Thursday 31 December 2015

Planning Project Life and Project Life Planning!

Hey hey hey!

Well lookie here... it's the sparkling brand new first day of 2016! I have a little share here today, regarding planners and how I plan to link my planner in with my Project Life - how's that for organisation?

Here is my planner spread for the last week.



See the groovy little QR code in there? The funny box shaped dooverlackeywhatsit with all the squares? Well that lovely little box, is a direct link to blog posts sharing my Project Life and Planner layout for December/Christmas. That PL layout is below for anyone who is interested :)




This is going to be a new feature in my layouts, or at least my monthly layouts, so that everything links back to each other and is co-ordinated s that I can find the relevant stuff if I need it. If there is ever a month that I need to link to more than one place, I will just add extra QR codes.




All you need is a QR generator - you can find a million of these on Google. Pop in the link to where you want the QR code to lead to, and print the magic little box dooverlackeywhatsit. Then just insert the printed image anywhere and it will lead you to the relevant post. Then, on any smart phone or device, you can download a QR reader that will direct to the links :) Pretty cool huh?

I would love your feedback so pop me a comment in the box below and I'll get back to you :) I hope 2016 brings you all the joy and scrapping goodness your precious hearts can handle! As always, thanks for reading.

Thursday 24 December 2015

Merry Christmas to all...

Hey hey hey!

Merry Christmas! Well, Christmas Eve!

My kidlets have just gone to bed, and I am feeling pretty anxious right now. Tomorrow will be the first year that I haven't spent Christmas day with my kids. I will see them in the morning and then tomorrow night, but during the day, they are going to their dad's house.

I am feeling a little fragile. There have been lots of tears this week... overwhelmed to say the least. On Monday I completed my Diploma, and I was supposed to have a rent inspection on Wednesday, but the agent cancelled - at 8:55am. Far out, the effort I go to for an inspection is always over the top, but the house was freakin immaculate, so when she pulled out at the last minute, I was pissed!

Anyway, the house is clean I guess. I am volunteering at a Homeless Christmas Lunch tomorrow, something I have wanted to do for a really long time, and when it was decided that my kids would be with their dad, it was the perfect time for me to go ahead and make it happen. I needed a reason to drive away from my kids and not cry.

This year has been so dull of challenges, and my kidlets are so beautiful and wonderful and mature about all this 'family' stuff, but I think we are all very aware of the monumental shift that happened in our lived when their father left. It was unexpected and then to have another person thrown into the mix (his girlfriend) so quickly - well, that leaves a certain mark. I don't know what the new year has in store for myself and my babies, but I hope it is better than 2015.

Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, I hope that you have a beautiful Christmas, and the New Year is filled with lots of love and happiness for all of us. Thank you for reading along throughout the year so far, looking forward to sharing more with you next year.

'Til then...

Saturday 19 December 2015

Planner Playtime!

Hey hey hey!

Hasn't this month just completely flown by! First up, a little disclaimer... I apologise in advance for the quality of my photos - and openly admit that they were taken, tucked away in the laundry on top of the freezer... because that appears to be the best light in my house at the moment.

It is rent inspection week here and I have been running around like a crazy - you know my planner has been getting a workout! I fkn hate rent inspections! After living in the same house for over 7 years, you would think they could reduce the rent inspections - every 3 months seems excessive. The last inspection the lady had nothing to see had even changed, but observantly noticed I had a new kettle.

I thought I would share with you, a couple of spreads from my planner, and I even had a go at making a dashboard this week too :) That was fun... I like laminating lol

Monthly Spread

Weekly Spread
 
Weekly Spread
 
Most recent weekly spread
 
Dashboard :)


The coloured squares are made with scrapping paper, from an older Heidi Swapp Christmas range, and the dashboard - that was a cheeky card I found at Typo. I love that store too, especially at this time of year! Lots of cheeky Christmas shit and even a few bah-humbug pieces for those like myself that would rather sleep on a bed of Lego than handle another Christmas.

I have big plans - hehehehe- for my planner, and how to incorporate it more into our regular lives. I am currently looking for work, hoping to get something that doesnt impact too much on my kids, but I need the variety in my life and the extra money would certainly help with raising these teenagers. Homeschooling is no longer an option for us, so my girl is pretty disappointed, but 2015 bought many changes for all of us. Being on my own, working, studying and all that jazz is going to be full on - its not fair for her if we continue and she isn't getting the best education I can offer her. And if I am honest, I am even kinda looking forward to meeting some new people. Pop in next week and check it out, in the meantime, let me know what you think. I am still pretty new to this and would love some pointers!

6 sleeps til Christmas!

Thursday 10 December 2015

Planner Playtime!

Hey hey hey!

How are you? Been busy? Its been a little chaotic here, school is winding up and it feels like there are a million activities on the go at the moment! So thankful for my MAMBI Create 365 Happy Planner! Isn't she pretty?


I have to say, I love love love that you can remove the pages from these planners! This is a must of you are wanting freedom to decorate, as you then don't need to work around the spine or centre as with most planners. The paper is incredible good quality and I have had a chance to play with some stamps, which I will share in some up-coming posts :) MAMBI have also created some extension packs for the planners, including the Household Extension Page pack, which includes a section for To-Do Lists, Meal Planners, House Cleaning Schedules and Budgets.


There are an incredible amount of accessories available for these planners - MAMBI has really considered the needs of those that need to pretty up their planners. Even if you aren't into
pretty-ing and decorating, the layout in these is perfect for day-to-day planning, with enough space to add in the families activities too!

Do you get creative in your Planner? Do you want to? Leave me some questions in the comments box and I will get back to you! Feel free to share your blog links so I can check out your planner too!

Friday 4 December 2015

Project MY LIFE MY WAY!

Hey hey hey!

How's life? Has Christmas craziness hit at your place yet? Things are going pretty smoothly here at the moment, though its busy busy while I try and get organised for the school holidays!

This weeks share is a big one about holiday dreaming! Life has been tough for the last few months and while I cant afford holidays right now, its nice to dream! I LOVE the Pink Paislee ranges at the moment and the Atlas range was perfect for a layout like this.









How is Christmas looking for you? You don't think I am going to get a couple of quiet scrapping days, do you? Are you? Let me know!

Thursday 26 November 2015

Christmas dread has hit...

Hey there, thanks for stopping by. 

It's been a long week right? It spins me out the way the weeks fly by and yet somehow it feels like this year has just flown. I can't believe Christmas is just a few weeks away. I know I sound all Grinch like, but I hate Christmas! I don't really know why, and that chances are I perpetuate Christmas disasters with my attitude, but I can't seem to shake it off. I don't actually remember a whole lot of Christmas fun as a kid, and once I became a grown up, I was already a mum. And the best bit, watching my kids open their pressies and playing together and being happy and excited - that bit is freakin awesome. It's the rest of the bullshit I hate. 

You know, catching up with people under strict time restraints, frantically budgeting and adjusting the budget constantly, cooking, dishes dishes, dishes... Yuk! This one is going to be a hard one for me, and I am working harder at it than I ever have before. My kids are going to their dads for Christmas lunch. This will be my first Christmas since being a mum that I haven't been with my kids for the entire day. And that makes me sad. I am trying really hard to be excited for them, but I know they are nervous too. They are meeting my ex's girlfriends family and it is a hard thing to do on a big enough day already. 

I have decided to do something productive with the time away from them, and volunteered at a local soup kitchen to serve Christmas lunch. I truly am so thankful for what I have, the life and lifestyle that I have, my kids, my health, all of it. And I am hoping that doing something great for others while I am away from my kids, will ease the ache a little. 

If you are out there and reading this, and dreading Christmas too... Just know that you aren't alone. It's the loneliness that's holding me back right now, so maybe someone knowing they aren't alone in the way they feel will help them to cope a little better. 

Til next time...

Tuesday 24 November 2015

How many times...

Hey there, thanks for stopping by :)

I haven't updated here in a little while, mainly I guess because life has been a giant bucket of turds, but I am still kicking so I guess I am doing okay. Right? How many times... can you just keep pulling yourself back together and soldiering on?

SO much of my life right now is - well, I am struggling a little. A lot. I feel like just when I think the world cant deliver up anymore, here it comes again. Between my ex leaving and having some financial dramas and then the ex having surgery (gall bladder), there hasn't been much breathing room. I feel like I am just trudging along until I make it to the end of each day, and while I am thankful for every day, by the time bedtime rolls around I am definitely ready for it. Then its time to get up and face another day.

My ex's surgery was hard. Its difficult when you have shared so much of your life with someone to know where you stand, especially with his girlfriend right there. Especially when she is 12 years younger than me. Especially when the way they got together was about the most crooked, sneaky, nasty thing they could have done. I don't want to sound like a petulant child, but honestly, I feel like people have conspired against me and stolen my future. Every bit of this life that I thought was concrete, guaranteed, solid... just fell away. I know its not all on her, if he didn't want to leave me he wouldn't have. And if I had been a complete asshole horrible wife, maybe I could have understood a little. I never understood people cheating, but this has just about destroyed me. I am just faking it til I make it these days.

I am trying really hard to be okay and to keep things as cruisy as I can for my kids. The back story with this guy... we met when we were 13 years old. I went home and told my parents I had just met the boy I was going to marry. And though there were some hiccups, we always seemed to come back together. He has been my best friend and my love, for my whole life, since before I knew what love was. And now, he is someone that I don't recognise. The awkwardness is killing me. I am trying really hard for a friendship - and I hope we can make it work for the sake of our kids, but this heartbreak just keeps on giving.

Tonight, one of our bunnies died. Big Boy was a lovely, cuddly, funny boy and I think he died of old age. This is the problem with rescue bunnies, you don't know how old they are when you get them and rabbits don't generally have a very long life span as it is. Cue - devastated little girl! Kiddo is absolutely heartbroken, and honestly, my kids have had enough. This has been such a tough year for them as it is, and this was just the feather in the cap. The kids dad came in and helped to bury him and after surgery there wasn't a whole lot he could do. But my little girl needed her dad and it means so much to me that we can both be there for this stuff. Its just so fucking hard.

I cry a lot these days. Some days I just need to, and if that's what I have to do to make it through, that's what I am going to do. Tonight I am having a little cry for myself, a little cry for a sweet little bunny, and a big cry for my kids. I hope life starts to straighten out for us all a little... I need some smooth sailing for a while. I'll never quit, and never give up, but I could do with some down time.

I hope if you are reading this, your life is going well... and if not, look after you too. Remember it's okay to have a cry. xox



Friday 6 November 2015

PROJECT MY LIFE

Hey hey hey,

Hope you are having a great week! I have been flat out with study and parenting and all that fun stuff, but I managed to sneak in a little tiny bit of scrapping. People say that divorce and break ups are hard, and I don't know if I was prepared for the emotional upheaval that has happened in the last couple of months, but I am very aware at the moment of my personal dialogue - it took over 5 years of counselling for me to stop saying/thinking that I was 'f*cked in the head' and I refuse to end up back there. So I think it was appropriate to make the first page of my personal album so honest. This album is ultimately a photo based journal right now, and it gives me a place to put some of that emotional shit so that it doesn't just fester inside me.



I completed a cover page of sorts for my album and using some of the gorgeous chipboard elements now available. I love chipboard! I am not a big fan of any crazy bulk in my pocket spreads so chipboards works beautifully.
 

 
The centre card has been left empty purposely, so that I can write a dedication of sorts to myself... or perhaps a disclaimer in case anyone else reads it! Even with as much as I am sharing here, there is still some stuff that just isn't fit for the internet.
 
I think it's hard, when any sort of relationship ends, to not take it personally and find faults in yourself. Right now I really need to focus on being the best mum I can be, and trying to find a way to claw together all the bits that feel messy and scattered inside me. The fact is, the end of my relationship shook who I am as a person, and now I need to get to know who I am again - and I'll touch more on that in another post.
 


I never in a million years thought I would use an enormous photo of myself in a layout, but this photo was taken the first time my kids went to their dad's, and those big sunglasses were my best friend that day! I printed the photo at Big W, just a standard 12x12 print, with 2 photos loaded into the image. Added some text in an app on my phone and I think it came together okay. I wanted to document somehow that at this stage in my life, I feel a little emotionally warped, but that I am not broken and I'll just keep moving. I will share the other side of this layout soon.

Thanks for checking in, feel free to leave comments or questions below, and I will get back to you when I can :)



 



Friday 30 October 2015

PROJECT MY LIFE

Hey hey hey!

If you are a regular reader, you may have noticed I didn't post last week... feels like everything here has been on a bit of an emotional roller coaster, kids stuff, ex stuff and my own stuff - needless to say, my creative mojo went AWOL. It made it a looooong week too, this little creative hobby we all share is so therapeutic!

Anyway, here is a little share this week, along with some details about the upcoming cyber crop!

 
I was able to set a challenge to participate in the Cyber Crop being hosted online by Scrapping Clearly, and I have to say, I was stumped! I had a million ideas and then had to try and figure which was the best! The more I journey along with PROJECT MY LIFE, the more fascinated I become. So I set a challenge for everyone to 'CUT IT UP'. I set to work cutting up journaling cards and using the elements in hope of making some more personalised cards for my pocket layouts.
Add some sequins and some details in the journaling pocket and looks pretty good to go! I have used a selection items and they can all be found in the best ever scrapbooking store over at www.scrappingclearly.com.au We have some great challenges planned for the Cyber Crop, and would love you to pop in and join us! There are some cool prizes to be won for entering your layouts! Details are available here, https://www.facebook.com/events/1507252866263055/ hope to see you there!
Thanks for stopping by :)

Sunday 18 October 2015

Another day, another drama...

Hey there,

Thanks for stopping by! I am going to try and post in here a little more often :) Writing down the shit that storms around in my head seems to be working well and the poor old mojo seems to respond well, so whatever works, right?

Being a 'single mum' is not a position I ever thought I would be in again. I believed that because we (he and I) have made it through a mountain of crap together that we were guaranteed, rock solid, completely secure in our relationship together. I don't know what happened... I know he got bored, or maybe it was a 'holy shit I am getting old' moment. I know that I had reached a point in my life and in my relationship where I was so anxious all the time, I would find myself awake at 4am feeling like I was drowning. My health was suffering and there didn't seem to be a whole lot of my life that was in my control. Yet I never thought about bailing, not about anyone else or ever being with anyone but him.

I don't know where I became someone that he could pass on. I have a million questions that I don't actually want the answers too lol, and that alone sounds crazy.

I seem to spend a lot of time looking at the sky at the moment. More often than not, its when I am with my kids and I am doing anything I can to fight back tears. How the hell did I get here? I ask myself that question multiple times a day. The support I have had from friends in the last few months has completely blown my mind. And I am so very very thankful for those people. I like to think I am tough, and I am trying to make sure that I stay strong and brave but honestly, I am just putting one foot in front of the other, hoping to make it to the end of the day. Im not depressed now, just trudging.
I miss him... more than I should. His actions and choices hurt me, badly, and yet I know I still love him. He has moved on, and I just want to maintain a friendship, and be great co-parents, and hopefully friends. He has been my best friend for as long as I can remember... I know I know, best friends don't hurt each other like that.

Better keep trudging!

'Til next time xx

Friday 16 October 2015

PROJECT MY LIFE

Hey hey hey!

How is your week going? Been scrapping? Creating anything? I have been kinda slack this week, and right now I am writing this post from bed... with a shocking wind/sunburn! We went and watched the kids sports carnival and oh my word - I am glowing such a bright shade of red right now, they could probably use me to guide ships at sea! Ouch!

I have an awesome share today - I have played with the WeRMemoryKeepers Fuse tool and I am so impressed with this little invention! I have completed a 'different' layout, being that I have not used typical photos.


In going through this weird place in my life, there are some interesting little things that have happened. Like the universe is speaking to me lol, and a friend tagged me in one of these quotes on a Facebook post. It was so fitting for me, and I went looking and copied a heap of the quotes. I thought that I could use them in my scrapping pages, but then decided to showcase them just as they are.

I grabbed a 12x12 Project Life sleeve and set to cutting my quotes down (I just had these printed at my local print station) and teamed them so they were back to back. I cut them down to 2x2 squares and then measured out sleeve spaces. Pop in some spunky sequins and I ended up with a page of wonderful quotes and some super cute little window pockets! These pockets are so much fun and using the Fuse tool you can create pockets in any size/shape you can think of!

Here is a link to the supplies I used, which you can find in the Scrapping Clearly store - http://www.scrappingclearly.com.au/shop/group/photo-sleeve-fuse/ Keep an eye on the blog and shop too, there is some exciting new stock coming, that I just can not wait to get my hands on! If you are feeling inspired by anything you see here on the blog created by the design team, we would love to have you share on our Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/groups/175973739217297/ you can also find some great challenges and competitions!

Friday 9 October 2015

PROJECT MY LIFE

Hey hey hey!

Ree here again with another Project My Life share! This share is a little different to my usual, in that its from a different album. It has been a kinda weird time in my life of late, and inspiration sometimes feels a long way away. My relationship (almost my whole adult life, 2 kids etc) has recently come to an end, and my Project My Life visions and ideals have somewhat changed. SO, in sharing what is truly Project My Life, here is a layout from my personal album. It's easy to get caught up in the idea that creating our albums should showcase the incredible lives we all live, but honestly, sometimes it isn't incredible. Sometimes its hard, and ugly and I need to record these elements of my life, even if its just for me. I have the album being created for my family, and the one that is just mine, and in having that album I have the opportunity to be a little more real. There is some hidden journaling going in this layout, but other than that, its all out there in the open. I guess I am using this to deal with my stuff, and one day, if my babies are ever in a position that they might be going through their own issues, maybe this will be a help to them then.




This layout did not come together easily, sometimes the emotional crap gets in the way and the mojo cant do it thing, but it came together and ultimately I am pretty happy with it.
I wanted to really make it smooth and let it flow, so I went with minimal embellishments and showcased the Thickers! The Heidi Swapp Value Kits are amazing value and have so so many pieces, its always my go-to when I need just that little something. The little stamped hearts on the last image are using the Heidi Swapp planner stamps which are new in the store and I LOVE THEM!

So, if your still reading, tell me about some of the hard stuff you want to scrap, or wish you had scrapped. Leave a comment, I promise to read and reply :)

Friday 25 September 2015

Another layout share!

Hey hey hey!

Thanks for checking in :) First up, I have to say - PLEASE forgive the quality of my photos for this post! I seem to have caught some sort of moonbugs/flu/virus and standing on a chair to take photos made my head spin. Feeling very ordinary this week but I still managed some time to scrap a little, just to finish off these layouts for this weeks post.

I have 2 different layouts to share this week, trying to play in my stash a little more (sometimes I think we can all get lost in what is current and forget what fun stuff is tucked away).



This layout was created using a standard Design A Project Life sleeve. I really enjoyed playing with some of the older stuff in my kit and surprised myself with how many items I actually used. I have included the links for as many as I can below! The cards I used in this layout are from a cut apart in one of the Heidi Swapp 12x12 paper pads.
 
Next up, just a little something I threw together because I was really happy to be playing in the Heidi goodness!
 




 
This layout was created in a Design P sleeve that I actually cut down. I will explain more on this in the coming posts, but basically cutting a sleeve down can make or break a layout some times. In this case, I had other photos, but using them would not have added any more interest to the layout :)
 
I learnt something about myself scrapping this week - I am a far more adventurous Project MY LIFEr than I am a scrapbooker! When I started out scrapping, the thought of tearing pretty paper made me break out in a cold sweat, and now there is rarely a layout where I haven't cut up (butchered/destroyed) a journal card! As Rikki would say, that's 'personal growth' lol
 
What's happening in your Project Life adventures?
 
Ree

Thursday 17 September 2015

Project MY LIFE

Hey hey hey!

Ree here again, sharing another Project Life MY WAY! I touched last week on how Project Life will only be stress free and feel good when you are making it work for you. I think a lot of the reason that people get stressed out by scrapping, or perhaps disillusioned with the idea of scrapping, is because they get caught up in the woulds/should of scrapping. And that might work for some people, following rules, but I know for me, I need to make the experience a pleasant one.

In saying that, sometimes there are weeks where we don't get the opportunity to take 'enough' photos for a traditional 12x12 PL spread, and other times we might take a hundred great photos at an event. This is how I make that work for me :)

Becky Higgins released a massive amount of variations on sleeves and these little beauties are one of my faves! http://www.scrappingclearly.com.au/shop/brand-becky-higgins/becky-higgins-project-life-photo-pocket-pages-design-h/

 
I love this little layout, that sums up my week perfectly! We didn't have a lot on this week and I will admit, I was lacking in my photo taking inspiration. I had a lot going on in the background and I was just going through the motions. So this is what I had to work with, and I made it work! This side is using the Maggie Holmes Flea Market Mini Kit and bows, which you can find here in the store http://www.scrappingclearly.com.au/shop/group/project-life-mini-kit-flea-market-edition/ and  http://www.scrappingclearly.com.au/shop/group/maggie-holmes-crate-paper-bows/





The other side of this layout includes some Heidi Swapp goodies, and honestly, if you are looking for Heidi Swapp products - Kylie is that lady to see!

I love me some enamel dots and there are some great options on the site here :) http://www.scrappingclearly.com.au/?s=enamel+dots&post_type=product&tags=1&limit=20&ixwps=1 

This magic little flippy card here is just good old washi tape! I know there are some amazing techniques and tools out there now to create these flips and hidden journaling spaces, but I don't have any and honestly, good old fashioned washi works for me! There is a great collection of Washi tapes here http://www.scrappingclearly.com.au/?s=washi&post_type=product&tags=1&limit=20&ixwps=1 The cards used in this side of the layout are from the Heidi Swapp My Favorite Things Core Kit http://www.scrappingclearly.com.au/shop/heidi-swapp/project-life-favourite-things-core-kit/ 



I love Project MY LIFE! And I love sharing ideas on what works and what techniques people are using. Let me know what you think, what are you loving right now?

Thanks for stopping by :)