Just because it is cute

Sometimes I like to just play around with some of my favorite products.  Just because.  So here is a list of my favorite things:

Pretty printed paper bags

Turquoise

Glassine bags

Colored (and white!) shipping tags

Aqua

Doilies

Washi tape

Clips

Twine

Wood Veneer Shapes

Pink

Mix them all together and Voila!!

So much fun.  And so darn cute!!


What are your favorite go-to products?


Have a beautiful day,
Stacey

O Tiny Christmas Tree! O Tiny Christmas Tree!

Seeing as I rarely post to this blog (are you all super sad?), I decided to show you a little project for Christmas time.  Something in advance!  woot.

For starters, this is a simple little project using just a few items/tools:

• gold thread
• a Tim Holz bottle brush tree (comes in a pack of 5)
• Heidi Swapp Gold Lame' Color Shine (I am almost OUT!! yikes!)
• a handful of Freckled Fawn wood veneer star-ish shapes
• hot glue gun (and glue)
• a cardboard box

Start Here. :)

I started out by spray painting the wood veneer star shapes. (NOTE: I ended up needing 50% more than are pictured here.) I usually put a scratch paper in an old Studio Calico box. The pizza box style is great to catch the over-spray, and compact enough to close up and put out of sight when done.

A couple squirts was enough.  I just pushed them around to cover on both sides.

This Color Shine is seriously amazing. The goldey-shiney-sparkley goodness is unattainable in photographic form!

 I then hot glued the little stars along a length of gold thread.  Word to the wiser-than-me: don't squeeze a crap-ton of boiling hot glue onto your fingertips and scream like a little girl.  I'm sure you wouldn't anyway, but take it easy out there.  I spaced them approximately (because I did NOT measure) 1/2 inch apart.

 Now, I am not one to brag - but I am a genius.  The little tree kept falling over.  They are made out of whisps of the wind or something.  So - BAM! - my genius thought hits me: "Stacey, use those removable Glue Dots that you have never used and are entirely useless for nearly* everything else you do!" So I applied on to the tree "trunk" and it worked! It really did! It stayed standing!

(*note: to be fair to the otherwise lovely Glue Dot Corporation, once I used these particular Glue Dots to hold an envelope closed so I could open it again)

 Look how cute this tiny little garland turned out! Gold. Bam! Instant awesomeness.
I also glued one of the stars to the top.  Every tree needs a topper.  Amiright?!

String the little garland around your tree, and voila!  So beautiful and simple.  AND GOLD.  I'm dreaming of a white (and GOLD) christmas.


Just add Frankincense and Myrrh.


Much love and cheer,
Stacey

This is a scrapbooking process post

Sorry to all you multitude of blog readers who check in to read all about my emotional waxing of poetic verbiage regarding my life, God, and other random thoughts.

This blog post is only scrapbooking.

Last month I took these photos with my cell phone as I went through the steps to complete this scrapbook page about my son's birthday:  

As you can see, I started with a sketch.  This particular one was from a blog post from Studio Calico.  On the left you see my stack of photos with the sketch, and on the right my completed page.

And, now for the excitement!  The process is simple:

1. I cropped my three photos to the same size (3.3x4.5) down from the standard 4x6.

2. I trimmed my white cardstock down 1/2 inch on two sides.  This creates a nice frame to show on the background orange cardstock.

3. I laid out my photos and measured where I wanted my title to go.  

4.  I cut out my son's name with my Silhouette Cameo. 

5. I backed all my photos with a different pattered paper - leaving a very thin border.

6.  I decided to back my die-cut title with various patterned papers.  So I trimmed small rectangles out and glued them to the back of the die-cut white cardstock.

7.  Here is how it looks from the front - with the photos adhered also.

8. I adhered small foam Thickers to the title by first sticking them to a ruler.  Then I moved the ruler (with the stickers on it) around to decide where I wanted them.  Once I was happy, I carefully stuck the top half of the Thickers in place and peeled away the ruler.  A super easy and great way to get placement right.

9.  Lastly I added three shipping tags to the top of the layout.  When I trimmed the excess off, I reverse mirrored them along the bottom.  This continues to draw the eye down the page, past the title, then photos, and to the journaling.


So that's how I went from sketch to completed page:



Easy, Peasy, Lemon Squeezie!


Have a lovely day,
Stacey

Is it JULY 20th yet?

Bass Lake

I want to go to there.

Only 30 more days.


Aaahhhh,
S-Dub

Project Life: April

Yay!

More documentation of my "mundane" life :)

I just got off the phone with my friend - my BFF from high school.  What a great moment to hear her voice after such a long time!  She & I haven't spoken in who-knows-how-long, but we just picked right up where we left off.  

Do you have a relationship like that?  Someone who may be far away (physically or situationally) and yet near and dear to your heart forever?  I am so grateful I have a few ladies in my life like that.  

My Project Life album is documenting these amazing blessings that are my women friends.  Clearly I NEED them in my life, and I appreciate them soooo much!  Although my daily life is focused on my kids and making them my priority - it is important to me to make personal connections with my friends.  That is truly what I am all about. 

In Week 14 I was so super duper excited to celebrate my other bosom buddy: Marisol!  What a joy it was to watch her lovely smile as she excitedly anticipated her upcoming wedding at her bridal shower.

In Week 15 I was so happy to celebrate my friend Kelli's birthday by throwing her a  little dinner at our house.  She is wonderful.

In Week 16 my AMAZING friend/cousin took my kids for the week of spring break so I could work (training some swimming instructors).  She is a gift to me!  Then we got to Easter plan and shop and talk and drink and laugh and play and hang out, too!!

In Week 17 I got to spend a little adult time with my homegirls Liz & Yvonne.  We shopped and day-drank.  How great is that?!

In Week 18 I spent one afternoon (National Scrapbook Day, People!) with my crafty friends Christina & Marty.  We mostly ate and talked, and why shouldn't we?


As you can see, I love people.  I am blessed beyond measure with enough food, shelter and clothing.  But I am especially blessed by the friendships and the real connections we can make through them.  You want to talk makeup and clothes? - I'm probably not your gal.  You want to talk deep thoughts, longings, childhoods, and joys?  - Oh, heck yes.


Loving reality,
Stacey

Deep Thoughts, by Stacey Wilson

My last blog post left me feeling a little bit of a liar.

Like I am actually all peppy and excited about stuff that is annoying.

And, let me tell you, I am NOT.

Which is why I am trying to change that part of me: the whining, complaining, angry-at-everything part of me.  It is why I have challenged myself to write down 1,000 things I am grateful for in 2014.  Sometimes I think it is helping.  Sometimes, not so much.

But I wanted to be clear:  I AM NOT THAT SWEET.

Here in Internetland, there is much fantasy.  Not as much reality.  I saw a commercial tonight where a mom is away on business and Skyping with her husband and kids back home.  They are all like, "yup, we're good.  Totally took baths and ate dinner" with a spotless backdrop.  She says goodnight, screen goes dark, and then we see the full pan of the filthy spaghetti-slung nasty kitchen: but they had wiped one square of the wall clean.

THAT is what Instagram is.  And Facebook.  And pretty much everything that we want to project to others even in "real" life.

And it is totally ok.  It is ok to be proud of the one clean room in your house, fo sho.  It is also ok to admit that the other nasty dirty rooms are stressing you out.  Or your functioning brain cells vs. your non-funcioning ones.  Or your career vs. your mommy guilt.  Or a multitude of other things that are shiny on one side and corroded on the other.

It. Is. OK.

Lest you believe that I have no dirty/stressful/non-functioning/guilt/corroded parts, I have an embarrassing story to share...


It all began the day before my dear friend was to get married.

(to protect the innocent, all names have been changed)

We are all checked in to this adorably newly decorated Inn.  My husband & I get dressed for the rehearsal, and walk out into the beautifully lit by the late afternoon sun lobby.  I introduce myself to another couple that is there, along with some I've already met.  Then my husband says, "can I see you in the room for a second".

awkward.

He then lets me know that my dress is completely see-through.  CRAP!  What the heck do I do?  I have no slip, no other undergarment options at all.

"Use mine", he says.

"I've been wearing them all day."

awkward.

But I do.  His saggy man-boxer-brief-shorts style chonies.

Under my silk dress.

Here I am just laughing away during the hotel happy hour with the Bride-to-be.

"Oh, hahaha" Yes, I am sooo relaxed.  

(IS EVERYONE LOOKING AT MY BUTT?)

Later, waiting outside the church.  I am trying to hide in the back.

Because, IS EVERYONE LOOKING AT MY BUTT?

Of course, during the rehearsal, I practice walking down the aisle.  

SEVERAL TIMES.  

(IS EVERYONE LOOKING AT MY BUTT?)

And, check out the static cling on that flipping dress!  What.  The.  HECK.

All night, I was tugging, shuffling, moving out of eyesight as best as possible.  Readjusting the suuuuper uncomfortable man underwear with certain bulging parts construction, you know.  Steve Erkel style was my waistband.  Somehow my butt was trying to eat the back of the dress all night.  

So..

Embarassing..

My only consolation is that I'm sure that no one was looking at my butt.  They were looking at the beautifully blushing bride, handsome groom, and practicing diligently walking down the aisle themselves.  Totally not my butt.

RIGHT?!

Please say right,

Stacey

Project Life: March

When I began 2014 with the goal of scrapbooking in the form of Project life, I had no idea that I would actually like it!  It gives me a creative outlet while documenting what some might consider the mundane parts of our lives.  

But I LIVE in the mundane, people!

The most trying, frustrating, absolute-insanity-making moments of my life are rather mundane.

"get dressed"

"get dressed"

"get DRESSED"

"GET DRESSED!!!!!"

You know those moments?  The I-am-trying-to-get-these-little-people-to-follow-my-directions moments?  

Some of my most beautiful, lovely, tear-inducing moments are also mundane.

"You are the best mommy in the world"
(spoken when they aren't even asking for ice cream)

Watching one jump higher, read stronger, play with an imagination that is so out-of-this-world awesome - this is pure beauty.

And THAT is why I scrapbook anyway.  To leave a mark in this world that we were here, dangit!

We matter.

They matter.

You matter.

{Writing the word matter a bunch of times looks weird.  It sounds weird in my head, too. }

And that matters, too.

Nothing is really mundane.  It is just part of my story.  My average, run-of-the-mill, so-so, bench-ridin', hold the hot sauce, kind of story.

And it is beautiful.

So is yours.


Fondly,
Stacey

"High-Five Woman!" awards

I was musing a while back with a friend.

Musing about my imaginary new non-profit that I thought up on the spot.

WOMEN BE BITCHES

(please pardon my french)

(it is really the most effective way to get my point across)

Because, seriously, depressingly, factually, aggressively, passively, and constantly, we women be bitches.  We judge one another.  We put one another down.  We raise our eyebrows, our car windows, and our smart phones to let one another know how we wish we were elevated above each other in a million tiny ways.

We say through these actions:

"I am better than you"

"I wish I was better than you"

"I'll find something I'm better at than you"


What if... What if we stopped the maddness?  Is there a way to do it?  What if I walked around with mini trophies to hand out to other women?

What if, instead, we took a moment to say,

"good job letting your kid throw that tantrum"

"you look well-rested today"

"Way to get to school on time!"

"Your eyes are beautiful"

"Is that a new shirt?"

"Enjoy that coffee, girl , you sure as heck deserve it!"


I was so inspired yesterday morning in my exercise class because the trainer was all "Get it!",  "You can do more than you think!",  and "Look how strong you are!".  I needed that encouragement.  I DID do more than I thought I could.  I straight-up worked harder.  And I feel so good because of it.


Can we women be encouragers?  We are to our close friends.  We are to people's faces (usually).  How about all the time?  How about today?  How about while we are talking about others without their presence?


Or will we forever be bitches?

I have hope, ladies!

Hoping to encourage, not hinder,
Stacey

February Project Life!

What's that you say?

It is almost May?

But, it's not, yet.  :)

You may know that my husband had hip surgery Feb 24.  And has been on crutches or the ice machine since.  And I've been doing most of the cooking, cleaning, caretaking, etc since then.

***insert my high school swim coach's daily mantra/quote here:

"Excuses lessen the pain of failure, but never lead to success."

So I'll just say, I AM doing stuff.  Scrapbooking, cleaning (kinda), laundry (lotsa), and caretaking.  I just haven't blogged about it.  I apologize.  I know you've all been holding your breath out there in the interwebs.

So, here are my Project Life pages for February!!

I started getting the Studio Calico PL kit.  It is fun!  And probably WAY too much stuff.  I'm starting to hoard.  A little.

Week 9 began with surgery.  It went well, but recovery has been rough.  If you pray, maybe you could lift up my husband for his endurance in this recovery.  It is hard for both of us.

But I am so, SO grateful for today.  The sun is shining, I have some time to myself, and I am making cards and blogging and scrapbooking a little this morning.  I am healthy.  My family has shelter, water, clothing, and love.

What more could a girl ask for?

Haha.  A lot more, I guess.  Starts with L.  Ends with "ouis Vuitton" Ha.

But it wouldn't truly make me happy!

Only a little...


Totally grateful for what I have today,
Stacey

Whoopsie!

Hello Titus Park fans,

It looks like my personal email may have been forwarded to you all with the Summer Swim Lesson Flyer.  Aaaandddd you received this link to my blog accidentally!

Well, here is the actual flyer:

For those of you who have no idea what Titus Park is, try checking out their website HERE.

Before I was a mom/cook/chauffeur/maid I was a Recreation Director, and a swim coach.  I taught swimming lessons from the ripe age of 15, coached age group swimming, coached high school swim teams (even one season of water polo!), and ended up rewriting the swim program for the Soledad-Mission Recreation District.  

Fast forward to today, and I just wrapped up a week of training new swimming instructors for Titus Park.  I wrote the program, levels, and philosophies.  Unless, of course, you don't like them.  Then I had nothing to do with it at all.

Hope to see you on the pool deck this summer,

Stacey

Growing through trials

I've been trying to slow it down this year.

Attempting to BALANCE my life out a bit.

Savoring the delicious little moments that occur when I'm rushing from one thing to the next.  Actually having the sweet little conversations with my kids that don't happen when I'm yelling and threatening and cranky and irritable and, and, and...

Well I just finished a book that I have been reading slowly, steadily, and with lots of thoughtful intention.  

I had my staff photographer take this picture:

And this one:

And also this one that has my whole face in it.  Almost.

I wanted to pose a question.  It is really a statement from the book that I, in moments of clarity and bitter-ness-less, completely agree with:

"I have grown much more through my trials than I have through my successes"

- James Bryan Smith

Do you agree?  

Do you look back and recognize the hardships/tragedies/loneliness/etc... were also times of personal growth?  

Please do not take this as a diminishment of your struggles.  Rather, a 20/20 hindsight that may reveal a silver lining? A strength you never knew you had? A closeness to God out of pure necessity?  A receiving of help or love that you might not have allowed before?

 The Good and Beautiful God

by: James Bryan Smith

In particular, I have grown to believe that my marriage difficulties can be beneficial to myself and others.  I have grown closer, more dependent upon, and have developed a greater understanding of who God is through my worst, WORST, times.  Additionally, being the emotionally transparent individual I am, I *think* that my discussion of these worst times with other women has helped in some way.  Helped them believe they are not alone, helped me to build trust and friendships, and helped my own marriage grow to be a little more 'normal" (whatever the heck that means).  

As I read through my notes I have taken from this book, I really want to share some.  Let me know what you think!  Do you disagree?  Do they cause you to pause and think?  Are you angry?  Encouraged?  Doubtful?  Faith-induced?  Thinking I'm cray-zay?  Let me know!

• "Jesus reveals a God who does not demand but who gives; who does not oppress but who raises up; who does not wound but heals; who does not condemn but forgives." (p.84, Brennan Manning)

• "This is what God wants most of all.  He wants to serve us, to see us feast and rejoice in his goodness. One day we will serve others, but only as a response to God's love, not motivated by guilt." (p.107, Smith)

• "A marvelous and mighty paradox: the death they thought to inflict on Him as dishonor and disgrace has become the glorious monument of death's defeat.  Though they tried to kill Him in shame, the cross stands for all eternity as a symbol of the glory of God." (p.138, Smith)

• "You were meant to house the fullness of God" (p.162, John of Kronstadt)

That amazing list is why I slowly absorbed this book. Yet my slowness made space to not be completely overwhelmed by the depth of content; and why I am forever changed.  

Lots of love,

Stacey

Right now

Right now.

Right now I am reading a book called "Tell the Wolves I'm Home" by Carol Rifka Brunt

while waiting

Waiting for my Silhouette die cutting machine to make the most beautifuly lacy papel picado Save-the-date cards for my BFF's wedding.

Waiting and thinking.

Right now I am waiting and thinking.

I do a lot of this.  Well, not really a lot of waiting.  But a lot of thinking.

Some things I am thinking about right now:

1. How I have a lot of aquaintences.  But not a best friend.  I like to think and talk deeply about real things, so I'm probably too much to handle.
2. I really like my UGG boots.  So warm.
3. Blaine's first day of recovery from yesterday's hip surgery has been stellar.
4. I hope I'm not jinxing him for tomorrow.
5. I am really grateful for my project on gratefulness.  It helps me focus on the good, rather than my SUPER negative focus all all things bad.
6. My gel nail polish is so cool.  It really does last for so long.  
7. I'd like to get back to my book now.

Just thought the internet wouldn't be able to rest without knowing what my brain was processing just now.

Right now.

Muah,

Stacey

Project Life: weeks 1-5

EEEVVVVEERRRrrryybody's doing it.  At least it seemed like everybody but me in the scrapbooking world was doing Project Life scrapbooking.  It is a simple system of getting your life documented: doesn't involve any scissors or glue.  Just slide your pictures into these 4x6 or 3x4 inch pockets.  Slide the cards into the other spaces and voila! - scrapbook!

It is a system created by Becky Higgins.  I mentioned in my New Year's resolution post  (HERE) that I was going to start with the new year... AND I DID!!  

The book is a binder (super easy for putting pages in and out of).  Above is my title page.  I am using the Midnight Edition of the Project Life card sets.  It is black/grey/white with pops of yellow, so it is very neutral. 

Aaaannnd it just so happens to match our little Christmas card photo shoot by the Uber-talented Patty Schmidt Photography.  So I used those pics for the cover: perfection!

Week one was so full of photos that I used a small insert page in order to include all the shots I wanted. I mean, we WENT TO THE ROSE BOWL! (Go Stanford!)

I'm not sure if the rest of 2014 will quite measure up to the first week: NYE at the Harmons', Rose Bowl, followed by three nights of scrapbooking at Cousin Patty's house!

Probably not.

Additionally, I'm attempting to document 1,000 blessings (Inspired by the book 1,000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp).  You'll start seeing my lists show up here in Week 2...

A little note on how this whole scrapbooking "Live in the NOW"...

1. It is made possible by the advent of the iPhone.  Probably 95% of these pics are taken by the camera I have with me: the one on my phone.
2. It is made possible by the Canon Selphy printer (I have the CP900).  They have an app that allows you to wirelessly print from your phone.  SO. EASY.  The quality isn't stellar with the phone picture + home printing, but it is DONE.  And I am all about getting it done.

So there you have it: Project Life.  I really enjoy traditional scrapbooking - it is "my thing" for sure.  But I was getting weighed down with an entire scrapbook page for me to tell these daily moment stories.  I like that they are here, documented, saved, cherished - REAL LIFE moments.  And when I have a longer story to share, an event, or something that I really want to stand out, then I can take the time to be artsy and wordy and take up as much space as I want.

And now that I already have documented January 2014: it feels so so good.

Maybe this would be an easier, less stressful way for you to document your family's story?  Many people do it monthly, or with no time restraint at all.  What do you do?

One thing I will encourage is to print those pictures.  Get them in your hands.  If you have time, jot a note on the back.

I bet you love coming across photos of yourself, your parents, and other loved ones that help you know more about your/their life.  I do!

Let me know if this helps or hinders you today!

Hoping it helps,
Stacey