Currently | A List of Doings

I'd be lying if I said I didn't like lists. And I know I am not alone fellow list makers/lovers. Whatever type of list it be: grocery, to-do, goals, life list, etc. There's something very satisfying about writing things down. It is a bit like a journal to me and definitely a way organise my thoughts and clear my head.

Currently:
Dreaming about travel and planning a trip. I don't know where or when but it has been very present and on my mind of late. Considering I use to travel all the time, it's time to start making that happen. And it needn't be half way around the world. I'm open to all adventures, near & far.

Welcoming the change in weather all be it slow. Fall, come on already! You're hinting but not all the way here. The cooler nights are starting to feel so good.

Wanting to take a couple of classes. Photography and any class related to graphic design. For me, for fun. Just because I want to.

Listening to podcasts and thinking I need to go to these more often. So much stuff out there and so interesting.

Adding this book to my 'want to read list'. You can listen to an interview with Louis Zamperini here.

Watching The Voice and liking the team this season. I think Gwen & Pharrell make fabulous editions. Especially Gwen. C'mon she's the lone girl and she's funny and ever-so-fashionable. Looking forward to the knock-out rounds.

Cooking/Making a lot more lately. Chili, meatballs + marinara, Chinese chopped salad (sans chicken), coleslaw and deviled eggs. Not all together of course!  I do love to cook but admit I'm not forever inspired to always make it happen but when I find my rhythm I am so on it! I do enjoy food prep, the handling of fresh ingredients and the process of bringing it all together. It's relaxing. I need to remember this when I'm feeling uninspired and in a hurry. Or just lazy.

Studying The Book of Psalms. Under the tutelage of great teachers of course. Packed with so much inspiration it's amazing. And I'm not surprised because God's Word is always amazing. Always.

Wearing flip flops and sandals and sleeping with a light weight blanket still. Gah! Can't wait to put on socks and proper shoes and denims and scarfs and jumpers. Can't wait!

Getting ready to start Christmas card designs/plans. Yes already! It is that time. I have failed these last couple of years at sending them out. Not going to happen this year!

Thinking about Thanksgiving details. Looking at recipes, dreaming about table settings and the like but not sure what we're doing just yet? Last year was so good I'm still savouring it.

Using my glue stick, corner punch, scissors and pens a lot. And loving every minute. A good black pen goes a long way in my book. A long way.

Weekend Links | Nº 2

What does 'Live Well' mean to you? For me, it is a combination of things but enjoying the simple and small things is one of the key ways I live well. Catching a glimpse, like above, and just savouring it is one of those things for me.
Have a great weekend! Enjoy the links. I hope you are inspired.

• Yeah. I pretty much think this is the coolest ice chest I've seen. And I want to make one!

• My favourite sleep gear is boxer shorts and a tee. I also want to make quite a few of these.

• Birthday letter to self. I like her perspective.

• The most candid and honest writing from a hugely successful and incredibly talented blogger about depression. And I can't say enough how much I admire this.

• This is awesome in so many ways. Not your average Christmas card/letter for sure.
And download her nifty envelope liners here.

• Make a great travel binder/travel journal like Kelly Purkey did here. I so like her aesthetic. Girl's got some serious style happening if I say so myself.

• Who knew pegboard could look so hip + new.


xo, Collette

My California Collection on Instagram

 By accident I started a little collection on my Instagram titled 'California' (#hooptydopptyscaliforniacollection) and I have to say I'm sort of chuffed about it. I noticed that I was capturing scenes that seemed to be small iconic bits of California and I went with it. It's not that these things are exclusive to California but they are very much a part of the larger, collective whole that says California to me. And yes, I know that the palm tree is not native to California but it is very much a part of California landscape, as are many other things I hope to slowly capture and add. I like little accidental projects like this that turn into something with a direction and purpose. All for fun, that is all.

xo, Collette

Weekend Links | Nº 1

The sky was so beautiful this morning and the sun, well the sun was so hot. We're having some rather warm weather here in So. Cal to put it mildly. Autumn where are you? Because the sky was so clear with what felt like painted whisps of clouds floating above, somehow, just somehow it made the heat that much more tolerable. Not tolerable enough for me to move out from underneath the canopy my brother had put up as we watched my nephew's soccer game though. (and let me say that this shot was snapped right from my seat because even standing in it long enough to capture a photo is sometimes too much for me). If not for that shade I would have been hiding out all the way across the field near the 'snack shack' looking for some form of cover from this heat.

I always appreciate links from some of my favorite blogs. Here are some that I wanted to share:

• Gorgeous gift tags + gift wrap available here. For free to boot!

• Packing tape post cards. Super idea and who wouldn't have a smile on their face receiving one of these in the post?

• Are you a goal setter, life-lister or perhaps a perfectionist? I still think of this post often. It's just so good.

• I don't know if the whole ombre trend is on it's way out or still trending but I don't care. I still like this cabinet heaps!

• If I had the gumption to paint the wood trim in my 1904 house I would so do this! And the DIY fixture in there. Ah H E L L O to die for.

• The coolest ring like ever! Serious creativeness happening here. I want one.

• Unbroken. Have you read it? I must read this!

Hope you are all having a lovely weekend.
xo, Collette

The Week Past

Project Life of course + just having fun with little sentiments like this.

In-N-Out happened. Yes, it did!

As did an Angels game with friends. Thank You Nic for a fun evening. I loved it!
(Can't stop giggling at the unintentional 'photo bomber'. Priceless!)

We loved our seats. We were a bit skeptical at first about it feeling like we were so far away + that we'd be sitting in the sun. We've been having a heat wave here in So. Cal. The sun was perfectly placed behind the opposite side of the stadium making our seats shaded. Hoorah! Our view was great. Double hoorah!

The fireworks were just behind us. The stadium lights went out. Loved how that felt.  I like how the photo captured the people turned around looking up. And there's something a bit magical that happens at a live baseball game. It is one of America's favourite past times after all.

 I celebrated another birthday. I am so incredibly blessed. Surrounded by family + friends. I am grateful to be so loved. And it included spumoni!

A good time was had by all.

xo, Collette

Project Life | Week 3

I'm going to repeat myself here. Forgive me. I can't help but laugh at how I am posting week 3 of Project Life when we're in the middle of September already, but it is all good. After February it's monthly layouts for April - August so I won't be that behind . . . as far as posting here and sharing goes. Good golly. Moving along.

I like to write. Hand write that is. Both cursive and printing. I always have. Many photos that I feel need some text I'm ok with just keeping it simple and using a pen to add what I want. (In saying that, I've also been slow to do more digital work and use PSE more.)

I didn't mean to go orange with this but because two of those photos really had strong orange hues I found myself drawn in and continuing that theme. I like the fact that I can look at what I'm working on and see what I have chosen to do, whether it be intentional or not. This whole process is such a learning curve, it that makes sense to anyone?

• Week 3 4x6 card cut from Seafoam Edition paper + sticker and pen

• That old photo from the 70's of me and my mum is a snap I took with my iPhone of the original. I wouldn't dare write on that.

• The 'Just Be' - again Seafoam paper pack + stickers

• An accidental photo I liked for no particular reason.

• A quote from Julia Child printed + hand written on Seafoam paper pack.

• Paper from 'Take Note' Studio Calico paper pad - An oldie I'm guessing as I picked this up at a Tuesday Morning shop for cheap. I love my discount finds!

• A new bed I bought (assembled with my dad's help) from IKEA. I was a bit skeptical about quality, I admit, but it has turned out to be a great bed. I think I may add some text to that photo.

• 3x4 card cut from Seafoam paper pack.

• A glimpse of my small work area at night.

• A verse of scripture. Revelation 11:17

• Pot Roast my dad made in an old pot that was my grandmother's. It's been around for a looong time that pot.

• My Lucy. I love this dog soo much. She's a character for sure. Stickers from I can't remember where?

• 'Don't Worry Everything Is Going To Be Okay' 3x4 card from Me & My Big Ideas.

• Seafoam paper pack with plastic letters I adhered. 

• More Seafoam paper with some journaling on it.

• A birthday cake made from Ube - a popular root used in many Asian desserts. This one from a Filipino bakery for a bible study gathering we had.

I really enjoy doing Project Life!

xo, Collette

Project Life | Week Two

Here it is. Week two of Project Life. I'm getting there. What I'm finding about documenting this is my frustration that I only have my iPhone to document and photograph the project to share. It's not the best for taking the whole layout shot but I'm not going to let that discourage me. Moving along.

Because I'm playing catch-up I realised that after coming back to complete this I hadn't documented much with words and hadn't taken many photos. I just told myself, "It is what it is." Hence the quote on the page. It's life and this is what you are documenting. Sometimes exciting and filled with interesting adventures or happenings and sometimes, well . . .  not so much. And to be honest it wasn't the best of weeks for me during this time and that's ok. My goal is to do this and enjoy it and not be so critical about how it all unfolds. It is a creative outlet so it's really easy for me to look over it and then start to critique every detail WAY too much.

Second page of layout included a palm tree photo because c'mon folks it is southern California after all, a quote that I found very profound (I like finding quotes that inspire and move me - like, like, like!), a second quote, a couple of cards from an extras pack from Project Life (sorry don't remember what it's called but I picked it up at Michael's) - the chevron and ampersand cards are from that pack, a movie ticket receipt and some written words and a fun photo of the infamous Miguel's Jr.

I'm really loving this process. I think I'm going to also add these blog posts into the album as part of the documentation. At least the words as I'm finding writing about it is part of telling the whole story.

Back Porch Renovation Start

I live in an old house. One hundred and ten years to be exact. My grandparents lived here and my mum was eight years old when they moved here. I purchased it in 1998 but have not lived in it the entire time, hence it's still a work in progress. There were a lot of renovations done. A LOT. Mostly the 'gut stuff' as I like to call it. The important things like rewiring the entire house (hello tube and knob electrical and exterior wiring throughout the entire house), some plumbing, kitchen cabinetry (there were none!), central air/heat, refinishing all of the molding - doors, windows, casings, picture rail - to the natural wood finish. That was painstaking and grueling, to say the least. All new walls were installed as the plaster was literally crumbling, and well you get the idea right? I could go on and on and I have plenty more to say and share but I'll save it all for another post(s).   

All of that to put some perspective on things and introduce the back porch. The old, dilapidated, wreck-of-a-back-porch that is. It has basically been written off, neglected and unloved . . . with good reason. Look at it! It is not original to the house and it is poorly constructed. The floor slopes, it is not insulated, it has exposed conduit (but it's up-to-date & more importantly safe), lovely gold linoleum from the late 70's and it's just dingy and gross. The plan was and still is to remove it completely so it has never been a priority but the problem is that it is still here. It's not going to be removed just yet and since that is a reality ignoring even further is just making it more sad and ugly.

Go back a few years to my first house. We had an old, very dark and ugly 60's kitchen. The entire house was a fixer upper, and fix her up we did! The kitchen was a write-off in our minds. We were going to tackle that last and do it up proper - all new everything - after we took a break, regrouped and had the finances to make it happen. We gut renovated the rest of that house and then the opportunity came along to buy this house. That obviously changed the plans for the kitchen and any further renovations as we were going to make that a rental property. The kitchen did get a make-over and a good one at that. Without breaking the bank and going overboard we made that kitchen really nice on a budget and as we started to pack up and move our things out we were both happy and sad. Happy it looked so great but sad we were not going to be the ones enjoying that nice, bright new kitchen. What in the heck were we thinking? Well, we were inexperienced and timing and circumstances pushed us to do something that turned out to be a huge learning curve. That brings me to the back porch. What the heck was I thinking?

It's progress folks, progress. I'm hoping to share the after when well, it's finished. i'm not making any promises to a time line but for now this is a wonderful start and i can't tell you how bright and transformed it is with just one small section of it being painted. And not even completely painted but it has been started and that feels good.

The goal here is to make it a nice, bright and more cheerful place without too much fuss over scraping, sanding, finishing, etc. This is not the place to waste that sort of energy, time and especially money. I want to do this on the cheap using some good old sweat equity. Thinking positive that one day it will be removed and the dreams I have for this house will come to fruition. Work in progress, work in progress folks!

To Do/Want List: Back Porch
• Clean, scrape, fill (minimally) and paint with a nice bright white
• Paint door, metal trim of window, replace/paint doggie door
• Get new door hardware eventually (because that shiny gold has to go)
• New affordable vinyl flooring (there's some cool stuff available now and it sure beats that gold 70's stuff currently there)
• New entry rug/mat
• New window coverings ( I believe we have some blinds & they will suffice as that's money saved and they're white and will do)

*Notice the canine helper in both shots. Always by my side. That's Lucy. Love her

Project Life | Week One

Hello! Here it is. Week one, yikes. Pardon me now please for gasping each time I post as I'm still laughing at myself for how far behind I am. I know, I know. Get over it!

New Year's Day was a good one. The top features a homemade bowl of posole (and I spelled it pAsole ~ oh well!). A dear family friend always hosts a New Year's Day feast mainly composed of Mexican food, as she is Mexican, along with plenty of other things ALL homemade. Just a really fun day to sit around, eat and visit and enjoy. Hoping I'm invited back.

I had to add a Downton Abbey photo because really who can resist adding the gorgeousness that is Downton Abbey. I got the idea from Design Editor. Funny thing is that I still have not seen season 4 of DA so I'm looking forward to enjoying it on DVD prior to season 5 beginning. The "Keep Calm Carry On" is from Me&My Big Ideas, striped 3x4 from a Project Life extra pack thingy I picked up at Michael's. I dotted the b&w DA with gold ink, numbered the different photos and then journaled in brief about each one.

Second page contains a scripture Ephesians 4:32, a packaging tag, some Seafoam Kit paper (digital version link but I used the pack but it looks like it's currently sold out on Amazon) and photo I pieced together for the 6x12 top portion of this page. Bottom is 3 6x4 slots. The middle one is from the same Project Life extra pack I mentioned above. (And yes that's my friend Steve photobombing us).

More to come . . .
I really enjoy doing Project Life.
xo, Collette

Project Life | My Title Page 2014

Here we go! My title page for Project Life®.  FINALLY. Yeah I know it's August folks but hey who's keeping track, right?

A Few Things:  I purchased a variety pack of pages from Amazon (not official Project Life® pages) a couple years back when I had the idea to start Project Life®. I thought the variety of layout pages would be best but I didn't find that the case. Not for me anyway. If you're doing weekly pages I think it's easier to stick to a single format. Just my opinion. I find it easier to get in a routine and you're not fumbling around each week with different photo sizes and or inserts, not to mention all of the great products + kits that are made for Project Life are made in the standard 4 x 6 and 3 x 4 sizes. Now, since I'm mixing things up I fell behind I do think it easier to manage the variety layouts if you are doing monthly spreads. Again just my opinion + experience.

For my title page this particular layout has a 4 x 12 insert at top. Now, because I don't have a large scale printer and my designerly skills with PhotoShop Elements are in progress and for the sake of keeping it simple and keeping my sanity and making this fun and completing this project without feeling less than and inadequate because I'm not a professional scrapper (not yet!), I'm figuring stuff out, learning A LOT as I go along and have a strong desire to learn so much more. Mostly, develop my technical skills with photography and digital editing, etc. I find all of it so interesting and fun and yes frustrating at times too. The goal: have fun, share it, jump in and enjoy the process. And give grace when needed. It's ok to fall behind. It's ok to share it even if it is, oh . . .  say 9 months later [grinning here].

From top to bottom, left to right:
• Instagram photo with text from ABMapp
• 'Selfie' Instagram adhered to have edges as to fit the 4 x 8 space, doodled chevron edges freehand with a sharpie
• Project Life® 3 x 4 pack (can't remember which one?) with a silver letter C sticker from Martha Stewart (if memory serves me)
• 'You Can Never Have Too Much Happy' 3 x 4 card from Me&My Big Ideas
• Freehand insert I made with some silver glitter paper, a packing tag, and some glitter letters. I'm all about the gold and silver this year. Who would have thought?
• My dog Lucy adorned with a glitter star and dots I did with a pencil eraser end + gold ink directly on to the photo
• My OLW for 2014: Proclaim. I haven't participated in an official class for this that Ali Edwards offers but I did choose a word. It also happens to be the word my church chose for 2014. Stickers: Can't remember. Writing on card: my own.

* All photos on my iPhone5. I have an old Canon 6.0 megapixels point and shoot, yikes. I don't own a DSLR camera but it is something I really hope to have in the near future.

Hope this is helpful in some way shape or form to someone.
I really enjoy Project Life and memory keeping. 

xo, Collette