template love.

so my sweet friend crystal, asked me to try out her new templates.

you know me, I kinda love crystal, and I kinda love everything she makes, so it really wasn’t hard to say yes.

I used three different templates, from two different packs.

what do I love about them? well, let’s just make it easier and list what I don’t love about them.

(insert crickets chirping here.)

see for yourself:

this is from template pack #1, and perfect to showcase some of my favorite pix from our recent lagoon trip.

I love the white background, but also the option the template gives to change that up whichever way I choose. I love to have the pop of color on the very background, but still have the clean feel of the white behind my pictures.

I used pebbles “seen & noted” paper and elements to tie this all together.

and that stitching.. perfect to pin down all of those little tid-bits.

crystal has made this so super easy, with all the shadows and overlays, even the stitching pre-set (but with the option to turn those layers off if you are not in the mood).

I love this picture, and decided that while it will definitely hold a spot in my weekly project life layout, it deserves a page of it’s own..

I used a template from template pack #4 and “chasing rainbows” paper and elements from dani mogstad. perfect to express that feel of blissful childhood I so totally see in this picture.

this was easily one of the happiest days of our summer so far..

my sister-in-law came home from her 18 month mission to nashville, tennessee!!

(totally deserves to be documented..)

I used another template from template pack #4 (guess you could say it’s my favorite pack? maybe?..) and LDS missionary sister edition from becky higgins project life designed by kimberly church.

I am so completely happy with how easy (and quick!!) these were to use.

now if you have been scrolling through, checking out what these babies have to offer, maybe even clicking on the links, following them to the stores where you can purchase them from, well, I have some completely awesome news for you..

and it really isn’t my news, it’s crystal’s news, I just get to spread it!!!.. and we all know that I am so incredibly good at that…

she is offering a 50% off coupon to purchase her templates here.

just enter the code CWTEMP50 at checkout before june 22nd.

want more eye candy? check out her blog and what she did with a layout a day with these awesome templates.

when a picture makes your day

last week was a good week in pictures.

I mean, you can have good hair days, I even declare some days good handwriting days, so why not a good picture day?

I decided to document one of my favorites in a layout, all for that one pic. it will probably make an appearance in the weekly project life layout too, but it was just so good, I decided that two showings for it would be just fine.

(supplies used: maggie holmes “styleboard” mini kit, template h, heritage paper, stitching from anna aspnes, tags and button from queen of quirk, arrow paperclip from sahlin studio, and the glitter from ikari designs.)

and the most awesome thing is that this ^^^ isn’t the only beautiful thing about life lately!

I have had so much energy, so much motivation, my list of things to-do is longer than I have time to accomplish.

I care about life!

I know (I KNOW) that my little corner of the world (at least my perception of it) has so vastly improved because of prayer. prayers of family, loved ones, caring friends, and my own.

it’s sweet..

president eyring spoke just to me (I swear!!!!) at women’s conference. it was aimed right. at. me. even better? I was able to get 3 tickets pretty much last minute for me and lynn and ash to be able to go to the conference center. (answered prayers again..)

I wish I had recorded ashley’s facial expression when I told her she would be in the same room as the prophet. think = priceless.

the only thing that could have possibly made that night better would have been if peyton were 8 and able to attend with us.

but let’s not hurry that along too much…

we also had conference weekend. there were great things that weekend, as there always are. again, I tell you, president eyring spoke right. to. me.

(I mean, you can think it was to you, but.. well…)

I am working on my studio and being just as ocd as ever about ever last detail.

my biggest problem?

committing where to put my table…

weeks five + six: strawberry edition

even though we didn’t get much snow this year, it was still winter at the pitcher house.
and how do I know this?
1) I had the uncontrollable itch to re-arrange, re-decorate, and just shake things up in general around the house.

we moved the two youngest upstairs in the loft area, moved their tv room downstairs, and my studio from the basement up to peyton’s old room on the main level. the hopes are that now, every little girl in the house will sleep through the night (I know, 11, 9, and 6.. they got on a fear kick in october, and it still isn’t over), and the other hope is that I will get some of my fun stuff done. it’s not fun going down to the basement alone. where no one else is. to work. where it was not motivating.

(my studio is still a work in progress.. but it is progressing.)

we were also tv starts for a second on a local show, studio 5.

(link to segment here.)

my nephew was baptized.

we enjoyed too much sweet stuff on superbowl sunday (but seriously, that is what the superbowl is all about..).

took a trip to the natural history museum of utah, which was AWESOME and totally AMAZING, and WE WILL be going back. there was so much incredible stuff to see, and we didn’t even get close to seeing it all.

the last little bit is a homework sheet from peyton’s homework packet. I LOVE the phonetic spelling.. her favorite season: summer. things you wear in summer: “swimsoot”. I LOVE this!

and 2) three pictures from this particular week have to do with different people being ill.
seriously.
the ONLY thing I hate (absolutely HATE!!!) about winter.

lynn participated in her first science fair. we tested gum. our jaws are still recovering.

(but 5 gum is the best, in case you are curious.)

took ash to the doctor for what I suspected was strep. it was just a virus (which = a wasted co-pay).

took peyton in to the instacare the next day, for the flu.

wick girls = drama + emotion. this was a quiet moment.

got some sweet thank you gifts from teresa hunsaker for the studio 5 segment. she is SUCH a SWEETHEART!!

this is peyton’s fever.. back again.

took lynn to the 5th grade maturation program and traditional ice cream and “ask me anything you want” afterward.

page 1 credits:

becky higgins project life template “F”

strawberry edition project life

kraft paper and paint brush from liv.edesigns

number 5 from sarah gleason

staples from dani mogstad

paper heart from amy tangerine

stitches from crystal wilkerson

page 2 credits:

becky higgins project life template “F”

strawberry edition project life

staples from dani mogstad

stitched heart from crystal wilkerson

arrow from clementine edition project life

fonts:

“week” bebas

“six” lobster two

journaling and dates done in frenchy

trying to hold back tears..

so things change.

babies grow, people die, time passes waaay too fast, and as women, we have hormones.

my hormones are at this very moment on the emotional up-swing.  it’s fabulous. 

(we are all thankful that I can step back and realize that it is hormones…)

so while I created these layouts earlier in the week, when my hormones were doing other things to my body, as I look at them now, I want to cry!!!

so we’ll get through this quickly…

first up is “grandpa’s chair” using goodies from liv, including her newest, brownbagger paper pack vol. 5.

I could NEVER get enough of her brownbagger papers…  NEVER.

(for full credits click on the layout.)

this second one is only four years old (ppffttt…), but this is what digital project life is so good for!!  catching up in a fast, easy, gorgeous way!

this layout I used becky’s “p” template (perfect for little peyton..), “honey” edition cards, “baby” paper,  stitching from anna aspnes, staples from liv, and that fun baker’s twine from splendid fiins.

okay..  so I am not going to look at these for at least another week, try to block out the fact that school will be starting again this month (aaaakkkk!!!!), and just try to do things that are fun, non-tear inducing.

this is going to be hard…

did I mention that it’s really the hormones fault?

13

the beginning of this month, we celebrated 13 years of marriage.

I am still in a bit of shock..  thirteen?!

in some ways it just doesn’t seem like it’s been that long, but then, it is like I have always known merrill, I just can’t seem to remember life without him.

ac digitals released project life “wedding edition” today.

(it’s on sale at 20% off!!)

so what’s a girl to do?

scrap her 13th anniversary with it, that’s what!

the cards all come from project life “wedding edition”, the paper is from liv.edesigns, stitching from anna aspnes, metal letters and numbers are from sahlin studio, and the straight pin in the picture is from kitschy digitals (with a hue/saturation adjustment added, it was red).

and life goes on!

we are enjoying spring in utah, and if you know what that really means, it means that we are anxious to get out in the yard, to work and play, but the weather isn’t cooperating.

more fun stuff, I was interviewed for tiffany tillman’s website, simply tiffany studios, for my style in journaling.  it was pretty fun!  (and completely awesome.)  you can check it out here.

goodies from AC digitals.

march was not my friend.

march was crazy.

I am glad it is april!

new goodies from AC digitals:

Becky Higgins project life “seasons” mini-

other goodies used:

stitching from anna aspnes.

colored stitches, brown bag paper, and paint brush from liv.edesigns.

metal letters and hearts from karla dudley.

font: “pablo”.

also new today from american crafts, “hello sunshine”.

other goodies used:

paint brush from liv.edesigns.

staples and letters for “so” from design by dani.

cute little pink stitches from crystal wilkerson.

font: “pablo”.

and for fun..

pebbles “seen & noted”.

stitches and frame from liv.edesigns.

staples from design by dani.

font: “my type of font”.

 

another just for fun one.

I snapped this picture yesterday as my pic of the day.  I am so happy it is finally sandal weather!!

(until next week..  this is what living in utah is like.)

can’t wait for greener grass.

pebbles “walnut grove”.

doily stamp from pebbles “country picnic”.

staple from design by dani.

stitches and frame from liv.edesigns.

font: “my type of font”.

I am ready for april..  I think.

new project life “seafoam” edition.

I have already started mentally compiling my list of goals for the year 2013.

one of those goals is to actually remember to write 2013, not 2012, and when I do write 2012, to not say crap.

another goal is to start project life.

I (taking a deep breath…) am not caught up on all of my scrapbooking.

(huge exhale.)

I know. 

it is like a huge sin for me to not be caught up.

I am not sure if I can even admit just how far behind I am….

but I can say this:

while searching for a couple of specific pictures last week,  I was brought to a realization:  there are a lot (like A LOT) of pictures that have just been left for my hard drive to enjoy.  there are moments captured that I forgot about.  these need to be out and enjoyed. 

project life is so crazy cool, and there are many of my friends who inspire me with their project life layouts.  I just need to start. 

there are a few blog posts, even vlogs out there, that have inspired me further, and even reaffirmed my decision, that this is what I need to do.

you can rest assured, that I have a pinboard started for all things project life.  what would I do without pinterest?  I mean, really?!

pictures are already being organized on the hard drive…

excitement abounds!!

so, diving in head first, here is one for you, with the most brand-spanking new edition of a project life kit at that!!!

this is the seafoam edition, available today at ac digitals.

(psstt!!  you can get it on sale at 20% off until sunday.)

other elements used on this page include:

- becky higgins project life template “f”

- stitching from anna aspnes

- staple from dani mogstad

- date stamp from liv.edesigns

font:

“my type of font”

re-wind to july for a second.

due to the lifestyle I have adopted for the summer, I relaxed a bit too much.

I was a slacker.

but I made up for it before july was officially over.

they document some of our fun this summer..  click on them to find a complete list of products used.

some “this is the place” fun:

one of our trips to the dam:

another “dam” trip:

(hehe…)

and ashley’s emotional road to mastering her two wheeler sans training wheels.

Catchin' up..

Here's one from a year ago..
I got inspiration from Becky Higgins' sketch in July's CK.
I happen to really like the outcome of this one.. I had to do a little tweaking on the last traditional paper one I did. I saw it again on my table and shuddered. It was an easy enough fix..
I am the only one who does that?