a little bit of me.

{SC: January's County Fair Revealed!}

Studio Calico's January Kit - County Fair - is now live!  Even though December was crazy -it was DECEMBER after all(!), I still made time to make as much as I could with this kit - bc I loved it that much.  :) 

Took a new approach to accomplishing my scrapping this month >> by spreading everything out on my dining room table and working while the boys played.  It was revolutionary for me, as I've really hated being cooped up during the evenings in my office/guestroom lately.  This may be the new me when it comes to crafting!  ;)

This is what I made with January's Kit....!

..."Berry Sweet E" - This is my "main kit only" page this month - loved the #s stamp and designed my layout around that with list-style journaling.  Photo of Ev from earlier in the month.  Copper Metallic Zing! used with the stamp (looks fab with kraft c/s!)

..."NYC" - a big old pic from our little NYC trip last sept.  and then a photostrip of sorts running across the bottom of the page.  I loved so many of the elements of the Photobooth addon and put lots of them to good use here!  The photostrip is elevated with foam adhesive on top of the big pic - not sure that translates in my photo of it, but I loved the added dimenion it provided.  Note: The stamp used here is part of Ringtoss!

..."Out-takes" - these are just a few of the (what i think are) adorable pics of the boys, that didn't quite qualify as "card-quality", but that i still LOVED, taken during what ended up being our holiday card photoshoot (which =s me randomly deciding one weekday afternoon that the light streaming in through our backyard is TOO fabulous to waste, bartering with E that he could have "no nap" if he cooperated with pics, and repeatedly coercing Noah into giving Evan a "Hug"!)

..."Our Card" - is just that.  the front side of our holiday card.  I used washi tape to attach it so you can flip to the backside which is our halloween "super" family pic, and says "have a super new year!".  That little camera stamp is in Photobooth and is THE.BEST.

 
..."#1 Friend" - made with lots of leftover bits and some chipboard from the MAIN kit!  The heart punches are by stampin up.

..."Thanks" - more bits and pieces!  and LOTS of SHINE!!!! :)

..."XO" - The SC mini wood veneer alpha from County Fair is most def something that I'll be hoarding for a while!  and the stamps here are PERFECT for valentines projects and cards, and are from Shooting Gallery (the other addon that I worked with this month).

the end.  :)

{Project LIFE 2012: Cover Page}

I have been debating committing myself to "Project Life" for 2012.  Because while I adore the idea of recording an ENTIRE year in just a single (or few depending on how much you include) album, I was hesitant on whether I could tackle yet another project.

BUT what i LOVE is that the philosophy of Project Life is SIMPLICITY.

And after reading through (multiple times) my friend Lisa's amazing post on how she's made PL work for her - and seeing how her resulting album REALLY shows her family's everyday life throughout 2011 - I was convinced. 

I want to capture MORE of the little moments that we love.  The funny things Evan says.  The "firsts" that Noah seems to be steam-rolling through.  And the everyday things that I don't think twice about now, but will want to remember the details of years from now.  :)  AND so, I hope to have something even half as fabulous as Lisa's album at the end of 2012.  :)

And 2 days later, thanks to an Amazon Prime trial membership that I am going to HUGELY miss... This arrived on my doorstep.

...the Becky Higgins PL Core Kit in COBALT and Style A and Style F Page Protectors.

I've decided to use one of the many 3-Ring American Crafts albums in my stash to house my album for 2012 - the protectors fit perfectly.

I couldn't resist playing with the kit a bit to create my title page for 2012 - and I'm already in love with this style of scrapping in pockets...

...The upper left corner is a 4x6 pocket, but I really wanted to use two 2x3's there, so I'll just adhere them back to back with the 4x6 that will go behind them, to keep them in place.  :)

...The only thing I added beyond the core kit was the green polka paper, cardstock, and my digital title/volume card (printed as a photo at costco).

I will be sharing my PL "weeks" here on the blog - to hopefully keep me caught up.  :)

Also - Studio Calico has a PROJECT LIFE FORUM set up with lots of helpful info and encouragement for anyone else who might be interested in tackling a PL album for the first time like me.

:)

Supplies...

InLinkz.com

{at 18 Months...}

latest monthly post to-date (i think).  sorry Noah.  ;)

Not only have we obviously been caught up in the craziness of what is December, I've also been struggling all month to get a decent photo of Mr Noahpants.

I really, REALLY wanted to get a wide variety of shots this month, since 18 months is somewhat of a milestone, and instead I ended up with a lot of pics like this...

...he is OBSESSED with his bellybutton lately and will show it to anybody who will look, at anytime.  ;)

I think I had truly forgotten mentally blocked how difficult this age can be (especially when the photographer is just momma, and it's much easier to ignore her and RUN where ever she may place you down for a photo...).

I even dragged a vintage baby toy piano that I've had stuffed in my garage for a couple of years now, out into our backyard to try to get him to stand in one place and LOOK AT ME for 2 seconds...  but no luck.

(He did totally love banging the keys for about 11 seconds, though!)

And so, I'll take a 1/2 smile, because I know how much fun he was having at the park the day I took this - repeatedly sliding off and onto the bench, and chasing after Evan, and running the wooden walk-way paths that stretch over the edge of the intracoastal waterway where we were.

And so, at 18 Months, Noah...

...says momma, dadda, banana (nah-nuh), batman (bah-mah -- and used as a general name for ANY superhero or even Lightning McQueen for that matter), bubble (buh-bah), that (dat), Evan (Ehhhhh), and your new favorite uhoh.

...has 8 teeth and 2 molars.

...wants to climb EVERYTHING from the dishwasher to the couch to the music table to the high chair.

...weighs 23 lbs.

...gives BIG hugs and kisses with sound effects.  ;)

...refuses to let me buckle him in to the front of a shopping cart, and attempts to dive-out at any chance.

...sings/hums the "elmo's world song" at any mention of Elmo.

...is extremely cuddly, loves to be rocked, and will sit in our lap at almost any chance he sees.

...LOVES to get a cookie at the grocery store.  Will CLAP as we get closer to the bakery and then start pointing at the counter and telling me "DAT" "DAT" over and over.  :)

...doesn't miss a beat.  He's observing everything and anything that goes on and astounds us daily with some of what he immitates.

...CLAPS when i pull into the driveway and open the garage door!

...HATES talking woody (from the toy story bin).  Cries and runs away when he comes out.  We've had to hide him lately.  ;)

...attempts to sing along with the ABC's.  It won't be long before he really is.

...gets his shoes out of our shoe bin when it's time to go somewhere and tries to put them on himself.

...and attempts at all cost to keep up with Evan's antics.  :)

***********

And really, the best shot I got of Noah all month, was taken on Dec 1st - so just a day shy of 18 months, and ended up being our Holiday Card pic this year...

(there's a layout coming about this shot... and another on some of the out-takes!)

...We love you SO much, but Evan honestly adores you, N.

:)

{Holly... Jolly...}

The Christmas installment of our 'photos of 4' series... Only one more shot to go this year.  So glad I kept up with this.  :)

Merry Christmas from us!

 

{Sneaks from SC's January Kit!}

Studio Calico's January kit, County Fair, will be available next week.  Here's just a little peek at what I made with it...

Can I just say that the STAMPS WERE OUT-OF-CONTROL AMAAAAAZING this month?!

:)

...I also worked with Addons #3 Shooting Gallery, and #4 Photobooth, and grabbed an Addon Patterned Paper as well. If I had to only choose one, I'd definitely go with Photobooth - the camera stamps, fabric swatches, and hambly camera print overlay were some of my favorite elements of the entire month!

Products used on my Projects for January...

InLinkz.com

{a few photos from december}

Been busy baking, wrapping, and attempting to stay caught up... ;)

& Just thought I'd post a few more of the photos that I just finished uploading, sorting, and getting ready to print for my december daily...

A little more elf mischief - i think this was evan's favorite Rudy-escapade thus far (idea from pinterest source!)...

Ev's santa list (& craft) from school.  I think a little something was lost in the translation to his teacher - bc he's been reciting his official "list" for weeks: "little lego people, starwars ships, and more starwars people".  The list will go directly in my DD album!  :)

Hanukkah Night One at our house tonight...

Our "yearly" ornament this year.  (I do a photo frame ornament - marked with the year - each year).  This year's is an organic bloom frame with a photo from our little backyard attempt at a card photo (ended up not using this pic - will be sure to post the shot i did use soon) - I simply added "2011" to my photo in photoshop before printing it for the frame...

And, Mr Noahpants - from almost 2 weeks (+) ago - when we had cupcakes to celebrate his half birthday - which reminds me that I still need to post his (very late) montly update...

:)

{december 17-18}

my blog recap of our month continues as i try to capture it so that i can translate it later to my december daily...  bc while i'm doing my best to stay up to date, getting it in the album daily is def NOT happening.  ;)  and that's ok. 

Saturday was our gingerbread-house-making-day (at a favorite local bakery)...

...what i love is that they set everything up, clean it all up when we're finished, and feed us the BEST donuts ever while we're making it.  :)

...evan & i did most of the decorating, while noah ate a donut and tried to grab as much candy as possible when we weren't looking!

The finished house is now residing on our dining room table - and it smells SO good every time i walk by.  :)

Today (sunday), Ev and I finished up some shopping at target, and then i fried latkes in the afternoon for Hanukkah (on Tuesday night), and then in the evening we drove over to the opposite side of Jacksonville for one of our favorite events of the year.  Luminaria.

...The houses in this part of the city all place paper-bag lantern lights along their sidewalks and walkways, while the churches have live nativity scenes taking place on their lawns, and choirs singing.  We love it.

People go all-out, decorating their cars, trucks, tractors, etc with lights and trees and even inflatable santas.  :)

Candy is thrown from car to car (we threw tootsie rolls and mint kisses), and it's really unlike anything I've ever seen...

...the boys LOVED it too.

& I'm super-excited for all we have planned this week, too...

:)

{the holidays...}

are in full swing here.

we've decked our halls...

& glitzed up both of our trees...

we've (all) met santa (even if there was ONE of us who wishes he didn't!)...

we've welcomed "Rudy" the elf to our home (via Evan's star wars spaceship)...

and have since found him in some crazy places...

we've baked the cookie mix that evan made in preschool "cooking" class... (noted on the directions sent home with the mix was "your child measured this by himself, results may vary!")...

(& it was confirmed - my child knows how to measure.  bc evan's cookies were DELICIOUS.)

we've looked forward to unwrapping & reading our holiday book, nightly...

& then we've taken to sorting through the holiday book bin repeatedly the following day...

AND, we've given our official christmas pajamas (aka jamommas) a cute little test run...

hope everyone's enjoying December as much as we are.

& hoping that all of this makes it into my december daily album very VERY soon...

:)

{What We've Read & a Winner...}

winner winner of the fabulous (& generous) stamp set and fabric from Stampin Up is:

What an incredible idea to wrap up the books! I love it and wish I would have thought of it. :) Would love to win if it's still open!

Posted by: Tracie Claiborne | December 05, 2011 at 12:24 AM

***Tracie - email me with your addy and I'll get these out asap!***

Thanks everyone for your sweet comments on the Book Advent - it's definitely not my original idea - but i'm so glad we did it.  Evan has been LOVING the book opening thus far.  And for those of you who asked about what's in our stack...  This is a glimpse of the majority of the book stash while I sorted and wrapped them up the other day (photo taken for my December Daily!)...

Favorites we've opened so far:

Duck & Goose - It's time for Christmas

Olive the Other Reindeer

we got the POP UP DELUXE version of this and HOLY COW the pop up scene at the end is amazing.  Evan wants to sleep with this book in his bed he loves it so much.  and just keeps saying "WOW, how'd they do that?!".  ;)

The Christmas Giant

:)

{Our Holiday Reading Stack & a Give-A-Way!}

(Comments closed - winner in the post above...!)

One of the holiday traditions that we're adopting this year is Melissa's wrapped book-a-day reading pile.  I think that i must have first seen this link last year on Mel's blog and just have known that it would be a great thing to start for our own family, this year.

Evan does not to go to sleep without reading multiple books before bed, EVERY.SINGLE.NIGHT.  and i love that.  :)

And so - we have 25 wrapped christmas books.

Well, actually just 10 wrapped thus far.  15 more Christmas books waiting to be wrapped in my closet, and also 8 Hanukkah books(!).  We used a lot of books that we already had, and then added a bunch to our collection this year too!

I'm a little bit picky about what gets unwrapped when, so I used Stampin Up's cute holiday #s set to stamp a tag for each of our books - which also lets Evan know which book he's supposed to unwrap that night.  The punch that I used is by Stampin Up as well!  :)

...Andddddd Stampin Up has been kind enough to give me an AMAZING give-a-way to offer up on the blog today -- a set of the #s stamps, and also a set of the cutest holiday greetings (which i've already used on my december daily - see post below!) -- as well as some of their gorgeous fabric & ribbon!!!  just leave me a comment to win and i'll choose a winner by the end of the weekend!

:)