One Little Word 2014- January

So I'm about halfway through the month of January. My word has come into play a few times already. The main reflection I've had was a few nights ago when I had an interview for my new job. I had to do a haircut and I pretty much bombed the interview and I completely fell apart. My confidence dropped and I had a miserable few days of really being concerned as to the new choice I was making. I've never felt at home in a salon and trying to go back to one is very trying on the mind and soul. With such worry and concern I set out to again look for my dream job thinking it would take forever for something that would fit. A couple nights ago Sephora had an opening for a Senior Education Consultant at our local Sephora store and it was like fate!! It's seriously my dream job. I was brave enough not to fall back and stay at my current job out of fear but to keep pushing forward and find my dream job. I haven't hesitated a moment since I seen the opening. I filled out my application that night and the next morning I took my resume to the store in hopes of the hiring manager being in. I walked in confident saying that I would do everything I could to get this job. Luck went my way and the store manager was there to greet me, and we had a mini interview right there in the middle of the store. We talked about the experience I have as an educator in the beauty industry, the fact I've worked for 2 different beauty suppliers, and that I'm a retail store manager. I have some of the perfect skills and background to do the job. So she said that she was new and she's working hard to get to doing interviews and to give her some time, but it's looking very promising that I'll get an interview. So by being brave and not taking a single step backwards no matter how much I wanted too... I might have just landed my dream job, and nailed one of my bold intentions for 2014. 

So here's a quick look at the project in my project life album- 

Intro page- brave 2014

Page protectors- Becky Higgins - design G

Project life kit- we r memory keepers -Capture

Printables- Ali Edwards- One Little Word class printables

Embellishments- Studio Calico - wood veneer 

My intention map page

Printable- Ali Edwards- one little word class printable. 

Journal Entry 1/4

So I kinda listened to myself yesterday and swore I would grab a selfie- 

I got one with Emma :) still sorta counts. Still not really happy with it. 

Well I had the first Saturday off since august which called for a special day right? We all slept in until noon... Which never happens. Then we went to the home improvement store 

We picked up a saw some wood and paint for our pantry remodel. I also grabbed some additional colors for a very special project coming soon!! 

Then we had lunch at el jimedor 

One our favorites

And finished the afternoon off working on the pantry remodel. Hopefully this won't be too time consuming. I totally had to remove popcorn ceilings so idk it may take awhile 

Journal Entry 1/3

Tonight is one of those night where I'm doing a lot of reflecting. These are the nights that I'll tend to flip flop my emotions so much. I try to stay positive and I try to be brave while I'm reflecting on my word, my life, my choices, my health, and my happiness and where I'm at with these things. I'll tell you I'm not happy with it... I know I want to get there and hopefully I will. 

So in reflecting on my word brave- I feel empowering doing it. It is very inspiring to look at the word and see confident, strong, and heroic. When I read quotes like - refuse to be average; let your heart soar as it will by aw tozer, talking about how I want to be fearless, and I want to be the leading lady in my own story.. Is all amazing, but then I look at things like my health. Before I started writing what was I doing? I was drinking a soda and snacking on some twizzlers. Wtf right?? How are the decisions I just made leading me in the right direction? They're not!! So why do I do it? I don't know. Was I stressed? Was I unhappy?? Was I just bored??? These questions I need to get to the bottom of so I can stop it from happening. It seems to be a habit more than a choice sometimes. Like I literally just do it! Well after I finished reflecting and did some cleaning which is seriously one of the best stress relievers for me... I looked to grab a snack but this time I  thought about it and stopped. I had read tonight about others saying how they can't keep snacking, the others doing 5ks and Zumba, and then looking at the photos of ones who just completely let themselves go. It's really starting to open my eyes. Hopefully as I continue this journey I'll continue to be successful, fearless, and confident. 

(I also still don't have my selfie taken again more on the stressfulness of recent life choices which has lead me to be super unhappy with how my face is breaking out. I'm 27 I shouldnt still have that issue but never the less I do. Heh. Tomorrow I will get up and face the day stronger!)

I will get that selfie!!! That's my goal for tomorrow. Like I said I'm living with bold intentions and strong commitments. 

One Little Word 2014 introduction/planning

Again to continue with my

bold intentions/strong commitments 

Here is my one little word plans

I signed up and will be diving in head first into the one little word workshop offered by Ali Edwards. She has been one of the most inspiring people that I follow. Back in 2010 and the birth of Emma I sent out to really start documenting life. One of the most inspiring blogs I found was aliedwards.com. In 2010 I made my first post on this blog and took that entire year going from being a digital scrapbooker to finding my way through paper scrapping. I tried and had my fails until in the end I ended up with a smash book. I'm currently attempting to go back and put that first year in project life form. I was completely taken in with the process of project life and with continual inspiration through Ali, Becky, Elise, Jamaica and Elsie I have kept 4 years of albums going. The other thing Ali inspired me to do was pick my One Little Word. I don't remember if there was ever one for 2010, but in 2011 I picked Remember, in 2012 I picked inspire, and then 2013 I had picked change. This year when I made the choice of brave it has become the perfect word for me. 

Since I've had the day off its been a perfect day to read through the materials in Ali's workshop. It's been so inspiring and I've done a lot of reflect on my word today. I can feel the word already. 

I've been using the note pad on my phone to record notes as I read the january PDFs and listen to January's video. 

I've printed off my inserts and laid out the plan of January's prompts. The plan is to keep it in my project life album. I do my December daily there and all my other words are represented fully in my other albums. I'm using the vertical page protectors and it's working perfectly. 

I'm not beginning to write out my questions from my note and starting to answer the questions and reflect upon my word. I even keep my word on my wallpaper of my phone and keep a very inspiring quote on my home screen of my phone so I see it every time I'm unlock my phone 

You can download this from Eva Black at evablackdesigns.com

More to come as I continue my journey. 

Project life 2014 introduction/planning pages

So one of my bold intentions/strong commitments for 2014 is to really put this blog out there and get into remembering, inspiring, and making changes to this blog....

Oh yeah those are my past one little words- still significant to my journey even years later. 

One thing I want to share is the process of project life that I take. I know there are so many people out there looking for inspiration and some that even have come to me personally asking how I do it. So tonight while working on my project life I thought... What a perfect time to start sharing since it's the beginning of the year! I personally start my albums back in October since I go by Emma's birthdays not yearly... Still the new year always seems to be a second pivotal change in my albums. 

Okay so if don't go about doing weekly. That seems to put too much restriction on myself. What if I have one week where I'm like screw this week it sucked... Then I don't feel inspired, I don't want to remember it... So do I end up making that week? NO! So I only create a slight dividing 4x6 card that says- Hello January, Hello February etc... Also last year I did Hello Autumn, Hello winter too. 

When I feel inspired to do project life I pull out my 12x12 lilac we r memory keepers 3 ring binder, my core kit sunshine edition (which now contains capture by we r memory keepers and some studio calico leftover cards), my iPhone (which I'm pretty much 100% even tho I have a canon rebel camera), my canon selphy printer, and my pens/embellishments/thickers etc that I'll talk more about later. It's only extra stuff that's not needed. I also use my filofax, Instagram, Facebook, and this blog as references to what I want to record. I also use post it's as a way to pre plan my layout. Now I don't always do this either, but I do find I enjoy my pages more when I have that extra planning completed. Probably just because I can't pass up an opportunity to make a list and plan stuff out. 

So once I've gathered everything I find different ways to keep my toddler involved to a point. Sometimes she doesn't care and will play toys or watch her shows.. And sometimes the best time to do it is when she's asleep. Tonight I gave her my extra pens and some cardstock and asked her to make me a pretty picture. Sometimes I'll give her a card and ask her to write/draw something. They always make a great add in to the pages. 

Once I have her happy I'll put some music on in the background. I'm always so relaxed and calm when I'm listening to good music. My playlist always includes bands like artic monkeys, muse, broken bells, arcade fire, black keys, John Mayer, the avett brothers, and imagine dragons.

I always keep page protectors in my album ready to go, but I don't pre place my 4x6 or 3x4 cards. I know some lay out the entire album... That just would never work for me. So I do this-

Those are technically the backs of the cards in the spread before the one I'm working. Most cards you buy any more I double sided, but I don't use the backs I use a new card. So there is technically 2 cards per slot. So I mostly use design A page protectors which have 4- 4x6 slots and 4-3x4 slots. Now I see how confusing this page looks, but the other side is going to be a fun cover page into that I'm still working on so it looks like it's all 3x4... But I just used two 3x4 cards in a 4x6 slot. It's so flexible you can seriously do WHATEVER you want!!

Here is the planning page on the next side. I'm using a different type of page protector that fit my one little word printable inserts perfectly. 

That's all for tonight, the next time I continue to work on this spead I'll take photos and show you how I journal, print photos, and insert everything into the album! 

One Little Word 2014- Brave

My one little word for 2014 is brave.

 I already feel the power behind this word. I'll be asking myself what does it mean to me, how will I empower myself, and what extraordinary challenges will I accept with the strength and bravery that I'll show? 

Last year my word change was so true to how 2013 turned out. I began the beginning of the year unknowing of what lay ahead and what changes would become by the end.. I'll tell you I don't regret any of the changes that were made. The first one and biggest life event was when we purchased our new home in January. We then followed through with making all kinds of improvements to our home, life, and careers. You hit some huge milestones like turning 3, starting preschool, and potty training. 

What will being brave this year mean to me? What brave things will I accomplish?? I'm looking forward to the woman I'll be in the end and the strength and courage I'll obtain from taking new risks and achieving the goals I set out.

Ill head into 2014 with bold intentions and strong commitments. 

It will be an amazing journey and here I officially welcome you 2014!

I'll be joining the very inspiring and amazing Ali Edwards as she makes the same journey and inspires us all through her 2014 One Little Word workshop. 

Currently- December

Whew that's on crazy month behind us!! December was full of hectic holiday nonsense. I've officially vowed to leave retail for good!! The unbelievable rudeness that people have possessed this holiday season was unreal! With the stressful annoying stuff forgotten about I want to focus on one of the biggest accomplishments this month (shoot I would say year) was that you are officially potty trained!!!! 

Let's scream it from the rooftops! 

Dad and I thought these last 2 weeks would be a perfect time to try since you were on winter break from preschool. We had a few accidents in the beginning but we went all in and are leaving the end of winter break a girl free of diapers rocking some super awesome panties! Way to go littles. 

Here are some photo highlights-

Started out this month getting the tree up

Then attempted this crazy elf on the shelf 

Got some awesome mom gifts

And dad gifts

Then done some major Christmas shopping

Got our party on

Kept the December daily going

Then we had Christmas #1

Christmas #2

And Christmas #3