New Year's Eve 2018

Today is December 31st, 2018.

It's New Year's Eve.

The kids have been home from school for just over a week. This week has been rather dreamy. First of all, we had Christmas. Always popular in this household. 

We haven't had to leave the house for anything, other than a few hockey and ringette ice times since the 25th. It's been a well deserved, and much needed break. 

Tonight is NYE 2018. 

Tomorrow will be the first day of 2019.

The kids still have another week off school, which is so awesome. It already feels like they've been home forever, so once they head back, I think we'll all feel really rested. Taking a break from the daily 6 am get up, is a real treat. 

I am SO far behind on my December Daily for this holiday season. But I'm plugging away at it. I'm done up to December 12th, so just about half way through. Once I finish the album, I will definitely share it here. It's something I love doing so much. I know a lot of people say they lose their momentum once Christmas has come an gone, but I know I'll get mine finished.

I haven't set any goals for 2019.

Yet.

I'm having a hard time settling down all the swirly, twirly thoughts in my head.

That might be a post for another time.

I posted this photo on IG already. I went through my feed, and picked out the 9 photos that were my very favourite.

For now, I'm wishing you a very Happy New Year, and all the best in 2019. 

PL2018 - Weeks 45 & 46

I have tried really hard for the past few months, to eliminate the word 'busy' from of my vocabulary.

Which is not always easy. Especially at this time of year.

Busy gets way too much recognition. Let's face it, we're all on the go. We have daytime commitments, night time commitments, weekend commitments.  I truly don't believe my kids are over extended, I'm sure some disagree. When you are involved in organized sports such as hockey and ringette, it's a 2 - 4 time a week commitment. Per child. The occasional night at home, is always a welcome treat. 

Last night was the first night, out of the past 10 nights, that we were actually home. 

And I must say, it was heavenly. We had roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, salad for dinner. We watched the Polar Express. Ate snacks, enjoyed a few beverages. Marvelled at our twinkling Christmas tree. We really enjoyed our quiet night, spent together.

There's a lot of talk about self-care and the ability to say no. That's a hard one for me. Choosing what to say yes to and what to say no to.  I tend to say yes a lot. And when I do say no, I feel the need to rationalize, or explain myself. I think it's a tough one for a lot of people, to say no, and give no explanation. It's definitely something I'm working on.

On another subject, here are weeks 45 & 46 of my project life album:

Week 45: 

• Seriously, can not get enough of all the Christmas blankets in the stores right now, and I'm totally drawn to them. 
• Cozy infant of the fire.
• Madelyn has suddenly found 'music'. We downloaded apple music as a 3 month trial, and she has been absolutely delighted. She has her headphones on, the majority of the time these days. 
• Watching the Remembrance Day celebration in Ottawa. Not very many old time veterans remain. So thankful for their service. 

Week 46:

• Love, love, love watching Mason play hockey. I don't love the body checks and crashes into the boards, but everything else is awesome. 
• Lovely day for a dog walk.
• Barry and I went to see a movie on the 12th of November, the kids had school, but he had the day off work! We went and saw the Bohemiam Rhapsody. 
• Calgary Plebiscite to decide whether or not we should go ahead and put a bid in for the 2026 winter olympics. It was a no.
• Waiting our turn for family photos. There was a lot of complaining this morning. 
• Love, love, love watching Madelyn play ringette. She has gotten so fierce out on the ice. I'm attributing it to all the wrestling her and her brother/Dad have been doing. A noticeable change from last year. 

The following Sahlin Studio product was used: 

Week 45: 

Calendar Card Stamps http://the-lilypad.com/store/2018-Calendar-Cards-Stamps.html

Currently Flair: https://the-lilypad.com/store/-currently-flairs.html

Simplify Journal Cards: https://the-lilypad.com/store/Simplify-Journal-Cards.html

Week 46:

Calendar Card Stamps: http://the-lilypad.com/store/2018-Calendar-Cards-Stamps.html

Overlays: https://the-lilypad.com/store/Magical-Photo-Overlays.html

Stitching:  https://the-lilypad.com/store/paper-piercing-stitch-holes-basic.html

PL2018 - Weeks 43 & 44

These two weeks take us into November. I'm pretty much caught up with this years Project Life album. Sometimes when it gets to this time of the year, I chose to make monthly layouts rather than weekly. 

I'm not sure what I'll do through December yet... Once I start working on my December Daily album, the stories kind of start to duplicate themselves. Having said that, I include December in my PL book of course, because my mini albums are usually put away for the year. I pull them out at Christmas, but  I still want to remember the stories that happen, but maybe not in as much detail. 

• This was my second stint in exactly a week, as a chip runner for the casino. The week before was an emergency call out, from the Madelyn's school. It was also a 7 pm - 3 am shift... This was a daytime shift, but it was still just as slow. This time, I put my hours in for ringette.
• Such a great day for a walk, not a breath of wind. 
• Yummy treats.
• Doggie snuggles on the couch. 
• Pumpkin carving. 

For week 44, I decided to create a two page spread. This week fell on Halloween, which was the first Halloween, that I've been home by myself, since we had kids. 

Madelyn's class went on a two night, 3 day trip to Drumheller, staying overnight in the Tyrrell Museum, sleeping with the dinosaurs. Such an awesome program, they actually got to be mini palaeontologists for a few days. Madelyn was totally bummed that she would be missing the candy collection portion of Halloween, but reluctantly decided to go on the trip. 

We decorated pumpkins on Sunday, while watching Jurassic World with Chris Pratt. We'd been told beforehand, that the kids would be watching the latest Jurassic Park movie, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, as a special treat, on Halloween. [They weren't given any candy, or even allowed to bring any, and we heard a lot about that atrocity...]

We actually had a Jurassic Park movie marathon, this same weekend, watching all the movies, as Madelyn had never seen any of them before. It was fun to watch them all in order again. When will people learn, dinosaurs and people just don't mix well together. But they keep opening the park...

Here's what the two pages look like together: 

Left side, close up:

• Treats for a Trex Halloween Party.
• Heading into school with 3 days worth of gear on her back.
• Pumpkins...
• The front porch. I didn't decorate inside the house this year but did decorate outside a bit. 
• Filter fun on Snapchat, while I was home alone. 

Right side, close up:

• Madelyn all dolled up for the fashion show. Again, she talked this year about how nervous she was, but she got up on stage and rocked it. 

The following Sahlin Studio product was used: 

http://the-lilypad.com/store/2018-Calendar-Cards-Stamps.html

http://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Halloween-Enamel-Pins.html

http://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Halloween-Artsy.html

http://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Halloween-Kit.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Halloween-Journal-Cards.html

December Daily Days 2 & 3

Happy December! One thing about this month, is comes whether you're ready for it or not. 

We are well on our way, I have the first 3 days of my album put together. I changed day 2 up slightly. I still used the same number card and journal card, but on my main 4x6 card, rather than 2 small photos, I added one photo and another journal card to capture my story of the day.

I have to admit, I'm feeling a little bit lost with my December Daily album this year... My kids aren't little kids anymore. I'm not sure what stories I need to try and capture, and I'm also being mindful of their wishes for me to be a bit more private... 

That was bound to happen, with 16 and 13. I'm doing my best to honour everyone involved. 

Here are days 2 & 3: 

A few years ago, Ali Edwards had given the embrace the mess word art away for free.

I had downloaded it, but didn't find a spot in that years album to use it. Last night, as I was looking around my messy house, I remembered it. I had an a-ha moment. The house is a fright. We're still missing a ceiling in our family room. We're hosting Christmas eve, and I'm feeling overwhelmed by the state of things... 

I'm keeping it real. Things will get tidied and put away. Decorations will all get put out. Baking will get done. Cards will get sent. And Christmas Day arrives, just like December, whether you're ready for it or not. 

So I'm embracing the mess. Embracing the hustle. Embracing the busy of the season, and I'm going to do my very best to not get overwhelmed and let it get to me. 

Hello December, we're on our way!

The following Sahlin Studio product was used: 

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Home-for-the-Holidays-Journal-Cards-1.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Home-for-the-Holidays-Journal-Cards-2.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/December-Days-No-4-Numbers.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Home-for-the-Holidays-Elements.html

PL2018 - Weeks 40, 41 & 42

My mum held the fort down at home, while Barry and I spent a week out at the West Coast, in Sooke, celebrating our 20th Anniversary. We had such a nice get away, even the weather cooperated for us. The last time we were out there as a family, we were met with typhoon-like conditions. It was October then too, so we counted ourselves as pretty darn lucky.    

Week 40:

• I don't think I could ever get tired of beach pictures. 
• I also don't think I could ever get tired of beach combing and beach art. 
• There was the excitement of what I'm calling 'SNO-ctober' while we were away. Kids both had a snow day, which was fun for everyone. 
• We celebrated on the beach with some bubbly one night, where we were rewarded with the most magnificent sunset. 

Weeks 41 & 42 combined:

• A trip to the Rothney Observatory with Trex.
• We took Mason to the open house at SAIT, just so he can be a bit informed. 
• First ringette tourney of the season for Adrenaline, they lost all their games in the Lonnie Krahn, but had a lot of fun doing so.  
• Another marvellous sunset over the foothills and mountains. 
• Family photos, while celebrating Barry's parents 60th Wedding Anniversary. 

The following Sahlin Studio product was used: 

Week 40

Calendar Card Stamps: http://the-lilypad.com/store/2018-Calendar-Cards-Stamps.html

Kindred Journal Cards: http://the-lilypad.com/store/Kindred-Journal-Cards.html

Kindred Kit: http://the-lilypad.com/store/Kindred-Kit.html

Weeks 41 & 42

Calendar Card Stamps: http://the-lilypad.com/store/2018-Calendar-Cards-Stamps.html

4x6 photo templates vol. 1- https://the-lilypad.com/store/4x6-Photo-Templates-Vol-1.html

Everyday Routine Elements:  http://the-lilypad.com/store/the-everyday-routine-elements.html

Everyday Routine - Journal Cards - http://the-lilypad.com/store/the-everyday-routine-journal-cards.html

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year....

It's that time of year again!

I have begun to put together my December Daily foundation pages.

You might recall back in September, I talked briefly about December Daily. This is one project that I anticipate and love to do. Love it. I always get a bit nostalgic when I bring out my DD albums from past years, and see just how little my kids once were.

I mean come on...

How is it even possible that this sweet boy now towers over me, and this little girl is only a few inches away from looking at me right in the eye? Seriously, how on earth has that happened so fast? Seeing photos printed and in an album, make me so happy that I took the time to do this, and to see it through to finished.

When the kids were little, the Sears Christmas Wishbook was definitely the first sign that Christmas was fast approaching.

The photo above, of them going through the wishbook page by page, making notes about what they hoped to ask Santa for...  My heart. Seriously. It still explodes when I look at this photo.

One thing that remained the same for me and the kids, was the Sears Wishbook. I remember it showing up at the house. I was mesmerized by the pages of things, from childhood through adulthood. I ordered a lot of things from Sears over the years, because of that Christmas Wishbook. I'm glad the kids got to experience the wishbook the same way I did. Sadly, that's one tradition that has been lost, now that Sears is no longer a thing. I'm glad the kids got to have it for a few years at least, when the magic of Christmas was at it's peak.

They don't pay too much attention to toy store ads anymore, although recently a rather exciting glossy  Christmas flyer arrived from Toys R Us, both kids took their time going through it page by page. Once a kid, always a kid!

Now that we've hit mid-november, I've begun to put my foundation pages together for this years December Daily album.  I'm using a 6x8 album that I had stashed away. I did have to order some page protectors for it, but vowed this year not to purchase anything new. My goal this year is to use what I have.

And then then Sahlin Studio released this new collection: Home for the Holidays

Seriously... I'm swooning over this collection. The journal cards, the paper, the elements, the numbers. There's a lot that is swoon-worthy. I'm smitten.

How lucky am I? Because I'm part of the creative team, I've been playing with this! I have to say,  so far it's been fabulous!

Here's a few pages:

I wanted to be able to see the 'tree of words' underneath the page protector. This gives you a rough idea of the look I'm going for.  The paper I used on the 'M' is very tiny. I think I'll enlarge it slightly , and perhaps change the colour of some of the sentiments on the page. I'm still tinkering with this, and it's not completed quite yet.

This year, I'm going for simple. And repetition. 

I'm excited to see how the album will turn out. So far, I love it. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Home-for-the-Holidays-Elements.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Home-for-the-Holidays-Journal-Cards-1.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Home-for-the-Holidays-Journal-Cards-2.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/December-Days-No-4-Numbers.html

November Template Freebie

It's that time again, to introduce the free template from Sahlin Studio! This template is free to download through the month of November, to do so, just follow this link. 

This template really spoke to me. [Let's be honest, most of them do] Because I'd just been away with Barry, celebrating our 20th anniversary, I knew I wanted to feature a photo of us in this space. 

Here is the original template:  

Here is my take on it: 

Love documenting the story of us celebrating our anniversary, in our happy place. 

I'm so happy I have these photos and stories. I'm so glad I still love doing this memory keeping as much now, and when I first began nearly 20 years ago. 

The following Sahlin Studio product was used: 

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Gather-Kit.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Gather-Journal-Cards2.html

PL2018 - Week 39

Week 39 really wasn't that long ago. This week was a busy one, lots of running around. At this point Mason had been on the ice for a number of evaluations, but still didn't have any information as to placement. Hoping to hear early into the next week. 

It was also the week that Barry and I were looking forward to our little get away. 

• We celebrated Barry's birthday, by making him BBQ his own steak. He chose steak and he's convinced us all, that he's the only one brave enough to 'cook with fire'. 
• Mason had to get fitted for a new retainer and hockey mouth guard. [I had to leave the room, because the giggles struck...] Giggles and gagging, is not a great match, although hilarious. 
• We left Calgary and the COLD. Arriving in delightful and temperate Kelowna. Though today will be going down in history as the longest. Drive. Ever. 
• Went pub hoping Friday night with some friends, had so much fun trying the 'beer flights'. 
• Saturday, we went to the wedding. The day couldn't have been more perfect for them. So fun. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

Calendar Card Stamps: http://the-lilypad.com/store/2018-Calendar-Cards-Stamps.html

Simplify Kit: https://the-lilypad.com/store/Simplify-Kit.html

Simplify Journal Cards: https://the-lilypad.com/store/Simplify-Journal-Cards.html

PL2018 - Week 37 & 38

Feeling pretty thankful, that we've been enjoying some lovely fall weather the past week.

Barry and I were away for our anniversary, and during that time, SNO-ctober [how I'm choosing to refer to it] hit Calgary with a vengeance. There was a snowfall warning of up to 25 cm some places got as much as 40 cm! What?  Holy cow.  Can you imagine having a snow day, on October 2nd?

On the west coast, where we happened to be, it was raining.  As one friend so eloquently put it, "You don't have to shovel rain..." And it's true. You don' have to shovel rain. Ever. 

Our drive out to BC was lovely, the colours were spectacular. All the reds from the maple trees and such, that we don't have here. It was a surprise to see, and we really loved doing the drive. On our way out, colours were gorgeous, on our way back... Well, remember the photo above? It had clearly snowed... 

These were both taken in the Rogers Pass area of the TransCanada highway. On the way out, the colours were stellar. On the way back, everything was covered in snow...

Once we got home, the weather didn't improve. Our first week back, it snowed more than it didn't. I was beginning to think perhaps winter was here to stay. Luckily, it did warm up. Which brings us to last week, temperatures were lovely. It was normal again. Seasonal. Thank goodness. Hoping that the snow stays away until December 1st. [Because, whether you agree with me or not,  December is just better when it's white]

Here is week 37 of my project life album. Yes, I did put week 38 on my calendar... But it wasn't. And I didn't realize the mistake before sending it off to be printed. Sometimes I make mistakes...

• It seems like the leaves are changing colours super early this year.
• A picture of me and my Mum, on a walk at Fish Creek Park.
• Ringette evals, which is a gross stressful time for all involved.
• Miss Mad and the dog. 

Actual week 38: 

• CC at Carrie's place, we're on our 18th year together as a group!
• Hate seeing all the leaves on the ground. Not ready for the cold. 
• Beautiful rudbeckia on our Edworthy walk this week. 
• We've already had a lot of foggy mornings this year too.
• Barry working on the lights in our family room. 

The following digital product was used: 

Week 37 - Paislee Press - Autumn Vibes 

Elements https://the-lilypad.com/store/Autumn-Vibes-Elements-by-paislee-press.html

Journal Cards https://the-lilypad.com/store/Autumn-Vibes-Journal-Cards-by-paislee-press.html

Templates https://the-lilypad.com/store/Autumn-Vibes-Templates-by-paislee-press.html

Week 38 - Sahlin Studio - Project Mouse Movies

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Movies-Journal-Cards.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Movies-Elements.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Movies-Papers.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Movies-Word-Art.html

http://the-lilypad.com/store/2018-Calendar-Cards-Stamps.html

PL2018 - Weeks 34, 35 & 36

Playing a bit of catch up.

I have 3 weeks worth of project life pages to share.

Like everything else in life, my craftiness kind of goes in ebbs and flows. Sometimes I'm super inspired to be crafty, sometimes I'm not.

I've been memory keeping for YEARS. What I've figured out is, that for me, this is normal. I no longer beat myself up about it.

I simply take some time away, and then when the mood strikes, I come back to it.

Here are my pages:

Week 34:

• 3-on-3 ringette tournament, playing 7 times in 3 days. 
• We got to Antman and the Wasp. It was good. And yes, I've learned to bring a blanket with me. The theatres are freezing.
• A walk cut short, because of the smoke.
• A boy needing new hockey gear. Again. He keeps getting taller and taller. 
• Madelyn and Alyssa finally made it to Caraway Park. 

Week 35:

• We officially have no more ceiling in the family room. Indeed it's worse before it gets better. Tired of the dust already, and there is a lot of it. 
• Wings and beer with my girls. 3 of 4 were able to make it.
• Mason begged me to make nuts and bolts. So, so good. Sadly they disappear way too fast. 
• Libby, enjoying some outside time in the sun. 

Week 36:

• First day of school for Madelyn.
• For the first time in forever, ringette evaluations didn't start on the first day of school. We weren't on the ice until Friday, such a treat! 
• Freshly groomed little dog.
• A glimpse of fall on this mornings walk. All of a sudden the colours are changing.
• This loving little dog lives for snuggle time. 
• First day of school for Mason.

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

Week 34

Calendar Card Stamps - http://the-lilypad.com/store/2018-Calendar-Cards-Stamps.html

Documentary elements: http://the-lilypad.com/store/documentary-elements.html

Documentary journal cards: http://the-lilypad.com/store/documentary-journal-cards.html

Week 35

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Snapshots-Photo-Templates.html

Calendar Card Stamps - http://the-lilypad.com/store/2018-Calendar-Cards-Stamps.html

Worth a thousand words - elements: http://the-lilypad.com/store/Worth-A-Thousand-Words-Elements.html

Worth a thousand words - paper: http://the-lilypad.com/store/Worth-A-Thousand-Words-Paper.html

Journal cards: http://the-lilypad.com/store/Worth-A-Thousand-Words-Journal-Cards.html

Week 36 

4x6 photo templates vol. 1- https://the-lilypad.com/store/4x6-Photo-Templates-Vol-1.html

2x3 photo templates vol. 1 - https://the-lilypad.com/store/3x4-Photo-Templates-Vol-1.html

Calendar Card Stamps - http://the-lilypad.com/store/2018-Calendar-Cards-Stamps.html

October Template Freebie

I love working with templates. 

I especially am drawn to this blocky type of template. 

There's nothing left to do, but pick out photos, paper and embellishments. 

This is the template from Sahlin Studio, available to download for free, through October. To check it out or download, click here on this link. 

This summer, we were able to get way camping with another family we've become close to. As with most camping trips, this trip was booked months in advance, to ensure we got spots. All we could do was cross our fingers and hope for the best weather-wise. 

Calgary was so smoky this summer. It was pretty awful actually. Several days, the visibility was so pour, we couldn't see things we can usually see, from our house. It also made going outside, gross. No one wants to purposely stand outside in campfire smoke...

The forecast weather-wise was good. The forecast smoke-wise was bad... But we made the decision to go anyway. Here are a few photos of our drive out to K-Country. 

First off, we had to drive all the way to Canmore, to pick up Mason from a camp he'd attended. After him spending a week outside at an outdoor adventure camp, he was less than thrilled to know he'd be spending yet another few days outside. 

A glimpse of the 3 Sisters in Canmore.

Once we turned down highway 40, it became pretty clear that things weren't going to get much better visibility-wise. It was super smoky. The air was just thick. Now having said that, on the bright side, once we got to the campground, though the air was still thick, you couldn't smell the smoke. And believe it or not, we were still allowed to have campfires. That one seemed kind of crazy to me, but I was pretty thankful at the same time. What's camping if you can't sit around a campfire? 

The campground was quiet, we figured a lot of people cancelled their plans. The lake was quiet, it was pleasant outside, though not warm enough to hang out in shorts and tanks. The light was incredible, the way it can be when the sky/air is filled with smoke. 

Here's my layout:

Thankful we got to spend time with friends, even though things didn't look super promising at first. 

The following Sahlin Studio product was used: 

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Wilderness-Elements.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Wilderness-Journal-Cards.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Wilderness-Papers.html

PL2018 - Week 33

Another super smoky week. I have to say from the 7th of August on, it wasn't great. 

One day, the smoke was so thick, visibility was terrible. Of course, that was the day, Madelyn was supposed to go to Calaway Park with a friend.  We were disappointed on more than one occasion this summer, because of forest fire smoke.  I hope this isn't going to be our new 'normal' during the summer. It's kind of gruesome. 

Week 33:

• Dropping Mason off in Canmore for a week long camp. He fulfilled a grade 11 course, by taking it in summer camp form. He got to go horseback riding, river rafting, rock climbing. He also got to meet a whole group of new people, which was awesome for him. 
• Miss Madelyn learned how to felt. She made the cutest little teddy bears within a couple of days. 
• Just an idea how smoky it was one day, mid morning was so dark. That was the day you couldn't see Nose Hill from our house, it was bad.  
• That was also the same day Madelyn and her friend, were supposed to go to Calaway Park. They ended up spending the afternoon at the wave pool instead.  
• On our way to K-Country to camp for the weekend. It was super smoky in the mountains as well, but we were planning on meeting up with friends, so we went anyway. 
• Photos of this crazy bunch. Despite the heavy smoke, we had a good weekend.

The following Sahlin Studio product was used: 

For Real Elements - http://the-lilypad.com/store/For-Real-Elements.html

For Real Journal Cards - http://the-lilypad.com/store/For-Real-Journal-Cards.html

Calendar Card Stamps - http://the-lilypad.com/store/2018-Calendar-Cards-Stamps.html

Disney Memories

One of the things about being a creative team member for Sahlin Studio, is the awesome product she comes up with. All the time.

Some of my favourites are anything that has to do with Project Mouse. Project Mouse is Disney themed, and there are many different elements to this. All the Project Mouse products are listed in one convenient place, click this link to jump right there.

In the past, I have created quite a few Disney pages. I've also created quite a few pages that have nothing to do with Disney. So the product is very versatile.

For the latest Sahlin Studio release, I dug deep into some Disney memories. This was our one and only trip to Disneyland, back in [gasp] 2011.

The kids were so little! It was one of our best trips as a foursome. We had so much fun, to say I wasn't a bit melancholy while creating this pocket page, would be a lie... I mean come on... Mason now towers over me! And I expect by the time she's in grade nine, Madelyn and I will be looking eye to eye. Currently, she's only a couple inches shorter than I am.

I'm so glad that I have digital photos and can go back and create a page like this, that everyone in our family gets so much joy from.

And we definitely need to get busy and make plans for another trip as a foursome, to the Happiest Place on Earth...

Project Mouse - Main Street

PM Main Street - Enamel Pins: https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Main-Street-Enamel-Pins.html

PM Main Street - Artsy - https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Main-Street-Artsy.html

Project Mouse product, doesn't always have to coincide with a trip to Disneyland, here are a couple of pages I created, using Project Mouse elements, but had nothing to do with a trip to Disney.

Project Mouse - Adventure

Artsy -https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Adventure-Artsy.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Adventure-Enamel-Pins.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Adventure-Journal-Cards.html

Project Mouse - Wilderness
https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Wilderness-Elements.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Wilderness-Journal-Cards.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Wilderness-Word-Art.html

Here are some other layouts I've created using Project Mouse. Some from Disney, and others not. [This layout, from Thunder Mountain, remains one of my most favourites of all time]

Project Mouse - Frontier
https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Frontier-BUNDLE.html

Project Mouse - Tomorrow
http://sahlinstudio.com/project-mouse-tomorrow/

Project Mouse - Halloween
http://sahlinstudio.com/project-mouse-halloween-edition/

Project Mouse - Christmas 
http://sahlinstudio.com/project-mouse-christmas-edition-freebie/

PL2018 - Week 32

This summer, we had some hot days. 

Really hot. Above 30 degrees Celsius. 

So not the norm for Calgary. If we get up to 30 degrees, that's usually something worth talking about. But to well surpass 30 degrees, for a number of days in a row, that is highly unusual. 

For another summer, I lay in bed many a night, unable to sleep, wishing we had air conditioning. 

Then, without notice, the weather changed.  I once again find myself bundled up from head to toe in polar fleece... 

8 degrees Celsius seems much warmer, almost tropical, after you've had a winter of negative double digits. 

However, when you're summer has consisted of temperatures in the high 30's, and seemingly overnight you plummet to single digits numbers, it's like you've been thrust into the arctic circle. 

At least I have my photos to go back and look at, to remember exactly how warm it got this summer. 

Week 32: 

• I made pickles. I love that this photo captures the actual 'pickling process' in action. The pickles on the far right in the photo, are already changing colour. They go from being vibrant green little cucs, to well, pickles.
• Today was a hot one. Captured the temp and the mileage in the car. 
• Dill growing on the patio.
• Madelyn and Barry, spent a super hot, not too smoky afternoon at the outdoor pool. 
• The layouts I created for my guest member spot at Paislee Press. 
• Cooling down with our feet in cold water. 
• Capturing an unbelievable day at Bowness Park. The smoke haze makes for some pretty awesome photos. The light is often perfect. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

Calendar Card Stamps - http://the-lilypad.com/store/2018-Calendar-Cards-Stamps.html

All About This - Digital stamp -https://the-lilypad.com/store/All-About-This-Digital-Stamps.html

PL2018 - Week 31

Here is the most recent page to my project life album. It's so, so simple, just basically photos and words. 

Sometimes that's all you need.

This week saw another big portion of our plumbing renovation done. After this weekend, we were definitely more than half-way done. 

Week 31: 

• Always where I find her. Love, love, LOVE her passion for reading. 
• Driving to pick Mason up from work, I glanced up and saw this dragon-looking cloud. I knew Madelyn would think it was awesome. 
• Kitchen sink plumbing.
• Pluming gadgets. All over the house. Literally.
• First tomato of the season, and it was as yummy as it looked.
• More holes in ceilings... Now, onto the basement.
• Celebrating Baba's bday with burgers and cake, all enjoyed outside. 

The following Sahlin Studio product was used: 

Calendar Card Stamps - http://the-lilypad.com/store/2018-Calendar-Cards-Stamps.html

Photo Rounds -  Routines: https://the-lilypad.com/store/Photo-Rounds-Routines.html