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Project Life April

Hello! Hooray! More Projet Life.

For the past month the Creative Team was asked to go back to the basics- strip away all the extra and show how simple and easy Project Life really makes documenting your life. (I'm not a huge embelisher when it comes to PL- so this wasn't a huge challenge for me... I am all about keeping it simple!)  The other requirement? Use only cards from one core kit. Also pretty easy- especially cuz I got to pull some files and use the Rain edition- yay! It was cool to see it in action. (I've dabbled in using my own kit- printing the design files I have as photos- but this time I had a bunch printed on cardstock- and it made it so much more real. Very cool.)

So, without further chit chat...

Here is April (it was a bit of a weather rollercoaster as you will see...)

 

(above is the week including Keaton's birthday insert- and below without)

 

(this spread showcases our crazy random last minute "escape the crappy weather rodadtrip to Iowa" with a friend and her two girls- who are the same age as Keaton and Ollie... Hello adventure! It does not however showcase an adorable photo of the fabulous Jen Geigley who I finally got to meet IRL, cuz I was strung out on travel weirdness and was super lame and didn't even think to snag a shot of the two of us together. Boo to me!)

and the other side of the insert with photos from Keaton's teeny friend birthday party (he only invited three friends- and one had to cancel last minute due to snow. YEP. Epic snowstorm on April 18th. Just for fun.)

 

this spread has my favorite insert so far... see the bit that says "Tuesday" ? Yep- more snow. Lots. Keaton woke up and looked out his window and said "Mama! Can I go shovel?" And I couldn't even believe it. It would have been funny at this point in the year if it weren't so epically unending winter crazymaking (I know that's not a real sentence...but words fail me when describing all the snow we've had. Super weird. How about that? better?) 

BUT- flip to the other side of the insert- and you will see that three days later- it was so sunny and hot that the boys are playing in the dirt, wearing shorts and t's and sunhats... while I basked and read a book on the deck. HUZZAH! But also super weird.

 

And that is April folks... Thanks for peeking. It was awesome to get to put my Rain kit into action. What was that? You want to play with Rain, too? Well I have good news friend-o! It is available starting today through AC Digitals. (I am actually writing this Sunday evening and future pubbing it because I will be gone up to the cabin starting Monday bright and early- so I don't have an exact link for you- but you should be able to find it pretty easily on their site) 

More? You want more goodies? If you haven't already- head over to the Splendid Fiins facebook page- click like- and then Fan Freebies up in the top-ish right corner- there is a set of PL cards that perfectly coordinate with the Rain kit. Use alongside the digi kit if that's how you roll- or print them out and stare at them longingly, dreaming of the day (SOON!) when you can get your mitts on the physical print kit. (Which I just found out last night- will be sold in Archiver's! Insert cartwheel here!)

 

 

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Project Life goodies and giveaway...

Project Life March

Happy Scrappy Day!

Happy interNational Scrapbooking Day! Hooray! Scrapbooking all up in your face.

Lots is happening around here and all over the interwebs. I will highlight a few briefly- ready?

Freebies anyone? (who doesn't love free?)

(click above to be taken to the Splendid Fiins facebook fan page)

want more delights?

everything in my shop is now at least 30% off through May 6th (some bundles are even more discounted!). And just today 50 products are making their Lilypad debut! Check. It. Out.

check out Pick Your Prize... post a pic and link to your fave Splendid Fiins product- and you just might win it!

there's Pin It to Win It... pin your favorite products for a chance to win them all!

And there are loads more games and challenges and contests over on the Lilypad forums.

So grab lots of loot, play lots of games, win lots of prizes- and have a blast this weekend!

And finally... mayhaps you have seen the video from the Project Life Creative team- sharing our tips and tricks. It's strung together with snippets from each of the team members. And it's super cool to see everyone and hear their voices. Love it. We were told to just shoot and send in 15 seconds. Sounds easy, right? HA! Get ready for some behind the scenes flubbery. It's loaded with unflattering angles, weird faces, lots of hair fixing and a misquote from "Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late" 

 

NisaFiin-PL-flubsreel from Nisa Fiin on Vimeo.

 

so there's that.

 

Project Life March

Popping in briefly amidst tiny boy crazy town to post my March spreads...

(the first week of March I actually posted with February- so this month's post looks a little slim...  Also, It's been painfully wet and grey here in MN and I feel like my photos look crazy grey and sad and flat... you should see them in real life. no, really, come over and we'll page through...)

(this week above I'm actually going to do a whole post about when I get a chance... you know, when I don't have an 18 mo old sitting on my lap, emptying the contents of my scrap-desk on top of my keyboard...)

 

ok- this was mostly show and not a lot of tell... but this kid is destroying my surroundings, so I must go deal. :)

 

 

Project Life goodies and giveaway...

Hello! You are probably here today because you jumped over from Michelle's blog...

(If not- go check it out- she does a blog hop/spotlight on Project Life on Saturdays- showcasing spreads from various Project Life scrapper's albums. She also features one scrapper who shares a tip - that's me this week!)

...and that means you're probably here for the giveaway (who doesn't love a good giveaway!)

So, leave a comment below for your chance to win your choice of one of my sets of Flips! cards or bifold cards. (Let me know your preference in your comment- if you have one)

I will take entries until midnight on Monday.

Want to up your chances? Head over to Splendid Fiins facebook page and "like"- then head back and comment that you did so- and you will be entered a second time!

thanks all!

 

(I am wrapping up my March Project Life layouts and should have those to post soon! so stay tuned...)

 

 

A Boy's Life

So, I'm sure most of you hard core Project Life-ers know that two of the new editions (the Jade and Blush kits) will be available for early sale at a crazy amazing deal on the Home Shopping Network on the 25th (that's just days away. After reading this you should probably just go sit in front of your tv with your phone in hand and wait... )

Some of the CT members got to play and work up samples for the show... I got the pleasure of working with the ever awesome Jade edition- creating pages for a "Boy's Life" album... not the traditional PL showcasing a week at a glance- just a focus on the life of one little boy, my Buster-man. I decided to do my pages as one month per spread. That let me cover the highlights- what he'd been up to, what he was into, places he went- just him during that month. Obviously you could do this theme even more loosely and just pop in photos and stories as they came up- but I tend to be one who likes structure- so for me, the month at a time helped me focus on pulling the most important things I wanted to remember from that time period.

Ok, enough chit-chat...

Here are the pages I made...

Jade is such an awesome edition -they all are really. I'm quite sure I'm going to have to hoard at least one extra of each of the new kits... drool....   but, yes- Jade is awesome. It's cool and modern- has a handmade feel to some bit without being messy. The colors are totally gender neutral- and are bright without being loud- you know? There are plenty of great cards for journaling- and filler cards with scripty handwriting and hand drawn cameras... I was a happy scrapper.

So- watch Becky's blog as I know she will have more inside scoop for you... And be sure to tune in to HSN on March 25th and score a kit (or two...or seven) for yourself (and friends...and family...)

 

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Behind the scenes- Rain edition

Project Life all up in your face.

Project Life February...

Hello Project Lifers! Finally getting my February posted. I had a little mishap with my home printer... just the Universe reminding me why I don't ever use my home printer and why I always order from my prolab. (Mad props to those of you who do print at home. I am not built for that. I nearly punch my printer in the face like 9 times and shout various explectives the entire time I am wrestling with it... mad props.)

Anyway- photos were ordered. Orders were delivered. Photos were slipped into pockets. I am a happy lady.

Here is February...

 

 

 

(this week has a little note dictated from Keaton to me- about our visit to the urban farm store to see the first batch of chicks and place our order for our three. Keaton is very into writing notes to Gaga (my mom, who lives with us) on nights she works late. There have been many exchanged between the two of them so I wanted to make sure I got one in the album...)

same spread as above, but here you can see what's under the note. This week we went to the Conservatory with some friends and had a blast- and I got a lot of great shots. I had a hard time limiting it- but I also had a lot to say about our visit- so I used one of my new "So Much to Say" bifold cards- and I love how it worked out-

I printed out the "So Much to Say" bifold card- wrote my journaling and folded it in half. Then I mounted a photo on the front- and slipped it back in the pocket (I also put a small tab on the top to encourage people to sneak it out and read it...)

this way I can use one more adorable photo- AND have plenty of space to write the whole story inside...

(the "So Much to Say" bifold cards can also be printed as 4x6 and used flat- or dropped into 4x6 spots for the strictly digital scrappers...)

And somehow I'm all on the ball and have this first full week of March all done... so, as a bonus...and in case you live in a warm area where spring is in full effect- get a load of this friends...

SO. much. stinkin. snow.  This time last year? We were outside in hoodies, digging in the dirt. This year? Nine or so inches of the white stuff...on top of the piles we already had. I, myself am fully over it. The boys (most escpecially Keaton) are still reveling in it...

As a spin off of the bifold idea- I did this...

which I've done before by using washi and taping two cards together...and that worked, but then I designed these-  and they are so slick!

3x8 cards (Keaton calls them "the flips" in the album) and I will have a couple of sets coming out this week at my shop. (I will come back and link the actual product once released for those interested... or sign up for the Splendid Fiins newsletter and you will get an email about it...) They have all the benefits of the bifold cards (lots of journaling space inside- room for photo on the outside) but these don't have to be taken out to be read. My boys love them...Ollie always goes straight for the flips when he's looking at our album. Well, that and the picture from January where he was eating a cookie dough sandwich cookie...who can blame him? that was good times...

And that completes this Project Life peek... thanks for visiting!

 

products used:

     

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

March card kit!

It's time once again for another card kit and paper pack from Splendid Fiins. For March I tried really hard to ignore the giant piles of snow out my window and go for something spring-y. Wishful thinking!

Both items are 20% off at the Lilypad (Splendid Fiins new home!) through the weekend. Go grab them now!

Or- want an even better deal? Newsletter subscribers got an exclusive link to purchase the card and paper pack bundle for 40% off! If you subscribe to the newsletter- you're all good. If you don't yet- go subscribe, and then shoot me an email letting me know- and I will email you the link so you can get in on the deal!

 

also available is the March holiday add-on kit-

and now for a bit of eye candy inspo...

by Van Nguyen-

 

by KeriAnne Phelps-

 

by Susanne (a "Polly" over at the Lilypad)

 

 

 

Project Life update

Ok- I told myself and newsletter subscribers that I would have a Project Life post today... trick is I decided to print some of the photos at home... and that proved a disaster. Just a little reminder for myself why I always order from my lab. Good times.So, I went ahead and ordered those photos and will have a full post as soon as they arrive...

ANYWAY! I do happen to have shots of my (finally nearly completed) intro page-

The very first page of my album I used the first page cards from the Rain edition I designed (I just realized I should photograph that now that I'm typing that...soon.) and I use the first spread for the real "intro" to us. I did that last year as well- and it's cool to see how things have changed- and what things are still the same. Everyone has an individual photo spot, with a card about what they are up to, what they are into, etc.  as of the first of the year...

I think you can read them if I post each side close up.

 

(my mom lives with us, so "Gaga" (as the boys call her) gets a spot...obviously.)

 

I will still probably write something on the two filler cards that have some white space...just not sure what yet, so I'm ruminating on it...

So, that's our intro page- a little spotlight of current happenings for each family member.  (February Project Life pages will follow soon, promise)

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Project Life January

this is a photo I didn't take...

spilling my brain on Project Life...

All About _____ (limited release!)

So, we all know I love me some Project Life for capturing all the good everyday events and stories... But from time to time I feel like there are things, bits of info, tiny family facts that haven't made it in the book and I so want them to. Usually it's just little things pertaining to my boys. Who change so very quickly. And I just want a way to capture all that good "RIGHT NOW-ness" - not so much in a whole little story, but in a quick list or bullet points. Enter the "all about ____ " insert.

 

(the sample here is my digi mock up- still waiting on my prints from my lab, at which point I will pop them in page protectors and into my PL album)

for this I took a Design F insert and cut it in half. Oliver will be on one side- Keaton will be on the other. I chose a current (and adorable!) photo of each boy for the top spot, the "all about" title card and three of the list cards (you could obviously include one more row of the F insert and include three more cards for a total of six- or a full F insert and include nine cards)  I plugged in some random fun facts about what Ollie is all about right now- and I'm set. A little snapshot of a whole slew of stories that haven't really been captured in our Project Life album at this point. I love to include these once a month- crazy to see how fast they really do change... in a few short weeks Oliver will have a whole new list of favorite books, a whole new bag of tricks up his sleeve- and maybe a slightly different schedule- one which I am DESPERATELY HOPING includes a deliciously lengthy (2-3 hours? dare I dream?) nap in the afternoon... sigh.

The "All About ____" cards are 25% off through this weekend- and are a limited release item- so snag them while you can!

 

 

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this is a photo I didn't take...

Project Life January

this is a photo I didn't take...

so, my family would probably say my camera is attached to my hand and in their faces almost 24/7. Which is actually not true. NOT TRUE. And honestly, there are times when I head out the door with the two small boys and all the gear that that entails and I think - "ooh! I should bring my camera... but where would I even stash it? And do I really want to carry one more thing?" and the camera gets left behind. Or I am in the middle of doing something awesome- and I decide to just go ahead and enjoy the moment, rather than dashing for my camera and trying to grab a shot that captures all the awesome. Or Keaton goes camera shy and tells me not to photograph him. Or Ollie stops doing his self-invented chicken dance by the time I get my camera in hand...  And I am left with a fabulous memory in my brain- but nothing to print out and pop in Project Life. (now, I know nearly all the world has an iphone, and this is probably less of an issue...but my guess is even those folks encounter this missing a shot at some point...)

And so I bring you "this is a photo I didn't take" (as inspired in part by this blog I came across several years ago) A collection of cards for those moments when you didn't get the photo you wanted- whatever the reason. Fill in the journaling card with the story of the photo you wish you'd captured. I love having these cards in my stash, knowing that even when I won't have a photo for that 4x6 pocket- I can still capture the picture I have in my mind... what I wish I could have photographed.

Would love to see if you use these in your Project Life - or elsewhere!

Download SplendidFiins-freebie-photoIdidnttake