Smashbook: Ohana Love

Happy Wednesday! It's time for another post about an old spread in my pretty pink Smashbook. I've decided to share some of my old creations since I haven't had much time to SMASH* this year, due to Project Life. 

When it comes to our family, there is nothing more important than ohana. And this Summer, we've done a lot of traveling back and forth to visit our loved ones down in Portland. I thought I would share an old spread about a visit from our family last summer. This will give me a chance to document all the new trips our family takes this season. I already have some ideas. So when I'm all caught up with PL, have extra time to myself, and get my SMASH* mojo back, I can finally do another spread!

"Ohana Love" - Left Side

These pages were inspired by my family, of course. And I knew I wanted to keep it pretty simple. So I flipped through my book for pages that weren't too busy because I wanted to add rub-ons and do some stamping. The color and design of this set of pages worked with the color scheme of my elements, as well as the photos.

For the left page, I started by picking out some instagram photos from our weekend. I had a few of them I wanted to include, so it made sense to print them smaller [wallet-size]. I arranged them on my page and added a printable journal spot, which I used as a frame for one of the photos. For journaling, I wrote directly on the page and I also used scraps of Hawaiian themed scrapbook paper as journal tags.

My embellishments for the page include a pretty cardstock flower [by K&Company from a set that I received in a happy mail package from a friend], a handmade instagram camera [created by my girl Cathy V.], and some fun alphabet stickers [by K&Company called "Animal Tales"] for the title. Super sweet and simple, and doesn't take away from the story of my photos.

"Ohana Love" - Right Page

I had lots of fun with the right side and incorporated a few different elements. Again, I laid everything out first to make sure it all fit and that everything was easily visible once put together. I was really excited to finally use an "Ohana" quote tag that I received from a friend in a happy mail package. [She knew how much I love Lilo & Stitch, and my family ;)] It's the perfect addition to these pages! I also added an old family photo right next to the tag.

"Ohana Love" - A Repurposed Window Envelope Turned Pocket

I really wanted to include an idea inspired by Pinterest to this page. I'm all for re-purposing and recycling, so when I came across a pin about reusing an old window envelope as a pocket, I had to give it a try! It's the perfect little pocket to hold some old family photos, a "guest check" (used as a journal card) talking about our family lunch together at a local restaurant, and the drink tickets from lunch. I put everything inside the pocket first and made sure that the placement was correct before I adhered it to the page. I didn't want any of the ephemera to block the photo at the top.

"Ohana Love" - A Journal Card with Washi Tape Used as a Photo Log

Sometimes I forget the details of specific photos, and I don't like writing on the back of them. Since these pictures are so old, I thought I would create a "photo log" to stick in the pocket to help me remember. I added washi tabs directly to each photo, using a different design for each one. The tabs serve two purposes. First off, it makes it much easier to pull the photos out of the pocket. This way, my 4-year-old (who loves flipping through my book and interacting with the different elements) doesn't tear the pocket apart trying to dig things out. Secondly, the different designs of washi on each tab is used to mark specifics of each photo on my "photo log." I just tore off a tiny strip of each design, added it to a small journal card, and wrote down the details.

"Ohana Love" - Full Spread

To finish off this spread I used some 'memories' and 'travel' themed rub-on's, as well as a pretty flower to fill an empty space. But this spread wouldn't be complete without an "aloha" sentiment from a favorite rubber stamp. I really love the way these pages turned out! It represents my culture and everything important to me. It's full of memories, both old and new. It's my way of SMASH*ing....

I really hope you enjoyed today's post and leave here feeling inspired to create something beautiful in your book. Would you like to take a peek into my pretty pink Smashbook? You can find it here. Looking for more SMASH*ing inspiration? Check out my "Smash* & PL" pinboard on Pinterest. Along with inspiration, you'll find hundreds of links to free printables, DIY's, How-To's, tips, and ideas for everything SMASH*. Be sure to follow that board because I find new stuff daily!

You can also stay updated on my recent posts and projects via instagram, as well as with a "like" on my new fan page on Facebook. So why not head over there now and show some love...

Are you a SMASH*er? What is your favorite subject to document? Any thoughts, questions, or comments about this post? Feel free to drop me a line. Your feedback is always welcome and much appreciated.

Mahalo for stopping by!

Project Life: Week 28

Hello there! I hope you enjoyed your weekend. I feel like I accomplished quite a bit the last few days... well the planning part of it anyway ;) I say that because I have a fun post coming up this week. You'll be taking a sneak peek at how this Island Girl plans and organizes her life! I can't wait to share my newest organization tool... I am loving it! I also had the chance to knock out another week in my Project Life album. And today, I'm sharing it here with you....

WEEK 28

Life Documented

July 7 - July 13

Week 28: Full Spread

It was a fabulous week here in the Pacific NW. It may not have started out great when it came to dealing with my 4-year-old, but hey... that's "real life." I captured other everday day life moments, and we also took another road trip down to Portland to spend some quality time with our ohana. I wanted the theme for this week to scream SUMMER, so I used lots of bright and cheerful colors in my cards, photos, and embellishments. I also mixed it up with lots of different printables and handmade cards.

Week 28: Left Page

This page is the reverse side of a Becky Higgins Design A from Week 27. For the title card, I used a piece of pretty scrapbook paper to act as the background for some colorful Cameo cuts. The "28" is a cutout from a paper collection, and the dots are paper washi bits from my hole puncher. I used a printable journal card to document life as a mommy. It provided more than enough room to share my thoughts from the day. In the bottom 6"x 4" slots I used 4"x 4" instagram photos and some 2"x 4" journal cards. One by We R Memory Keepers, and another was a printable that printed wrong, so I saved it.

Week 28: A Row of  Free Printables

For the row of 3x4's, I dug into my stash of free printables. I used some fun designs like a "currently watching" and calendar card, and a "captured" card and polaroid frame. I added wallet-sized instagram pics to those.

Since there were so many photos on this page, I decided to let them speak for themselves, so I kept it light on the embellishments. I only added a few styles of tiny alphabet stickers, a Dymo label, and some stamping with my roller date and rotary phrase stamps.

Week 28: Right Page

This right side is a generic photo page that I picked up from Hobby Lobby. The 4"x 6" slots hold a journal card by WRMK and three handmade cards cut from 6"x 6" paper pads. I used them to showcase some fun instagram photos in different sizes. I added some free printable labels, Cosmo Cricket label stickers, some pink bling, and a few fun alphabet stickers.

Week 28: Right Page - Close Up

For the column of 4"x 3" cards I used a couple more printables, a Mambi card, and a Recollections card. I added a neon strip of paper washi cut into an arrow, another Dymo label, and more tiny alphabet stickers to finish off this page. I adore how this spread turned out. It's so cheery and colorful and full of wonderful memories! I had tons of fun putting it together.

I hope you enjoyed today's post. I'll be linking up with The Mom Creative, so if you're looking for more Project Life inspiration be sure to stop by! Wanna take a peek into my 2013 PL album? You can find it here. Do you like some of the free printables I used in this week's spread? Be sure to check out my "Smash & PL" or "Printables/Templates" pinboards on Pinterest. Not only will you find printables, you'll see hundreds of links to DIYs, How-To's, tips, ideas, and inspiration for everything Project Life. Follow those boards because I find new stuff daily!

You can also stay updated on my recent posts and projects via instagram, or with a "like" on my new fan page on Facebook. So why not head over there now to show some love....

Are you documenting 2013 with Project Life? Any thoughts, questions, or comments about this post? Feel free to drop me a line. Your feedback is always welcome and much appreciated.

Mahalo for stopping by!

Printables: July

Happy Aloha Friday!

I hope you all had a wonderful week! It is that time again for my new batch of free printables for the month. In case you missed last month's post, you can find it here. If you are new to my blog, or at-home printing, or haven't even considered it, I urge you to read this post. It's full of helpful hints and tips, ways to make the printables process cheap and easy, and other ideas and information to help you start your own collection of free cards for Project Life and Smash*. Be sure to check out my other "Printables" posts [under "Topics"] for more great stuff!

I've learned over the last year that printing at-home can get quite expensive and tedious if done on a daily basis. For me, I have a routine when it comes to printables. I limit myself to only one big batch each month. If you don't set limits, you'll find yourself spending way too much money on ink and paper. It can also get pretty exhausting to print and cut file after file, day after day, whenever you find something new online. Doing it once a month works for me and my budget. I really need those ink cartridges to go a long way... not just for my printables, but also ones for swapping, weekly Project Life photos, and regular household printing. I've learned how to make those ink cartridges and white cardstock last for an unbelievably long time!

Each month I have my eyes out for specific cards that I want to add to my collection. I've been on the lookout for more colorful and fun filler and journal cards that are all about Summer. There are so many of them floating around the internet, and here are a few more that I just had to have....

SUMMER LOVE

Top Left ----> "Summer Cards" from Two Peas

Top Right ----> "Summertime Icons" by Kerri Bradford

Bottom Left ----> "I Love Summer" from Two Peas

Bottom Center ----> "Summer Bucket List" by Deanna Rutter

 Bottom Right ----> "Hello Summer" by OSD Designers

The "Hello Summer" cards were offered on FB during One Story Down's Facebook Hop last month. I'm not positive if they are still available, but you may be able to find some information on OSD's fan page. I provided the link for you. I do have to say that I love each and every one of the cards and badges from this group. Although they were made by different designers, and aren't all from the same collection, they work great together. They're the perfect addition to my Summer stash!

FUN & COLORFUL

Top Left ----> "My Sweet Home" by BCD

Top Center ----> "Polaroid Frames" by SammyD

Top Right ----> "Tabbed Days" by Melanie Britt

Bottom Left ----> Cute Cards from L.P.S.

Bottom Center ----> "Tribal Festival" by Pixeled Paper

Bottom Right ----> "Neon" by Cathy Fong

The "My Sweet Home" cards are only offered to newsletter subscribers of Boutique Cute Dolls. I provided a link to BCD's fan page for you. The "Tabbed Days" cards are also available only on Facebook via Melanie Britt's fan page, which is where that link above will lead you to. You just need to "like" and/or subscribe to both places on Facebook. I have to say that it is extremely hard to pick a favorite from this group. At the moment I am obesessed with neon and those cards by Cathy are amazing! 

All together, the cool designs and cheerful colors of every one of these cards work so perfectly with each other. They are fun, fabulous, and worth downloading! I'm sure they'll go with all of the other Summer cards you have in your stash.

Well that is all I have for you today. I really hope you enjoyed my post and found a few new cards along the way! You can find more free printables on my "Smash* & PL" or "Printables/Templates" pinboards on Pinterest. Be sure to follow those boards because I find new stuff daily. Make sure you follow my blog as well to stay updated on my printables adventures. And don't forget to check out my other "Printables" posts [under "Topics"].

You can also stay updated on my recent posts and projects with a "like" on my new fan page on Facebook. So why not head over there now and show some love...

Do you print at-home too? How do you like it? Any thoughts, questions, or comments about this post? Please let me know. Your feedback is always welcome and much appreciated!

Thank you for stopping by!

Smashbook: Hauls and Happy Mail

Happy Wednesday everyone! I hope you're having a wonderful week so far. It's been a long time since I've had the chance to work in my Smashbook since my new obsession with Project Life has taken over. So as a fairly new blogger (about 5 months) I figured I would go ahead and share my creations from last year here with you.

Today I have a spread that I created last summer when I was new to Smashing. I was slowly starting to develop my own style, and applied many elements and techniques I used when I was a kid working in my old school Smashbooks [altered comp books]. Those 20 year old journals are chock full of magazine clippings, doodling, cutouts, ephemera, stickers, photobooth pics, notes from friends, and lots of journaling. I had no idea back then that the cool way I was documenting my life would turn into today's trend! I definitely knew that I wanted to carry on these things into my Smashbooks. 

I also wanted to do something new and fun with it, so I included lots of interactive elements. Flaps that flip open to reveal hidden journaling and ephemera, a handmade envelope (using a page from a magazine, just like when I was a kid!), and a pocket full of lovely goodies.

Hauls & Happy Mail -- Full Spread

I thought it would be great to record my new adventure with Smashing by showcasing a couple of my favorite things... Hauls & Happy Mail. On this journey, I discovered new supplies and websites to enable my addiction to Smashing... Washi Tape and Scrappy Online Shops. It was my very first time ever shopping at some of these places, so I decided to document my experience. 

Keep pretty packaging and add them directly to your book!

Going back as far as I can remember, in regards to paper and packaging, I never threw anything pretty away. And the same thing applied to the recent orders I received. I kept the pretty paper bag (filled with packaging slips) that my washi from Downtown Tape came in. I tore off a strip from each new roll and taped them to the bag. They serve double-duty by keeping the bag closed and they also give me a visual note of the designs from my purchase.

Under that paper bag I have the handmade envelope created from magazine paper. It holds receipts from my in-store shopping hauls for the month. I used a tiny binder clip at the top of the page to hold everything together.

Interactive Flaps Created with Washi Tape

I also ordered more washi as well as some fabulous handmade goodies, created by my girl and fellow Smash*aholic sister Cathy, from her shop Paper Addict. [You should also check out her blog, she's been such a huge inspiration to me for the last year. I love her work!] There was no way I could throw away any of the cute packaging and paper tidbits that came with my order. (Ok... I threw out the actual mailer that everything came in, but I did cut out the cute sentiment that was stamped on the envelope!). I also used the new washi I purchased from her to create the flaps. I really consider Cathy's packages more like Happy Mail rather than an order, because she puts so much thought into everything she sends. They always make me smile! 

I've also been involved in monthly swaps for the last year with 3 lovely ladies. I look forward to it each and every month. Love it! Best part, we've become such great friends. I decided to add a photo snippet from one of the packages I received, as well as a snapshot of some of the recent postcards that came in. Simple but sweet memories worth documenting.

A Pocket Full of Goodies with Washi Tabs for Easy Access

The last of my interactive elements is a handmade pocket. My book is full of them! This particular one, with notes from my monthly Happy Mail buddies, is a free printable that I found a year ago. I've also made my own custom pockets using scrapbook paper. So easy! I fill them with photos, notes, cards, ephemera, and other special things. Since my 4 year old daughter loves flipping through the pages of my book and interacting with everything, I had to childproof it! She especially loves pulling the goodies out of my pockets, so I added washi tabs to all of the little bits and pieces. This way she doesn't have to dig into them and end up ripping one apart. To the pocket, I added a couple of other free printables like the mustache and label. The "smile" sentiment is a rub-on from my stash.

For the rest of this spread I used alphabet stickers and cutouts from my magazine collection, some new stamps from a shopping haul, more rub-ons, as well as the SMASH* roller date stamp. It came together beautifully (apart from my backwards ampersand... ignore it ;), and was super simple to make. I'm really looking forward to creating and sharing my next Haul & H.M. spread in a brand new book!

I hope you enjoyed today's post and leave here feeling inspired to create something beautiful in your book. Wanna take a peek at my pretty pink Smashbook? You can find it here. Looking for some inspiration and the free printables I used? You can find them on my "Smash & PL" and "Printables/Templates" pinboards on Pinterest. You'll find links to hundreds of free printables, DIY's, How-To's, ideas, tips, and inspiration for everything SMASH* and Project Life.

Also, if you would like to stay updated on my recent posts and projects be sure to follow me here and "like" my new fan page on Facebook. So why not head over there now and show some love ♥ 

Do you SMASH*? Have you tried a spread like this yet? Any thoughts, questions, or comments about this post? Please drop me a line! Your feedback is always welcome and much appreciated.

Mahalo for stopping by!

Project Life: Weeks 26 - 27

Hello Everyone! I hope you had a fabulous weekend. I apologize for the long hiatus from my blog. Life has been crazy busy this summer! Lots of family stuff going on, weekend trips, and vacation time. I also needed that little break to get caught up on my projects, as well as planning for the fun stuff I have coming up on my blog! During my time away, I've had a chance to do some catching up in my Project Life album. And today I'm happy to finally share those pages with you....

I decided to do single page layouts for both Week 26 & 27, and combined them to create this spread. I've used this technique before when I didn't have much to document, or enough photos for a single week. It's also a great idea when you need to do some catching up! I decided to keep both weeks pretty simple as far as embellishments go. I let the journaling and photos speak for themselves. Bonus... it saved me loads of time!

WEEK 26

Life Documented

June 23 - June 29

Week 26: Single Page Layout

The photo page used here is the reverse side of a We R Memory Keepers page from Week 25. It was a pretty laid back week for us. I didn't have many photos to use, so the best option was to do a single page layout. I decided on a few 4x4 instagrams and one wallet-sized square collage. I really love the look and placement of the square photos on the 6x4 slots.

I kept it simple with journal and filler cards. The title card is from Becky Higgins "Mayfield" Childhood Kit. To it, I added Pebbles Inc. alphas and numbers, and an arrow stamp by Studio G. The 2x4 journal cards paired with the large instagram photos are by WRMK. They are perfect for adding brief details about the photos! The "Family Memories" card with the small photo collage is the only free printable I used on this page. It gave me more than enough room to write down a very special memory from the week....

Week 26: Close Up

I used a 6x4 journal card by WRMK with a ledger design to act as my "Week in Review" card. Again, I didn't have much to document as "Highlights," so that handwritten card worked great to share the little moments I wanted our family to remember. The only embellishments used on these cards were some red thickers, and a chipboard heart sticker by Recollections.

WEEK 27

Life Documented

June 30 - July 6

Week 27: Single Page Layout

I went with a Becky Higgins Design A photo page for this side. It looks great next to the WRMK page with the six 6x4 slots. I chose this page because I had a lot more to share than the previous week. For the title card, I handmade it using a 6x6 sheet of scrapbook paper, a Cameo cut frame [which I doodled on], and Pebbles Inc. alphabet stickers. I finished it off with some arrows cut from red paper washi. In the remaining 6x4 slots, I used a couple of WRMK journal cards, and photo snippet from my blog of my freebie.

Week 27: Close Up

For the row of 3x4's, I used a collection of printables. The first one is a screenshot of the weather app taken from my Samsung Galaxy S3. I love including weather snippets so we can look back and see what mother nature had in store for us during a specific moment in time. I needed some plain 3x4 cards with a graph design, so I decided to make my own Print & Cuts on my Cameo. I used it to hold another square photo collage of my scrappy shopping hauls from the week. I added some Cosmo Cricket Tiny Text stickers, and a cute label that was also a freebie "Print & Cut" file. The next card is a free printable with lots of room for my journaling. My last card is another free printable, and one of my favorites from the week. The camera design perfectly showcases the instagram photo of my daughter.

Week 27: Homemade Insert

Week 27 was a pretty special week for our family. Not only is July 4th Independence Day... it's also our daughter's birthday :) I decided to make another one of my homemade inserts using a 6x12 sleeve from an old school photo album, that I cut down to size. I filled it with snippets of my FB status, an instagram photo shared on FB [with Likes and Comments] from the day, along with a fireworks photo, and a collage of the two of us on her special day. I also used a printable tag for journaling which I tied off with red and white twine.

I carried on the red, white, and blue theme with other elements like a flair badge that I won from a giveaway on Ms. Kimm's Blog. As well as a red chevron tab created by Rebecca B of UPrintables. To it, I added a Dymo label with a sweet sentiment.

To finish off the cards in my insert, I used some AC alphabet stickers, and more of the red paper washi tape cut into an arrow shape. I stamped it with a sentiment from Dear Lizzy's Rotary Phrase Stamp, and doodled a stitch design around the edge. For the last card, I added a scrap of red polka dot overlay and paired it with some new washi tape RAK'd by Kimm with my prize. Lastly, I used a speech bubble to jot a quick note about the day...

I hope you enjoyed today's post! Tomorrow I'll be linking up with The Mom Creative. So be sure to stop by for more Project Life inspiration! Want to take a peek at my PL album? You can find it here. Interested on getting your hands on some of the free printables I used in this spread? You can find them on my "Smash* & PL"  or "Printables/Templates" pinboards on Pinterest. Along with free printables, you'll find hundreds of links to DIYs, HowTo's, tips, ideas, and inspiration for everything SMASH* and Project Life.

You can now stay updated with my recent blog posts by liking my fan page on Facebook! So why don't you head over there and show some love...

Are you documenting 2013 with Project Life? Have you had trouble keeping up? Any thoughts, questions, or comments about this post? Please let me know. Your feedback is always welcome and much appreciated.

Thank you for stopping by!

Project Life: Week 25

Happy Wednesday everyone! I hope you're having a wonderful week. I've been using my time away from blogging to catch up in my Project Life album! I'm slowly getting there... as of today, I'm only a couple weeks behind. If it wasn't for my PL journal, there is now way I'd be able to keep up! As long as I continue to snap photos and write down details of specific days and events, I don't feel overwhelmed when it's time to make my layouts. And today, I'm so happy to share my most recent spread with you!

WEEK 25

Life Documented

June 16 - June 22

Week 25: Full Spread

It was another fabulous week in June! Apart from life's everyday moments like bubble baths and blogging, we also finished our trip to our hometown of Portland, OR, celebrated Father's day with loved ones, and I even received a RAK and Happy Mail package on the same day! There were lots of photos taken this week, and I let them be the jumping off point for my color scheme. Lots of bright and fun pops of color paired with touches of black.

Week 25: Left Page

This page is the reverse side of a generic set of Hobby Lobby photo pages used for Week 24. I filled the 4x6 slots with a handmade title card, 2 full-size photos of my daughter [taken by my brother], and a WRMK journal card. The title card was made using my new Ki Memories "Color Crush" 6x6 paper pad. I added a couple of Cameo cuts and a butterfly punch, a "25" from a set of cutouts, a printable label for the days, some hot pink thickers, and a glitter candy dot to finish it off.

For the column of 4x3's, I used a fun mix of cards. On the reverse side of the double-sided card from last week, I added a square photo of the Hubby's Father's Day card. I also used AC "Remarks" alphabet stickers, and a Recollections mustache sticker. I dug through my stash of free printables for a couple of horizontal cards that would complement my theme this week. Since we were on a road trip to visit family, I thought the map with the love sentiment would be perfect. I also found a colorful printable to act as the backdrop for an instagram photo. I added some pink bling and a Dymo label to complete it. The "You are my Sunshine" card is by MAMBI.

Week 25: Right Page - Close Up

For some reason, whenever I use 4x6 sized photo paper with my printer, it doesn't print full size! It leaves a white strip along the bottom. Instead of keeping it "as is", I decided to cover those white sections with pretty washi. It's a perfect fit, and the perfect place to showcase my new Ki Memories tape!

Week 25: WRMK Journal Card with Alphas & a GeoTag

Since all of my photos on this page were from a single day, I only needed one journal card to document everything. The design of the 4x6 card I used had a section on top to add a title with alphabet stickers. I also included a wood veneer geotag with more alpha stickers [from the same set] to showcase our location. It looks fabulous!

Week 25: Right Page

For this side, I went with a WRMK photo page with six 6x4 slots. I was happy to finally use some of my gorgeous horizontal cards! I decided to mix it up here too with different types. For my happy mail photos, I used a WRMK journal card with a mail theme. I added a Hello Kitty sticker and some pink alphas by Cosmo Cricket. For the handmade card next to it, I used another sheet from my Ki Memories "Color Crush" paper pad. I added a 4x4 instagram photo and a cute ticket with a sweet sentiment.

Week 25: A Handmade Card Using Paper from Different Collections

 My "Going Home" card was made using a 6x6 sheet from Amy T's "Sketchbook" paper pad. I layered it with the scrap from the Ki Memories paper I cut from the title card. It now holds two of our trip pics, green Amy Tangerine foam thickers, and another glitter candy dot.

Week 25: A Journal Card Printable with Bling "Bullets"

I took a snippet of my Printables: June post when I saw that there were 15 people viewing my blog when I posted it! I thought it would be a great piece to add to my album. The last of the 6x4 slots hold some awesome free printables. You can find a link to the "Joy" filler card here. Since I chose not to journal on any of the 6x4 cards like I usually do, I decided to use a "Week in Review" card to document the details from the week. I added some pink bling to act as bullets in my list.

I'll be linking up with The Mom Creative today. Stop by for more PL inspiration! Want to take a peek at my 2013 Project Life album? You can find it here.  Like the free printables I used in this week's spread? You can find them on my "Smash* & PL" or "Printables/Templates" pinboards on Pinterest. Not only will you find printables, but links to hundreds of DIYs, How-To's, tips, ideas, and inspiration for everything SMASH* and Project Life! Wanna stay updated on my recent posts and projects? Be sure to "like" my new fan page on Facebook!

Are you a Project Lifer? Does it seem like you have a go to photo page when creating your weekly layouts? Do you like to mix them up like I do? Any thoughts, questions, or comments about this post? Please let me know. Your feedback is always welcome and much appreciated!

Thank you for stopping by!

Freebie: Happy Cards

Happy Aloha Friday!

Today I'm doing something brand new.... I'm offering my first set of free printables! If you are familiar with my blog, you already know that I'm a huge fan of printables. I have an enormous collection that started on Pinterest. If you don't believe me, feel free to check out my "Smash* & PL" or "Printables/Templates" pinboards. Not only will you find printables, but also links to literally hundreds of other DIYs, How-To's, tips, ideas, and inspiration for everything SMASH* and Project Life. Feel free to check them out!

I created these cards a month or so ago because my 4x6 card collection was lacking a few qualities that  I wanted to include in my Project Life album. If you can tell by my blog (and my blog posts), you can see I'm slightly obsessed with neon, quotes, the color pink, journaling, and photography. So I came up with a set of cards that showcase my passions. They add that special little touch to my album that I was looking for. And I decided to share them here with you too....

My "Happy Cards" set consists of two 6"x 4" journal cards, and one 4"x 6" filler card.  One of the 6"x 4" cards is a journal card with more than enough room to add every little detail you want to include from the day. The other 6"x 4" card has a polaroid frame to add an instagram pic, along with the date and some journaling. My last card is a fabulous 4"x 6" filler card with one of my favorite quotes. It's very inspiring!

These cards are perfect for Project Life! I don't normally use this size in my SMASH* book, but you certainly can. I'll be making more cards soon in 3"x4" size which are perfect for both PL and SMASHing! So stay tuned! You are more than welcome to use these cards for Personal Use Only, please. 

DOWNLOAD HERE

Note: The download is a compressed zip folder which you will need "unzip" software to open and extract. All my files are virus-free. Please DO NOT share the physical file or the download link. "Pin" directly from my blog, or send friends here or my Facebook page. Thank you!

If you are new to at-home printing, or it's something you are interested in doing but never thought you could do, I encourage you to check out this post. It's chock full of helpful hints and tips for printing at home, as well as ideas to save you money, and ways to start your own printable collection to use for SMASH* or Project Life.

Week 20 of Project Life: Making Use of My Free Printable

Wanna stay updated on my recent posts and projects? Be sure to "like" my new fan page on Facebook! What do you think of my first set of printables? I would love to see how you use them! Be sure to link me up. Any thoughts, questions, or comments about this post? Please let me know. Your feedback is always welcome and much appreciated.

Mahalo for stopping by!

Smashbook: Hello Kiani

Happy 4th of July!

Today is doubly special for our family... it's also the day I gave birth to our baby girl. And this year she turned 4 years old! Ever since the day my daughter was born, she's always been such an inspiration to me. As the subject of many photographs, Project Life layouts, and Smash* book spreads... I never tire of the creativity she gives me.

With today being her birthday, I thought it would be nice to share a spread with you from my Pretty Pink book, that I created last summer in honor of her. Whenever I look at this, it puts a smile on my face. Seeing how innocent, and fun, and angelic she is makes me realize how blessed we are. Watching her grow up through the pages of my book is simply amazing....

First, I started out by thumbing through my book to find the best pages that represent my daughter. She's a girly girl, and like me, she has a love for the color pink. When I saw these pretty pink grid pages with butterflies and dictionary snippets of the words "Delight, Cheer, and Joy," I knew this spread was perfect.

I used my homemade pink glimmer mist to spritz a few sections of the pages. [Click for my Glimmer Mist DIY.] It adds a subtle touch of color to the otherwise white background. Next came the fun part of digging through my stack of instagram photos. I chose ones with pops of color as well as images that captured her youthfulness.

Another fun part was scouring through my stash for cute printables. I found lots of great pink stuff! A Hello tag, a potty girl and smile ticket, a sweet card, a lined tag with a heart, and even some scrabble letter tiles. All of the ones I just mentioned were found on the internet and downloaded for free. The adorable instagram camera was given to me by a friend, and the Hello Kitty was cut out from the packaging of my daughter's scrapbook kit.

I also made a bunting banner using complementing scraps of pretty paper with pink and white twine. It was super simple and made good use of my scraps. I found even more embellishments like a hot pink floral diecut, and some fun flair buttons that were the perfect addition to these pages.

I finished off this spread with a pink angel wings tag (which I wrote her birth date on), and another printable tag that I added some special sentiments to and tied off with more pink and white twine. These pages wouldn't be complete without some thickers and tiny alphabet stickers... in pink, of course!

I absolutely love how these pages came together. It's definitely one of my favorite spreads in my Pretty Pink Smash* book. My daughter loves looking at it too! I can't wait to make more pages about her this summer, and seeing how much she has changed since last year. Being able to document her growth and interests over the coming years, to be later looked back on in the future, is such a wonderful experience for us all.

Life is Good! 

I hope you enjoyed today's post! It was pretty special and I was so happy to share it with you. Want to take a peek into my Pretty Pink book? You can find it here. Wanna stay updated on my recent posts and projects? Be sure to "like" my new fan page on Facebook! Interested in the free printables I used for this spread? You can find them on my "Smash* & PL" or "Printables/Templates" pinboards on Pinterest. Along with printables, you'll find links to hundreds of other DIYs, How-To's, tips, ideas, and inspiration for everything Smash* and Project Life! Check it out...

Are you a Smash*er? How much do you love smash*ing about your little ones? Any thoughts, questions, or comments about this post? Feel free to drop me a line. Your feedback is always welcome and much appreciated!

Mahalo for stopping!

Happy 4th Birthday Kiani!

Four years ago today we were blessed with a perfect baby girl. Over the years it's been a roller coaster ride learning to live with a little person who has so much spunk, such a fiery personality, and many other qualities that are so much like her mommy and daddy ;) But in the end, it's all worth it.... because she's the best thing that has ever happened to us. Without her we wouldn't feel complete. She's our world. Our angel. And today just shows how fast she's growing up! So from here on out, we'll continue to cherish every waking moment we have together...

Today is your day Kiani, and tonight all the fireworks in the sky burn for you. 

We love you to the moon and back. 

Happy 4th Birthday Baby Girl <3

Happy Independence Day Everyone! 

Be Safe and May God Bless America.