finding your voice.

it should be such an easy thing to do.

to tell your story.

and yet it can be a stumbling block.

it can be intimidating.

and it can leave you vulnerable

and unsure.

but imagine if you knew who you really were as a storyteller.

how to clearly share in a way that you felt passionate about?

and more confidently?

if being a teller of your story was as easy as watching a sunset.

I have been a story writer, a teller of real life, for as long as I can remember.

My words are simple and they flow out of my heart like sap flowing out of a tree.

and in the last year it has been on my heart to share so much more of why I write it all down and document through pictures and words and why I feel called to tell our story.

and that has already begun in my simple heartfelt Project Life classes.

and today I am sharing that I have been asked to contribute to a Storytelling Workshop by a very talented artist with an amazing grasp on the art of finding your voice.

so join us, find more with us, for eight amazing weeks this summer.

this workshop is not for just scrapbookers, not just project lifers, this workshop is for any someone who would like to find their voice, and tell their story in a fuller sweeter way.

Is that you?

The Facebook Group Link is HERE.

More on Kristin Tweedale's Blog here.

birthday girls and layers...

two very different girls.

celebrating.

growing.

one free and wild

and prayed for

already ten

living, celebrating, in the moment.

and one sweet.

savoring little things

taking her time with life

at seven

and finding real value,

these two girls make me a very blessed mommy.

supplies for these layouts:

Pretty Little Studio Birthday Cake Collection

Purple Pumpkin Flair, Buttons, Crochet Doilies, Tickets and Washi

celebrate life.

now.

an upcoming class, a giveaway and a whole lotta my heart.

the shift had been coming... slowly, creeping up on me so much so that it happened even before I could see it. my creative life fired off and exploded in the direction it was meant to be for some time and the pure peace and overwhelming joy that has filled an empty place has been beautiful, 

completing 

and

it has taken many late nights and praying and seeking and researching....  it has taken writing and writing and reading, too.... creating and stretching myself in ways I never knew I would be stretched creatively and in the end I have found it. IT.

I have found exactly where I want to be. and that is always a feeling beyond any explaining.... because explaining your heart busting open your chest and leaving you vulnerable is more than a little difficult, especially when it feels so good. so right. so where you have always belonged... and my friend, that is where I am.

where I belong.

in the middle of this will be hard and this is so much like walking on that cloud nine.

and so today I am giving away a little kit. this kit will be used in one of my next ustream classes. I will be sharing step by step how to create layered Project Life Cards with this kit. In that class I will also be sharing how these products from Pretty Little Studio will be used with additional ones to create a foundation for a 6x8 mini sized Project Life Album. This album will start as pretty tags, sacks and pockets in a library drawer. I am beyond excited about this project and cannot wait to share it. but back to that sweet kit.

Mini Project Life Kit (for THIS Ustream Class Event )

Includes:
One Owl Flair from the The Papery Bakery
Mint Pine cone Bookmark Card
Nature Trails Note Strip “Favorite Story”
4x6 Right Now Journaing Card
1" Mint Leaf Bingo Number Tags #2
Forest Vintage Labels in mint and chocolate
One Arrow Head Shipping Tag
One Adventure Bingo Card
Adventure & Thankful 3x4 Grid Card
One Tan Polka Dot Tab

all you have to do is leave a comment on this post to have a chance to win this sweet kit,

but if you do not win or you want to make sure you have your own before they are all sold, just go directly to 

THIS LINK

and you can buy one for yourself for only $6.

I will be coming back here this weekend with a winner and more peeks at my 

"Summer Bucket List Project, Library Drawer to Project Life 6x8"

Happy Almost Summer.

teaching, sharing, revealing, and week 19... it is all very Scraptastic

I am so excited to share with you what I have been creating. If you have been following me for awhile now you may have watched a bit of this layout come together and seen what I used to create it with piece by piece, but if you missed that, here is the video sharing it, loving it....




My time ran just a bit short, but I was able to invite my little scrappers in my space beside me as I continued to create and have finished this layout. It was such an honor and a blessing to play with this Project Life Kit and I am so excited to share this will not be the last time! I have been asked to stay on the Scraptastic Design Team as a Project Life Designer! How full is my joy. These lovely kits are so perfectly matched to my style and heart in Project Life and I can completely stand behind the ladies who have paired up to bring these kits to you each month. The June kit has sold out, but please please e-mail Scraptastic to get in on the July kit! I have more info for you below.

Here is Week 19

This is the LEFT page, which is full of nature... and bits of bold...

The title/week card is a mix of one of the 4x6 cards, the washi, sequins and a number from Pretty Little Studio. I also repetitively stamped a date stamp.

The little letters helped me add a finishing touch to this picture and the sequins on this free download.

 

 These two pockets make me smile. MUCH. I absolutely love the stamps in this kit.

 

This is the RIGHT side of the spread.

 

two cards became one in this cute pocket... lots more on this on the video.

Lastly, here is the photo of the kit.

A Day in the Life (PL) Kit

(retail $31.00 - subscribers $28.00)

supplies included:

 20 3x4 Exclusive Ormolu Cards

4 4x6 Exclusive Ormolu Cards
2 Exclusive Ormolu Flair Badges
1 3x4 Exclusive Ormolu Stamp Set
1 Sheet of Jenni Bowlin Red Chalkboard Alphas
1 Roll of Freckled Fawn Yellow/Green/Red Dot Stripe Washi Tape
3 Prima Camera Paper Clips
Partial package of Freckled Fawn Stars & Such Wood Veneers
Sequins
3 Scraptastic Club Yellow File Tabs
3 Scraptatsic Club Red File Tabs
1 Scraptastic Club Let the Fun Begin Die Cut
1 Scraptastic Club Summer Fun Die Cut
1 Scraptastic Club Day to Day Die Cut

 The PL kit price is $28.00

Shipping for US subscribers for the PL kit only is $5.50.
Shipping for Canada Subscribers for the PL kit only is $7.00.
Shipping for International subscribers for the PL kit only is $9.00.

Kits start shipping on the 1st. All kits are usually out the door no later than the 5th.

to hold your July kit, please e-mail Jessica at

 members@scraptasticclub.com

also used on this layout:

Pretty Little Studio Number Circle Tags

Honey Flair by Virginia Adkins

Project Everyday Blessing Blog Hop... classes and ustream....

I am going to share my first ustream in a long time. I uploaded it to utube for viewing, but you can visit myt ustream for live viewing at the link at the bottom of the post. I will continue about once a week. This little video is the start of the layout I am sharing today and I really share my heart of why I was putting it off in the video....

and here is the finished spread

the left side a little closer

this week he was celebrated.
all 13 years of him.

and the right side closer

(it has been raining for days, but here are some pictures for you just the same)

You may hear me mentioning a class on that sweet video and I wanted to share just a bit about that on this post. I am offering monthly Project Life classes to help encourage you in your journey with lessons, video and photo tutorials. I am sharing my heart and my story, as well as my tips and techniques in a small group format. I am hoping to inspire you to love Project Life as much as I do! The cost of the class is $6 and that includes all of the class lessons in PDF files, videos, one on one support and a small group to share and create with online.  I am even letting you in on a little surprise... this class there is even an add on kit you will be able to purchase at Pretty Little Studio to complete along with me during one of the ustream videos in June. This little affordable kit with give you some really cute journaling cards that you can use on your weekly spreads. For more information you can e-mail me at wilkinson6282@roadrunner {dot} com.

I am hopping along with some beautiful ladies with the Project Life Everyday Blessings Blog Hop. This is the last stop on the blog hop, so make sure you travel to these beautiful links, too, to be inspired and see our hearts in Project Life.

Here is the full line up: (Its is a short one this month)

Katina Martinez {Loving Life's Little Blessings}

Wendy Cranford -{Luvin' Stampin' Up}

Cynthia Atkins {scrapinoma}

Melissa Miller {Living Life Creatively & With Twins}

EE Wang Kachinski

Dionne Carter

Lisa Wilkinson <--- you are here

supplies used on this layout

Pretty Little Studio Birthday Cake papers and embellishments

Studio Calico Grid Cards and Polaroid Frame

Pebbles Seen and Noted 6x6 Paper Pad

Chic Tags Every Day Life II Collection

Elle's Studio Serendipidy Lil' Snippets

Shimmerz Mist

Machine Sewing

Freckled Fawn Wood Veneer

when words hurt and a pretty little project life.

so did you see the pause? the stop in sharing what I love? no pictures. no designs. just quiet. the pause of some hurt feelings and some unkind words. sometimes I do not know why I let those words hurt so much, but I do. and that one e-mail hurt so much I stepped away. and for that I am thankful. it started as a hurt and it has ended as a joy. in that time away I found a bit more confidence. I found a few more blog followers that I did not ask for. I found that there is value in what I make, even if some find it not.  and today I am sharing all sorts of rainbows and sweetness. A special girl turned 5. her birthday was  all sorts of wonderful. and colorfully perfect. and how that landed in my Project Life with some of my favorite products. and how I am blogging no matter what.

Week 13, 2013

 the left side:

this side has one of my favorite pockets yet in my Project Life albums....

 The colors, the softness, the little details... it just makes me smile.

and so glad I do this thing called Project Life.

the right side:

a look at those "custom" made decorations:

All created with love with Pretty Little Studio products... a placemat, a bag with wooden beads for a rainbow necklace, a homemade party blower, a party hat from Target and a pretty bag of goodies, incuding decorate your own cloud sugar cookies we made with little bags of rainbow sprinkles, stickers, and pretty straws.... and we even made our own rainbow tutus!

These felt and ribbon cloud rainbow wands were simple to whip together even with a baby on my back in the Ergo.

Here is a better picture of some of the homemade party favors.... 

 which included using some cute paper straws... I really wanted to use the favors in some way when I put my layout together, so I decided on using one of the straws on a premade journaling card from Pretty Little Studio.

It really made the cutest little border down the middle. A little stitching, some paper flags, misting and stamping and the picture and little calendar just make me smile. As big as the smile on that sweet little face. 

And want to know what is in that little tin above?

It contains the sweetest little thank you gift... a Birthday Memory Game.

It was so easy to create so I am going to quickly share with you.

Step One: Gather two sets of the Mini Birthday Fun Picture Cards and 20  1 1/2″ x 3″ pieces of the Cheese Cake Patterned Paper. 

Steps Two: Next use a tape runner to attach them back to back so each memory card will be two sided. 

Step Three: Continue until all pieces have been matched with a back. If desired, laminate the cards for extra durability. 

Step Four: Eat too many Altoids, have a stomach ache, but have a cute empty tin to work with.

Step Five:Add an extra flashcard to the inside of the tin,if desired. You will need an extra pack of cards to do this, but it is really cute!

Step Six: Put all of the cute memory cards into the Altoids tin and decorated the top simply. 

cute, huh? and so so easy, too.

back to my Project Life....

 this layout includes inserts, too. I decided to share each of the girls on a little insert. I used a fun and easy balloon backdrop to take their pictures... it made the cutest little "photo booth".

 

it was room full of amazing women and girls...

 

and I so wanted them all to be a part of this layout.

this cute card was created using just a basic grid card and layering it up beautiful Pretty Little Sudio papers, a Party Talk embellishment, and little bits from my stash.

and here is the back of this insert

I created that easy journaling card using one of the pretty premade cards from Pretty Little Studio, then adding one of the Pretty Little Studio labels...

This girl really had the birthday of her dreams. I was able to showcase it perfectly with Pretty Little Studios papers and embellishments in the Birthday Cake line. I loved this day, this week, these memories. They are why I do Project Life.

and why I blog them. because they are my memories and my life. one I am happy to share with you, imperfectly.

Have a colorful day!

for supplies and some more information on how this layout came together here is a sample PDF file for my Project Life Classes!
Click Here

and here is a fun catalog of the Pretty Little Studio Birthday Cake Collection to inspire you!

Love My Tapes and Pretty Little Studio Blog Hop!

Hello and welcome to the Pretty Little Studio and Love My Tapes Blog Hop! We thought it would be fun to combine forces and share with you projects highlighting Pretty Little Studio whimsical goodness paired with the versatility and trendiness of Love My Tapes.

During the Blog Hop, you will be visiting blogs from both Pretty Little Studio and Love My Tapes Design Team members. We promise to bring you a hop FULL of inspiration and creativity.

And what’s a Blog Hop without giveaways? Be sure to visit all the blogs, including the Pretty Little Studio and Love My Tapes blogs for a chance to win some PLS and LMT goodies! When visiting the Design Team member’s blogs, be sure and leave comments as many of the Design Team members will also be hosting their own Blog Hop giveaways.
The Hop will start on the Pretty Little Studio blog and end on the Love My Tapes blog, so head on over to the Pretty Little Studio blog if you are just joining in. We will announce the winners of the PLS and LMT giveaways on May 3rd, so be sure to be watching for the announcements. If you get lost along the way, just check below where you are to get you hopping in the right direction.
So let’s get hopping!

Now, you should have just arrived here from Lisa Spiegel's blog. 

Here is what I have to share with all of you today:

I created this little mini birthday album with the fun Birthday Cake Collection and Love My Tapes. I used the tapes as both a seam binding and on the clothespin to make it prettier.

 

 

 

Make sure you leave a comment and you could have a chance to win this little mini album and the cute little washi tape!

Now you are off to visit Mary Ann Jenkin's blog!

  Supplies for this album:

Pretty Little Studio Birthday Cake Collection Paper

Pretty Little Studio Bookmark Tags

Pretty Little Studio Birthday Bingo Cards

Love My Tapes 

Crochet Doilie by Purple Pumpkin

Flair Button by Purple Pumkin

glassine sack