Project Life Week 30

I'm really excited to share this week because it's when my baby turned one year old!  I had so much fun combining both the Little Boy paper and digital collection (digital papers + elements) by Echo Park Paper Co. to make the party invitation and decorations.  I made sure I saved some of the paper goodies to make my coordinating Project Life insert and love how it all turned out.

Here is an overview of the week.  I have to inserts, the new 5X7 and Design G that came in the Photo Pocket Pages - Small Variety Pack 1.   I do notice the size defect but it's worth it to me, to just deal with it, and save $2 on the pack.  This way I could try all the new sizes of page protectors without having to buy a package of each.

I used the Echo Park papers for the title card and little car filler.  The blocked out area has LB's name on it made out of the cute letter stickers that come in the collection pack.  The Olympics card is a Crashnotes freebie.

On this page are some photos I took at the kid's yearly doctor check up.  Since ER was born on the 21st and LB on the 29th I combine the two and just go once.  Digital Clementine journaling cards were used to add the major details.

I'm going to flip flop where LB's and ER's cards are and move hers up and his down.  Then ER's info will be next to the picture she drew for the doctor at the appointment.  She wrote her name on, which I had to clone out for posting, and I love the itty bitty baby LB on it.  So cute!  I'll have to make reprints so for now I'm leaving it as is.

Here's the 5X7 invitation I created digitally with the Echo Park kits I got from Jessica Sprague's website.  I planned to develop them and mail out but time got away from me and I ended up emailing them.  A bit tacky, I know!  But since it was to family and friends I knew I could get away with it.  But I did print out a few hard copies and this one was framed and on our mantle for the party. 

Behind the invitation is a collage I made of some of the decorations and food.  It's evidence of the downturn in photo quality Costco has been experiencing lately.  I used to really like the prints but now that I'm doing PL I'm finding they cut things off my photos all the time.  You can really tell in this one because the photo on the top right of the welcome sign looks wonky.  Now you know I did not place it on the collage like that!  I centered it very nicely and you can tell something happened during printing.

Anyway, I've yet to share pictures from the actual party but you can get a glimpse of the banner (created digitally), photo mat (cut out of paper sheet), welcome sign (digital), guest sign in board (digital), centerpiece lollipops (paper), dip sticks, and sandwich wheels we made for LB's transportation themed birthday. 

Everything turned out great, it was better than expected.  I even impressed myself :)  I really must take the time to edit the pictures and share the party.  As you can see it was really convenient being able to use a mix of the digital and paper supplies so I could really customize the party.

Here's the front side of the insert.  I just did a summary type insert.  I have already done several full 12X12 pages for LB's first year scrapbook, but I certainly couldn't skip mentioning such a big day in PL as well.  This page was all made with the paper version of the collection.

I had some trouble with the two vertical pictures slipping so I stapled them in place and then used a paper strip to cover them up.  The 29 on the brown circle is the date.  I used my Cricut to cut out table scatter out of several sheets of patterned paper from the collection and saved a bunch when we were done.  I turned two into a tab, stapling them to the top right photo.  The All Boy sticker covers up the staple in the front.

This picture cracks me up because LB expression is so serious and it really looks like he's going to read the card first, before tearing into the presents.

The cake was amazing!  And before you ask, no I sure did not make it.  LB's Godmother and her family took care of the cake as part of his birthday present.  She took a copy of the invitation into the bakery and they used it to make the matching border and sugar car.  I was in awe it looks so good!

I didn't have a lot of captions and birthday pictures are pretty self explanatory so I opted to use the little alpha letters from one of the collection's sticker sheets directly on top of the page protector.  With so much going on, all the color and the patterns, I like how the color blocked letters still stand out.

On the backside of the insert I added a couple pictures of guests, like the one of the Grandma's, i.e. my mom, Brad's mom, and my Godmother who is like a second mother to me.  Then there's my good friend and LB's Godmother. 

It was a nice day and the kids brought their water guns and had fun chasing each other around.  I wasn't sure about sharing the pictures of the kids in their bathing suits so that's why I just took out most of that one.  The edited picture at the top is of my God brother's son who shares my son's first name.  So we call them B1 & B2. They are close in age and I hope they grow up friends, it will be nice for them to have company at the various gatherings throughout the year.

On the second half of the spread I represent the many trips to the endocrinologist I take a year to manage my diabetes.  It's a boring picture but since management is a daily task I thought it should be at least mentioned in PL.  Play dates, taking the new 4 in 1 Radio Flyer trike out for a spin around the neighborhood, the end of the library's summer reading program, and running errands with ER on the weekend round out the week.

I just have to point out this perfect journaling card I happened to have on hand.  Can't beat a Radio Flyer trike card!  Unfortunately, it was part of a page that I cut up awhile ago so I can't tell you the company's name.  The Fresh Summer Day's card is by Simple Stories.

Fast forward to real life now, this is our last week of summer break.  We go back next Tuesday and my little girl will be a first grader.  I'm so upset our summer is over :(  I'm in denial she's off to school all day long.  I'm already sad she'll be away for so long and we won't have as much time to do our little projects, sing our songs, dance around the house...so if you hear loud crying next week...that will probably be me.

Linking up to The Mom Creative.