a good deal!

I recently found out about Groupon, which is a site that posts incredible deals each day for tons of cites, hopefully one close to you. You just sign up for the location nearest your city and can even browse and buy Groupon coupons from other cities. Today's deal is a Shutterfly photo book for just $10! If it's something you're interested in, please use this link. If you do use that link, I can earn Groupon bucks for every referral that uses it and makes a purchase within 72 hours of clicking over. You can sign up for this also and begin earning Groupon bucks by clicking on the Refer Friends link in the upper right hand corner of the Groupon page.

The reason I am sharing this with you, and you have just until Midnight tonight to catch this Groupon, is that Marnie Flores, co-founder of write.click.scrapbook., the Design Team I am on, is hosting this week. 

AND she is going to teach us all how to make our very own photobook. I am very excited about this. Step-by-step instructions and a little hand holding and I should be okay. I have attempted this several times and have always given up. Not this time, baby. It's going to happen for me!

If you use the referral link I gave you...Thanks! And I hope to see you in class tomorrow morning at write.click.scrapbook. as we embark on our digital mini-book photobook together!

100 followers :: a download for you

I'm at 100 followers in exactly 81 days...woot, woot... and I'd like to share the quote I shared with you earlier today. 

When I saw the free printable ornate scroll frame I used for this quote at The Graphics Fairy the other day, I quickly went through my notebook full of the inspiring quotes I've collected and created this little printable. 

Here's mine framed in our sunroom. The yellow wall used to be the outer wall of our house until we turned the concrete pad into this room. There are french doors at the two long ends {to the left and right} of the room and the wall across from the yellow wall has 7 floor to ceiling windows looking down on the creek that runs through our property. I often photograph projects propped on our dining room table and this sunroom is the room you see peeking from behind the photographed projects.

The piece of art perched on the library clock hung above my Oma's and Opa's dining room table since I can remember. When I look at it I recall being squished and smooshed onto a banquette with my brother and 3 cousins as the adults sat in the chairs around the smallish table. I feel very lucky to have this little piece of them and think of really precious memories each time I see it.

The print hanging on the wall to the left of the clock is of Rothenburg o.d. Tauber in southern Germany. There's a spot seen in the print where I had my photo made, which happened to be Mother's Day, and my Mom was with me in Wuerzburg for a visit with my Aunt and it is on this day that she found out she would become an Oma for the first time. I was pregnant with Zach. And he will be gifted this art print when he moves to his own home one day.

simple pleasures :: wonderful memories

recycle, upcycle, we all cycle

I wanted to share a project with you today that was recently featured over at Ella Publishing. Although I have a link to it on my sidebar, I wanted to tell you that this little notebook was one of Liz's Loves for June! I do hope that you click over and take a look at the other amazing projects and layouts that were chosen along with mine...I was in good company!

And, speaking of Ella, did you know she is celebrating her one year birthday? While you're there finding out about the par-tay details and hundreds of dollars in prizes available, do yourself a favor and be sure to sign up for their free newsletter {in the left sidebar}. I am sure you will want to know about this, too!

Now let's get our own par-tay started. Before my husband got his iPhone, he used this little black book to carry around photos of his newborn little precious {she's now 7!}. Enter the iPhone and exit this little black book. I couldn't bear to trash it since it is from Coach {purchased at the outlet, but still!}. How I love the smell of a Coach store.

Anyway, I had the bright idea of recycling/upcycling this album into something useful. Pulling out some patterned paper I got to work. You'll see that there are three different sections: to do, groceries and random.

patterned paper: SEI {Granny's Kitchen} + white letter stickers: American Crafts +
 tan letter stickers: Heidi Grace + brown letter stickers: Martha Stewart Crafts

I keep this notebook in my purse, along with a month at a time calendar that I place on top of the to do tab before closing the clasp.

• to do tab is for items that I need to do but might forget if it's not written down
• groceries tab is for those items that are not on my usual list of staple items, you know like rice vinegar or sesame oil, those types of items
• random tab is a list of items that I might read about that sound interesting, or a lipstick color The Pioneer Woman recommended, or more recently, a few non-fiction books that were recommended by fellow write.click.scrapbook.. Design Team members

Yes, this is notebook paper. I usually buy a few packs on clearance after the Back-to-School rush to use for projects.

I have been really good about gathering all those little slips of paper that I write my bits of inspiration down on while surfing the 'net and gathering them all here in this notebook behind the appropriate tab. Wow, something so simple, but it makes my life easier.

Do you have a link to a project that you recycled or upcycled? Share it with me please, I'd love to see it.

and the winner is...

Melissa from Baton Rouge, who said:

" i love this!! just became a follower. Love your blog. "

Melissa please e-mail me {click on the button in the sidebar} your mailing info and I will send the "little moments" art print along to you.

Today over at write.click.scrapbook. the new Design Team Gallery is revealed, as it is every 1st of the month. We were challenged to create a layout using just 5 products {cardstock, pen, printer ink didn't count}. It's okay, we're allowed to do mini-albums, too! Lucky for me, right?

THE COVER

I started with a sheet of patterned paper and trimmed the journaling spots down. I then covered my chipboard cover with adhesive and some scrap fabric.

DESIGN TIP  |  Having completed the project, I will offer you this tip. I found it easier to adhere the fabric to one side of the heavyweight cardstock and trim, then adhere the untrimmed fabric to the back side of the cardstock and trim again. Fabric tends to stretch a bit and it was much easier to trim after adhering than cutting to size and adhering. But, you do what works best for you.

INTERIOR PAGES

I had not yet written my note, on the bracket journaling spot, to the kids sharing my feelings with them about how they're growing from little babies into big kiddos!

Me and my three kiddos last year on Mother's Day. The round embellishment was cut from the cardstock, too, and adhered with a jump ring.

My oldest and me in Germany on the right and the journaling spot on the left details the photo on the front {Mother's Day photo}.

My middle and me. She did not like to smile for the camera and now she thinks she is a poser-extraordinaire!

My youngest and me. We used to call her Sweet Pea, but she quickly became Spunky.

The last page with the journaling card to Victoria and a journaling card at the end.

I loved that this paper had "growth" and "peas" as a theme. Three peas in a pod, three kiddos...it just worked for me. 

The fabric was used in the nursery for both girls as a swag above the crib, so I have LOTS of it...it was taken down when Spunky moved into her big girl bed. Boo hoo. No more babies for me.