AWDML: OUR TREASURE

Hello!  Aren't Tuesdays the best days?  I'm on A Walk Down Memory Lane blog with this October Afternoon layout featuring my dear friend Angie's lil' guy.  You can read all about the layout HERE.

Gossamer Blue: Magical

The last of the June layouts made with the pretty, colorful and delightful Gossamer Blue June kits. This one is all about my girly and her obsession with my high heels (for the record, I haven't worn high heels since before I was pregnant with this kiddo!).  

That floral paper is so dreamy, isn't it?  And the vellum, it spoke to me on many levels.  The majority of this layout came from the June Main Add-on Kit, which you can still purchase.  If I were you, I would head HERE and buy it right away.  

I've been getting some pretty awesome photos with my iPhone lately, taking inspiration from my dear friend Rebekah at Life of B.  Rebekah has a way of framing a photo and catching a moment... she's pretty amazing and whenever I get a good pic I know it's because I channeled my inner RB.

I use the PicTapGo app for filters and cropping.  There are many great phone apps for filters but this is the one I got and I am very pleased with the results.  

You'll be seeing these photos, and more, on some layouts soon.  Stay happy my friends.

AWDML: LET'S Go to the Zoo

Hello!  Tuesday again?!?!?!  That means it's A Walk Down Memory Lane day!  Woot!  You'll find me HERE with this two-pager using some adorable BoBunny products.  ROAR!

Gossamer Blue: Conga Line

Even though I know my sister Michell is going to kill me (and by kill me I mean yell at me and squeeze my knee really hard), I had to scrap these photos of the impromptu conga line through a store in the mall.  The girly asked her Aunt Honey to do a conga line and off they went!

I used the Gossamer Blue June Main Kit (which is still available HERE) to get a bright, sunny feeling

for this page.  The exclusive wood veneer tags were one of my favorites from the June kits.  I added some Versamark and embossing powder around the edges.  I also used a few items from the June Life Pages Themed Add-on (also {shockingly} still available HERE).  

I'm sure you already saw my big news from THIS post about staying with Gossamer Blue for another term (virtual high-fives all around!).  I've been checking out the new DT Members and you guys, this team is BANANAS!  So many talented women who create from the heart, have awesome blog skills and are just all-around cool chicks.  I can't believe I get to be on a team with them... somebody pinch me already.

I am really debating switching to a smaller format with my Life Pages.  I'm torn because I started out 12x12 in January and I don't want to be a lame-o and switch after 5 months (I do mine monthly so I haven't started on June yet), but the smaller format is calling me.  What would you do?  I'm afraid that now that I've started thinking about doing a smaller size book I'll become hateful at 12x12.  And I have a ton of 12x12 page protectors.  I would appreciate any input!

Happy Weekend!

AWDML: LOVE

Tuesday.  It has become one of my favorite days ever because I'm on the A Walk Down Memory Lane blog!  Here's my page for today:

I used all new Jillibean Soup products and a punch from my stash.  Read the post HERE.

Gossamer Blue June Blog Hop

It's the 15th of the month and that means the lovely ladies from the GB DT are hosting an amazing inspiration blog hop!  You should have landed here from my favorite Jill--Jill Cornell!

My layout shows a few of my absolute favorites from the June kits:  Seven Paper gold embossed vellum, Dear Lizzy cupcake toppers and the lovely Gossamer Blue exclusive papers.  There's no getting the GB exclusives unless you sub!

This photo was taken at Miss Q's 3rd Birthday Party:  poor Daddy couldn't get that doll out of the package fast enough!  The three candles are another Dear Lizzy product from the June Bits and Pieces kit.

Next on the hop is the cute-cute Katie Ehmann!  I'm sure she has a bunch of pretty cooked up for you :)

If you encounter a broken link along the way head back to the Gossamer Blue Blog HERE, or feel free to click on any of the Design Team members names below.

Happy Hopping!  And scroll to the end of this post for a special announcement...

Anabelle O'Malley
Beshka Kueser
Brenda Weaver
Caylee Grey
Cindy Liebel
Emily Spahn
Erin Taylor
Eunyoung Lee
Diane Payne
Heather Leopard
Jill Cornell
Jill Keller
Katie Ehmann
Laura Rahel Crosby
Melanie Blackburn
Michelle Wooderson
Michiko Kato
Sabrina Alery
Yana Smakula

I AM BEYOND THRILLED TO SAY.... I am back for another term with Gossamer Blue!  Here's a look at the new Design Team:

Project 12: 5

May was incredibly busy but lacking in photos.  Apparently I was too busy to snap some pics along the way...but I had enough to make a two-page spread for my Project 12 album.

I used May kits from Gossamer Blue and the exclusive Life Pages cards were pretty dreamy.  I love the orange 5 on the month card, just the right pop of color on the white to draw your eye in.  The left side page protector is from Becky Higgins and the right side is from We R Memory Keepers.  I have to say the 4x4 squares mixed with the 3x4 pockets made my heart go pitter-patter.

I try to set my spread up chronologically, although that doesn't work every month.  For May the first part of the month is on the left and the second part on the right.  So it worked out in that sense, but the photos aren't in chronological order.

I'm continuing with the Shimelle date stamp and jet black Stazon ink.  It's so handy to date my photos with the stamp as soon as they are printed, allowing me to go back and journal much more quickly because the photos are already prepped.  The GB 4x4 square cards were originally 4x6, cropped down to fit the pocket.  I just love it when you can crop journaling cards and not lose any of the pretty!

My only embellishing this month is in the form of items placed on the outside of the page protectors, primarily Maggie Holmes stickers and Thickers from the May kits.  They just fit perfectly for my May spread.  PROUD AUNT MOMENT:  My sweet niece has her tuition and books paid at a stellar university, because she is just incredibly perfect in every way (and super-smart).  She's contemplating pre-med and if you knew her you would say DO IT.  She's just amazing and I was at the hospital when she was born and well, I can't love her any more than I already do.  Ok, now that I'm crying my eyes out....

ANOTHER PROUD AUNT MOMENT:  My sweet nephew Manny is in desert training right now. His commitment to serving our country is beyond impressive.  I love him and my heart swells with pride whenever I think of him.  Ack, the tears!  Moving on...

How's your Life Pages project?  I'm already contemplating 2016 and doing a weekly 6x8 album. I have so many cards left over from my GB Life Pages kits every month!  I think I could take the same approach and work on this album once a month, but do a bit more embellishing in a 6x8 album, using more of the cards.  And I already have tons of page protectors.  So...maybe?

Be creative and happy my friends!

Gossamer Blue: We Kick Butt

I have a great group of girlfriends that I met through MOMS Club, and this Spring we took on a health-incentive challenge called Walk Kansas.  The final day of Walk Kansas was our local Susan G. Komen 5k, so we formed a team and did the race together.

So, this was one of those layouts that, in my opinion, worked out better in my head than on paper. And that's ok!  I really wanted to get these photos scrapped and I really wanted to include multiple photos on my page.  I liked the GB exclusive camera paper because the colors go with the photos, plus a few of the photos were taken selfie-style.

I won't tear this layout apart and re-do it, but I may scrap a few of the photos again on a new page (I tend to do that anyway).

What I Learned:

• a grid-style would have probably worked better for this size and orientation of photos
• less is more; a large strip of the photo paper would probably have been a better choice
• walk away; I didn't love it and kept working it.  A break would have given me new perspective

Do you get that feeling of >blah< when you're done with a page?  What's your solution?

Happy Creating

xoxoxo

AWDML: The Adventure Begins

Happy Tuesday!  I have a BOY layout on the A Walk Down Memory Lane blog today, featuring my bestie's sweet lil' man.  I used the cutest line from October Afternoon, Treasure Map.  Read all about it HERE.

The last few days...

The girly and I took an adventure to my hometown for Old Settler's Reunion.  This celebration occurs every five years and most people who grew up/lived there at one point return to reconnect.  I spent time with one of my classmates and was able to visit with another very briefly, plus see a handful of others from my childhood.  Now I get to share Old Settler's Reunion with my girly!

Our last day before heading home to get some much-needed rest included birthday cake for me!

41 years old.  For some reason this number is harder to take than 40!  It shouldn't matter at this point, the number doesn't signify anything.  Maybe the birthday in combination with Old Settler's made me reflect a bit more than other birthdays, as I've been spending more time on memories lately.  Lots of changes in my life since the last Old Settler's Reunion, mainly the addition of Miss Q in our lives!  

Here's a quick re-cap of the last 5 years:

• Miss Q
• Quitting work to stay home with my girly
• Design Team Member!  Special thanks to Lori at Gossamer Blue and Lisa at A Walk Down Memory Lane for having faith in my work
• New (to us), bigger house that I love.  I've also realized I don't really like houses built after the 1960's
• So many new girlfriends.  Making friends as an adult is about a million times harder than when you're a kid (and by kid, I mean college age and younger).  There are several girlies that have really impacted my life in a positive way--you know who you are
• KIDS.  I love and adore my friends' kiddo's
• FAMILY.  Hoping to stay connected to extended family!  I recently found a few of my favorite cousins from my childhood on Facebook and that is the best. feeling. ever.

There's so much more.  I think I'm going to spend some more time immersed in these memories and thoughts, maybe do a now and then post sometime soon.  It feels like something inside needs rediscovered and I'm awfully close to finding it.

Stay happy my friends!

XOXO

Jill

AWDML: Bravo, You

I made a fun little paper doll page for A Walk Down Memory Lane blog!  Click HERE to read the post.

Gossamer Blue: Just Plain Wonderful

Hi there!  I'm on the Gossamer Blue blog talking about heat embossing your wood veneer kit exclusives.  Click HERE to read the full post.