Here are a couple of hybrid project's I worked on this week. Still feeling a little out of it after overdoing the sorting out last week.
It is also new release Feb Grab Bags for all the designers over at The Digi Chick. So the tiredness was a good excuse (like I really need one) to sit on my tush and play with all the wonderful goody's that they keep bringing out. If you are after an awesome deal you can't go wrong with any of them.
The first is for our guest designer this month. Traci Murphy from Funky Digital Playground. Traci is a fabulous designer and given the news this week of FDP closing it is nice to have her here and get to work with her products.
These valentines themed papers and elements from Traci are called Be Mine. Can't wait to see what else Traci shares with us this month. It also gave me the chance to re-use a box template from Kelleigh Ratzlaff. This little top heavy box (minus the lid) made a cute little candy favour bag. You could add names and use them as place card holders for your meal on the 14th.
The second hybrid project this week is one I have been wanting to attempt for a long time. I have seen these little "love" albums about and thought one would make a cute coffee table book.
Kelleigh Ratzlaff saved me figuring one out as she has one in her Feb Grab Bag at The Digi Chick. There are a few templates in the bag – so grab it while you can. Awesome value.
Not wanting this to be a valentines book I chose to make it in non traditional colours – thinking about our future decor perhaps (hoping it is blue carpet of the 4 choices we had). Nikki Eppersons grab bag came out in the perfect shabby style colours that should go with most decors. This way I can leave it out on my coffee table for more than just this short time.
I added photos of us – and a verse on love from Corinthians.
Feb already! Guess I did too much. Crashed this last week and needed to have a bit of a break. I did manage some hybrid projects in the last couple of weeks so I want to showcase them today.
The first is a makeover I did on my grocery budget box. I love reading about the American girls and their couponing. It isn't so common in the rest of the world but they do seem to save a lot and have fun to boot.
Looking at some of the ways they choose to organise their coupons and weekly shopping money inspired me to pretty up my grocery money budget box. I may not be able to coupon but I can budget it a pretty way. 
Using Serendipity kit by Karen Lewis at the digi chick gave it just the right bright and welcoming look. Perfect for keeping on track with the budget.
A tutorial on doing just that will be published later this year. 'll be sure to let you know when.
My next project is just a little whimsy for Valentines day. With all the upheaval in the house I don't want to miss Valentines day this year. It is after all one of our favourite holidays. We have our little traditions and special food we bake and it is not to be missed.
Again this kit is from Karen Lewis over at The Digi Chick. It is appropriatly called 5 Things I love About You
I created little beaded wires and hearts and attached them to the white pot for holding a candle – or perhaps some sweet treats.
You would think I would be able to get my act together – but no!
Moving has us all preoccupied and busy sorting out and packing some things for storage.
I am still working on layouts – need the downtime when I become too tired to stand up any more.
I should be back next week with some layouts to share.
Hopefully!
Huh, I can hear you say? It's been over for a while! Yes, it has and boy I am glad I didn't make any new years resolutions about blogging more often. 
Stepping back every now and then, taking the break and reassessing where you are headed can be very cathartic. I am feeling better, the sun is shining and the break did me good. Plus if big time famous bloggers can take a break so can "lil ole me".
This last week I did a lot of digital scrapbooking and enjoyed trying out new styles that were a bit outside my normal box. They came out neat, and one in particular I am really thrilled with. It is for a challenge so it won't appear for another week or so.
We are to move soon which has been on the cards for a while but now is down to sometime in the next couple of months. On Friday last we were able to have a look at the new house that Hubb's company is building. It is nice, not well planned nor well put together but new which is a change from where we have been with its very old furniture that is falling apart. We have big cracks in our walls, windows don't open – or close in some cases, so the change will be nice.
One drawback – it is way smaller than where we are, has no pantry, laundry room, den, craft room, and no hall closets at all. Which means we need to have a total declutter and even a "de-room" if there is such a word. Getting rid of all that is not a bad thing. Prior to this house we had moved every two years or less, and the houses were not all that big, which meant the clutter never had a chance to build up and every time we moved I would get rid of thing.
Our time in this home is over 8 years now and it is very well planned with lots of room and storage – so of course it is all full. There must be something to that thing about needing to fill empty spaces because I know I had plenty of empty cupboards and draws when we moved in here.
2010 is starting out with a big clean out and some organizing challenges underway in our home. Which in a way brings me full circle to it being the new year – no resolutions as such but lots of new year type stuff going on.
I am going to have to be very creative in working out how to make what we need to keep fit! Any idea's?
The lady of the blog was wondering where the days in December went.
That post about an attitude check a little while back. Well, I was coming down with something "big time". Really ill with some type of flu or cold or virus – or maybe all three. I ended up sleeping for most of about 3 days. My birthday was pretty much a wash out – though I did feel well enough to cook some dinner while the others all went off to swim training.
So I guess some of what I was feeling was due to the pre-getting sick phase. But it was also there, the blue "I can't get into it feeling". I did do a layout for it too. Maybe I can post it here soon.
I missed so much too. My daily December album went out the window and I am not sure I will get it done – though have managed a couple of pages including one on the blues.I might get it done in time for a Christmas is July post..LOL.
My girlfriend had her baby girl and I still have not got to see them yet. Maybe tomorrow. I consoled myself with making her a baby album which I will post here next week after she has seen it.
And other things.
No matter – things are looking up and little by little Christmas happened around me anyway. Youngest DD put on some Christmas music every day after she discovered it in iTunes. We pulled out the Nativity set and some decorations – just a few though, as the thought of putting it all away was too much.
Lighting some candles is always a nice way to improve the mood.
It was also my eldest munchkin princess's birthday and we celebrated that too.
Anyway I am here to say I am feeling better, looking forward to tomorrow and I hope that you all have a very happy and blessed Christmas day, sharing about the Lord's birth and with family and friends.
Tonight we have a surprise for the munchkins who are not expecting any gifts. We'll eat snacks and watch a movie together and give them their traditional Christmas eve new PJ's.
Happy Christmas to you!!
Two more pages for my 2009 Christmas Album. Both of these are for December the first.
The first layout is more about where I am at and what I hope to achieve with this album. Not really cheery or Christmasy – but that is ok – it's how I feel. Life is not all perfect happy roses – even though sometimes it seems to come across that way in blog land.
Time to be real folks!
It is also based on Shimelle's journaling prompt for the 1st which involves a manifesto or statement about your Journal Your Christmas album. Credits are here.
Being the birthday of MP#2 on the 1st of December of course we had to have a page celebrating that. After all our month starts with this momentous occasion.
Credits here.
I cheated improvised a little and used part of her birthday babe layout on this page. Adding in a couple of other elements to tie it in helped with the seasonal theme and celebration. I have journaled about such a blessing reminding us of the "birthday" gift that Christmas is essentially all about.
Which makes me sit back and wonder what it is that I am so "non-Christmasy" about?
Just that reason, that precious sacrificial gift alone should be my whole reason for rejoicing at this time. Nothing else matter nor compares. Even if I had nothing else that should be enough!
Maybe I need an attitude check?
Well here it is the 4th, and I am already behind. It's that "not feeling it" thing.
However I did get a start on the cover. This album will be small and hopefully simple by last years standards. I am trying to be a little more frugal this year. Inks are hard to come by at this time, which means trying to get more on a page before printing.
This determined my 5 x 7 sizing. I can get two of these on my Epson Presentation Paper which is what I plan to use for the printing.
They will be semi digital/hybrid. Not so many lumps and bumps. But I just can't bring myself to make them totally digital and flat. If I follow these lovely templates from Pamela Donnis, making it digital to start with, I should be able to drag all my photo's onto glossy photo paper at the end of the project, print them and stick them down to their spot on each matte page in the album.
Little touches may also be printed out and raised with mounting tape – like the 2009 on here. You may even some some external elements. You'll see what I mean when they are printed and can show you here…when I get some of that elusive ink.
If you want to join in all the fun, head over to Shimelle and join the 2009 Journal Your Christmas Class. Once a class member you are always a member from then on.
I have used Christmas Magic and Joy by Karla Dudley. Alpha by Kelley Mickus
Templates based on combined ones from Pamela Donnis
Took these photo's last night at Chilli's. Munchkin Princess 2 had chosen to go there for her birthday dinner. Which of course is rather a change for how we normally do things. In the past I have usually cooked their favourite meal, baked a cake and decorated a cake – and we have celebrated at home.
This year – due to circumstance I am not ready to go into just yet, we have changed it up. It is hard for me to accept that I am not doing it. I love to be that kind of "homegrown" Mum. Doing it all for them. I guess it is how I also show some of how much I love them.
Feelings of letting her down and not being fair are more in my head than the childrens. Letting go of things can be tough sometimes!
She does not really even like cake and most times it has to be an icecream one. So her choice for dessert "birthday cake" was perfect! Ice cream and a little chocolate cake. Molten Lava Cake to be exact.
She had a fabulous time and thoroughly enjoyed her dinner. You can tell by her face that this change, this "new way" of doing things is ok!
Right?
Still does not sit right with me.
Last year I attended the Shimelle Journal Your Christmas class for the first time. I enjoyed the process – though I probably bit off more than I could chew – making it too big, and time consuming
Given the way I feel right now, so totally not into the whole Christmas thing, I was not even sure that attempting it this year is the right thing to do.
But – yes there is always a but!!
I know that I will be disappointed in myself in the future if I don't at least have a go at it. So with that in mind I pulled out last years album.
The munchkins begged to have a look as soon as they saw it. Pretty hard to miss with that bright red cover!
They sat in the lounge for quite a while, really enjoying the experience of looking through the album. After all the oohing and ahhhing it was decided there and then. It really did need an attempt. Seeing them enjoying reading about the past, laughing over their photo's from last year and commenting about how everyone had grown and changed, how could I not?
Hopefully I can do it justice. Even if I am not feeling it, this time is a season in our lives and needs to be recorded – the good, the bad and everything in between.
