31 May 2011

Prompt 1


Hello friends!
I am one of those people who can't stand waiting for something awesome so I HAD to post prompt one EARLY!!  The challenge starts now my friends :)

I am soooo excited to get my creativity flowing for this journal challenge!
The response from you all for this challenge was RIDICULOUS (in a great way of course).  There are over 120 people who have signed up so far!!

I had such a blast doing this last year and I know that this year it's going to be just as awesome.
We are going to rock this challenge.

Ok, so as I stated before, I will try my very hardest to have these journal prompts posted by 10:00 am CST or earlier, every morning.
 I like to do my journaling first thing in the morning so I feel motivated to be creative for the rest of the day :)
Eeeeek!
Are you ready?
Let's do this.
Here it is Prompt number one!!

Journal Prompt 1:  Create an introduction page.  This can be an introduction of yourself or of your journal.  This is kind of like the title page for your journal. 

My page:

So I just wanted a simple little introduction page that lets the reader know what this journal is going to be all about.
I wanted the sentiment to be simple and I loved the way it turned out :)

Don't forget to upload your journal page in the 
Flickr group and to post it on your blog as well!

I am so excited and I hope you are feeling really inspired to challenge yourself for the next 30 days :)

xo
janel

30 May 2011

monday monday.


That's because it's Memorial Day!!  
Which means, no school!
It also means a cook-out with my family, another full day with Adam, and time to play on my new computer.

We have had such a wonderful weekend.
We have done a lot of cleaning, putting stuff into garage sale piles, reading, and eating :)
The sun is finally shining again here in St. Louis which is so refreshing too. 
I spent almost all of yesterday outside in my parent's backyard with the dogs.

Finally, I wanted to give a heartfelt thank you to all of the people who have served, and died for our country.  It saddens me to think about wars and fighting and innocent lives lost because of it but I am truly thankful to be part of a country where we have so much freedom and that is due our military who have fought for it.
thank you...

Happy Memorial Day!
What are your fun plans for today?

xo
janel


28 May 2011

hello saturday...


As some of you know, I have been selling some things at an antique mall near my house, with my mom.  I did this for the sole purpose of saving up my money for a new laptop.  A laptop, that is running amazingly, is something that a blogger/etsy shop owner/online class teacher needs to have.  
Many things came into play
*  antique mall savings
*  phones and laptop trade-ins to Best Buy
*  my husband saving his bonus this month (love him)
And now my friends, I am typing to you on my new laptop!!  Eeek.  I am so excited :)
I haven't been able to do a file transfer yet, so I have nothing on this computer but I am loooooving it.

Another thing I am loving right now...


The 108 people who have signed in for this years, 30 Day Journal Challenge!!!
I seriously can not wait for June 1!
Not too mention the fact that June 1 is also my last day of teaching this school year.  Which is another thing that I love right now :)

Have a great Saturday loves.
xo
janel



26 May 2011

something special

I think I have mentioned this before somewhere but my dad and I write each letters every week.  It's a special little tradition that we have and I seriously LIVE to check the mail everyday :)
The letter writing started when my dad got into journaling (after last year's journal challenge), which lead to fountain pens, which led to vintage paper, which led to letter writing.
We constantly write each other letters.  
They are always written with fountain pens.
and they are always on vintage paper or stationary.
It's my favorite :)


I should have taken a photo of all of our pens and inks :)
I keep all of my letters in this sweet little vintage toolbox that I got from an estate sale for $1.


I counted them after I took these photos and there are 85 of them so far :)
85 special mementos.


85 treasures.
85 love letters from my dad.


Absolutely priceless :)
Thanks dad!!

xo
janel

25 May 2011

challenge update.


6 more days until the challenge begins!
I have my journal decorated and ready to go :)
It looks like there are about 80 people signed up for the challenge already.  Isn't that amazing!


Do not forget to grab the button for your blog (also on my sidebar)


Photobucket





AND I am so excited that Courtney will be making challenge stickers again this time around!!  These were such a hit last time and I loved having it in my journal last time.  Be sure to keep checking her blog for the details :)
Seriously, I can not wait to get started.
I am so inspired by all of you excitement for the challenge too.

xo
janel

23 May 2011

a mili...


Good morning friends and welcome to this week's edition of "A Mili" Monday.  For all of my new readers, this is a list of things that I wish I had "A Mili" to buy :)
Enjoy!

1.  I adore this updated friendship bracelet :)  In fact, I am a sucker for all things friendship bracelet :)


2.  These hand-woven pillow covers are amazing.


3.  This quilt may actually be jumping to my MUST have list :)


4.  Another must have is a new flash drive.  I need one badly, and this one is cute :)


5.  and finally, I am loving this print so much and will be getting it some day when I have my MCM house :)


See anything you love?
Alright, I am off to work.  6 more days of school!!
I can barely contain my excitement :)
Happy Monday!

xo
janel

21 May 2011

artist love: Joanna Goss


I have been a fan of Joanna Goss for awhile now and I thought it was about time I showcased her amazing work here on le blog.
Her color pallete and designs are amazing and so inspiring to me.
Here are some of my favorite works from her:










So yeah, inspiration overload :)
There are so many works of hers that I love so you should definitely check her out!
I hope all of you had a lovely Saturday.

Mine consisted of:

* blueberry wheat pancakes and turkey bacon 
* Adele on vinyl
*  dinner date with the hubs
* watching the sunset over the lake 
* cold stone creamery
* and reading
It was pretty much perfection in my book :)

Did you sign in for the journal challenge below yet?

xo
janel


18 May 2011

The 2nd Annual: 30 Day Journal Challenge


The 30 Day Journal Challenge is BACK
 and seriously
I am sooooo excited!!!!
It looks like many of you want to do the 30 day journal challenge along with me and that makes me soooo happy!!
This challenge will begin June 1 and take us all the way to the end of the month.
30 Days of prompts and journaling :)

Here is the skinny on how this will work:
* I will post the prompt and my journal page each morning (before 10:00 am cst)
* I will be posting all of these here, on my blog for everyone to see :)
* My pages are going to strictly be pen and paper but I want you to feel creatively free to add in whatever you want :)
* Run with Scissors has a Flickr group where we can all share our pages right here. Join it now!  There are soooo many inspiring pages from challenges past that you can check out!
* I also would love for you to post your pages on your blog as well with a link in the comments so that we can check them out as soon as they are posted!!
* Some people asked about supplies and prefrences. Here are my personal picks:
My very favorite pen, that I have used in my journals, since college, are the Papermate flair felt tip pens. These pens come in a varitey of colors:
You can use them all, or you can choose your signature color :) I am pretty boring I guess because my signature color is always black.
And for journals, I seriously have no preference.  I have tried out so many different types of journals this year and I have realized that I pretty much love them all :)
I'm a fan of thicker pages so I tend to  buy watercolor journals lately .
I'm stoked!
Here is a little snippet of my pages from last year to give you a taste of what you are in for this summer :)
Eeek! 
I am really excited about this little adventure that we will be taking together!!
The first prompt will be going live June 1:) Be there or be square.
Love you.
xo
janel
P.S.
Leave me a comment if you are in!!!  
Also, grab the button on my sidebar to show the world that YOU have accepted the 30 day journal challenge.  Spread the word, get your supplies, and be ready :)

17 May 2011

summer color palettes...

Summer is just around the color.  In fact, it is only 9 days away for me!! I have been really inspired by summer colors lately.  I love the color palettes that I have seen.
Here are some lovely images from pintrest that I have chosen to show you the colors of my upcoming summer :)












I am super excited to get some new dresses in these colors and maybe some new accessories too!
nine.more.days!

xo
janel

more journal peeks...

Hello friends :)  This morning I am up super early for our school annual volunteer breakfast.  I was in charge of creating the center pieces this year so I needed to get all of the tables set before everyone gets here!  I had a second grade class help with the centerpieces and I think that they turned out pretty cute :)


They are filled with Hershey's hugs and kisses.
Getting to school early also allowed me to scan in some more of my recent journal pages. Some of these are from Ink Blots but most are just random everyday pages that I have been doing :) 
Enjoy!




(I realized that I shared this one the other day without it being finished so I just wanted to show it again, completed.)



(I saw these custom stamps on Becky's blog and had to have one myself.  Plus I had to have a Catalina stamp too :D They are from the amazingly talented Kozue.)
Alright, I am off to mingle with parents, volunteers, students, and donuts!
Have a great Tuesday!!
xo
janel

16 May 2011

a mili...

Good Morning Friends.  Well, I had a fab weekend and I feel so energized and ready to rock this week :)  This mili Monday is dedicated to things that we are considering really getting for our home right now (except for the last one).  As I mentioned before, we are feeling like we will probably be staying here for at least another year.  Since that is the case, it is time for me to forgo my studio and turn it into a nursery.  We also want new bedroom furniture so there are a couple of pieces added to list for that too.  Here we go!!

1.  I would purchase this crib :)


3.  this bed for the mister and I :)


4.  and this credenza or any MCM piece like it for the bedroom too.


5.  and these are pretty much too cute for words and would be perfect in a cute little vintage styled nursery :)

Happy Monday!!
xo
janel