Around here... August 2018

It's been a very long time, since I've posted anything other than storytelling/scrapbook projects. I used to use this blog as more of a tool to document daily life. Then I started doing project life. Blogging about our every day seemed a bit redundant, when I was posting weekly layouts of it. I thought I would take a moment to document what's happening "Around here' at this point in time:  

Around here… We are smack dab in the midst of some renovations. We’ve completed our plumbing project [insert trumpets here]  which has been on the horizon for quite some time.  It feels amazing to have one less worry that we’ll come home and slosh through water somewhere in our house. [Not an exaggeration, speaking from experience] 

Around here… We no longer have a ceiling in our family room. It’s gone. All gone. And I’m feeling a mixture of shell-shocked and overwhelmed. Everything in our house is currently covered with a thin layer of fine white drywall dust, and it’s going to get worse before it gets better. 

  

Around here… We’re a week away from the start of school. Although the kids are trying to protest the start of school, I’m finally ready to get everyone back into some sort of routine. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not looking forward to early mornings, or the craziness that will ensue once school, hockey and ringette start, but I’m ready for a little bit of structure. 

Around here... We've had the worst smoke haze laying across the city for the past few weeks. It's been awful, it makes you not even want to go outside and breath it in. We did have a camping trip to the mountains booked, and we went through with it. In spite of the smoke, we had a good time. 

Around here… This week I’ve given both kids a 2 hour limit per day on screens and video games. They are NOT happy about it, but it’s something I should have implemented and insisted happen, two months ago. 

Around here… My heart just walked out the door. Mason is getting in a car with his driving friend. Another teenager… Oy. Being on the ‘parent side’ of things is hard. No one warns you how you’ll literally feel sick to your stomach when this scenario arises, when you’re snuggling your brand new baby…

Around here…I have been reading like crazy. My last trip the library was epic. So many awesome titles. I’m currently reading The Secrets Between Us by Thrity Umrigar, and really enjoying it. 

Around here… Tomatoes on our counter, that we have grown ourselves! So looking forward to enjoying toasted tomato sandwiches for lunch, in the days to come. 

Around here…Preparing my heart for the onslaught of ice times and rink visits that I know await us as we roll into September. This year we get a bit of reprieve though, as Mad doesn’t start the evaluation process on the very first day of school. 

Around here… Figuring out Mad’s new bus stop schedule and trying to figure out where she gets on and off the school bus. The maps come out, but they’re ‘generalized’ not specific. So the first day is a bit of a guess…

Around here… Enjoying making home made burrito bowls and egg roll in a bowl. Barry and I are over the moon about them, and I would put them on constant rotation if I could. The kids, not quite as crazy about them, but too bad, so sad, it’s not all about them… 

Around here…The furnace has come on the last couple of mornings. There is a chill in the air, and the leaves are all beginning to change a bit. I mourn the end of summer, because let’s face it, it’s awesome. But I do love fall. The colours. The crisp air. Crunchy leaves. And, let’s not forget, Pumpkin Spice Lattes…

Around here…This month I was a guest Creative Member for Paislee Press. Felt lucky to have been given the opportunity to create with Liz’s beautiful product. Here are my creations:

Around here…We watched the series Alone, season 5, as a family. We all could hardly wait for it to be on each week. We all had an idea who we thought would be victorious, and we were all wrong. I could never do something like that. My over-active imagination would have me high-tailing it out of there, night one. These people are so competent, and courageous. It's been fun to watch this together this summer.  

Around here…I can’t read anything without my readers on. I have them on every floor. I have them in the car. I have them in my purse. Unbeknownst to me, I sometimes have on two pairs at a time. [Sorry Mum, that I mocked you years ago. I get it now] 

That's a wrap of August's Around here. Maybe I'll be more mindful and be able to do one of these each month. 

PL2018 - Weeks 27 and 29

Oopsie!! I just about forgot to post week 27!

These photos took place at the beginning of July.

I can't complain about our summer, it's been pretty awesome. The last few days, it's cooled off considerably. And the leaves are beginning to change. Summer holidays and summer itself,  are coming to an end...

Here is week 27:

• Barry's view at the Kananaskis golf course. He got to play there this season, after it's been rebuilt. It was devastated by the 2013 floods. 
• Little Miss, is trying her hand at sewing this summer. 
• Mason splurged and ordered a Lego for himself. He enjoyed putting it together.
• Our from little porch area, it's so cute!
• A bike ride up Nose Hill
• A favourite new reading place. 

Week 29:

• Putting the tent up to sleep in the back yard. It's been SO HOT. I surprised everyone by volunteering to sleep in the yard. And I have to say, it was definitely cooler, thank goodness. 
• Gardening first thing in the morning, before it gets too hot.
• Madelyn joined the walking girls this week, we did Edworthy Park, the forest side. 
• Bike ride at Fish Creek with Mason and Barry. We went from one side to the other, which was about 30 km in total. Totally awesome. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

Week 27 

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

Everyday Routine Kit - https://the-lilypad.com/store/the-everyday-routine-kit.html

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

Week 29

Flashback Elements - https://the-lilypad.com/store/flashback-elements.html

Flashback J. Cards - https://the-lilypad.com/store/flashback-journal-cards.html

PL2018 - Week 28

Here is week 28 from my project life album. 

I can't believe it's nearly the end of August. Looking back at these photos, was at the beginning of summer! 

Summer's been good to us. It's been pretty decent weather. We got out on 3 separate camping trips. We managed to get all our plumbing done. So it's been good. But as usual, the time seems to have slipped by in a heartbeat. 

Anxiously awaiting the start of Grade 11 and Grade 8. Eeks! 

For now, here's the summer photos!

• Barry's view at Kananaskis golf course. It has just re-opened after the floods of 2013. He was thrilled to be playing there. The weather wasn't great... Lots of rain. But the scenery is spectacular. 
• Madelyn has a few sewing projects on the horizon this summer
• Mason putting Lego together in his room.
• Love our little porch area.
• Bike ride up Nose Hill with Mason.
• Reading in her swing. One of her favourite new places. 

The following Sahlin Studio product was used: 

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

Everyday Routine Kit - https://the-lilypad.com/store/the-everyday-routine-kit.html

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

Nature Walk

Every once in awhile, Sahlin Studio comes out with a new collection that knocks my socks off. 

This is one of those collections. 

It's called  Project Mouse (Wilderness). As with the other Project Mouse collections, it's geared towards Disney. However, I don't have any recent Disney photos. What I do have however, are nature photos. It's totally easy to use this collection in many different ways. 

We've been camping quite a bit over the past few years, and I'm already dreaming up ways I can use this collection for our camping photos. 

Here is my pocket page, using pictures from a few years ago. We'd set off on a walk, and when we turned around to head back to the car, realized there was a storm rapidly approaching. 

Love capturing memories like this! 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

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

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

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

Paislee Press - Guest Member Layouts

As a guest team member, I got to work on creating a project with a new release, and I got to pick product that I wanted to showcase. 

This was not an easy decision. Paislee Press has so many awesome collections, that it would almost have been easier to chose by closing my eyes and pointing at the screen.

Having said that, I have been drawn to this Autumn Vibes collection, since it was released last year. 

I think part of the reason for that, our hot summer. 

Our summers are lovely. But they're not typically HOT. I mean we get a sprinkle of hot days throughout the summer, but not day after day after day. 

However, the past two summers, have been hot. Consistently. 

By the time August rolls around, I've had a number of nights with little sleep, due to how hot our room stays. I hate to say it, but I begin to look forward to slightly cooler temperatures. 

I think that's what drew me to this collection. 

Here are the layouts I created using Autumn Vibes: 

The following Paislee Press product was used: 

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

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

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

PL2018 - Week 26

Week 26 goes back to the last week of June. Oh... the last week of June. Remember it?

June is what I consider it to be, Friday... 

Here's my take on summer vacation:

June is like Friday. The growing anticipation of having the whole weekend [or summer] ahead of you. You can stay up late, and you have sleep in days. 

July is like Saturday... The days are long and hot. It's everything. You can kick back and relax, just enjoy yourself, but in the back of your mind, you know Sunday [or August] is looming. 

Then August hits, boom, a it feels a little like Sunday, doesn't it?  Days are noticeably shorter. It cools off [sometimes] slightly, all of a sudden.  The back to school commercials start up. It's easy to get into a bit of a funk in August, just like Sunday, knowing that the beginning of the hectic year ahead is on the horizon. 

So right now, looking back at the last week of June, gives me all the happy feels. Remembering just what the last week of school felt like. 

Here's week 26:

• The birthday boy... Mason turns 16.
• Last field trip of Grade 7, the kids went to the zoo, and of all the field trips I volunteered for this year [6 or 7] this was the best.
• Eye Retina specialist appointment with the girl. The spot on her retina appears to be a pesky freckle, but will have to continue to go back to have it monitored.
• Canada Day! It was windy and cold, actually kind of miserable, we had a BBQ with friends.
• We set up our trailer to do a clean, and both kids came and hang out there with us. 

The following Sahlin Studio product was used: 

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

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

4x6 Templates Vol 1.: http://the-lilypad.com/store/4x6-Photo-Templates-Vol-1.html

Summer Stories - Paislee Press

I've been excitedly waiting for quite a few months for my opportunity to be a guest member for Paislee Press. As August grew closer, the more excited I got.

Last week I received Liz's new Aloha Collection. It did not disappoint.

If you pop over and take a look at it, you can see it's full of tropical flair. It makes me want to visit somewhere with palm trees and rolling waves, in a big way. The colours are perfection. Different hues of green and a yellow that totally pops. Since I haven't been anywhere tropical lately, I knew I had to create something that didn't necessarily say island life.

I created several different projects.

This one, a 12x12 pocket page style, documenting our recent camping trip.

And this 12x12 layout, also using photos from the same camping weekend. Madelyn loves all critters and things. She was determined to catch a frog in the little lake. She didn't, but we did end up getting caught in a downpour. No pictures from that however!

I hope this shows that you can use product in a variety of different ways. Just because Aloha was created with more of an island vibe feel to it, doesn't mean I couldn't use it.

I love how these turned out.

The following Paislee Press products were used: 

Aloha Elements: https://the-lilypad.com/store/Aloha-Elements-Pack-by-paislee-press.html

Aloha Paper: https://the-lilypad.com/store/Aloha-Paper-Pack-by-paislee-press.html

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

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

August Template Freebie

It's August, and that means the new template freebie from Sahlin Studio is available! To download it for yourself, click this link.  Here is what August's template looks like: 

And here's what I did with it. 

Love that this page, can be a fun, quick story about our first camping trip of the season. We had a great time, even though we had one day of not great weather. On that day, we huddled inside the trailer and played games and listened to music. We might have even had some snacks. 

Love this crew of mine. 

The following Sahlin Studio product was used: 

You are Here - Elements: https://the-lilypad.com/store/you-are-here-elements-ss_youarehere_ep.html

You are here - Journal cards: https://the-lilypad.com/store/you-are-here-journal-cards.html

You are here - Paper: https://the-lilypad.com/store/you-are-here-papers-ss_youarehere_pp.html

Exciting News

Back in November, Paislee Press put out a 2018 Creative Team Call. I submitted some of my work, and then guess what happened?

I got invited to be a guest Creative Team member for the month of August. 

Ahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been a long time fan of Paislee Press and of Ms. Liz Tamanaha. Love her sleek and simple designs. Love all her products. 

So excited to be joining the team this month. Can't wait to share some of her fabulous products on some of my pictures! Pinch me!

Stay tuned! Hoping to share soon!

PL2018 - Weeks 24 & 25

There is currently a fine layer of drywall dust everywhere in my house.

Not from putting up walls. From tearing down walls and ceilings. 

We're more than halfway through our "Replace ALL the Water Lines in our House" project. The reason for that is the dreaded Poly B... Tubing that was used for the water lines in all the houses in my area. Tubing that as it turns out, has a life span.  

We know that from first hand experience. We've had 7 separate water 'events' in 11 years. They've ranged from pinprick water leaks, to an actual burst pipe. That one, was the messiest and most shocking. It was on a holiday and required an emergency trip from a plumber. Thank goodness we were home when it happened. 

I can't stress this enough: Know where the main water shut off valve is in your home. 

That has come in handy for us. On multiple occasions.  

We have two more ceiling sections to open up. To replace old Poly B with Pex. This is something that had to happen. We've planned our summer around it.  We're nearly done. And although the aftermath of what a mess we have to deal with, hasn't quite hit yet, we're feeling pretty good about the pipe replacing. 

This morning there's a certified plumber in our basement, welding/soldering what Barry can't handle. He's checked our work, and given us a thumbs up. [insert huge sigh of relief here...]

I am so grateful for family and friends that have helped us with this gigantic task. I'm also so grateful for my handy husband, who had taken this on, and done a pretty successful job at it. Saving us thousands of dollars that was quoted to us several years ago to do this very job.

Looking forward to getting ceiling back up.

It's been a while coming...

Here is my layout for combined weeks 24 & 25 of my project life album:

This layout was created consisting mostly of Paislee Press product, the product links are below: 

Memory Keeper - Elements - https://the-lilypad.com/store/Memory-Keeper-Elements-by-paislee-press.html

Memory Keeper - Papers - https://the-lilypad.com/store/Memory-Keeper-Papers-by-paislee-press.html

Paislee Press Layered 4x6 templates - Vol. 6 [couldn't find a link]

I also used the following Sahlin Studio product: 

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