New Cut Files + Layout Share + Contest Reminder

I have a few new cut files in my shop and thought I'd share them with you today. The first is called Dash Background.

Here is a layout I created with it. In my shop, it's shown vertically, but here I've used it horizontally and I think it looks good both ways.

I cut it out of white cardstock and layered it on top of a piece of patterned paper. Then I stitched through each "dash". Really love that subtle detail.

The other new cut file is called So Circles - named that because each phrase starts with the word so. I've sized them just right for titles or large accents, but you could make them fill the page or scale them down for smaller embellishment as well.

I really like binge-cutting a bunch of stuff on my Silhouette at once, so I tend to cut out of white cardstock or watercolor paper. It allows me the flexibility to color my cut files to match my layout, like I did here. I just used some inexpensive watercolors.

I stitched around the outer circle and again, love the subtle detail of the white stitches.

You can find both of these cut files (and many more) in my shop. I also did a little video to show you the cut files and layouts in a bit more detail.

I also wanted to remind you of a few CONTESTS I have going on, one of which ends TODAY! The first is a photo contest at botoa.com. You just need to upload a photo that perfectly depicts a relationship. This is the photo I used...it's one of my favorites of all time.

After you upload your photo, be sure to vote on your favorite - the winner will receive a $10 gift certificate to my shop. This one ends today, April 11, 2016!

The second is for my Inspiration is Everywhere series. You need to leave a comment on this blog post or this video telling me which layout/video you liked the most and you'll be entered to win a $20 gift certificate to scrapbook.com.

Good luck! And, as always, thanks so much for stopping by. It really humbles me whenever people choose to spend their time with me. :)

March 2016 Day in the Life: Photos + Words

On March 29, 2016, I participated in Ali Edwards' Day in the Life™documentation project. Ali has been doing this project for years, but this was my first time. The idea is to share a little glimpse into our daily lives through words and photos.

A few things before I share my photos...

• I thought I would use my DSLR all day, but I ended up using my iPhone 6. It was just easy. Next time, maybe I'll switch it up.
• After having looked through all my photos, I feel like I want to use too many of them. I think it's okay to use as many as I want, but I'm also reminding myself that I can do this again and I'll be doing Week in the Life™in May. But I still have a ton...
• I'm having a hard time deciding on how I want my photos to look. Because I took all of my photos on my phone, I'm leaning toward giving all of my photos a bit of a faded look (that's how they are shown below), but honestly, I'm having an inner struggle about this. It really doesn't matter...It really doesn't matter.
• My photos aren't the most amazing thing ever, but they're real. And I'm really trying hard not to compare myself to others. I've already learned a lot about how I'll approach this in the future, and that's very valuable.
• I plan to document these photos in a series of 6x12 page protectors, some full, some divided. I tend to take more horizontal photos than vertical, but I intentionally took some vertical photos wanting to print some at a full 6x12. These will go into my regular scrapbook album. 

And now to the photos. I posted many of these on my Instagram account throughout the day.

6:52 am | I'm up. Not because I want to be, but I forgot to schedule a blog post. I'm not an early bird. Mentally planning my day and thinking about my "To Do" list.

7:20 am | Remnants from bath time last night. Sometimes it's Barbies, today it's ducks.

7:27 am | We are a one car family right now. A few mornings a week, Philip helps his friend with his new business. Dropped him off so I could have the car to take Mal to school later.

7:29 am | Hello Spring in Utah.

7:38 am |  Jumping in the shower. I usually listen to podcasts while I'm in there. Today, I'm listening to an episode of Paperclipping about photography to get ideas for taking photos later.

8:02 am | Wake up Mal, round one. She usually rolls around a bit and tries to go back to sleep.

8:08 am | Trying to find some clothes. This laundry situation is out of control. I know what I'm doing later...

8:12 am | Wake up Mal, round two. She got up this time.

8:20 am | Trying not to look in Philip's side of the closet. He has a pile of clothes that aren't clean and aren't dirty. And their home is the floor.

8:43 am | Breakfast of champions - Cap'n Crunch. She said, "Mom, leave the box so I can read it."

8:55 am | Sitting on the bench at the kitchen table, waiting for Mal to get her shoes on. Tables are clean, but dishes are dirty. 

9:02 am | Out the door to take the kid to school. Our cat, Ariel, thinks it's hilarious to stand in the way every time I try to close the garage door. It's infuriating to me, but Philip and Malia always laugh. Sometime it takes 5+ minutes and some running at her to get her to move!

9:08 am | Dropping Mal off at school. I always tell her to be a good friend and have a good day at school. She always tells me to have a good day working.

9:36 am | In my studio, working. I'm trying to finish up my Inspiration is Everywhere video for the week.

10:45 am | Doing a bit of work (email checking + social media posting) on the computer while I wait for my camera battery to charge so I can take some photos of projects.

11:05 am | Ice water + a Reese's Egg. Water because my throat is killing me (getting sick, I think), and the egg because I can.

11:16 am | Taking photos of projects on foam core. With the door open. Like I always do.

11:52 am | Making a poster for a youth camp meeting. Watercolors are not working so great on this. C'est la vie.

12:28 pm | Going to visit a friend for a few minutes.

1:45 pm | Late lunch. Waiting in the drive thru at Chik-fil-a. Definitely feel a cold coming on, but I'm gonna go home and power through til I have to pick up Mal.

2:08 pm | Home again. This is where we hang our keys and plan our lives.

2:20 pm | Philip's home. Yay! He doesn't work at PCS on Tuesday's, so he's home for the day. He's gonna eat lunch and I'm gonna go down and do some more work.

2:26 pm | Feels good to cross things off my "To Do" list. Need to do a voice over for a video before Mal comes home.

3:29 pm | Picking Malia up from school. This is one of my favorite things. She is always super chatty and excited to tell me all about her day, but that usually fades by the time we get home. So if I want to hear it, I need to be the one to pick her up.

3:37 pm | Home from school. Malia always dumps her jacket and backpack here.

3:50 pm | After-school snack = strawberry yogurt + Reese's egg. Like mother, like daughter.

4:27 pm | Yesterday, Malia asked me what "danger of frost" meant. She was reading the back of a seed packet. Based on the packet, today was the first day that it was safe to plant these seeds in our region. An old olive jar and some tin foil make a good home. Love that she did this.

4:58 pm | Mal is headed to Activity Days at the church with Shy for an hour.

5:07 pm |  The mail finally came. Our mailman comes late. Also, Malia and Shyloh, who lives next door, pass notes to each other in the mailbox all the time.

5:45 pm | Laundry + Downton Abbey. Philip LOVES Downton, which I find adorable and hilarious.

6:17 pm | Quick wardrobe change because I'm feeling crappy. Least flattering = most comfortable. I'm pretty mad at this cold.

6:30 pm | Laundry is done. It looks so much better in here.

6:51 pm | Philip eats Buffalo Wild Wings every Tuesday night with his buddies, so me and Mal usually keep dinner pretty low key. Tonight, we are having Ramen in the microwave because it's easy and it's soup. Just keepin' it real.

6:53 pm | While I was "making dinner", Mal had all of her things spread out on the table. This is a normal occurrence. She's loving playing with some of her Easter goodies.

7:00 pm |  Crushed ice + Water. Always in a plastic cup, several times a day.

7:20 pm | One upside to publishing my every move today online - my friend Jeana brought me a little cold survival kit. She's the best!

7:50 pm | I always love the way the sky looks out my front door in the evening. It's been rainy and/or cloudy all day, which I kind of love, but it's nice when the sun peeks through the clouds.

8:20 pm | She has been begging him for a piggy-back ride for hours. Right before bedtime, he obliged.

8:30 pm | Mal is reading Descendents to me before bed. I love hearing her giggle at the humor in the story and the fact that the main character is named Mal - short for Maleficent. Of course she felt like she had to bring her bedding to the couch. She's always "nesting".

9:00 pm | Off to bed.

9:06 pm | While we've been reading, Philip has been playing the computer. 

9:16 pm | The kid is in bed and we are watching another episode of Downton Abbey before Philip goes out for wings. Then off to bed for me.

10:30 pm | Ending the day the same way I started it - with my laptop in bed. This time it's not work, but How I Met Your Mother on Netflix.

So. That was my day. I'm excited to get documenting my day and fully intend on using these digital templates from Ali Edwards for lots of my photos. I'll be sure to do a video share when I'm done. 

Did you do Day in the Life? If you posted your photos online I'd love to see your day, so leave a link below! Thanks for stopping by!