Project Life: Week 5...

Here's Week 5 in my Project Life Album...

I tried putting some of the thicker embellishments on the outside of the pockets this week, and I like how it turned out, especially where it ties two pockets together.

It was a quiet week at home.  This winter is so severe that going out is to be avoided if at all possible - ha...

It was gloomy all week too, which made it hard to get good photos, so I apologize for that...

 

 This week took up 3 pages - the spread you see above, and then this extra page...

If you are doing Project Life - how is it going?

Finish 'er Up Friday: Embracing All of You...

The page I finished this week is a Life Book Lesson I started way back in August of last year.  This is how far I got back then...
 

It sat, just like that in my journal, until this past week when I decided to work on it again.  I know I always say this, but - It was SO MUCH FUN!  

It's a lesson by Tam LaPorte called "Embracing All of You,"  and here is how it turned out...

The waves contain some of my personality traits that I love and some that I'm not as fond of (lol), and the sail holds some of my hopes and dreams.  This is done with layers and layers of acrylic paint, gesso, spray inks, neocolor II crayons, paint markers and various papers.

How are you doing this week?  Did you work on any unfinished projects?  Link us up if you did, so we can encourage each other!

Thanks so much for visiting!  I really appreciate it!  See you again soon!

Documented Life/No Excuses Update - On Making it your own...

I've got a big catch up post for my Planner Journal today.  I've been busy working in it every day and really having a ball blending the Documented Life Project and the No Excuses workshop together to make my own unique journal.  Here are my latest pages....

The No Excuses theme for January was "Discovery."  Here I explored the subject with a quote page and some free-writing...

The Documented Life Challenge for Week 3 was to use an envelope.  Here's what I did with it...

 I had an extra ink-blot butterfly leftover from the Life Book Lesson that I shared in my last "finish 'er up Friday" post, so I pasted it in here, along with a quote by Kurt Vonnegut...

 

The week four Documented Life Challenge was to write a secret message, and then cover up all but one word.  I left one phrase viewable...

  

 When you open up the tip in on that page, you can see the Life Book Graphite Feather Lesson (which I also shared in my last Finish 'er Up Friday post).  Also, the page I did on the January No Excuses Artist of the month - Frank Lloyd Wright...

 

here's the same page with the tag opened...

this is what's on the back of the tag...

and moving on to February...
On the right is my collaged envelope for the month.  The theme is "Sacred Spaces," and I decided to choose my own artist of the month this time - Jean Michel Basquiat...

When you flip over the envelope you can see the Week Five Documented Life challenge which was to doodle a border.  I was inspired by this border on pinterest.  It was a challenging doodle!  And then there's my monthly goals mindmap...

My goodness, that was a lot!  I hope it is helpful (and not overwhelming) to see all this!

If you want more info on the Documented Life Project, click here;
and for more info on the No Excuses Workshop, click here.

Thanks so much for visiting my friends!

I will leave you with this little song that still runs through my mind from time to time.  You will probably recognize it if you ever watched the Donny and Marie show...

Farewell to Archiver's...

Yesterday was my last crop at Archiver's with the girls.  If you haven't heard -  Archiver's, (a nationwide chain of Scrapbooking stores), is going out of business.  Their doors will close for good this month.

Here are a few pics from our day...

 

With everything being 50% off, I had to make a few purchases...

Back in 2006, I worked at Archiver's part-time.  At that time, I remember hearing that there was one new location opening per month.  It's so sad to see it all end.  I feel bad for the workers, and it makes me wonder what is happening to scrapbooking as a whole, if a place like Archiver's can't make it?

There is some good news, however!  October Afternoon, which is based in Apple Valley, Minnesota, is opening a Scrapbooking store in their warehouse at the end of this month.  It's called Paper Made.  Watch for their website to go live sometime this week.  Click here to check that out.

As for my girlfriends and I, we are committed to continuing our monthly meetups.  We are just going to have to get creative about where we go and how we manage it.  I'm looking forward to the next leg of our journey together, wherever it may take us!

Thanks so much for visiting today, my friends!  I will see you again soon!

P.S.  In my recent Book of Days post, Linda had asked me to share the supplies I used.  I have added those to the original post for you Linda! and for anyone else who is interested!  Click here to go to that post and check it out

Finish Er Up Friday - Life Book 2013 Progress...

I did better this week!  I actually finished TWO things!

Here we go...

Unfinished Project:  Life Book 2013
Finished this week:  Two Lessons
Still to go: 19 Lessons

Week 45: Graphite Feather w/Tam LaPorte...

 Mechanical pencil, neocolor II crayons

(6" x 9" - Done in my Documented Life Planner)

 Week 47: Ink Blot Butterfly with Kelly Hoernig...

This is how it looked the last time I shared my progress...

and here it is all finished...

(Acrylic paint, gesso, stencils, modeling paste, acrylic ink, deli paper, dictionary paper, pencil, address labels)

(9" x 12" - Done in my Book of Days Journal)

Have you been working on any unfinished Projects?  Let us know in the comments section so we can cheer each other on!

Thanks so much for visiting me here today!  I wish you a fabulous weekend!

Book of Days 2014...

I just realized I haven't done a Book of Days update, and we are almost into the second month!  Once again, I am loving my Book of Days process, and the fact that I'm not overloaded with classes this year, has given me the time to go a little deeper into the self-reflection part of the process, and I am loving that!

Here are my first four pages...

(background: masking tape, gesso, acrylic paint, clear gesso. heart: neocolor II crayons, gesso, permapaque, molotow, and uniball signo pens. portrait: pencil, neocolor II crayons, gesso, acrylic paint, pilot permaball and sharpie poster paint pens)

(background: masking tape, misc. scrapbook, text and sheet music papers, acrylic paint, gesso, stencils, spray ink, rubber stamps, stazon ink. words: gesso, acrylic paint, permaball pen. portrait: pitt pen, gesso, acrylic paint, neocolor II crayons, uniball signo and permaball pen.)

(background: masking tape and acrylic paint. words: permapaque marker, acrylic paint and acrylic ink. tree: modeling paste, stencil, molotow markers and permapaque marker)

(background: sheet music, spray ink, gesso, scrapbook paper. words: acrylic ink, sharpie poster paint pen, and permaball pen. photo: printed on matte photo paper and cut out)

I'll leave you with my latest pic of the Johnmeister, posing with his favorite mouse...

 I wish you a wonderful week my friends!  Thanks for stopping by!!!

Project Life 2014: Week Two - Trying to stay ahead of the game...

Hey there friends!  I finished my second week of Project Life this weekend, and I'm excited to share it with you! 

Week Two: January 6 - 12, 2014...

Left side detail...

 We went to the rainbow car wash on Saturday night.  As you can see the soap comes down your car in psychedelic colors and we loved it!  How's that for livin' large!  HA. 

Right side detail...

My favorite part of this week's layout is the quote from Michael.  We have to separate the cats when they eat (see the top right pic), because otherwise Johnny will steal Willie's food.  So, on this particular evening, I overheard Michael talking to the cats as he was preparing their dinner.  In case you can't read what the quote says, here it is:

"There will be two dining rooms open this evening for your enjoyment.  Johnny, you will be in the executive dining room.  Thank you for wearing your tuxedo (he's a tuxedo cat - always has one on - lol).  Willie, you will be in the promenade dining room..."  

OMG that man cracks me up sometimes.  Little things like that are what make Project Life special to me.  I will laugh every time I see that card.

What are you enjoying most about your Project Life this year?   Or, just life in general???