so blessed

this year i decided to keep the October Year in Review layout less seasonal. yet it is still perfect for those who have some fabulous Thanksgiving photos. the yellows and coppers will still be a great highlight for fall foliage or pumpkin photos. i think the greys and blacks work great with my black and white photos too. hopefully it will allow for plenty of options for the class to choose their favourite photos to show off.



it has been a long time since i have done a simple layout. ha! i can't resist adding more and more "stuff" to the pages. after a couple of layouts with lots of work i think this will be an easy class favourite.



i created a stencil so that we could try out some Molding Paste on a layout. have you tried this product yet? i am loving this new trend.



double sided papers make layouts like this easy to put together. when you LOVE both sides of the paper, then you HAVE to find a way to use both sides! there was only one sheet that did not get both sides showcased.

i finally found a layout to add these pinwheels and have it fit in. these look amazing in any size! i have used them on other layouts....just haven't had the right paper for my classes....until now! yay!!

another trend is the "unfinished edge punch". i wasn't sure it would work for me, but i've found that it adds a fun touch to some of the layouts.



what layout is vintage without a doily?! the Weathered Clock Bigz die was a perfect fit too. all of the little chipboard and decorative brad clocks all added to the overall look. totally fun to pop them in various corners.



i was not sure about these Prima doors. they were a challenge that was given to me. as i played with the papers, photos and techniques...they were a perfect fit. i cannot imagine this layout without them.

{on a side note....have you seen the neat new embellishments Prima came out with this season? oh. wow. you may as well forget about being able to choose just one. i don't think it can be done. and finally they came out with some obvious non-feminine supplies. love. love. love it!}



i should have taken a photo of my scrapbook room while i was working on this project. i really needed "caution" tapes surrounding my desk. there was stuff EVERYWHERE. floor. shelves. desk. i must have tested out a dozen different techniques. that is what i love. i do get frustrated at parts of the process...not at the playing...just at the making up my mind on what route to take! yeah. i guess i could have bigger problems! when all was said and done, i should have just started an art journal. only so that i could keep nice copies of the techniques for referral when i'm stumped. instead, i used bits and pieces of scrap paper laying around me.


i really do feel blessed. how i managed to find a great quality guy like Kristian i'll never know. we've been through a lot in the 17 years we've been married. i'm so thankful that we were good friends before we started dating. that friendship has helped as we have weathered through some tough times. i find it ironic that our energetic kids came into our lives when our own energy levels were rapidly disintegrating! now that they are older i think that we have all found a balance. lately i have been fortunate to witness some amazing words come out of their mouths at the least expected times. words and actions that make me wonder how in the world they became so amazing. not that they are like that 100% of the time! nope. they are still pretty human. but, do you know what i mean?

this isn't the type of comment that i mean...but this just happened and it made me laugh. this week is "Read In Week" for the public schools. that means they have had special guests coming in to the classrooms to read. including parents. i had not planned to come in this year, but both kids requested that i come in. how can a mom say "no" to that?! Aidan was asked to introduce his guest. he says,"this is my Mom. she is a famous scrapbooker." not kidding. i am not sure half of his classmates even know what that means. it is quite funny to hear how our kids view us! soon enough he won't want me within 10 feet of him in public, so i will enjoy the attention and admiration in the meantime.

yes. i am blessed. so many blessings to count. love that.

have a Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy your blessings this year.