Scavenger Hunt Sunday {06.30.2013}

Happy Sunday everyone!

Last week, I was in New Mexico for a teacher training. The training was, well, it was work. Unpaid in the summer work.

The location of our training was interesting though. We were at a boarding high school that is about two hours into the desert. We stayed in dorms, with roommates, shared bathrooms and ate in the cafeteria. That was the bad part.

The good part was the scenery. It was gorgeous. I've never been to that part of country or up in the mountains of the desert!

And we got to visit Santa Fe. That was a nice day trip. And I thought one day in Santa Fe was absolutely perfect, I feel like I've experienced it now.

Tools

The Loretto Chapel staircase was builting using only primitive tools. It is beautiful, and definitely a work of art.

Motion

Driving through the desert on the way back to school for Santa Fe.

Sweet

This very interesting art installation in the cafeteria kind of reminds me of a big sugar candy sculpture.

Dots

I love the circles (dots?) that repeat in this cathedral. In the arches over the side aisles, and in the stained glass. Yeah, this is probably pushing it, but I really loved this chapel!

Stripes

I'm not sure what this building is. There was a little slot to drop off your tax payments in the wall, kind of like a book drop off at the library, so it must be government related. But I loved the blue beams along the ceiling!

Linking up with:

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Project Life 2013 {05.14.2013 - 05.19.2013}

I am so glad that it is Friday! There were good things about this teacher training, like visiting Santa Fe, and then there were not so great things, like being stuck in the middle of nowhere and being away from AJ.

So, I am so so happy to be going home today!

And since it is Friday, its Project Life day!

This is the beginning of my new Project Life book. My last album went from my birthday last year to the day before my birthday this year. Except, I don't want to use the same time period this time. So, I'm going to start where the last one left off and go through December 31. Then, I'll be on track to start documenting one calendar year per album!

I'm using the Clementine kit for this album, and so far I am loving it! The colors are so bright and cheerful!

I can't wait to get home and document this trip in my new Project Life album!

Well, you know what I'll be doing this weekend, what are you up to?

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Top 5 Pins {Wedding}

It seems like just yesterday we were getting engaged and our wedding was 589 days away!

But that wasn't yesterday, that was a long time ago! And now the wedding is just 100 days away! (Now would be a good time to cue a slight panic attack about what still needs to be done!)

Of course, I couldn't let this day go by without showing you my Top 5 Pins for the wedding. Some of these will make an appearance, some may not make the cut. But either way, I love them all!

This shirt I love it. If we were having pictures of the boys getting ready, I think AJ would have to have it. But we aren't doing that...so I'm not sure if its a must have item, but its definitely a must share :)

Source

School bus Yes, a school bus. As of now, the plan is to have a school bus transport guests from the hotel to the reception site. I love it! I mean, what's more fall than a teacher on a school bus?! Plus, the colors match our wedding theme and we won't have to worry about the smaller shuttle bus having to make multiple trips - we can all fit on the school bus! Okay, I promise, this is the last teacher related wedding item on here :)

Source

I Spy Is this not the cutest idea? I would love to add this to our tables, although I'm not sure how yet...

Source

Glitter Mimosa Glasses Oh yes please! How cute with these be while getting ready Saturday morning. They don't have to hold mimosas, but really, you know I'll need at least one so my Type A need to know and control everything personality can relax just a smidge!

Source

Mason Jar Candles You already know these will be there! I love our mason jar centerpieces and cannot wait to see them adorning the tables at our wedding!

                                              Source                                                                                              Source

Which of these is your favorite?

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The Shedd Aquarium Part 2 {Scrapbook Layout}

Yep, I'm still writing from the plane. I can't get over how cool this is!

Yesterday, I shared Part 1 of my Shedd layouts, so today I'm going to share Part 2 (I'm so unpredictable that way!)

I think my favorite picture on this page is either the beluga waving during the show, or the beluga swimming under the water. Belugas are my all time favorite animal, and I was thrilled to see them in person. I think thrilled is actually a major understatement! I was calling people to tell them that I was looking at belugas right in front of me and giggling to myself in the aquarium. I loved seeing them so much, I even bought a stuffed animal beluga to bring home with me.

Okay guys, I have to run, the plane is a little bumpy, which is making me feel sick!

I'll be back tomorrow with an exciting wedding announcement though!

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The Shedd Aquarium {Scrapbook Layout}

Okay, first of all...would you believe I am writing this post from a plane high above Texas?

Yep. I am! How cool is that?!

Its actually Monday afternoon and I am on my way to New Mexico for a teacher training, and my plane is equipped with in flight wifi. You know I had to take advantage of that!

This layout is from my crazy trip all over Chicago before we left.

I just love the Shedd Aquarium, it is one of my favorite places in Chicago! In fact, I love the Shedd so much I made two layouts about this trip (in addition to this one and this one about another trip to the Shedd!)

Do you ever make lots of layouts about the same place? What place is that?

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Find Your Voice Blog Hop

The Find Your Voice Summer Storytelling Workshop kicked off today and to celebrate we're having a blog hop with lots of giveaways! We're going to have a blast this summer and we really hope you play along! 

This workshop is about finding your storytelling voice. You are an awesome person with amazing stories, so this summer we're going to work together to find the most genuine and authentic way for you to tell those stories. 

This workshop is for everyone! You definitely don't need to be a scrapbooker or paper-crafter to play along. We'll be telling stories through pictures, photographs, social media, prose, and more. The only thing you need is a willingness to become the author of your own story and the courage to step outside of your comfort zone. 

Click Here to learn more about Find Your Voice 

Download lesson one here

Join the facebook group

Sign up for lessons delivered straight to your email

What Find Your Voice Means to Me:

As a contributor, I am most looking forward to finding and sharing new ways to express my family's stories. Story telling has always been a part of my life. Whether we were relaxing on the beach while my dad regaled us with the same childhood stories again and again or sitting around the dining room table, all clamoring to tell about the best and worst parts of our day, someone in my family was always sharing a story. Now we will all be able to share our stories with each other, and preserve them for years to come!

Join us this summer as we work together to find the most genuine and authentic way for you to tell your stories the way you want them to be told. We’ll be telling stories through pictures, photographs, social media, prose, and more. The only thing you need is a willingness to become the author of your own story and the courage to step outside of your comfort zone. 

rukristin papercrafts: rukristin.com/
Jessica Bree: http://jessicabree.squarespace.com/
Emily Dismukes: emilymayhem.blogspot.com
Molly Porter: mollyfrances.typepad.com
Emily Hathcock: www.elephantgrace.com
Lisa Wilkinson: www.createfor7.blogspot.com
Veronica Milan: blog.chictags.com
Michelle Wear:  table-for-five.com
Laura Kate Is Crafty: laurakateiscrafty.blogspot.com
Jen Ritchie: www.jenritchie.com
Allie: www.alexandraraedesign.com
Katie Stories: katie-stories.blogspot.com
Shay Tibbs: sbookinshay29.blogspot.com
DeeDee Catron: http://umwowstudio.blogspot.com/
Megan Anderson: www.thenerdnest.com
Nirupama KUmar: avinashhecker.blogspot.com
Eden Hensley: www.theroadtothegoodlife.com
Margrethe Aas Johnsen: http://onelifedocumented.com

Giveaway Time!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Find Your Voice Summer Workshop

Yes, its Friday, which is normally my Project Life day.

But, I've got such exciting news that Project Life is being displaced (just for this week! I promise!)

The Find Your Voice workshop is debuting on Monday!

What is Find Your Voice you ask?

Well...as a Find Your Voice team member, I am totally ready to tell you! (Yes - team member! *Cue girly squealing and dancing here!*)

Find Your Voice is about embracing, finding and practicing your storytelling voice. And there are going to be so many ways to participate - photography, digital images, social media, prose, scrapbooking, paper crafting! Seriously, could you have packed any more of my favorites into that list?

The workshop is eight weeks long, including an introduction and a wrap up. Each week, you will get a prompt, a lesson and a worksheet.

There area few ways you can access the lessons and such - you can head over to rukristin.com on Mondays and Wednesdays, or you can sign up to have the lessons delivered to your inbox.

In addition to the lessons, there will be inspiration from the team members, and a really active community on social media, so there will be tons of inspiration and places for you to share!

Personally, I'm going to be sharing my work here on the blog, on twitter (#findyourvoice) and on facebook (you can join the group right here) and in the comments at rukristin.com.

So, I think that's everything you need to know...but if you have any questions, ask me here in the comments or check out the FAQs page.

You can also follow Kristin on twitter, instagram and faebook for breaking Find Your Voice information :)

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Third Thursday Scrapbook Stories {06.20.2013}

Yay! Its Thursday! And its the last day of Vacation Bible School. Not that I'm not having fun teaching it, but I'm excited to have my first day off at home this summer - it only took 12 days!

Today, I'm over at Julie's sharing a baseball layout made with Halloween paper :)

But before you head over there, you need to see this amazing happy mail that Julie sent me while I was home in New York!

How AMAZING is this print?! Thank you so much Julie! And thank you to Kristen at Little Laws Prints who worked with Julie to bring this idea to life :)

I love it, and cannot wait to hang it up over my desk, or, more accurately, to have AJ hang it up over my desk this weekend (my picture hanging isn't always fabulous!)

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Around Here {06.19.2013}

Well, after all of the craziness in New York, I'm back home in Louisiana. And there has a lot going on around here! I feel like I need to get caught up just to wrap my mind around it. So here it is...my week in a crazy nutshell!

Getting dolled up. Because that's what you do for a wedding!

Posing for pictures. Would you believe AJ and I forgot to take any pictures together? Two nights in row (rehearsal + wedding) we were all dressed up and didn't get any pictures! Silly us!

Dancing. A lot. How else do you burn off all those cocktail hour calories? 

Relaxing. And feeling very very sleepy - we woke up at 3am on Friday to get into New York, and basically didn't sleep again until Sunday night!

Planning aisle decor. Which of course means a trip to the church!

Making wedding centerpieces. I am so so happy with the candles we found for these! I really do love Ikea :)

Rooting for the home team. They didn't win. It was a shame. But we still got to spend time together as a family!

What's going on by you?

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Project Life 25 {5.6.2013 - 5.13.2013}

Would you believe that for my very last Project Life page in this album, I forgot to take pictures all week?!

So I improvised! I added a whole bunch of pictures from fun times over the year!

top left St. Lucia
top right Navy Pier Fireworks
bottom left Boardy Born
bottom right White Sox Game

top right Our engagement anniversary
bottom left Engagement photo shoot
bottom right Prom

And, of course, the last page. I love how easy the last page and first page are. The cards are pre marked about where they should go!

Well...that's it...until I start this year's Project Life that is!

Have you done Project Life or something similar before? Were you as excited to see the end as I was? (Not that I'm excited for it to end, but its just so exciting to finish a big project like this!)

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Project Life 25 {4.25.2013-5.5.2013}

Happy Tuesday!

How was your weekend? I'm so happy that it is finally summer!

I'm enjoying some time relaxing at home. Tomorrow I am having my hair and make up trial and I am trying on my wedding gown and veil! I'm so excited to see the whole look come together :)

Can you believe this is the second to last layout in my Project Life 25 book?

Of course I had to feature my favorite DIY candles for summer! And please excuse my crazy look in this picture on the bottom right! It was 80s day at school, and I wore my Jake Ryan t shirt, which fit in high school ;)

And how could I not include our prom picture (top left). I was so so excited to be able to go to prom with AJ. I didn't have a date the first time, but I had a fabulous date this time :)

Are you ask excited as I am to see this project come to a finish? Not that I didn't love it, I just really love the satisfaction of finishing a project that has been so long in the making!

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Project Life 25 {Not Entirely Sure What Happened Here}

So, I'm not entirely sure what happened here.

I guess the last time I shared a Project Life layout I accidentally shared part of 4.15 - 4.21 and part of 4.22 - 4.28

What can I say? It was the last few days of the school year and I don't even know what I was thinking?

This is the rest of the 4.15 - 4.21 page

And this is the rest of the 4.22 - 4.28 page

Ah! I'm glad that I got that all sorted out! And I'm even happier that it is Friday :)

What are your plans for this weekend? Anything fun?

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Summer 2013

Today is the last day of school! At noon today, summer officially begins!

Last year, I created a summer list for myself. I really loved it because it helped me make sure that I got to do everything I wanted.

So I created one for this year too :)

What's on your summer list?

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Find Your Voice {Free 8 Week Summer Workshop}

Oh man, no WOYWW for me today! I'm working on creating centerpieces for a friend's party, but don't have any pictures to share (yet!)

But I do want to share something fun...a free eight week story telling workshop!

Yep, that's right, I said FREE!

Kristin, who you may know from the popular currently lists, is offering a summer workshop about telling your story.

The workshop starts on June 24 - and I can't wait! Check out her facebook page, with more information, here :)

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Project Life 25 {4.15.2013 - 4.21.2013}

I cannot believe that it is already Tuesday.

How did that happen?! I'm pretty sure the last time I looked, it was Thursday night!

Friday and Saturday were a little crazy here. We had graduation rehearsal and graduation for my school. This is the school's very first graduating class, and we were celebrating one graduate. The ceremony was beautiful.

Except for the sound and video projector.

You know who was in charge of that? Yours truly.

Everything went great during rehearsal...but graduation itself was a different story. There were some last minute changes, and I ended up

     *starting a video with very loud audio during the dean's speech
     *accidentally playing a video while it was on mute and not realizing until halfway though (after frantically muting the videos during the above issue)
     *timing everything perfectly for the music/photo montage, then neglecting to turn off the ipod while shutting down the montage and the music started again
     *playing the last song so loud that it was mostly crackle on the loud speakers

On the bright side, no one will ever ask me to do A/V again!

So yeah, that was my weekend...how was yours?

In happier news, I've still been all caught up in Project Life. I promise the share something else soon...just as soon as I work on something else! But right now, I am very content to work on Project Life and continue to make strides to finish this album!

This page is all about the schedule and textbooks at my new school. I've never had such comprehensive textbooks before, and its such a treat to have a really reliable resource to fall back on! Of course, I had to block out some identifying school details too, but it really wasn't anything too interesting!

In our first month here, we had a serious tornado warning. I had no idea what to do, but I had my big kids in class who knew what they were supposed to be doing. Sitting under our desks, waiting for the all clear. Fortunately, the storm didn't come close to us, and we were able to resume class an hour after the threat was reported.

Do you ever get caught up in one project and just can't work on anything else? What projects do you get caught up in?

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