Project Life - I Spy

This week we were still at home at my parent's place. We had two pujas for Nandini, lots of catching up with old friends and one more wedding.

I used a lot of bits from this month's SC kit (Elmwood Park) and some of their die cuts. I also made a few hybrid cards with some One Story Down kits I got to play with.  Making my own cards is one of my favorite parts of the process, along with using up my stash and stamps. This week also turned out very red again.  The theme for July I suppose?

This page started with the back of this red chevron bag showing throw.  My inner thrifty self/hoarder delights in a two sided element getting double use that it otherwise wouldn't in a layout.  I added a wooden frame to a post-it I used for journaling. I don't always get a chance to pull out my camera when friends come over to visit, but I still like to document it. I added a lot of regular pictures around it, no collages or funky cropping.
Avi let one of his helium balloons go in the middle of our foyer, and asked me to climb up to get it. I may have posed this picture after he asked me. Love these arrow post-its for journaling on. 
The bottom two sides are square instagram prints matted with patterned paper and the same Martha label sticker for journaling. The dance card is Target Ikat stationery.  I can't even find ikat scrapbook paper, Target is always so on trend (Hi Every Manufacturer, I have enough hexagons to last a lifetime, thanks). And, some teal airmail washi tape just because I feel my spreads could always use a little more washi tape. 

 I paired a Basic Grey subtle patterned paper with this bold red OA b-side that I die cut the title out of.  The for sale sign (using green sticky keys stickers) for their iced tea stand was just too cute. Even if the girls didn't share any of their coins with Avi (half of which were from me). I added a gratuitous red bicycle just for extra color and texture. For symmetry I added more washi. The yellow vintage ticket stub washi is from Freckled Fawn and new to 2peas.  It is hands down one of my favorite tapes ever.  It has a great texture and is just that perfect yellow. I am also dying over this math washi tape, I can't wait to get it!

Avi took that top picture of the priest and I couldn't be prouder. His picture series of the folding chairs didn't make the album.  It is super nice to have someone else taking pictures once in a while.
I used this pink airmail paper to make a few die cuts.  I suppose you could just call it striped, but I am still obsessed with airmail. On the stand! card I added a few old PP die cuts, a new BG tag and notebook paper letter stickers. The jewel and heart pin add some nice texture here.
I wrote her name in Hindi for her naming ceremony, so I figured I should include the Hindi on one card here too. I layered different OSD papers to make the card. I stamped the subtitle in teal chalk ink. Teal+red, yum!
Below that is a picture from one more temple visit. I embossed grey cardstock with gold glitter. So glad I got this SC confetti stamp. 


 I like to include totally random pictures and stories when I can. So in addition to Nandini's ceremonies and standing up, I added a card about my dad's office and one about telling secrets. 

I had to use this word bubble post-it for all their 'secrets', ha! I used more OSD paper for this background and the journaling spot. Love all the pink on this page.

 A random story about visiting my Dad's office with Avinash. I used grey letter stickers, a Chap tag and some ribbon from my SC kit.  Always excited when I can figure out a place to use some ribbon.





 Linked up with The Mom Creative for Project Life Tuesday.  So excited to see Kayla Aimee guesting there this week.  I always love her spreads and have missed seeing them of late. The PL kit I am using is the Clementine kit. Thank you so much to everyone in this wonderful community. I love all the feedback and looking at everything people do each week. It definitely keeps me motivated. And, please, link me up to any of your inspiring pages this week as well in the comments!

Bubbles!

Bubble blowing is one of those random activities that Avinash and Nandini both love (and helps get them out of that post-nap funk). Nandini only knows a few words, mostly starting with the letter B, and just started saying bubble too. Apparently we are still working through the buh sound. But, each time she says she squeals with great delight. I love it!

 

 I loved that top photo so much, I already scrapped it. I love telling a long, rambling story on a page.

Project Life - Fireworks & Sprinkles

I love working on this project and keeping it out on the coffee table to display our pictures.  Friends and family can page through, but more importantly my kids loooove going through the album together.  I had a lot of fun getting caught up on project life. I did all three weeks in a row so I didn't have to clean up in between each project. This was the 4th of July week, so lots of red.  I'm realizing that most holiday weeks end up with lots of red (Christmas, Valentines also).  I kept the accents in turquoise with a little yellow thrown in for contrast.

I loved this multi-color ruler paper from Crate. I paired it with white foam thickers, a long running favorite.  I finally got a second pack because I had no more As or Ss, but somehow still have Es left.  The journaling is on a trimmed Core Kit grid card (download free here).

Simple pictures of Avi on his bike and Nandini walking around the yard.  Love finding places to put those wooden bikes to use.
I made a pie chart of our home life in PA using my new SC kit stamp.  It mostly involves eating and being swung around in the sheet by my mom.  I put my new KP This is How I Roll stamp to work on this card about Nandini's attempts at walking. 
We could see three different fireworks display at the park near my cousin's house.  I used firecracker star paper, this red number grid and turquoise glitter thickers with some old JBS alpha stickers.
My favorite parts of the instagram collage are the drive-in movie pictures.

Kept this side simple with lots of pictures.  I slipped a red chevron bag behind the instagram of Nandini eating ice cream.
I used the black HeyDay thickers for the cousins title. I added the die cut butterfly for an added touch of red.

A little typewriter journaling on this blue balloon paper for a selfie of me and Ryan. I edged the card in teal chalk ink.  Definitely one of my favorite shades of blue ever. We took the opportunity to have dinner in the city with a friend when we drove there to drop his sister off at the train. 

I used the white space on this photo to add my journaling.  I wrote directly on the picture with my fine tipped sharpie.  The wooden darling and paper bow are just so cute. The bow was a freckled fawn find.

I made this cute summer bucket list for an OSD project and decided to include it as an insert to project life.  It is mostly digi elements cut out with a few buttons and wood veneers. Fun, right?


 Linked up with The Mom Creative for Project Life Tuesday.  So excited to see Kayla Aimee guesting there this week.  I always love her spreads and have missed seeing them of late. The PL kit I am using is the Clementine kit. Thank you so much to everyone in this wonderful community. I love all the feedback and looking at everything people do each week. It definitely keeps me motivated. And, please, link me up to any of your inspiring pages this week as well in the comments!

She's not an ambi-turner.

Nandini just started walking.  She is taking more and more steps every day.  She now often demands to walk from place to place instead of being held.  But, even then strongly prefers our hands to hold on to.

 We walked the whole way to the park like this.

I totally forget the process of Avinash learning to walk.  I only remember one day he was crawling everywhere and the next he was walking/climbing everywhere and we suddenly had to start putting shoes on him.

Nandini is taking her time with it so far. The other day, as she ventured more than four or five steps in a row, she started only going in circles.  It was simultaneously hilarious and extremely worrying at the same time.  We're praying it's just a phase. No, I don't really think my baby is going to end up like Zoolander.  But for now, she can't turn left. And, yeah, she dresses up like a mermaid a lot. What is this, a school for ants??

Project Life - In Aruba

This week's project life was all about our:

Technically, I was only there for half the week and Ryan even less, but it still dominated the spread.  I though I would do just one page with an enlargement, but I had too many photos I wanted to include.  I got back to Texas last night and was three weeks behind.  I am eager to get back on track. I currently have this week totally finished and the next week partly done. 

I had already edited and sent my pictures to be printed while at my parents house.  That helped a lot. 

The full spread.  I pulled a lot of AC's new Shoreline collection.  The bright colors just scream Caribbean and beach. Also, lots of journaling on label stickers and some random die cuts.

I love that picture Ryan took at the top of the bride and groom.  I used these letter stickers and kept using them throughout my spread.  Each pack has two different colors and plenty of vowels.  I felt pretty pleased for getting some sort of continuity on my spread.  I let my die cut from last week peek through.
I used this paper to hold my some journaling. I punched the lazy days flamingo circle from this page.  How perfect for this vacation!  There were flamingos literally running all over the beach there. I used some Heidi Swapp stamps too, very versatile.  Love the handwriting flourish.

 This 'blue whale' paper holds a week in review post it (from Freckled Fawn). Layered with a little target washi, BG flair and wood veneer plane. 

I made my little jetsetter card with some Target stationery and my typewriter.  I wanted to keep it simple, but ended up adding turquoise washi and a vintage map sticker (of Cuba? close enough).

So, yeah, this week is mostly me and my friends.  I only included one picture of Ryan and six of me with Rachel, plus more with the rest of our college friends.  Heehee.

I ordered this 6x8 enlargement. Way cheaper than 8x10 and perfect for design A pages.  More shoreline with these thickers on top.  Plus, a little wood boat.  I mean, how often am I going to get to use those? I wish I had cropped this photo a little differently so that my forehead wasn't in three different frames.  Hopefully those big thickers distract from it.

This old pink paislee die cut seemed to match the flamingos perfectly.

 These delights stickers were also used on both sides of the spread (and last week).  I can never get my homemade ones to stay together, and I love these vibrant colors. The paper is the B-side of this from the other side.  Not sure if my pun title makes sense, but I had to write about how good the food was.

Wow, a kid-free week.  I never would have thought it was possible!

 Linked up with The Mom Creative for Project Life Tuesday.  So excited to see Kayla Aimee guesting there this week.  I always love her spreads and have missed seeing them of late. The PL kit I am using is the Clementine kit. Thank you so much to everyone in this wonderful community. I love all the feedback and looking at everything people do each week. It definitely keeps me motivated. And, please, link me up to any of your inspiring pages this week as well in the comments! And, I totally need fourth of July inspiration.  That little section is what's tripping me up right now.

Nandini!!

you have changed so much in the past few weeks.  Starting with your first extended stay with Nana and Nani without us. 

You started speaking a few more words, mostly in Hindi.  Like bathao, ajaa, bhaiya, and dedo (tell me, come here, brother and give).

You started standing on your own. 

You took a step or two the day before we arrived in Pennsylvania.  Allegedly from the couch to the coffee table according to my cousin. 

You seem to laugh more and take delight in lots of little games.  Bringing toys, dominoes and cards to your Nana.   Swinging in the sheet or bouncing on her feet with Nani.

You continue to assert your Independence at all times. 

You still start out shy with new people but you delighted in playing with your cousin.  Even when she carried you around as best as a five year old can.  You protest more when Avi tries to hug you.

You were a little extra clingy to me once we got back.

You are totally into sorting and putting little things or cards away into boxes.

You love climbing and started pulling yourself up onto the fireplace.  You also rush down the stairs anytime the basement door is left open for half a second.

You had a party and two poojas in two different temples. 

You had a Nam Kiran at the temple.  And a three part Mundan.  At your Mundan pooja the priest started giving all the flowers directly to you because you wanted to put all the offerings in yourself, and you did a great job! Over the course of a week we had the party, then the pooja and finally the actual head shaving at home done by your Nana.  Both Avinash and Nandini had their first haircuts from Nana.

And, you finally started walking!!!  So happy that this happened before we left with the whole family around.  I took the video with my phone and it is lopsided, but you have to see it just for her giddy, proud face at the end.  Even though it took you six months longer to learn this than your brother, he is still totally jealous and we couldn't be more proud.

Avi's Circus Room

It took me years to get a real theme together for Avinash's room.  (Don't even ask about Nandini's room.  No idea there, other than the rainbow blanket that now sits on her hand-me-down crib).  Eventually I saw this really cute circus tent from Ikea and went from there.  His first favorite movie was Dumbo, so it is very fitting.

 My original idea was Muppet Babies, but I couldn't find enough stuff.  Some are from childhood and they all have a special place on the dresser. 

I made an easy felt circus banner to go with the tent.  The  little monkey bags are from the Target dollar spot.  We got the Dumbo stuffed animal at Disney World, so it is a nice memory.

 Storage is key.  I always love the organization of the Berenstein Bears.  Boxes from Ikea, one for kitchen toys and one for puzzles.  It has really helped cut down on lost pieces.

Nandini approves too.  Sometimes she goes in the tent for a little bit of quiet time.

 I love this cute little mobile.  We live in a loft, so the ceilings are too high to hang stuff from, but it looks good on the closet handle anyway.

Linking up with Kelly, Hani and Laurie.

I put together a baby room board and a Muppets board on pinterest that helps me get new ideas and inspiration too.

****CHECK OUT MY NEW ORGANIZATIONAL PROJECT: CHALKBOARD SHELVES****

life around here lately.

We are still spending time at my parent's house for another week.  Avinash and Nandini seem to have grown so much in just one week with their Nana and Nani.

We headed down to Sesame Place for a birthday party last week. Avinash was super excited to ride the roller coaster. Watching his joy riding all the rides was great. So was having them both fall asleep on the way home within two minutes so we could enjoy a peaceful drive back.

Watching Brave at the drive-in.  So fun to pile in the back of the van with a pile of blankets and pillows with their cousin. Seeing the stars come out while we were out there was so much fun.

We had a kids-free night in Philadelphia. We arrived a little early so we got to walk around Olde City around sunset. So pretty.  One of my old college friends met up with us for dinner at Amada after that.  A tapas place with a vegetarian section on the menu.  We brought home a jar of their garlic dulce de leche too.  Yummm.

Lots and lots of playing.  Nandini occupies her time practicing her motor skills.  Careening around the house on her walker, putting cards in and out of boxes, typing on my thirty year old toy computer, kissing her dolls and that little monkey there.  She has been talking up a storm lately too.  I swear it sounds like she is speaking Hindi. She says bathao (tell me), which sounds a lot like bachao (rescue me), aaja (come here), bhaiya (brother), Nana and Nani.  She is also always looking for something or someone called tatha. 

And, ice cream at the green park.  They have the best soft serve truck there. Ryan and I have been waiting to go back there for over a year.