WEEK SIX - February 2 - February 08

I didn't get the layout for two weeks ago uploaded until today. 

Probably because I didn't do it last week.  I did it today.

 I had to work all day Saturday and then had my lesson to prepare for Sunday. The lesson was a hard one to study for.   I was going in circles. I was starting to panic. I finally got it together in time for Relief Society and taught one of the best lessons of my life. Go figure.

Click on any photo to enlarge:

FULL LAYOUT

LEFT SIDE

RIGHT SIDE:

Want to hear something crazy? I was looking up the links for the elements I use and found that the designer that created the "Honey Edition" kit I selected for this year is the same designer that created the 4x6 templates I use AND the same designer that made the digital brushes I use.  Crazy huh.  I bought items from several different sites and it ends up they were all created by the SAME PERSON. WHOA! Go Lori Whitlock!  You obviously have a fan in me.

Background paper, journaling cards (except Calendar Card), title card:
PROJECT LIFE HONEY EDITION
Templates 
LORI WHITLOCK LIFE CARD TEMPLATES
Calendar Brush
SPLENDID FIINS 2014 CALENDAR
Digital Brushes (Real Life, You are my Sunshine, Life with you is Awesome)
LORI WHITLOCK EVERYDAY STAMPS

WEEK FIVE - January 26- February 01

Seriously people. Where is the time going.  I can't even keep up with it.

It is crazy.  It is almost like I can see it... instead of visualizing it as sand going peacefully through the hourglass I almost see it like a rope... pulling those I love away from me.

Sigh. 

I do this book so my family will know how much I truly adore them.

I mean REALLY adore them.

Like warm-fuzzy-over-the-moon-with-joy adore them.

I sometimes worry as my life is so good I wonder when the other foot will fall.

Something bad HAS to happen to me as I've experienced so much love and joy in my life thus far.

Hopefully this book helps us remember the good times. The little times. The US times. The blessed times. 

Sure do love you all.

-Sonja

Note: Click on any photo to enlarge:

FULL LAYOUT 

RIGHT SIDE:

LEFT SIDE:

WEEK FOUR - January 19 to January 25th

This whole week was rough when it came to making this layout work.
Half of my pictures are from a rough and tumble day at the lake and the other half are from a shopping trip for a ball gown.  It's not exactly like these two events go together.  This was my first challenge.

The next challenge is that I am making this book to mimic the actual physical book, so I have to "match" sides. What I mean by this, is that the right side of week three has four large pictures, so the left side of the next week must also have four large pictures (as in the "real" book I'm using the reverse side of the same sheet protector).

This made this week a bit challenging and hopefully not too confusing to read.

FULL LAYOUT:

LEFT SIDE:

RIGHT SIDE:

KITS USED:
Background paper, title card, journaling cards:
Becky Higgins Project Life - OLIVE EDITION
January 2014 brush:
Splendid Fiins Calendar Brushes - 2014 edition

Week THREE - January 12 - January 18 2014

This layout should have been uploaded last week (on the 19th) however last Friday I encountered something nasty called, "The Flu".  Yes, I have to capitalize the title in order to give it the newfound respect it deserves. I honestly don't think I've ever been that sick in my entire life.   I now know why people get flu shots.

Anywhoo.... after losing five days of my life (which unfortunately included my precious three day weekend off from work), I am ready to get back in the proverbial saddle.

Click on any picture to make it larger.

FULL LAYOUT:

LEFT SIDE:

RIGHT SIDE:

Digital items used:
Background polka dot paper, title card, and journaling cards:  Becky Higgins BLUSH EDITION project life.
Background blue paper, "LiveLoveRemember" image, day of the week labels: Becky Higgins CLEMENTINE EDITION project life
"Fantastic" brush - Lori Whitlock Every Day Stamps 2
Speech bubbles - Spendid Fiins "Say What" Stamps

Week two - January 05 - 11

I am having so much fun with Adobe Photoshop.  I'd really like to take a class, but then I would want the $700 professional version. It is just better to recognize my own limitations. The layout this week took less than half the time as it did last week.... so I'm getting better.

I didn't take many pictures until the middle of the week.  Work has been honestly so terrible that Monday I came home and seriously climbed in bed and pulled the covers over my head. The Affordable Care Act may be the death of me and my team and the entire State of Utah eligibility system.  It is literally a disaster.  I've been screamed at more times in the past month than I have probably the last 11 months put together.  I don't know what causes people to behave the way they do.  But that is an issue for another post. 

 I really am so so so grateful for my job and the people I work with and the support of my family.  I consider myself SO BLESSED in so many ways.  This to shall pass.

Below is the full two page layout for the week.  Don't you love the colors?  Looking at this I realized I re-colored a few things the wrong color and forgot to put a day stamp on Nathan's outside basketball picture but that is okay. I'll take it.

Click on the picture to enlarge it.

 LEFT SIDE CLOSE UP:

 
 RIGHT SIDE CLOSE UP:

 

Week one - December 29 - January 04

 Click to enlarge:

FULL LAYOUT:

 LEFT SIDE:

RIGHT SIDE:

Hard to believe the week is already over.  
Even though the kids went back to school on Thursday ( I should have documented that as it was a ROUGH day) it still felt like the holidays as Emily was home.
She is now back at school and so I'm betting things feel a little more calm around here.  She is so full of life that it can be exhausting when she is home. Luckily for us her energy was diluted over several weeks instead of a few days.  I sure do love my Pepper!

This is my first two page layout made in Photoshop Elements.  It took WAY too long.  I still have a lot to learn and even though it took longer than it should have, I know I will get faster as I figure out what I'm doing.  I am really appreciative of how people are so willing to share their talents on the internet.  It is so nice to be able to google how to do something and find some kind soul who has posted a blog about it or even better, a video tutorial.  Emily was telling me in her dance class at BYU the professor is always emphasizing how we all have unique gifts and talents from our Heavenly Father... each is different and each should be shared for the lifting and edification of others which in turn makes us stronger.

Pretty cool... and something to think about.

I am still planning on doing a traditional project life book with the divided sheet protectors. I know I would actually like to have a printed copy of the book (like from shutterfly) as it would be less bulk than a large binder, however I do it this way because I love how the kids pore over the book all year. I wouldn't want to wait until the end of the year to get it all done and printed before it could be shared. 
 

I KNOW!!! I KNOW!!

Your lives have all been ON HOLD for the last few (or six) months waiting for me to update this blog with updates on the Sheffer family.  I really don't know how you survived. I'm glad you had things like the release of season 3 of "The Walking Dead" and the resurgence of the Bird Flu to distract you.

But do not fear, loyal readers.  I have once again resolved to make a meager attempt to increase bonds of friendship and love by attempting to maintain a little more contact with my friends and family members by posting my weekly project life layouts on this site. Basically what I'm trying to say is that I hope by posting here every week or two we will have something to talk about next time we see each other.

Sample conversation:
YOU:  So, I see by your totally fascinating blog post that your washer broke and the repair man found 2.3 million bobby pins in the pump.
ME:  Totally.  Which explains Elizabeth being shorn bald while she slept.

All kidding aside, I think it should be easier this year as mom and dad purchased me Photoshop Elements for Christmas (actually they slipped me a Franklin and this is what I bought on Amazon... which makes me deliriously happy as I've wanted this program for a while but have been unable to purchase it because of life always happening like paying appliance repairmen. So thanks mom and dad).  I have purchased a few templates which should make things easier to share.

I really am serious when I say I hope this increases bonds of friendship.  I regularly follow several blogs and it really does make me feel closer to the writers.  Plus it is better to read what is happening with them and their families than it is to surf aimlessly on the internet at two in the morning because I can't sleep which is happening a lot lately (thanks Dad... great genetic gift you had to pass on).

So here is the cover sheet for my 2014 project life book. I don't LOVE it but I'm trying to decide why. Last year my color scheme was so much more muted. And I got bored with it. So this year I went bold. And now I'm thinking maybe it is all a little TOO much.  But anyway... here you go.  Of course next week will have PICTURES with it.