pamgarrison

recent journaling pages in process

Last week I met my friend Christine at an art store...kind of dangerous meeting spot for me, as I always find something I want. I'm a sucker for paints in premixed pretty colors. Plus, these inexpensive acrylics are easy to just dip into for quick play. Of course, I had to put them on some paper right away. You know how some people say cookies call to them? For me it's colors...they beg to be played with. I can't resist. 

I feel like this front peach was begging to be picked, and I feel the same way about the colors. I pick them often as a reaction to a previous color I've used. 

Because I don't go in order with my pages, and have pages in all the different stages of journaling going at one time, I will end up slapping a new color over old ones which leads to different color combinations as well. 

I had done this journaling page late one night and when I woke up I didn't care for much of it, so started collaging over it. When I got the new paints, I dabbed some on there too. 

None of the pages I'm showing here today are finished. I love seeing other people's pages in process, and am showing mine here, hoping the same interests you.  

This was merely for fun- playing with the new inks and colors I just bought.

I instagrammed this one last night because as I was flipping through pages looking to doodle or color, I found it funny that someone had written a reply to my previously written question. (And no, she did not find the off switch while I slept, I'm still thinking thinking thinking most of the time I'm awake.) But this page went from the above to this with the addition of the new colors:

 

 Here's the whole spread:

I take it back about what I said about none of the pages posted today are finished. I'd say these two probably are.  

Unless I change my mind.

Truly, I don't really give the pages that much thought or analysis. They are experimentation, play, just pages in an art journal. Here's a great example of that:

I'ts just a page I was trying out different tools, showing some friends different tools, a little demo page actually. I don't consider it finished, some day the mood will strike me to paint over some of it, or collage, or write or doodle and then, after that, it will likely feel more cohesive. But I'm going for authentic development, not a preplanned result.

Above is a page that was all about playing with that favorite new pen I linked to in a recent post, this one.

Same with this page, I was showing Carol some of my favorite new pens when we were in the desert. Love to get my art journaling friends turned onto new tools. (I'm working on a favorites pages for the blog here.)

Sometimes it's just a long standing favorite  black pen (I buy them in bulk, they are inexpensive enough that I don't have to treat them specially- in other words, I can leave them out and not have a heart attack if someone in the family picks it up and uses it, unlike with more expensive pens) and good ol' number two pencil that I crave playing with. 

Anyway, not sure how I got off on this tangent, but there you have it, some recent journaling pages in all different stages and a little bit of the way my brain approaches art journaling. 

Thank you to everyone who has requested, and continues to patiently wait for, my art journaling e-course. I AM going to do it, I've even started making videos...it's just a very big project for me; I love art journaling and have lots to share about it. -Since my word of the year is ORDER, I'm working on getting everything organized so that I can attack such a big project and make it as awesome as I can! 

{Ed: Katie asked what paper I use. I love love love this paper that Teesha Moore turned me onto many moons ago, I've used it pretty exclusively since when making my own journals. I'll have more info, like why I love it,  in the upcoming e-course. ;)}

pop up sale this weekend!

(click on above to link to event info!-don't worry about the tickets,they're not needed)

Friends Tara Whitney and Emily Falconbridge are putting together an awesome pop up vintage/handmade sale this weekend in Irvine, CA.  I'm going, and thought you might want to too. I've been over to Tara's and seen the growing pile of fun, and know Emily makes rad stuff, so...

 

 

Told ya, it's good stuff. Hope to meet you there!

 

quick, inexpensive & easy valentine's decor

 

Here's a super quick and easy Valentine's Day decor craft, a great one for  the kids.

I bought these pre-cut paper hearts in the dollar bin at Target. With that, some baker's twine, and a sewing machine, you've got everything needed to make these little hanging hearts.

Simply sandwich the baker's twine between two of the hearts and zigzag stitch over the baker's twine to keep it in place. This way the hearts will hang straight, although tilted would be cute too.

Because I wanted my hearts to hang in a straight line down, I was sure to catch the twine in the zigzag all the way down to the point of the heart, then without cutting the twine, sew the next heart on a few inches down.

Of course, you can also cut your own hearts out of anything. I used some of the hearts as templates with paper I had already.

Be sure to leave extra twine at the top of your strand so you can wrap it around something to hang.

 

Catching your line horizontally vs. vertically will give you a different kind of garland:

Less than 15 minutes and $5.00, totally worth it:

I love Valentine's crafts! If you do too, here are some more posts from the past:

love is in the air

waxing valentine's

home made valentine's

more home made valentine's

 

 

project life • week 2

Yay! I'm really doing it!  Here's my spread for week 2:

I was away from home for most of this week. So it's especially "my life" heavy. Luckily, I had taken a photo of my son doing homework Monday before I left, and also lucky that I saw my daughter while away, so she's included too. After getting home and starting to work on it, I realized that the boys' story of the week was missing, so I had my husband email me a schedule of what they did while I was away.  I put it on the cute mason jar Eileen Hull gave me (from her Picket Fence collection with Sizzix - coming soon). I also included my son's side of a phone conversation we had while I was away.

Since the reason I was away from home was a teaching event at French General, I used one of their business cards as the week header card (or whatever they're called). {Side note: did you know that French General is now open 5 days a week?!?}

As before, I'm pretty much using either hand-me-down products, the Studio Calico Project Life kit, or things I have already, like the Martha Stewart labels from her  line at Staples. Still hoping I'm not going overboard on the extras, that I won't tire of it and wish I hadn't embellished the photos so much later on...still figuring that out, and reminding myself that it's ok to not really know my style of this yet. It's fun and I'm focused on getting it done and enjoying the process far more than the result. It'll be interesting to me to see how I approach it later.

I do love this pen for writing directly on photos (I've been using semi gloss photo paper that I had already).

Doing things like hand cutting out letters from paper I have at home (and then machine stitching onto the photo) gives my book a personal touch, which is part of my story as well. Still love using the scraps from the playing cards that I cut up too ;).

Pretty crazy about the Studio Calico Make Some Thing Today transparency. You can see a piece of Hambly (no long in business, sigh) transparency behind it as part of the next week.

Used a close up photo of one of my journal pages as a different way of relaying my story, vs. photos or text (Martha file labels again).

So, here are some of current thoughts after just beginning this year long project:

1. I want to learn how to use my camera better for low light situations.

2. I need to find a way to have my family participate more- or how to include them more. It's a bit tricky with a daughter away at college and 2 boys that don't care to be photographed. I know the project is through my eyes, but I do want it to be about the whole family, not just me.

3. I need to find a way to organize the supplies that I'd like to use and do a purge of those I won't.

4. I want to really work consistantly so that I don't fall more than a week behind because I don't seem to be able to remember much from weeks past. 

5. I need to develop a little note keeping system, be it an app like momentum, or a little notebook. 

6. I want to learn to be able to digitally add to my elements, create my own, so need to learn more photoshop and illustrator. For example, I really would like to re-do the phone conversation with my son digitally somehow...but probably won't at this point. I assume by the end of the year I will do that type of thing when first making the card. And that's ok, I'm growing, I know I will like the end of the year's spreads more than these, but this is an authentic telling of our story right now.

7. I'm using a lot more color than I thought I would overall, especially red. It's funny when I suprise myself from what I thought I would do,no right or wrong, just noticing.

8. I think I do want my whole spread to have a somewhat cohesive look. I think. So far, I have kept in mind a sort of color scheme as I make my choices, and have tried to balance out photos/text/misc inserts throughout the week. That was pretty easy to do, because this spread was done all at once (late), we'll see if this 4th week, that is in progress, will have any "look" as a whole or not, as I've been tucking things in as the week has gone along. Just kind of fun things for me to think about as I develop my own voice/approach to this project.

9. So far, I think it's a fun project  and am really happy I'm doing it! 

new class at French General

I'm teaching a new class, called Paper Parasols, at French General this spring. Hope some of you local (and non local too!) girls can join me.

For more info, click on the above link, and then the Workshop links on the left sidebar. Here are some more photos to entice you into coming to play :

This is one of those creations that makes my heart skip a beat every time I look at it. I was overtaken by whimsical inspiration. Just something fun for spring and summer.

We'll have everything you need ready and waiting at French General, so no need to bring anything. Of course, if you want to bring some personal treasures like some family photos, or bits and bobs that are special, that's fine too! Class info here.

project life • week 1

I've finished my first project life spread! I know, what's the big deal, right? But for me, it feels like an accomplishment. Like a first row of crocheting a blanket after just learning how. I'm having fun learning this new-to-me way of expressing ideas, a little bit of a new creative language. And I'm super hopeful that I'll keep it up all 52 weeks, knowing that surely there will come a day when it might not feel so fun. I want to remember this feeling to get me through that. The challenge-is-fun feeling (and accomplishment is fun too).

Pretty much still using a mix of hand me down Project Life products, Studio Calico Project Life kit items (like the stamps above) and my own items or fodder from life (like that bit paper with stripes on top of heart that is glued on a vintage label which was on a package purchased for my December Daily project from Hello Forever.

Arrow printable is my own, and I wrote on it with a favorite new item- a pre-inked calligraphy paintbrush.

The first seemed really special and exciting, so I glued the stars on it. It's also why I decided to do an extra insert vs. the standard 2 page spread. Probably a little bit because I'm excited about the project too, but I figured, why not use that energy while I have it?

I loved the photo of the beach so much I wanted it to be full size. I printed it 6x12 and although they sell page protectors that size, I didn't have one, so instead I made one from a 12x12 protector. I put the photo in against the right edge, and then sewed it on my sewing machine alongside the left side of the photo. To create the edge that goes in the rings, I just held it against that part on another page protector using it as a template and handcut it and handpunched the holes in the same place.

I wrapped a vintage label around the photo and put a geotag chipboard sticker on. I also love the little A with a heart that was left over from making the letters on inside cover (out of playing cards). I'm trying to play with the little items I love without letting them take over or take away from the big picture. I also know that I tend to grow out of itmes, you know, styles change, I don't want to put so many current products in that the book feels really outdated to me in a few years. Just telling you the things I'm thinking about as I figure out my approach to this project.

This is what you see when you flip the page- Three individual photos sized 4x6, 4x6 and 3x6 .

Here's the right side of spread when the flap insert page is out of the way.The photos are blurry and dark, but I'm focusing on telling the story, (and getting it done!)  vs. pretty or perfect.

That's why I used this less than pretty sheet from our Hearts card game. It's even a little wrinkled, but I love that it captures the fact that our 20 year old sometimes still calls us Mommy and Daddy. I cut the top off the paper we were using and sewed it on the middle of the score sheet. (It's from the dollar spot at Target.) Then I stitched over the sticker letters because I had to scoot them over a few times to get the placement close to centered, and I was afraid they would loose their stick.

I updated an old journal card with washi tape on the top and bottom, added a vintage label with a heart from the playing cards on top and some arrow stickers. (I can't find the orange, but link is same product in tan.)

...and...that wraps up my spread for week 1...only 51 to go!

weekend recap

What a lovely weekend I had as an honorary Moss sister attending an art retreat for 3 in Palm Springs. Isn't the place Mary Ann found fun? As soon as I got there, I had to add a little birthday festivity, since it was recently Mary Ann's birthday:

Mary Ann had a great point; that the light showing through the garland at the stitched places is as pretty as the other parts,maybe prettier. Of course, we'll have to try more stitching without thread, to create more holes for light and report back.

The place was so beautiful and fun. Both outside:

and inside:

I couldn't resist putting on Mary Ann's round glasses for a photo in the round mirror:

One Moss sister makes her bed, another does not, I'll let you guess which is which:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The journals came out as soon as we'd finished inspecting our new digs. Oh, the journals! So fun to be with other avid art journalers, always. First one I dug into was Mary Ann's sample for her Full Tilt Boogie class...look at the binding!

Then onto another journal, one of Carol's:

 

 

And on and on we went until we got through as much of the pile as our brains could take, without a break for sustenance.

The rest of the trip is a blur of creating, painting, playing and all that goes along with that.

We all made mini journals, here's mine (open):

and of course, some journal pages:

I wanted to steal this paper that Mary Ann made:

But I didn't.

All too soon, the sun set again and it was time for me to return home. Plans for next year made the leaving a little easier. It's always good to leave before you've had your fill, right?

If you would like to see more photos from the weekend through a different lens, you can check out my instagram, Carol's blog, or Mary Ann's blog.

{Ed:just remember, one of them tells "tall tales" and the other spins yarns for school children, so take their renditions with a grain of salt!}

journal it!!

 

Congratulations to my pal Jenny Doh for authoring yet another awesome art book, Journal It!   You know I'm passionate about art journaling, so I was very excited to get my hands on a copy. So much to see; 19 artists share their journals. I especially love seeing my friends, or fellow blogging/teaching artists that I know would be friends if only we were ever at the same place at the same time with our journals and supplies :).

 Like Corey Moortgat:

Alisa Burke:

and Julie Fei-Fan Balzer:

Speaking of Julie, and journaling with her, I  wish I was going to be able to join in the fun this weekend when she's teaching at Jenny's, but I'll be out of town. There are still a couple spots so if you have an unexpected opening, maybe you'll get to meet her and journal with her. I'm sure it's going to be an awesome art journaling time. 

Instead, I'll be taking my newest itty bitty journal that I made while teaching for a friend's private little gathering over at Studio Crescendoh this past week (isn't it cute?), 

and going to this special birthday party. Is she not one of the wittiest and most entertaining bloggers ever?!? That post made me laugh out loud. I'll do my best with the synchronized swimming routine...I love being in the water, but a water ballerina I am not! Anyway, surely my little book of mostly white pages will not look like this when I get back:

Until then, here are some relatively recent journaling pages of mine to share:

 

 

Hooray for Fridays!!! Hope you are having a good one!

"project life"-ing

Well, I'm going for it: I'm going to do a Project Life type documentation project this year! Project Life seems to be everywhere I look these days, from blogs and instagrams to conversations. I get why. {If you are not familiar with what "Project Life" is, you can see more here. It's a memory-keeping method developed by Becky Higgins in an attempt to simplify the process and make it do-able. } For me, in a very general explanation, it's going to be a week by week documenting of our lives for the 52 weeks of 2013, all compiled in an album full of page protectors. A photo album/scrapbook of our daily life.

I've just begun, and like I said, I'm super excited. I don't really have an official plan yet, like many who are experienced Project Lifers do. Well, my plan is to formulate it after some experience, I'm going to have to discover as I go what my process will be. So far, my main and most important goal is to stick with it for the entire year and get it done. I will keep that as my main goal: documenting this year for our family, and remind myself of that if I start to overcomplicate it to the point where I put it off or it stops being realistic. I really want to do this for our family; all the other benefits (the creating, the having a place for all the ephemera of life that I love but don't know what to do with, the committing to and completing a giant (for me) goal,etc.) are just side benefits to the main motivation.

Look at this cute video by   Design Editor of her adorable twins looking over their family's book. So awesome that they will have these of their childhood (which brings up another big goal for me and this project - to not use it as a way to beat myself up for what I could have, should have, done; I'm starting now and I need to focus on that positive). 

I had a lot of fun over the past week talking about documenting stories with Rebecca and Charlotte while away. (Rebecca, as many of you know, is quite well known for being a scrapbook author and designer as well as her stitching and painting and journal making mixed media artwork.) Anyway, Rebecca has a new post about feeling reinvigorated to play with pictures and paper and paint, so it'll be fun to see where that goes. 

So far, it seems I'm going to be doing a hybrid type Project Life, a mix of Project Life products (like the page protector inserts) and ones I make (like my printables) or get elsewhere. I am super excited to actually be documenting our year in a way that seems pretty do-able, pretty simple (if I stay out of my own way), and also a fun little puzzle, figuring out how to represent each week.

I've used a hand me down album cover that a friend happened to give me recently (hello serendipity), and signed up for the Studio Calico Project Life monthly kit. You can see their hello card that I sewed onto a piece of paper and glued down. (btw- i think i might finally be getting the hang of these tape devices, because for once, i used it and it worked, vs. my usual stick down technique). For now, I've doodled and washi taped and cut out letters from playing cards (inspired by Rebecca) for the inside of the album. I'm imagining this will likely change over the year.

{By the way, I used a favorite new pen above, to outline, and my beloved Copics to fill in.}

I used one of my prints (cut down and adhered to printed paper) and added a flair button from Studio Calico (I believe). Here's what you see when you open the book:

And if you turn that first little page, the Life Is Good half page, you see this:

I used these alphabet stamps in our initials repeated over and over. The number stamps I carved myself, and yes, I realize that PGA and GAG are the recognizable words or acronyms...oh well, I did it by age order, without thinking about that. I kind of think it's funny, and am not going to change it; my project is not going to be about perfection, that's for sure! No time for re-dos.

Here's the opening page. Most is from the Studio Calico PL kit, but the Garrison was left over from something I received and I just collaged on the scraps from my print that was cut down for little flap page (see above).

I'm wanting some free time to read Julie's Project Life links, because I know she's taken a less traditional approach, and she did Project Life all last year, and because I loved reading this post of hers.

I'd also like to revisit Ali's (seeing hers over the years is the main inspiration for me to do PL),  and new to me are Elise's, and Catherine's, and Liz's. Can you tell I've fallen down a new rabbit hole? Ha! Well, you know I love company on these journeys, thus all the links...c'mon...any takers? It's going to be fun, I can tell already, and I'm going to learn a lot which is fun too. And all these excercises like printing photos, or using services to order photos or or or are well and good in themselves, but the fact that they'll add up to a wonderfully personal book for the family? Even better!

 

home again

So nice to be home again after being away. There really is no place like home, is there?

I usually return home from teaching trips completely wiped out, and this one was no exception.

But it was worth it, such a good trip.

Started out by picking up friends and fellow teachers Charlotte and Rebecca at LAX and heading up the coast to Carpinteria where we had rented a cute little cottage for a couple nights.

It was as tiny and cute as it looks.

We instantly started the photographing and instagramming, because I was so smitten with Rebecca's genius use of old French monogram tape as shoelaces. (see instagram here for closeup)

Which led to moments of laughter like this:

So much fun being with long-time friends. We did some beach walking where I found these treasures:

And we did a little walking around the town where we saw vistas like this:

and houses with boats in the driveway:

and antique shops where I fell in love with the colors of this thread:

We drove into Santa Barbara to visit Art From Scrap, a favorite place to visit for me. Of course we all found treasures, here are mine:

One of my favorite past-times in the world is to treasure hunt, junk, antique, flea market, (whatever you want to call it, all the same to me), especially when traveling. I have a weakness for items that can be used to create with.

Look at the plastic bottle flower curtain that hangs at Art From Scrap:

Santa Barbara is so beautiful.

And after our adventures out, we returned to our cottage. Loved this view out the side window:

We did do some creating at the cottage, but not as much as any of us had hoped, time went by so quickly.

I was making some paper to include in my upcoming class kits.

and admiring the class samples for Charlotte and Rebecca's upcoming classes:

Luckily for us, friends Syd and Mary each made the trip to visit one night. We got to see their class samples for their upcoming trip to Mexico, and did a little creating together, but again, time went too quickly.

The next night we had a visit from my daughter and her friend. My daughter had forgotten her computer charger at home after returning to college from the holidays, so they made the hour and a half drive to retrieve it. Charlotte and Rebecca whipped up a delicious meal that we all enjoyed together, and then after a short visit they were off again...but not before taking one last photo with me:

And then it was time to pack up and lock up the cottage.

But before hitting the road we decided to take a self timer iphone photo of the three of us...boy, that was entertaining for my friends- I wish I knew how to make a gif so you could see the progression of my attempts and then finally making it into the photo. (That's why Charlotte can be seen laughing in the photo below.)

We had a delicious brunch at Home in Silverlake and headed straight to French General where Kaari and crew put on another fabulous fun filled event that lasted for days.

Here we are with our hosts, the Meng sisters, Kaari and Molly.

These two are amazing, not only are they incredibly creative and generous, but seem to have endless energy and an innate ability to host classes and parties and events.

Rebecca was a huge help to me and practically organzied me by herself:

I made the same mistake I usually do when teaching, I failed to get photos of the prep, the class, the students work, the students. Time just goes so quickly when I'm trying to share ideas and demonstrate options. If you were in the class and have any photos to share, please post a link in the comments. Otherwise, the only photos I took were shared on my instagram feed.

Luckily, Rebecca thought to take some for me:

It's a shame I didn't take any, because the students were making magic with the items in their kits and  having so much fun, it felt like the class was over before it started.  One of these days I will learn that lesson! A big thank you to all of you artists that came to French General for The Art of Craft classes, without you, it would be no fun! xo

The Art of Craft

The fun has begun at Kaari Meng's French General, for The Art of Craft event.
1st photo: Kaari and Rebecca, the calm before the storm.
2. Charlotte's class is in full swing.

Rebecca is teaching next, I teach tomorrow.

More pictures to come!

my word for 2013

I have decided to participate in the One Little Word movement. It's something that a whole bunch of people do, (created by Ali Edwards), they pick a word to focus on throughout the new year. Here's a link to more info.

I've never picked a "word" for myself to think about and take action on as a theme for my year before. Interested to see how that goes. I chose order as my word. It's not a word that makes one want to have a charm made to wear around the neck, it's not fun like that, but with it in my life, I think it'd take me to some great places and I woudn't spend much of my life feeling like this:

I thought I was working on it last year, but mostly, I was just learning about how much order and structure I don't have built into my life...systems for operating, functioning, vs. fly by the seat of my pants. I joke that my gifts are my curse, which is probably pretty true for everyone...that yin and yang of challenge also being opportunity. My mind is interested in so many things, and I think about them all at the same time, which I choose to look at as a gift; it enables me to be interested and participate in so many things, especially creatively, vs. one focus, but, it does so without any order, which generally seems to lead to controlled chaos. And frankly, this system of operating has me worn out. So, I invite you into my life, Order, please accept my invitation and please be a kind guest and cohabitant. Please come willingly?

Fresh starts, do overs: love, love, love, them!

free printable to color

On January 1st, as we were driving to the beach, I couldn't help but doodle in the car. Looking forward to coloring it in and thought you or your kids might enjoy coloring it in too. (to download free printable click Download Pgarrison2013 )

It's 2013,  that sounds so futuristic... I remember reading 1984 before it was 1984...and singing "party like it's 1999" long before Y2K ... right? Crazy how the future is here and now!! Hoping to make the most of it!

 

 

all but finished with december daily!

Today, on my Instagram feed, I posted a photo similar to the one above (cute tray from the dollar bins at Target). It's the washi tape that I've had out with my December Daily supplies and now that I'm danderously close to finishing my book (a few more photos to print out and include, a couple more notes to write), it's time to put away all the washi tape. So, I didn't keep up with regular December Daily photos here on the blog like I'd hoped. This post has most of the pages. I really learned a lot, which I'll tell you about after the photos (because I know photos are really what most all of us want most!).

I started doodling on the chipboard cover (there's more on the back)- I proably won't do any more at this point, as it's time to move on. I wrapped it closed with a ribbon that came on a blanket I purchased at Target, tied in a knot.

I couldn't resist putting some of the holiday fodder that came my way in the book, no date in particular, just an extra spread. Especially loved the Rifle Paper goods this holiday (you'll see it on other pages too.)

This tiny tag from West Elm fit perfectly in the little side part of the pocket page. Using these favorite bits of life was one motivator for participating in December Daily.

Early on in the month I added a paper bag from PaperSource to store receipts in (with a Target gift card snowman stuck on top.)

Vintage flash card 7, transparency from Meridith Tilton & Kinsey Wilson's Holiday Pop Up Shop.

This is my favorite page, this spread including the full page photo of my kids playing at the Christmas Tree lot. It was totally inspired by seeing Project Life spreads of Elise Blaha Cripe- how she cuts up a photo to fit it into the pockets. (I know lots of people do this, her blog is where I first saw it and felt inspired to do it myself.)

I used a part of the printed photo that was left over, put washi tape on the back (see above photo) and wrote a note on the front using my favorite white pen (above). It was right about here that I felt like I was starting to get the hang of how I was going to approach my documenting of December.

I made my own divided page protector from one large 12x12 that I sewed so I could put in tiny photos and the felt snowflake.

I finally remembered to use my own printables (duh, Pam!)

(I uploaded a photo to minted for our holiday greeting) The card is taped down on the left edge and it lifts up to reveal some personal writing I did regarding cards we receive and  send in December.- Loved the birthday card on the left sent by a friend so much had to include it ;).

On the left side is the envelope my husband's birthday card was in, with glitter stickers. Letter stickers on the right are these.

(Need to finish this page by writing on the journal card in bottom right.)

Jenni Bowlin alpha stickers here.

So, there's a whole lot of my December Daily book...are you still with me?

Here's what I learned on what was basically my first ever scrapbooking project:

1. I liked it.

2. I'm thrilled I am 99% finished and know I will finish it- something I hoped when starting, but couldn't be sure.

3. I think it will be fun to do again next year.

4. Taking a work trip mid December made a project like this very difficult for me. I should have taken notes. Amy Tan suggested this app to me. It would have helped; I could have made notes on what my family was up to, as well as myself, so that when I got back home and back to the project I wouldn't be at a loss for what happened on those days.

5. I learned how to print my photos in different sizes. (I know, seriously? Sad, but true, I didn't really know how to do it correctly, so glad this project forced me to actually print some photos!)

6. I used it as an excuse to collect far more products than I needed. I'll have plenty for next year with the leftovers from this year.

6. I am grateful to Ali Edwards for originating this project and for placing the importance on telling the story, in any way you want, whatever works for you.

7. It made me sure I want to do Project Life this year. Oh boy...that's a much bigger committment than 25 days....

but more on that another day!

first day of the new year

Here's to 2013!!!

I did a little doodling in the car as we were heading to the beach. I am very excited for 2013. I feel like most everyone is, which makes it all the more fun.

We went to one of our favorite beaches, Crystal Cove, and it was a beautiful day.

Loved that the Heron wasn't the least bit perturbed by humans. Good perspective for New Years Day, I suppose he was focusing on the year ahead, haha.

Anyway, I hope you had a lovely start to the year.

Here we go!!!!