Ayla

Princess Magnet Board

Andrea — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:39:41 -0600

This afternoon I put together a little magnet board toy for Ayla. It's basically a build-a-scene magnet board. It has a 12 x 12 background scene and several 3-D chipboard magnets made from chipboard stickers and rubons on cardboard (these are made by Imaginisce). The 12 x 12 scene can be slid into the large photo corners (which are adhered directly to the magnet board). This way, the scene stays put, but can be changed out for other scenes (which I have yet to make).

This project is actually a test-run to see if she likes it and uses it (because it's all made from paper and chipboard, I doubt it will hold up well). If she does, I'll make several scenes and buy her several sets of magnets in different themes. And I'll try and make them from more durable stuff...laminated papers, mod-podged chipboard, or even plastic magnets.

So far, she was pretty excited about it. Ben hung it up in her playroom downstairs after she woke up from her nap today and she shuffled the magnets all around...

Week in the Life - Sunday

Andrea — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 20:30:38 -0500

Next week I'm going to have to think of actual things to write about...because I'm giving my camera at least a full 24 hour break, if not longer! It's been overworked this week during my Week in the Life project.

I am glad I did the project, and I think a few years from now, I'll really enjoy going back and reading the journaling and seeing the photo collages and seeing what a regular week was like for us in 2008. Right now, it looks a lot like a regular old boring week. But this week only happens once, so I'm glad I managed to capture it in all its reality...

So, finally, here's what Sunday, October 19th, 2008 looked like for us (sorry for all the really dark photos or overly bright photos...I told you my camera has been overworked!):

I'll share pics of the album when I complete it...hopefully by next weekend.

Week in the Life - Saturday

Andrea — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 21:05:35 -0500

I've made it to the weekend in my Week in the Life project! That means only one day left...Sunday. I'm not sure how I'm going to photograph church tomorrow morning, although to be completely honest, I don't think anyone would think it was weird at all if I did. I'll have to think on that.

But meanwhile, here's what Saturday, October 18th, 2008 looked like at our house:

(And just so you know, Ben actually spent the majority of the day working hard on a web project. The pics of him shown here are during a few short breaks where he emerged! Didn't want you to think he was a slacker...although if he was who could blame him on a Saturday?)

Seeing the end in sight has made me excited about putting together the album, so tonight I got a headstart and began printing my photo collages and journaling and decided on an album to use. Now I just have to figure out a design plan and I can get this finished by the end of next week. It's going to be pretty basic, letting the photos and journaling be the main focus.

Week in the Life - Friday

Andrea — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 20:05:49 -0500

My "Week in the Life" is starting to feel like a month. Taking photos of everything you do is exhausting. That must be why I slept in today and didn't get dressed until 10:30am! Too tired from all this photo-recording. Ramona mentioned that a friend of hers suggested doing this project every year during the same week. I admit, that would be cool to see the changes, but I think every 5 years is good enough for me! We'll see if I remember in October 2013. Someone want to remind me of that?

Around dinner time tonight, I fizzled out, but I tried to come back with at least two pics from after Ayla's bedtime (which is when I usually fizzle out of my photo-taking frenzy).

So here's what Friday, October 17th looked like at our house:

Week in the Life - Thursday

Andrea — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:39:26 -0500

So, today was a little harder to take photos, because it seemed to require a lot of setup. I ended up carrying the camera on a tripod around the house while I cleaned. Ben gave me several "you're crazy" looks as he passed me in the hallway. Well, I suppose I deserve that, taking photos of myself dusting and folding laundry. But, whatever, it's just for a week, right?

Oh, and a shout out to Josh & Rachel, who star in today's photographs since they offered to watch Ayla this afternoon, as well as to my friend Wendy who called and left a message this evening in the hopes of me taking a photo of myself talking to her on the phone. :) Maybe tomorrow Wendy!

Here's what Thursday, October 16th, 2008 looked like:

A Week in the Life - Wednesday

Andrea — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:59:07 -0500

Another day down in my Week in the Life project. It's getting easier to remember to take photos all day. And, as you can see, my collage keeps growing. I used up all my slots in my collage template today (original is 8" x 10" so I can print them easily later on), so tomorrow I'll have to be choosy!

Here's what Wednesday, October 15th, 2008 look like at my house:

A Week in the Life - Tuesday

Andrea — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 21:11:28 -0500

Day two of my Week in the Life project inspired by Ali Edwards...I got better at taking photos all day long. And Ayla seemed to think I should take a picture of everything!

Here's what Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 look like for us:

"Through the Years" Album

Andrea — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 20:25:31 -0500

I finally got around to starting and catching up on an album project I've had planned for a while now that I wanted to share.

Instead of creating separate scrapbooks for Ayla (or any future kids) each year, I've decided to do a layout-per-year in her own album that she can have when she is 18. Then I'm able to scrapbook at my own pace and about anything I feel like scrapbooking for my own annual family albums, but I'll know that she'll have a cohesive album of her childhood completed when she graduates from high school. So, now that Ayla is 2, it was time to get started on her book.

I decided to use a 9" x 9" spiral album by Heidi Swapp that I got at the Scrap Etc. 06 event but had never used. It came with the perfect amount of page protectors to get her through all 18 years, so it was a great match.

I tried to keep the album very simple with a letter to Ayla and notes about the year on the left side and a collage of monthly photos on the right. I may keep the same format all the way through, or I may change it up some as she grows and different things are important. For instance, who knows if I'll have photos of her from every month the year she turns 12. And I won't always want to write a letter, so I might do a timeline of milestones or activities from throughout that year, etc. We'll just see how it grows. (you liked that, didn't you...see how it "grows").

Here's how it's come together so far:

The journaling didn't scan well, but you can read it better in real life than the way it seems to show up here. Although I am a little concerned about the patterned paper being a little too busy. Oh well, I suppose I can re-do those at some point if they really end up bothering me!

I made the photo collages in Photoshop. Each individual photograph is 2" x 2", and the bottom photo is 2" x 4" (of her actual birthday each year). So the final photo collage is 8" x 8" that I enlarged to a 8" x 10" canvas to have printed at Snapfish. Then I just trimmed off the extra two inches when the print arrived to make it a square print. I saved the original Photoshop file so that each year I can just plug new photos into the same template.

I'm a big fan of month-by-month and year-by-year albums, so this is a great way for me to feel "caught up" and not overwhelmed by having to do too much. Basically, it's what Keeps scrapbooking fun for me...instead of if feeling like a job or responsibility.

Roger "made our" Day

Andrea — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:33:49 -0500

The Hoover Public Library strikes again, and brings in fabulous entertainment.

Ever since I took Ayla to see Roger Day last summer, I've been anxiously awaiting his performance again this summer. I even roped Ben in to come see it with us, because all year we've been listening to his music with Ayla. She routinely asks for the "Hippo" song which is actually the "Rhino" song called "It's a No-No to Kiss a Rhino". (He does have a hippo song too..."Hiccuppopotumus".)

Roger Day is silly, fun, talented, and entertaining for all ages. The kids LOVE him (as well as the moms & dads!):

Ayla clapped and danced and did arm movements to all the songs. Last year she couldn't even walk! My how things change.

You can hear samples of his music and see where it can be purchased at his web site: http://www.rogerday.com.

I highly recommend his CDs and DVDs for anyone with pre-school kids. It's catchy! Even my brother-in-law (I wont say which, but only one has pre-school age kids) was caught listening to Roger Day on his mp3 player at the beach....with no kids in sight....

It's the little things...

Andrea — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:29:02 -0500