PL2020 - November | Sahlin Studio

It's that time of year again, when I seem to be playing catch up. 

We're only a couple of days away from the end of 2020. 

Once December hits, I spend the majority of my time working on my December Daily album. 

Here is a two page spread for November. 

November was a bit of mixed bag weather-wise. We started off the month with very mild temperatures. The walking ladies got out for one last walk and park coffee. Mason and I went down to check out the field of crosses along Memorial Drive. The very next day it snowed. Remembrance Day was chilly and snowy this year. 

• Park coffee gathering with the walking ladies. 
• We watched the US election with anticipation. Biden was declared the winner, but Trump will be going out kicking and screaming. He's still, at the end of December, trying to intimidate and sue, for what reason? No one can know for sure. He's like a petulant toddler that's never had the word no said to him before. It's just so embarrassing...
• Lefsa making, one of the only times extended family has gotten together this year. 
• Playing Mason's new game, Pandemic. Because seriously, living it is not enough...  

• Me and the boy, stopping for a selfie. 
• Mad got a haircut this month. 
• New sweatshirts all around.
• Covid numbers are once again creeping up. All team sports was cancelled. Madelyn started at-home school at the end of November. 
• We put our Christmas tree up earlier than ever, to give us a bit more joy. 
• These two, working together on a fleece blanket. 
• Walking through Confederation Park, was really quite nice. Before meeting friends was banned.

The following Sahlin Studio products were used:

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

PL2020 - Week 44 | Sahlin Studio

This week of my project life album zeroed in on Halloween.

Halloween in 2020 landed on a Saturday AND there was a second full moon of the month. The Blue Moon. At the beginning of the year, Madelyn was excited invite friends over to watch scary movies and gorge on candy. In reality, the 4 of us sat at home together, while FOUR kids came to our house trick or treating...

As I have in the past, I make some fun 'spooky' meals leading up to Halloween. I think the kids still get a kick out of it, and I enjoyed doing it. The photos were bad [read blurry] I only have a photo of the cookies Madelyn decorated. 

Snapchat filters start to become fun around this time, first with creepy halloween themed things. Shortly after that, it introduces festive Christmas filters [my fav]

October 31st also happened to be the premier of Hallmarks Christmas movies. Yes, I recorded and watched the very first one. [Yes, I've recorded and watched movies every weekend since then] Yes, there's a lot of eye rolling and similar story lines. 

After all, we have had our Christmas tree up since mid-november.

These photos are self explanatory. Madelyn ended up wearing her plague doctor costume to school the Friday before Halloween. She got a lot of great feedback. I mean, is there a better year to wear a plague mask?

We decorated pumpkins. We prepared ourselves for 50 trick or treaters, just in case. After all, it was a mild night AND a full moon. Then, we ate copious amounts of mini chocolate bars.

It was the first Halloween, in many years, that we were all home. No hockey, no ringette.

Perhaps we'll be able to get back to hosting our annual Halloween Party some time in the future. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Halloween-BUNDLE.html [j.cards and elements]

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

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

Throwback | Sahin Designs

Here's the layout I created for Sahin Designs Creative Gallery. 

I used the Throwback collection. 

I stopped short when I walked into the living room the other day, and saw these two sitting together on the couch like this.  It was deja vu to their younger years. 

When hanging out with one another was what they did. Daily. 

They were so close when they were little. Then suddenly, one day, didn't seem to have an ounce of patience for one another.

If there's been a good thing that's come from all this time home this year, it's these two have been forced to spend more time together than they have in many years. They've played video games together. They've put puzzles together, together. They've played board games together. 

I hope their relationship gets back to the special friendship they shared when they were little.  

The following Sahin Designs products were used: 

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

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

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

PM See You Real Soon Collection & PM Start to Finish Templates | Sahlin Studio

Project Mouse (See You Real Soon) and Start to Finish templates are the last collection of 2020 from Sahlin Studio. 

 

Project Mouse focuses on all things Disney. 

But that doesn't mean your stories have to. 

Here's the layout I made, bidding farewell to 2020. 

This layout is not a fuzzy happy feeling. In fact, it's the opposite. This year has been stressful. It's been unprecedented. It's been the longest year I can remember. I'm feeling very over it. 

It's okay to tell some of the not so great stories too. 

2020 has been riddled with one disappointment after another. 

I know that we have a long way to go, to put this behind us. But having hope is one major factor in making it through this pandemic. And I hope that 2021 is a better year.  

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-See-Ya-Real-Soon-Elements.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-See-Ya-Real-Soon-Journal-Cards.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/Project-Mouse-Templates-Start-to-Finish.html

Oh Deer Collection | Sahin Designs

Sahin Designs has just released her final collection of 2020. It's focused mainly on Christmas, but also has some content that can be used to document the new year. Introducing, the Oh Deer collection.

This collection will be on sale through Sunday for 20% off. If you happen to be a newsletter subscriber [and you absolutely should be!] watch your inbox for your chance to download the bundle for 50% off. Plus you get a free set of stamps if you purchase the whole bundle. 

Here's the layout I created using this collection: 

We are all doing our best to make the most of a crummy situation. 

Last weekend we made a couple of quick videos to share for a special birthday video. The four of us sat together, and after a few takes, had a snippet to send off. We were all laughing, because nothing seems funnier than videoing yourselves. 

Everything is different right now. Sometimes it feels like it's too much. 

But most of the time I just feel grateful for my people. 

The following Sahin Designs products were used: 

https://sahindesigns.com/products/oh-deer-elements/

https://sahindesigns.com/products/oh-deer-papers/

https://sahindesigns.com/products/oh-deer-cards/

December Daily - Days 5 & 7 | Favourite Things Collection | Sahlin Studio

I've been slowly working on my December Daily album. 

Each year, I anticipate using more physical products. And then, the ladies I create for come out with awesome digital products. I always anticipate my December Daily album will be more of an 'old fashioned scrapbook' with paper, glue, cutting and pasting, physical elements. Then I get great digital inspiration, and end up running with it.  

To be honest, it really doesn't matter how the album comes together, as long as it does. 

Sahlin Studio has decided to feature her latest release, through Christmas. You can get the whole bundle for 45% off up until Christmas Day.  

I've used this collection for a few other pages already, and have now added a few more. 

Day 5: 

I wanted this to be able to flip open, to include a bit of journaling. 

Day 7:

Last year was a monumental year, because we finished up the gigantic roll of Costco wrapping paper. So I was pretty excited to include something new. All of this digital product was from Sahlin Studio, except for the word wrap, which is from Kerri Bradford Studio. [I can't wait to use more of these words on another page somewhere in my album]

This album is a lot of work. But I'm always glad I've taken the time to do it. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

https://the-lilypad.com/store/favorite-things-paper.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/favorite-things-elements.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/favorite-things-journal-cards.html

https://the-lilypad.com/store/December-Days-No-6-Numbers.html

PL2020 - Week 42 | Sahlin Studio

I realized I forgot to add Week 42 of my project life album, so here it is: 

• A shot of downtown, including foliage.
• Mason on the ice. It was so good to get back to something normal again, watching the kids play. Well, sort of normal, with all the signs, restrictions and mask wearing in place. Though watching them play was sadly short lived. 
• An outing with Trex. Being outdoors right now is how girls were meeting. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

All About Me Cards and Word Art: https://the-lilypad.com/store/All-About-Me-Cards-WA.html

December Daily - Day 4

So far, I've done a pretty decent job of keeping up with his album. To be honest, I'm impressed. 

It doesn't hurt that it's currently recommend we stay home right now. 

Here is Day 4:

The journal card and Merry & Bright were a freebie from Ali Edwards, 12 days of  giveaways, Christmas 2016.

Adding new coloured Christmas lights on the house this year, is awesome. 

Can't get away from this blue tinged colour of this photo. Black and white just wouldn't have had quite the same effect. I took my big camera out at several different times to capture the outside lights. 

December Template Freebie | Sahlin Studio

Sahlin Studio has released the last freebie for 2020. 

Download for free by clicking here, though the remainder of the month. 

It feels weird to say, the last month of 2020.

Let's be honest. I just want this year over. Things have been up in the air since last March. We had a brief period through the summer months, of feeling on the verge of 'new normal'. 

That has long since passed, and we seem to have entered the panic stage once again.

I am under no illusion that 2021 won't be similar to what we're living right now. It's just the idea of starting a new year. Hopefully a better year [fingers crossed] that keep me hopeful. 

Right  now, the words I whisper to myself multiple times a day are: 

Breathe in... Breathe out... One day at a time... You can do this... 

Here's the layout I created using the template: 

We went to Costco last week, and surprisingly it wasn't overly busy. As we were leaving the parking lot, Barry wanted to pop into Winner's to see if he could find a specific item. So we went in there quickly as well. Madelyn was wearing her Christmas sweater and elf hat. She'd worn them both to her 'last day of school'. 

I ran ahead and snapped this photo of them walking towards me, arm in arm. It's not the best picture I've taken. It's blurry, taken in the dark, but I love it. I was just happy to capture this moment in time. We're making the most of the little things that bring us joy right now. 

We don't leave home very much. Still. So a trip to a place we used to look forward to going to, is kind of a big deal. 

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

December Template freebie: http://sahlinstudio.com/free-digital-scrapbooking-template-sketch-december-20/

Oh What Fun Kit: https://the-lilypad.com/store/Oh-What-Fun-Kit.html

December Daily - Day 3

So enjoying the warm temperatures right now. We know what's in store. 

Here's day 3 of my DD album.

I used Sahlin Studio - Home for the Holidays product on this page. 

December Daily 2020 - Day 2

Well, so far, I've managed to get the first two stories told. 

I KNOW I won't be able to keep this up. But I'll do my best not to get too far behind, and feel overwhelmed.

That is the opposite of how this project is supposed to make you feel. 

But the fact of the matter is, this is a labour intensive project.  And I love it. 

We are, like many people across North America, doing at-home school again.  

Making the most out of situations we have no control over. I'm hopeful next year Covid won't be all we talk about. But right now it is. And though we're all tired of it and wish it would go away, it will be taking up a lot of real estate in this years album. 

For this page I used Sahin Designs digital products, follow the links are below. 

Elements: https://sahindesigns.com/products/home-for-the-holidays-elements/

Paper: https://sahindesigns.com/products/home-for-the-holidays-papers/

December Daily 2020 - Day 1

Oh my goodness. December is here. 

I didn't get foundation pages together the way I have in the past, this year. 

I have had a hard time getting motivated, though I KNOW I will be putting an album together. 

Such a weird year this is going to be. 

Having said that, I finished Day 1. 

I have a flip up 3x4 sized flap that shows the under photo and includes my journaling. 

I used Sahlin Studio product on this layout, a combination of Holly Days and Favourite Things. 

Taking this project like everything else this year, one day at a time. 

To check out products I used, click the links below. 

Holly Days

Favorite Things

PL2020 - Week 43 | Sahlin Studio

December is the featured product this month at Sahlin Studio. On sale through the entire month of December, it's another great product you can use to help tell your December stories. 

Of course, you can use it to tell other stories as well. 

I used it on Week 42 of my project life album, which happened to be in October. You're probably confused because you assumed by the snow photos it was December. 

Nope. 

I just happen to live in Canada, where we're not surprised that it snows. Ever. 

An example that you can use product intended for one thing, for another. 

• Sitting reading, cozy on the couch with Libby. 
• Mason shovelling snow. 
• Don't ask... The plague mask comes out on occasion. 
• Felted bear for a friend. 
• City skyline on our way downtown.
• Family game night, the one where I won...

The following Sahlin Studio products were used: 

Elements and Paper: https://the-lilypad.com/store/December-Kit.html

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