Gettin' By

Junior Year | Scrapbook & Cards Fall 2018

Hayden has officially sent off all his college applications so around here we're celebrating that milestone. And by "celebrating" I mean simultaneously high-fiving Mike that we managed to raise a pretty normal, well-adjusted kid that will undoubtedly do much more impressive things than his parents, freaking out that we have a few short months left with this amazing kiddo, and waiting with unspoken hope and anxiety that he actually gets accepted to his first-choice school (and possibly plotting devious revenge on certain admissions officers if he doesn't). Ah, the roller coaster that is parental emotions.

And seeing this layout that I created for the autumn issue of SCT is yet another ride on that roller coaster.  This was my boy one year ago, embarking on one of his toughest academic years, but with what still seemed like a lifetime to go until graduation. And yet here we are. So to keep me from crumbling into a ball of emotions, I'm gonna talk about the paper folding technique I used on this page, ok? (And then go cry into my coffee!)

 
S U P P L I E S :

I'm always a sucker for back-to-school paper collections, and this one (2 Cool For School from Jillibean) is no exception. Any line that has a good dose of navy blue gets my vote (do you hear me, paper companies??) To create a fun textural background, I used 2" punched circles with a 1.5" punched square of another paper layered in the center. Then I used a bone folder to fold the edges of the circle around the square and created these cute little windows:

 

In the center of some of the squares, I added epoxy stickers that coordinate with this collection. It kind of reminds me of an advent calendar with the little windows that open to reveal a treat inside!

 

The title is a mix of Jillibean die-cut letters (YEAR) and the font Pacific Again (junior) that I cut on my Cameo from green cardstock. It's slightly ironic that is the name of this font, since five of the eight schools Hayden has applied to are, in fact, very near the Pacific ocean. And I will likely be crying oceans of tears as I watch him head off into the big wide world this spring. Maybe I should have used a font named Call Your Mother instead?!?

Have a fabulous Friday!

 

Wardrobe Wednesday: Leopards & Cheetahs & Cougars, Oh My!

Crochet Bishop Sleeve Marled Cardigan + A New Day Leopard Print Top +
Madewell High-Rise Skinny Jeans + Rainey OTK Boots

I probably should learn to discern the difference between various animal prints - I tend to call them all leopard - so when my hubby scrutinizes my closet and asks why it's necessary to have five different leopard shirts, I can tell him that one is actually cheetah, one is ocelot, one is snow leopard...and so on., I love this particular one from Target because it's short-sleeved and a gauzy, lightweight fabric that makes it great for layering. It's also deep clearance ($6.98) but online sizes are limited, so you may have to check your store. And they call it leopard, but in my closet it's been christened as jaguar, which is a totally different than leopard. Yep.

Another recent favorite find is this cozy cardigan in the perfect shade of shell pink from Shein. My purchases here have been hit-or-miss, but this one is a definite winner. It's surprisingly nice quality for the price, very soft, and the color is versatile enough to wear through spring. Notice it pairs nicely with fall prints and patterns. Like jaguar.  (I'm wearing the medium and it's slightly oversized.)

Hope your Wednesday is wonderful - and I'm not lion! :)

Wardrobe Wednesday | Spotted in Leopard

Leopard Jersey Cardigan + Old Navy Flare Ankle Jeans + Old Navy Relaxed Classic Shirt
+ Fluevog Half Truths Crystal

 

Happy Halloween! Today I'm cleverly trying to disguise myself as a calm, collected girl who isn't running around like a lunatic trying to accomplish last minute tasks totally necessary for Halloween. Like making a cheese ball. And scouring beauty aisles in search of red false eyelashes. And burning the holy bejeezus out of my fingers with a glue gun. Because isn't that traditional way to celebrate All Hallow's Eve??

But despite my odd assortment of activities today, at least I can look put together (and bonus points - be COMFY!) in my cozy leopard sweater and jeans. This chenille cardi is so stinking soft it's almost making me forget about my scorched fingertips. And I can't leave my out my nod to the holiday with my witchy and wonderful Fluevog shoes. If you have never checked out John Fluevog's fantastic creations, there's no better time than Halloween. They are wonderfully whimsical and undeniably unique. And most of them pair perfectly with leopard!

With that, I'm off to hunt down orange light bulbs, a teal pumpkin, and a big ol' box of rose wine. Happy haunting, my friends!

Beyond The Capsule | What I Learned From My Capsule Wardrobe

Old Navy Square-Neck Jumpsuit + Old Navy Denim Jacket + Sloan Rancher Hat
+ Freebird Santo Boots (similar)

I've unofficially wrapped up my capsule wardrobe experiment, and while I fell short of my goal of sharing 20 outfits (chalk that up to beginner's optimism/delusion) I did learn a lot in the process that I think will be valuable in my future fashion adventures. Here's a quick recap of what I found to be the good, the bad, and the ugly of my capsule experience!

THE GOOD

1// Getting Dressed With Lightning Speed. Having a capsule shortened my daily dressing time substantially, as the limited pieces kept me focused. There was none of my usual waffling about which patterned shirt would pair best with my jeans, because there was only one patterned shirt. Most days, life is hectic enough and I appreciated that my closet wasn't adding any additional stress or wasted time. While limited options might not seem like it would be liberating, it definitely gave me a sense of calm when I entered my closet everyday because I wasn't overwhelmed with choices, and I was in and out in a matter of minutes. And while I may not have used the extra time wisely (Instagram scrolling, anyone??) I still appreciated having it.

2// A Closet Worthy of a Photo Shoot. My capsule consisted of 17 items which took up a shockingly mere eight inches of my closet space. Not to mention that they looked impossibly chic and coordinated when arranged together, which my OCD self smugly reveled in. And if it weren't for the rest of the closet square footage (which still housed my sizable non-capsule clothing collection) I totally would have called California Closets to market my space for their next catalog.

3// Pinpointing Your Personal Style.  With only a few items to work with, I learned quickly the pieces that best fit my style. The ones that were comfortable, functional, and made me feel definitively like ME. Of all my capsule outfits, I loved the overalls and jeans ensemble best, because they best fit my lifestyle in form and function. I also love the outfits when I got to mix patterns - stripes & plaids are my jam - and having mix-worthy pieces like these will always make me happy. On the other hand, I realized some pieces just aren't as functional, like the green jumpsuit. I adored it initially, but realized quickly that it wrinkles easily and requires ironing after washing, so I wasn't as apt to grab it to wear on a regular basis (though I love it with my jean jacket above!) Experiences like these help me define my style, and ultimately, shop smarter to find things that fit into that style.

 

THE BAD

1// The FOMO Was Real. And by FOMO, I mean Fear Of Missing Outfits. While I wanted to stay strict to my capsule selection, I still found myself thinking there might have been better options beyond those 17 pieces. I struggled most with shoe selections, as I only had four pairs in my capsule. As an admitted shoe-aholic, it was hard to put on the mustard mules knowing I had more appropriate suede saddle booties (or tweed desert boot, or aubergine mary janes, or autumn floral peep toes or even the vintage riding boot...are you seeing my dilemma??) Perhaps for me, and any other shoe crazed girls out there, excluding footwear from your capsule is the way to go. Otherwise you'll be caught constantly looking over your shoulder longingly at what might have been the perfect pair.

2// The Weather Doesn't Care About Your Capsule. I should have known that creating a capsule for October in Colorado would be challenging. It can be 90˚and sweltering one day with snowstorms and school closures the next. But I was lulled by the temperate fall days and didn't give rain, snow or sub zero temps much thought when selecting my pieces. Because it's fall for gosh sakes and a chunky knit sweater and cozy plaid scarf (with the requisite pumpkin spice latte) are all a girl could ever need! Well Mother Nature set me straight by serving up a crazy snow storm, leaving me and my plaid scarf wishing for a puffer jacket and Sorels. Lesson learned.

3// Online Oogling is Off Limits. I follow a huge number of fashion bloggers and influencers on social media, and I truly enjoy seeing their styling, input and advice for all things apparel related. But when you're working within the constrains of a capsule, the last thing you want to see is all the latest and greatest retail fashions. That are likely not included in your capsule. (sad face) 

 

THE UGLY

1// No One Mentions The Laundry Dilemma. The basis of a capsule wardrobe is to have versatile pieces of clothing that can be worn many ways. And while in theory, that sounds practical, in reality, it means you might be running a late night emergency laundry load that consists of one white tee shirt that you happened to spill pico de gallo on at dinner. (And by YOU, I mean all clumsy, Mexican-food loving girls who might overload their chips with too much salsa and then fail at the attempt to shove all of said chip into her mouth. You know who you are, right?)  But even when I wasn't spilling on myself, I did find that I was visiting my washing machine much more than usual. Because even if people are impressed that you can style a shirt eight different ways, they may not be so impressed with the stink it tends to gather after those eight wearings. 

2//Neutral Isn't For Everyone. In researching capsule wardrobes, one common thread I noticed was the selection of generally neutral pieces (ivory, gray, tan, camel, black) and while that totally makes sense for mixing and matching purposes, it's kind of like eating oatmeal for breakfast every morning. Nothing wrong with it, but sometimes a girl just wants Lucky Charms. Or Pop Tarts. Or even the occasional huevos rancheros, ya feeling me? And since I consider it my personal fashion mission to pair the un-pairable patterns  (think you can't mix camo & stripes? Or houndstooth & floral? Let me prove it!) neutral pieces often leave me, well...bored. Are they easy and dependable? Of course. But then again, so is oatmeal. 

 

So there you have it! And all sarcasm aside, I did enjoy my capsule experiment. It's been eye-opening to see what type of items I love wearing and that work for my lifestyle, and challenging to try to incorporate my love of all things patterned. What's resulted is a greater appreciation for pieces that can do double (or triple!) duty in my wardrobe and are good enough quality to hold up to all those wearings. (Madewell Overalls, I'm talking to you!) It will most definitely change the way the way I shop going forward, which by my count will start in approximately three days. So long, No Shop October! I'm coming for you November...

HELLO FALL | SCT Delivered Fall 2018

Even with a crazy snowstorm last week, we're still hanging onto fall, much like the leaves are still (barely) hanging onto the trees. And I'm all for a few more weeks of this delicious season before winter comes roaring in. There's just something about this time of year  - the weather, the football games, the crisp air, the deep saturated hues of the landscape, and oh yeah - EATING CANDY CORN WITH EVERY MEAL - that just makes it my favorite.  

In celebration of all things autumn, I'm sharing a fall layout today. It was one of my projects using the SCT Delivered Kit, Autumn Splendor which manages to capture all the colors and textures of the season as well. (You should go grab one!)

S U P P L I E S :

 

I wanted to keep this page girly, so the pink patterned paper (which I machine stitched with a diagonal grid) was perfect for the bottom half. On top, I used the exclusive kit cut files of leaf outlines to add a touch of autumn. (You can also use the negative portion of these cuts to fill the leaves in!)

 

 

 

To connect the top half and bottom half of the page, I used a visual triangle of grey circles, topped with butterfly punches (remember these??) and small jewels. The triangle helps lead the eye through the design and also highlight the photo of my cute girly.

 

 

Today we're finalizing Riely's Halloween costume (she's going as a deviled egg which is ingeniously cute) but it's going to require some serious layering as the weatherman is predicting 30º temps and possibly snow for the holiday. I'm hoping to avoid chaperone duties that night and stay safely inside with my wine. And candy corn, of course.

Fiddler on the Roof | SCT Delivered Fall 2018

For the past few summers, Riely has participated in a local theater camp and performed in the productions of Legally Blonde, Xanadu, and this summer, Fiddler on the Roof. It was her first major role with song solos and a hefty amount of lines, but she handled them both with ease and gave a stellar performance. Unlike her mother, whose few on-stage appearances included tripping over a microphone cord, lapsing into an uncontrollable coughing fit, and trailing a piece of toilet paper on her shoe  (not all simultaneously - the universe does have some empathy, apparently).

 

S U P P L I E S :

I documented her role on this double-page spread, using the SCT Delivered Autumn Splendor kit. The floral and stripe papers worked well with the on-stage photos, but I used a large block of dotted blue paper to help separate the two and keep the photos as a focal point. It may not be as effective at garnering attention as toilet paper on your shoe, but for this situation, it's working!

 

 

I created three embellishment clusters around the page using die cuts from the kit ephemera and three of the printable tags. I like using similar groups to connect the halves of a two-page spread like this. They tend to keep the eye moving and lead you through the story of the layout. Much like falling on your face on stage gives everyone in the audience a humorous story to retell for years to come!

 

The title is a mix of large Thickers and the kit alphabet stamps, which are a crisp and clean upper case font that's really versatile. A lot like my uncanny ability to embarrass myself on stage. Good thing I took up scrapping instead of theater, yes?

Hope you have a wonderful Wednesday (in the spotlight or offstage, whatever the case may be!

 

Fall Capsule Outfits

 

 

Looking for all the outfits I created with this Fall Capsule? They'll be posting daily over at my Wardrobe Wednesday blog so stop by and say hello!

Capsule Wardrobe | Fall 2018

As an acknowledged shopaholic, the idea of a capsule wardrobe - limiting your clothing options to a few classic pieces that are easily mixed & matched - has always given me slight anxiety. Because when it comes to my clothes, I want options. Like, LOTS of options. Options to match all my different moods, options for the schizophrenic weather of Colorado, options for days when my waistline is screaming for stretchy pants, not skinny jeans. Having a wide selection of choices has always brought me comfort and my closet mantra has always been if one is good, four is better!

But lately, I'm starting to get overwhelmed by the choices in my closet, and I'm spending way too much time debating between them. True confession - I spent 20 minutes trying to decide if a navy striped tee or a black striped tee looked better under a jacket...only to have my daughter tell me they looked EXACTLY THE SAME. And I have to admit, she was right. Even if her verdict came with an Oscar-worthy exasperated eye roll.

I love the creative aspect of styling one piece in many different ways, but it becomes less of a challenge when your closet contains endless options (and so much easier to second guess yourself). So while I'm not quite ready to haul off half my wardrobe to Goodwill, I am craving some simplicity in my closet, and the capsule wardrobe promises just that.

Plus, after a few months of not-so-thoughtful spending on clothing, I'm ready for a break from shopping. Ok, I'm totally lying. I should say my credit card is ready for a break. So I'm declaring it to be No Shop October and putting myself on a self-imposed clothes shopping black-out. Of course, typing it out here sets it in stone and holds me accountable, right?  And my capsule will be integral in getting me through the month, proving it's possible to do more with less!

 

 

 

 

So how did I select my capsule pieces? To get started, I cleared out a small space in my closet and starting looking long and hard at the clothing items I wanted to fill it. It was a lot like speed dating: "Ok Cardigan, you have 10 seconds to tell me why I should spend the next few weeks with you instead of the plaid blazer - GO!" but I ultimately ended up with 17 pieces that I'm excited to style together.

My capsule is compiled of a few of my consistent go-to items (striped tees and comfy jeans), several on-trend fall pieces (a chunky long cardigan, plaid scarf and denim overalls) and classic basics that play well with a variety of things (tunic sweater, white tee and a denim shirt). I should also note that I didn't include jewelry, purses, or outerwear in my capsule, though I'll definitely be mixing some of those in here. And if Colorado throws in a huge snowstorm in the middle of this, I'll be swapping the capsule for Sorels, fleece leggings and a box of red wine. Fair enough? 

 

1// Madewell Skinny Overalls (cheaper options at H&M and Free People) 

2// Old Navy EveryWear Tee

3// Lizard Thicket Jackson Hole Cardigan (similar sweater)

4// Spanx Faux Leather Leggings

5// J. Crew Classic Stripe Tee

6// Plaid Blanket Scarf

7// Old Navy Faux Suede Booties in Mustard

8// J. Crew Leopard Kitten Heel (similar Banana Republic)

9// Old Navy Floral Bell-Sleeve Blouse  (similar J. Crew blouse)

10// Old Navy Square-Neck Cami Jumpsuit in Olive

11// Vintage Lace Blouse (similar at Madewell)

12// Gola for J. Crew Sneakers

13// Matisse Butch Booties (similar Seychelles boot)

14// Old Navy Cropped Flare Ankle Jean

15// J. Crew Tunic Sweater

16// Gap Denim Western Shirt

17// J. Crew Leopard Bandana

 

I plan to style at least 20 outfits with this capsule, and I'll be posting them to my Wardrobe Wednesday blog and Instagram if you'd like to follow along. There are several outfits that I'm delighted with and some others that will be pushing me out of my comfort zone, but I'm determined to do Tim Gunn proud and make it work!  Be sure to let me know if you're playing along (or if you've ever done a capsule, I'd love to hear about it!)

Happy (No Shop) October!

Autumn | SCT Delivered Fall 2018

I'm so happy it's officially autumn (though our weather obviously didn't get the memo - it's been over 90º most of last week) because now I can publicly consume all the candy corn and mallowcreme pumpkins, instead of scarfing them down in a dark corner of my pantry. Woohoo for fall!

And while I'm in the midst of a total sugar high, I thought I'd pop on and share one of my seasonally-themed pages from the latest SCT Delivered kit, Autumn Splendor. It's probably my favorite time of year to scrap, thanks in part to all the autumn product goodness available right now. This kit has lots of the latest & greatest fall products in a fabulous mix of rich colors and textures. 

 

S U P P L I E S :

 

After 15 years of back-to-school photos, my kids know they can't head off to school without some camera time first. This was one of my favorite shots captured last month when they headed back to 12th and 8th grade. (gulp!) It's amazing how they keep growing up, and yet I never age. Must be all the preservatives in that candy corn!

 

 

This script title is one of the exclusive cut files from the kit (just one of many fantastic bonuses in the SCT kits!) and the hashtag stamps are also included. I love small phrase and image stamps for filling in blank areas of the background where a little interest is needed. I used a few different tan/brown inks to layer the stamp and add just a bit of subtle texture to the design.

 

The exclusive stamp set in the fall kits is a all-caps alphabet and is perfect not only for back-to-school pages, but year-round layout themes. My philosophy on alphabet stamps is that you simply can't ever have too many. Coincidentally, I have the same feelings about mellowcreme pumkpins. 

 

Be sure to hop over to SCT and grab a kit if you haven't yet (and there's also a Forever Fall card kit available too!). They pair perfectly with a Costco-size bag of your favorite seasonal candy, whatever that may be!

 

Happy Fall, ya'll!

Summer Love | SCT Delivered Summer Kit

We're officially saying goodbye to summer as both kiddos head back to school today. I'm going to totally ignore the fact that both are embarking on significant educational milestones (Hayden - last year of high school and Riely - last year of middle school) because that is what I'm good at. Denial.

At any rate, both were excited to start a new year, and it's one of the few times they actually let me photograph them anymore. I'm excited to scrap the first day of school photos (and will soon be working with the fall SCT Delivered Kits, which are perfect for all things back-to-school!) But in the meantime, I wanted to share one of my layouts from the summer kit, Picnics & Popsicles. There are a few kits left, so if you suddenly find yourself with some extra time now that those kids are gone, go grab one! We can scrap and be in denial together. 

 

S U P P L I E S :

 

This colorful double pager features a few random shots from our previous summer. I always end up with quite a few photos that don't have any "mates" and don't really require a whole page to themselves. So I took the opportunity to collect a few that represented some our favorite summer memories and grouped them together here on a background of punched squares.

 

 

And now that I have all this free time with the kids back in school (chuckle chuckle), I hope to start blogging on a more regular basis. Not that posting once every six weeks isn't regular. Maybe I should say "more frequently"?? Or possibly just fess up to the fact that I'm a horrible blogger. Didn't I already say it? Denial, baby!

Happy end of summer peeps!