a pinterest party

In a few weeks, my sister and I are throwing a "Pinterest Party!"

I seriously have no idea why it took me so long to even hear of a Pinterest Party.

I was having lunch with two of my favorite co-workers when one of them told me about a Pinterest Party that she was attending.

I knew immediately that I had to plan one asap.

I mean, come on, a PINTEREST PARTY!

Does it get better than that?  I think not.

So, if you are like me, and you are just hearing about this, here is what happens:

Everyone who is invited will bring either of these or both:

1. bring all of the supplies that you will need to create a project/DIY that you have "pinned" on Pinterest

2.  Make a food or drink from a Pinterest recipe that you have pinned (it can be an appetizer, meal, dessert, snack, drink, whatever).

And some cute decor, and lovely friends 

and I seriously 

can.not.wait.

If you are local, you should email me and come by!!

I am awesome at "pinning" creative projects but I have been on Pinterest for like a year and a half and have only pinned two recipes.  I am stuck as to what to bring food wise.  Any suggestions on things that you have tried and loved (and  were easy) would be awesome please!!

Here is the project that I am pretty sure I will be bringing to make:

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or maybe this:

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Is there a place to buy drift wood from online?  

I'm excited!

xo

janel

P.S. Don't forget to vote :) All it takes it two little clicks.

snow

Last night (or early morning) marked our very first snow of the year.  It's technically the first "real" snow of the season.  Man how I was hoping for a snow day :)  It all worked out. 

Also,  your comments on my last post were SO encouraging and helpful and they all made me smile too.  Thank you so much!

Anyway, this week has been really nice so far.  

This week has consisted of:

* project life (obsessed)

* reading

*  painting spoons

*  sewing curtains

*  cutting quilt squares

* organizing books

* snuggling chihuahuas

*  teaching about Charley Harper

*  clay projects with fifth graders

*  stuffy noses

* lots of kleenex

*  The Bachelor

*  Project Runway Allstars (tonight)

*  the cutting down of my FAVORITE tree :(

*  and wonderful conversations with friends

Praise God for it all.

Alright I need to make food and get ready for Project Runway Allstars!!  Does anyone else feel like it's just not the same without Tim Gunn?  

Goodnight!

xo

janel

P.S. Don't forget to vote :) All it takes it two little clicks.

help!

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Adam and I are in full prepping and planning mode for our soon to be baby.

We were told that we could get "THE CALL" any day.  Obviously any day can mean tomorrow, or next year.  We are hoping more for tomorrow but reality is showing us that any day may be longer than we hope for :)

So far we have most of the basics - a crib, car seat, stroller, changing table,  a few pacifiers, a diaper bag, a ton of wipes, bibs, and burp cloths, a bassinet, tub,  and a lot of baby clothes ranging from newborn to 2T.
Like as I am writing this I realize:
*  I will need diapers (duh!)  But diapers are so hard to pre-buy since we won't know how big our baby will be.  Can you buy like a variety pack?
* and bottles (like how many should I get to just start with and what kind)?

Is there anything else that you'd recommend as essentials??
Anything that we need in the first few weeks when we all we will want to do is snuggle and love on our baby, and not run out to Babies R Us?

I feel like the more prepared we are, maybe the sooner God will send us our baby :)

Thank you for your help!!
xo
janel

P.S. Don't forget to vote :) All it takes it two little clicks.

Project Life Week 1

Hopefully, every Sunday I will be able to do a little "showing" of my Project Life pages for that week :)

Week One is complete and I am totally in love with this style of documentation.  I can't even call it Scrapbooking or art journaling because it's something so different.

Project Life totally works for me and my life right now and I am so excited to continue on with this project.

Welcome to my week one:

I have had a few questions about Project Life and I will answer them the best I can (for only having done this for 2 weeks so far).

Q:  Where do you get the materials for Project Life?

A: I bought my page protectors and Clementine "core kit" from Amazon.  To be honest, if I do this again, I probably won't even purchase a core kit.  I have enough paper around and photos to use up all of the space.  However, for a first timer the core kit is really helpful and helped me understand Project Life better.  I have bought some little extra things like a date stamp and other 2x4 papers from Etsy.  There are a lot of cute printables and ideas on Pinterest.  You can check out my PL pinboard for some ideas.

Q:  Is this project time consuming?

A:  I have had no troubles at all trying to fit this project into my schedule.  I am a "right now" type of person so I like to work on it my pages each day.  I usually do this at night, and it may just be editing a photo or doing some quick journaling as a reminder.  Last night, Saturday, I looked at everything I had done throughout the week and then I worked on tweaking  few things to make it more cohesive and a bit more "blinged out."  I have spent maybe 15-20 minutes on it each night.  I have read on other people's blogs that they like to save everything and dedicate one day a week to put it all together.  Whatever works for you, do it!! 

Q:  Where do you print all of your photos?

A:  Like I mentioned previously, there are a lot of coupon codes for Snapfish and Walgreens where I can get my photos in an hour.  I use them only if I can get my prints for free :)  I started out by going through my iPhoto and finding filler photos that I may want to use throughout the year to journal on or to use as a header photo.  Since that is a bigger order, that is what I used Walgreens for with my free coupon code.  I just got ink for my printer yesterday and it was heavenly to be able to print my photos right here at home.  Other than that, I have my Instax which works PERFECTLY for all of the 2x4 sections on my pages :)

Q:  How do you type your journaling onto your photos?

A:  I use Photo Shop Elements.  I definitely don't use it to it's full potential but it was a  great investment and takes my photos to the next level.  Highly recommend it :)

Ok, that's all I got right now :)  Again, I have only just started on this little Project Life adventure, and I am sure I will learn more cool things as the year goes on.

I love it.

Thanks for checking out my pages!!

xo

janel

Would you like to know more about Project Life? You can read all about it here. You can also check out more of my Project Life pages right here!

love letters.

P.S. Don't forget to vote :) All it takes it two little clicks.

Project Life- 2012

As I mentioned before, I am looooving Project Life so far :)

I am thinking that I may post my layouts here every Sunday for the past week.

I hope that you all will like seeing the pages that I create.

I know that the week isn't over yet, but I was really excited to share with you what I have so far.

Here is my cover page:

After my cover page, I wanted to do an entire spread of my "one little word."  

This is my word for 2012, so I wanted to document it in my book...

I did a lot of documenting right on my photos in PSE and I also made the cute "Peace" photo.

Some of the others were photos that I found on Pinterest that inspire me.

Other than that, I am using the Clementine kit.

And here is the beginnings of this week so far :)

Again, having a blast.  I would love to hear how you all will be documenting your memories this year!!
xo
janel

Also,  I wanted to announce the winner of the JSL planner...

email me your shipping info so we can get your planner out to you!!

xo

Would you like to know more about Project Life? You can read all about it here. You can also check out more of my Project Life pages right here!

nostalgia

A couple of weeks ago, my parents and I looked through a bunch of old photographs and albums from my grandpa.  He was quite the memory keeper :)

Amongst these photos, were a lot of old slides that I wanted to get developed.

Yesterday, we got the photos back from the slides and had another great day reminiscing.

Here are a few things that I learned from these photos:

1.  Contrary to popular belief, I apparently get my craftiness from my MOM not my dad.  My dad is super artistic and creative but my mom has some hidden secret talents that she has kept from me all these years!!

*  She made that huge macrame hanging!!  (and then apparently sold it at a garage sale sometime in the past)

crewel embroidery! umm hmmm!
And my dad tells me that she was quite the cross-sticher as well.
My crafty soul...I get it from my mamma :)

2.  My dad is the cutest hippie I know.

3.  My mom looks so much like my sister and my cousin Kelly and so many of these photos.

4.  I started blinking in photos from an early age :)

well, only sometimes...

I loooove looking at old photos, don't you?  I would love to have a little flashback post every once awhile just for the nostalgia of it all :)

xo
janel

P.S. Don't forget to vote :) All it takes it two little clicks.

back to work

Winter Break is over :(  

It was so hard today to get out of bed and get ready for a full day of teaching kiddos the wonderful word of art :)

Fortunately, I love my job.

I've been pretty obsessed with my Project Life book already, which is good, because I can definitely tell it is something that I am going to stick with.  It is really nice to have a little bit of quiet, creating time to myself each night to document the day.

Here is a photo of my first page, just a little introductory...

In other news, I just checked my Goodreads page and it looks like I read 85 books in 2011.  My goal was to read 100 books but then I got hooked on this Mary Russell series and those books were looooong (but totally worth it).
I set my 2012 goal, and I hope to read at least 50 books this year!
You can check out what I am reading and create your own goal right here.
Alright, I have so much to do today so I better run off.
Have a blessed day!

xo
janel

P.S. Don't forget to vote :) All it takes it two little clicks.

little pins.

Well, good morning to you and welcome to another edition of "Little Pins."

I'm pretty sure after today's dose of cuteness, you will have a case of Baby fever :) 

I am so in love with finding cute little things for the little ones in our lives.

Here are some of the latest little pins...

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I will take one of everything please!!

I hope you enjoyed the cuteness this week.  

Also, if I am not following you on Pinterest yet, let me know!!  Leave me your username in the comments so I can find you :)

Happy Monday!

xo

janel

P.S. Don't forget to vote :) All it takes it two little clicks.

just sweet love giveaway

Today I am going to share with you one of my most favorite Christmas presents that I received this year...

My new just sweet love planner!!

I am obsessed with planners, and more importantly, the perfect planner.

My adorable friend Jenny and her sister, collaborated to makes the cutest, and most perfect planner out there!!

This planner is durable, the perfect size, and has the most perfect features:

December 2011 - January 2013

Monthly View (1 month per page + next 3 month mini calendar view)
5 Weekly pages (space for notes) 
2 note pages per month 
2012 Holidays and celebrations list ( towards the end of the booklet) 
Calendar for 2013 (towards the end of the booklet) 
4 blank sheets (for notes, etc)

I am also really happy to say that Jenny and her sister are offering up one of their lovely planners to one very lucky RWS reader :)

All you have to do is

* leave me a comment, on this post, telling me one of your New Year's resolutions/goals for 2012!!

This giveaway will end on Wednesday, January 4th!

Good Luck friends!!

xo

janel

P.S.  The winner of the Isaboo Design giveaway is...

Shoot me an email so we can get your banner out to you asap :)

P.S. Don't forget to vote :) All it takes it two little clicks.