The layout I have to share with you today is one of those ones that is really more about the process than the final product. I really enjoyed putting it together and seeing the page evolve bit by bit.
I love January. It is always a time at our place when the everyday routines are relaxed, the pace of life slows down and there seems to be lots of time for fun and family. I love fresh blank calendars and putting crisp new diary pages into my planner. At this time of year it always seems those blank pages hold lots of promise of how they will be filled. It is also the time of year I like to reflect a little on the previous year and make some plans for the year ahead. Do you do that too?? This year I picked 6 areas I'd like to focus on, including some of the key roles in my life right now. Here's the layout I put together as a bit of a visual collage of my thoughts this Jan. I plan to keep it on the magnetic board near my desk to remind me of my priorities when the pace of life picks up again and I sometimes lose track.
I used a piece of the Designer Series Sweet Slumber Specialty Paper as my base - I like the heavier weight of this cardstock, and the colours appealed too.
I'll share a closer look at the various parts of the page, starting with my most important role - being a mum.
I grabbed a piece of So Saffron Patterns Paper (the striped pattern piece) and using a More Mustard Marker wrote some of the things I wanted to keep in mind about being a mum. I just wrote the lines out over and over to fill up the space my circle punch would take.
Then I stamped 'MUM' using School Book Serif and Riding Hood Red Ink and punched using the new 1 3/4" Circle Punch. I sponged the edges for a little added impact. Then I dug about in my humungous box of photos to find some of the kids and I, plus a healthy lunchbox and a fun activity we'd done one day last year.
The title is a mix of 2 chipboard number styles (from On Board Lots of Letters) coloured with a Ruby Red marker and coated with Crystal Effects. Glue dots are so handy for sticking these down.
Scrapbooking is something I'd like to do more of this year so that was one of the focus areas I picked to highlight with my layout. I had a quick trip back to the 90s with my 'cutting out the photo' style and added some wavy bits of vellum cardstock with some thoughts about scrapbooking and why I love it. My markers came in handy once again for the journaling.
I used the same technique for another important role in my life 'wife.' I've written 'time, energy and priority' across the squares to remind me that relationships need all these things to flourish. 1 3/8" Square Punch and Jumbo Outline Alphabet stamp set.
Health definitely needs a bit more focus this year! I've stamped my Jumbo Outline letters onto some of the Sweet Slumber card and cut them out. Delicate cutting out never appeals to my lazy scrapping approach but the gorgeous examples from the StampAMemory Design Team girls inspired me and I found these were easier than they looked to cut out. I'll definitely be using this set HEAPS.
Underneath I've put 3 squares of vellum cardstock and just wrote 'MOVE MOVE MOVE MOVE' in Sahara Sand marker. Hoping this year sees me do a little more exercise than walking to the letter box!
My much loved Stampin' Up! craft business holds a key place in my life too and I jotted a few key thoughts down about that. I wrote them with a Bordering Blue marker onto the clouds from the pattterned paper pack and cut them out. Popped a few up on dimensionals and sponged some for impact. A bit ditzy perhaps but I liked it!
Another role I'm guessing we all relate to is just generally keeping the household and the family ticking along smoothly. The 'ticking' part gave me the idea to do a clock inspired element. I covered a chipboard ring with So Saffron patterned paper (rather badly - don't look too closely!) then wrote my ideas on this one around the ring. Hunted about for something to use for hands and noticed my rubber offcuts so chopped a couple from that. Some buttons for the centre.
And lastly - I had a space that looked like it needed filling so hunted about for a quote. (Or should I say, sat for half an hour happily googling quotes before finally coming across this one which seemed to suit perfectly.)
Here's to appreciating the little things in our lives.
Cheers,
Sue Madex
