the moments in between

magic 2014

Since I'm not even done with my 2013 album, I thought I'd go ahead and start my 2014 album. Totally makes sense, right? Okay, so maybe not... but I do have my reasons.

As I've been working on the framework for my 2013 Disney Handbook, I've kept 2014 in mind. I want the planning I'm doing for my first album to be a formula I can repeat. Since I have a basic idea of what that album is going to look like, I was able to jump on a little Pinterest inspiration to get started with the title page. This was a great chance to try out the planning ideas I've been working on before I share them with all of you. 

It isn't much - and I had to swipe a photo from last year to get the full effect. ;) But I think it will be enough to give me a push to get to working on it when we get home from our trip!

Supplies : Brighton Pier - Handbook, Script Transparency, Assorted Huey's Masks, Buckaroo Silver Thickers, Blue Ridge & Funnel Cake patterned paper, Tiny Type Stickers; Sandlot Scrapbook kit - "5", washi tape; mist -Mister Huey's; sequins & enamel dots - Color Theory; other - Tiny Attacher, 2x2in WRMK pocket page

Poet Society Reveal

I arrived home late last night, after a Sonic powered week of making the sorts of plans that fill an entire conference room sized whiteboard. I always come home from these trips excited about what's  ahead and a smidge bit overwhelmed about making it actually happen. This trip ramped that up to 11, and 2015 is looking like it will be awesome.

In the midst of the scheming, meetings and outlining, the Studio Calico Poet Society reveal happened. This month's kits contained enough charcoal and navy to make me a happy girl, a lovely vintage floral patterned paper that I fell in love with, and enough fun ephemera packs to keep and bits and pieces scrapper like me filled with glee.

There's that pink floral paper. I didn't use much, but it's the little pop that brings this page together. I love the look on Ben's face in this photo. He was all-in and totally happy at Disney. Love. 

Matthew took this photo of Ben and his telescope. I love that silhouetted boy and his big dreams, and a zillion vellum stars make the perfect backdrop for a layout like this. 

They don't always get along. Sometimes it feels like they NEVER get along, not when all three are involved. But watching their three very different personalities play off each other is always very cool - and yes, more so when it's happy interaction.

These days...  already seem so long ago. I came home to rain and temps that feel decidedly fall. 

You can see full supply lists for these project over in the Studio Calico gallery - AND (good news!), there are a few add-ons still available. Including the Whitman add-on with the silkscreen I used on my "These Days" layout and this Rocket stamp set I couldn't resist snagging while I was in the Studio Calico warehouse. I also brought home the six newest Color Theory Inks, and some shop goodies for an upcoming class release. ;) What did you grab this month? 

Studio Calico offers three types of monthly kits - Scrapbook, Card & Project Life® - as well as add-on kits and shop items to complement them. A new kit is revealed on the 27th of each month (at noon EST if you're a subscriber, at midnight EST if you aren't). For more information (or to start your own subscription!), click here. 

 

Poet Society Sneaks

I took my mess on the road. I'm in Bowling Green at the Studio Calico offices this week, and my kit came with me. I took over April's desk and spent some time working on Poet Society projects last night. Here's a little peek of what's coming to my gallery this reveal : 

Those alpha stamps are named after Alex & Ben, and they are awesome. They'll be available at noon EST tomorrow.

Hello, Whitman. It has a silkscreen in it. So easy to use. I went over it with a Colorbox gold ink pad.

There are some really fun ephemera packs in the add-ons this month... and I'm a sucker for a good tag.

 

The PL stamp set is super fun this month - definitely the sort of thing I'll use again and again.

Reveal is tomorrow - and I'm looking forward to being in the office for that excitement! The subscriber presale and gallery reveal will be at noon EST, and the full reveal is at midnight. See you there!

Studio Calico offers three types of monthly kits - Scrapbook, Card & Project Life® - as well as add-on kits and shop items to complement them. A new kit is revealed on the 27th of each month (at noon EST if you're a subscriber, at midnight EST if you aren't). For more information (or to start your own subscription!), click here. 

one road trip | 19 photos | 1 Project Life® page

Back at the start of June, we took a quick road trip to St Louis and Kansas City. We explored some amazing new places, visited some old favorites, and came home with a lot of photos and memories.

While my favorite photos and stories will find their way onto layouts, I love having a a complete overview of the trip. I debated doing a mini album, but decided to keep it simple and use a coin page protector to make an insert for my Project Life® album.

I printed 19 photos from the trip at 1.75x1.75, and then trimmed them to 2x2in to have a white border.  added paper from the Sandlot 4x6in paper pad to the other pockets, and added a few embellishments. The Noted stamp set made a fun addition to some of the squares.

I am really digging these 2x2in pockets - they're fun to fill with paper scraps and left over embellishments, and a great way to share a lot of photos in a small space. 

Supplies : Coin Page Protector, Sandlot 4x6in paper pad, Color Theory Inks - Mint Hint, Deja Blue, Clean Slate, Noted Stamp Set, Yeah Yeah and Repeat add-ons

almost the end

The last trip to the pool. The last camp. The last up too late night. The last lazy morning. For the last three months, we've done everything and nothing.

The time for summer adventures is coming to a close, and back to school nights and school supply lists are creeping in. It went too fast. But I'm ready to get back into a routine.

the 5 stages of a big project

I've found that big memory keeping projects go through several stages.

1) The honeymoon | You've come up with the project, you're excited to get going. You're full of ideas. This is going to be THE BEST PROJECT EVER.

2) Disenchantment  | You've started pulling product together and sorting photos and suddenly the whole project looks really. really. REALLY daunting. You wonder why you thought this was a good idea and become really good at procrastination.

3) The soldier through phase | You give yourself a stern look and a kick in the pants and make yourself sit down and get some work done.

4) The tipping point | You get just enough of the project put together that you're really excited about what it's going to be when it gets done. The spark is relit, you're back to the honeymoon phase and can't wait to do more.

5) Repeat until finished | Depending on just how big the project is and how motivated you are to finish it up, you may go through stages 1-4 many times. The finished project will be good enough to put you back into the honeymoon phase just as soon as you think of a new big project.

After spending waaaaaaaaaaay too long in the "disenchantment" phase, the realization that we are heading back to Florida in just over 3 months kicked me firmly into "soldier through" gear. I've been digging through my photos since this post two weeks ago, and finally came up with a plan for the album. I've got one days worth of photos printed and into the book, and while nothing is "finished" other than this little number 4 insert, I can't wait to keep going. I'll be sharing my plan (and a tutorial for my album cover) soon - just need to get it all written out. I'm excited about how it's coming together and can't wait to share more.

they say it's your birthday

I love that Project Life® forces me to pick up the slack when it comes to recording certain things. I have never been good about scrapping events - even big ones like birthdays. 

I've fallen into a good system of getting those celebrations into my PL - devoting one page to the birthday boy, complete with a BIG picture. I've finished 2/3 of this year's birthdays recently. I guess I'd better get Alex's done ASAP. =)

I put Ben's page together with the Sandlot Project Life® kit. Still in love with Gold Brilliance Ink on vellum, even if it doesn't photograph well. (complete supply list here)

And for Sam's, I dug into Studio Calico's Brighton Pier collection. He's only been seven for 3 days, so I'm feeling on top of things for having this done. (complete supply list here)

Do you do anything special to record birthdays in your PL album?