tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14999529345962808482024-03-13T11:55:08.528-07:00avec la fleurjasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.comBlogger893125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-84438078742959316242019-01-01T16:56:00.001-08:002019-01-01T22:26:48.593-08:00Happy New Year!!<div style="text-align: center;">
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I just opened Blogger to start this blog post and it took me a full minute to figure out which button to press. Haha! It's been awhile...</div>
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For the last couple months, I have been toying with the idea of returning to blogging. I want to keep better track of my photos and memories. I love scrapbooking, but it takes SO LONG and I have to be in the mood to do it. And when I get behind, I feel kind of panicked and guilty that I will lose my memories and Cecily won't have anything from her childhood to look back on. Honestly, it's pretty silly, but it has led me to think that it might be fun to try blogging again. Or it might completely stress me out or this might be as far as I get... we shall see!</div>
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Right now, I'm alone at home (ahhhhhh, the best!!!). Levi and Cecily are at the grocery store getting ingredients for our <a href="http://www.aveclafleur.com/2012/01/recipe-mexican-pie.html">Mexican pie</a> dinner, and I am watching Holiday Inn, my New Year's Day tradition. I always love the beginning of the new year. I love fresh starts and clean slates and setting goals and making plans. Here are some things I'd like for 2019:</div>
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1. more time spent near the ocean</div>
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2. continue to reduce my anxiety and be more positive and grateful</div>
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3. add the teensiest bit of structure to my life so that I can get more accomplished each day... normal human adult things like doing the laundry, dishes, and having food to eat</div>
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a. this one gets sub-items: try out more gluten free recipes at home so that I don't hate having to be gluten free SO MUCH</div>
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b. keep asking God to heal me so I can eat gluten again</div>
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4. develop a better homeschooling rhythm</div>
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5. find a new church</div>
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6. go to Disneyland even more than we did last year (it looks like we went approximately 50 times in 2018) & keep track of each visit</div>
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7. read 50 books (something I also accomplished in 2018!)</div>
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8. help Cecily develop a love of independent reading (my biggest homeschooling goal)</div>
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9. continue to eat intuitively</div>
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10. have more fun with Levi... just the two of us</div>
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And a bonus item:</div>
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11. buy more sweatshirts and underwear - hahaha! Seriously though. I love sweatshirts. At this point in my life, comfort is more important than a stylish outfit (that's so sad but SO TRUE), and I just really need to update my underwear drawer.<br />
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There are plenty of other little goals and aspirations I have for 2019, but often many of my "goals" are really just hopes and dreams. There's nothing wrong with those, of course!!!, but these are the things I feel I have a little more control over that I think will help improve life for me and my family. And if God wants to bring travel and a piano into my life this year too, then that is FANTASTIC.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #ea9999;">H</span><span style="color: #ffe599;">A</span><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">P</span><span style="color: #38761d;">P</span><span style="color: #666666;">Y </span><span style="color: #ea9999;">N</span><span style="color: #ffd966;">E</span><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">W </span><span style="color: #38761d;">Y</span><span style="color: #666666;">E</span><span style="color: #ea9999;">A</span><span style="color: #ffd966;">R</span><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">!</span><span style="color: #38761d;">!</span></span></b></div>
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-3793769372941702332017-04-12T21:04:00.001-07:002017-04-12T21:04:07.087-07:00Au revoir, gluten!<br />
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I just shared this on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/avec_la_fleur/">Instagram</a>, but when I got a question from someone, my response was so long that Instagram wouldn't let me post it. Haha! Typical. So I decided to write a blog post instead. :)<br />
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I've shared bits and pieces about my health issues over the last few years, but I don't think I've really shared how bad things got. I have definitely withdrawn A LOT from everything and everyone. Partly because I don't like feeling misunderstood and partly because I just haven't felt well. It started with my thyroid disease, and then I figured out that I had pretty bad PMDD. I had surgery on my thyroid after a (HORRIBLE) year on medication, and I tried a few treatments for the PMDD. My surgery was very successful, but nothing has helped the PMDD. Overall, I just felt like crap. Super low energy. Tons of paralyzing anxiety. Heart Palpitations. Panic attacks that woke me up in the middle of the night. Muscles so tense and tight that they'd send shooting pains all over my body. Headaches that would last for weeks or even months. Brain fog. And just generally feeling lousy. It has been an all-consuming battle and very discouraging.<br />
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After having a really bad headache for six weeks and extremely bad muscle tension, I decided to try giving up gluten. And I didn't just give up the obvious sources of gluten; I did it for real. I read labels carefully, looked stuff up online, called manufacturers, and asked lots of questions at restaurants.<br />
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After less than a week, my headache finally went away. And then I started noticing my muscle pain decreasing. Now after only two months, the headaches and muscle pain are still gone, my anxiety is getting so much better, I have more energy than I've had in years, I don't walk around feeling like my head is in a fog anymore, my heart palpitations have decreased, my fingers don't get stiff and cramped anymore, and my general malaise has decreased a TON. The longer I go without gluten, the more changes I see. And I'm sure there is still SO much more change yet to come. It is so insane to me that this has helped me so much, and I pray that it continues to help!<br />
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So I shared most of the above on Instagram and mentioned that it has been difficult to give up gluten. Someone asked how hard it was because they were having similar symptoms, and this is what I'd like <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">to say in response to that question....</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I loooooove bread, pasta, cookies, cakes, and pastries. I really don't think can express how much. Lol! My diet before I quit was totally based on gluten, and I am 100% addicted to gluten and to food. The gluten free versions of stuff don't hold a candle to the real deal so I definitely can't say I don't notice a huge difference. BUT I feel so much better that I just can't go back. The way I have approached it has been as a trial to see if I felt better. Then once I started feeling better, it made it easier to stick with. I still haven't declared or thought, "I'm never going to have gluten again." But I also don't let myself think that I <i>will</i> have it again someday. I've just taken it day by day as something I am doing right now for my health, and I tell myself that I will find new foods to love over time. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The one thing that has been incredibly hard for me is thinking about chocolate croissants and that I might never have one again. I have honestly cried over this a few times!! All of this to say that it is <i>definitely</i> hard! But only when you let your mind go there. There are plenty of gluten free foods to eat and you will find things that you really do enjoy. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Eating out is the hardest part. You have to be pretty careful and ask a lot of questions. Even stuff marinated in soy sauce contains gluten, and many restaurants mix pancake batter into their scrambled eggs. You can't even count on corn tortillas at restaurants being gluten free so just do your research and ask, ask, ask. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I've stuck to eating a lot of the same foods over and over, and as I add new stuff/places in, I observe how I feel. If I accidentally eat something with gluten in it, the next day my muscles hurt and I have a bad headache and anxiety. That's only happened with three things though. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I would encourage you to approach it as a trial and see if you notice a difference! If you do, you really won't want to go back. My headaches went away within a week, and everything else has gradually gotten better. It can take ages for your body to fully recover though if you have an intolerance so if it is a problem for you, you will continue to see improvements over time. I'm still seeing new improvements, and I suspect that I will continue to over the next year or so.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">So yeah, that's what has been going on with me lately! Between going gluten free and a few other things I'm doing/working on, my life is getting better each day. The last few years have been a huge struggle for me, but seeing actual improvement has been incredibly encouraging! For the record, I don't think everyone needs to give up gluten by any means. While I do believe that gluten is inflammatory to all our bodies, I definitely don't believe that we are all gluten intolerant. But if you've been thinking that gluten might be an issue for you, don't be afraid to try out going gluten free. If I can do it, you can too!!</span></span><br />
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-14824356422197190432016-07-07T13:44:00.001-07:002016-07-07T14:32:08.709-07:00Cecily Jo's Debut... a big, giant mini book!<div style="text-align: center;">
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I recently had the honor of guest posting for <a href="http://cayleegrey.com/big-debut-giant-mini-book/">Caylee Grey</a> on her gorgeous blog. A couple months ago she announced that she was accepting applications for guest posts. I applied and was <i>sooooo</i> excited when she asked me to post! Caylee is a super talented papercrafter and teacher. She's also very motivating and encouraging to artists. I've been working through her Level Up class and have learned so much about productivity and what helps me, personally, get things done. It's truly turning out to be a game changer for me. Caylee is awesome.</div>
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Anyway, because of all this awesomeness, I wanted to come up with something really good to share on her blog, and I also wanted to finish a project that has been on my to-do list for awhile. I decided on making a mini book to document Cecily's first ballet class and recital. In the end, this mini book wasn't so mini. It's HUGE. I kept joking that it was as thick as the Bible. I just couldn't edit down my photo selections any further and decided, "It's my album and I'll do what I want."<br />
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I used mostly <a href="http://www.pinkpaislee.com/">Pink Paislee's</a> C'est La Vie collection for the mini book and mixed in some <a href="http://www.maggieholmesdesign.com/blog/">Maggie Holmes</a>, <a href="http://crate.typepad.com/">Crate Paper</a>, and tons of vintage ballerina elements. It turned out very girly with lots of florals, doilies, lace, texture, and PINK! Perfect for a ballet album. I've included some photos to give you a peek of the album below, but there's <i>soooo</i> much more on <a href="http://cayleegrey.com/big-debut-giant-mini-book/">Caylee's blog</a>.</div>
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I initially planned to use binder rings to hold my album together, but my stack of pages was <i>way</i> too thick for the rings I had, and the ones that would fit all the pages were ridiculously large. So I went with some gorgeous silk ribbon instead. At first I wasn't so sure how I felt about it, but now I <i>love</i> it. LOVE it. In fact, I love this entire album. These memories are treasures to me. Cecily's recital was so special and wonderful for me. It was seriously a magical experience, and I just wanted to hold onto those memories and make something that would convey how perfect this experience was.</div>
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So yeah, I'm super proud of what I made! Please go check it out <a href="http://cayleegrey.com/big-debut-giant-mini-book/">here</a>. And if you feel so inclined, please leave a comment here or there letting me know what you think!! I would be so thrilled to hear from you. :)</div>
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As always, thank you so much for reading and having a look at what I've made. I put so much heart, time, and energy into the things I make, and I truly appreciate when others stop to have a look.</div>
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xo,</div>
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Jasmine</div>
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-65854130831777098122016-06-24T15:26:00.000-07:002016-06-24T15:26:05.130-07:00End of the Year Thank You Cards<div style="text-align: center;">
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Cecily finished up her first year (half year actually) of preschool last week and had her dance recital over the weekend! So I made some thank you cards to give to all her teachers and helpers.</div>
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I knew I wanted to use doilies and some vintage pieces I had found online, but I didn't have a clear sketch/layout in my head so I checked out a card class at <a href="https://http//www.bigpictureclasses.com/">Big Picture Classes</a> and found a great sketch in one of <a href="http://www.sprinkledwithglitter.com/">Carissa Wiley's</a> <a href="http://www.bigpictureclasses.com/classes/inspiration-ignited">classes</a>.<br />
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I made 7 cards assembly line style, 3 identical cards for preschool:<br />
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I love that little girl at her easel. She reminds me of Cecily. :)<br />
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And 4 different cards for dance:<br />
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I think the last one is my favorite because, again, she reminds me of Cecily! :)<br />
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The "thank yous" are stamped and heat embossed on pieces of vellum, and they are certainly not perfect, but that just lends itself to the homemade look... as do the globs of hot glue holding on the sequins. Haha! I splashed a little gold Heidi Swapp Color Shine on each card and called them done! I love how they turned out!<br />
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Next I packaged them all up with some chocolate bars:<br />
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And they were all ready for Cecily to give to her wonderful teachers and helpers! I hope they liked them and felt appreciated. We certainly appreciate everything they've done for Cecily this year!!<br />
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Thank you so much for taking a look at my project! I hope you enjoyed it! :)<br />
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xo,<br />
Jasmine<br />
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-39395581053997870742016-02-23T16:42:00.001-08:002016-02-23T16:44:25.400-08:00Disneyland Mini Album<br />
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My very favorite thing to make is a mini album. I looooove them!! And my favorite way to make one is to print out all the photos and have a marathon scrapping session and get it all done in day. I guess I like my scrapbooking how I like my television watching. ;)</div>
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This is an album I've been meaning to make for a very long time, and I'm really happy with how it turned out. It's been three years since Cecily's first trip to Disneyland, but I'm glad I waited because I was able to use <a href="http://crate.typepad.com/">Crate Paper's</a> Wonder collection and it was perfect for this project!<br />
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I saved our tickets from that day and slipped them into this little glassine baggie.<br />
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This is a pocket that holds three photos that are virtually the same, but I loved them all and couldn't decide. Whenever I can't decide, I go with a pocket, bag, or envelope... then I don't have to. :)<br />
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I love this photo of me and Silly so it needed to be BIG.<br />
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Some of my favorite photos EVER. The look on Cecily's face meeting Snow White for the first time was absolutely priceless. Our entire day was magical and made me so happy that we didn't wait until she was older to take her to Disneyland.<br />
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I love including memorabilia in my albums. It's so fun to look back on later. Her little double chin in this silhouette KILLS me.<br />
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Another little glassine baggie. This one is holding her first visit button and a ticket to the World of Color show we watched that evening.<br />
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This paper bag holds all the extra photos I couldn't bear to leave out. This little bag was actually holding some stickers in an online order I made, and it had the shop's logo stickered to the front. I loved the bag so much that I peeled off the sticker and saved it, but the sticker tore the bag a little bit so I just covered it up! I can't stand throwing cute things away even when they're damaged or tiny scraps, but I almost always find a use for them at some point.<br />
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This day was precious to me so I'm glad I could make an album I love to hold these wonderful memories. I feel like I was able to do them justice. And I love knowing that Cecily will be able to look back on a day she can't remember and know how special it was. This is when I love scrapbooking the most. :)<br />
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Thanks for looking!<br />
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xo,<br />
Jasmine<br />
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-22118696949316685812016-01-31T16:09:00.001-08:002016-01-31T16:09:17.280-08:00I Treasure You<div style="text-align: center;">
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Hello! We're enjoying some nice rainy weather today so I thought I'd pop over here and give my blog some attention.</div>
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I've got Valentine's Day on my mind right now... one of my favorite times of the year because I love pink and hearts and flowers and chocolate. And of course, love. Gotta love love! This card isn't strictly Valentine-y since it only sort of features the aforementioned Valentine's accoutrement, but it will be perfect to let someone know how much they mean to me. :)</div>
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This card features the <a href="http://www.maggieholmesdesign.com/blog/">Maggie Holmes</a> Open Book collection, which is one of my all-time <a href="http://crate.typepad.com/">Crate Paper</a> favorites. I covered my cardstock in lace because I love the texture so much, and I embossed polka dots on some white cardstock to make the little pocket. The sentiment slips in and out of the pocket for a fun little interactive element.<br />
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Thanks for taking a peek!<br />
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xo,<br />
Jasmine<br />
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-14126969584434691442015-12-21T15:30:00.001-08:002015-12-21T15:30:06.013-08:00Christmas Gift Bags<div style="text-align: center;">
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My mom is a teacher and wanted to give her colleagues some pretty little presents before winter break so she enlisted me to help. I had so much fun putting them together for her! Sometimes it's more fun to make projects for other people than it is to work on my own. Somehow it feels like less pressure... which doesn't even make sense, but the point is, this was fun! As I get older, I've decided that getting little presents is almost more fun than getting big ones. I think it's the surprise element, even if it's only a little bag of candy. It's fun to open! And if it's wrapped up all pretty? That's the best!</div>
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I bought some of my favorite candies and adorable Minnie Mouse LipSmackers and made a set of hair ties for each bag. I found some darling polka dot kraft bags at the dollar spot at Target. I wish they had had more! I probably would have bought them all!</div>
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Even though I have a big table, it has been so full of projects lately that I hardly have any room to work. Haha! I made quite a mess working on these bags... but I really love having supplies within reach, even if things get a little cluttered.<br />
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I dipped into my ribbon and twine stash and put together four unique packages.<br />
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From there, I just repeated those four designs to complete all ten presents.<br />
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To finish it off, I attached an embossed and stamped gift tag to the back of each gift, and there you have it! Brown paper packages tied up with string and all set to brighten some hardworking teachers' days. Thanks for taking a look at my project!<br />
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xo,<br />
Jasmine<br />
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-25272776155881131042015-10-07T08:24:00.000-07:002015-12-27T01:06:07.676-08:00Eat Cake!<div style="text-align: center;">
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Here's a bright and cheerful birthday card I made using Dear Lizzy's Fine and Dandy collection... well, really it could be a card for anything because it's always a good time to eat cake.</div>
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I love those plastic glitter bows so much. I used one of my favorite floral stamps to make the background then layered some patterned paper, light pink vellum, and a die cut. A little bit of stitching adds some great texture.</div>
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And we can't forget the tiny bow banners! I used a tiny bow punch and glued the bows to pieces of thread before adhering them to the card.</div>
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Hopefully, this card will inspire someone special to enjoy a piece of cake on their special day. :)<br />
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Thanks for looking at my project!<br />
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xo,<br />
Jasmine<br />
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-46996660084740702192015-09-10T07:20:00.000-07:002015-12-30T19:20:55.182-08:00Welcome Home<br />
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I haven't been feeling like making much lately because it's been so hot, but I recently ordered <a href="http://www.maggieholmesdesign.com/blog/">Maggie Holmes's</a> flower dies and wanted to try them out. This die set is SO cool.<br />
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I need to "borrow" a prettier door and retake these photos, but hey, this is my front door... it's what I had on hand. ;)<br />
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To make this, I used an old wood wreath from Paper Source and wrapped it with washi tape. I adhered the cut flowers with some buttons and dots and added a message with my favorite Thickers everrrrr (if you have any of these and don't want them, please send them to me. Send them ALLLL to me). I attached a ribbon to the top, and voila! A new wreath for our front door! Hopefully, it survives!<br />
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Update from the end of December: this wreath is still going strong! Nothing has fallen off, and it still looks new!<br />
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Thanks for taking a peek!<br />
xo,<br />
Jasmine<br />
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-26037265310247383032015-08-10T06:03:00.000-07:002015-12-30T18:21:51.018-08:00June Stories Title Page<br />
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I think I may have chosen the least flattering photo ever for my June album title page. ;) </div>
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But I don't care... it makes me happy. There's not much better than cuddling up in bed with my little family.<br />
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I used the <a href="http://www.maggieholmesdesign.com/blog/">Maggie Holmes</a> Confetti collection from <a href="http://crate.typepad.com/">Crate Paper</a> for this album. I love all the birthday elements... and since I'm a June baby, it's perfect for this album. That little birdie is my <i>favorite</i> so I wanted to make sure to feature him right at the very beginning.<br />
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Thanks for taking a look!<br />
xo,<br />
Jasmine<br />
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-11155519699053744772015-08-07T06:53:00.000-07:002015-12-30T18:54:43.076-08:0030 Memories Mini<br />
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My little brother turned 30 this week (!!!). When did we all get so OLD?? Ugh. He had mentioned wanting me to make him an album and I recently took Maggie Holme's mini album class at <a href="http://www.studiocalico.com/">Studio Calico</a> so I put together a little mini tag album for him.<br />
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A lot of the page designs are Maggie's from the class. I just copied her and used them as sketches with my own products since I wanted to make this a bit more masculine... it's still probably pretty feminine though... hehe! I can't help it!<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/23993275891/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Zachary's mini"><img alt="Zachary's mini" height="640" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1454/23993275891_5886342ddc_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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I seriously love how it looks all spread out like this! One of my favorite things ever!<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/24049778056/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Zachary's mini"><img alt="Zachary's mini" height="640" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5812/24049778056_46de372297_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/23447636394/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Zachary's mini"><img alt="Zachary's mini" height="640" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1619/23447636394_0172fcc326_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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I LOVE this picture of Zachary and Chrystal dancing.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/23780202930/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Zachary's mini"><img alt="Zachary's mini" height="640" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5630/23780202930_72a7c1edda_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/23993273151/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Zachary's mini"><img alt="Zachary's mini" height="640" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5650/23993273151_22fc765962_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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Putting my Fuse tool to work! I love that thing.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/24075856625/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Zachary's mini"><img alt="Zachary's mini" height="640" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1632/24075856625_bd1f55675d_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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I love this photo of my brother and sister-in-law at their wedding. Feels like a billion years ago.<br />
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This was a scrap from a 12x12 sheet of paper that I cut into a tag, and for some reason, it's one of my favorite things in this album. Ha! I don't know why, but I always end up choosing the most random, simple things as my favorites in my projects.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/24075855275/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Zachary's mini"><img alt="Zachary's mini" height="640" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1560/24075855275_f783fd7b5d_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/23780193890/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Zachary's mini"><img alt="Zachary's mini" height="480" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1482/23780193890_169d42f384_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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Somehow I never took a picture of the front of this folder before giving the album to my brother, but you can see most of it in the photo before. Anyway, this genius little folder with a tiny photo album inside was one of Maggie's ideas. I've already used this idea twice! It's so clever! Leave it to Maggie!<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/23447628464/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Zachary's mini"><img alt="Zachary's mini" height="640" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5682/23447628464_d14cb64abe_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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Some photos and journaling that were tucked inside a pocket.<br />
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That is iconic Zachary right there. ;)<br />
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I had so much fun making this album for my brother and giving it to him.<br />
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Happy birthday, Brov!<br />
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-32745505096200067962015-07-27T06:16:00.000-07:002015-12-30T18:57:08.766-08:00A Pocket of Photos... Made From a Photo<br />
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Do you get ideas for projects when you're trying to fall asleep at night? I do... all the time. It kind of drives me crazy because it takes me so long to fall asleep. This is something Levi doesn't understand at all because he can fall asleep anywhere in two seconds once the sun has set.</div>
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Anyway, I got the idea to turn this photo of a tree in to a pocket one night when I was trying to fall asleep, and I think it looks pretty cool! This layout is about a family walk we took one afternoon at Cal State Long Beach (my alma mater). I have always loved all the gorgeous trees on campus so this layout seemed appropriate.</div>
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I used matte photo paper and printed two 6x8s of the photo. I cut one of them down (for the pocket) and stitched it onto the other, and there you go! A pocket made from a photo... to hold more photos. :) I typed the journaling onto vellum to tone down the vivid blue a little without distracting too much from the photo. I love how the wood veneer asterisks and the alpha stickers give the page a bit of a midcentury feel because there are lots of cool midcentury design elements on campus, which you can see in the photos inside the pocket.<br />
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Thank you for checking out my page!<br />
xo,<br />
Jasmine<br />
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-416911867188883282015-07-26T16:54:00.000-07:002015-12-30T18:56:57.156-08:00These are a few of my favorite thiiiiings...<div style="text-align: center;">
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There's nothing like a happy list to put you in a good mood. Which is why I was pretty excited when one of my <a a="" href="https://instagram.com/avec_la_fleur">Instagram</a> friends tagged me to share 10 things that make me happy. I liked my post so much that I decided to turn it into a spread in my June album... I like to do that... steal from my Instagram for my albums. That way, more than half the work (photo selection + journalling) is already done!<br />
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I love how this layout turned out... I keep going back to my album to admire it... haha!<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/20042294916/in/dateposted-public/" title="blog 1"><img alt="blog 1" height="480" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3726/20042294916_1429396fce_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
I did the title on a transparency.<br />
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Flip flip!<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/19880486888/in/dateposted-public/" title="blog 3"><img alt="blog 3" height="640" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/426/19880486888_2ee028254c_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
I love stamping out long passages of text. Usually there's at least a handful of mistakes along the way, but I think that adds to the charm. This is my favorite alpha stamp set. I want to get a second set for when I wear these out because I use them all the time. I also love how you can see bits of my other pages through the page protector. Layers layers layers!<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/19445932864/in/dateposted-public/" title="blog 5"><img alt="blog 5" height="640" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/449/19445932864_41ebc64c9a_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
This picture is one of my favorites. Cecily's tiny ponytail curling under. Her cute little back and shoulders. Her Piggie Piggie tucked under her right arm. And those precious cheeks left over from babyhood. I love my girl so much. :)<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/19880486008/in/dateposted-public/" title="blog 6"><img alt="blog 6" height="640" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3688/19880486008_532c5dd99b_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
I always love the reverse side of overlays with text on them. I think they it looks so cool!<br />
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Thanks for checking out my page! If you haven't already, take a peek at my <a href="http://www.aveclafleur.com/2015/07/march-stories.html">March album</a> too!<br />
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-50643845533231360572015-07-22T20:01:00.001-07:002015-07-22T20:01:21.761-07:00March Stories<div style="text-align: center;">
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Hello, dear blog! This year, I've been working on a little project I've been calling Monthly Stories. I create a 6x8 album for each month that tells my family's stories. I don't worry about going in chronological order. I don't worry about including something from each day. I just include the stories and memories that stand out to me, the things I think Levi, Cecily, and I will enjoy looking back on 10, 20, 50 years from now!</div>
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I took some quick shots of my March album today to share with you guys. I already shared a quick flip-through video on my <a href="https://instagram.com/avec_la_fleur/">Instagram</a>, but there's just way too much in this album to fit in a small square for 15 seconds! I predominantly used Dear Lizzy's <a href="http://www.americancrafts.com/default.aspx?PageID=49&CategoryID=758">Fine and Dandy</a> collection. I've been having lots of fun sticking to one collection with each album. It makes choosing supplies quicker, and it allows me to get my fill of the collections I love! Without further ado... this was March in the Myers household:<br />
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I include a calendar and a list of what we're currently into every month. Those little pockets are stuffed with journalling and tiny photos that go with each category.<br />
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I also include a list of Cecily's milestones, interests, pronunciations, habits, etc. I have a REALLY hard time keeping all of these one one page because I usually want to go on and on and on. This is where the question, "Do I really need to remember this?" comes in handy.<br />
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I play the dorkiest role-play games on my iPhone and think it's hilarious to include them in my albums. I know it'll make me laugh someday to look back on this.<br />
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I love how you can see through the pocket with the acetate piece. Looking through all the layers in my albums is one of my favorite things about these!<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/19923134182/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_0475"><img alt="IMG_0475" height="480" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3796/19923134182_66f4863d3a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/19935824341/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_0476"><img alt="IMG_0476" height="480" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/472/19935824341_ee2d0fc4bc_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
I included a tiny photo album in this little folder between a 2-page spread about Cecily walking with Mickey Mouse. I love how it turned out. I used my Fuse tool to create the pockets and stitched them to my paper with my sewing machine.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/19309736333/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_0477"><img alt="IMG_0477" height="480" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/268/19309736333_1d817c922c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/19308093724/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_0478"><img alt="IMG_0478" height="480" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/427/19308093724_7fba8bac77_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/19742692780/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_0479"><img alt="IMG_0479" height="480" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/535/19742692780_4bb33786fb_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
The page on the right is probably the simplest in this entire album, but it's one of my very favorites.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/19935823271/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_0480"><img alt="IMG_0480" height="480" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/286/19935823271_bf17aff854_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
This spread is very layered. This is a piece of acetate with glittery alpha stickers. I love how it looks on the front and the back.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/19742676558/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_0481"><img alt="IMG_0481" height="480" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/334/19742676558_f349c8d85c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
The photo of the rainbow is adhered to a piece of chipboard.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/19309734993/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_0482"><img alt="IMG_0482" height="480" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/548/19309734993_07b363cfb6_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
I created the little pocket of sequins with my Fuse tool, and the glassine envelope holds my journalling.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/19930713415/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_0483"><img alt="IMG_0483" height="480" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/453/19930713415_08e00f3b81_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
My journalling is typed on this tag that I embossed using the bow embossing folder from Fine & Dandy.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/19930712985/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_0484"><img alt="IMG_0484" height="480" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/487/19930712985_533d8b1d11_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
I love including large, full-size photos.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/19930712705/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_0485"><img alt="IMG_0485" height="480" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/268/19930712705_1544d2ab93_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
The doilies aren't part of the page on the left. I just wanted to keep that bit of journalling private.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/19904488196/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_0486"><img alt="IMG_0486" height="480" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/439/19904488196_711656645c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
I made the pocket on the right with a piece of vellum and my sewing machine. It holds several pages of private journalling. That little deer tag is one of my favorite things in this album! I've been saving that deer for ages. I used my sewing machine to ruffle a piece of eyelet ribbon onto a shipping tag.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/19935821101/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_0487"><img alt="IMG_0487" height="480" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/437/19935821101_e636f1caaa_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/19308090494/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_0488"><img alt="IMG_0488" height="480" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/460/19308090494_1381157c29_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
I make a large pocket to include at the end of each album. They hold all the miscellaneous photos that I want to include but don't really warrant an entire spread.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/19744045509/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_0489"><img alt="IMG_0489" height="480" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/404/19744045509_633eb6c5df_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
I like to add a strip of typed journalling to each photo. If I have a lot to say, I include more on the back.<br />
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Thanks for checking out my March album! These have been so much fun to make, & I already treasure each & every page I've created this year. :)<br />
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-91458968081185359482015-01-24T19:08:00.000-08:002015-01-24T19:08:09.891-08:00My 2015 Memory Keeping Plan<div style="text-align: center;">
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I finally came up with a way to document 2015 that I'm super excited about, and I thought I'd share! I've been working on my December Daily album this month and am on track to finish by the end of the month, which was my plan. I've been loving going through last month's photos and stories and working a month "behind" so I wanted to do something similar throughout 2015... except I don't want to document every single day.</div>
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I've tried Project Life in the past, and it just doesn't work for me. I need lots of freedom, and I need to be able to include as many photos and as much journalling as I want without feeling constricted. I've also discovered that I don't really like using PL cards. I prefer cutting up my patterned paper and embellishing it myself. I also felt like my stories were getting sort of washed out when I did Project Life. I wasn't focusing on the tiny little moments that were actually fantastic stories. Instead I was focusing more on "this is what we did this day, this is where we went that day." And the whole thing was just super boring to me. I'm not saying Project Life, in general, is boring or that it's like this for everyone. Not at all! But for me, it didn't work.</div>
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So what AM I doing?? For now, I'm just calling it monthly stories and notes. It'll take up as many albums as it needs to, and within my albums, I'll have dividers or title pages that say "January Stories & Notes" or "January Stories." Something like that. My plan is to look through my photos towards the end of that month and start piecing together some ideas for what I want to include in my album. While going through January's photos, Instagram posts, and notes in my phone, I put together a template of some things I can consider including every month. Here is what I've come up with so far:</div>
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• various standout stories</div>
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• photo collages of anything recurring, if applicable (e.g. in January, we went to the same café for lunch a lot, and I took pictures of Cecily eating every single time. Instead of including these in chronological order with several stories, I'm going to just put all the photos together and make it one story. I think it'll be more interesting that way.)</div>
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• what we're eating</div>
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• what we're reading</div>
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• scrapbooking notes (things I'm into, new stuff I'm trying, collections I want, products I've purchased, any industry stuff I'm excited about, classes I'm taking, etc. Screenshots and packaging would be fun to include here.)</div>
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• bedtime story favorites</div>
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• Cecily notes (new words/phrases, funny habits, current favorites, etc.)</div>
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• what we're watching</div>
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• stuff going on at church</div>
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• what's in the news (I only plan on including things I want to remember and document or that are personally relevant)</div>
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• photos from the month that I love but that don't really have a story. I may or may not include a simple caption with these.</div>
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Knowing me, I'm sure I'll come up with more! A lot of these things will just be documented in the form of lists. I'm probably going to do this in a 9x12 album, but I may switch to my beloved 6x8 if I don't like working with that size. </div>
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I think it'll all be really fun to look back on, and I'm really looking forward to documenting this way! I feel like my album(s) will turn out to be a scrapbook, diary, journal, and photo album all in one. And I love that! Switching gears frequently keeps me engaged and invested. I've come to realize that I am GREAT at starting projects but not so great at finishing them. This feels like a project that I'll be able to finish because I won't get bored or overwhelmed as I go. </div>
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2015 is gonna be a fun year to play with paper!!</div>
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-62390170684756110392014-06-06T17:59:00.002-07:002014-06-06T17:59:31.040-07:00My Birthday Wish List<div style="text-align: center;">
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My birthday is in 11 days! Ahhhh! It's coming up so quickly. I used to count down to my birthdays and get super excited for them, but since I got pregnant, I just haven't cared all that much. I even had to look up how many days away my birthday was just now. So weird, right??</div>
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Just because I haven't been as excited about the day itself doesn't mean that I haven't had a wish list of some kind every year. And this year is no different.</div>
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This year, most of the items on my birthday wish list are scrapbooking related... this is pretty much what my Christmas wish list looked like too. My brother drew my name for our gift exchange this year, and he ended up having to get me some paper punches and thickers. Haha! I was super excited though!</div>
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I can guarantee you that I will not be receiving most of these, buuuuuut this year, here are some things that I'm hoping for:</div>
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1. the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007R83VKE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007R83VKE&linkCode=as2&tag=aveclafleur-20&linkId=E464G6OOAG3VZ5PK">Silhouette Cameo</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=aveclafleur-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007R83VKE" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007R83VKE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007R83VKE&linkCode=as2&tag=aveclafleur-20&linkId=M3IOQDPZJN2VP4IQ"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B007R83VKE&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aveclafleur-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=aveclafleur-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007R83VKE" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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This is my dream present<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=aveclafleur-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007R83VKE" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />. I've been wanting one of these for awhile. I love all the beautiful cuts that people do with them, and I think it would be SO fun to add them to my pages!</div>
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2. ink pads</div>
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I'm quickly becoming an ink pad junkie so I'm always on the lookout for new ones to try. Right now, these <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=aps&keywords=hero%20arts%20ink&linkCode=ur2&tag=aveclafleur-20&linkId=72SGIRWDG2X3DNWH" target="_blank">Hero Arts Shadow Inks</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=aveclafleur-20&l=ur2&o=1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> look really great to me. Especially, the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0083VUP5I/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0083VUP5I&linkCode=as2&tag=aveclafleur-20&linkId=UJJ65UWPTLB3XXOE">soft purple</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=aveclafleur-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0083VUP5I" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and this <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00II599VA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00II599VA&linkCode=as2&tag=aveclafleur-20&linkId=NOIDVKW6YKUICY2A">Early Spring cube pack</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=aveclafleur-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00II599VA" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />. </div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0083VUP5I/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0083VUP5I&linkCode=as2&tag=aveclafleur-20&linkId=6FFXESLNESPEJDIG"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0083VUP5I&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aveclafleur-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=aveclafleur-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0083VUP5I" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00II599VA/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00II599VA&linkCode=as2&tag=aveclafleur-20&linkId=K4EZ7UOWHJXZEMOB"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00II599VA&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aveclafleur-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=aveclafleur-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00II599VA" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
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So pretty. Sometimes I think I just want to buy color instead of the actual product. Does that even make sense??<br />
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3. the moon<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/14361178312/" title="a bday wishlist 1 by jasmine.lael, on Flickr"><img alt="a bday wishlist 1" height="485" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3882/14361178312_e42d26380c_z.jpg" width="570" /></a><br />
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Cecily is really reallllllly into the moon so I've started to love all types of moon stuff as well. This necklace is so pretty, and I love that it reminds me of my girl.<br />
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And I really like this <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=aps&keywords=paper%20punch%20moon%20and%20stars&linkCode=ur2&tag=aveclafleur-20&linkId=VCSTSHL7XVIQ3D5Q" target="_blank">moon and stars punch</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=aveclafleur-20&l=ur2&o=1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> too.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=aps&keywords=paper%20punch%20moon%20and%20stars&linkCode=as2&tag=aveclafleur-20&linkId=XWAMRERZT7GNQYP2"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00DN66ESA&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=aveclafleur-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=aveclafleur-20&l=as2&o=1" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=aps&keywords=EK%20tools%20punch&linkCode=ur2&tag=aveclafleur-20&linkId=PTKAZJBZZ6C4E267" target="_blank">EK tools punches</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=aveclafleur-20&l=ur2&o=1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> are my favorite. Since punches are typically pretty bulky, I love how compact these are.<br />
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4. the <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20275885/#/80275887">Kallax</a> from Ikea<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/14176157808/" title="a bday wishlist 2 by jasmine.lael, on Flickr"><img alt="a bday wishlist 2" height="500" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3916/14176157808_b1deb9dcb2.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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This is the one item on my list that I know I'll be getting this year. The Kallax replaced the Expedit recently, and it's super great for scrapbooking storage because of the dimensions of the cubbies. An organized workspace is super essential for me or I get overwhelmed. And since I only have a little sectioned off area of the living room to work with, I've had to be really smart about storage and organization. I'll do a blog post one of these days on the things that have worked for me... once I finally finish that is!<br />
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I could keep going and going and going with this wish list because there's always a new line or product that I'd love to try, but I'll stop here! Maybe I'll make this a monthly thing to share some of the new products that have caught my eye!<br />
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P.S. This is by no means a sponsored post, but some of the links throughout are affiliate because they're things I genuinely love. :)</div>
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-14983884030045106742014-05-30T18:45:00.000-07:002014-06-06T16:35:13.215-07:00a layout: four months<div style="text-align: center;">
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This week I've been working on some month-at-a-glance pages for Cecily's babybook. During her first year, Levi took a picture (or two) of me and Cecily on her monthly "birthdays," and I made sure to record some notable things about Cecily each month. Things like milestones, interests, favorites, habits, etc.</div>
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My plan is to do 2-page spreads for each month. The left side will be a layout with the photos of me and Cecily and the number of months she is, and the right side will include all those notes I made throughout her first year.</div>
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Right now, I'm just working on the left sides of those layouts and leaving the harder parts for later. Reliving all those sweet memories from Cecily's first year is honestly kind of hard for me. I've loved every stage and I adore the sweet little Silly I have now, but I think I'll always miss all those moments from the beginning. Motherhood is so bittersweet!</div>
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Anyway, this is the page I finished during naptime today.</div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/14122735637/" title="a 4 months 1 by jasmine.lael, on Flickr"><img alt="a 4 months 1" height="637" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5552/14122735637_29e0532417_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/14307353202/" title="a 4 months by jasmine.lael, on Flickr"><img alt="a 4 months" height="640" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3758/14307353202_01a9641b03_z.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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I love these photos and this paper so much that I kept the whole thing super simple. I probably would have been happy just sticking the photos down to the paper and calling it a day!<br />
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-71626019753765094252014-05-29T03:07:00.001-07:002014-05-30T18:52:05.219-07:00a layout: cecily's dedication<div style="text-align: center;">
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This is one of the pages I made on Cecily's dedication for her babybook. Her babybook is going to be a MONSTER if I ever finish it. It will certainly have to be in volumes, and it probably won't be finished until she's 30. Anyway, this is just the first page with her life verse on it. The other pages I make will include the blessing I wrote for her that Levi prayed over her and the little gathering we had with our family afterwards.<br />
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Scrapbooking her dedication is something that I've been putting off because there's so much I want to include, but I think just starting it helped a lot. I know I could just trim it down and <i>not</i> add all the pages and journaling that I mentioned, but I'm not really a big fan of trimming down. I'd rather end up with a huge babybook.</div>
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I'm not usually a fan of woodgrain, but I really love this paper I received in my <a href="http://www.studiocalico.com/welcome?ref=7bb2f8d0">May Studio Calico kit</a>. It's those pretty blue flowers. I wanted to make sure I didn't cover them up so I went with the boards on the paper.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/14296366854/" title="cecily's dedication layout by jasmine.lael, on Flickr"><img alt="cecily's dedication layout" height="640" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5077/14296366854_ab84dee32d_z.jpg" width="639" /></a><br />
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I made that blue floral strip with a stencil and the ink dauber I got in my kit. I was actually just playing around with it for practice and was going to throw it out, but when I saw it next to the paper on my table, I loved how they looked together!<br />
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I stamped out that whole Bible verse like a crazy person because I love stamping so much. I find it so therapeutic. And I love those stamps. I want to stamp entire books with them. Maybe I'll start stamping out my blog posts. That's a really good idea. ;)<br />
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-69276168994589970082014-05-29T02:39:00.002-07:002014-05-29T02:39:46.649-07:00hello!<div style="text-align: center;">
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well, long time no see! i'm not sure if anyone noticed or not, but after a blogging hiatus, i made my blog private last fall. i guess i felt the need to withdraw a bit. since becoming a mother, i've actually felt that way in many aspects of my life. that's probably something a lot of new mothers go through. it probably has something to do with all the medical junk i've been going through this year as well.</div>
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but tonight i got the crazy idea to try my hand at writing a post again. i'm a sharer by nature. i'm choosing to say "sharer" and not "oversharer" because i don't really like the term oversharing. i think sharing is a generous thing, and i don't like to put a limit on generosity. anyway, i feel most comfortable when the people in my life actually <i>know</i> me, like the real, past-the-surface me. and that goes both ways. i want to know the real them too. i'm drawn to other people who look for this in their relationships too. i approached blogging in the same way. except with blogging, i didn't actually know who i was talking to. i imagined a group of like-minded women (for the most part; i know some like-minded men read my blog too) who read my blog as if they were just checking in with a friend, and that's how i wrote my posts - as if i were talking to those friends, those kindred spirits (don't we all just LOVE that phrase?? i sure do!). and i think a lot of the people who read my blog were really how i imagined them to be! but then i started noticing that there were other people here too. people who weren't checking in on a friend. people who enjoyed criticizing me, my life, my choices, my stories, all that stuff. and when your blog is personal and real and open and honest, that kind of criticism can really get to you. it turned me off to this whole thing and made me reconsider what i wanted to share and where i wanted to share it.</div>
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and then i just got busy being a momma! and blogging was just the last thing on my mind! the posts i wrote were just for the purpose of recording things i didn't want to forget. but i didn't really enjoy that kind of blogging. it felt more like work. and i really just wanted to be using my hands, making something tangible. i've missed tangibility over the last few years. there's just something so wonderful and therapeutic and beautiful about making something with your hands. even if that something isn't all that great. even if it's just a piece of ikea furniture! so i decided to start recording all those things i didn't want to forget in a new way. i started scrapbooking. like with paper and tape and photos and stickers and all that good stuff! and i love it! i really really love it! i love that i'm recording precious memories and that i'm expressing my creativity and exploring new things. and i love that i'm creating something really valuable for my family. i'm recording our history! and even if we all look back on the pages i've created one day and think, "yikes! that's an awful lot of pink!"i know we'll all see the love i put into them, and we'll be grateful that i took the time to write those things down and print those photos and make it all look pretty.</div>
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so i think i'd like to start sharing this part of my life here on my blog. the things i create. the ways i'm preserving these memories and stories and maybe the other things i create too. i'd love to connect with other scrapbookers here! or just other people who enjoy making stuff with their hands. or even people who just like to read about other people making stuff! that's pretty fun too!</div>
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-48815152888241404032013-09-05T17:23:00.000-07:002013-10-05T17:23:35.264-07:00Ten Months<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/10108364913/" title="IMG_9118 by jasmine.lael, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9118" height="480" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3746/10108364913_0d2db8e035_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/10108225444/" title="IMG_9131 by jasmine.lael, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_9131" height="480" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3681/10108225444_2b92139c9d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Cecily turned ten months on Tuesday, 20 August. <a href="http://mrssargent.com/">Stacey</a> was in town so we got to spend the day with her and Frankie! We met up with them at the Abbot Kinney Intellegentsia and did a little browsing at Firefly Kids. The babies were all over the place at the coffee shop so we ended up meeting up again for dinner in the early evening after naps. We had a really great meal but a super bad dining experience at a restaurant in Manhattan Beach. It was actually laughable!<br />
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We got Silly a new, full-size crib this month! It was actually quite an adventure getting it because, apparently, Ikea is re-doing the only crib we wanted/could afford so there was only one left in all of Southern California! We tracked it down though and actually had fun driving to Covina in my brother's car to get it. Silly is adjusting pretty well to sleeping in her new crib but still joins us in bed at some point most nights.<br />
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Levi gets up with Cecily every morning (usually around 8:00) while I get some extra sleep all by myself. They usually make coffee and go on a walk and just enjoy some good, old-fashioned daddy-daughter time. I love that they have that time together! I also love the extra sleep. ;)<br />
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At ten months, Cecily:<br />
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• thinks my eyelashes are hilarious and fun to play with.<br />
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• is a sponge and is great at repeating things I do.<br />
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• tries to snap her fingers when she sees me snapping mine (she's actually been doing this for ages, but she's getting a little better at mimicking the movement now).<br />
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• gives lots of kisses... but not to Daddy. He's scratchy.<br />
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• is such an examiner! She loves exploring objects more than most things.<br />
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• claps for real now! She loves clapping, and we clap for everything!<br />
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• still doesn't crawl, but she's trying!<br />
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• is still a music lover. I don't see this ever changing. She'd prefer it if we ALWAYS had music playing.<br />
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• can put two hands on the side of the pool while we count to five at swimming lessons.<br />
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• is super talkative and cheerful in the mornings.<br />
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• notices all the little things. I think this is why she hasn't started crawling or pulling herself up to stand. She doesnt' need to get far to have things to explore.<br />
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• sits up on her own!<br />
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• sometimes sits up while sleeping in her crib and wakes herself up.<br />
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• tugs at her ear and hair while nursing.<br />
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• squealshriekscreams a "meow" in response to Gretel.<br />
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• HATES having her diaper changed. This is annoying since she used to love it. :\<br />
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• loves Yo Gabba Gabba.<br />
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-81005640941929025322013-09-04T14:45:00.001-07:002013-09-04T14:49:10.877-07:00Piggie Piggie<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/9672864129/" title="piggie piggie by jasmine.lael, on Flickr"><img alt="piggie piggie" height="640" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3824/9672864129_73f1be9acb_z.jpg" width="512" /></a></div>
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^^cecily and piggie piggie taking a nap^^<br />
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This week, I'm working on getting Cecily attached to a lovey, specifically a tiny, soft, pink pig called Piggie Piggie. So far, we're doing really well! Cecily really likes her! Piggie Piggie only comes out for naps and bedtime. We talk to Piggie Piggie and give her kisses. Piggie Piggie always tells Cecily that she's very sleepy and asks if she can sleep next to her. I put her in Cecily's arms while I feed her. She really likes that! She periodically stops nursing to say hello to Piggie Piggie and give her a kiss. It's so sweet. At bedtime, I've been sleeping with Piggie Piggie to get her to smell like me before I start giving her to Cecily at nighttime. My hope in doing all of this is that Cecily will be comforted by her little pig when she stirs at night and soothe herself back into a deeper sleep. Plus, every child needs an inanimate best friend, be it blanket, stuffed animal, doll, toy car, or wooden spoon! I still have my ee-ee, a tattered green blanket that I slept with into my early twenties. I used to joke that I'd take that thing on my honeymoon with me (I did not). Here's hoping that Piggie Piggie turns out to be Silly's first best friend!<br />
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-3530316501164140952013-09-04T10:00:00.000-07:002013-09-06T14:13:17.758-07:0035/52<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/9686689939/" title="35:52 by jasmine.lael, on Flickr"><img alt="35:52" height="640" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3767/9686689939_a8eec3b2ef_z.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>"A portrait of my child once a week, every week, in 2013."</i></div>
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<i>Cecily: 45 weeks. "Hello, fountain." We've been waving hello to everrrrything lately. People walking by. Appliances. Gilmore Girls characters on the television. The kitties. Flecks of nothing on the floor. Cecily's an extrovert.</i></div>
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Linking up with <a href="http://cheandfidel.blogspot.com/search/label/52">Jodi</a>.</div>
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-53202887047982658732013-08-25T23:24:00.004-07:002013-08-25T23:26:12.268-07:0034/52<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/9595150169/" title="cecily the graduate by jasmine.lael, on Flickr"><img alt="cecily the graduate" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7446/9595150169_5b6181cc5b_z.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<i>"A portrait of my child once a week, every week, in 2013."</i></div>
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<i>Cecily: 44 weeks. Levi and I are referring to this as Cecily's senior portrait. She looks like she's pondering her future behind the bars of her crib. Such a little character. I'm just happy to have a photo that shows her face still and clear. That's a rare occurrence these days! Oh, and by the way, that lump behind her is me sleeping. Levi took this one while I obliviously snoozed this morning.</i><br />
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Linking up with Jodi on <a href="http://cheandfidel.blogspot.com/search/label/52">Che and Fidel</a>. Every week, Jodi links to a few of her favorite portraits from the previous week. I was thrilled and very flattered to find that she shared Cecily's portrait from last week on her blog over the weekend. :)<br />
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-86091284403908025792013-08-17T09:05:00.000-07:002013-08-17T09:05:00.420-07:0033/52<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/9526366065/" title="week 33 by jasmine.lael, on Flickr"><img alt="week 33" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7321/9526366065_636b9c3094_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>"A portrait of my child once a week, every week, in 2013."</i></div>
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<i>Cecily: 43 weeks. Cecily outgrew her Bloom Alma Mini crib at six months. I was pretty irritated by this because we had intended to keep her in there for at least the first year, and we didn't want a full-size crib because we live in a small, one-bedroom apartment. But we have a very tall daughter (99th percentile). Because we couldn't afford another crib at six months, we put the mini crib away and Cecily started sleeping in bed with us. It was all very cozy and sweet, but it was also completely nerve-wracking for me. I wake up every SINGLE time she shifts or moves at all. I've read that breastfeeding hormones make mothers more sensitive to their baby's movements while they're sleeping (some even say that formula-fed babies shouldn't sleep with their parents due to a lack of heightened awareness). And I'm just a paranoid person. Levi and I don't really move in our sleep at all, and we were very very careful, but it was still worrisome for me. Plus, I really missed being able to cuddle with my husband! Or talk to him in bed. Even though I had all these reasons for wanting her in a crib, I got so attached to sleeping next to my sweet baby. I loved looking over and seeing her breathing softly with her little, sweet, full lips parted. I loved seeing her smile and hearing her laugh (she's a sleep laugher, this girl of mine). There's nothing sweeter than a sleeping baby, and sleeping next to mine definitely had its good qualities. But I reached a point where I had had enough. Levi and I decided to put off some other very important financial decisions in order to get Cecily into a new crib. So all that to say, here is my sweet girl asleep in her new crib! Her new, big, GIANT crib next to our GIANT, king size bed in our small bedroom! It's pretty much wall-to-wall furniture in there, and it looks slightly ridiculous, but that's okay. You gotta do what you gotta do. Cecily is doing a great job. She's had two nights and one full day of naps in her new crib. I'm putting her in the crib after she has fallen asleep while nursing just to get her used to it. After awhile, we'll start working on getting her to put herself to sleep again. She was SO good at that before she outgrew the mini crib and her first sleep regression hit. But she likes sleep so she'll get back to a good place. I trust her. I love my sweet girl so much. Seeing her sleep is a cure for any frustrations I experience. It's good for my soul... especially when it's in her own bed. I'm so proud of my Cecily.</i><br />
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1499952934596280848.post-91162189123131920302013-08-13T22:51:00.000-07:002013-08-16T23:04:52.345-07:0032/52<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasilu/9529152186/" title="week 32 by jasmine.lael, on Flickr"><img alt="week 32" height="640" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3697/9529152186_d6d49b2740_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>"A portrait of my child once a week, every week, in 2013."</i></div>
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<i>Cecily: 42 weeks. We went to Ikea today (actually we went to two Ikeas to track down a sold out, discontinued crib that we had our hearts set on... it was kind of a nightmare Ikea day). While we were at the first Ikea, Cecily tested out some sheepskin rugs. We are totally the type of parents who pull things out, put our baby on the floor, and play with her in the middle of an Ikea. I've started noticing that Cecily is getting bored pretty easily lately, and I think it's because she isn't stimulated enough during playtime. So I've thrown myself into researching age-appropriate activities. We're focusing a lot on sensory play now (hence, the rug). She loves it! She's such a little sponge right now. I've noticed that she's gotten a lot better at mimicking me (kinda scary actually...), so I really want to take advantage of that and dive right into teaching her and interacting with her more. I feel ashamed to say that I've been ignoring her too much up until this point. I hadn't quite accepted that I can no longer lay her down on her activity mat and do my own thing while she quietly plays next to me. She needs a lot more interaction now. And when I give it to her, she's much more content when it's time to play on her own. Motherhood is tricky because it changes ALL the time.</i></div>
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P.S. I've pretty much given up on trying to get portraits of her face at this point. She moves around way too much now. ;)</div>
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<i>Linking up with <a href="http://cheandfidel.blogspot.com/search/label/52">Jodi</a>.</i><br />
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jasminehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00081876926389855583noreply@blogger.com0