2015 December.

Finally I am done with my 2015 Project Life book, I'm so excited that I actually finished a project. Yes, I have a tendency to be like a dog when someone gives me a bone I'll chew for a while but if you say -squirrel- I totally run off and look. Forget completely about my bone. Crazy analogy but completely true. 

This month I used the new Simple Stories Santa Claus & Co. line.  I loved the red foil they used throughout the line and I made sure to include it all.   First page is pretty simple, but I couldn't not use again- the foil. I included a picture from the girls at work Christmas gathering we had. I love them all so much- I'm a lucky girl to work with wonderful supporting women. ( Others as well, but without these ladies- work would be hard.)

For Christmas, we made a trip up to gather with my Dad's side of the family.  I had drinks with one of my favorite ladies- not my biological cousin but I consider her one. Also, my mom and I decided to play around with her ice cream maker I got her for Christmas. So I had to include the cute little mitten's and Mrs. Claus' Cookie Co stickers. Speaking of which- we need to whip out that machine again soon!! 

I spent New Years with my bestie going around to local bars and checking out the scene. I took a selfie of us early in the night. Also again from Christmas, my cousin whom lives on the East Coast came home with the newborn son. So my dad had to steal as many snuggles as he could. 

I included on the last page the last selfie of 2015, ringing in the new year with all the crazy get up. I also took a sweet picture of my Pumpkin with the Christmas tree.. ( we have a little one that we have a on a table- the dog isn't so gentle with the tree so we've resorted to a small simple one. ) He loves sitting beside the tree on the table and sniffing all the lights / decorations.  He's so sweet.

So that is my end to my 2015 Project Life, I'm so excited that I finished it. Hope you enjoyed all the pages I shared with you. They are all tagged Project Life as well as 2015 - if you want to go back and check them all out!  I can't wait to get started on my 2016 pages.

xo. Renee

2015 October + November.

I thought I better post the remaining of 2015's Project Life before it becomes 2017.  For the month of October, I used up some of my Amy Tangerine Plus One papers and PL cards - trying so hard to dwindle down my stash but I keep buying new things... it's a hard thing.

    

Halloween decorations at work. A nice fall run and a trip to the pumpkin patch with my mom.

                     

I gave blood for the first time- wrote some journaling on the event as well as added the sticker they gave me. I also put a picture of me picking my pumpkins from the patch.  Couple of pictures from my friend's Halloween Party she threw.

                     

And for the month of November, I didn't take many pictures but I did use bits and pieces of what's left of the Maggie Holmes Shine collection.  I got my first order at work, went on a run in shorts in the middle of November- followed by our first snow of winter. 

I know this isn't my best recap, I have been horrible at taking pictures with not a lot going on in my life. ( Either, a great or bad thing.)  But I promise to try harder for my 2016. I do have one more recap of December to show you - so I'll be back soon!!! 

xo. Renee

2015 May + June.

Today I'm bringing you May and June of my 2015 Project Life. Only one more and we should be all caught up with my crazy PL. Also I have scheduled a post of my 2014 December Memories, hopefully it'll provide you some inspiration and enjoy looking at some holiday greatness during the month of December :).

Oh the month of May, how I enjoyed you so. My sister- I've said how great she is a few times before I 'm sure- but I can't say it enough. She decided to run in the Tinkerbell 1/2 Marathon at Disneyland, and the best part about it- she decided to invite me! I haven't been to either Disney Parks, and quality time with my big sister- how could I say no?! I had the greatest time ever, I'll have to post pages from that on a whole 'nother post. But I started the month out with memorabilia and pictures from the trip!

Again, no month is complete with out the adventures of Blaize. There are no measures this cat won't take to catch a bug. Jumping from the banister to the door- (yes, Blaize, this would so work...*rolls eyes*) but for some odd reason, he did manage to stay hanging from the moldering around the door.  Before trying to save him, I had to take a picture ( the scrapbooker in me ).  Also, we planted a small garden , visited my mom after her knee replacement surgery (she'll love that I posted this ), and we took a trip to a beach in which I got fried. 

The month of June was just clearly a bunch of randomness. Great time with friends, whom now I miss dearly, I'm so glad I had such great co-workers!  I also got raced by a rabbit at the school's track. Of course, he won... hence the epic fail.

JT and I enjoyed a great date to the i-Cubs game and Zombie Burger in Des Moines. I can't say enough about the great food - or the Fruitty Pebble milkshake. I crave them all the time now! So delicious! Also- no month is complete without a Blaize moment- seriously, the cat has no fear.  Especially when it has to do with bugs or John. 

Hope you enjoyed the first part of this summer, I'll be coming back with the next two months soon!! :)

xo. Renee

2015 March + April

On continuation to the roll back post .. now I will bring you my PL pages for March and April.

For March, I used Amy Tangerine's Stitched line which I love love love. Which reminds me that I have some of it left, MUST FIND A WAY TO USE IT! Anyways, but this month we were still adjusting to a new kitten, John did a telethon for the company we work for, and we enjoyed a date night of bowling.. I'm pretty sure I lost.

 I got to go with one of my friends to help pick out her wedding dress, of course- she said yes to the dress. Just a few pictures of the two peas in a pod, John and Blaize. We also had a great time with friends and family.

 April was fun because no snow and we could have awesome adventures in the sunshine. My car also decided to be a pain most of the month, to the point the towing company knew me by name... not even kidding.

Spent a lot of days working both jobs and getting taken care of by a sweet kitty while we were sick with the flu :(  Of course, no month is complete without a Blaize outside picture. 

Hope you are enjoying my flash backs :)

I will return with May + June ... soon.

xo. Renee

2015 January + February.

The joys of living in a small town is that when I run out of pictures, I have to wait to get on to printing them again until I get to a town that prints photos. Usually I have a nice little stash, but I went on a bit of a scrappy spree lately and now I'm dwindling low on pictures. Which also means I'm low on cute projects to show you!  So I figured no better time than the present to show you past months 2015 project life pages.

If you reference to my post back in September, ( yes that long ago ) on my other project life month-   I've been using a 6x8 book and categorizing by moments in the month.

My title page was made with a 2x2 square 6x8 page that a friend of mine gave me. I think I saw an idea similar on pinterest and I had to use it with different touches of gold/pastel to start the year out fresh.

 Each month I used up a stash of a collection I had left over- a great way to use up my stuff plus capture memories. For January- I used Open Book by Maggie Holmes.

Just capturing the moments of getting a second job, our lazy New Years Eve, the joys of being a kitten momma- also spending time with great friends enjoying a great game of football. 

February I used Crate Paper's Kiss Kiss, which was perfect for all the obvious reasons. Full of Valentine fun and lovey dovey embellishments.  ( Also, with it being so holiday specific, it was a great way to use what was left after layouts were made ;) )

We got a new kitten Ember in February, as well as celebrated our year anniversary together. Had crazy adventures in the snow and saw our sweet friends' twins win gymnastic trophies. 

On a random side note : I thought for a while that maybe looking back at all of this would be hard for me to do.  Yes, I would be lying if I said I wasn't just a little sad, but yet, I smiled. This is one example of why I love to scrapbook- Our relationship has been documented before my eyes and I can always look back at the memories... and remember. 

I'll be back to post March and April :) 

xo. Renee

2015 September.

So one other way I memory keepsake is through Project Life (or pocket scrapbooking, whichever you choose to call it ).  Becky Higgins came up with a way of simplifying scrapbooking by creating Project Life- which is 3x4 or 4x6 cards slid in to pockets along with photos in a 12x12 page- initially not a lot of embellishments were needed; just journaling, cards and photos. Now everyone has seemed to jump on the bandwagon, hence where some people call it pocket scrapbooking; also it's done in multiple sizes other than 12x12 and people are going crazy on adding great details and embellies. So the simplicity of it- people have taken above and beyond.

Also with Project Life, its basically meaning to capture a week period of time of what happens essentially in your life. But that has also been done to whatever better suits you. My first year I did it weekly in a SMASH book and the second year- a 12x12 weekly format. I also decided to start on my birthday and not January like its generally done.

But with 2015, I chosed a 6x8 book and to start in January with monthly layouts not weekly. I know, I change it up every year, but this time I think I've found my method that works well. I would love to show you January through July but at this time, I even found while flipping through that it is a bit tender to see ...  we spent alot of time together and its filled with multiple memories.

So we'll begin with September, where my fresh start begins so to speak...

I always start with either a page or a space dedicated to saying what month it is. Perhaps a title page if you will. Another thing I haven't mentioned is that with my project life I am using just different lines for each month- no actual pocket scrapbooking papers- as I'm trying to use up my stash.  This month I'm using Maggie Holmes' Confetti line, and I'm actually trying to hoard this collection but being it's my birthday month- I had to use it!  

During this month I captured the memories of my cousin's wedding, which was great to have all my dad's side together. It's been a while since all 4 of the cousins have been home at once.  With my sister home, we went out for drinks at our hometown bar - I loved being able to have quality time with my sister, she always knows how to make me smile.  

I had to take a picture of my new fall Starbuck's cup, it just captured fall perfectly! Nothing makes it feel like fall more than a football game, I went to my hometown's homecoming game- fall weather and a great played game.  For my birthday, I spent the day enjoying drinks and food. Okay, I also did a little shopping. But it was the best way to ring in my 29th year. Celebrating ME on my special day.

Here's to a great new year...

xo Renee.