One Little Word | Light | January 2015

I thought I would finally share some of my pages from the January prompt for One Little Word. This is a class taught by Ali Edwards. You can find information on it here.

I've participated with One Little Word since 2008 I think. Past words were simplify, savor, adventure, focus, awake, move, magic and now light. Some years I am intentional about it, other years I just listen and take note of the words that stand out. From my own experience, I am better with a word that is more broad. I'm a perfectionist and the all/none of a specific word really gets me down if I don't accomplish all my goals. Some years I have participated with the prompts and other years I just go with the flow and let the word be a part of my life. Either way has worked well for me. Last year there was no way I could keep up with the prompts. I just let "magic" work its magic and took note of how it worked out in my life. There were definitely tough times in 2014, but overall I hope I remember the magical times. The times when things worked out. When I noticed magic moments of our everyday life.  There were definitely some big things that changed as well. I'm still learning some lessons from my choices last year and I hope to keep them in mind as I move forward. Thank you Magic. You were much needed last year and I hope I can wrap up 2014 with embracing the good and the tough learning moments as well. To forgive myself of not so good choices made. To know that I needed to learn these lessons and that it is time to move forward.

Which brings me to 2015. 

I started noticing Light around the end of November. "Let Your Heart Be Light" was coming quite strongly to me. I picked up this print from Ali Edwards and I knew this would be my word this year. 

I knew this word was a complex one. There is light and there is dark in life. It's not all bokeh lights and shimmering twinkle lights. It's also the shadows. Learning how to find the light in dark places. Noticing the lights that are my loved ones and doing more to rekindle the flames of relationships and love. To LIGHTEN UP and give myself a break. Enjoy more laughter and silly moments. Not be so darn defensive and lighten up with my self talk. Embrace my imperfections and move on. Be patient with myself and be better with "living in the grey areas" as Ali calls it. So tough right now. I'm a planner. I want to know what I need to do and take action. Some things take time. I want to lighten my loads: take on fewer assignments that do not contribute to my family's and my own wellness and happiness. Lots of listening to my heart in this area: does it make my heart lighter or do I feel heaviness and stress? Making the deliberate decision toward choosing the light is making this year a happier one so far. Yes, it's fewer "big things" in the scrapbooking community, but it means more time to be with family and savor this time. To sink into being a working mom and my profession. I work to support my family. I work because I do love what I do. I just happen to have quite a few passions which can make it tough sometimes to focus on what matters most. I want to be lighter physically and do more to nourish my physical body. Let go of past failures and choose more healthy options. And to clear the clutter around me. Let go of overspending and clutter. Let the light of a simplified life lift me up. Travel lighter and let my true self shine.

Those are just a few of my random thoughts right now. It's definitely a work in progress. 

I've started with setting goals each month around a theme, but also being open to the other aspects of "light." January was lightening up the clutter around me and getting more organized. It was so helpful. The apartment is much cleaner and organized and I am liking how the other aspects of light are playing out in my life too. I'm also listening to the "Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin as well as reading "Embracing Imperfection" by Brene Brown. And I'm considering doing a 30 Day Minimalism challenge as well.

February is already here and my goals are to feel lighter physically and emotionally. I already feel like I need a restart for February! But I have some goals and I'm going to review them instead of getting down on myself and try again. Lighten up and embrace my imperfections, right?

So, finally I get to my pages. I guess I had a lot to say.

I am using a 9x12 white Handbook from Studio Calico for my One Little Word. I've purchased two so far and have already moved my past years into my other white album. You can find those here. I used my Silhouette to cut the word "light" from Ali's brush set Noel. You can find it here. The word cards are from Ali's One Little Word class and some of the filler cards: the quote cards / patterns are from Oh Snap! Boutique (find those here.) Stamps and word stickers are from Ali's First Story Stamp / Kit. You can find those here. (Please direct questions regarding the story kits/stamps to Ali's site for the most accurate information.)

The gold painted star page was created by me and my daughter having fun with some paints and a silkscreen from Studio Calico. (find similar ones here if they are available)

So there they are! I'm working on the February prompt and hope to finish that one up soon as it is quite messy!

How about you? Do you choose a One Little Word? If so I would love to hear your word and how it is going for you!

Project Life Hybrid Introduction Page

One of the things I like to do is have an intro page each year. In past years I have documented the details: where we live, what cars we drive, etc. Just the basic facts. I like having that record.

This year I wanted to do something more that still shared the state of where we are, but not specifics. We have worked hard these past five years getting my husband through school but now we are faced with some more decisions about our future. Working out the details and taking new leaps (for me) are challenging. I am a big believer in going for our dreams. Really, I am. But I'm no longer a 20 something college student. I have a family to support and those dreams sometimes take a side seat. But, new opportunities may exist and I hope to be open to them.

The thing is, I hope that no matter where we are location-wise that we embrace this idea: "life is full of adventure" and that we make lots of fun traditions and celebrate life.

So when I was looking at the word art package "Messy Daily Circles" from Ali Edwards, I knew I wanted to do a big page and focus on that "life is full of adventure" word art. (This was an assignment for the Digital Creative Team for Ali Edwards--for which I am super thankful and excited to be a part of.)

This two page spread is a pocket page on the left (the back of the title page) and then something for the back of the beginning of my weekly digital pages (from the Project Life app.) I went with a super simple enlargement mounted on white cardstock.

A closer look at the word art from the Messy Daily Circles word art set from Ali Edwards. I used the circles as they are on two of the photos. On the "hello awesome life" photo I traced around just the words and then copied/pasted those directly onto the photo. It worked great! Really fun and I love that this page just screams "embrace the awesome!"

The cards "on beginning" and "Hello new beginning" and "completely new direction" are from Ali Edwards Story Kit from the Firsts prompt. (if you subscribe to both the stamps and the kit so you get the digital set as well. I don't think these are available right now but please direct any questions directly to Ali's site to get the best information.)

Another look at the "hello awesome life" word art. The Observations chipboard and the "Life is good" chipboard pieces are from Ali's Week in the Life kit (currently available as of this post.) The awesome "start fresh" card is an old one from Lindsay Letters (from a Studio Calico Project Life kit.)

The word strip stickers are from Ali's Firsts Story kit. That cute hello stamp is from my friend and fellow Austinite Molly Frances. The yes wood veneer was from the Ashley Goldberg class at Studio Calico. I like that I just used it instead of keeping it for "that perfect" page. I sometimes hoard too much and using this plus the awesome Lindsay Letters card was an attempt to get over that perfectionism and just have fun with the products. And I love how they turned out.

And here is the full page 12x12 traditional layout. Super simple and fun. I printed it at 8.5x8.5 because that's the size of my printer. Initially I thought I would do a full 12x12 but that would entail waiting for said enlargement to come in the mail or piecing it together. I am always looking for ways to add white space in these albums and so just putting it on a 12x12 piece of white cardstock worked great!

I added the "Life is Full of Adventure" and the text directly onto the photo (print a test run first to ensure placing.) Then I added the chipboard "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone" and the "yes" burst (both from the Firsts story kit.) Simple. Fun. And DONE!

So there it is! A fun little introduction page setting up a theme for this year, giving a peek into where we are right now and the decisions we are making. And it makes me realize I want more of this: more big photos, more playing with the mix of digital and physical products. And more of the simple, do what works for me type of things. I can be working on a page like this and tinker around with things while cranking out a month of PL on the PL app. It's all good.

I'm also working on some tutorials to show more about Mobile Memory Keeping with the Project Life App, Letterglow, Collect and other apps I use. Is there something you would like to see? I have been wanting to work out my own workflow before I shared but I think I am ready to show some tips and techniques.

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you have a great week!