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.

Project Life 2012 - Week Forty Four

Wow, only 8 more weeks left until the end of this year, I can't believe how fast this year has gone!

 It makes me even more grateful that I found out about Project Life and decided to document our lives.

Onto Week 44 (October 29 - November 04)

Main Spread, without Extra Inserts

On the Project Life Australia Facebook group, we have a virtual drinks night on Friday, and it was so much fun to be able to share a few laughs with some very special girls! Thanks to Beth (I think), who made the drinks night picture, which I "borrowed"...love Facebook!

We got a new car this week, really we're just looking after it for my Nanna (she's not allowed to drive any more), but we are allowed to drive it when we need to. It's strange seeing two cars in the garage, we've gotten used to only having the one car, but it will definitely come in handy having the second car, and I'm grateful that it was given to us.

The photos of the car, are actually in a flip pocket (love those things!)

Main Spread, with Extra Inserts

I used the self-timer on my point and shoot for that shot of Benji and I walking through the door, and I love it. Benji may be 2 years old, but he's still my baby, and I love getting cuddles when he falls asleep in the car and I carry him in.

We have been going strong all year, and managed to take at least one family photo every month. Sometimes the photos are not perfect, but we're not by any means a perfect family, and I am just so happy that I have a photo from every month so far!

Back of Insert One & Insert Two

On Sunday we went to the open day of the new Perth Arena (it's going to be the main event centre for concerts, sports (netball, tennis and basketball), it's been so long since Perth had one venue large enough to accommodate everything. So hopefully it means that we will get some more international artists/shows  touring (as the other venues we have are quite small, and the other one is in a residential area so there are noise restrictions in place after a certain time of night).

The pink insert, is the lanyard that was being handed out on the day, I simply took the lanyard off and re-punched it.

Back of Insert Two

On the back of the lanyard a list of all the upcoming shows was printed. I'm so excited with some of the bands coming! We're off to see Matchbox Twenty this Sunday (11 November), and then Nickelback (17 November) and then we have a break for a few months, and will be back in June to see Pink.

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