seriously....this is my life

2012 Project Life (week 1)

If you've been around my blog for very long you know that one of my favorite hobbies is scrapbooking.  I have an entire room dedicated to this passion and all the paraphernalia that comes along with it.   I truly love being creative, playing with paper, doing something with my photos, and documenting my life, but I was needing something different.  I continued getting further and further "behind" on documenting life as the months and years kept passing by.  I decided to take the approach of creating one layout for each month for 2008 and I did it, but then 2009 and 2010 were gone and I was still 2 years behind.  UGH! 

In 2010 I decided to try out this Project Life thing and ordered the kit from Becky Higgins.  I did a decent job of keeping up with taking a picture a day and I can say that I just finished the album over the weekend (minus quite a bit of journaling).  I felt like I had enough success with it that in 2011 I decided to continue with this process of preserving memories in a simplified form.  For the first half of the year I did a great job of keeping up with a picture a day, but then we adopted, moved, blah blah blah and I fell off the taking a picture a day bandwagon (although I assure you I was taking a picture almost everyday, I wasn't keeping them organized).  Just the other day I printed out the remaining 2011 photos and tonight I will place them in my 2011 album and do a little happy dance. 

This year my approach is different.  I plan on doing more of a "week at a glance" style project.  Adding bits and pieces from our week.  I was very inspired by Ali Edward's 2011 album and thought "that's what I want to do."  I don't want to box myself in to having to take a picture of the day (POTD) and find myself at 10:30 pm frantically trying to find something interesting to take a photo of.  I want to allow myself to be more creative and flexible with my album because these are now becoming my yearly scrapbooks.  No more monthly layouts.  If there is a big event (such as Karsten's first birthday in April) I will add a few more page protectors that week and add more pictures and ephemera from his party. I'm also not limiting myself to using only the contents of the project life kits.  I've got so many great products begging to be used so I'm going to incorporate little things here and there to make my project life book even more unique.  I'm also not spending lots of time each week.  I'm allowing myself about 30 minutes on Sunday/Monday to figure out what photos I want to use, journal, and get everything in the page protectors.  I've also created a little Project Life zone in my office where I'll keep things like lists, ticket stubs, packaging, etc to maybe, possibly add to my album.

I am planning on doing something in addition to PL for Karsten, but that's for another post.  So, here's my 2012 title page and first "week at a glance" so far, I'm loving this new creative process! 

This year I chose the Cobalt album, but have both the Clementine and Cobalt core kits so I can mix things up.  I might even add stuff that I have left over from previous kits.  Here's the link of all that Becky Higgins has come up with, but you will buy it from Amazon (hello, free shipping).  I can attest that this is high quality stuff and a GREAT value!!!!  She also has digital elements and digital albums...just find the links on her site.

If you have any questions about Project Life...ask away!!!!  I'm also going to try "linking up" for the first time

                                              Project Life Tuesday on The Mom Creative

 

organizing coupons

I love saving a buck, or two, or ten when I shop at the grocery store or Target.  Now that I'm a stay at home mom, not earning a paycheck, I really try to cut and use coupons regularly.  I don't cut coupons for items that I don't use, but sometimes I might cut one for something I'd like to try. 

I remember cutting coupons for my Mom on Sunday afternoons and it is still a weekly habit of mine.  I'll stop by the store on Saturday or Sunday and grab a newspaper.  I typically will flip through the paper and if there are several packs of coupons I'll get two papers...if it's a minimal coupon week I'll only get one.  One of the keys to using coupons is to hold onto them until there is a sale on the item.  Another key is to use them before they expire...one of my pet peeves is letting a coupon expire that I could have used.  I've also read that using the coupon on the smallest package possible saves the most money.  I always use coupons on Tide and Downy and because those coupons come around at least once a month, if not twice, I'll buy the smallest bottle because by the time I'm getting low I'll have another coupon to use.

Have you noticed that the Sunday paper occasionally has coupons for Target?  You can combine these coupons with a manufacture's coupon when shopping.  For instance, if I have a $1 off Tide from Target and a $1 off Tide manufacture's coupon I can save $2.  Also, Target has a sale on these at least once a month and that's when I buy.

I decided to try something different with organizing my coupons.  I used to have a little accordian file thing that I would keep them in, but I felt like I spent way too much time in the store sorting through them as I shopped.  So, I adopted the binder idea.  Let me just make something clear....I am NOT one of those coupon warriors.  I think that entire concept is ridiculous, although somewhat fascinating.  I don't have the time or desire to pay someone to cut coupons for me or to scour every single ad every week. 

Ok, so here's a glimpse of how I organize (and yes, those are pumpkins)...I've been planning this post since November! and yes, that's Zoe on the dining table (sigh)

I got the page protectors at Hobby Lobby, well I had them, but that's where I got them years ago.

 

weekend creative--post it note holder

I saw this idea on Pinterest and saw my name written ALL over it.  This would be a great gift for teachers, who hold post it notes very dear to their hearts.  And I'm not talking the cheap post it notes, I'm talking the 3M brand post it notes...the super sticky are my favorites!!!  I do wish I could find packs of white post it notes because that would really make all right in my world...sort of!  The traditional yellow are my second favorite to white and I really don't like the dark colored ones because I can't see notes and to do lists as clearly on them. 

So here's what you need:

a plastic 4x6 or 5x7 photo holder (I found these clearanced out at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, but I'm thinking that the dollar store would have them)

1 piece of scrapbook paper that fits the opening

ribbon that coordinates with said paper

a cute embellishment if you wish

super sticky red tape (don't know what else to call it) they sell it at Hobby Lobby and it lasts a long time

post it note pad

Start with the plastic frame...

cut the paper to fit inside the frame...love this paper by the way! Not sure where I found it, or how long it's been in my stash!

Measure ribbon to fit between the plastic parts and around the front to tie...use several different kinds if you would like

Add an embellishment if you want, or not!

Cut super sticky red tape to fit around edges of post it note backing...I was afraid it might fall off if I didn't do this!

Adhere post it note pad to frame

Set it on your desk and smile :)

weekend project: first aid kit for the car

Yesterday while we were doing a walk through on our house Brian cut his toe on the limestone fireplace (something we now view as a beautiful hazard).  Thankfully the construction supervisor had a first aid kit in his truck and Brian was able to clean and bandage it.  But it got me thinking...now that I have a child (and even if I didn't) it's a good idea to have a first aid kit in my car.  So off to Wal-Mart I went...and yes, I really don't like Wal-Mart, but it was closer than Target. 

Wal-Mart had these nice Johnson and Johnson first aid kits for $9.97.  I bought one of those and then also bought a pencil box in the school supply section for .97.  Then I went and purchased a few extra things like a benadryl stick, neosporin to go, tape, guaze, and antiseptic.  When I got home I found lots of great coupons in the Johnson and Johnson First Aid kit that were for the stuff I had just bought---ugh!!!  But the coupons don't expire until 12/13, so I will use them in the future. 

I took the original kit apart and began sorting out between the two boxes.  The larger first aid kit will stay in my car and I used the smaller box to create a kit for Brian's car (whenever he actually gets a car---but that's another, very long story)

I put the kit under the driver's seat

and on another organizing note---I saw this idea on Pinterest.  Buy a plastic "cereal" container, line it with a plastic grocery sack, and use it as your trash can in your car.  Brian can't stand it when that little compartment on my car door is full of trash, so I thought this was a great solution.  I ended up getting some velcro and attaching it to the floor mat because it would always tip over while I was driving.  We'll see if it works!

6 things list

I recently read an article about the 6 list---simply put, at night (or first thing in the morning for me) write down a list of the 6 most important things you must get done that day (or for those who write the list at night; the next day).  Then in the morning begin to tackle the list, one thing at a time, beginning with the most dreaded task first. 

I have incorporated this concept into my daily life for the past few days and have accomplished nearly everything on my daily list.  I believe that awhile back I mentioned using a steno book to write down a weekly list categorized into 4 sections: Home, Out, Computer, Contacts.  This has worked, but sometimes I get a little bogged down with everything on that list.  Now I take a post-it note and write down my 6 things list and put it on the steno book.  So far, so good. **I realize that this is hardly a to do list...once we get into our own house there will be many more chores on my daily list**

I've filled one steno book (I also use it as a place to document confirmation numbers, convesations with customer service reps, etc)  so today I started a new one.  I chose to decorate this one with scrapbook paper and a few stickers.  I actually decorated the back of the book, the cardboard side.  I figured the mod podge would adhere better to that than the slick front cover. I also covered the cover with a thin layer of mod podge to protect it from wear and tear!