Big News...

Well, I might be a little crazy, but I have some big news.

I've decided to start my own little business!  Yay!

I have been throwing the idea around to start a blog design business for a while now.  I finally got up enough nerve to go for it!  I've been designing (and re-designing) my own blog for the last several years, and have learned a ton about blogger in the process. About a year ago, the idea came to me (I think it was my mom actually...maybe Dan???) that I could totally do this as a business.  I initially brushed it off, but over the last few months I've really gotten serious about it.  This summer I started asking friends (and cousins) if I could give their blogs a little free makeover to build up a portfolio. It was excellent practice!

A few weeks ago, one of my favorite bloggers MaryAnn over at Cherish Everyday posted about wanting a new blog makeover and was looking for suggestions for a designer.  I thought...what do I have to loose?  I sent her an email telling her that I would love to help her out (even if I wasn't a legitimate designer, I had no site, no portfolio, but I was just willing to give it a shot.)  For some crazy reason, she agreed??? After some emails, some phone calls, and lots of ideas bouncing back and forth...we came up with this:

I think it turned out great!  MaryAnn was very happy with the results, so I would say it was a success!

So...if you are interested in spicing up your blog, head on over to my new site and look around!  I'm going to provide a wide range of services from full custom blog design, to just a new header, or side bar tabs.

I'm super excited about this new adventure.  It will require some serious focus around this house and some mandatory afternoon rest time for all residents under 4 so I can get some work done.  Wish me luck!!!!!

I have problems.

I cannot stop changing my design around here.  Sometimes is big things, but mostly little things that bug me.  Today, I decided to go back to pictures in the header.  I also hated the font I used for the title.  I'm still not sure about the new one, but the kids are up from their nap, so it will have to do for now. :)

Before

After

I also switched the font used on all the post titles and sidebar titles.  It make take a while for it to grow on me.  I never seem to be happy with it????

Project Life Blog :)

I spent the kids naptime yesterday giving my Project Life blog a little facelift. It still had the old blogger template so I upgraded and redesigned it to coordinate with my family blog. Gotta start the new year off in style :)

Holy Crap, I made it!

I am amazed that I actually completed this album!  One whole year of pictures taken every day {ok, with a few missed days here and there}.  I am so glad that I decided to do this project.  I captured so many little memories that I would have never remembered otherwise.  I was feeling really down on myself for neglecting to scrapbook much since having kids, but this is the perfect way for me to incorporate it with sooooo much less time, money, effort.  I know two people that I (think) have encouraged to do this project in 2011.  I hope they are able to finish and enjoy it as much as I have.  Good luck ladies!!!

To take this one more step in the simple direction, I think I am going to go digital.  eeek!  I can't believe my own ears!  I just realized that since I am currently only up to August in my journaling, it might be easier to eliminate all the extra work of printing pictures and hand writing the journaling.  I know, I know, this is hardly scrapbooking, but the ultimate goal here is to capture the memories, right?  Becky's site makes it soooo easy!  I am just so happy that I was able to see my kids grow so much bigger over the past 365 days, to remember what they were into at a certain point in time, to see the seasons change and how we kept busy during each one, and of course all the little things in between.   I LOVE Project Life! :)  Thank you Becky Higgins.

Want to see my 2010 pictures?  Click here!

*Another* Makeover

I was doing some fall decorating around the house, and it inspired me to give the old blog another makeover.  Unfortunately, I made one wrong click and destroyed the template I had.  OOPS.  After many trial and error choices...this is what I ended up with.  Header was made with Photoshop Elements. 

Makeover

Often times I find myself "blog surfing" and drooling over the awesomeness of other's photos, or cute blog layouts and it got me thinking.  Since I just got my new Photoshop Elements, I thought...Hey!  I can make my own design!  So I did!  {I'm still working on the awesomeness of my own photos, but I need a new camera first}

Also, I was determined to find out how everyone was posting those super huge photos???  Why couldn't I do that in blogger???  Well, because I had the wrong template!  So...Ta Da!  Here is my new layout!  I will  probably be doing some tweaking, but here is the {almost} finished makeover.  Thanks for looking =)

Here is one of those super huge photos I was talking about!  I'm more interested in using this size for collages and such, but since I just figured it out...Yay!  Isn't she adorable!

Ok, I just got very excited!

So, last year I read about this idea called Project 365 where you take a picture every day and scrapbook it, but it was such a great kit that it was completely sold out. I had the great idea to just do it on my own, with my own supplies. Welllll......I had such good intentions, but without the kit, it was just too much work, and I gave up on it within about 6 or 7 weeks.

Today I found this! Becky Higgins came out with another amazing kit called Project Life and I just placed my order. I'm hoping that if I have the kit, I will be able to keep up on this great project in 2010. I'm finding it is way too difficult to keep up with scrapbooking and kids! If anyone has thought they would like to do a scrapbook for their kids, or family but just don't want to invest in the supplies or have the time...you should totally get this kit! (I swear I was not paid to endorse this kit, I just love it this much!) Less than $40 for everything!!!

Thoughts going through my head...

9 days left!
Cannot believe it.
Everything hurts.
Why is everything so annoying right now?
Why is everyONE so annoying right now?
Wish I wouldn't have seen the article about 19 lb baby!
What if I have a 19 lb baby?
Scared to death to give birth.
Wondering when it will actually happen.
Looking forward to the epidural.
Freaking out about 2 kids.
Hoping Bryce adjusts well.
Nervous I might poo this time? seriously!
Curious if it's a boy or girl.
Wanting the Nursery done (even though it won't be used for a while)
Wishing Dan had a uterus.
Feel like some "landscaping" is necessary, but can't see there, and don't want to.
Thinking some of these thoughts should be staying in my head and not on my blog...
Wishing someone would come clean my floors.
Cannot believe I'm having another baby.
9 days left!!