A Digital Layout - 7 Things I Love Right Now

I've been super busy lately getting ready for the official launch of my new site, Simple Crafter. If you haven't signed up yet, you should! Because I said so! Or, because it's awesome... or both. ;)

Anywho, I actually guest posted on Simple Scrapper today with a free digital template for you to download and use to create a page!

Go check out the post here!

The post features a layout I created using my template with 7 Things I Love Right Now.

Journaling:

1) Everett - I’m not sure how a dog can bring so much joy into someone’s life, and at the same time completely stress me out, but this guy does. At times he’s a complete angel and other times all he does is find things to chew on. It doesn’t matter though, even when I scold him he looks at me like he loves me and I can’t help but do the same.

2) Cupcakes - Cupcakes just make me so happy. They are comforting and happy and come in all different flavors! There isn’t a shortage of place to get good cupcakes here either! There are shops all over that carry delicious cupcakes and I may frequent them much more often than I should, or at any chance I get. It’s a beautiful thing.

3) Photobooths - I just love photobooths. I especially love to drag people into photobooths. I’m not sure they always appreciate it but it’s ok because everyone loves getting those strips at the end. :) Recently I discovered the Mobile Photobooth App and I have been finding excuses to to use it! It’s SO fun and probably second only to the real thing.

4) Blue Skies - It’s really nice to go outside and see a blue sky. In the dead of winter, even when it’s below zero, it’s still beautiful and I can really appreciate the season when the sky is this colorful. Sure, my fingers and toes may be frozen and my eyelids feel like they may freeze shut, but it’s still beautiful.

5) Books - I’ve always liked reading but lately I’ve been staying up much later than I should with my nose in a book. This is mostly because I am re-reading the Harry Potter series (something I have been meaning to do since the 1st movie came out) and can’t seem to put them down!

6) My Camera - I got my new DSLR back in May but it still seems new to me. It always seems like there is something new to learn about it, and I just love it. I am always happy with how photos come out with this camera and I couldn’t love it more. I just wish I knew more about it!

7) Bubble Baths - What’s better than a hot bubble bath at the end of the day? I seriously couldn’t tell you. Especially with the weather we have been having lately (cold cold COLD) a bath is just amazing. All I need to complete the experience is a good book or magazine and I can literally stay in there for hours.

I'll be back soon and I apologize for my absence while I get ready to launch the new site! :)

50 Questions that will Free Your Mind (Part 1)

I just love things like this. Mostly I love looking back on these answers months from now and seeing the differences in how I would answer these questions. Below are the answer to the first 25 questions. (I borrowed this idea from Tidbits.)

1. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are? This is a good one. I think I would be 22. I definitely don't feel quite mature enough to be 25, and I really really don't feel like I'm a teenager anymore (wow, so glad those insane years are over... it was good but not something I would do again!) 22 seems like a nice age to be.
2. Which is worse, failing or never trying? Never trying. You will never KNOW until you try. When you try and fail, at least you know what it was like to try.
   
3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do? Wow, I just saw this quote on Tumblr too! Life IS short. I think savoring the moments you have, all of them, not just the important ones, and doing all you can in your life is all we can do. There is so much that is asked of us, we need to sit back and enjoy ourselves more often.
   
4. When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done? I sure hope not. I think it's easier to say this when the year is fresh and new, but really, I hope to do less talking about things and more doing things in my life.
   
5. What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world? Hands down, tolerance. People need to accept people for who they are, stop being hateful for no reason, and focus on who a person is. People are people, and that's it. Nothing less.
   
6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich? What an awesome question. I think if I were an artist, or the owner of a cute boutique that sold cute things, or if I helped animals... or a scuba instructor, I always thought that would be a cool thing to do.
   
7. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing? I have the incredible opportunity to do what I believe in right now. And I am so grateful for it.
   
8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently? These are all really good questions. I wouldn't save much money. I would spend it all on traveling a lot and seeing a lot and meeting a lot of people... and then when I was about the age I am now, I would probably want a family. That depends on how much I actually got to travel though. :)
9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken? Maybe 12%. Haha. I feel like the people in my life have influenced me a great deal and they are why I am who I am. My passions and the things I love are my own, but where I am in life right now, and how much I LOVE my life is because of my loved ones.
10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things? Doing the right things. I can tell you though, when I am doing the right things, I know it. I just have to find what they are.
    
11. You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire. They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend. The criticism is distasteful and unjustified. What do you do? Tell them, politely, that I'm not sure where all the criticism is coming from but that she is a friend of mine and could we please talk about something else. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but that doesn't mean I need to sit and listen to it.
12. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be? Don't take life too seriously.
    
13. Would you break the law to save a loved one? Of course. (I assume 'save' means 'save someone's life." If it means save someone from being associated with the law breaking themselves, then no. Definitely not.)
    
14. Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity? Always. Though, I value most forms of creativity more than most people. Children drawing on the walls? I wish I could do that to my walls and feel ok about it!
    
15. What’s something you know you do differently than most people? Listen. My hearing is extremely acute. I haven't found a benefit to this, but it's definitely different than most.
    
16. How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy? Happy is defined differently for everyone. I do wish I could show people the things I find happy though, so that they can find joy in them as well. I'm sure it's the same with everyone though.
    
17. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back? Go to Italy and Greece. Money and time is holding me back. Lots of other trips and things come up in a year and before you know it, it hasn't happened. It will though.
    
18. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of? Probably. I tend to be bitter until the very end when it comes to things I care deeply about. And most things I care about at all, I care deeply about. It's a flaw, but one I have learned to embrace (for the most part.) Hee.
19. If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why? France. Or Italy. Or Greece. Or Spain. Or.... can you tell I want to live in Europe? :) So much history, so much to do and see, and such an amazing experience it would be.
    
20. Do you push the elevator button more than once? Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster? Haha, sometimes I do, but it definitely doesn't work that way and I know it.
    
21. Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton? Joyful simpleton. Definitely. What's the point of knowing a lot if you can't be happy about it?
    
22. Why are you, you? The people around me have influenced who I am. I'd like to say I am me and I this is as good as it's going to get, but I frequently look back on my life and think that I really had no idea what I was talking about back then. So, in 2 years, I bet I will say the same thing about myself right now. But hey, I do what I can with what I have. ;)
    
23. Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend? Yes. I hope everyone who I am close to knows that. At the same time, I hope you forgive me for sometimes taking more than giving, but I'd like to think it evens out in the end. :)
    
24. Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you? Since I am the good friend who moves away all the time, I'm going to go with 'losing touch with a friend who lives near you.' Knowing what it is like to have friends who live far away, it's actually pretty great. I have people I love everywhere, and I know it. And no matter where I go, or where they go, it will stay that way. What a good feeling.
    
25. What are you most grateful for? I've answered this before, and even recently, but it's Jason. Plain and simple, my husband is my best friend, the person who I can't imagine life without, the one person I would rather spend time with than anyone, the person who takes care of me, supports me, and loves me unconditionally.
    

Hello Winter.

I know it's been winter for a while now (since, you know, before Christmas!) but I think winter gets overshadowed by Christmas. Also, REAL winter (like, below zero winter) starts in Minnesota right around now. So, happy winter!

In honor of winter I've changed my blog (again!) to blue hues. I think I love it. I'm sure though, by the time April rolls around, I'll be more than ready to welcome spring! Until then though, a brisk walk in the snow is refreshing and beautiful!

Two? Did she just say two?!?

In a word, if I had to describe myself in the last week or so I would have to say I have been SCATTERBRAINED! I have never felt more like my brain was in 11 places. It's not bad, or even stressful, it just is. I feel like I'm still catching up from being away for the holidays, as well as chasing two dogs around all day.

Wait, did she just say "two?"

Yes, yes she did!

We now have two dogs! We are trying out fostering a pup so we have our dog, Everett, and our foster dog, Pepper. He's so sweet and they get along really well. Pepper even likes the cats (the cats don't like him, but that's expected.)

If you are in the Minnesota area and are interested in an incredibly sweet, beautiful dog, you should come over and meet this guy. Find more info about him on the Secondhand Hounds website and blog.

Project 365 - 2011

When I did Project 365 back in 2009, I had to put a lot of time and effort into the project. In the end, I never even finished the album portion, but I consider it successful anyway because all of my photos and journaling are over on my Project 365 Blog that I kept all year. I loved doing the project and have been looking for new ways to incorporate it into my life this year.

Last year I attempted to complete a two-page layout for each month. I think I got through March and then stopped. It was always on my to do list to keep doing the layouts, but I just wasn't feeling it. I let it go and I was ok with it.


This year, I'm starting up again. I was thinking about doing a photos + journaling project again but the journaling is sometimes really hard for me with "everyday" photos. If I take 3 photos of my dog they will basically all say the same thing.

I also have trouble with including photos from many sources. It takes time to get all the photos together in one place from two different cameras plus my iPhone. I also always want to include more than one photo per day when I go on vacation or somewhere I take more photos in one day.

All these things considered, this year I am using my iPhone to document a photo every day. I downloaded the Project 365 App (it's free!) and I'm just going to use only iPhone photos for each photo every day. If I want to print them later, or make an album of some sort, I can, but I'm not sure that I will do that yet. For now I'm just taking them, adding them to the app, and calling it a day. :)

Now, let me tell you one thing though... I really hate cell phone photos. Really. I don't like seeing people at events that are important parts of their lives, taking cell phone photos. I know something is better than nothing, but simple digital cameras are so inexpensive these days and the quality of the photos are 1,000x better! That being said, I know some phones take really nice photos too, but not most. When I upgraded to the iPhone 4 I was excited to have a better camera for blogging purposes. I have been pleased with the quality and, for this project, it will work perfectly.

So tell me, are you participating in a Photo-a-Day project this year? Have you ever?

One Little Word - 2011

I have learned not to make New Year's Resolutions. Some people can make them and keep them, but most people (myself included) just feel bad when we don't actually accomplish them. Instead, I participate in Ali's One Little Word project every year. In 2009 my word was 'aware.' In 2010 it was 'balance.'

This year my word is moment.
I had a few options for my word this year and this one ended up choosing me. After talking over my choices with my friend Jess I came to the conclusion that I had already chosen my word. Funny how that happens when you say everything out loud, you realize what you really feel. :)

Toward the end of 2010 I started thinking of all the moments that were happening around me that I wanted to remember. The moments that had already passed that are all slowly becoming more faded, and how I want to remember and savor them all.

I want to savor the important moments in my life.
I want to be able to look back on each moment with appreciation.
I want to live more in the moment and worry less about what comes next.

There are so many ways this word can help me this year. It can take many forms and I'm so glad to have chosen it.

I've also enrolled in Ali's year-long One Little Word class at Big Picture Classes. If you're also in the class (or thinking of taking it!) let me know! So far I love it!

Projects for the New Year

There are a lot of different options out there for people who want to start a new project on January 1st. The problem is always picking the right one for me. I would love to do them all but there just isn't enough time in the year! :) In case you want to start a new project this year, here are some options for you:

One Little Word
I have participated in this project of Ali's for the last 2 years and I will definitely be participating again. (I have my word narrowed down to two choices but I'm having trouble deciding...) You basically choose one word to focus on throughout the year. A word that means something to you that you can refer back to again and again. This year is the first Ali is offering a class through Big Picture Classes to help you focus on your word throughout the year. I have enrolled in this class this year and you should join me!

Project 365
The idea is that you take a photo every day for 365 days. I participated back in 2009 and loved it (all my photos + journaling live on this blog.) You could start a blog, a journal, a scrapbook, or buy Becky Higgins' Project Life Kit to complete this project. There are a lot of digital scrapbooking designers offering kits to help with this project as well. I'm leaning towards using this one called My Life Story by biograffiti.

Day Zero Project
I just discovered this project and already I'm thinking of all the things I could add to my list. Pick 101 things to complete in the next 1001 days. You can use the website to keep track or for some great ideas on what to add to your list.

Oh Life
Sign up for emails which you receive every evening. Reply to the email and answer the question "how did your day go?" That's it. The site stores all of them for you to look back on later and even includes some of them in your daily emails in the form of "this is what happened a month ago."

Reverb 10 - A reflection of 2010, Part 6

December 26 – Soul Food. What did you eat this year that you will never forget? What went into your mouth & touched your soul?

I'm going to go with the meal I had with Kristen at the Tequila Bar in Minneapolis. We tried a lot of different foods. All were absolutely delicious, especially the drinks. It was just the two of us, in the middle of the afternoon, and it was just perfect. Second to this meal was the bacon cupcake with maple butter cream frosting I had from Sweets in St. Paul... so yummy! :)

December 27 – Ordinary Joy. Our most profound joy is often experienced during ordinary moments. What was one of your most joyful ordinary moments this year?

Definitely the intense love I felt holding my niece this Christmas. I'm not a baby person... I've always been terrified they are going to wiggle out of my grasp, throw up, start screaming, or do something else that would make me totally freak out. I love them and they are adorable and cute and precious, but it's just not natural for me. With Abigail, it may have been the fact that I knew I won't get to see her again for a few months, or because she's my first niece, but I couldn't get enough of her. It was absolutely ordinary to just hold her, but it was one of the most precious ordinary moments ever. There is so much joy and love in that small person and I just find it incredible.

December 28 – Achieve. What’s the thing you most want to achieve next year? How do you imagine you’ll feel when you get it? Free? Happy? Complete? Blissful? Write that feeling down.

I've said this before but I'll say it again -- Run. I want to learn how to run and enjoy it. I want to run a race and feel like I have accomplished something like this that I never thought I could. I've never been a runner, and especially now it's just not natural for me. I want to make it natural and I want it to happen.

December 29 – Defining Moment. Describe a defining moment or series of events that has affected your life this year.

A series of events fits this prompt a bit more. For some reason, since we moved to Minnesota, I have been a lot more emotional. I thought it would go away when we were more settled and I was less homesick, but it never did. I can tear up at the drop of a hat lately. Mostly, it's happy things though. They just reach right in and touch my heart. I tear up when I hear a friend is pregnant, a dog got adopted to an amazing family, a heartwarming commercial comes on, all those things that warm your heart, they make me cry. It's strange but I feel that it's a real change in how much I appreciate all that is around me. It's like joy flooding out of my heart and down my cheeks. I should really embrace it more too. Maybe I'll work on that this year. :)

December 30 – Gift. This month, gifts and gift-giving can seem inescapable. What’s the most memorable gift, tangible or emotional, you received this year?

I think I'm going to go with the gift of gratitude. I have been trying lately to really focus on what I am grateful for and to recognize the amazing things in my life. It's quite heart-warming and totally inescapable when you really stop to look around and realize just how lucky you are. It sometimes feels like my heart will burst with as much love and support and happiness that comes my way every day. I'm not sure why it's happening to me, but I truly am one of those lucky people. And I really want to be grateful for it every day.

December 31 – Core Story. What central story is at the core of you, and how do you share it with the world?

The concept of 'story' has been making it's voice heard around the scrapbooking world all year. I love the idea of it and the fact that the definition has been somewhat reinvented. A story can be anything that contributes to what makes you, well, you. A tidbit of your life captured. If I wanted to capture a tidbit of my life from this year it would be that, at my core, I am genuinely inspired every day. Inspired by friends and family, crafty people, people who live their dreams, people who work hard every day, people who are dedicated, people who change themselves for the better, people who are optimistic and see each day with a new light. People I know and people I have never met. Everyone in my life inspires me. I have surrounded myself with amazing people and it has paid off in the best way. The people I love make me a better person. And really, how much better can it get than that?

And that's it for Reverb 10! I'm so glad I have all these great posts to be able to look back on 2010 with gratitude. It's easy to get caught up in the idea of the 'new' year but I'm glad I took the time to reflect on how amazing 2010 was. My goal for 2011? Make it amazing just like 2010... that would be just perfect. :) Happy New Year!

Reverb 10 - A reflection of 2010, Part 5

December 21 – Future Self. Imagine yourself five years from now. What advice would you give your current self for the year ahead?

Do what makes you happy. Be grateful for all you have. Tell those you love that you love them. Hug harder and longer. Find joy in every day. Smile and laugh as much as possible.

December 22 – Travel. How did you travel in 2010? How and/or where would you like to travel next year?

Oh, my list of places I want to go is so long! Trips for 2010 included a handful of trips home to Boston & Vermont, Disney World, Chicago, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. For 2011 I'm hoping to check out more of Chicago, Denver and/or Boulder, a few nights in Duluth, and * fingers crossed * for Italy and Rome. If not Europe, then I'd love to go back to Aruba where we spent our honeymoon, and I know Jason would love that too!

December 23 – New Name. Let’s meet again, for the first time. If you could introduce yourself to strangers by another name for just one day, what would it be and why?

This is a silly one. I don't really know what to say either. I really like my name but also feel like I would like whatever name I had. I do often think that 'P' is not the best last initial to have though. Hehe.

December 24 – Everything’s OK. What was the best moment that could serve as proof that everything is going to be alright? And how will you incorporate that discovery into the year ahead?

Anytime I go to bed stressed that I didn't get enough done, or things could have gone differently, or how in the world am I going to get through whatever it is... there is always a moment when I wake up the next morning where it's all back into perspective again. I just slept for X hours and the world didn't implode. It's all good and I need to remember that.

December 25 – Photo. A present to yourself. Sift through all the photos of you from the past year. Choose one that best captures you; either who you are, or who you strive to be. Find the shot of you that is worth a thousand words. Share the image, who shot it, where, and what it best reveals about you.

I've been waiting to share this photo. It's random. We went to a friend's house who is a photographer and I was somehow roped into sitting when they played with lighting and equipment. It was a lot of fun and I'm glad I was the guinea pig for the night. Hehe.

The photo is very 'me.' A pair of jeans, a necklace I made, dangly earrings, looking up kind of like I'm thinking of something totally random, smiling, nothing special going on with my hair and no makeup to speak of. This is basically what I look like every day of my life. With one exception really... I'm wearing black socks. 99% of the time I am wearing colorful socks that don't match.

Reverb 10 - A reflection of 2010, Part 4

December 16 – Friendship. How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year? Was this change gradual, or a sudden burst?

This has been a change taking place when we moved in October 2009, but it has been more and more evident throughout 2010. By BFF and I are basically closer than ever even though we live 1,300 miles apart. I anticipated us growing apart, by no fault of anyone but distance, but it just didn't happen. We talk A LOT. We understand when the other is busy and can't talk. We email and call to talk about important stuff, and we email and call to talk about ridiculous stuff. We totally know where the other is coming from, and when we are able to be together, it's like we were never apart. It's really special and really nice to be able to count on no matter how much distance there is between us.

December 17 – Lesson Learned. What was the best thing you learned about yourself this past year? And how will you apply that lesson going forward?

I am constantly learning more and more about myself, but the biggest this year has to have been to be myself and not make excuses for it, but instead try to convey why I am the way I am. I know that sounds cryptic, but it's a lot easier to try to explain why you are the way you are than to change in order to make it easier for everyone else. Understanding breeds acceptance. And for those people who don't even try to understand, they are not worth the effort.

December 18 – Try. What do you want to try next year? Is there something you wanted to try in 2010? What happened when you did / didn’t go for it?

I want to run. A 5k, a 10k, and even more. I want to do it and stick to it and know what it's like. Jason does it and every single time I see him running in a race I think to myself "I so need to do this with him."

December 19 – Healing. What healed you this year? Was it sudden, or a drip-by-drip evolution? How would you like to be healed in 2011?

Doing what makes me happy heals me. It helps me to know myself better and to be a better person. It's definitely a slower healing process overall, but it makes a world of difference. Also, hot cocoa helps too. :)

December 20 – Beyond Avoidance. What should you have done this year but didn’t because you were too scared, worried, unsure, busy or otherwise deterred from doing?

We've been putting off an international trip for a while now. There is never enough time, or energy, or money to make it happen. We tend to take a lot of smaller trips, but I have my sights set on a longer Europe trip. Hoping it will happen this year so that we can stop putting it off.