kapachino

Category: documenting

  • project life 2012 : week 7

    That’s week 7 for me, since I started at the beginning of February.

    I’m a week behind in posting my progress because lately I haven’t been finishing until halfway through the next week. But that’s just how it has to be and I’m fine with it. It’s getting done. Still loving it.

    I was really strapped for time to complete this week so it’s extremely simple. Mostly just photos with very little journaling or embellishment. However, we did visit Bayou Bend, which lent itself to some really pretty pictures, so I included those in an insert.

    For the insert I just cut a 6×12 piece of cardstock and taped the photos to it. I slipped it inside a page protector and added a fabric tab.

    I print almost all my pictures using Snapfish and pick them up at Walgreen’s. For the 3×4 photos (perfect for iPhone) I just combine two into one 4×6 using the Diptic app and then I can print them regularly. If I want a square photo I either place it onto a 4×6 canvas in Photoshop Elements, or I print using PostalPix – but that takes longer since they have to be mailed. I don’t have a photo printer so I have to work with conventional sizes if I want to be able to pick up my pictures the same day I order them.

    The picture in the top right of me in my sunglasses is a good example of how I place a square photo on a 4×6 canvas. It’s all one photo, and I just wrote directly on it. That “celebrate” card in the lower right is from this.

    Overall I’m just keeping it simple, and I’m finding that the sum is much greater than the parts. It’s going to be SO much fun to look back at. When I have extra time to play with it I love adding more embellishment, but if I don’t that’s okay too. Such a great project.

  • introducing project life & 2012 weeks 1 – 6

    I started Project Life on my birthday at the beginning of February. It’s a scrapbooking system that can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. It uses a 3-ring binder, photo protector pages, your photos, and journaling cards. There are special Project Life kits and supplies that you can buy, or you can just recreate it on your own.

    I really love it. I’ve never kept up with a scrapbook before, but this seems sustainable. It’s been five weeks and I’m going strong. I do one spread (two 12 x 12 pages) per week, and I usually put it all together on the weekends in about two sittings.

    Here’s the front page (click on the pictures to make them bigger):

    The week of February 5 – 11 (including my birthday):

    February 12 – 18 (including Valentine’s Day):

    February 19 – 25 (Meredith turned 7 months):

    February 26 – March 3:

    March 4 – 10:

    So I almost didn’t post about this at all, because so many of my ideas for this are taken directly from Elise. The top left pocket with the date on the kraft paper circle, the weekly quote, the list of the week’s happenings, and the labeling are all inspired by her. I’m not an original person, but I do like to craft. So I take other people’s ideas and make them my own.

    My album isn’t the most detailed, creative, or cool, but I like it. If I had more time I would have a blast adding little things here and there, but I don’t. I take pictures and keep odds & ends throughout the week. On Saturday I choose pictures (I print them using Snapfish and pick them up at Walgreen’s) and get a basic layout. On Sunday I put it all together.

    I don’t know if anyone is even interested in the supplies I use, but here’s some basic information. I already had some scrapbooking supplies around because I’m in a monthly craft club that focuses on making cards. I decided not to buy the Project Life kit, because I figured I could make it more like I want it on my own, but the kit is great if you don’t have any supplies or if you don’t feel like getting creative with it. I did buy the big pack of Design A page protectors because I liked the layout.

    My binder is American Crafts. I use a Fiskers corner rounder and paper cutter. I have a few punches from Stampin’ Up (tag, circle, heart) that I use frequently. I got some washi tape, some labels, some stickers, and I cut out cute patterns from magazines to add interest. I try not to spend too much money on it and use what I have.

    Let me know if you want more details about anything. I’m going to try and get my act together to post my progress (with clearer and more detailed photos) every week or two.

  • a day in the life of this working mom

    1:00 AM – Meredith nurses, then back to sleep
    5:00 AM – My alarm goes off. Meredith nurses again and I press snooze a few times.
    5:27 AM – Time to get out of bed & get ready! Meredith is still sleeping so I get dressed and get breakfast prepared.
    5:50 AM  – Get Meredith up and dressed.
    6:00 AM – Say goodbye to David and make sure he gets out of bed.
    6:07 AM – Leave the house!

    6:10 AM – Drop Meredith at daycare and linger for a few minutes.
    6:14 AM – Leave daycare and start the drive to work.
    6:56 AM – Park at the remote lot and get on the train.7:08 AM – The train drops me off.
    7:14 AM – Arrive at work too early to clock in. Put things away in my locker and go get my patient assignment.
    7:23 AM – Clock in on the computer and start getting things ready for patients to arrive.
    7:45 AM – My first patient arrives.
    8:20 AM – Start the infusion & go pump.
    8:40 AM – Back at my desk I chart, check work email, and do open enrollment.
    9:29 AM – Discharge patient 1.
    9:35 AM – Patient 2 arrives.
    10:10 AM – Discover one of my patients is in the hospital.
    10:18 AM – There is a delay with patient 2 due to order clarification so I start on chart audits.
    10:27 AM – My dad visits Meredith at daycare and sends me pictures!   11:05 AM – Infusion started on patient 2.
    11:20 AM – Patient 3 arrives.
    12:00 PM – Discharge patient 2.
    12:15 PM – Patient 4 arrives.
    12:37 PM – Start patient 4’s infusion.
    1:04 PM – Start patient 3’s infusion (are you confused yet?).
    1:05 PM – Pumping again!
    1:25 PM – Eat lunch & read2:00 PM – Discharge patient 3. Chart & continue audits.
    2:46 PM – Start second infusion on patient 4.
    4:00 PM – Pass off the patient to another nurse and pump one last time.
    4:13 PM – Clock out!
    4:25 PM – Back on the train.
    4:35 PM – In my car, headed a different route home due to traffic.5:27 PM – Arrive at daycare to pick Meredith up. Have a conversation with the afternoon worker about her cloth diaper sizes. (The afternoon lady has OPINIONS.)

    5:36 PM – Finally home. Do chores to prepare for tomorrow while Meredith sits in her Bumbo.
    6:00 PM – Diaper change o’clock.
    6:10 PM – I have some cereal for dinner while I nurse Meredith because we’re both starving!
    6:25 PM – Do some reading on the couch.
    7:00 PM – Go to La Leche League. I bring Meredith and she nurses & sleeps. (On other days during this time I’d either be reading, watching TV, or at a family member’s house for dinner.)
    8:10 PM – After the meeting I talk with my friend Sara for awhile.
    9:00 PM – Home again. Put the diapers into the wash (oops, forgot about this earlier) & nurse Meredith while David takes my car to get gas.
    9:17 PM – Give Meredith a bath.
    9:30 PM – Diaper, dress, and nurse Meredith. We’re running behind because of the meeting, so I seriously consider skipping my shower.
    9:42 PM – Put the diapers into the dryer, then take a shower (mostly because I knew I was recording this day), and David hangs out with Meredith.
    10:00 PM – Blow-dry my hair (hate).
    10:17 PM – Get in bed and nurse Meredith to sleep!This was a fairly typical day, except that I’m usually in bed around 8 or 9. It’s manageable, but by Friday I’m certainly ready for the weekend!