{wordless} ice lace

Since nearly completing my first Project Life layout over the weekend, I've been looking for photo ops everywhere. This morning, while taking Sadie out, I wasn't even actually looking when I happened across this gorgeousness on our front porch -- crystals of ice, looking as though they were purposely etched there. Lacy flowers and stems. Just...beautiful.

Just amazing.

project life in progress

I was finally inspired (motivated??) to work on my 2013 Project Life album today, so I spent a fair amount of the afternoon and all evening working on it. Here's a sneak peek at one of the pages:

For now, the bottom right is a blank pocket that is showcasing...my tablecloth. I have some journaling in mind that will soon replace it :)

This happens to be the left side of the two-page spread for Week One. I really set myself up well to work on it, thanks to the advice of Tracy Larsen. Basically, I created a folder in Dropbox entitled "Week One",  to which I uploaded all photos, journaling bits, and any other relevant things to remember, via iPhone, iPad, or computer. So, when I was ready to get to work today, the hard part was already done for me. That was so great!!

(And ridiculously easy.)

Too bad I haven't been that mindful of my Project Life intentions since :(

Lesson learned, though. Now that I've seen how helpful it was, I'm going to pick back up with and continue it from here on out.

I'm very excited with my progress so far. While I still agonized over some of the little details here and there, it was nothing like when I scrapbooked years ago. Project Life can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it, and that is one of the things I really appreciate the most about it.

Honestly? Filling each pocket feels like a little victory and I love that. LOVE.

obsessions

I have been a bad bloggess lately, and that's partly because I've not had much interesting to say, but mostly because I have been absorbed (and in some cases, obsessed) with other things. I thought to make up for my absence, I'd share some of those things with you :)

• ABC's Scandal. I haven't been this excited about tv since Grey's Anatomy and The Good Wife. People that know me know what this means. If you don't know me? It's huge. (As far as tv is concerned, anyway.)
• Egg-in-a-Hole. Most amazing breakfast food ever. EVER. (credit)

• Studio Calico...and Jessica Sprague...and Project Life
• My homework. No links or photos to share. Sorry, folks. I've been experimenting with essential oils, though. Fascinating stuff. (I did mention I'm studying to be a Master Aromatherapist, yes?) 
• Tegan and Sara - ♪ Closer ♪ 
• Knitting. Specifically, a ladder lace scarf for someone who has waited years on me to make it. (I have the most patient bff ever, no lie.)

• Planning our spring landscaping/gardening...flowers, vegetables, neighbor-blocking-winter-shrubbery. Oh, and we're pretty sure we're going to have some chickens (hens -- for eggs) too. Yay!!
• Other tv shows that I am newly enjoying? The Following and The Americans. What's especially great is Mike likes them too so we are finally watching something together :)
• And, finally, this Anne/Gilbert fan vid:

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a little frustrated

I spent a good portion of last night trying to organize my photos and thoughts for Week One of Project Life. I felt so inadequate...so uninspired, and all I could think was, "This is supposed to be easy. And quick."

At my current rate of progression, it is neither.

I finally managed to design a 4x6 card with three Instagram pictures from New Year's Eve as well as create one 3x4 of a screencap of my iPhone during a workout. I decided I'd stop there for the evening and upload those to a printing company who I've read many great reviews of the printing for Project Life stuff. So, I get my photos/cards uploaded and the price is phenomenal...under $1 even with the special print options and shapes I've chosen. Get to checkout, and shipping is $5 flat rate.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!?

At that point, I was ready to say to heck with the whole works. I was frustrated with the quality of my photos, frustrated with my lack of creativity in working with them, and then, to top it all off, super disappointed by a photo/printing service that I'd very much looking forward to giving a try.

And, my poor friend Emily --who had been subjected to whiny "I suck at this" texts all evening-- had the worst time convincing me I could get two 3x4 cards by cutting a 4x6 printout in half. Oh my goodness, it is embarrassing how dense I was being about that.

I decided to take a Project Life break for a day or two, and will re-approach it with a clear head and a renewed intention to keep it simple. It has to stay simple for me, or it's not going to work, especially with my classes starting in a few weeks...

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{wordless} new year, new habit

{digiscrap} hello home.

Now that we are settled getting settled, I am happily picking back up where I left off with (re)learning Photoshop Elements so that I can get started with digital scrapbooking. I just finished the online course I started over at JessicaSprague.com late last spring, and the above layout was the final byproduct of that.

I forgot how much fun I have working in PSE! I am pretty sure I want to take another of her classes, and soon. In the meantime, I'll be starting Becky Higgins's Project Real Life on Thursday and I am SO excited. (This is another reason I decided to refresh my PSE skill set -- I'm going to do my Project Life album digitally.) I have admired Becky's work for years and years, and have been anxiously waiting to take this class since it was announced last year!

So, that's what I'm up to at the moment, trying to work some of that muchly missed creativity back into my life, a little at a time and in between boxes. Stay tuned. I'll have more to share soon!!