Break is Over, Resolutions in Check!

So far so good with my non-resolution "resolutions"!

Running is going great! In fact I've stuck with it so much so, that my husband actually says I'm inspiring him to run even on days he is not feeling it. And he IS a runner, big time. So I must be doing something right there. :) So check there!

Eating healthy and cooking fresh meals ... also is going well. I make my weekly list of meals and pretty much stick to it. If there is a really busy evening, we might grab some take-out, but that is more like once a week. Not too bad for a modern, busy family. Check there!

And taking photos daily for Project 365 is also working out well. I haven't 100% committed to exactly how I want to showcase the years photos. Still mulling that one over. I may use a recent template I created, but I may also really simplify it. Again Check!

Organizing my closets, drawers, etc is also coming along nicely. The garage and basement storage area always get a spring cleaning ... so that will be done when the weather warms up, but most of the house is done. Just need to do the master & bath ... and then my studio. But the studio is a project in itself! Check!

Sigh. I love January 2011! :)

On another note, My website and Etsy shop are up and running again. Use coupon code NewYear at checkout to receive 15% off your entire order.

And here are the latest layouts I've put together.

My Valentine {Echo Park}
Be Mine Alpha Pack 2 - coming soon!
Be Mine Alpha Pack 3 - coming soon!
Be Mine Paper Pack
Be Mine Element Pack #1
Be Mine Element Pack #2

{Kitschy Digitals}
Granny's Sewing Basket - pin

{Creativity by Crystal}
Office Supplies Element Pack - staples

Lynn Grieveson
Worn Page Edges 2

Anna Aspnes
Stitched by Anna White No. 5



Love is in the Air {liv.e designs}
I Heart Doodles 2
EZ-PZ Template 06 - Fotocentric No.1 - masks
Gentle Morn Paper Pack
Warm Wuv & Soft Hugs - The Kit Papers
AlphaClips
Scribbled Alpha
HeartPuffies

{Creativity by Crystal}
Colorful Papers Pack
Crystal's {PLAYGROUND} Element Add-on Pack
Crystal's {PLAYGROUND} Element Pack
Au Natural Elements

Sweet {Echo Park}
Be Mine Alpha Pack 3 - coming soon!
Orchard Lane Paper Pack 2
Orchard Lane Elements Pack 2

{Splendid Fiins}
Flea Market Brads

{Creativity by Crystal}
Office Supplies Element Pack

That's it for now. -xo Jenn

A New Year ... New Resolutions?

Hey there! Happy New Year! I had a long and lovely break.

The beginning of the break was all about indulging ... gifts, cheer and good food. I hate winter oh so much, but the holidays help make it so much more enjoyable for a few weeks. Don't you think?

The end of my break (and looking forward) was about change. I'm not a big fan of the word "resolution". But having New Year Resolutions does make sense. It's a new year, a chance to start fresh ... the eating and over indulging is behind us, yet the long winter (if you are in the US and many other other parts of the world) is only just beginning. So why not take the new year as a time to make a resolution or two. I get it. It really does make sense. It's just that I hate the failing part. I never really see out my resolutions to completion. And that for me is a drag. I am really good at quitting things half-way through. Seriously I am. Whether it's a crafty new project, a class, a diet, or like last January, Project 365. (I only made it through one quarter of the year!) So I was hesitant to even go down that resolution path this year. But you know what? Even starting a project or learning a bit from a new class, or capturing 4 months of daily life for Project 365 is better than not doing those things at all? Right?

So I'm going to try P365 again ... this time not really worrying if I miss a few days here and there. If I photograph our life 5-6 days out of the week, that's better than one or two.

I started cooking a lot again. Towards the end of the year we really relied on take-out a few days a week. Not good! Not healthy! So I've started planning my weekly meals and shopping lists consistently now.

And I've started running again. Mind you I started running at least a half dozen times in the year 2010. It just never stuck. This year I hope it does! So far so good!

And this past week...I have organized the entire first floor of our home... no small feat! I did all the cabinets, drawers, and closets. Everything has been cleaned and reorganized., things not needed tossed. It has been a few years since I really tackled these areas and the clutter & chaos was taking over. It feels so amazing to have that done. This week it will be the upstairs floor. Wish me luck!

Here are a few recent layouts I'd like to share.

To get going and motivated to start Project 365, I created a template for myself with Carina Gardner's new collection: Design 365. This makes it so easy to change out the papers or colors, and to just plop in my new weekly photos and dates. The pages below show only one Color Kit...but she has 2 more releasing in January. Now, the layout for the Creative Team was due before the end of the first week of January, so these photos are from last January. But you get the idea.



{Click images for credits!}

And these next two layouts are from the Kitschy Digitals/Paislee Press Collab: Curated. Love, Love, Love this collection of quick pages. You can leave them as is, just add in your text & photos, or you can add to them as you like, since them come as PSD files. Just Perfect.






{Click images for credits!}

That's it for now. Hoping to get websites/Etsy up and running again tomorrow.
Hope you resolutions are coming along nicely!

-xo Jenn

Sick, sick ..... sick of it!

(cute Vintage Frame by Kitschy Digitals -click link to purchase)

Did you read my last post? I was so proud and eager to be at the doorstep of vacation. Remember, I closed my shops, made plans for all things Christmas? First and foremost cookie baking? Remember?

Well .... ever have those weeks where nothing goes as planned?

All I know was Monday's crawl out of of bed was so much harder than usual. Throat was a burnin' and muscles ached as if I'd played a game (or two) of football. I knew something was stirring and it wasn't a mouse. It was some dreaded virus attacking my system. But I refused to accept that fate. Not today, not this morning. I had Christmas plans, darnit. New cookie recipes had been researched & old favorites had been dug out from the bottom of the recipe pile where they lay since last December. Today I needed to hit the grocery store for my share of the Christmas dinner and the necessities for cookie baking. This virus or whatever it was was not going to stop me. At least that's what I thought when I finally made it out the door and into the car, not quite on Monday morning, but more like Monday afternoon. It took me so long to get ready and I couldn't quite get warm no matter how high I set the temperature in the house or how many layers I wore.

I made it to the Christmas Tree Shoppe for some last minute gift tags and wrapping supplies. And then went into the grocery store. Half way through, I thought I was going to pass out and I'm not even sure how I made it home that afternoon. By the time I got everything unpacked and put away ... I knew before I put the darn thermometer in my mouth that it wasn't going to be good. I had a fever and my knees were buckling. That was it for my Monday. There would be no Christmas Cookie baking for me today, or the next day for that matter. I barely got out of bed at all on Tuesday. Today, I'm still not feeling great, but the good news is that there has been some baking (in between big long, restful naps on the couch). And I have a few lovely tins of cookies to show for it. :)

What I couldn't do in the kitchen, I made up for in Photoshop. Because, Photoshop is super easy to do while lying in bed with a fever (while kids bring you big, icy glasses of orange juice with a straw) for two days. Here are two new layouts full of Christmas Cheer.

Santa Spirit

jessicasprague.com {liv.e designs}
Chestnuts and Mallows Paper Pack - coming soon!
Swirdles Stamps & Brushes
Paper Swirlies
Warm Wuv & Soft Hugs - The Elements (buttons and frame)
EZ-PZ Template 06 - Fotocentric No.1 (overlay)
Tape It Up! - Noted
Titl-express
Kraft Tag from Holidays in Hand class

{Queen of Quirk}
Reindeer Games Accent Pack (bow & holly sticker)
Aubergine Alpha Pack

{In the Making Design}
Glassy Alpha

Expressions of Christmas Cheer

jessicasprague.com {Cosmo Cricket}
Oh Joy Paper Pack
Oh Joy Candy Candy
Mr. Campy Paper Pack (solid background)

{Queen of Quirk}
Scrap Canvas - Momento - coming soon!

Patti Knox: Pin Its - Pearls
Katie Pertiet: Stamped Stitches No. 11

Fonts: Pea Marie-Christine, Pea Dacia

While I didn't get to make all the cookies I had planned to make, that virus forced me to slow down and watch "Christmas" more. I spent more time on the couch watching movies with my kids, instead of turning a movie on for them. I played a ton more games with them than I would have had time for if I had been at full energy and hadn't felt the need to sit down and rest so much. I snapped more photos of the days leading up to Christmas than I usually do. And for all that ... I'm grateful. I think I'll save those other cookie recipes for the week after Christmas or the couple of days off we have in January. Something to look forward to after the thrill of December has come and gone and the long winter is still hanging on for a few more months. So yeah, that's my new plan. Accept what I was able to accomplish this week. And look forward to another baking session in the near future. So long as some random virus doesn't knock me off my feet again first!

-xo Jenn

Wishing You All a Lovely Holiday ...

...and a Happy New Year!

Wow! It has been a little while since I posted. This time of year is so hard to keep up with anything. My Etsy shop & website are at their absolute busiest ... I ordered two huge cases of Uline bubble envelopes just for all the Holiday orders I have to get out the door. The post office is a once or twice day visit for me as well during this time of year as I try to ensure customers get their orders as speedily as possible.

But ... finally the sales are down to a trickle and I think it is safe to assume that everyone who wanted to a get an order in before year end has done so. So, I am getting ready to close the virtual doors for a much needed holiday break. It's time to put down the scissors, the shipping tape and excuse my printer from its tireless task of spewing out shipping labels. It is time to don the apron, the rolling pin, soften the butter and spread out the flour. I plan to spend much of next week baking holiday cookies with music blasting ... my absolute favorite holiday activity.

I may find some time to post here or there before the end of the year, but if I don't .... Thank you to all my lovely customers for a wonderful year. And thank you to those who've checked in to see my latest photos or layouts. Hoping each and every one of you close out the year with happy memories.

Happy Christmas, Snowman

{Carina Gardner}
O CHRISTMAS TREE - Stickers
O CHRISTMAS TREE - Cards
O CHRISTMAS TREE - Ribbons
SANTA'S SLEIGH - Holiday Notes
SANTA'S SLEIGH - Holiday Silhouettes

{liv.e designs}
Scribbled Alpha
Holidays in Hand class - kraft holiday tag
Spraground Sun Fun Elements - gem brads

{In The Making Designs}
Wax Seals Elements Set

{Crystal Wilkerson}
You Are Awesome Mini Kit- kraft paper

{Cosmo Cricket}
Oh Joy Paper Pack -background paper

{Kitschy Digitals}
Granny's Sewing Basket - stick pin

{Christmas Wishes & Whimsy Collab Kit}
Kitschy Digitals - green velvet bow
Slendid Fiins - baker's twine photo wrap, round scallop tag
liv.e designs - sequin spill

Ali Edwards - The Details 12 x 12 Overlay
Lynn Grieveson - Hint at It No. 5
Katie Pertiet - Posted Snowmen

Awesome You

{Cosmo Cricket}
The Boyfriend Paper Pack
The Boyfriend Elements
The Boyfriend Candy Candy
Joy Ride Elements- orange ticket

{Splendid Fiins}
Teen (add-on) elements -staples, worn overlay & brads
mixed bag tape strips - orange tape
You are awesome - mini kit- notebook paper

{liv.e designs}
Scribbled Alpha

{Creativity by Crystal}
Crystal's {Inspired By Susan Weinroth} Template #01- for the stitches

Patti Knox: Absolutely Acrylic Clockworks No. 2 & Brad Bonanza
Lynn Grieveson: Vintage Tape Measures

Font: Hanoded Hand

-xo
Jenn