PL2020 - Week 30 | Sahlin Studio

I find it funny that some weeks I have to scrounge to find pictures, to put a week or two together. And other weeks just come together so easily. 

Such is the case with week 30. I love how this turned out, and I especially love the pops of red throughout. 

• Bike ride with my boy, averaging 11-13 kms a ride. 
• Reading in the park while waiting for vehicle repairs to be completed. 
• ANOTHER tornado alert. WTH?
• Face timing with my girl, while she stayed at Grandma's house.
• These bright yellow canola fields that absolutely stunning this time of year. 
• Watching the skies a lot more these days. 
• Playing a "who am I" game. [I am beyond terrible at this game]

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

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

PM Classic J. Cards- https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Classic-Cards.html

PM Classic Word Bits - https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Classic-Word-Bits.html

PM Photo Tabs - https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Photo-Tabs.html

August Template Release | Sahin Designs

It's template time again! 

Sahin Designs August template is available and, as always, it's awesome.

Many of Elif's template releases give you to choice between two template possibilities. Both of which are included in the download. Such a great option. I really appreciate having a choice.  

I decided to use this template to share the photo of Barry and I with Mason. Our graduate. 

After the shake up this year, and cancellation of grad, the mood was low. I think the mood was lower for Barry and I, than it was for Mason. We did have the opportunity to celebrate with the graduating class of 2020, in early August. It was an event planned by a fellow student. There were only 68 people there, including the grads and their parents. It was so, so nice. 

This was definitely a rainbow in an uncertain time. This gathering was small, intimate. Not a detail was left out. The venue was perfect, it took place outside, under tents. The weather happened to be perfect, lucky us. It was so much better than a huge gathering at a convention centre would have been. 

The kids all dressed up fancy. Boys wore their suits, girls wore their beautiful dresses.  It was very formal looking, yet super casual. I was so thankful that the kids got to celebrate this momentous occasion. 

They had even hired a photographer for the night, so kids were able to get all sorts of photos. 

I'm so very thankful for the family that planned this. It meant so much to everyone. 

The following Sahin Designs products were used: 

Template: https://sahindesigns.com/30-50-off-quarterly-sale-new-layout-templates/

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

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

PL2020 - Week 28 | Sahlin Studio

This was one of those times, where in a two week period, I had hardly any pictures. [Gasp] 

I know. But the truth is, sometimes I just don't have much content. 

This page covers a two week period. 

I'm okay with it. I feel I have enough content in my day-to-day stuff, that if I have a week or two with no much, it's okay. 

Besides, let's face it. I have become a major homebody since the Pandemic started. More so now, than ever before. And sometimes, I just don't have pictures to take. Every day is the same thing. It's a little bit reminiscent of Ground Hog Day...

Here are combined weeks 28 & 29:

• So enjoyed watching the baby robins in our yard. There's been more than usual this year, or so it seems. Love to capture them in pictures. 
• Made edible cookie dough with Madelyn. Then she insisted on eating it in an ice-cream cone. 
• Miss Libby, still looking good after her grooming appointment. 
• Love, love, love these little flowers, my Grama referred to them as Johny Jump Ups.

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

Summer Stories Kit: https://the-lilypad.com/store/SS-Summer-Stories-Kit.html

Summer Stories J. Cards: https://the-lilypad.com/store/SS-Summer-Stories-Journal-Cards.html

PL2020 - Week 27 | Sahlin Studio

Back to the week of Canada Day, which unlike in past years, was very quiet. No fireworks to celebrate this year.  

I'm trying to get outside more this summer. To both get fresh air, and clear my head. I've been on my bike more this year than I have in the past 5 years all together. It feels really good. 

Here is week 27:

• Madelyn sorting through Pokemon cards with Lucas. 
• The kids at Big Hill Springs, it was alarmingly busy there. Us and most of northwest Calgary had the same idea. And the Mosquitos were BRUTAL... The kids made me climb up a section that seemed to be straight up...  I made it, but thought my heart might explode.
• Madelyn was invited to Cooper's the day after Hamilton started streaming on Disney+, her smile says it all, and she said it was even better than she'd hoped for.
• Our first camping trip to Sibbald Lake. It was both hot and chilly. We missed Mason this trip.

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

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

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

Getaway Collection | Sahin Designs

For August's creative gallery, I chose the Getaway Collection. 

It was the perfect collection to document our most recent camping adventure. 

Because of Covid this year, and initial restrictions on camping, we kind of blindly picked campsites that were available.  I wasn't able to get onto the reservation site for at least the first week, due to volume overload. Once I could get on the site, none of our usual places were available, we had to decide how long we'd be willing to drive to get to the campground. We decided 2 1/2 hours was our max. 

On the bright side, it did give us the opportunity go to campgrounds we've never been to. That's how we ended up at Cottonwood at Old Man Dam. 

The campground is about 15 minutes from Pincher Creek. We went from driving up along the ridge of the Old Man River, and made our way down into the valley that houses the campground. It was actually very secluded and private, it was a nice surprise. We went from windy up top, to not windy down below. 

We also happened to be there during a heat wave. Temperatures were in the mid 30º celsius. It was hot. So thankful we decided to bring our set up sun shade at the last minute. It made all the difference in the world. 

Here's the layout I created for this camping trip:

There's a lot of information photos on this layout. I used the photo template to add pictures. I wanted to include lots of our happenings. We spent quite a bit of time walking down to the waters edge. We skipped rocks, cooled our feet. Madelyn kept finding snakes... She caught 3 out of 4 that she saw. I have to remain calm and unfazed by it, or I'm sure she'd chase me with it... 

We played games. We had campfires and s'mores. We all breathed a sigh of relief at about 9:45 when the sun finally was low enough, that we cooled down a bit. 

We attempted to find the Neowise Comet, but didn't have any luck. However, the stars were amazing, and we could see the milky way. 

We had a great get away, glad we were all able to make it. 

The following Sahin Designs products were used: 

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

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

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

Wheels and Hills Collection | Sahin Designs

Sahin Designs has just released her new Wheels and Hills Collection. It's perfect to highlight any outdoor biking you may do. 

The collection will be in the shop through Sunday August 9th for 20% off. If you're a newsletter subscriber, watch your inbox for 50% code. 

I have really gotten back into riding again this year, which makes me so happy. It's mostly within the city limits, and when I'm out on my bike, I marvel at how lucky we are, to have access to such great bike trails. 

It seems that the trails are a lot busier this year. We can thank Covid for that as well.

But it's still possible to feel like you're the only one on the trail at times. 

I'm looking forward to more bike riding through the fall. It's awesome to have a partner. 

The following Sahin Designs products were used: 

Elements - https://sahindesigns.com/products/wheels-hills-elements/

Papers- https://sahindesigns.com/products/wheels-hills-papers/

PM Animals Bundle | Sahlin Studio

The Sahlin Studio featured product for August is PM (Animal). It's on sale through the month for 35% off. That includes the bundle, or individual elements [journal cards/paper/work art/ papers and overlays] Follow this link to check it out. 

Going on an African Safari, is very high up on my bucket list. It's one adventure I truly hope I'm able to do in my lifetime. 

This bundle, as with so many Project Mouse Collaborations, has Disney written all over it. 

I have had to oppoturnity to check out Animal Kingdom in Florida, but it was back in 1999. Barry and I went with friends, shortly after we were married. It was awesome, but we took very few photos. That was back when our cell phones did not have cameras. Can you imagine a time that we used cell phones for purpose of actually making a phone call? Crazy how times have changed. 

My point being I have very few, if any photos of our trip to Animal Kingdom. 

Then I remembered we'd taken the kids to see the Lion King when it was in Calgary a few years ago. An idea was born.

I looked back to my project life book and though I tucked the program into the album, I didn't include any of these pictures. So it was perfect to go back and document this adventure we had with the kids. 

It was really, the most amazing performance. The best I've seen. So glad I got to document it in my album. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

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