Book of Colors

A new month means a new write.click.scrapbook gallery. This month’s challenge is to make a minibook.

I don’t really make minibooks anymore. So when I got this month’s theme, I wanted to do something purely for fun. Play with my stash and not worry. So I took some office tags and decided to make one for each color. I painted them all different colors and then decorated them so they had only shades of that color. I used white to accent as needed. I listed one word with each color, they were the first words that came to my mind when I thought of the color. The words are:
white – pure
yellow – fun
orange – happy
pink – sweet
red – love
green – nature
blue – peace
purple – elegant
brown – earth
black – dreams (as in night time, sleeping and dreaming)




here’s all of them together.

February 1, 2011 | Scrapbooking, WriteClickScrapbook | 5 comments

2011 Priority List and Goals – January Check-in

I thought it might be a good idea to review my goals at the end of each month and see if I am still making sure to prioritize them. I also thought this would be a good time to shift, adjust, add, take away as needed. So here we go. This is the list I posted on January 1.

Family
1. Read and do workbooks with David daily (Project A Book A Week with David).
We’re doing well on the reading and have done it every single day except for the two days when I was in Los Angeles. I tend to read to him when he’s eating or when we’re waiting for the bus. We read longer on the weekends and then we’re generally just sitting on the couch. We haven’t done as well with the workbooks but that’s partly because I haven’t created a schedule for them. When he’s at school tomorrow, I’ll pull out the 3-4 new ones and put them on a rotating schedule which should make us stay more focused.

2. Take photo of full-family and write updates weekly (Project Us Right Now).
This is going wonderfully. I make a point of taking photos of all of us each day we’re all home. I am so glad I decided to do this project and so thankful that my family is being super-accommodating about it.

3. Write a daily diary of us + gratitude (Project Daily Diary)
This, too, is going well and I am making sure to do it each day. This is one of my favorite things to do so I take the time and prioritize it.

4. Start a family night where we all play games or watch movies together (Scheduled for Sunday nights 6pm)
We started this and have had one every Sunday except yesterday because I was out of town. All of us have come to love it and look forward to it each week.

5. Sign up for a mommy/me class with Nathaniel (this still needs to be scheduled)
I haven’t done this. I will prioritize it for February. I still think it’s a great idea.

6. Schedule minimum bimonthly date nights with Jake
We’ve gone out on two date nights in January and have some coming up in the next few days as well. So far, so good.

Health (Project Healthy For Life)
1. Do a combination of walking and running daily, work your way up to 5K a day
So far, so good on this one, too. I’ve exercised at least 2.6 miles every single day in January for a total of 81.06 miles.

2. Complete the 100 pushups schedule
I had started this and was doing relatively well but then it caused a huge TMJ problem so the doctor told me I wasn’t allowed to do it anymore. Hence this item will have to be stricken off.

3. Do strength exercises 3x a week
I haven’t started this. I am thinking I might change this to stomach exercises. Not sure yet. I will figure this out in February as well.

4. Track exercise+food+sleep+water using the fitbit
I am definitely tracking sleep and exercise. The rest not so much. Too much work for not necessarily equivalent reward.

5. Get minimum 7hours of sleep every night and 8 on the weekends
I am doing relatively well on this. If not 7, I definitely get at least 6.5 most nights. Actually I’d even say I get 7 most nights.

6. Eat at least one serving of vegetables daily and chicken/fish 3 times a week
Doing well on this too. Almost 5 days out of 7 I eat my veggies and I am still buying and eating the chicken throughout the week.

7. Walk at least 8500 steps a day and work your way up to 10,000
According to the fitbit, my January average is probably around 8,000. Actually closer to 8500 if I count CHA which was considerably higher of course. Still, this is an area I’d like to focus on some more.

8. Walk/Run a 10K
This is more like a November goal 🙂

9. I also want to work on the coffee+graham crackers intake but not sure of the plan here yet.
I bought some lemons so that if I am really craving more than the 3 cups of coffee, I can drink lemon water. But ideally I’d like to go down to 2 coffees at least. Not ready for this one, yet.

Art + Photography
1. Draw and paint a portrait six days a week (Project Six Portraits a Week)
Changed this one so it’s drawing only. But going great so far.

2. Art journal weekly (Project Weekly Art Journal)
This, too, is going great so far.

3. Sketch something small daily (15-30mins)
This is not happening at all. I have a sketch class coming up really soon and I am hoping that will do the trick to get me started here. I am still really really interested in doing this.

4. Go on a Monthly photo excursion alone or with a photo buddy
Sadly, I didn’t do this at all. I actually haven’t gone photographing in a long time. I will try to schedule one in the next two weeks.

5. Write weekly extended photo articles on my blog
This, too, hasn’t happened. I will brainstorm some ideas so I can get this going to at least once a week.

6. Figure out for once an all if I want an etsy shop and what will go in it
no ideas here yet.

Scrapbooking
1. Create one layout a week just for me
Well I must admit CHA sort of put a damper on that. However, I did make layouts for Little Yellow Bicycle and Maya Road, neither of which is existing design team work so I’m going to say that they count!

2. Do monthly The Girls’ Paperie layouts
Ahem I made 8 layouts and 3 projects this month using the new products.

3. Do monthly Pink Paislee layouts
And three layouts here.

4. Do monthly Creative Therapy layout
Did a canvas but I’m going to count that. And did two layouts for upcoming prompts as well.

5. Do monthly Write.Click.Scrapbook layout + write one more week during 2011
Did all of them up until May.

6. Successfully teach all four scheduled 2011 classes at Big Picture Classes and the one I am a part of in Masterful Scrapbook Design
So far, so good. The BPC classes start in the middle of February. I hope to see you there!

7. Aim to do 5-6 guest design spots or classes (that I teach) this year
Doing well on this so far. I have 4 classes total at BPC, 2 with DebbieHodge, I have guested for Little Yellow Bicycle and sort of for Maya Road, and have one more opportunity coming up. So far, so good.

8. Submit to one magazine a month (maybe, I can’t decide if I want to do this just yet.)
Well I am submitting. I’m going to. Soon.

Reading
1. Read a book a week (Project A Book a Week)
2. Read one book with David each week (Project A Book a Week with David)
3. Regularly attend both book clubs
All three of these are going great and right on schedule.

Writing
1. Write at least one long thought/idea oriented blog post a week
I’ve sort of been combining this with art journaling a bit and I wrote so much in the beginning of the month that I didn’t want to write after that. I have a long list of ideas here, though, just need to sit and write.

2. Write one new class (if you have requests, please share)
3. Write one downloadable pdf for my site or etsy (if you have requests, please share)
I haven’t done either of these yet. I will reserve some time in February to focus on them.

4. Write+email a newsletter each month
Doing this so far! Next one goes out in a few hours 🙂

5. Possibly do NaNoWriMo (not sure of this one…)
We still have quite some time till November thankfully!!

I decided to add one more here mostly because it’s been so beneficial during January.
6. Journal at least 5 times a day. Even if just for 15 minutes a day.
I definitely did this in January and hope to continue as my classes come to an end and my daily encouragement goes away.

Learning
1. Learn to draw and paint portraits (Project Six Portraits a Week)
Working on this one, see above.

2. Take 5-6 online classes this year (already signed up for one with: Misty, Stephanie, Ali, and Melody so maybe I should aim for more)
I loved, adored and cherished each one of these classes. I have already signed up for two more: sketchbook delight which is all of February and Recycled Journal Pages by Pam Carriker who I am a huge fan of and her class was January 1 but you can join anytime and it’s free so go check it out. There are two more Strathmore free classes there and I signed up for those, too. I haven’t just yet, but I know that I will also be taking Christy’s class because it looks irresistible. After they are all done, I will likely sign up for this mixed media class sometime in the spring. Yes, I have a problem. All this while I am teaching two classes in February (three actually) and another in May and one more in September.

3. Learn to write an iPhone/iPad application (sort of out there but achievable – let me know if you have an app you want)
Sort of working on this one. Chasing down some ideas. Nothing started yet.

4. Learn how to make a stop-motion movie
No progress here.

I meant to add more here. I haven’t been able to yet. But I am trying to learn to sketch, paint, draw, art journal so there’s a lot going on there. I might try something in the spring when I am a little less busy.

Community (This is a particularly hard one for me.)
1. Reach out to people I admire more often (leave more comments/send emails)
2. Invite one book club member out to breakfast/lunch once a month
3. Go out to breakfast/lunch once a week (to work or elsewhere)
4. Ask one of the moms in David’s class out to lunch/coffee once a month
5. Do a weekly-open house for Nathaniel’s moms group
6. Invite guests over for dinner at least once a month
7. Stretch: Do a get-together or attend one

I am embarrassed to say I’ve failed almost all of these. I have been reaching out to people but mostly to offer help. I have a long post I plan to write about this but I want to reach out more and offer help more in 2011. But I haven’t been leaving comments or sending emails for just praise. No breakfasts or lunches this month so far for any of the ones in 2-4. No open house yet but this will start next week. I have inlaws here this week. We have had two guests this month for dinner, so that’s the only one we have been doing. I really need to either reset expectations here or do more of these.

And that’s it for January. Overall, I think I did pretty well especially considering I had CHA to prepare for. Let’s hope February is productive as well.

January 31, 2011 | Personal | 3 comments

Daily Diary – January 31 2011

I woke up this morning and it didn’t take me long that I had somehow gotten up from the wrong side of the bed. I felt off. I think fragile is sort of the best word for it because I was weepy for a while and then tired and worn out and ended up the day grouchy. All day long, I literally did nothing. I finished my book, read to david, and exercised. I had the day off work so I could have accomplished a million things but I just didn’t feel up to doing anything at all.

At some point in the day, I just gave myself permission to waste this day away. My body and mind and soul needed the rest I guess. I am thinking it’s likely from having been away from home. When you meet me in person you can see that I talk nonstop. I mean a LOT and really fast. I am talk talk talk talk. I tend to come off really extroverted. But the fact is I am not. I much prefer quiet, introspective time. So when I am in a social situation nonstop like I was this weekend, I really need to wind down and go back to my comfort place which is always home. What I didn’t do today, which I should have, is journaling. I think writing would have helped but I didn’t even feel up for that. Maybe a few hours from now, I’d be up for it. I also hope I feel up to drawing my portrait which I also haven’t done yet. Let’s see.

The little one was very accommodating for most of the day and played quietly.

Here’s David, thinking of what to write in his gratitude journal.

And then writing it.

And then here’s Nathaniel trying to figure out which toy to play with while Choo-choo is in the background.

And then he asks for some grapes while he’s playing and he immediately spills juices of it all over everywhere so I tell him he can’t have anymore. And this is what I get:

Ah the joys of being a mom. And the plans for tonight are plenty but realistically I am guessing maybe one more thing will get done and that’s it before I head to bed. I will try to do my monthly review since January is now finished. By the way, newsletter goes out very early tomorrow so if you want the exclusive digital downloads, make sure to subscribe on the right top corner of the blog.

Happy Monday!

Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I had the day off, I really really needed it.
2. I am grateful that I didn’t have anything that was super time-sensitive so I was able to do nothing without too much worry about letting someone down.
3. I am grateful that new lessons in my classes go up tomorrow. Can’t wait.

Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I got to show the class my 100th day collection {* his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful that I finished my snowman album at school.
3. I am grateful that mommy and nathaniel came to school today (I volunteered in his class this morning)

January 31, 2011 | Daily Diary - 2011, DPGallery | 6 comments

Digital Downloads – Good to Remember Overlays and Spots

Here’s the last of what I’ve already posted at Write.Click.Scrapbook. Some overlays and journaling spots:

You can download it by clicking here.

I hope you enjoy them! You are welcome to play with these as much as you want and use them anywhere you’d like. You are NOT allowed to sell them ever. You don’t have to but I’d appreciate a link back if you do use them.

These were originally posted at writeclickscrapbook.com

January 31, 2011 | Digital Downloads | 21 comments

He is Already Imitating your Every Move

I had the privilege to work with the Twig line from Little Yellow Bicycle for CHA. This is one of the layouts I made:

Journaling Reads:
David you do not know this just yet but having a little brother means you have someone who follows you around and does what you do. Even at one he already does and I am so thankful you’re so kind about it every day.

Details:

January 31, 2011 | Layouts, Little Yellow Bicycle | 13 comments

Daily Diary – January 30 2011

So after the crazy day yesterday, I woke up again before my set wakeup call. Quietly went down to the gym (remembered my key this time!) and did my 2.6 miles. I was quite proud of myself to be honest. I then got dressed, packed, and put some makeup on. I snapped this right as I was leaving and there was absolutely no light hence the horrible quality..

While my boys where giving Daddy a hard time.

And being all sweet.

Laughing.

And being silly. As David loves to be!!

After a quick breakfast stop, we headed into the show again. We were there a little early, so I coveted the punches once more and then started working again. I worked all the way until about noon and then left with Michelle who owns A Million Memories and Jennifer and Tonya who design for her. Grabbed a quickie lunch and went in search of my shuttle. It was pouring rain by this point so getting on the shuttle was quite an adventure but I made it safe and sound and sat at the airport, read my book, got on the plane, chatted with the two lawyers who sat next to me, and made it home safely. I hugged and kissed my kids and hubby all the way home and made them dinner, cleaned up, put them to bed, and here I am. Safely home.

I must admit that while I liked going there, seeing friends, and seeing some of the products, I worked hard and really really missed being home. There’s nothing I love as much as being at home. Nothing. So I am deeply thankful to be home. And looking forward to going back to my routine. Sad, I know, but I love my routine. All of it. Even the hard parts.

Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I made it home safely and I am really grateful to be home.
2. I am grateful that I got to see Michelle and Tonya and Jennifer even if for just a little while.
3. I am grateful for all the nice comments from everyone about my layouts and just filled with gratitude over the kindness.

Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that mommy’s home {* his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful that I played some games on the phone.
3. I am grateful that I got some new games for the phone

January 30, 2011 | Daily Diary - 2011, DPGallery | 4 comments

Daily Diary – January 29 2011

I am so sorry I didn’t get to write last night. By the time I came home from dinner it was 10pm and I was dead tired from being on my feet all day and just needed to go right to sleep. I would say it’s surprising that I took no photos during this weekend, but I have never been able to take photos during CHA so I am not surprised at all. The only photos I took were of the punches. I ran to the EK Success booth and took photos of every punch. Let me know if you want to see them and I will post. I have yet to look at them myself.

Before I tell you all about my day, I’ll start with the photos Jake took for me of the boys. I was so lucky in that he took photos with my nice camera and with his phone because he was able to upload the phone ones right away and I got to see this little boy staring at me with this face in the middle of the show.

And this handsome boy, too.

I missed my boys quite a bit so it was really really nice to have the photos.

I even walked around the Maya Road booth just to see their photos on my layouts cause I missed them so much.

I love them so much and am so grateful Jake took some photos for me.

Saturday was my only full day at CHA. I didn’t get to the hotel until 9pm or so and delivering my layouts, eating some food, chatting, etc, meant I wasn’t sleeping before midnight. Since I was going to get up at 6am for exercise, I was all worried. Obviously a little too worried because I slept fitfully all night. And woke up before the scheduled wake up call. I’d put all my stuff aside so as to not wake up my roommate, Katie, and went down to the gym, which was almost totally full. As I walked in, I realized I forgot my room key. Which meant I’d have to wake Katie up when I got back so instead I went down the to front desk and explained to them that though the room was not in my name, it really was my room. Thankfully, they sent security up with me and had me show proof of an object in the room with my name. Which meant I didn’t have to wake up Katie!!

Shower, getting dressed, etc, and we were off to the convention center. I’d never worked a booth before so I begged for some training and MR has a lot of products so I got some quickie training and that was it. Right before the show began, there were bagpipes and then we were on. Which meant that for the next eight hours with possibly an hour break, I talked and walked around to show clients product. I was on my feet for most of it which is amazing for me since I am generally very sedentary.

I got the luxury of having lunch with Dina Wakley and KL Yeary and Allison from Hambly (who was 7.5 months pregnant!) Then I went back to work. I got to talk to Stacy and Kayce of Big Picture and I did run to Little Yellow Bicycle, Pink Paislee, and The Girls’ Paperie briefly to see my layouts but that was it. The show ended at 6pm and I rushed back to the hotel with Katie so I could quickly change and be ready for Tracy to pick me up for the Big Picture dinner. Which was wonderful. But I felt pain literally on every single muscle in my body. And when I came back to the hotel at 10pm, I crashed. I was very worried I might not be able to do the 6am workout the next morning. But I told myself I was going to, anyway.

That was it for day 1. Just to give you a sense, ordinarily, I take about 8000 steps a day and on saturday I took 17,000 steps. So it was quite an active day for me.

Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I got to spend a lot of time chatting with Kayce and I got to meet Tracey.
2. I am grateful that I got to experience working on the booth, it was hard work but also a lot of fun.
3. I am grateful that I got to meet Rebecca and Margie even if for a small second. It’s nice to put faces to the people for whom I work. I also got to meet Emily and Lori. It’s nice to meet people whom you email frequently.

Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. Playing Wii ALL DAY
2. Play games on the iPhone
3. Grocery shopping with Daddy

January 30, 2011 | Daily Diary - 2011, DPGallery | 3 comments

Reading with David – The Tale of Despereaux

David says:
I liked this book because the little mouse saved the princess. I think it was wrong to have soup be illegal so I am glad that at the end it wasn’t illegal.

I didn’t like that they stole the princess because that’s mean and bad. I also didn’t like that they chopped off the mouse’s tail. I also didn’t like that Mig got hit in the ears so often.

My favorite characters were Despereaux and the princess. The mouse was nice and brave and the princess was kind to everyone. My least favorite characters were the rats, the brother, Roscuro, and Botticelli because they were all mean. The two rats lied and tricked people.

But I did like the ending because no one died and I love how Despereaux and the princess ended up friends in the end!

Reading a book a week with my six-year-old son David is a weekly project for 2011. You can read more about it here.

January 30, 2011 | Reading with David | One comment

Digital Downloads – Labels, Priority List, Schedule

Ordinarily I’d post one download a month but I’ve already posted these at Write.Click.Scrapbook so I wanted to make sure if you read my blog and not there you still can get them all so here’s the second download for this week. These are labels for writing your priorities or anything else you might like labels for – and a list for you to write them down and put it somewhere where you can see daily:

You can download it by clicking here.

and here’s a simple weekly schedule I made in case you have a schedule you adhere to like I do here on my blog:

You can download it by clicking here.

I hope you enjoy them! You are welcome to play with these as much as you want and use them anywhere you’d like. You are NOT allowed to sell them ever. You don’t have to but I’d appreciate a link back if you do use them.

These were originally posted at writeclickscrapbook.com

January 29, 2011 | Digital Downloads | 3 comments

Us Right Now – January 29

jake
Things are still going great for Jake. He’s in a good mood, working hard and long but not in a bad mood. He got to go to the Crunchies and even meet with a few friends this week. All this will hopefully prepare him well for a weekend alone with the boys. I expect they will have a ton of fun together.

karen
This week was mostly rest and recuperation for me. I did a little scrapping over the weekend but spent most of the rest of the time journaling and doing homework in my classes. I have been doing a lot of soul work and I am really thankful for it and feel that the results have been astoundingly positive. I am trying to rest because the next few weeks promise to be hectic. I’m also excited about CHA and seeing some good friends. I am nervous about leaving this kids but I know they are in solid hands and look forward to a bit of me-time.

david
David’s been doing well. He’s making progress and still reading books with me and still enamored with the computer and the iphone and all kinds of games. He’s been reading a lot on the computer and we’re still reading together daily. I didn’t do a lot of workbooks with him this week but we’ve both been more patient with each other and kinder so I am hoping things are going to get better (mostly on my end since I am the one who needs to work on having more patience.)

nathaniel
Nathaniel is talking more and more and expressing his opinions more and more. He’s sweet as ever and looks up to his brother like nobody’s business. He plays with anything David plays with. Sits with him while he plays and watches him on the computer. Just likes to be near him. I love watching that. He loves when David makes him laugh. He went to the dentist this week and thankfully everything is good so far (despite a major meltdown at the dentist and not letting the hygienist clean anything.)

and here’s the card version:

Us Right Now is a weekly project for 2011. You can read more about it here.

January 29, 2011 | Us Right Now | Leave a comment

Daily Diary – January 28 2011

I know we’re not at the end of the day but am about to rush out the door to go to the airport and I wanted to make sure to post today’s entry. I had the day off work so most of what I did was to sit around and do errands and chores I’ve been putting off like folding several loads of laundry. I also packed and exercised and drew my portrait. I journaled, too!

Nathaniel kept me company while he wasn’t napping. He played right along me and even gave me some hugs.

I will miss the little boy so much!

Here he is after his nap, telling me to put choo choo on. (And now he’s got blah-blah too which is blue’s clues.)

And I tried to snap one of the big boy but he was thinking about what games to put on his phone and wouldn’t really look my way.

And the second I told him we were done, he went back to looking for games.

And now I leave for the airport. I hope that everything goes smoothly, I arrive safely, the shuttle takes me there without problem and my jaw pain goes down a bit because I am not sure how much Advil I can take in a weekend. Hopefully, I’ll be updating from Los Angeles, but otherwise see you in two days. Have a wonderful weekend!!

Three Things I’m Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I can leave my kids and go on this trip. It’s all to the credit of my husband who is amazing and kind and a wonderful daddy.
2. I am grateful that I got much of my tasks for today done. I feel tired so I am hoping I might nap on the plane.
3. I am grateful for someone letting me help her today. I plan to write a lot more about helping in general at some point but i know it takes courage and heart to accept help as well as give it and i know it rewards both parties so much so I am deeply grateful for this person’s trust in me .

Three Things David’s Grateful For:
1. I am grateful that I made a necklace at school {* his pick for the journal}
2. I am grateful that mommy downloaded three games for me.
3. I am grateful that it’s the weekend

January 28, 2011 | Daily Diary - 2011, DPGallery | 4 comments

I am Deeply Grateful for You

This is another CHA layout I made for Maya Road. All products are from Maya road with no exceptions.

Journaling Reads:
Nathaniel as you grow up more and more we all keep falling in love even more deeply with you. You know how to charm all of us with your hugs and smiles and your oh-uh’s. You love your brother and father so much and you hug me so tightly. I am so so grateful that we have you in our lives little boy. We love you.

Details:

January 28, 2011 | Layouts, Maya Road | 12 comments

« Newer Entries  
  Older Entries »