REALIZATIONS

With only 2 days until the contractor FINALLY starts on the extra support for this old house and the rooms upstairs, I've come to realize that it is also only 2 (TWO) days until December 1st. With that, I sit and ponder if the advent calendar might be downstairs or is it out in the shed. Then the next realization, my daughter, who started having massive belly issues the summer of 2014, was taken off eggs, soy, all dairy, gluten, legumes, and green beans just to name a few this past spring -- WHAT am I going to put in the advent calendar???  I've come to realize also she does best with very limited sugar and with no grains in the evening.  Normally I can think of things further in advance, but with the house being in the shape it is, and life as it has been, I seem to only be able to comprehend the next task at hand.  If I had been thinking, I would have had hubs look at the food store by where he works last week for certain advent items. Before I could stuff the box with notes about we're making a treat or putting up a decoration.  We haven't tested a large variety of cookies or candies, but have some. There are a few decent ones, but none that are what we're use to quality.  As for decorations, we've decided that we're not  doing anything until the contractor is done. 2-3 weeks. We'll be lucky to get the tree up, quite honestly. And we usually put it up the first weekend after Thanksgiving.  On a positive note, for my immediate family, I'm almost completely finished with holiday shopping. Sonshine still needs a few things, but I know what I'm buying. Just waiting for those credit card reward gift certificates to get here. Love reward points! Especially love almost being done. Now to really clean the bathroom since the workers will be using it and the path to the bathroom. With the upstairs and the downstairs having to remain basically clear, the stuff has to go somewhere and the new shed only holds so much. Hopefully we're only talking 2 weeks to completion, but realistically, I just hope the kids have bedrooms by Christmas!  Realizing we might be up a creek without a paddle here.

On a scrappy note, I  sent out my annual calendar swap for this year earlier this week. I wasn't as happy with it as in years past, it's just so simple. I really wanted to make a shaker preserve jar embellishment. But it is what it is.

Scrap Our Stash Sketch Challenge 31

This past October as I was gleaning ideas from multiple sources for the 2peasrefugee crop, I ran across the Scrap Our Stash site.  Now I'm a hoarder by nature, so anything where my stash gets used grabs hold of my attention pretty darn quickly. This was the only site that I bookmarked to go back to which also says something.

So with my hubs, who was off for hunting last week but ended up sick and in my face instead, now back to work, I finally had some time to play with their current challenge. It's Sketch Challenge 31. I chose to flip the sketch. I also used the "I" column in BINGO: paper clip (swirl at the top of the photo which have been in my stash for years), doily, glitter (washi and alphas), journal card (which I cut down and rounded the corners of the 'focus on the happy' card in the lower right hand corner), and metal (in addition to the paper clip, a heart brad and a making memories metal and rhinestone word "LOVE" all being very old stash items). Does anyone else get giddy when they use old items on the page??

The photo color isn't quite true and seems a bit blurry to me. It's not IRL. or maybe I should put on my glasses. ha. Also used: the newer Shimelle True Stories collection which was love at first sight for me; wood veneer hearts, sequins, some homemade hearts made from colored modeling paste, and a old large foam heart used for stringing practice when the kids were small, I just cut the top off so it wasn't as bulky. Re-purposing items also makes me a bit giddy. 

I knew I was going to use the Shimelle collection and that journaling card on this layout. If not for this sketch challenge, I would have stuck to the normal band or L design with regular rectangle layers and a full sized journaling card. I have to say I'm thrilled that I didn't, I love how this turned out! 

A Few Favorites

Over at the 2peasrefugees proboards group, we just had a crop.  I was reminded again how truly wonderful Peas can be. Many volunteered to host challenges or to give prizes.  I think everyone who had the time to participate had fun. For me personally, it was a long overdue time to be creative. The whole month of October was very limited on creative time. Thankfully, I was teaching art journaling and scrapbooking at our homeschool co-op, so I did have some creative time for that. But with prepping for the contractor to come in  (ehem, still waiting - he says he'll be here next week) and with putting away the wood for winter, because yeah, we waited until the last minute to order 9 cords of wood.

Anywho, I really wanted to put up a few of my favorite layouts from the crop. I finished 12 layouts in total! Woo Hoo!

This was from the triangle challenge and uses the Shimelle True Stories collection. Unfortunately, I could not find the pedal to my old sewing machine that I use on paper. So I hand treadled the needle to make stitching holes on each triangle. I really wanted it threaded and almost (ALMOST)  hand stitched them.  But then I remembered something very important -- I'm lazy!

 This was a sketch challenge. AND I LOVE how it turned out. My journaling is the little pocket.

 This  is a die cut challenge and was hosted by Ashley Calder at Things That Shine Etsy. She donated 6, SIX, die cut files including this fabulous one - the Nordic Star Sweater Full. I cut the file and then individually pieced each one with my Scotch Quick Dry in my fine line applicator using the large piece to ensure all the little pieces were placed properly. 3 hours, but totally worth it!  The photo mat is on pop dots so that it is about the same level as the paper straw border around it.

 The art journaling challenge hosted by Patter. I also chose to use it to complete one of the GloryArt Journaling challenges she hosts on her blog.  I've been reading them in my down time at homeschool co-op each week and taking notes, but this is the first time I was able to be creative with them.

 This was for the curvy element challenge. I LOVE it. It uses Amy Tan papers. I still have the journaling left to do. I think I'm going to gesso just to the right of the photo to give myself a toned down area to right and it be visible.  Roxy cannot just lay on the floor. She has to get blankets, hers, ours, it doesn't  matter, and then paw them and paw them maneuvering them until they are just so, before turning in a circle and laying her butt down. It's so funny to watch her.

My favorites from two weeks ago. This week I'm working on my yearly calendar swap. I'm itching to do a layout though. So hopefully, I'll finish it tomorrow and be able to do layouts over the weekend.  Wish me luck!

Journal 52

 There is a Journal 52 group on facebook that does an art journal prompt each week of the year.  I found it last December and thought I'd try to play along and up my art journaling skills this year.  Of course, I totally suck at any challenge that has a weekly deadline. You know that crazy thing called life always gets in my way!  So I did the first 3 weeks and almost 4 in good time.  I spent May playing a bit and trying to catch up on some of the prompts

Week 4 Prompt: silhouette

 Week 5 Prompt: Television

Week 8 Prompt: Aromatherapy  Lilacs were in bloom when I was doing this one.

Week 10 Prompt: Coloring Book

I used a stencil to draw the birds and bee. 

Week 13 Prompt: Spring Clean

Cleaning out the cobwebs of my mind.

Liking the vibrant color on this one.

Week 21: Top Ten List

Ok, so I did a huge list. But you have to go where the vision takes you.

 

 

They're on week 23 so I still have quite a few to catch up on. If you like art journaling, check it out.

2015 Layouts to share

My little reminder of life happenings to our family (this blog) has been severely neglected. I'd say it is a bad thing, but part of me is grateful as the whole moving in to a house that isn't refurbished yet and waiting until your other house sells to start is kind of - disheartening.  The OH house sold at the end of March. We just started ripping dd's room to the studs.  I'd love it finished by July 31st, but honestly if it gets finished by October I'll be thrilled. We just aren't full of peppy energy in our old age. Where we once would work all day long, now it's an hour or two and then a break time which is an hour or two. 

Well, the house mess does mean that I haven't had a lot of crafty time. But that's starting to change around.  I thought I'd share my layouts for this year.  They are not the best work, but they are finished.  Sometimes we take what we can get.  These are all quick and easy pages.

January through April:

 

This was all the scraps from a BoBunny MammaPapparazzi collection.  I was thrilled to get another page out of it.  And I think, Steph took this photo of us. I think it's cute.

 Uncle Jeff changed his name to Grandpa, a fairly big milestone.

 An old fancy pants design set that I was saving my leftover pieces just for this layout. An Amy Tan puffy sticker too. I need more puffy stickers!!

 Senior Discount!!! on groceries, hubs was very upset over getting this. I told him those punk kids are getting younger and younger, and I left off that his hair is getting grayer and grayer.

 

 

My May Layouts: 

 

 

   I had no idea how to use this overlay from that old Fancy Pants Design set, but wanted to finish the set off.  It's definitely not my favorite layout, but.... oh, well.

 

I actually like this one quite a bit, more because of the story.  Loved using all the stamps too.

 

I actually like this one quite a bit as well. It's all about how our dog thinks she is our 3rd child and her funny child-like antics.

 

 

Next up, my art journal pages.

 

Moving Update & School

We're back in Ohio, and I had a week and a half to finish off my last trailer load and clean the house, staging it for show. But I'm burned out on the whole moving process and I just haven't got my strength back from my cold I was suffering with a couple of weeks ago (the cold that lasted for 2 weeks).  Don and I talked about the process yesterday. He said to ask the boy if he would mind staying here for his birthday. (He was trying to decide between staying at home with unlimited screen time for his birthday or going to a mini-golf adventure place with so much more than mini-golf).  He said he didn't mind staying here as we had better streaming.  I guess I know what he decided to do.  This is really no surprise - it's what he does. every. single. birthday.  Although I've felt like they've had unlimited screen time of late and have been trying to get them back to target.  But anyway...It was a super relief to me.  We probably won't leave until the 30th for Michigan.  And that will be it for me and the kids, I figured we'd be back and forth a few times. But. The new co-op starts September 15th. The girl is super excited! Honestly, so am I. I just wish I had more time. Oh, well.


The co-op is on Monday. With church on Sunday and co-op on Monday. It means traveling to town 2 days in a row. I'd kind of like a coop on Wednesday. That way if I'm out of milk I can grab it mid-week. When the nearest store that sells organic milk is 30+ minutes away, you think of things like this. Of course, a mid-week co-op wouldn't work very well. You'd get your routine and then you'd have to break mid-way. If it was on Friday, like our last co-op, it's like a great way to end the week. You're done with your week of work and it's awesome to spend the day with like minded Christians.  Of course the positive to a Monday start is that it will be a wonderful way to start our week. Plus it gives me an extra planning day, since I'm a little behind this year.


Ok, more than a little. Usually I have curriculum picked out by February and no later than April. By April to June, all my curriculum for the following year is purchased and in my hot little hands.  So from May to July, I put together my curriculum plan and my lesson plans. Some for the whole year - like science, and some for the first few weeks, like history. Others like math and now writing (woo hoo) are really done for me. For math if I see they've mastered the concept then they get their test. If not, we spend more time on it. Usually within 2 - 3 worksheets they are ready. A few times, especially with the boy, he did the first worksheet and took the test. Once with the girl, I had to make my own problems up for her to do as we were out of workbook practice sheets.  We also usually start mid-August. Right about now.  We like are time off during the year.


This year I have my curriculum picked but not purchased. I have made a list of read alouds and the books I'd like them to read for school. Don's suggested a family book club.  The kids get to pick a book and we all read and discuss.  Sounds like fun to me. We'll see how it progresses. All of our school things are in boxes, the class/craft room will need to be painted first and then it may be arranged.  I told the kids to expect to go all through June and to have less time off during the year.  Hopefully I'll be able to roughly start by September 22nd.  The pleasures of moving.

Getting A Different Perspective - The Kids

Including other family member layouts.  Yesterday, I talked about how I now include my husband very rarely with his journaling for a page. Now maybe your spouse or kids aren't into this or you're single, that's ok too.



Although my son is no longer into scrapbooking, my daughter really enjoys it and art journaling.  We have days where we work together. But often, she does it whenever she can. She seems to have more time than me. I have always just put the kids layouts into the appropriate album - family, son, daughter, extended family/friends. A few months ago someone mentioned that their daughter had her own album.  The concept hit me hard. She had her own art journaling book.  I had never even thought of giving her her own scrapbook album!  Maybe she wanted one. I felt like a dolt, so I asked if it was something she wanted.  Nope, she preferred her layouts in with all the others.  whew. I felt better. She likes looking through the book and seeing things that she has contributed.  I know this isn't the answer for everyone. Lots of scrapbookers wouldn't like the child like designs next to their perfectly designed layouts. For me it just captures another more of our family life and I love seeing their layouts. They bring a huge smile to my face.