Week In The Life | Thursday Photos + Words

Well. It's getting to mid-point and I am having a hard time writing things down and taking pictures. I can't believe how much harder this is from the last time I did WITL. Life gets in the way which is the story of mine. Oh well.

Garage is finished (mostly).

Most of Brook's homework is online this year. She is part of a pilot program at her school where she has to go to several websites linked through a main online suite and upload her homework assignments into a chat where she can post discussions. It reminds me of college. My how things have changed.

 

At her Activity Days program with our church, Brook learned about babysitting. She didn't want to go to this one because she felt she already knew all she ever wanted to about the subject. After getting a bag full of games and entertainment for the "kids", she was glad she did and got started right in with reading to Garrett.

 

Brook's planner, today.

Warm wishes,

Week In The Life | Wednesday Words + Photos

Time has a way of getting away from us. I'm grateful for Week In The Life and the fact that I can choose to make this as simple or extravagant as I choose. Simple today.

Whatchadoin' Mom?

The ever-present sippy. 

At the table for dinner. Sweet blues.

I picked up these placemats at a toy store at Gardner Village.
Now we play the States Game most every night. Our fifth grader
is going to be the best in her class at capitals!

A little different Selfie.

View while enroute home. This cloud was just highlighted so
vibrantly. I hate that I am not a skilled enough photographer
 to accurately capture what I see.

Well, as usual it didn't take long for me to fall off the wagon in taking pictures and documenting my day. I think this is in part because I am a fail at Project Life in general. I have been stalking Ali's and Becky's sites for a few years, but have yet to actually start. I occasionally get ambitious and take a ..photo or two... for a day. Or two. Then they sit on my hard drive or uploaded to be printed.

And I am busy. Being a mom is hard work! Lol! The other thing is I keep trying to do this with CTMH supplies, but think I may have to break down and buy Becky's kit in the interest in getting them done.. Getting better though. This is another step!

Week In The Life | Tuesday Photos + Words

I really fell off the #weekinthelife wagon. Hard. Man, this is difficult. Having a really hard time taking pictures and documenting. Had to go back and fill in the gaps to my log on Wednesday. Oh, well. This is me. And I'm rolling with it. At least I know it's just not me feeling defeated; feeling a failure in that I can't seem to get any crafting done; worrying I am not getting done what I need/want to in the craft room. I really am that busy. Kids. House. Work. School. Brandon. Kids. House. Dinner. Diet. Kids. House. Homework. Snacks. Brandon. Kids...

Pretty introspective today. It's 9/11 and while that is starting to fade from people's thoughts and emotions, it still means a lot to me. See my thoughts here.

Went to work today and didn't take a single picture. I spend so much time there, but I hate having an hourly picture of the same view over and over. I can't show what really goes on behind the scenes, so it's frustrating to not be able to document this the way I want. So I won't. You can see how much time I log on my dailies. Too much.

Love the clouds. The weather is sometimes brushed off as unmeaningful, reduced to basic chatter when people don't know what to say to each other. But I love it! Heavenly Father has provided such a beautiful place for us. Loved how the sun shone on just one spot on the mountain, with the tumultuous clouds of the passing storm just above.

 A flag in every yard. This was one of the best things that happened after 9/11. People grew impassioned and patriotic. Remembered their pride in this great nation. There were flags everywhere! You couldn't look without seeing the Stars & Stripes. Do you remember? Oh, I loved this. If you miss this, look up your local 9/12 Project chapter and invigorate your community.

 Homework in the 5th grade is mostly on the computer. Aidan is jealous of the learning "games" Brook gets to play everyday. I think it's ironic that the schools tell us parents to limit kids' screen time.... and then assign computer games as homework.

 The Sippy. Still such a part of our lives.

 Dinnertime sitting next to one of my faves.

Enjoy your week!

Warm wishes,

Week In The Life | Monday Photos + Words

So excited for WITL to be here! I was going to do the digital layered templates Ali put together, but instead have decided to go with Studio J for simplicity and to keep it Close To My Heart. Very enthusiastic but feel like this is a huge project to jump back in with. Although, that's kind of why I committed - To jump-start my motivation for the best-ever season!

I used Ali's daily pages from 2011 again. I find this is really easy and helpful. And I love the way they look.

Here's a look at my day in photos + words:

 Getting ready for school.

  "Happy Anniversary, Mom!" The kids made us this cute card. Sure made our day.

 Dishes. My most *favorite* time of the day. Not. (It doesn't help that our family needs at least 2 loads per day. I am even lucky enough to only have to do one most of the time!)

 Laundry day.

 Bright eyes! Such a cute bed-head.

 Having breakfast with "Chuck".

 Totally, completely and unbelievably innocent.

 Teaching Colt how it's done. It's a time-honored tradition passed on from brother to brother.

 Lunch = leftover pizza. Got my plannin' on.

Whew, that went by fast! Mom & Dad were kind enough to come get the kids for a few hours so we could get a last-minute date night for our Anniversary.

Observations
And despite that easy planning, I still didn't get very much down. I found out I am still so very busy! And the house is a mess. As I went to take photos I zeroed in on the clutter. Having Mom at work all day is taking its toll in more ways than one.

Life is busy right now. I'm glad I captured a small window on my Week in the Life. See my other attempt at this here. And stop back for more days.

Warm wishes,

September Specials

It's been a crazy busy summer and I'm glad to be back! Thanks for bearing with me these past few months.

Girls Camp is over and done, kids are back to school and it's time to get my craft on! How 'bout it?!

Enjoy the lovely pre-Autumn air (and all that free time since the kids are back in) and come make some cards! There is still time to get in the Everyday Cards class tomorrow night at 6pm at my home in South Jordan. 4 cards for $5 and we'll build up your 'stache, Er.. stash again! RSVP BY TEXT, EMAIL OR PHONE TODAY! (Hint: we'll be using the Subway art-inspired SOTM.)

National Stamping Month: You Are My Happy (September 1-30, 2013): 3 times the fun with our new stamp set trio for only $10 with a qualifying purchase. Get an exclusive You Are My Happy stamp set trio in celebration of National Stamping Month! During the month of September, when you make a purchase of $50 or more, you qualify for this whimsical stamp set trio for only $10. You’ll love the whimsical alphabet, light-hearted sentiments, and fanciful images for a variety of occasions to give a cheerful touch to your projects, with a full retail value of $47.90. *Offer valid September 1-30, 2013. Placing a minimum order of $50 is required for qualification.

Stamp of the Month (SOTM):
BEAUTIFUL STAMPS, AMAZING DISCOUNTS

Each month you can enjoy a new D-size stamp set, available for one month only, for just $5 —that’s over 70% off retail! When you place an order of $50 or more in Close To My Heart products, you qualify for this special Stamp of the Month pricing.

September 2013: Poster Tidings (S1309A) Spend $50 and get this Stamp of the Month set for just $5. (With the $50 qualifying purchase for the Trio, above, this set is only $5 more!)

INCREDIBLY COOL CRAFTS

In love with the artwork shown created with this stamp set by the fabulous CTMH Art Dept? Go to my website for shopping lists and more ideas! http://trishamorton.ctmh.com (Don't forget to check out the While Supplies Last section under SHOP while you're there, and pick up some newly-added clearance items for as little as $0.85!)

Join me on my blog this week as I post my Week in the Life photos and words. I did this last in 2011 and really had a fun time of it. I started chronicling my daily activities, thoughts and observations yesterday and I'll continue through Sunday. Then I'll post my album pages and assembled album. Look for my older posts under tag Week In The Life and learn more at http://www.aliedwards.com

Trish

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.10

Stay Tuned...

Family Photo Albums ~ Let's Get Started!

Along with January comes it's many resolutions, promises and big plans. Many of us resolve to be better photographers, better Moms, better scrapbookers and definitely better organized! If you're like me, you have a few plans for your family albums this year which fit in to one or more of these categories. We get so excited making our big plans and then halfway through spring we've hardly had time to tackle that elephant. Don't set your self up for failure. Instead be smart and plan accordingly! Here is a great site I ran across today highlighting how to tackle that elephant (one bite at a time) and set yourself up for success.

Family Photo Album Tips {Photography Project} | I Heart Faces

I can tell you I have resolved to do all of the things listed above and since I have no patience and am a self-described procrastinator, I will probably be seen stuffing my mouth full of that elephant now and again. Just don't beat yourself up about it! Get back on track and try, try again.

That said, I have resolved to redefine the way I scrapbook this year. Last year, I created my first Week in the Life scrapbook and learned so much about myself and my methods. You can read about that here. As a result of the New Year and deliverance of the most precious baby ever (see him here). I want to do something more involved and also easier (contradictions, that's me!) Let me explain. That will take too long. Let me sum up. (2 points to the person who can name the movie that quote came from!)

I really like the philosophy of Becky Higgins and Ali Edwards after doing the Week in the Life and following Becky's Project Life on her blog. Do I have time to do this? Obviously not judging by the big piles of stuff on my desk. Still. I want to get this done for my children instead of getting frustrated trying to catch up. And I'm gonna do it the Close To My Heart way!

So I'm gonna take a page out of my own book here and follow my own advice to take it one small bite at a time. The first thing I'm going to do is start scrapbooking  the now. I'll try to catch up as I go, but honestly, the now is passing us by as I keep focusing on things I'm trying to tie up from 6 years ago in my anal chronological way. No more.

I'm starting a reduced version of Project Life, which is, after all, still Project Life. It doesn't have to be 365 days a year. Becky even said so, so there. =) I'm gonna do it in 12 months per year. This also goes along with the 12 12 12 project. 12 Scrapbook Albums for 12 months of 2012. The key, as we learned from iHeart Faces is to start NOW on the now.

So get your file structure in order and download your photos accordingly. Then at the end of the month complete your first page for January 2012. And guess what. You can do your title page now and design your game plan. So let's get started chewing that elephant so we're not gaggin' on it in February.

Warm wishes,

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.6

Happy New Year and a Christmas Layout {Studio J}

It's the end of another year. We had many great memories together and I hope to have inspired you at least once during that time. With year's end comes a moment of reflection and and a list of "I will.." resolutions for the new year.

Some Great Moments
Two blog awards!
Week In The Life 2011
Ann Lessner wining my first blog candy contest.
Magic Layouts
April Fool's Day {Colt}
Countdown to Valentine's Day

Welcoming A New Year
I'm including January's Constant Campaign info today as I'll be out of the office on Sunday the first for New Year's. There's a lot a fun coming up in 2012 with brand new classes and stunning artwork! Start signing up for classes as space will go quickly. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, there's something for everyone. Mark your calendars now and sign up today!

January
Play Dates
This month make three layouts from Wonderland. With your Basic Kit you get enough supplies to complete 3 layouts and you get to take home an exclusive C-size stamp set to keep!

Wonderland Kit (G1031)

Retail value: $33.78 / You Pay: $29.95
Wonderland Level 2 Paper Packet (X7146B)
White Daisy Cardstock Sheets
My Acrylix® Wonderland Workshop Stamp Set (C-size)
Clear Sparkles (Z1104)
Foundry® Pin Clips (Z1612)
Instructional Brochure

Rock the Block

When you place a minimum order of $25 from the Autumn/Winter 2011 Idea Book, you can get two valuable new products for just $15: the My Creations^® Collage Cubes (a Spring/Summer 2012 sneak-peek product!) and the exclusive My Acrylix^® Rock the Block E-size stamp set (available only during this promotion). This Rock the Block promotion represents a retail savings of almost $30! You're going to love the collage cubes and the Rock the Block stamp set, which work together for interactive, fashionable fun!

Dates: Offer valid December 19, 2011–January 31, 2012.

Perfect 10
January is free layout month for Studio J^® members! For every 9 custom-printed Studio J layouts you buy, you’ll receive the 10th layout free. To receive the discount, just add 10 or more layouts to your cart. You’ll see a discount reflected in your order total. And you can totally take advantage of this promotion by ordering in multiples of 10. Buy 9, get 1 free. Buy 18, get 2 free. Buy 27, get 3 free. And so on! If you’re not a member yet, now’s a great time to join!
Dates: Offer valid January 1, 2012–January 31, 2012.

Stamp of the Month (SOTM)
Get the stamp of the month for just $5 when you order $50 in products during the month! This month is for all of your little reminders and it's great for Save The Dates!

February
Spring/Summer 2012 Idea Book is live for customers on the first and it is SPECTACULAR. You can see it online at closetomyheart.com or you can get one in your hands by calling me TODAY!!

Countdown to Valentine's Day
Here on the blog we'll be counting down the days until Valentine's Day with a fun project every day. Whether cards, layouts or gifts for your sweetheart, this is the place to be to get some GREAT ideas!

I can't wait to see you in the new year! Reserve your spot today and have a Happy New Year!

Warm wishes,

Week In The Life {Completed Album}

Thanks for hanging in there while I finished up my Week In The Life project (designed by Ali Edwards, you can read about it here.) I ended up deciding to forego the extra pictures. There were a few that I really liked, which I may add into a divided photo sleeve later, but for now I decided if I wasn't going to scrapbook them, I didn't need to print them.

I completed this in Studio J, Close To My Heart's Online Scrapbooking Software which made it super easy to complete several layouts in the same style and papers to keep the album uniform. And it ended up being WAY cheaper than a traditional scrapbook!

The journalling came from my blog mostly which made it easy to cut and paste into the digital pages and I love that it all coordinates! This first page is meant to split as the title and end page of the album, with the daily layouts in between.

Words + Photos

How It All Started
I saw a link from Ali Edwards' blog on her project Week In The Life. She also does a large photographic essay called Project Life, where she documents things every week in photos and in words. This seemed a little bit overwhelming for me, but I thought the week might be something to try. So I researched her blog like crazy and looked at other peoples' creations and decided to give it a try. I thought this would be a fun exercise to get me brainstorming in the craft room as I have felt lacking in motivation for a while now.


I started out as Ali did, just by documenting for the first week. Take your camera everywhere and a notepad and pen to write down your thoughts. Some people found Facebook and Twitter to be helpful in documenting. I really liked the free downloads that Ali herself provided. 


Photos
Week In The Life {Monday}
Week In The Life {Tuesday}
Week In The Life {Wednesday}
Week In The Life {Thursday}
Week In The Life {Friday}
Week In The Life {Saturday}
Week In The Life {Sunday}

Week In The Life {Completed Album}

I had a lot of fun doing this project and hope to do it more often as a great way to document our family lives in such a detail-oriented way. The magical and the mundane should both be spotlighted for us all to enjoy!

Warm wishes,