Project Life Prompts --June 2013

Good morning blog friends!

I can't believe it's already June!

This year is flying by.

I wish it would slow down-- just a little bit.

I hope you all are doing well.

Are you keeping up with your albums?

Mine are almost caught up.  

Lil E is sleeping for longer stretches now, so I occasionally have a minute to work on my albums!

Or sleep.

It's really a tough call some days.

Here are some thoughts for June:

52 Lists in 52 Weeks

• Things I learned over the weekend
• Things I carry around in my bag
• Ways to be a great wife/girlfriend/significant other
• Friends I an always count on
• Quotes that inspire me
• Things I learned from my Dad

One Little Word
This  month I have decided to use 1 large photo as my project.  I took a photo over the weekend of my living room.  In this photo are: 2 rowdy, filthy puppies, 1 crying infant, 3 loads of laundry spilling out of their baskets, 8-10 large muddy paw prints on the carpet, 1 blaring TV, 1 dumped over basket of dog toys, 3 empty water cups, 2 dirty paper plates, 5 pair of shoes and one really ticked off looking fiance.  I added the words "Remember To Breathe" in the top right corner (the only clear spot on the photo), uploaded it to Persnickety Prints and had it printed at 12x12.  Easy peasy.



Project Life

Monthly Ideas:

• Beautiful In Your Skin Month:  I love the idea of this being a monthly theme.  So many of us (Raising hand-- me too!) are almost never in our photos because we think we are too fat, our hair is a mess, we don't have any make up on, we're wearing messy clothes, whatever.  This is a great opportunity to just record yourself as you are.  Because as you are is perfect right now. Get out the tripod, hand the camera over to someone else, take some "selfies".  Try to look past the things you don't like & focus on the good stuff!  At the very least, it could stand as a record of where you started your road to improvement if that's the way you want to go. 
• Great Outdoors Month:  Here in TX, it gets kinds hard to appreciate the outdoors in the summer, so we try to get lots of outside time in now, while the heat is hot, but not yet blistering.  For this one, take lots of pics of anything you are able to do outside this month: picnics, swimming, hikes, walks in the neighborhood, maybe just sitting on the porch swing with a cool drink & a good book.  
• Yellow:  I have always loved yellow, even though it makes me look ghastly.  Look for anything yellow around you this month.  I think of these kind of themes as a treasure hunt.  I love the challenge of finding my theme in unusual places.
• International Men's Month:  Make a record of all of the men in your life this month: your co-worker, your hubby, your son, your father, your friends, whomever.  You could also use this as an opportunity to really record 1 man in your life.  Get some in-depth info on your son, for example.  His likes & dislikes, his daily routine, his favorite foods, music, movies, his ambitions for his life, etc.
• National Fruit & Veggies Month:  Record all of the fruits & veggies you consume this month.  I don't know about you, but this becomes a challenge for me.  I'm not a big veggie eater.  But I have a young child & I want to do better for him.  I need to eat more than corn & green beans.  Maybe if I'm taking daily photos of it, it will motivate me to expand my horizons.  After all, who wants to look at a month's worth of photos of corn?

 Other Monthly Themes to Consider:

• Audio Book Appreciation Month
• Country Cooking Month
• Effective Communications Month
• Gay & Lesbian Pride Month
• International Surf Music Month
• Dairy Month
• National Bathroom Reading Month
• National Camping Month
• National Candy Month
• national Smile Month
• World Naked Bike Riding Month

Weekly Themes:

•  National Flag Week: Record all of the flags you see in your area.  US Flags, state flags, pride flags, decorative flags, what ever you see
• Universal Father's Week:  Make a photo record of the things that make your Dad (or your kids' Dad) a good one.  
• Duct Tape Days:  Get photos of all the things you do with Duct Tape,  Or all the things you want to do!
• Superman Days:  We are allllll about all of the superhero movies at my house.  Steve has shirts & figurines & onsies for the baby & DVDs & all kinds of stuff.  We have seen them all!  (The newest Superman movie is next!!!) Is someone in your house as obsessed as we are?  Record their obsession.

Other Weekly Themes To Consider:

• International Clothesline Week
• National Business Etiquette Week
• national Sun Safety week
• National Tire Safety Week
• Fish Are Friends, Not Food Week
• Watermelon Seed Spitting Week
• Water Ski Days

Daily Ideas:
1- National Go Barefoot Day: I LOVE being barefoot.  And it's a great excuse to go get a new pedi!
2-Yell  "Fudge" at the Cobras in North America Day:  I have no earthly idea what this means, but it sounded good.  If you know the origins of this one, leave me a comment.  I'm curious.
3- National Leave The Office Early Day: tell your boss it's a holiday & you have to go!
4- Audacity To Hope Day
5-National Running Day: I only run if there is an ax-wielding psycho killer chasing me.  Maybe I'll record that.
6- Drive In Movie Day:  I used to LOVE the drive in when I was young.  I need to find a local one!
7- Donut Day
8- World Ocean Day
9-Race Unity Day
10-Iced Tea Day
11- Crowded Nest Awareness Day
12-Loving Day
13-Family History Day
14-Flag Day
15- Native American citizen Day
OR  Nature Photography Day
16- Father's Day
17-Ride Your Motorcycle To Work Day
18-International Sushi Day
19-World Sauntering Day:  I need to perfect my saunter
20- Dump The Pump Day
21- National Flip Flop Day
22- Stupid Guy Thing Day
23- Pink Flamingo Day
24- Celebration of he Senses Day
25- Color TV Day
26-National Canoe Day
27-Decide to Be Married Day
28-National Handshake Day
29- Self-Portrait day!  
30- Update your garden pic OR Use a journal card to document your new daily schedule now that school is out!


***Reminder!  Time to back up those precious photos!!****

Hope you all have a fantastic month!!!

Project Life Prompts- May 2013

Hello & Happy Spring blog friends!

How are your projects coming?

Mine are actually moving along- amazingly enough.

Our 2013 PL is a little behind, but the photos are there & the notes are taken, I just need to get them into the album. 

Little Man, of course, takes up the majority of my day, but Daddy has recently started giving him a formula bottle just before bed causing Little Man to SLEEP most of the night instead of waking me up to nurse every hour & half or so!

Hear that??

Those are angels singing in praise of one bottle per day.

Since Mama has finally gotten myself a little sleep, I have recently remembered that there are other things in my life besides Little Man to photograph.

Like this guy.

And these two cuties.

How could you resist them?

Little Man is of course, the one I get the most pics of, but I'm pretty sure that's just because he's the only that isn't capable of running away.

Yet.

So, for those of you whose subjects do run away any time they see you with a camera in your hand, here are some thoughts for May.

52 Lists in 52 Weeks

• 10 nice things that other people have done for me lately
• Things I would tell my 17-year old self
• Things I wish I could change about the world
• Songs I totally ROCK at Karoake
• Lessons learned from Mom
• Movies I wish they would make 

One Little Word
This month I'm going to do a collage of photos that represent my word.  I'm thinking I am going to do it by hand, rather than using software, on a 12x12 background and maybe add my word over top with some ghost letters.  I've got  gobs of ghost letters in my stash.  If you don't, you can cut your own with the Cricut out of leftover product packaging.  Or you could use stamps or stencils to add your word.  Or you could leave the word off & just go with the photos.

Project Life 

Monthly Themes:

• Family Wellness Month: Record all of the things that you do to help keep your family healthy.  I see pictures of hand washing, fresh veggies, long walks with the dogs, sunscreen, daily vitamins, etc.  
• National BBQ Month: Get pics every time you put something on the grill this month.  We are frequent grillers in my house.  I love me some burgers off the grill.  And the smell of grilled chicken always reminds of me the frequent Chicken BBQ fundraisers that my Granddad's volunteer  fire department used to host.
• National Bike Month:  Snap away anytime someone in your family hops on their bike, be it motorcycle, bicycle, tricycle, Big Wheel, exercise bike or whatever.  Maybe this theme will motivate me to pedal a little more!
• National Smile Month:  A month's worth of smiles.  What could be better than that?

Other Monthly Themes to Consider:

• National Family Month
• Community Living Month
•  Clean Air Month
• Get Caught Reading Month
• Go Fetch! Food Drive For Homeless Animals Month
• Motorcycle Safety Month
• National Egg Month
• National Asthma/Allergy Month
• National Military Appreciation Month
• National Photo Month
• National Salad Month

Weekly Themes:

• Be Kind to Animals Week:  This would be a nice time to document all of the furry (or feathery, or fin-y) friends in your life. 
• Teacher Appreciation Week:  Get lots of photos of your child and their teachers or your own teachers this week. Anyone you learn from counts!
• Work At Home Moms Week:  Take a page from Ali Edwards' book & document everything you do this week.  I bet your kids would be surprised by how much you do!
• National Backyard Games Week:  What outdoor games does your family play?  How often do they play them?  This is a good time to capture them.
• Mud Madness Week:  It is spring after all and mud abounds.  How do you react? Do you get frustrated & spend you time cleaning up?  Do you go out & play in the puddles? Make mud pies? Go off-roading? Go on a 5K adventure run with friends?

Other Weekly Themes to consider:

• Chose Privacy Week
• Children's Mental Health Week
• Drinking Water Week
• Kids Win Week
• National Family Week
• National Raisin Week
• Food Allergy Awareness Week
• National Transportation Week
• Salute to Moms 35+ Week
• American Craft Beer Week

Daily Ideas:
5/1  Great American Grumpout
       *Also*
       Batman Day (and really, who can be grumpy on Batman Day?!?)
5/2  National Day of Prayer--who are you praying for right now?
5/3  Paranormal Day- time to make a record of any odd things that you've experienced
5/4  NATIONAL SCRAPBOOK DAY!! The official holiday of my people!
5/5  Cinco de Mayo
5/6  No Homework Day--what fun things will your kids do instead?
5/7  Accountant's Day-- who is the accountant in your house?
5/8 No Socks Day-- get a pic of your latest pedi, or of your need for one
5/9 School Nurse Day-- do you know your kids' school nurse?  How often do you see her?
5/10  Child Care Providers Day-- Get photos of the people who care for your little angels when you can't
5/11  Stay Up All Night Day-- well, this one isn't really optional for me, but if you don't have a newborn in the house, what would you be doing if you were up all night?
5/12  Mother's Day -- you & your Mama, or you & your kids 
5/13  Frog Jumping Day
5/14  National Chicken Dance Day
5/15  National Chocolate Chip Day-- It's a good excuse to bake a batch & snap pics of all of your helpers (my Claire Cat looooves her some cookie dough!)  Make sure to include your recipe.
5/16   Get an updated pic of the front of your house.  Are things blooming?
5/17  National Bike to Work Day-- I would love this, but a car seat & 9 bags of baby gear make this one out of my league for now-- maybe I'll document why it won't work!
5/18  I Love Reese's Day-- one of my most favorite holidays.  I could live on Reese's!
5/19-- Visit Your Relatives Day-- reach out to a family member you haven't seen in a while.  Get caught up-- and be sure to get a pic.
5/20 Eliza Dolittle Day-- What would be loverly right now?
5/21  National Wait Staff Day-- do you have a favorite server at your favorite restaurant?  Get a pic of them & document why you like them.
5/22  National Maritime Day-- Get some pics of the boats on the water or your view of the water from your home.
5/23  World Turtle Day-- who is the "turtle" (slow but steady) in your life?
5/24 Brother's Day
       *also*
       International Tiara Day (I NEEEEED a tiara!)
5/25  National Missing Children's Day-- ok, not a fun holiday, but maybe a reminder to hold your little ones a little tighter tonight & talk to them about stranger safety.
5/26  Have you brought out your summer wardrobe yet?  Document your closet change over.
5/27  Memorial Day
5/28  What are you watching right now?  Shows are coming to a season's end-- make notes or screen shots of what you loved this season.
5/29  Lear About Composting Day-- do you compost?  Document how.
5/30  Heat Awareness Safety Day-- how do you protect your family?
5/31  What You Think Upon Grows Day-- what's on your mind or growing in your head lately?

*This is your monthly reminder to back up your photos!!*

I hope you all have a wonderful month!

Project Life Prompts- April 2013

Happy April Fellow PL-ers!!

I hope your albums are coming along!

I'm taking many many many more photos these days, but spending even less time in my studio doing anything with them.  

This guy might have something to do with it. 

Straight to business this month!!

52 Lists in 52 Weeks:

• Things I Love About Spring
• Things I Dream of Doing When My Day Turns Sour
• Things To Do On a Rainy Day
• My Favorite 80s Song List
• Things I Could Eat All Day, Every Day
• Some Things Are Better When They're Tiny

One Little Word:
 This month I have a business that I can't really run, construction that has torn up my driveway & forces me to listen to large machinery breaking up concrete for hours at a time, 2 ticked-off cats, 2 insane seven-month old puppies, hundreds of house guests, a fiance that's never in his life held a baby,  a nursing newborn and an incision that prevents me from being able to put my own socks on.  

I have decided that I need a large, visual reminder of my word if I am to survive.

So this month, I am working on  a 12x12 layout that I will frame and hang in the hall outside my studio with my word on it. Later on, I will add it to my album, but right now I need to see it.  

At this point, I have no idea at all what it will look like, but it really doesn't matter.  It just needs to remind me to Breathe. 




Project Life:

Monthly Ideas:

• National Car Care Month:  Document everything about your car this month.  You can start with the basics-- make, model, mileage, that kind of thing.  But also, get pics of oil changes, car washes, the interior-- is it neat as a pin, or a total mess?  
• National Garden Month:  April is the perfect time to start documenting your garden.  Tilling, weeding, planting, all kinds of fun stuff goes on.  Make sure to get pics of yourself in the process too.  Don't forget all those little details- your dirty gloves, mud on your boots, the big, floppy hat you wear to keep the sun off your face, etc.
• National Humor Month:  Get  photos or screen shots of all the things that make you laugh this month.  My Facebook friends tend to post lots of MeMes that make me laugh, so I'll be saving some of those to use too.
• Couple Appreciation Month:  I see 2 ways to approach this one.  1) Spend the month documenting the other couples that you & SO spend time with.  Who are they?  How do you know them? What sorts of things do you do together as couples?    2) Document all of the things you & your SO do to stay connected as a couple.  Does he make your first cup of coffee for you in the morning?  Do you lay out his shirt & tie in the morning?  Do you text or email each other during the day?  Do you chat on your lunch hour?  
• Yellow:  Look for all things yellow in your environment this month

 Other Monthly Themes to Consider:

• Alcohol Awareness Month
• Autism Awareness Month
• Child Abuse Prevention Month
•  Defeat Diabetes Month
• Grilled Cheese Month
• Global Child Nutrition Month
• Home Improvement Month
• Celebrate Diversity Month
• International Twit Month
• Month of the Young Child
• National Card  & Letter Writing Month
• National Decorating Month

Weekly Themes:

• Explore Your Career Options Week:  Even if you are totally content with your job, it never hurts to think about your options.  What other careers could you go to if you had to?  What would you want to do if you could do anything?  
• Hate Week:  Face it.  We all hate things.  Use this week to get it all off of your chest.  Get pics of stuff that you just flat out don't like.  
• National Volunteer Week:  How do you volunteer your time?  Make sure to get lots of photos & make notes about why you choose to help out the way you do.
• Preservation Week:  What are you preserving?  Memories?  Heirlooms? Fruit?  Document it!
• Sky Awareness Week:  I'm going to take a photo of the sky over our backyard every morning this week at 8am.  I think it will make a neat layout to see how it looks from day to day.  It would be fun to do a night-time version of this too if you have a tripod & camera with a delayed shutter option. 

Other Weekly Themes To Consider:

• Golden Rule Week
• International Pooper-Scooper Week
• Laugh At Work Week
• National Window Safety Week
• National Library Week
• National Animal Control Appreciation Week
• National Park Week
• National Karaoke Week
• Money Smart Week
• National Playground Safety Week
• Safe Kids Week
• National Pie Championships

Daily Ideas:
 Apr 1: Tater Day-- your favorite way to make spuds
Apr 2:National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day-- What is your favorite sandwich?
Apr 3: Find a Rainbow Day-- If there isn't a physical one in the sky above you, find a philosophical rainbow in your day
Apr 4: National Walking-- take a photo while out on your daily walk today, even if it's your feet on the move
Apr 5: National Deep Dish Pizza Day-- Where do you order pizza from?  Why do you pick them over someone else?
Apr 6: International Pillow Fight Day- Do your kids have pillow fights?  Do you & SO fight over the pillows at night?  I listen to the pups fight over theirs all night long, so that's going in the album today!
Apr 7: National Beer Day-- Document your favorite brew! Is it local or something more exotic? Do you make your own? 
Apr 8: No Housework Day-- This is a holiday I can be on board with!  If you took all of the time today that you would normally be doing housework & spent it doing something fun, what would it be? Or maybe, this is a time to document your housekeeping routine.  
Apr 9: National Cherish an Antique Day-- Are you a collector? Or do you just have a family heirloom or 2?  Document what you have, where it came from & why you love it.
Apr10:  National Sibling Day-- Get a photo of you & your sibling(s) today.  If they live far away, you could make notes about how you keep in touch with them (maybe grab a screen-shot of an email or Skype).  
Apr 11:  One Day Without Shoes Day-- Celebrate your sense of touch today.  Where did your feet goes without shoes?  What do you love about being barefoot?  OR do you just hate everything about it? 
Apr 12: Walk On Your Wild Side Day-- How do you demonstrate your wild side?  Fashion?  Hairstyles? Tattoos? 
Apr 13: Scrabble Day-- Do you play Scrabble or Words With Friends?  Document who you play & why.
Apr 14: Dictionary Day-- Pick a word that defines you today & use it as your POTD
Apr 15: Tax Pay Day-- Did you get your taxes filed?  Tuck your receipt into your album.  I think it would be fascinating to read 10 years from now!
Apr 16: National Stress Awareness Day-- What stresses you out &what do you do about it?
Apr 17: Blah! Blah! Blah! Day-- Who do you know that just talks all the time?  Is it you? A friend? Your child?  Get a pic of that person today.
Apr 18: National Wear Your PJs to Work Day-- Make sure to take pics!  How fun!
Apr 19: National Hanging Out Day-- Where do you like to hang out?
Apr 20: Husband Appreciation Day-- Document some things that you do to show your hubby that you appreciate him.
Apr 21: National Chocolate Covered Cashews Day-- Yummy!  I'm  going to make some today in celebration.
Apr 22:  Earth Day-- Do you recycle?  Do you drive a hybrid?  Use solar power?  Document your efforts to help protect our planet.
Apr 23:  Movie Theater Day-- If you can't get to a movie today, you could make a list of the ones you want to see.
Apr 24: Take a photo through the windshield of your car today. (Please don't do this while the car is in motion.)  What sights do you see?
Apr 25: Take Our Sons & Daughters To Work Day-- If you have kids, ask them what they think you do for a living.  The answers might surprise you.
Apr 26: Arbor Day-- Take some pictures of your favorite local tree-filled space today.
Apr 27: Babe Ruth Day-- Baseball Season is in full swing!  Who does your family root for?
Apr 28:  Sense of Smell Day-- Get some photos that represent your favorite scents today. 
Apr 29:  Pin Hole Photography Day-- I thought this would be a fun experiment!  What cool photos can you take today using this technique?
Apr 30: Bugs Bunny Day--  Did you watch Bugs as a kid?  If not, what cartoons did you watch?  Today is a good opportunity to document a piece of your childhood.

**This is your friendly monthly reminder to back up those photos!!!**

I hope you all have a wonderful month!!