And then there was a layout about Paul

You Make Me Smile

Despite having photographed quite a few layouts last week, I somehow only managed to actually post one. That's how things get around here when Paul is home. Seriously - when he's home from work I get nothing of my normal routine accomplished. He's going back to work for a week tonight though (sad..) so I'll be able to hopefully get lots and lots of creating done!

The layout above was created using a combination of Studio Calico's September Kit, Central High, and the add on, Style Guide. There's also a few pieces from the Pop Off The Page Class Kit in there too (namely the "this week" card and the bright yellow clip - that I totally looooove!).

The arrows are actually the hexagon chipboard outlines that were in the Style Guide Add On. I just cut them at every second corner and ended up with three arrows per hexagon. I have no idea what to do with the full blown hexagons!

There's lots and lots of journalling on this page - lots for me anyway. I usually like to stick to the titles holding all the meaning for me but here I felt I really needed to get some things out.

Journaling reads: This photo was taken just two weeks after the fire. After days of covering your entire face with polysporin, we have finally seen enough healing to only have to cover the individual spots that are still healing. It is so amazing to me that skin can heal so fast and I'm pretty sure you're happy not having to get "greased up" three times a day. While this has definitely been an experience that never needs to be repeated, I'm so thankful that you will be just fine. I don't know what I would do without you and your amazing smile. Without you, I'm not sure I could have made it through this crazy situation. We will be okay together. I love you more then anything in this world. Love you forever. xoxo - J.

That's all from me for now. Paul is packing things up to head back to work so I'm gonna go snag some more quality time with him before he heads out!

Have a lovely Monday!

And then there was "the waiting game"

Wait..what's this? A layout? And a post? Two in two days? Yeah, I'm on a roll!

This won't be long though - we kind of overslept (like until 1:30 pm - hey! I worked late last night!) so it's been a crazy kind of afternoon what with trying to wake up, function, and do the normal afternoon type things. Apparently the dogs got fed twice (which makes up for yesterday morning when they didn't get fed at all....). So now I'm off to get ready for work!

I've got more layouts up my sleeves, but I'm pretty happy with this one right now. Paul said he's "tired of layouts about [him]. But it's better then the time you kept making all your layouts about the dogs". Hmpft. Boys.

Have a lovely day! The sun finally came out here! Yeah!

And then you get to see that I do actually create things

You would think that as the house gets closer and closer to being finished that I would be able to find more time for, well, myself.

Yeah, you would think.

Hah.

It seems like there's a million little details that need to be finished. Receipts need to be put together and sent off. Counters need to be cleaned. Drawers need to have the dust vacuumed out (because there were no counters for awhile to keep said dust out). Walls need paint touchups. Electrical covers to be put on. Then taken off again because oh, I forgot to paint that part, then put back on. Baseboards. Mouldings. Crown. And that's just on the cupboards! We still need to put those things on the actual walls too. Plus there's the matter of the bed that broke and is just sitting on the floor now.

Anyway. As we move closer to being finished (what does that even mean?), I have found some time to create a few layouts. Actually, I have tons sitting in the closet. They need to be photographed. And when I finally had a chance to do so yesterday, well, wouldn't ya know it - the sun refused to come out!

Ack.

So here I shall leave you with one that I whipped up over the last two days - it's just a sneak until the sun decides to finally shine - after which, I should (in theory) have about fifteen layouts which means more posts about scrapbooking and less about my never ending renovation (which is a total lie - I'm so going to post about the kitchen again, as soon as it's clean enough to be leaked onto the internet ;)).

For those of you who require the details - I've used Studio Calico's October Kit - Roller Rink and the add-on, Crack the Whip. The white die cut is from SC's Digital Shop and is one of the cut shapes for this month. I was running pretty low on inspiration, so this layout is based on one from the designer gallery - by Kinsey Wilson.

Anyway- that's all from me for today! Hopefully I'll be back soon with real pictures!

And then you find the nice things to be happy about

Life has been pretty hectic lately.

No, really? I say that pretty much every post? Well, it's true! I swear.

I honestly feel like ever since the fire happened, I've done nothing but go go go. And even now, when we are SO close to completing this renovation (minus all the little, dumb, detail crap - let's be honest here - that's going to take another year) I feel like everything still just wants to fall apart.

September is normally my favorite month. At least, it had been until my 24th Birthday (two years ago). Now, it's the month where I fall apart. Three of my favorite people have passed away in September as well as my very favorite dog. I'm honestly not looking for sympathy here - I'm just trying to explain why September makes me so sad.

This year followed the same sadness scale.

I'm not quite ready to write all about it here so instead I'm going to talk about nice things that have happened this month.

1. I was published in the September edition of Scrapbook Trends for a page I made about my beautiful psuedo-niece - Avery.

screen shot of the online edition - I haven't actually seen it in paper form yet!

2. Our kitchen cabinets are fully installed (minus trim and handles for the doors.)

3. I made a huge decision not to return back to nursing school this year - not sad at all - in fact I'm quite happy with my decision and while that means working full time for the next year I'm still quite confident that I made the right decision.

4. This hasn't happened yet, but it was supposed to on the 26th and has been postphoned for  few weeks - my sister will find out if she's having a boy or a girl! I'm super excited to be an Aunt in February!

5. My cousin and his wife had their baby a month early, but she's absolutely beautiful and healthy and even named for one of my very favorite people - that fact alone makes my heart sing :)

6. I haven't created anything this entire month, but my office/scrapspace is slowly coming together and I'm trying to get that darn Project Life thing up to date (I'm far behind.... like FAR behind...)

7. I'm participating in a Stash Swap on the Studio Calico boards and my partner is the super sweet and super funny Toni from life, scrapbook, repeat. Honestly, her emails have been totally making my day, which for my discouraging month of September has been a totally nice thing to look forward to :)

8. I have a new camera lens for my Canon. Paul bought it for me for my birthday. Sadly, it hasn't left the box. And I haven't touched my camera in forever. But, I'm still really excited to get it out and start using it!

9. Totally scored this cart from Ikea. It was the last one. It was in the wrong spot. But I scouted it out and it now lives in my no-so-organized office and it's so pretty! Haha.

10. I can't really think of anything for number ten, so instead I'll show you something(s) that makes me smile every single day!

I'm sure I've posted this before - but aren't they SO cute?!

So there. That, honestly, made me feel a lot better about this past month! Thanks for listening and letting me find the positive in my dreary month!

And then you realize that this takes way longer then you thought

(there is a bar going to be installed right where that panel is)

It has now been 14 weeks since the fire.

It was 31 days before we were given back our "things".

It took eight weeks to see a cheque for the initial rebuild.

It was five more weeks until the cupboards arrived.

And after they were installed the doors had to go back for the glass to be installed - another one to three weeks.

It will be another two to three weeks until the counter tops are installed. Not to mention it will be another two days until they come to measure for the counter tops.

And there's still the bar to be installed. Tonight - fingers crossed.

So for now, we live in a disaster - though it is slightly less disaster like now that we have floors and cupboards.

As for me, I'm just tired. Tired of fixing and painting and cleaning and puttying. Paul is even more tired - he's doing all the heavy work - he goes to school at 7 am and then comes home and works on the house until midnight or 1 am.

Last night we watched TV in bed for the first time since the fire. Before midnight. It was insane. Almost as cool as sleeping in - only like before you go to bed ;)

Yesterday was my birthday. Paul gave me a new lens for my camera which means one day you will see real pictures on here. And not iPhone pictures that make me cringe. Soon! However, I'll leave you with one last iPhone picture of this disaster of a kitchen.

And then you get a quick update

Wow - I know I said a week in my last post, but it has now been two and a half weeks since we started moving on this reconstruction! And let me tell you, it's been a crazy ride with no apparent end in sight at this point.

And the ceilings start go go up!

We moved back home a week ago today with no way to heat food, no furniture, one bathroom that is fully functional (one lost it's light fixture temporarily, and the other is a temporary storage site for our clothing and linens), and only our bedroom to "live" in! It's been a journey, that's for sure. Interesting. Amusing. But not fun!

Thursday's task: Vacuuming drywall dust.

Paul ended up having to go to school for a month for his Rig Technician, so the weekdays are all about what I can get done on my own. So far that has included: drywall cleanup, vacuuming, and today's job will be painting! Finally, a reason to get messy :)

I have a few layouts and scrapbooking things to share, but the camera hasn't surfaced yet - which is just as well because all the layouts are in boxes somewhere anyhow! Hopefully soon. For now though, head over to Treasured Memories' Inspiration Blog and check out some layouts I made for them earlier in the month. Click here for the Inspiration Blog!

Treasured Memories is a local scrapbook store that is located about five minutes from my house! Paul physically groaned when he realized we bought a house within walking distance of a scrapbook store :)

So go check out what I've been up to! And hopefully soon I'll be back with an actual scrapbook related post! :)

And then we actually start renovations

Oh my goodness! I'm seriously really excited right now. Tomorrow Paul will be home and we will finally be able to start working on the house again! And not a moment too soon - I love my family and all, but living with my mom and my brother is starting to get just a little too comfortable for me. Not to mention the whole four large dogs in one house thing.


With that said, I will most definitely not be around for the next week. There's ceilings to go up, drywalling to tape and sand and dust to clean up, plumbing and flooring and electrical, and a whole lot of other things.

Plus there's the whole "gotta find out where the rest of our stuff is" thing. Then to unpack. Oi!

If I get a chance to pre-write some posts tomorrow then you might get a few words outta me - but don't hold your breath! I'm pretty slow at this blogging thing :)

See you all next week when this hopefully reverts back into my living room!