Stephanie Howell

2014 Project Life Title Page + Free Download

Today I wanted to share my 2014 PL title page with y'all.

I decided to keep it simple and chic and I stuck with black and white + metallics.

Product wise I dug into my stash and used several printables.

Supplies: Gossamer Blue (gold heart card), Paislee Press (white card w/ script), Fellow Fellow (Let's Go and Be Amazing card- I changed the background color),Mary Oliver card- my design (see below), MME washi tape, American Crafts thickers, Recollections glitter alphabet, sequins, doilies, Freckled Fawn feather veneer, Crate Paper patterned paper, Heidi Swapp together banner

 

I really wanted to include one of my favorite quotes by Mary Oliver but I couldn't find a digital representation that I liked.

So I decided to make my own. I want something elegant and simple that matched my color scheme.

As lots of you know...i do NOT sew. So I closed the confetti/veneer pocket with washi.

I love the card so much I decided to share it with all of you. Enjoy!

To download the Mary Oliver quote, CLICK HERE.

Happy 2014!

xoxo

S

Project Italy and a Simple Stories Giveaway!

Bongiorno Amici!

Today I wanted to do a little Project Life (or Project Italy as I call it) post. Nothing earth-shattering, just how I make it work for me.

Now...if the mere mention of PL causes your eyes to glaze over (I used to be like that before I fell in love with pocket scrapbooking) then today's post isn't for you.

Y'all. I still glaze over sometimes when I see PL stuff. The only interesting PL to me is mine. Because it's about my family and my special memories. So I TOTALLY get if this is not your thing.

Even when I am doing PL (I'm back and forth like a yo yo depending on my mood and the amount of time I have) I don't share it often. I just don't feel like there's anything for me to share, if that makes sense. A PL album is a PL album is a PL album.

But today I want to share the album I've chosen for my Project Italy undertaking. If you stick around to the end there's a giveaway!

I'm also going to share how I make this system work for me as well as some of my favorite products for pocket scrapbooking.

If you've been reading my blog for a while you know that my crafting mantra is keep it fun.

If it gets stressful, or competitive...or if I'm beating myself up about it then I STOP it.

That same concept applies to Project Italy.

Here's how my craft room usually looks when I'm catching up. On the subject of "catching up"...usually I don't. I just do it when I feel like doing it. But this year I really want to not miss a month.

Here's how each week's spread starts off. I use Momento and iPhoto to plan what I want to share. I then use small post-its to label each pocket in the spread.
I print all of my photos at home using either my  Canon Selphy or my HP Photosmart. I like to use the Pages program to resize and print all my PL photos on a couple of 8 1/2 by 11 sheets of Photo paper.

Lately I've been back and forth between wanting to do really simple pages and wanting to do more complicated pages. You see, PL is pretty much my only creative outlet right now. I'm not doing many traditional SB pages.

Some weeks I just want to make my pages fancy. So I usually do a few simple/quick/easy weeks and then a more complicated week.

This satisfies all of my creative and memory keeping needs.

Here are a few examples of some easy PL spreads. Washi and cards and a couple stickers. That's about it.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

In one of the pockets on this page, I actually cut up a tourist map from an town we went to and used a geotag to label the exact area we visited.

I buy a cheap postcard every time we visit a new town. I love using postcards in my PL.

Now here is an example of a more "complicated" PL spread. It took a lot longer to make and has a lot more dimension.

It felt really good to take my time and almost treat each pocket as a mini scrapbook page!

Yes. I did an entire card dedicated to this skit. I had to. We quote it a dozen times a day! #thatshowwedo #lololololololololol

Another fun card is the currently watching card. I never know what to do with geotags so I'm glad I found a way to use them!

And I won't even tell you how often Breaking Bad has appeared in my album lately.

As far as the album goes, I'm using a new Simple Stories Sn@p 12x12 leather album.

The Simple Stories albums come in high quality construction, sturdy, faux leather, 6 popular colors (red, teal, black, brown, green, pink),  2 sizes (12x12 & 6x8), unique size (6x8), non-slip, interlocking D-ring binding, stylish contrasting stitch detail, metal corner accents, custom metal spine bookplate in a fun shape. 

Simple Stories asked if they could send me this album to review and I was super excited for the opportunity.

The album is sturdy and great quality. It looks chic on my shelf and I love that.

None of the pockets have ripped and I've put a lot inside. I had a problem recently with other page protectors ripping, but these are awesome quality. 100 percent happy with this album.

Whew. Now that was a MONSTER post.

You still there?

Let me share some of my favorite products for Project Italy.

Gossamer Blue Life Pages Kits (I get these every month)

Studio Calico PL kits (I order these every now and again)

MME pocket cards, decorative tapes, brads, enamel dots, labels, and tiny word stickers

Freckled Fawn tapes, badges and veneers

These small doilies (I buy these in bulk and have used them for years).

If you see something you are curious about, make sure to ask in the comments and I'll let you know!

Now for the good part.

Would you like to win a Sn@p leather album and your choice of page protectors?

Leave a comment on this post and I'll draw a winner next Thursday.

Good Luck! Ciao Bella!

xo

S

Sponsor/Small Business Spotlight and Giveaway | Baers Garten Designs

First- Here is the Travel Turtle winner from last week:

Natalie (QSOgirl) said...LOVE that photo!! Yummmmm gelato (even though I've never had it *in* Italy...yet!!) :)I'm always intimidated to travel with my daughter (~20 mo) because I don't know what to expect... but then she always, always surprises us and is such a trooper! She is a ton of fun to travel with-- I just need to remember it.

Especially because we have a flight from the East Coast to the Midwest coming up... and then an 8-hour car ride to the beach a week after that...

Reply July 17, 2013 at 11:47 AM

Please email Harpersmama8(AT)gmail(DOT)com to claim your prize!

Baers Garten Designs is a one woman business offering handcrafted scrapbooking goodies, Project life cards, digital scrapbooking kits and party printables from her home studio in Germany.

All of the items are only available in limited quantities and she ships them within 24 hours of purchase.

Be sure to check Iara's blog and become a Facebook fan of Baers Garten Designs, There is a freebie ready for grabs there! ;)

Do not hesitate to contact  Iara if you are interest in a custom order.

Baers Garten Designs is having a huge sale on her Etsy store right now. Some of the products will be discontinued after thesummer break and are deeply discounted!

Iara is giving one of my lucky blog readers a complete set of printable journaling cards for Project life and other scrapbooking projects. There are 35 sets in all!

Y'all this is a seriously great giveaway. Is it kosher if I enter it myself? Hahahah!

Have a beautiful and blessed Tuesday!

xo

S

My 2013 Project Life

Happy Tuesday, y'all!

I hope you are having a wonderful week. I wanted to do a little (brief) post about Project Life today.

Some of you have asked if I will post my PL every week and the answer is no.

First of all, I am not really stressing myself out about when I work on PL. It's just fun for me.

So I don't want to try to post about it regularly.

Also...all project lifes look alike to me! PL is special to each of us because it is ours.

It's not revolutionary or earth-shattering and I love that.

I share some photos and stories in my PL that aren't for any eyes except Howell eyes. HAHA!

Now there are some scrapbookers that share amazing and new ideas for PL.

I'm not one of them. I'm going low pressure, low technique, photos+words.

Like you've seen/read everywhere...Project Life is whatever you want it to be.I want it to be easy and low cost.

But every now and then I would like to share products I've found that I love and show you how I used them.

Today I want to show you the album I'm using and some awesome printable cards I've found.

As far as my album goes, I'm using a Studio Calico Sundrifter Oilcloth Handbook.

For inserts, I'm using a combination of Handbook page protectors in style 1, style 2,and style 3. Heavy on the style 2.

Last year I bought a core kit and did a 12x12 album. It was too much for me.

And now for some of my favorite printables that I've used recently.

As always, Geralyn's cards remain my favorite.

These custom "what harper said" (there is also a "what sadie said" version) cards will always be a staple.

Some other printable cards that I'm loving are these Nemo Nor'Eastern cards from rukristin 's blog.

I love the way they look with the snow photos. Simple,graphic,clean.

I've been using lots of the Pebbles cards in my book. They are simple and happy.

Another great (free) printable is the Oscars card you see to the bottom left of the photo below.

I found this set on Laura Kate's blog. They are fantastic.

I decided to do a card about television shows and movies my family was enjoying.

I found this free printable TV programs card (bottom left) on the scrapbook printables website. Perfect.

The last printables I want to share are AMAZING. I cannot believe they are free.

The "fabulous life" card, Jan 28-Feb 3 card, Life is Good card,and Hello Today card are all from Miss Tiina. I LOVE THESE.

So there you go. A few shares that were too good to keep to myself!

If you have any questions ask in the comment section. As always, I'll answer there.

Have a wonderful day!

xoxo

S

scrappy sunday 3/4

i'm working on project life today. are you? if so, head over to my facebook page!

i'm having a little "share a photo of your PL in progress" contest. i'll pick a name to win a set of marcy penner's printable PL cards. :)

have a creative day!

xoxo

 

project life update and links

hey guys! happy thursday! :)

i wanted to share a few project life links and and update on my progress.

 

i know. i KNOW. project life is everrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrywhere! on every blog, and trust me...99% of those people are WAY more in the know than i am. i am really enjoying blog hopping and seeing everyone's take on this idea. lots of pages posted, lots of very detailed posts. but if you are sick of it, then maybe skip today. b/c i'm talking about pl. oh yes i am BABY.

 

because i (for one) am still very excited about this project and what it means for my family.

 

my amazingly amazing friend waleska tweeted something about project life and how her husband said it was "real scrapbooking"- i'm paraphrasing here- and it's so true. this isn't a new concept. it's back to the meat and bones of what scrapbooking is supposed to be about. and for me- it's about what got lost along the way.

 

we have moved seven times. seven. it will be eight this summer. i want to remember everything we were lucky enough to experience.

 

now...on to week one. i'm not going to share detailed shots every week. let's be honest...there's nothing special or revolutionary about what i'm doing. again...there are SO many blogs that DO have revolutionary content regarding PL. but mine pretty much looks like everyone elses. :)

it is, in essence, the same as the scrapbooks i made for jimmy in college. clippings and thoughts and words and memorabilia. i used to look down my nose at those old scrapbooks..why? i have no clue!

like i said...hardly revolutionary.

 

but to my family, this is revolutionary. love that.

i completed week one last weekend.

i'm running my weeks monday-sunday (with this week being different as i wanted to include nyeve and new year's day/j's bday- meaning this 2 page spread covers 9 days) but i got so excited that i did week one on saturday and just left one 4x6 slot open for sunday.

i'm glad i did b/c the program from church on sunday was something i added. i knew the minute i saw it i wanted to add it. and i actually had some pretty deep thoughts on the series that i wanted to share.

is it wrong that i kept looking at that program all through church,thinking that i couldn't wait to use it in my album?

i used the clementine core kit, washi tape (YES!! i am conquering my phobia!!),various extra journaling cards, labels, and thickers.

i took about 30 minutes to put this together...not including the photo printing.

not much thought. very "scrap by the seat of my pants"- as usual. no though to everything being "matchy", no though to having to have a photo for every day. there is a photo or story for almost every day, though. and several "general" stories. i tackled one slot at a time.

every day does not have a photo. out of nine days, i think there are five daily photos.

there's one card about the babies and their new words this week,

there's one card about our rental car and why we have it

a card about the girls telling everyone at publix that their daddy blew up the neighbor's house..

a.not true.

b. don't even ask.

sigh.

this week i had a "project life playdate" with a few other ranger wives. how AWESOME is that? my first time scrapbooking IRL with friends.

i had to subdue myself and my enthusiasm, lest i scare them away for life. i can be a lot to take. especially when i talk about crafting. :)

now onto my favorite products to use for PL right now.

 

top left: chic tags

top right: elle's studio

bottom left: ormolu

bottom right: twogirlzstuff (sidenote...aja MUST reopen this shop. i am starting the peer pressure NOW). no labels compare to these, i've been using them for years and i'm obsessed. DO YOU HEAR ME AJA?????? :) :)

 

a few project life blog links i really enjoyed this week...

monica mcneill

100 bits of life by the mom creative

printable page planners by marcy penner

love how cathy z used a iphone shot of the weather forecast

i'm not a silhouette savvy girl but love this post by lisa

 

umm...that.was.LONG.

sorry about that!

hahaha! have a beautiful,blessed day!

xxo

and this is what it's all about

i wanted to share a couple of instagrams from the past few days. they really sum up what it's all about to me.

by far my favorite is this one:

i snapped this on new year's eve when they (meaning j and the bigs) didn't even know i was taking a photo.

the result makes my heart hurt. this is my family. these are the people i love and treasure more than anything in the world.

this is how we rang in 2012. i wouldn't trade this for all of the champagne and parties in the world. my heart.

another capture:

so much about this one i love. the minnie mouse balloon the girls chose for jimmy, the look on lucy's face (she was DESPERATE for a bite of that cake), sadie's seriousness...the fact that my whole world is here in this photo.

and one last share:

just look at the look on cate's face. and those precious teeth. and just look at all of lucy's rolls in the background. HA! i love these babies so much.

 

three moments i'm so glad i caught. three moments that i can't wait to document in this week's project life spread.

three pieces of my heart!

happy monday y'all! jimmy's off to the movies and build a bear with the bigs and i am DETERMINED to whip this house into shape!

love to you all- xoxo

project life 2012...my title page

so here's my thoughts on this. i'm not reinventing the wheel. i won't be writing anything that hasn't be said. i won't be writing the best project life post ever written...nope,that honor belongs to lisa.

i'm no expert. ali edwards and cathy zielske are on the PL creative team. they are pretty amazing and definitely what i'd call experts.liz tamanaha is incredible, she's another crazy inspiring team member. any of the people above can teach you WAY more about project life than i can.

i'm not going to blog every single page i make for project life. i will share whenever i feel that i have something of value to share, or something i want to show you. or maybe (like today) i'll blog whenever i'm just plain excited about something.

 

i'm not going to be a perfectionist. this is not an album that is for a design team. or a magazine assignment. it's for us. i don't have to use the latest and greatest. i don't have to worry about it being anything other than a treasure to my family.

 

i'm not going to pressure myself on this. it is going to be fun. sure, some weeks it might seem like a chore to get through. but it's going to be a treat for me. something very different (both in concept and execution) than anything i've ever done before.

 

you know what's going to be really great about it? remembering all of the funny/insightful/weird things my girls say.

like this little gem...

yesterday was ranger family day. a day where we went to j's work and did all sorts of things. from looking at vehicles and weapons,to an obstacle course...you get the picture.

early yesterday morning harper came downstairs wearing skinny jeans and a sweater. she said

"mama...i'm not sure i can throw hand grenades and flip tires in this fashion outfit. what do you think?".

 

see what i mean? this album is going to be MAGICAL for us to look back on one day.

i have to tell you that i did not anticipate this being as FUN as it has been. from collecting a stash, to placing my order (clementine core set and "a" pages)...to working on my title page last night, this process has been a joy to me. more fun than i can remember having in a long long time.

i think it's high time for me not to take myself so seriously in scrapbooking. it isn't about how much product i can get on the page. it isn't about assignments. it isn't about doing what i'm supposed to do.

it's about us. it is a hobby i love and don't want to stop loving. this project life thing is just what i need.

with that being said, here's my title page. simple and classic...and boy was it FUN deciding what to use, where to put everything, and putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

(click to see larger)

the top right card says: this year is going to hold so many beautiful adventures. our 8th deployment, a move across the country. this year our babies will turn two,our sadie will turn four,and our first baby will turn six. we will celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary(half a world apart). we will be apart for months, yet together longer than we've ever been together. this year is going to be something else. and i can't wait to see what blessings it brings. so grateful for each day i'm given.

bottom left card says: a collection of the everyday moments. our ordinary miracles...our life in 2012.

random fact: i couldn't find a red pen to color the "be" part of the bottom left card. so i used mister huey's in over due and a q tip. haha! classy!

products: clementine core kit, "a" page protectors (now sold out) , ek success sticko hearts from kissing booth add-on, pink paislee houndstooth artisan tape, black baker's twine, thickers from brooklyn flea, mister huey's overdue mist (used to paint the "be" letters on the remember card), ormolu chevron tags,  studio calico/sassafras butterflies,martha stewart doilies,heart and typed phrases from october afternoon farmhouse flower sack, pearls, flower from mme stella and rose brads, twogirlzstuff labels (shop now closed), rough typewriter font.

if y'all have any questions about how *i* am tackling this project, please ask below and i'll answer in the comment section. again, i'm no expert. i want to share how i'm making this work, and making it special to me. but for general questions, any of the posts and blogs linked above are exceptional!!

 

hope you have a beautiful, blessed thursday sweet friends!

xoxo

the day after

happy monday!!

i love the day after christmas...i always have! it's still lazy,we are all still together, and there's just a peaceful feel about it don't you think? well except for the TORNADO that apparently swept through my house yesterday! i keep telling myself it's a sign of a happy day and that it shouldn't stress me out. it seems to be working (kind of?).

 

christmas was wonderful.

 

h wrote santa a note all by herself:

dear santa- these are your milk and cookies.merry christmas! we love you.

p.s. be safe!!

santa brought harper an american girl (molly):

and sadie got a "big girl bike":

we played, laughed, and napped:

watched the wizard of oz together for the first time ever (j and i teared up at the exact same part- when dorothy wakes up and sees everyone she loves...what IS it about the end of that movie??).

and then had a delicous dinner. we all stayed in our pjs all day long. and i don't think it escaped any of us that we were TOGETHER. such a delicious (and sometimes foreign) feeling.

the only gift i really ever want. and that's the honest truth. all the other stuff is secondary.

today we are wearing pjs again. eating lots of left over snickerdoodles and rib roast.

and i am working on this:

i've decided to do project life this year. and i could NOT possibly be more excited. it's actually a little bit out of control how excited i am!

jimmy and i were talking about how when he's deployed (8th deployment coming this year) he never has access to the "day to day". ever. we have limited time to speak and when we do i'm not telling him the little things.

our conversations are dominated by the big things. news from family, car problems, financial issues, sick kids,pressing issues, etc.

this is going to be a game changer. jimmy will be able to see all the things he misses.

he misses them even when he's not "gone"...he leaves before dawn every day and often comes back after sunset.

he's just as excited as i am about this project.

can i get started NOW??? :)
happy day after christmas y'all!

xoxo