Project Life Kickoff

I'm jumping on the scrapbook planet's bandwagon and starting Project Life created by Becky Higgins. At the start of 2012, I was still thinking about it because I wasn't sure if the project was conducive to my lifestyle. Would I lose zest for the project and end up with only a few random weeks documented? Would I stop doing real scrapbook pages because of this project? Would I be able to keep up with it as well as do everything else in my life? Is it too late to start since it's already practically March? Then I saw a post that Elise Blaha did (one of her many posts about Project Life) and she said this:

"I have seen a few comments from people who are getting excited to start next year. I totally get that. But I recommend starting now. Dive in on February 13 and just go with it. In ten years, you might look back and say, 'Wow, I wish I had captured more of 2012.' You won't look back and say, 'Wow, I wish I hadn't started six weeks into the new year.'"

and that was that. I went online and purchased the Clementine Core Kit and got myself a new album. Eventually I want to get some of the ACTUAL Project Life divided page protectors, but for now I'm using the Paper Studio ones with six pockets (vertical & horizontal).

So WHY AM I HAVING SUCH A HARD TIME STARTING THIS PROJECT!? I feel like I'm coming in in the middle and don't know WHERE to start. GAHHH. So if you have any advice on starting or how you organize and complete the layout throughout the week, that would be GREAT. So in the meantime, here are some layouts I've saved for inspiration for once I take the dive and actually start.







all the credits for these images can be found via my pinboard on my Pinterest!

In conclusion: Advise me! Impart your Project Life wisdom! Link me to any posts about your own Project Life!
Hope everyone has had an amazing start to their week!
<3
E

Shop Feature: Manzanita

I'm here today to do a little shop feature shout-out to one of my very favorite etsy shops: manzanita by Rebecca Caridad. She makes the CUTEST crochet-couture assecories! From cocktail hats to laurels, this shop has the most handmade-chic accessories I have ever seen.




The last time I purchased from manzanita, I had questions about my order and she responded RIGHT away and was so kind. She went above and beyond to make sure that I was satisfied with my order. Her customer service is impeccable! Her products are SO high quality as well. They are all made to last and are INCREDIBLY sturdy. When I received my flower crown, I was so surprised at the durable quality of crochet!!!

Here are a few photos I've taken modeling the pieces I own from her shop:



A few of her pieces are very versatile too! The Elsie can be worn as a headband OR a necklace!

So pop on by her shop and swoon over the romantic fashion or swing by her blog and say hi! I love this seller! This is what the handmade community is all about!
<3
E

Urgent: Project Hard Copy.

I was at home a few days ago for an eye appointment which gave me time to take another pass at the randomness that is my teenage bedroom. I'm trying to slowly go through everything and get it cleared out. Well I found a box of my old journals from high school and started looking through them. I started keeping a daily journal the FIRST day of freshman year of high school. When I went off to college, I put most of my journals in a box, duct taped it closed, and put it in storage. Then at college I discovered blogging.

Seriously-- every moment of my high school life is documented. I wrote EVERY SINGLE DAY without fail. It makes me sad to think that from 2007 to 2012, I don't have any journals to show for myself. Then I got the idea that I should create a hard copy of my blogs. You never know what's going to happen to the internet (it could be obsolete in 50 years-- who knows) or to certain blogging sites (like Blogger or Typepad). WHO KNOWS WHAT COULD HAPPEN!

Suddenly it felt very URGENT for me to print out all my blog posts and put them in a binder. Those blogs document my life from age 18 to 24! *vital* so much has happened in those years! I met my HUSBAND for crying out loud.


Have you ever felt something SO strongly that it feels like INCREDIBLY urgent that you complete it? That's how I felt about this insurmountable project. So I went and bought a few hundred archival safe page protectors, a new binder, a ream of copy paper, and new ink cartridge. It may seem like an incredible waste of paper, ink, and time to do this.... but is it really a waste to preserve your life? I started blogging August of 2007. So I started printing last night and made it through January 2008. I HAVE PRINTED OVER 200 PAGES JUST FOR THOSE 6 MONTHS. That's when I realized that this is going to be a bigger project than I thought. But I WILL accomplish it. Just... little by little. Over time.

What are your thoughts on this project? It makes me sick knowing how much paper I'm using, but I just don't know what will happen in the years to come... I want my great-grandchildren to be able to read through it like a book. I'm going to back them up onto my external harddrive too eventually. But I want a hard copy to go along with my huge box of journals. Is it conceited to want to preserve your life? Maybe no one will ever care about it. But then again maybe they will? I have no idea.

<3
E

February Stack

I've had the reading bug for months now and so far in 2012, I've devoured 5 books. My goal is to read 50 by the time the year is over, so if I keep up at this pace I should make it! Here's the stack for February:

*Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
*A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
*Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
*Sweetly by Jackson Pearce
*Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kahling
*The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
*Annexed by Sharon Dogar

I'm excited to really dive in. I've already started Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and so far its SO witty and well-written.

Today was another day off for me and I spent it doing... drumroll please... absolutely nothing. HA. Well that's not entirely true: I did some art journal pages, showered, and a few other things but basically nothing. I fully anticipate a similar day tomorrow including another blog post.

Well, back to my evening of cherry Kool-Aid and our marathon of It's Always Sunny in Philedelphia!
<3
E

Working when I'm not working

Hello all! Been working up a storm in my little apartment. I had a lot of time off work this week, so I've been working at home on all the other things I do. Mostly been working on my new online class and taking pretty pictures for a Valentine update of Red Door Vintage! I get so excited over new projects and updates.

Also, as you can see above, I've been surrounding myself with good ideas for projects, blog posts, and more. Lots going on in this little brain of mine!

What I'm planning for the days to come:
*getting the Valentine update of Red Door up and going
*editing a few senior portrait sessions
*calling the Anderson Community School system to get my name on a list to tutor Spanish
*cleaning out closets in my house
*burying myself in home decor magazines
*eating yummy Valentine cupcakes

What have you all been up to?
<3
E

Announcing Inspiration Island online class!

Escape the winter blues and come get lost on Inspiration Island!


As promised, I'm here tonight to release the launch of my newest online class, Inspiration Island! I have had emails coming in every week asking for me to teach a new class and it feels great to have my plans being set into motion for this one! This art journal class is a spin-off of Ink Blots with more of what YOU want to see! In Inspiration Island, we will be delving even deeper into the world of art journaling, exploring different techniques/thoughts, and starting out 2012 on a good creative tangent. The class material is wildly inspired by incorporating art journaling into our everyday lives. Not only is there going to be sketching, there will be mixed-media prompts, projects, and guests artists galore!



This class is a BIT more expensive than my last, but the projects presented are more intensive and there is a wider range of mediums used! I am excited to be able to teach different lessons using sketching AND paper projects! Drawing inspiration from our current season, I know that this gathering of creative minds will give us all the boost we need!

Forms of payment accepted: Paypal! Please use button below to purchase your spot in the Inspiration Island online class! Please make sure you enter the correct e-mail when you check out with PayPal (purchase with the "Buy Now" button below) because you will be given access to the private blog through an email.

Feel free to email me or comment with questions!

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messy

Today I don't have to work until 4:30 which means that I am free to do whatever I want for approximately 4 more hours. I'm choosing to use those hours art journaling pages for my upcoming class. Yep. I've been inspiring lately amidst all the stupid financial trouble we're going through. So there's a HUGE mess in my living room right now of paper and stickers and scraps. It's WONDERFUL. I'm sorry I don't have a better post for you today. Maybe tomorrow?

<3
E