Thanksgiving Memories

The best thing about doing P365 is that I have to consciously think and remember to take pictures of the day. That means I have to think about what shots will work for the layouts I'll be making.

I got so many shots yesterday, while at my FIL's house. The kids were just adorable and amazing, and I actually just took most of the day to relax and have fun. I took both cameras, not including the phone. I took pictures with every camera that I had my hands on.

With my Canon EOS Rebel XS

Taken with my Samsung Impression

Taken with my Sony Cybershot DSC-W120

See, the camera doesn't matter. The shots don't have to be perfect. They only have to convey a memory in some form or fashion :)

And yesterday's official photo :)

How was your Thanksgiving?

Element Crazy?

When it comes to creating layouts, especially my P365/P52 layouts, I have to choose how many elements I want. The biggest problem I have with the P365 is choosing the right elements that suit the picture(s). I started out having an element for every single picture. That didn’t really work out too well. So, now I do just a few, here and there. I have more of an ability to add them on my two-pagers than my single pages, but I’m still getting a lot of elements in there.

What I have found that really helps is doing the journaling for the pictures first. It gives you a clear idea on how much “extra” space you will have. You don’t have to fill up every single little space though. Personally, with the P365 layouts, I like a little space, because when I print them, I can also make little handwritten notes, or if there was something that went with the day, I can add it too, giving it a true 3D feel to the pages.

Examples:

Week 46::

Templates: Weeds and Wildflowers, combined

DoTW, date tags: IACL {Everyday #4} by Jen Yurko

Background paper, Week 46 alpha, camera: Memories in the Making by the Brownie Scraps designers

Water drops, star string, brr… WA, swirl: Everyday Bliss by Down This Road Designs

Week 06::

Background: Beep Beep {collab}

Dates: You and Me {collab}

Snowflakes: Everyday Bliss - January

Football: P365 add-on {collab @ Gingerscraps}

:O face: Every Day by Jen Yurko

Word Labels: From A to Z by Snuggle Berry Pie Designs

Cookie Jar brad: From A to Z by Snuggle Berry Pie Designs

Felt Grapes: From A to Z by Snuggle Berry Pie Designs

Flourish and Flower: Timeless Beauty by FlutterbyeFaery Designs

Finding the Daily Inspiration

When I'm doing my daily idea for my photos for P365, sometimes I have no idea what to take a picture of. There are some days when I feel just icky and gross. There are days when we have big plans for the kids. Then there are those boring days where absolutely nothing is happening. Nothing is going on. What do I do then?

For days I'm sick, I tend to take pictures of myself sick:

I was sick, courtesy of fighting off a sinus infection :( Not fun!

For days we have plans for the kids, I either choose the best picture, or one that shows so well what we're doing:

We carved pumpkins on this day. It was a mess, but they had fun :)

For days that absolutely NOTHING is going on? I either take a walk outside and capture some nature:

Or I just take random fun shots of the kiddos:

My daughter is notorious for the faces. It's always something goofy or The Pout, her super-power.

I even do shots of the hybrid projects that I'm working on:

So, it doesn't matter what your pictures of are of. As long as you have fun and enjoy yourself, that's all that matters!!

One Day at a Time

Hi! *waves* I'm Sarah, one of Ramona's newest pests! I'm a mom of two, living in Kansas, and married to the mailman. So, instead of the father of my kids being the milkman, its the postman. They're the new milkmen anyways. Okay, total joke fail, but anyways!

I've been asked to write about Project 365, and Project 52, which is the scrapping of the P365 photos. I'm hoping to get some ideas from all the readers out there on what questions you might have, because, um, wow, not sure what all to talk about :)

First, I guess I'll discuss how to find the inspiration for the photos. If you're like me, you're home most every day, and kids, while they're adorable, can get pretty boring. I try to get outside and take pictures, to catch the changing of the seasons. If you have any big projects you're working on, then take a daily shot of that project. You'll see how much you complete without even realizing it!

For example: In November, each year, I take part in NaNoWriMo. That means I have to write 50,000 words in 30 days (2/5 the way through so far already :O ). So, I took pictures, literally, of my computer screen, and one day, of my hand, which had a chat room for sprinting listed on it.

See Monday through Wednesday [right side, bottom three pictures]? Monday is off my Excel sheet keeping track of my progress. Tuesday is of the chat I was in. Wednesday was of my hand. I do 2 pages and a single page layout for the two forums that I participate in that have P365 challenges going on! That’s REALLY helped with me keeping track!! To get you started, though, I’d suggested checking out Brownie Scraps’s Fruit Salad challenge!

Another question I get asked, or something that gets mentioned to me: does it matter what camera you use? Honestly? Nope, not a bit!! The gross hand covered in pumpkin guts? Taken with a Sony Cybershot dsc-w120. The hand written on shot? A Samsung Impression … my cellphone. The others are usually taken with my Canon Rebel, but that’s just because it’s easier to upload the pictures from it. But no, there’s no requirement for a type of camera. I know people who do every single picture with their cellphone.

I haven’t seen an insane improvement in the pictures I’ve taken, but I’ve noticed a change in my layouts as a whole. While I don’t cluster or even use a huge amount of elements with my P52 layouts, I’ve noticed that I’m using them more and more with my other layouts. I’m also journaling more. I used to hate journaling, but the P52 project requires it.

The biggest piece of advice I can honestly offer? Have FUN! Don’t look at it as a chore. Its meant to be FUN! Its meant to help you get in the habit of taking pictures often.

And never leave that camera behind! I bought a purse that can hold all 3 of the things I take pictures with. That’s how much I love doing this project!!

If you have any topics you’d like me to write about, please don’t hesitate to mention them! I’d love to hear them!

Credits for Layout:
2pager: Background papers: Pieces of Me by Down This Road Designs
Misc. Elements from Everyday Bliss mini kits by Down This Road Designs
Week 44 alpha: ET Highway by Ramona the Pest
Random WAs from Heartful of Thanks by Ramona the Pest
SinglePage: Background papers: Whispers of Autumn by Kathy Winters Designs
DOTW tags: Scrap Your Life speed scrap PP by MandyMade
Halloween elements: Goblin Delights by the GS designers
Camera: Scrap Your Life by Statements by Jodi
Phone frame: In My Purse by Statements by Jodi
Happiness is WA: Made Pretty Sweet by MandyMade and Pretty in Green
No laundry flair: Mommy's Helper by Pretty in Green

Preschool Moments Mini Kit

Heather here...aka isaacsmom. Wow, I cannot believe that the middle of September is here already! This year is just flying by way too fast! Today I want to share a layout I made with Ramona's latest kit. This kit is so cute - you aren't going to want to miss it! :) Ramona is participating in the Designer Apprentice Contest over at DigiscrapAddicts, and as a result, she has created some awesome mini kits! This latest mini kit is called Preschool Moments! I will be having a lot of layouts to scrap with this because my dearest son has been spending a lot of time doing arts and crafts lately. Unfortunately, last week he jumped off the monkey bar stairs on the playground at school and broke his arm. So we have no PE or recess for three weeks! It is so hard to keep an energetic little boy from running around! So instead, he has been doing lots of coloring and creating fun little art projects! The timing of this kit is perfect! I'm sure all of your little ones have been doing lots of arts and crafts as well! Hopefully not because of a broken arm, but because they are all headed back to preschool/school!

So, go check out this cute kit HERE:

And right now you can get it for free! So run on over, leave Ramona some love, and get to scrappin!



And as promised, here is the layout I did with this kit:

And here is an awesome layout by one of the other pests Melanie:

Click images for complete credits!

I hope you have a great rest of the week and have fun scrapping! :) ~Heather

Be Inspired by...

...these fabulous pages posted in Ramona's Gallery! Feeling low on mojo? When I have my moments of feeling uninspired I reach for my favorite gallery and peruse some of the latest talent. Today I have some really fun hand picked pages to show you that have inspired me. I hope they move you as much as they did me.

by Joshgirl:

by pimaprincess84:

by isaacsmom:

by shawnbear:

by Joshgirl:

For your inspiration...

Hey everyone, it's Carolyn (cfalbro) here to provide you with a little inspiration from Ramona's gallery. Have you had a peek lately? I mean WOW!! There are some REALLY fabulous pages posted there. I picked a few to share with you from Ramona's latest kit- Back to School. I hope these pages will inspire you and remind you to take lots of pictures of those kiddos (big and small) on their way out the door to school.

by rhondasunflower:

by LauraLea:

by isaacsmom:
by shawnbear:

by Lisa_mommy2Two:

by Shelly:

And here's the kit used to create these fun pages (Back to School):