November Template | Sahin Designs

I was going through some older photos the other day and got a bit melancholy. 

It's also kind of ironic, because the photos were from Christmas of 2009. There seems to be a then and now decade thing going on right now, but I wasn't thinking in terms of decades, I was actually looking for a particular photo. 

And I came across this photo...

It actually makes my heart flip-flop. Because look at those two! It's hard to believe they were ever that little. When I see how little they were 10 years ago, it puts things into perspective. 

Once I saw this photo, I realized I'd never done a layout with it. 

Sahin Designs just released her November 2019 Templates. 

After one look at them, I knew exactly what story I wanted to remember. We lost Gigi [Great Grandma] few years ago. My kids were so lucky to get to have a relationship with her. It was a pretty special relationship. I'm happy I'm able to get the story into an album. They can look back and remember her too. 

The following digital products were used: 

https://sahindesigns.com/products/i-got-my-wish-elements/

https://sahindesigns.com/products/i-got-my-wish-papers/

PL2019 - Week 43 | Sahlin Studio

Calgary was once again under a snowfall warning on November 18th and 19th.

And again, the prediction was accurate. 

I'm not exactly sure how much snow we received, the forecast was for 15 cm of snow. But it snowed for 24 hours, and it looks like a winter wonderland. 

Which was too bad, because a few days before that, we had double digit temperatures in the teens, all the snow from our last few snowfalls had melted...

Now we start over again, in hopes that yet another chinook will melt all the snow. 

The Calgary Herald has this to say about our winter: 

According to the network’s seasonal forecast released Monday, it’ll be chillier than normal throughout southern Alberta over the coming months, but with periods of reprieve mixed in.

Fingers crossed the reprieve they're talking about are the snow melting chinooks. 

I spent Tuesday baking cookies and setting up one of my Chrismas trees. If it's going to look like Christmas outside, I figured might as well get some of those twinkling lights up and feel good about the season. 

There's absolutely something to be said for Hygge. I'm all over it, with white lights, scented candles, blankets at the ready and the piling of fire wood. I love to be cozy. I guess I'm settling in for the season. 

Here is Week 43 of my project life album: 

• Election results were very disappointing. 
• Waiting for the school bus, noticing the change in the light. 
• Alexander Hamilton costume is complete.
• Miss Libby, looking homeless.
• Reading under a blanket, drinking tea, waiting for the furnace repair guy to arrive. 
• Decorating halloween cookies. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

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

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

Daybook | Sahin Designs

A few months back, Mason went out with some friends. They decided to go rock climbing. 

One thing about being a parent that no one prepares you for, is the letting go. The first time he got picked up, in a vehicle, driven by a friend, my heart quickened. That is now a fairly regular occurence.

This letting go process stings a bit. Even though it's the natural evolution of growing up. 

There comes a time, when hanging out with Mum and Dad, is a bore. They'd rather hang out with friends. I feel pretty fortunate, because I think for the most part, our kids genuinely like us. [Though they are certain that we've never experienced a moment of 'fun' in our lives] 

I was thrilled when Mace texted me these photos of his outing with friends. I'm so appreciative that he was willing to do it. This was something he experienced with his friends, but included me in his circle a little bit.  

I'm thankful he chose to include me.  

I used Sahin Designs - Daybook to put this 8x10 sized layout together. 

All the digital products are so versatile, and can be used with so many 'every day' moments. 

Product links are here: 

https://sahindesigns.com/products/daybook-elements/

https://sahindesigns.com/products/daybook-papers/

https://sahindesigns.com/products/daybook-cards/

I Got my Wish | Sahin Designs

Like I mentioned in my last post, Christmas is around the corner! 

It's so exciting to get to use new seasonal product in conjunction with my stories and albums.  This newly released product from Sahin Designs, called I Got my Wish is perfect!

I love everything about it!  If you download the bundle through this weekend [November 17th] you'll save 30%! [If you happen to be a newsletter subscriber, you should receive a link to get it for 50% off this weekend!]

I created this 12x12 page, documenting my Christmas village. 

I know I've highlighted my lighted Christmas village in my December Daily album a few times over the years. In fact, I've probably added photos of it in every December Daily album since the first year I did it. 

But what can I say, I LOVE it. 

It makes me super happy to both, put this little village together, and light it up every night. It's the one thing actually, that stays out, long after Christmas comes and goes. It helps make the short cold days of January and February more tolerable. 

I'm glad I now have this layout in my every day album, and can look back on it whenever I want.

I also created a page for last years December Daily album. 

I always work on foundation pages starting in November. I was looking through last years album, and discovered I'd forgotten to finish a few days. 

I created this for Day 18: 

It's a short and sweet story. Just a photo and a few sentences. It takes me right back to that trip to Safeway. The Grinch life size poster was there because of course, last year the new Grinch movie was released. [We never saw it, come to think of it...] It will for sure get added to the list of movies to watch for this holiday season. 

This one page 6x8 paged layout is exactly why I do December Daily. It's an otherwise forgotten moment that happened when we'd gone to pick up a few groceries. I'm so thankful I have the picture and story to remember.

The stories do get a bit harder as the kids get older... 

I really try to be mindful about their privacy. For the most part both of them are very accommodating, and as long as they know I plan to share it, they're okay with it. 

I'm really looking forward to capturing this years stories.

The following Sahin Designs product was used: 

https://sahindesigns.com/products/i-got-my-wish-elements/

https://sahindesigns.com/products/i-got-my-wish-papers/

https://sahindesigns.com/products/i-got-my-wish-cards/

Holly Days | Sahlin Studio

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

I have been anticipating and putting together December Daily pages for a few weeks now. The gigantic snowfalls we've had have certainly helped. Snow makes everything a little more magic, at this time of year. 

Except driving. Not much fun at all on slippery roads. 

[Since Wednesday, a chinook has melted all our snow, and we've actually enjoyed a couple of days of double digit temperatures]

Yes please. I will take all the days above 0 degrees, thank you very much. 

Any way, I've been putting together this years December Daily foundation pages. I do much better when I have things 'ready to go'.  I'm not as good at being 'wing it girl'. 

This Holly Days bundle has just been released by Sahlin Studio. 

It is geared all around the holidays, and it's fabulous. 

If you purchase the entire bundle this weekend, you save 50%.  

Looking through last years album, I realized that I was missing a few days. Somehow, they just got forgotten, so I put together this 6x8 page spread, to highlight December 19th. No words/stories. Just a few photos to capture last year. 

I'm looking forward to working this product into all the Elles Studio product I bought this year. I love for my DD albums to be a mixture of digital and physical product. I can hardly believe it's time to do another album! This will be the 11th year I've done a December Daily album. I love some years more than others, but I love that I have 11 years of Christmas stories recorded. 

Check out Holly Days, and get it while it's on sale, you won't regret it!

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Holly-Days-Elements.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Holly-Days-Papers.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/December-Days-No-5-Numbers.html

PL2019 - Weeks 41 & 42 | Sahlin Studio

I've got the next couple of pages for my project life album ready. 

I can hardly believe that it's already November! It seems like every where I go, Christmas has exploded. Yesterday there were Christmas carols playing in a store I was in. I mean, I love a christmas carol as much as anyone, but that seems a tad too early yet. 

Having said that, I have been drinking warm drinks out of my Rae Dunn Fa La La mug and watching Hallmark Christmas movies for a couple of weeks already. Honestly, the snow made me do it. 

Doing my best to keep these album pages caught up, here is week 41:

• River watch field trip, Barry took Madelyn's grade 9 class.
• My view... We have a ceiling [I'm squealing with delight]
• Selling Girl Guide cookies.
• Thanksgiving celebrations, my family and Barry's.  

And week 42:

• Voting early at the advanced polling station. 
• Catching the larch trees in the city, didn't get to the mountains this year to see it. 
• Oldie goldie... My kids loved those old Spiderman movies. 
• Weekends are my favourite.
• Catching up with an old friend. 
• Backyard clean up, before the predicted snow arrives. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used:

Week 41

Reflection - J. Cards: https://the-lilypad.com/store/reflection-journal-cards.html

Reflection - Kit: https://the-lilypad.com/store/reflection-kit.html

Week 42

Autumn stories Kit: https://the-lilypad.com/store/Autumn-Stories-Kit.html

Autumn stories J. Cards: https://the-lilypad.com/store/Autumn-Stories-Journal-Cards.html

PL2019 - Week 40 | Sahlin Studio

I can hardly believe that I only have 12 weeks of project life  pages left for 2019.

I created this weeks layout using templates with the idea of highlighting a 'currently' week.

These templates were the perfect answer. 

Right now, all Sahlin Studio templates and quick pages are on sale for 35% off right through the end of November. There are so many to choose from. To check them out, follow this link. 

The following Sahlin Studio product was used: 

Currently - templates: https://the-lilypad.com/store/Currently-PhotoTemplates.html

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

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

November Template Freebie | Sahlin Studio

Here is the November Sahlin Studio template freebie. Follow this link to download it and remember, it's free through November!

I love how this simple story turned out. 

This girl is Hamilton obsessed. 

She knows the word to each and every song in the musical. 

She knows exactly what order the songs are in. 

She knows ridiculous trivia about Alexander Hamilton's life. 

She knows she wants Hamilton 'merch' 

She knows she wants to see the musical, with every fibre of her being. 

So when I saw this template, I thought it would be perfect to showcase her making a 'boot-leg' [her words, not mine] Hamilton t-shirt.

She looked on-line and was extremely disappointed at how expensive all the Hamilton merchandise was. I told her I thought we could make our own shirt, and she was all in. 

We made a quick trip to Michael's bought fabric paint,  a black t-shirt, and got to work. 

She was so pleased. The whole craft cost us $10, so well worth the money. She could hardly wait to wear it to school. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

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

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

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

PL2019 - Weeks 38 & 39 | Sahlin Studio

Here are weeks 38 and 39 of my project life album:

• Mason had his first skate tonight, they just had defence on the ice. Hockey evals are always unsettling. 
• She's always waiting for me.  
• Or at the back fence, waiting for a treat from the neighbour.
• Handmade shirt and cat ears. Love this girl.
• Love how the space above the fireplace looks already.
• Apple doesn't fall far from the tree when it comes to ice cream. 
• Happy 21st Anniversary! We were able to squeeze a quick dinner in. September is always hectic at the start of the hockey/ringette season. 

• I always decorate the kitchen for the kids birthdays. And I thought turning 50 absolutely deserved decorations.
• Sitting in the car, at the rink, bundled up under a blanket. First cold of the season. 
• Exhibition game 2, looking good girls!
• Woke up to the snow. Very depressing as it was September. 
• Love that I raised readers.

The following Sahlin Studio products were used:

Week 38

Kindred Elements: https://the-lilypad.com/store/Kindred-Elements.html

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

Week 39 

Celebrate Kit: https://the-lilypad.com/store/celebrate-kit.html

Celebrate J. Cards: https://the-lilypad.com/store/celebrate-journal-cards.html

Life, Love, Soul | Sahin Designs

This collection is a brand new release from Sahin Designs. It's called, Life Love, Soul.

I love this collection. I love the colours, I love the elements, I love the papers. It is so versatile and I can see it being used on many future layouts. 

My goal was to create 2 pages, that I can add to a photo book of our trip. Of course, I want to print them out as well, to add to my scrapbook album. I will print them out as 8x10 size. 

Here is how I used the product: 

I love this selfie of us, and the fact that it has our kids in the background. It was absolutely pouring rain when we arrived. 

Naturally, we had the beach all to ourselves.

And then the sun came out... So relieved to wake up the next morning to clear blue skies. It was extremely windy, but at least it wasn't raining. We got to spend some time on the beach. 

I'm so thankful for the time we spent together on this trip. 

Like I mentioned, I've been working on a photo book of this trip. My plan is to have them printed and give one to each kid for Christmas. So they'll be able to reminisce and look back at pictures of this trip any time. And of course, I hope they'll love looking at it, as much as I loved putting it together.

If you happen to be a newsletter subscriber, check your inbox for 50% off the bundle link!

If you're not a newsletter subscriber, make sure to sign up here!

I used the following Sahin Designs product: 

https://sahindesigns.com/products/life-love-soul-elements/

https://sahindesigns.com/products/life-love-soul-papers/

https://sahindesigns.com/products/life-love-soul-cards/