Project Life 2013: Weeks Nine and Ten

Posted: March 26, 2013 | Author: momruncraft | Filed under: Project Life | 3 Comments

WEEK 9

Got a little adventurous for me color wise this week; as a result, it took foreverrrrr for it to come together:

Finally found someone brave enough to try a trail hike I have been dying to check out, it required conquering this massive incline. Our legs were burning but we did it. Celebrating Jakey’s wacky dressing ways while I can. LOVING that Jake is finally starting to draw family portraits. I find it amazing how different the boys artsy styles are…

Rope climb WOD kicked my butt: rope climb + burpees = YOWZA. Tyson started Little League this year and practices started Friday. Lucky to have friends who call at the exact perfect moment: girl time + 3 miles = the perfect cure to a bad day.

A special Jake love note, tucked inside the mini bag:

WEEK 10

Another week of color experimentation. I have never been a pink girl, but I was inspired by the spring colors of this particular My Minds Eye journal card paper. I struggled with the pink but fell in love with the final outcome. It took me a little longer to finish, likely because the colors were very much outside of my comfort zone…but it’s DONE:

We have been spending a lot of time outside, enjoying the sunshine. I wanted to document the little note Ty made me and tucked inside of my wallet: it makes me smile every time I catch a glimpse of it:

After two weeks of color experimentation. My week 11 color palette is my tried and true blue/kraft/white with a splash of yellow or brown. I like to gather the journal cards first and then work from there…

Linking up with The Mom Creative:

Project Life: DIY Washi Speech Bubble Journal Card

Posted: March 12, 2013 | Author: momruncraft | Filed under: Project Life, Scrapbooking | 16 Comments

I have been slightly obsessed with speech bubble journal cards. I love using them to keep track of the funny things the boys say…but, I am extremely picky about colors and color schemes. I like to have an overall theme or color that runs throughout each weekly layout. I was having a hard time finding the right color speech bubble cards for certain weeks. After altering one of the Studio Calico cards with washi tape, I figured I’d try to make my own…

And soon learned that it is SO SO easy. And fun. And justifies my “washi collection” that seems to be growing constantly. All you need: pencil, washi tape, grid cards or card stock cut to 3 x 4, exacto knife, and scissors.

Draw a speech bubble line freehand. Light enough to be erased if need be, but dark enough to show through the washi:

Layer on the washi tape:

If you look closely enough, you can see the pencil outline. Cut along the line using the exacto knife:

Peel back washi tape on top, erase pencil lines if needed:

Done. Finished product:

Project Life 2013: Week Eight

Posted: March 12, 2013 | Author: momruncraft | Filed under: Project Life | 5 Comments

WEEK EIGHT:

Absolutely LOVING Olive in spite of living in a land of boys. The blues and greens are my comfort colors, my go-to’s almost every week. The flowers and butterflies add a little touch of girly to my otherwise boy-filled world:

Not a super crazy week, but a lot of “everyday” things: playing out front with cozy coupes- there is something so magical and timeless about their not-so-little feet peeking out of the bottom of the cars. A special “me” time treat: run + coffee date- hoping to make that a more regular weekend occurrence. Bubble fun and speech prep at work…

With the gorgeous weather, we spent nearly every afternoon out front. I found myself grabbing our picnic blanket and lying by the boys as they played…heaven. More basketball for Ty, my first Crossfit injury…OUCH, and a sweet moment I wanted to capture and remember:

I had a lot of fun with the journal cards this week. LOOOOOOVE the super easy washi tape speech bubble:

Can’t get enough of these colors:

Linking up with The Mom Creative…

50 in 2013: Book Two

Posted: March 6, 2013 | Author: momruncraft | Filed under: Book Review | Leave a comment

Please Look After Mom by Kyung-Sook Shin

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

While a great deal of poetic language is lost in translation and there is difficulty adjusting to a storyline written in second person, there is something tragically stunning about this novel.

Somewhere amongst the crowded, bustling chaos that is the Seoul subway, sixty-nine year old So-Nyo is separated from her husband. He boards the train assuming she is behind him. She is not. Before he can board another train and return to the station, she vanishes.

The family immediately begins a search. As the children search, they unveil hidden truths, secrets, and dreams sheltered by a woman they barely know. How well do children really know their parents?

The depths to which So-Nyo sacrifices and loses herself for her children is startling and difficult to read. Even more so when coupled with the admissions of her children and husband, none of whom realize her presence in their lives until she is missing. She devoted her whole being, her entire life to looking after everyone. In the end, who was looking out for her?

A true testament to the intricate woven tapestries that make up our family’s story and a reminder to cherish the hands that sacrificed something to place each stitch and write each story.

Project Life 2013: Weeks Six and Seven

Posted: March 2, 2013 | Author: momruncraft | Filed under: Project Life | 6 Comments

WEEK SIX

Jake’s birthday…FOUR years old. In the blink of an eye…

Left side. The date card dictated this week’s color scheme. I wanted to use the Studio Calico February wood grain card. After embellishing, layering, and stitching…it was a brown, teal, kraft week.

I am still working on his “all about him” insert, but wanted to include a few of my favorite things that Jake says. Mostly because I know he’ll be saying them all correctly far too soon. It’s a little sad when the boys’ finally get words right. I already miss Ty’s “likes” instead of lights and “magazints” instead of magazine.

Managed to get cupcake candle pics of both boys this year…love how he scrunches up his face and closes his eyes. He’s done that every year so far…

LOTS of washi tape fun this week. LOVE the simple little birthday cake:

Lots of outdoor play this week, the weather was gorgeous. I survived debate team judging. Snuck in a few miles. And most importantly, was reunited with my latte maker carafe…heh.

WEEK SEVEN

Valentine’s week…

Jake’s first attempt at a family portrait and HIS NAME…swoon:

Super simple way to incorporate the boys’ class valentines. Simple doily layering and wood veneer letter:

Ty’s basketball picture makes me smile every time I see it. The boys’ loved their Green Kids Craft box this month. A low-key, uneventful Valentine’s day for us:

I actually struggled a lot with this week’s layout. It just wasn’t coming together- mostly, because of the Studio Calico speech bubble card. The color was slightly off, more orange than red. And it was driving me crazy. It occurred to me to try and layer washi tape over…and voila, problem SOLVED: