Pinstripe Hat

Hello!  I thought I would share a knitting project.  It's been awhile since I've done that.

 

A few weeks ago I realized that Jeralyn didn't have a winter hat to wear, so I began to search for a pattern to knit.  It didn't take me long and I found this pattern on Purl Soho's Purl Bee's blog site.  I used Purl Soho's Super Soft Merino yarn.  It's a very soft, bulky yarn.  It's quickly become one of my favorite yarns. 

 

I started knitting the hat in the size for the toddler, but before I got to the crown, I realized that it was going to be too small.  Thankfully, a knitting project using bulky yarn is a fast project, so I pulled out the yarn and then knitted the 'child' size of the pattern.  Perfect!

 

I love the pin stripes!  The pattern didn't give instructions for a pom-pom, but I really wanted to add that to the hat.  I had never made a pom-pom before, so I found this video and made one.  It was so easy and simple!  And fun!

Jeralyn wore the hat a couple of times.  It fits her, but I wanted to make it more secure while she wore it (to stay on) and I wanted some ear flaps to cover her ears.  The hat covered her ears, but I found myself having to adjust it every once in awhile while she was wearing it.

 

I've only made one hat with ear flaps so far, and so I had an idea of how to make it, but I wasn't sure how to add ear flaps to an existing hat.  So with some inspiration from a YouTube video and using my own knowledge/experience, I made ear flaps.  Seriously, it was a proud moment for me because I didn't have any pattern to follow!

It took me maybe 15 minutes all together and the ear flaps were attached.  And the hat looks so super cute on her!

 

This was a fun project!  I think I may need to make one for myself!

Project Life: Week 32

Hello!  Happy Monday to you!  And um...Happy Columbus Day!  Er...yeah!  Normally, my husband would have had today off, which he still does, but it's not as exciting when there's a government shut-down and he's off anyway.  Anyway...enough about that, here's another set of Project Life pages:

 

 

 

I love these pages!  It's because it contains some of my most favorite people! xoxo

 

So yesterday I was talking about how being a mother changes life, like hobbies.  Well, we are slowly cleaning out our "office" which will soon become Baby Smith #2's room.  So that means moving my crafting stuff (what's left of it). 

 

Years ago, when we lived in Wrangell, I had a whole loft to myself to craft/stamp/scrapbook. 

 

 

It was wonderful!

 

And then we moved.

 

And once we moved into our current house, I had half of a room for my crafting stuff.  But that didn't last long when we introduced another computer into the room.  And then I stopped stamping.  And then I had a baby.  And then I sold my stamping stuff.  And now another baby is on the way.

 

Whew!

 

And now I get to pick and choose what I want to keep on a shelf in our closet that's about 14"x 4' (maybe).  Oh how things change!  But you know what?  I wouldn't change it for ANYthing!  I waited so long to have children, so this is SO worth it!

 

And it makes me even more thankful for digital scrapbooking!

 

There are so many seasons in life: let's embrace those changes!



Project Life: Week 31

Hello!  It's a lazy Sunday morning.  We skipped church today because we didn't want to share germs, and this mama needs some down-time.  I love lazy Sundays!

 

So far this morning I have completed another two weeks of Project Life, which feels really good!  I'm actually caught up to week 35, although we are currently in week 40-something (but who's counting?).  And this morning I filled some more page protectors with scrapbook pages I had printed a couple of weeks ago.  There is such a sense of accomplishment when I slide those pages into the plastic sheets!  I was telling Quent this morning that it used to take 2 albums for 1 year, but now that I'm doing strictly digital scrapbooking and not as many pages, I can fill 1 album with 2 years.  Oh how being a mother can change things, even albums!

 

 

 

As I was filling the page protectors this morning, I was thinking about how I'm not sure if I want to do Project Life in 2014.  I have a couple of months to think about it, so I'm not making a definite decision yet.  I love the project, but I think my passion is more of the regular scrapbook pages.  There are a lot of pros and cons.  One great thing about Project Life is capturing so many more moments than I would regular scrapbooking, but then when I'm playing "catch-up" it's not as fun.

 

I also would like to do some type of weekly or monthly pages for Baby Smith #2 like I did for Jeralyn.  Babies change SO much every week that it was so great to capture all of that with the photos and journaling.  But I'm hesitant to decide what I want to do because I know I will be BUSY and I'm afraid I will be playing catch-up all of the time.  I'm already feeling bad for not being better at journaling things since Jeralyn's first birthday.  I know--I can only do my best, but...

 

So I have some decisions to make before the new year.  I do know there's no way I can do:

 

A baby journal + Project Life + regular scrapbook pages

 

There is just no way!

 

Lots to think about!

Project Life: Week 30

Hello!  So I'm not as far behind with Project Life as it may seem.  I'm catching up, but I did have a lot of weeks already done many weeks ago.  I'm hoping to get completely caught up over the next couple of weeks, and then I would like to work on single, regular pages as well.  We shall see...

 

Project life: Week 29

I'm playing a lot of catch up with Project Life.  Right now I'm getting pages set up with the photos.  I will have to journal as I go and add the digital papers/elements along the way.  It makes me feel better to be doing something!

 

Project Life: Week 28

Hello! 

 

If you look real closely...you may find some fun tidbits of information!

 

I'm pregnant!

Project Life: Week 27

Project Life: Week 26

Hello!  Well, last week I was sick with a cold and then some stomach bug mixed in.  Fun stuff...not!  I'm finally getting around to some scrapbooking.  Yay!

 

And guess what?  I finally sewed the buttons to complete a knitting project I started many months ago!  Yay!  I will take pictures and post soon.

Project Life: Week 25

Hello!  It's been a few weeks since I last posted!  Jeralyn and I traveled to Michigan to visit family and friends.  I took a lot of pictures that I can't wait to include in Project Life...but it may be awhile until I get to those pages since I'm behind.  Hopefully I will be caught up in a short time.  I'm enjoying the project so very much!

Christmas Tree

Hello!  I just finished this page and thought it would be one of those perfect 'Christmas in July' layouts to share.  It also means I'm getting closer to being done with scrapbooking 2012.  I'm doing my best to pick out the photos that I 'should' scrap instead of scrapping them all.  It's hard to choose!  I had fun with this color combo since it has the traditional red/green Christmas colors, but also some pinks and purples.

 

Daughter

Hello!  It's been awhile since I haven't posted.  My sister in law, Natasha, surprised me with a 10-day visit.  I'm taking a little break right now (maybe before I take a nap), while she and Quent play some cribbage.  I thought I would post something since I had a moment.

 

I was inspired by a page I found through Pinterest.  The digital kit I used is: Currently by Traci Reed

Little miss blue eyes

Hello!  I've been scrapbooking a lot lately.  It's been so fun!  I've been listening to an audio book and some fun music and have just been having a blast!  I have completed 3 pages in the last day, not to mention some Project Life pages.  Feels so good!  Suddenly I feel so creative!

 

Project Life: Week 24

Hello!  Would you believe it if I told you I was caught up with Project Life?  Well, you better because it's true!  Ha!  Feels so good!  I bought some new digital kits and that was true motivation to have fun and play!  Works every time!  Now maybe I can get caught up on last year's photos!  Haha!

Project Life: Week 23

Hello!  I'm so glad it's raining today!  I needed a rainy day to have an excuse to be inside and play with Photoshop.  I am a month behind on Project Life and I would really like to get caught up.  So I'm on to the next week...

 

Project Life: Week 22

Hello!  Honestly, I didn't think I would be back so quick posting another Project Life page, but here I am!  I have to say I love this spread!  It feels so good to complete another week.  I'm about to start week 23, but I wanted to blog first.

 

I've been noticing this pressure I've been putting on myself to scrapbook 'normal' pages, aka NOT Project Life, but I've come to terms that Project Life just might be my norm for awhile.  It's what's working for me.  The more pressure I (or others) put on me, the more I want to turn and run the other way (this applies to like everything in my life, maybe it's because I'm a stubborn first-born!).  I don't like pressure.  Pressure + scrapbooking = procrastination and unhappiness.  And who wants to be unhappy in their hobby (which isn't something I HAVE to do, but that I LIKE to do).

 

This is a new season for me, it's a season of documenting with pictures, some journaling, in the simple collage form that is what I call Project Life.  And I'm ok with that.  I had so many years of having the time to scrap whenever, whatever, but now my time is precious and limited, so I will do my best, and my best right now is Project Life. 

 

And friends, that's creative freedom to me!  Yay!

Project Life: Week 21

Hello!  I finally scrapbooked some more Project Life.  Nothing new to report.  Trying to get caught up on my pages.  Have a great week!  Happy 4th!

Vacation 2012 Pages 1-2

After scrapping that page earlier I realized that the next photos to scrap were from our vacation we took to the Midwest last fall.  Ideally, I would like to make a photobook of our vacation to put in a Shutterfly album or something like that.  I much prefer doing collage form pages since (again) there are a lot of photos.  Plus it saves time.  And time is precious.  So looks like this is going to be Project Life style.  I just can't help myself I guess.  Ha!  Maybe I'll throw in some "regular" pages from time to time.  I'm also trying to figure out what I will do for journaling.  The album will have an introduction page which will probably have the journaling for the first 2 pages I have posted here.  And the journaling will probably be borrowed from our family blog.

 

Hello 'lil baby

So today my friend Rebekah was asking if I'm still doing any regular scrapbooking (other than Project Life).  Err...so that basically was a good motivator for me to GET TO IT!  Ha!  Seriously, I'm a bit overwhelmed with all of the many photos I *could* scrapbook, but I'm trying to just pick out the very special photos (which is still really hard to do!).  Bek, thanks for the motivation!  *wink*

 

The picture on the page below is one of my favorite photos of Jeralyn.  So this was definitely a no-brainer to scrap...but it's not going to always be an easy decision.  And this photo reminds me of how much she's grown and changed since this photo was taken just a couple weeks over her first birthday.  She's so precious!

 

Project Life: Week 20

Getting caught up...  Hope you are having a great weekend!