Week in the Life -- Some Bloggy Inspiration

Most of you are likely continuing your Week in the Life Project through the weekend. Since I started mine last Saturday, today was my last day of documenting *tear.*

Many other people are blogging and documenting their projects and doing an excellent job of capturing the every day. The moments that are perfect because of their simplicity.

I have been browsing blogs throughout the week using the comments section of Ali's blog as well as the Twitter hashtag #weekinthelife and there's some really great stuff out there. Here are just a few I really enjoyed:

Robyn at Made in Brooklyn

Dianna at Myself and Di

Michele at Dream a Little Dream

Amber at Life in Color

Denise at The Munchkins and Me

I'm so excited to put my album together (hopefully on Sunday!) How's your week of documentation coming along?

Word Strips

I am using a bunch of these word strips from K&Company in my Week in the Life Project. (I don't think they are available anymore, I got them on clearance a while ago...)

I went through the box of word strips and picked out the ones I thought would work with my project. Words like "craft," "April." "husband," "cuddle," "cute," "etc."

There were a LOT of words in there... Some of them pretty weird. Above are some examples of the weird ones I found. This set of words is geared towards scrapbookers. Why would a scrapbooker want to scrapbook about the "city dump?" Or a "gypsy woman?" Or the word "creepy?" So random. Also, the word "epicurean"... I didn't even know what that word meant until I looked it up.

Epicurean: having luxurious tastes or habits, esp. in eating and drinking

Ok then. Well, now I know what it means. It's still totally random though.

Week in the Life -- A Few Photos

A few of my favorite photos so far from this week's Week in the Life Project:

A sunny day.

A relaxing evening.

60 minutes of bettering myself.

How's your week going?

Typewriter Fonts

I am pretty much in love with the look of typewriter print on my scrapbook pages. I have hunted and found a few fonts that I really love and tend to use over and over again on my digital and hybrid pages. I thought that maybe you would like to know about them too! (Also, they are all free, so how could you go wrong?) :-)Kingsthings Printingkit
Kingsthings Trypewriter
Traveling Typewriter
Veteran Typewriter
Old Typewriter
Mom's Typewriter

Uncle Typewriter

All fonts are from dafont.com, a great resource for free fonts to use on any project. Learn how to download and install fonts here (it's SO easy!)

Week in the Life -- Free Template Set!

I have been thinking of something to offer those of you doing Week in the Life digitally... I am doing my Week in the Life project as a hybrid album, but for a lot of you you may be planning to do it completely digitally. You could then upload all your pages to a site like Shutterfly to make a photobook (an excellent idea, by the way.)

So, in order to help out those of you who plan to do Week in the Life digitally, I have created a set of templates that match the format of my album. These templates are 12x12, so you could keep them in a 12x12 format, or easily resize them down to 8x8. Easy peasy lemon squeasy.

Here is my first day of Week in the Life (Saturday, April 17th) using these templates. Two 2-page layouts with lots of photos. :-)

Credits: Papers from Sweet Tweet Designs -- April in Bloom Paper Pack
Journaling:
- I wore MissMatched Socks
- Visited Minneapolis
- Checked out a fabric sale
- Cuddled with kitties
- Found a new favorite bead store
- Bought HUGE marshmallows and had them in hot chocolate
- Watched a lot of Red Sox Baseball
- Played Wheel of Fortune online
- Stayed up late

Annnnnnnnd............ here's your free template set! Use them for Week in the Life or individual pages!
[Download here.]

Enjoy!

Week in the Life -- Approach

This year I very much want to turn my Week in the Life Project into a scrapbook. I have been thinking a lot about how I am going to do this. I want it to be easy and quick, so that I am likely to actually create the album, instead of starting it and never finishing (like a lot of projects I get excited about. Haha.)

I knew that I wanted the album to be in a 8"x8" format. I think I would have a hard time filling up a 12"X12" or 8.5"x11" album for this project. I also feel that anything smaller than 8"x8" wouldn't allow me to include many photos. So, 8x8 is it. :-)

I knew I wanted to use divided page protectors so that I could easily include a lot of photos, as well as full pages. I created a sketch for each day so that they were all consistent, making it easier for me to complete each day and know about how many photos and words I wanted to include.


Every day will include 2 two-page spreads. The first page will include 2 4x6 photos, a strip of paper with a date stamp on it, and one of my days of the week tags.

The second page will be a divided page protector featuring 3.5"x2.5" photos and journaling cards which I created in Photoshop and then printed on white cardstock (this page protector is typically used for baseball cards... I will just trim it down to a 8"x8" size)

The next pages will include another divided page protector (the back of the previous one) and another page with 2 4x6 photos and another tag. Easy, right?

The only small problem I have had with this format so far is that all the photos are portrait. It's not so easy to remember to take all portrait oriented photos. I have had to do some cropping and such, but that's ok. It's working for me and I love the parts of life I have captured so far.

There will be more to come as the album continues to take shape (as well as a little freebie tomorrow!) I can't wait to share this with you. :-)

Week in the Life -- 2010

I decided to start my Week in the Life Project a little early. Most of the scrapbooking community is starting tomorrow (Monday) and continuing through Sunday. I started yesterday and will continue until Friday. The reason for this is that I'm not working this weekend. I feel like I can get more of my life documented if I include a weekend where Jason and I are spending time together and doing fun things (or, in the case of today, being lazy, which is perfect.) :-)

I have been thinking a lot about how I am going to format my Week in the Life Project. I will be posting more about that tomorrow -- how I am setting up my album, how many photos I will be taking and how I will be journaling every day. I always love the idea of a new project and this one is no exception!

If you have been a blog follower for a while, you may remember that I also did this project in 2008. I never actually turned it into a scrapbook (and, I think I only documented 5 day), but I didn't really plan to do much more with it then. I just posted my photos and journaling on my blog and left it at that. That was good enough for me. You can see my posts from 2008 here. My life was very different then, but also very much the same... but still very good. :-)

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For those of you who may not be familiar with Ali Edwards' Week in the Life Project, here is a quick description from her blog:

"Monday through Sunday, I will be documenting a week in my life with photos + words and I invite you to play along. This is a creative adventure. It requires little more than a camera and a willingness to pay attention and gather up stuff from your daily life. Even if you have never scrapbooked before, you can do this project."

Check out Ali's Blog, Twitter, and the 2010 flickr pool to see what other people are up to and how they are approaching this project in 2010.

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So, won't you join me in this project? Document a week in your life, right now. The complicated, the simple, the normal, the every day. You know, life.

Photobooth Friday -- Sisters Edition!

This was a fun one! Erin had just gotten her ears pierced (again), so that explains the second photo of her showing her ear. :-) While she was getting her ears pierced I went all the way to the back of the store and pretended to browse until it was over. You see, funny story, I have a HUGE needle phobia (that's not the funny part... hold on, we're getting there.) When I say HUGE, I mean, I avoid them at all costs. If I need a shot you have to drag me to the hospital to get it, when I have to get blood drawn I pass out. It's bad. So, when I turned 16 I went with a friend to get our ears pierced (it was my second set, my first was done when I was 7). I sat down in the chair, the nice lady pierced both my ears and then told me I was all set. I stood up, turned around, sat down in a different chair, and promptly slid out of the chair onto the floor. Yup, I passed out from getting my ears pierced! I wasn't out for too long because I heard someone ask if they should call 911 and then woke up and told them not to, and that I was fine. Then I ate a banana and felt a little less light-headed. Anyway, that's why I went to the back of the store. needles and me, in any form at all, do not get along.

Ok, since you endured that little flashback of mine (thank you if you are still reading by the way, you are a true friend to get all the way through that story) I want to share this video with you. The photobooth that we were in does an 'Instant Replay' while the photos are printing. It's hilarious. So, for your viewing pleasure, the making of the above photobooth photo strip. :-D Happy Friday!!!

Printable Tags Freebie!

In preparation for Ali Edwards' Week in the Life Project (a yearly project which you can find more info about here) I have made these tags to go into this year's album!


I thought I would just make these for myself to use, but why not share them with everyone?!? So, feel free to use these for your own album, or any other project you are working on!


First, print the sheet of tags out on white cardstock (or another color!) and gather your supplies. I used a paper trimmer as well as the Fiskars 2" Circle Punch to punch out the tags. (I totally recommend these punches... I have lots and they are great and so easy to use!)

Next, cut the cardstock so that your punch will be able to reach the tag design. I trimmed mine right to the edge of the color of the tags. (See the top of the above photo.)

Next, line up your punch so that your tag is centered and punch away!

I have included three sheets of tags in three different color schemes. One neutral, one bright, and one turquoise (aka: the colors I will be using in my album.) Each sheet is a PDF and includes 12 tags with the labels Monday-Friday, One Week, Weekend, Everyday, Gratitude, and Family.

[Download here.]

I hope you enjoy this little bonus freebie! Remember, Ali's Week in the Life Project starts on April 19th so gather your supplies and get ready to document a week of your life! :-)

It's Baseball Season People!

About 6 months ago, when Jason and I moved to Minnesota, we found out (thanks for cluing us in Corinne!) that the Minnesota Twins would be opening their new OUTDOOR ball park this April with a series against the Red Sox. You know, MY Red Sox. :-) The same boys I loved in Boston, are visiting Minnesota this week!

The first game, the Twins Home Opener, was on Monday. It was a good game. The Twins beat the Sox and (dare I say) I'm really happy for them that they won the first game they played in their new home.


The series continued today and Jason and I had tickets (we do tomorrow too!) It was really great to see our Red Sox do their thang (they won 6-3 today!) It was also REALLY great to see the new Target Field -- The Minnesota Twins new home. I firmly believe that baseball should be played outdoors, and this field is a beautiful place to do it! I mean, check out the view! The park is right in Minneapolis, with the city skyline in the background. I love it.


Jason and I treated ourselves to some hot dogs for lunch (they were no Fenway Franks, but they were definitely yummy!) and some beer! One great thing about Target Field... they have good beer! Jason and I each got a Summit Maibock, one of our favorite local brews. Yum!


(Decked out in Red Sox gear and we didn't even get many comments about it. Minnesotans are so nice. Oh yeah, and their catcher isn't bad on the eyes either. Hubba.)

Ok, so do you guys want to know one of the BEST things about Target Field? Yeah, so, they have cupcakes. Seriously! Great big ones! I got the chocolate with chocolate frosting and chocolate ganache filling (lots of chocolate!) It was DE-LI-CIOUS! They also had Red Velvet, which I will certainly have to try. Below is a photo that represents a perfect day for me.


A baseball game with my husband, a beer, and a chocolate cupcake. Perfection. :-D


PS - I am a Red Sox fan through and through... However, I live in Minnesota now and definitely want to see the Twins do well. As long as they are not playing the Red Sox, I like the Twins. Just so you know where I stand when you see more pics of me at baseball games this summer, routing for the Twins and St. Paul's own Mr. Mauer. :-)

Tuesday Template Freebie!

I'm back! And with a Tuesday freebie for you! These photos were taken while my sister was visiting this past week... she LOVES Jamba Juice.

The inspiration for the layout actually came from the home page of the Jamba Juice website.


Can I just say that I LOVE how this page turned out. I love the colors, I love the photos, and I love the minimalist straight-line design. Really. I'm so happy! :-) Here's the layout:

Journaling: Erin loves going to Jamba Juice SO MUCH when she vists us in Minnesota. She always gets the Pomegranate Pick-Me-Up Smoothie. It’s so yummy!
Credits: Papers are from NiNi Goes Digi, fonts are from Kevin & Amanda (Mee-Mee, Matt & Kari)

And, here you go! Your freebie template for the week! :-)

[Download here.]

I am back to regular blogging this week... last week my younger sister, Erin, was here so I was spending a lot of time with her (hence, lots of Jamba Juice for us!) We had SO MUCH fun! I can't wait for her to come back!

Enjoy the freebie!

A New Look!

So, whadaya think? Do you like it? I'm kind of in love with it myself. :-)

(If you have no idea what I'm talking about, then you are either a new friend... HI!... or, you are reading this in a reader of some sort... if so, click on over to my homepage and check out my blog's new look!)

This has been a long time coming... I think I started dreaming about a new look since about a week after I changed my blog header (again, for the 19th time). Hehe. I'm always looking to change things up and I think this will definitely make this feeling go away for a while (at least, as far as the blog is concerned! Hehe!)

My love of change is why I moved the furniture around in my room every week when I was living at home, why my husband and I move to a new apartment or town or state every year, and why, when we get a house, I will likely be painting rooms different colors constantly (sorry in advance Jason!) :-)

Anywho, part of the reason I like the new blog look is because I designed it! Yup! (In fact, that's why it took me many long hours to do it... I will be the first to admit that I really don't know what I'm doing when it comes to blog designing... hehe.) My favorite part? The purple flower up there in the header. I made that. :-D It's from this tutorial (from the incredible Julie over at Inkredible Stamping) that the amazing Lolly recently posted on her blog week. It was the inspiration for the new look!

My second favorite thing... the buttons up there... Roll your mouse over them and see what happens... go ahead, I'll wait.... dum de dum.... ok, are you back? I KNOW! HOW COOL IS THAT!?!? I love it so much!

One last thing... Because I love photos so much, here is my cute little blog before:


And after!

This makeover actually goes along quite nicely with my 2 year blogiversary! YES! I have been blogging for two years! How insane is that? This is post #448! That's a lot of craftiness/randomness people! Don't you just love it? I know I do! :-)

Let me know what you think about the new look in the comments! :-D I would love to hear from you!

Tuesday Template Freebie!

Happy Tuesday my lovely blog readers! Here is your weekly freebie... a 12x12 template designed by little old me! Here is the page I made with the template:

Journaling: I just love having fun with my bestest friend Kristen. To get this photo we had to climb up a stone wall... Jason helped me up and I ended up kicking him in the process. All for a photo that I LOVE!
Credits: Papers and embellishments by Sweet Tweet Designs

The inspiration for this layout came from a web page on Beaducation.com. I was viewing one of their free classes and thought that the layout looked really nice! :-D Definitely check them out if you like making your own jewelry.


And, here is the preview!
[Download here.]

Enjoy!