Twenty Twelve Christmas Card Album

This year I collected all the Christmas cards we received (including the ones Lily got from her school friends), and I stuck them to the wall near our Christmas Tree.

This isn't all the cards, but silly me forgot to take a photo of 

all the cards, before we took them down!

Once we took them down, I knew that I wanted to something with them (other than just shoving them in a box!) I actually made something a while ago for Lily's birth congratulation cards (you know the cards you get when a baby is born), and another one for Benji's first birthday cards (although neither of them are actually finished!) Anyway, with that in mind I made a little chipboard album for the Christmas cards.

I used the same paper on the front and back cover  (although 

now I'm kinda regretting it, that red chevron makes me dizzy!)

Close up of the title:

The album is pretty chunky, but I didn't want to leave any cards out:

On the inside cover, I decided to stick in one of the family Christmas photos we had taken, I think it will be nice to look back in the years to come and quickly and easily see what we all looked like. 

I also put in a little 4x6 plastic page/photo protector on top of the first card, so that I could also include all the little cards that were too small to be punched and added in by themselves.

I didn't actually use *proper* scrapbooking chipboard, as last night when I decided to make this album my local scrapbooking store was already closed, and I'm way too impatient to order things online and wait (espeically with all the public holidays between Christmas and New Years). So, instead I went to Officeworks and I bought a sketch album  (it was only $3.00), and the back of that was nice thick, sturdy chipboard...best of both world's really, I got the chipboard I wanted, and the kids now have some nice, thick paper to draw/paint on.

This is the book I bought, but there were a few different 

brands, I just got the cheapest, in the size that I was after.

30 Before 30: #4 Get Another Piercing/Body Modification

Less than a month into the start of this personal challenge, and I have already managed to tick one thing off the list. As part of my Christmas present, Ian said that he had been looking into getting me a voucher for another tattoo, but he wasn't sure what amount to get, as he didn't know what I wanted. After speaking to me about it, he said that he was still happy to do that, or if I would prefer he would pay for me to get another piercing.

I've always wanted my Labret pierced, and so that's what I got. It's only about 24 hours old, but I am in love and don't know why I waited so long to get it pierced.

Ian came in with me, and played official photographer (and hand holder!)

Marking below my lip for placement of the piercing:

These are all iPhone photos, so some of them may be a little out of focus, it doesn't bother me, I'm 

more than glad that we were able to get some photos of it being done.

Clamping the area:

The needle is through, and it's almost time for jewellery:

A selfie of the new piercing:

I will share my journalling page in the 30 Before 30 Journal in the next couple of  days.

Project Life 2012 - Week Forty Nine

Another week down, and I still LOVE this project. 

I can't believe that there is only 3 more weeks of 2012 to go!

Main Spread, without Extra Inserts

Main Spread, with Extra Inserts

What started off as a pretty quiet week, got really busy by the end of it...love weeks like that, where awesome things to see and do, just pop up!

We started the week with a picnic in the park and a walk to see the Christmas lights with some of Lily's school friends. It was such a great evening and the kids were all really excited (and well behaved!)

One of my good friends had a baby during the week, he was in a bit of a rush and came 5 weeks early, but from all accounts he is doing really well, hopefully I will get to meet him soon.

On Saturday, Lily and I were invited to a surprise birthday party for one of the little girls in Lily's class (the photo in the bottom left is of Lily, Grace and Imogen [the birthday girl] - they are all in the same class at school).

And then on Saturday night I went to Missy Higgins concert at the Fremantle Arts Centre. Up until about 4pm I wasn't even going to the concert, I rang my sister about something else, and she asked me if I wanted to go with her. So glad I did, Missy is an awesome entertainer - it was one of the best concerts I have been to this year!

And, finally on Sunday we went to the local outdoor markets, and while there we went for a ride in a fire engine. The kids even go to have a turn with the water hose!

Back of Insert One & Insert Two

The kids having a go with the water hose, they both loved it so much, and Benji especially didn't want to let go!

I decided to add in one of the Christmas cards I sent out this year, it's actually one half, as we made a mistake when writing it out, so instead of throwing it out, I cut off the bottom part (with the sentiments on it), and put it in the album.

Back of Insert Two

On the back of the card, I just wrote a bit about sending out the cards, and how even Lily used the same ones to hand out to her school friends (we both love Babushka Dolls). The washi tape is how I sealed up the cards I put in the mail, so I wanted to put a little on the card too.

Flip-Up Pocket

Normally when we go to concerts, I usually find some photos online of the concert and include that in my album, but with Missy Higgins' concert, I am very proud to say that I took that photo myself (with my sisters awesome camera). I took a whole heap of photos (over 100), and this one was by far my favourite.

Inside the flip up pocket, I added in our ticket, and a little about the concert, and I also included a photo of my twin sister and I at the concert.

I will be linking up with

Project Life 2012 - Week Forty Eight

I didn't post last weeks pages, as I was waiting to get a photo for it - we had Santa photos taken, and even though I rang up and double checked we would be able to pick up the photos within a couple of hours, when we got there to have the photos taken we were told that we could't pick them up for a week! 

Week Forty Eight

Main Spread, without Extra Inserts

We had a pretty quiet week, and stayed home a lot. The kids are happy to play around the house, and don't complain that when some days we don't leave the house (apart from going to school).

This week I used a journalling card from the CHERRY core kit, I thought it was pretty cute with the tree on it, and it matched the colours on the date card pretty well.

Main Spread, with Extra Inserts

Without the Monthly Divider in the way

I printed the front cover of The West Australian (our state newspaper in WA) from the Newseum website. A tip for people in the Southern Hemisphere, the front pages change over according to Northern Hemisphere (not sure which time zone, sorry) and so even though it's almost 6pm on Monday night, it still has Sunday's papers on the website. 

Back of Insert One & Insert Two

The Santa Photo / 

December Family Photo

Not a bad photo, considering that Benji had been whinging and saying that he didn't want to have a photo, right up until the photo was taken!

Back of Insert Two

Lily has been getting a little extra help at school with her writing. Since the start of term 3 she has been going out of class with another teacher in a group of about 5 other kids. Her teacher explained that it wasn't a big deal, and that normally a Pre-Primary (she is in a split class of Pre-Primary's and Year One's) wouldn't be taken out of class but there was an extra spot available and they decided to send Lily. Her main problem was that she was writing some letters and some numbers as mirror images, instead of the correct way around. She started going five days a week in term 3  - they did the same work that the rest of the class was doing, but just in a smaller group, so they every time she wrote a letter incorrectly she could rub it out, and write it the correct way straight away, instead of getting all the way to the end of her work, and then having to go back.

By term 4, she had improved so much that she had graduated to only going twice a week, and she will continue going for the next couple of weeks until the end of the school year.

I'm really grateful that her teacher noticed that there was an issue and arranged for the extra help.

30 Before 30: The List & Getting Ready

As I come up to the big 3-0! I have decided that I want to cross a few things off my bucket list, and try some things that I have never done before (or maybe something I experienced as a kid, and want to try again).

My thirtieth birthday isn't until June 15, 2014 - but I have decided to start the list on December 1, 2012 so that way I have a little over 18 months to accomplish my goals.

The List

1) Learn to crochet (and make a granny square blanket)

2) A weekend away with friends

3) Take a Polish course at Tafe

4) Get another piercing/body modification

5) Go on a camping trip

6) Pick something fresh from a farm to eat

7) Donate blood

8) Join a Zumba/group fitness class

9) Read a new series by a new (to me) author

10) Do a fun run/walk to charity

11) Start a vegie patch with the kids

12) Organise a girls night out with friends

13) Get my hair cut and coloured at a salon

14) Read a classic novel

15) Do at least one 30-Day photo challenge

16) Go to a live show/concert

17) Weekend away just Ian and I

18) Go on a Mummy/Benji date 

19) Go on a Mummy/Lily date

20) Give a handmade gift

21) Drive the Tin Horse Highway

22) Drink a cup of coffee

23) Take the kids to Rocky Pools

24) Go whale watching/dolphin cruising

25) Go to a movie at a drive-in

26) Catch a ferry across the Swan River

27) Join a social netball team

28) Take a class at a community centre

29) Go to a movie on my own

30) Keep up with Project Life

I mostly tried to make the list things that could be achieved in one go (apart from #30), as I figure the best way to keep my interest up, is instant gratification. I also tried to make them cheap(ish), we aren't millionaires (although, I wish we were!) and so I  didn't want to pick things that would cost a fortune, which would mean that they wouldn't get done.

The Journal

I orignially saw this idea while I was blog hopping Project Life blogs on Mom.Run.Craft's blog (the original post is here). I loved the idea so much, that as soon as I saw it I knew it would be perfect for my 30-Before-30 journal. The only adjustment I made was to round all the tape corners after I have stuck them down the edge of the page.

My journal started it's life as a composition book from Officeworks, I can't remember the exact price but I do know that it was only a couple of dollars.

After I had finished the inside pages I started on the front. I didn't want to make it too bulky, given this journal has to stay presentable for at least 18 months, so I just stuck some of my favourite papers (from the SN@P range) down on the front and back covers, and used a label and alphas (also from the SN@P range) to make a simple title.

Here's a quick little look at some of the inside pages:

I plan on doing the inside pages a bit like a smash journal - a bit of writing and some photos of the event (maybe even a movie/concert ticket). I still plan on incorporating this into Project Life - probably just a photo with the number from the list typed straight onto it, and using the journal as the main form of documentation.

Project Life 2012 - Week Forty Seven

Week 47!!!

Wow, that means that there are only 5 more weeks in 2012!

This week was relatively quiet in our house, we pretty much just stayed at home during the week (even Lily asked not to go to gymnastics as she just wanted to stay home and play with Benji).

Main Spread

Having a quiet week meant that I got to try something I have always wanted to do...cut up a 12x12 photo and slot it into a Design A plastic.

Going in, I knew that I would need to make a cut right through the middle of Ian's face, and another one through the top of my friends daughters face. But, I decided that given there are 6 people in the photo cutting through a couple of faces wasn't too bad.

 I really like how it turned out, and will definitely be trying it again...more than likely this is what I will be doing to fill in the blank fronts and backs of the extra albums I have accumulated this year!

Project Life 2012 - Week Forty Six

I can't believe that 2012 is almost over! Seems like just yesterday we were ringing in the new year, and then somehow it became late November!

Main Spread, without Extra Inserts

Main Spread, with Extra Inserts

We had a pretty busy week, so that meant lots and lots of photos were taken!

I went to the midnight screening of Breaking Dawn Part 2 with my friend, and my sister and her husband, I pretty much only went to the movie as I had been to most of the other midnight screenings, but I walked out of the movie a fan all over again! If you haven't seen the movie...go and see it!

I was able to spend Friday night with some other Project Lifers who live near me, I didn't really achieve much (far too much talking on my part), but it was so much fun, and I can't wait to have another meet up!

On the weekend Ian and I went to the Nickelback concert, and the kids had a sleepover.

I had two inserts this week - an 8x10 for Take Twelve 2012 (and a different photo on the back), and then a 6x8 for the kids weekend away at Nannie and Ya-Ya's.

Back of Insert One & Insert Two

The kids slept over my parents house on the weekend, and when we picked them up my brother took us all out on his boat. I actually really love both the photos in this spread (my Mum took both of them). The one of the boat, I really like that you can see my Dad holding the boat while we pose for the photo.  And that one of him playing with the kids is just really special, he loves the kids and whenever they see him, both of them follow him around like little puppy dogs (they don't see him much because he works Fly in - Fly out on a 4-and-1 roster (four weeks at work at the mine, and 1 week at home).

Back of Insert Two

I made a collage of some of the photos Mum took, while the kids were at her house. 

Nickelback Insert

I used another flip up pocket to hold a couple concert photos, as well as our tickets...love these things!

Project Life 2012 - Week Forty Five

This post is up really late, because I went to crop night at my local scrap store, and was waiting for that night to be able to complete this layout. Not much was achieved as I also got to meet up with a couple of other Project Lifers who live near me. One of the ladies I have meet before at a scrapbooking retreat, but haven't seen her in ages, and the other lady is a new friend (there'll be more of this meeting in the Week 46 spread).

Main Spread, without extra inserts

This was a pretty busy week - Lily had a couple of play dates (and Benji too, since we are very lucky that Lily has friends who are more than willing to let her little brother tag along and play with them), Lily's class hosted the school assembly. I signed up to do The Color Run (it was one of the things on my 30 before 30 list...which I will be sharing soon).

Main Spread, with extra inserts

I included three extra inserts this week - the first is a 6x8 group shot of the kids after the assembly (it was combined with our class and the class next door). The teachers were so good, after the assembly they were like "come on kids, the Mum's want a photo" and got them to stand on the grass. It's not the best photo, but trying to get 45 Pre-Primarys and Year Ones to all look the same way at the same time isn't easy!

Ian came to the assembly and he recorded the main song they perfomed on his iPhone, so that's what the QR Code on the photo is.

Class Assembly Photo

Back of Insert One/Insert Two

Lily was a bird in the assembly, and she was nice enough to let me keep the mask that she wore...into the album it went!

I also was invited to an afternoon tea at the school for being a parent helper in Lily's class throughout the year.

Back of Insert Two & Insert Three

The highlight of the week was definetly the Matchbox Twenty concert. I have been a fan since I was 12 (so 16 years!!) and have been to most of their concerts in Perth.

That first photo is just a phone photo (that I originally published on Instagram), but for the album I just printed it out as a 4x6.

Back of Insert Three & Insert Four

The photos on the back of the insert are from the internet of the Perth concert.

The CD is an actual recording of the concert. My sister (who I went with) bought me a USB wristband, which has recordings of all the Australian concerts in it. After the concert we were able to download the Perth event and save it to the computer, so that we can listen to it whenever we want. I wanted something to keep in my PL album, so I burnt the concert to a CD and slipped it into the album.