project 12 - february layout.

Davinie Fiero teams up with Becky Fleck each month to bring Project 21 to the blogging community.  Basically, you sum up the events of the past month on a double-page layout.  You can choose to use the sketch created by Becky, or not - it's up to you.

Here is my February layout (click on the layout to see it bigger):

A bit more exciting than January, but we're all pretty gloomy around here.  I decided to brighten up the colors a bit and I love the way this one came out. :)

I've decided to keep these pages all together in their own album instead on including them with my other layouts.  I'm not very good about journaling on my general layouts, so I feel like this is a nice way to document our lives without being overwhelming.  I will do separate layouts about many of these events, but if I don't get to them right away, it doesn't matter.

It's all good.

xvi.

One more book crossed off my A to Z Reading Challenge list...XVI by Julia Karr.


I enjoyed this one...light YA reading.  I really needed that right now.  Work is stressful and I haven't been feeling well overall these past few days. I plodded through XVI in 3 days.  Quick reading.

Here's my updated reading list:

A - The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
B - Baking Cakes in Kigali by Gaile Parkin
C - Creepy Cute Crochet by Christen Haden
D - Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
E - Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
F - Five Quarters of the Orange by Joanne Harris
G - The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson
H -The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Potzch
I - I Love Patchwork by Rashida Coleman-Hale
J - The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
K - Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult
L - Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving
M - The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
N - A Natural History of Love by Diane Ackerman
O - The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
P - The Practial Guide to Patchwork by Elizabeth Hartman
Q - The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory
R - Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs
S - The Shipping News by Annie Proulx
T - The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult
U - Unbearable Lightness by Portia de Rossi
V - The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
W - A Widow for One Year by John Irving
X - XVI by Julia Karr
Y - Yarn Bombing by Mandy Moore
Z - The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman

I'm not really digging Last Night on Twisted River right now.  I haven't given up, but I'm taking a break from it for right now.  I think I may go on to The Queen's Fool next.

getting caught up.

I started off the year enrolled in Ali Edwards' One Little Word class.  I eagerly set up my album and completed the January prompt. 

Then I left it alone.

Until yesterday, I had absolutely no desire to continue on with the album.  February was a hard month for me, and I've backtracked on my road to healthfulness significantly.  I made lists and lists of to-dos and wishes, and didn't follow through with anything.  I was in complete denial.

Then we had a stretch of a few pretty days.  The weather got nicer, and I found a new source of motivation within me.

So yesterday I picked up that album and put together February's prompt.  The fact that February is over didn't matter.

 

The February prompt required that I search for evidence of my word - renew - around me each day and photograph images that represent the word, both literally and figuratively.  I was not very aware during February, and decided that considering my mental state I should look elsewhere.  I searched online for images that represent renewal to me and decided to use them in the prompt instead.  This is probably not exactly what Ali had in mind, but I think it was just as meaningful of an exercise for me right now.

 

On the left is my grid of found photographs.  On the right is a page from Whole Living Magazine that I cut out, listing 10 thoughts that focus on healing and being present.  I felt it was very appropriate here.

On the back of that page I put the formal definition of renew.  The bottom is embellished a bit with strips of paper, a Jenni Bowlin pearl accent and the new Crumb Cake Seam Binding Ribbon from Stampin' Up! that I am just in love with.

I felt much better after finishing up this prompt.  I'm now ready to move forward.