura Vanderbeek is doing a giveaway for my Bundle of Basics on her blog right now. Check that out HERE! And because we just love doing giveaways for our readers, I will be doing another one tomorrow. Right here. Stay tuned for a chance to win a seat in Laura’s newest online class!
That’s how much time I spent snapping 20 pictures around my home-based office. This is a look at real life in this space, right now. This place is sometimes very tidy and clean. And sometimes, it’s just not. We get behind on stuff. Things pile up. Messes are made. Projects are in the making.
Now is one of those times. And since most of the pictures you’ve seen of my office space are all pretty and orderly, I wanted to share these real-life glimpses. Oh, and by “my” home office space you know I mean … my family’s office space. We’re all in here.
Sometimes you’ll find David and me on the side-by-side computers, each doing our thing … the business, the bills, the emails, the vacation research, the whatever. Sometimes you’ll find Crew laying across the floor, playing on the iPad, always with his favorite blanket somehow attached. Sometimes you’ll find Porter and Claire working on some art project together.
Sometimes I’m in this space all alone. Love having my family around. Also love peace & quiet once in a while. Zoning into my work. Creating. Learning. Blogging. Doing my thing.
So here we go.
This is right by my computer. I keep this reminder of 3 of my greatest blessings within view at all times.
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A project-in-process. I just need one more frame and then I have a trio to hang. Until then, this stuff is clutter on my countertop.
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I found this giant wooden LIFE sculpture at Down to Earth, a boutique at Gardner Village in West Jordan, Utah. Totally worth hand-carrying this on the flight back to Arizona. Still unsure of where exactly it will land in the office. I just knew I had to have it. (Think: Project Life. Yes, I also found smaller letters to spell PROJECT.)
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Kelly Green is in the Top 5 colors that just speak to me right now. So when I spotted this bag at Cherry Lane Boutique in Provo, Utah a couple weeks again … well, I guess I just couldn’t resist.
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Claire gave a little talk in church yesterday. We used some beautiful artwork to accompany what she spoke about and I still need to get these prints put back in their spot.
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The remnants of salsa. Eating at the computer is not a good habit — I know.
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Papers, papers, papers near the computer. To-do lists, blog calendar, shopping list, school papers, work stuff, and other stuff that I just really need to go through SOON. I bet half of this stash can be recycled right now.
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This old alphabet puzzle has been in our family for YEARS (notice the splitting wood and worn letters) and it’s definitely Crew’s favorite go-to toy right now. That, and Porter’s green shoes (you can see one nearby). So random that Crew loves those shoes, but it’s so completely darling when he puts them on and walks around in his big brother’s shoes.
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Like I said — the family is always close by. Here Porter is positioned in his chair just right as he organizes Pokemon cards. He’s sporting some Sunday pants that I hemmed. My first attempt at hemming (6 months ago), thanks to my friend Heidi telling me the steps. I was pretty excited that I actually did it. Now I can’t remember how to hem pants. Of course I can’t.
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Claire is coloring and just barely finished some artwork that we are putting in the mail today for a friend who moved away last year.
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I am at least 5 months behind on sorting the kids’ latest artwork and school papers. At least I’ve been stacking them in one place. When the school year is over, I have a game plan. It involves going through all of this with the kids — recycling, scanning, labeling, and organizing. Can’t wait for our new products coming later this Summer, which will really help with the end result of preserving this stuff.
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Pictures in frames around the office. And of course some are spray-painted (in this case, the pink one).
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These bobby pins belong to Becki. She accidentally left them here when she came over to cut my hair. Or maybe I secretly hid them so I could keep them. Actually, I am a total slacker for not putting these in the mail to her (we live well over an hour away from each other; not a quick errand).
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Another excellent find at Gardner Village. Spotted this in a little boutique called Sassy Babies. Why am I so darn attracted to polka dots? I can’t escape them. Also worth hand-carrying on the flight home.
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Wrapping up the LAST pages of the Personal Yearbook project for both Porter’s 2nd grade class and Claire’s preschool class. I’ll admit — I was in over my head this year. It was too much for this mama to keep up with, particularly with a napping toddler at home and scheduling it all in. But I did keep up — barely. And I’m so glad. Aaand … I really need to re-think my approach for next year. The project is awesome. And simple. But keeping up with 2 large classes (with everything else I have going on)? A bit much, honestly. Lesson learned.
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Got these Easter Pez surprises for the kids and completely forgot to give them to them. Parents of the Year.
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These are not current, but they are still two of my favorite works of art from Porter (left) and Claire (right) from a few years ago. I truly love my kids’ artwork. Makes me so happy.
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I keep Porter’s cub scout items in the office since it’s right by our door to the garage and we’re always rushed when we leave for Scouts.
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Found these Brushing Beauties at Home Goods. Picked up a few for a few of my friends with whom I’ll be seeing later today for a church-related meeting. So cute and domestic.
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The mail pile, which desperately needs our attention – stat!
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Two minutes. Twenty pictures. Two-hundred stories that could be told just from these glimpses and what they say about our family, our lifestyle, our current phase of life.
What about you? Will you consider picking up the camera and shooting around one room in your home for just two minutes? This is documenting real life as it’s happening – is it not?
In honor of Mom-was-so-in-the-mood-to-dejunkify … We recently had a big clearing-out party in the play room. It was so necessary. I have no idea where half of this stuff even came from.
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Step 1: Dump everything on the floor. We were pretty much half-way there already. Couldn’t even walk in that room without some small injury for the few days leading up to this. It’s not usually that messy.
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Step 2: Sort, sort, sort. A place for trash and a place for donations. As for everything we kept, I grouped all the game pieces (to put back with their respective games), puzzle pieces (same thing), and other small things that needed to be put with their likenesses.
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Step 3: A place for everything and everything in its place.
This incredibly functional piece of furniture is from Razmataz (years ago). Lots of drawers and cupboards so that all the toys are easily accessible … without being visible all the time. Green boxes from IKEA.
Got these little wooden friends at World Market a few years ago. Fun play room accessories.
Our bookshelf is another Razmatz favorite from years ago. I so want to paint this but I’m not sure of a color. Nor can I seem to make the time for such a project. The big clock is from WalMart. Big frames from Costco Home. Porter’s 5-year-old handwritten alphabet is framed next to the lamp. Little leather chairs + ottomans from Creative Leather.
The handprint tradition continues. (See this post and this post for the info if you missed that before).
The kids’ bags & backpacks hang from these hooks (possibly Razmataz as well?) in the play room.
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The paint color in this room, by the way, is Caribe (UL220-1) by Behr at Home Depot. The grey is Castle Path (730C-3) from Dunn-Edwards. Castle Path is the light grey neutral that is throughout our other main rooms and halls.
We did not buy anything for this project. It was not a re-decorating or re-design at all. It was a cleaning project. It feels awesome to clear out so much and refresh our organization. The kids loved becoming reacquainted with toys they forgot about and loved donating toys they were ready to part with.
“How I lost 6″ in one day” is a bit more catchy than “I got a haircut”. But seriously. Six inches. I’m loving it.
Thank you Brooke for the awesome color. Thank you Wendy for being the friend behind the camera. Thank you Becki!!! for my haircut. Here’s the video. Music is Don’t Stop Believin’ by the Glee cast.
Let me first say … you guys rock. We love our customers. Asking you yesterday to tell me what you want to see in the next round of Project Life? Inspiring. Part of that is due to the fact that most of what you shared and suggested? It’s already in the bag. We’re already down that road and making changes & improvements in those directions. Score. Love when minds seem to be in sync. Thank you for confirming what we felt were good ideas.
And then of course, there were several wonderful suggestions that we hadn’t thought about. There you go again — inspiring us. I care a lot about simplifying the process of documenting life for anyone & everyone who has an interest. You already know that. But after reading every single comment and poring over your feedback, I am even more aware of how Project Life is helping you. And we’re even more committed to continually improving the product that we offer. Thank you for your input. And your support. And your awesomeness.
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{ moving forward }
Guess what we’re going to do for the 2012 round of Project Life? We’re opening this up to other designers! We invite you (or a designer friend of yours) to enter our Design Contest! How fun is that!? If you know Illustrator and you think you’ve got the next greatest idea for how Project Life should look … and you think $1,000 sounds like a fun prize … well, get to work my friend. You’ve got a couple weeks to submit your design ideas. All the details are outlined in this page.
*** UPDATE ***
The deadline has been extended and you now have until Friday 5/13 to submit your designs.
*** Click HERE to download the Illustrator template. ***
Anyone can enter, as long as you know what you’re doing in Illustrator and follow the rules. This is open to designers in any country. This is open to people I know (even personal friends & family) and people I’ve never heard of. This is open to seasoned designers and those still studying the subject. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you live, or what your style … we want to see what you’ll come up with.
The winner(s) will be chosen based on which designs we like best and think mass amounts of people will like best. Period.
PS – If you’re new to my site/brand/product and you want to familiarize yourself with the 2011 Project Life, you can check out those designs here.
We have some very special friends - the Fuchs ("fewks") family - that are adjusting to a "new normal" with their special-needs daughter who had a terrible accident and is now confined to a wheelchair. You can read all about it HERE
For the benefit of Claire's family - and also for the benefit of many generous sponsors - I opened my blog for advertising for one month only! This is temporary + the ads will run February 1 - 29, 2012. 100% of the ad fees have gone directly to Claire's family.
Because of the nature of this fundraiser and the need to keep the entire process very, very simple - we are not taking any more sponsors at this time. Anyone who wants to reach out to the Fuchs family with a note of encouragement, or a letter in the mail, or even a cash donation, can find that information HERE
