Sometimes It's Winter

This past year has not been an easy one for me.  A lot of changes that all seemed to happen at once, some emotional stresses, some financial stresses, and some physical stresses helped to throw things out of whack for me.  I felt down quite a bit, lost, like I wasn't sure what I was suppose to be doing, and just generally in a funk.  It didn't help that Winter in Manitoba seemed never ending, the cold and the snow just kept coming, and the sun shone very little over those months.  I was determined to scrap about this time, and it has taken me a while to be able to do so.  I wanted to document what that season felt like, as I think it's important that our albums reflect our real life, all the little moments that happen in between the birthdays, and vacations.  I think when we look back at our life it's important to see all the events that helped to shape us and make us who we are.  It took some time to feel healed from that dry, grey season, but I know now that I am finally through that season and moving into a new chapter of life.

I titled this page Sometimes it's Winter.  To me the thought of winter conjures up feelings of cold, and loneliness, as everything around these parts are just that, dead and cold, and colourless.  I took the photo one afternoon after I had gotten home from work, and just sat quietly in the house, alone with the dog on my lap (even Wilson looks like he's being contemplative).

When I saw the Lovely Words 6 set by {a flair for buttons} I just knew they would be perfect for this layout.  To me they are the perfect representation of all the things I wanted to strive for during this grey time.  Joy, Love, and Freedom.  All of the images scream of the love and faith that anchors us, and the hope of something new and wonderful to come.

I intentionally kept my colours pretty washed out looking, to evoke a sense of dullness, and gloom.

I decided to keep my text in the open for this layout.  For starters there was a lot to say so hiding would have been a little tricky, and I think there's something powerful about telling your story and putting it there as a reminder of where we've come from and where we're headed.  It's something to be proud of, it means there has been growth.  It means there's always more to the story.

I hope I've inspired you to get a little more of your story "out there".  We have so much to learn from one another, and this is a wonderful way to be able to love and encourage one another as we  journey together, no matter what season we may find ourselves in.

Have a great weekend friends, thanks for stopping by! Pin It

She's All Mine

I love all things embellishment related when it comes to scrapping, and the August Swag Bag from Paper Issues provided all of that and more.

Eden is such a ham, always has been.  A couple of weeks ago she found her dad's cowboy hat and appeared in the doorway of my scrap room striking all sorts of poses.  So of course the only natural thing to do was to grab my camera and snap away.  I told her that if she were releasing a country cd sometime soon, that, that cute photo on the top could be her cd cover.  

All the bits and pieces in the August Swag Bag were so much fun to place on this layout, the colours, the shapes went so nicely with the rest of the elements I chose for the layout.  Using only the Swag Bag, a piece of background paper, a label sticker, and Cameo cut doily, I completed this layout in under an hour.  Thirty minutes to layout it out, and a few more to sew a little here and here and stick it all together; BAM!  $9.99 sure can pack a punch, and each month you're in for a new bag of goodies.

I'm not sure if ribbon is still trendy or not, but I'm still a fan, and how cute is that yellow piece that was included in the kit.  I cut a piece of Doodlebug vellum and added it the layout, I like the way the browns compliment each other.

All in all, I've got a cutie-pie kid who makes me smile everyday, (among other emotions that is), and a pretty cute layout all thanks to the Paper Issues Swag Bag.  

Here is what's on the way for September

You can get your hands on one right here in the Paper Issues Shop.  Use my code and save yourself 20%, on the Swag Bag and anything else you may want to add to your cart.

Don't forget about our current Issue on the Paper Issues Blog.  I'm linking this one up, as it has a die cut on it (the hey there tab).  You can check out the Issue prompts here, and link up one of your own, for your chance at a Jillibean Soup goodie bag.

Happy shopping, and thanks so much for popping in today friends xx Pin It

Sweet & Simple

Today, I want to share with you a couple of sweet & simple layouts using the Penelope collection by Elle's Studio.  As a scrapper who likes to add a lot of layers and embellishments to my layouts, I found that there was really not much that needed to be added with these layouts as the papers are already so detailed. They made for a couple of quick and easy layouts featuring some of my favourite kids.

There are so many sweet saying on this piece of background paper that I really wanted to showcase it on this layout.  Adding a bit of the graph paper helped to ground my photo and journaling, so as not to lose any of their details.

I hand cut these hearts from one of the sheets and added some 3D foam dots to make them pop.

One of my favourite things about Elle's papers is the printed tear strips, they make for fun extra elements to add to your page.  Both the star and scalloped strips here, are just extra little tear strip pieces.

Next up, I wanted to use this pre-printed background sheet. I added a piece of patterned paper from the collection to the inside of a glassine bag to tone down it's boldness and get it to work with my chosen colours, and design.

Meet our little neighbour girl. She has 2 brothers and on this particular play date she snuggled up to Eden and exclaimed to her mother that she wished she lived with us so she could have sisters.  Little sweetie.

I thought I needed just a touch of pink on this layout, and the packaging from the little polaroid frames provided just the touch I needed. 

Once again the tear strip from the bottom of this sheet made for the perfect touch on my layout.  Add a couple of buttons and baubles, and done.

I hope this encourages you to dig into your stash and revive an older collection while you wait too.  If you're all caught up and ready to get your hands on some new product, hop over to the Paper Issues shop, where you'll find all sorts of new goodies waiting for you including Lawn Fawn dies, and papers Kelley Purkey's Second City Collection, and Crate Paper Notes & Things, with more arriving all this week. 

Thanks for stopping by today friends!

Pin It

Jillibean Love

I had the opportunity to join a few Paper Issues girls this week for a fun Jillibean Soup sponsored issue.

This sweet photo was taken a few weeks ago on our way through Holland, a small Manitoba town.  The windmill was beckoning so, of course we had to make a little pit stop. These girls so adore their daddy, and this photo speaks right to that in a big way.

Jillibean products have always drawn my eye, such fun colours and playful elements.  How cute does that Mini Placemat look set atop that chevron Bitty Bag?  I used the bag to tuck my journal tag into.

This has turned out to be one of my favourite layouts of the year.  Such a sweet little moment captured, and documented with fun supplies.  Looking at it makes my heart happy all over again.

Hop over to the Paper Issues blog to see what the other's did with the Issue, and perhaps link up your own creation using one of the prompts. There is a fabulous Jillibean Soup goodie bag up for grabs for one lucky winner.

Thanks for stopping by today friends! Pin It