Take 12 Project - December 12 and a Look Back on 2012

With it being the last day of 2012, it seems like a good time to finally share my December Take 12 Layout.

Digital Supplies: Splendid Fiins (Classic Album Templates).

December 12 was an amazingly happy day.  That was the day that Justin came home to San Diego for the beginning of his Christmas leave (aka vacation).  We had two insane weeks in San Diego together where we celebrated Christmas and Charlotte's birthday, played at Disneyland, mourned my grandfather's death, laughed and cried with both of our families, and packed up the rest of our belongings into A LOT of suitcases before moving to Hawaii just a few days ago.  

I think I've mentioned this before, but being part of the Ella Publishing Take 12 Team has been so rewarding.  Looking through all my layouts, documenting just one day each month, truly did provide an accurate snapshot of my life - from my daily routines as a work-at-home mom to the difficulties of having a premature baby while Justin was on deployment.  I think 2012 might just be one of the hardest years of my life.  But I am so grateful that I now have 12 layouts that document this journey.  

To Elizabeth Dillow and Ella Publishing, thank you so much for the opportunity to be a part of the Ella Publishing family.  It has been an honor.

And because I love seeing all the layouts in one place, here are the rest of my 2012 Take 12 Layouts.

As always, thanks for stopping by!!  Wishing you and yours a very Happy New Year and looking forward to new and exciting things for 2013!!!

Take 12 Project - October 12 and November 12

Since my September Take Twelve post, so much has happened.  Benjamin is home.  Justin came home then left again.  Movers came to pack up our belongings.  Charlotte is getting potty trained.  I still can't believe that Thanksgiving is this Thursday.  For the record, I am cooking/ baking nothing this year.  I'm lucky to sneak in a shower in the morning before the kids are awake (or finish a shower without having to jump out dripping wet because either Benjamin or Charlotte is crying).

While both of these layouts are "late" for posting for the Ella Blog, I wanted to share them with you and keep up with the challenge.  Of all the scrapbooking things I've done this year, this challenge has been one of the most fulfilling.  It truly has been a reflection of our crazy life this year.

Here is my October Take 12 Layout.

Digital Supplies:  Carina Gardner (Photocuts Vol. 6); Design by Dani (Happily Falling); Liv.E Designs (Needs + Wants Stitches Vol. 1).


On this day, Justin spent the morning with Charlotte at Bates Nut Farm to visit the pumpkin patch.  Charlotte had a BLAST!  Before Benjamin was born and all this crazy started, Charlotte told me that Daddy was coming home to take her to the pumpkin patch.  I would gently remind her that Daddy was still on the ship but would be home by Christmas.  Apparently, the joke was on me.  :)


And here is the layout for November 12 with Daddy gone again and Ben finally home.

Digital Supplies: Splendid Fiins (Template 7); Glitz Designs (Yours Truly); Jenni Bowlin Studios (Vintage Stick Pins).

Make sure you visit the Ella Blog to see November 12 layouts created by the other Take 12 Team members!

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Take 12 Project - September 12

In last month's Take Twelve layout, we said goodbye to Justin before he left on deployment.  While our family had already been separated for a few months because of Justin's training schedule, his deployment overseas brought a whole new set of fears and challenges for our family.  But I know that he was eager to get to sea, which he absolutely loves.  

This September, the 12th fell on a day dictated by a new routine for our little family.  September has presented new challenges and blessings which have forever changed our lives.  On September 7 at 11:50 pm, we welcomed into the world our beautiful baby boy, Benjamin.  He weighed 3 pounds, 3 ounces and was 16.75 inches long.  His gestational age at birthday was 30 weeks plus 6 days.  

Ben thankfully had a strong cry right out of the gate.  My sister was able to snap this photo of him before the doctors and nurses brought him down to the NICU.

Part of me feels like I jinxed myself celebrating 30 plus one not so long ago.  But I know that there is so much to be grateful for.  Baby Ben got almost an entire week longer than Charlotte did in the womb.  I was able to get 4 hours worth of steroids (to help with Ben's lung development) before I delivered.  And even though Justin was not there, I did get to speak with him both before and after the delivery.  My sister was also at my bedside during delivery.

Talking to Justin after delivery.  

Ben is currently in the NICU and being cared for by an amazing team of nurses, corpsmen and doctors.  It is the same NICU that took care of Charlotte once she was transported from Arizona to California almost three years ago.  Right after I delivered, the attending neonatologist (who was also there when Charlotte was at the NICU) said to me, "You make strong preemies."  Sigh...

My favorite photo of Benjamin to date.  Taken on September 13 after his oxygen tubes were taken off, with his IV hiding behind his head, and his light mask off.

So on September 12, my photos reflect this new reality of constantly pumping, household chores, parenting Charlotte, visiting Ben in the NICU, and trying to keep some sense of routine and normalcy for our family...on my own, without Justin.  I know that I am strong enough to do this...to get through the days and take care of our children.  But there are moments, especially when I'm driving back and forth from the hospital on my own, that I cry and am dumbfounded that here we are again.  In the NICU.  With a preemie.  I honestly and genuinely thought that I would carry this baby full term.  But it just wasn't meant to be.  And this time around, even though I am surrounded by the familiarity of the hospital, many of the same amazing nurses, and an understanding of what to expect as Ben continues to grow, I don't have my husband's shoulder to cry on.  And this entire experience, by the time Justin comes home, will only be mine and he won't be here for any of it.  

I am exceedingly grateful for what we have and am overjoyed by our new baby boy.  However, there are fleeting moments during the day or in the middle of the night where I feel that I am left chasing for rainbows in what sometimes feels like a rainstorm.  But I know that there are rainbows out there.  I just have to keep my head held high and be strong.  

Here is my layout for this month:

Supplies:  Patterned Paper, Cardstock, Stickers, Thickers by American Crafts; Punches (EK Succes, Martha Stewart Crafts; Stamps (Studio Calico, Technique Tuesday); Twine (Twinery); Epoxy Sticker (Epiphany Crafts); Xyron Mega Runner; Homemade Foam Tape.

The inspiration for the title came from here.  

For the photo page, I simply created a 12 photo collage in Picassa and printed it as a 8x10 photo on my home printer.  

And here is a close up of the September 12 subtitle area.  

Play Along.  If you are playing along this month, make sure to upload your Take 12 layout to your blog or any photo-sharing service, then link it up to this blog post by midnight EST, September 18 for a chance to win a spot in this year's Big Picture Classes Boot Camp!  

Also, as some of you may already know, Ella Publishing Co. is now a part of the Big Picture Classes family!  Big Picture Classes is the leading online education program for creative classes worldwide.  Their focus is to teach inspiration-based scrapbooking while making the creative process of scrapbooking fun and easy for everyone.  

GIVEAWAY!!  To celebrate the new relationship between Ella Publishing Co. and Big Picture Classes, I will also be hosting a giveaway - a seat in a Big Picture Class taught by Tracey Clark, Picture Color.  This is a 30 day self-paced course that will encourage you to turn your lens towards the colors that delight you the most.  To enter my giveaway, make sure that you "follow" the blog and leave a comment on this post.  I will draw a name and announce a winner on Sunday, September 22.  

To our friends and family, thank you for your constant prayers and words of congratulations and comfort.  And to everyone else, as always, thanks for stopping by!

Take 12 Project - August 12

The 12th this August fell on the last day Justin was home before leaving on deployment.  It was certainly a bittersweet day filled with lots of family time and some tears as it started to hit me (once again) that he was finally leaving (again).  While he has been away these past few months for training, and it has been difficult for me in so many ways, the the fears and unknowns involved with deployment add a whole new complexity to what we are all feeling.  But thankfully, we were able to spend an entire day filled with family and love and lots of amazing memories.  

Here is my layout for this month:

I was inspired by this piece of paper from the Echo Park Sweet Days collection.  

I was just obsessed with these polaroids and wanted to mimic that look.  I cut a number Polaroid die cuts using my Silhouette Cameo and digital files from Lori Whitlock. After placing some photos and patterned papers underneath the die cuts, I arranged them on some neutral colored patterned paper.  

Here are some closeups:

Supplies:  Patterned Papers (Studio Calico, American Crafts, Crate Paper); Card Stock (American Crafts); Chipboard and Sticker Embellishments (Studio Calico); Stamps (Lawn Fawn, My Cute Stamps, Paper Smooches); Letter and Word Stickers (American Crafts, Cosmo Cricket); Adhesives (Xyron 2.5" Sticker Maker); Other (Silhouette Cameo, Lori Whitlock Digital Files, Glossy Accents by Ranger).

Amazingly enough, the only adhesive I used on this layout was my Xyron 2.5" Sticker Maker.  Seriously love that thing.  And it was also an excellent excuse to finally pull out the Lawn Fawn Stamps that I love so much.

If you're playing along this month with Ella Publishing, make sure to link up your photos here for a chance to win a spot in Elisha Snow's photography class at Big Picture Classes.

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Take 12 Project - July 12

In an unusually odd way, I'm relieved that this July 12 was so ridiculously mundane and kind of boring.  July 12 was on a Thursday.  I crafted in the morning.  Charlotte went to school.  I went to work.  We can home and just played and did our "thing" until bedtime.  With so much change and adjustment (and even just the anticipation of such turmoil) these past few months, it was relieving to feel a normal for just a little bit.

I went digital again for this month's layout.  I think I've been doing that these past few months because it's just easier at times and there isn't a huge mess to clean up afterwards. That's the beauty of digital scrapbooking!

Supplies:  Splendid Fiins (Kinda Sketchy Template, @ the office supplies 1, Evidence-date stamps, Knock Out - "clouds" mask, Knock Out - "wood grain" mask, very krafty-the ledgers); Design by Dani (Boy Crazy Complete Kit)

Make sure to head over to the Ella Publishing blog to check out some more inspiring layouts by the Take 12 team!!

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Take Twelve Project - June 12

I really love looking through all of my Take Twelve layouts to see how much our lives have changed over the past few months.  I know that once 2012 comes to an end, our family will truly cherish these memories.

This June 12 marks the our first month back in San Diego after a wonderful "sabbatical" in Newport, Rhode Island.  Although Justin is gone on training (and eventually deployment immediately afterwards), having family and familiar surroundings around us has made the transition as smooth as it could possibly be.  

This layout reflects the new daily routine with just me and Charlotte.  None of it is particularly exciting but I think it's important to document our everyday moments - making the lunches, eating breakfast, going to work, playing after school, and the bedtime routine.  While I know that my past few blog posts have been reflective and often sad in their tone, I wanted to focus on celebrating the new chapter in our life with bright and fun colors.  The digital papers from Echo Park Sweet Day were perfect for this!

Digital Supplies:  Echo Park (Sweet Day Digital Paper and Elements); Splendid Fiins (Office Supplies); Carina Gardner (Photo Masks); Creativity by Crystal (Funky Stitching and Scallop Borders).

If you're participating in the Take 12 Challenge this month, make sure to upload your layout to your blog or any photo-sharing service (including the 2012 Take Twelve Flickr group), then link it up to the Ella Publishing blog by midnight EST Monday, June 18.  You could win a spot in Nic Howard's new workshop, Dimensional Details: the Expanded Version from our friends at Big Picture Classes, valued at $79!! 

 As always, thanks for stopping by!

Take 12 Project - May 12

What a month May has been so far.  In the past two weeks, we had our house in Rhode Island packed out with some boxes sent to San Diego and other boxes ultimately destined for Hawaii.  We bought 20 (yes, TWENTY) pounds of lobster.  Justin graduated from Department Head School.  We celebrated Collen & Adrian's wedding in Missouri.  I had the most amazing ribs (like, best ribs I've had in my entire life) at Pappy's Smokehouse in St. Louis.  I puked on the airplane.  And now we are slowly getting settled back in San Diego before Justin leaves again.  I'm kindove exhausted but there really isn't much time to think about it all.

And amidst all of this craziness, it's time for another Take 12 layout with Ella Publishing!  Since my paper crafting tools and supplies are still waiting to get unpacked and organized, I went digital this month.  I used a cute and adorable template from Splendid Fiins (available through Jessica Sprague).

Supplies:  Splendid Fiins (Life in a Nutshell 12x12 Templates, delicious alphabets).

Thankfully, May 12 just happened to be the same day as Colleen's wedding.  What an amazing celebration!  It was set at Overlook Farms in Clarksville, Missouri.  There were lawns set up for horseshoes and washers.  Charlotte loved the easily accessible cupcakes.  And the dancing...oh my.  It did not take long before Charlotte ripped off her socks and shoes and literally danced the night away.  After the last song, she ran up to me and said, "more, please."  :)

If you're participating in the Take 12 Challenge this month, make sure to link up your layout to the Ella Publishing blog by midnight EST Friday, May 18.  You could win a brand-new print edition of Everyday Storyteller, a new book from Jennifer Wilson/Create More Media with a slate of amazing contributors.

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Take Twelve Project - April 12

It amazes me that April 12 is the last 12th our family will spend in Rhode Island.  So I'm glad that this April 12, much like my January 12, was simply a reflection of my day as a stay-at-home with Charlotte.  Goodness knows that she won't be my rambunctious little toddler for much longer.  (Can someone please stop time for just a little bit, please?)

I based this month's layout on Sketch 9 from the Take Twelve Guided Inspiration Kit.  Actually, I drew a lot of inspiration from the beautiful sample layout by Donna Jannuzzi.

I especially love how clean and simple Donna's layout is with the layered papers behind the photostrips and title.  For my paper strip, I primarily used papers from Authentique Splendid (which I recently purchased from Scrapbook Steals to celebrate completing Project 100). 

Authentique's tiny word stickers were the perfect embellishment to my little corner banner embellishment.  I also scraplifted the idea of incorporating a doily banner from the fabulous Erin Colby. 

And finally, I embellished the little photostrips with some simple flower brads.

Supplies:  Patterened Paper (Authentique, Echo Park, Sassafras); Letter Stickers (American Crafts, Cosmo Cricket); Buttons and Brads (My Mind's Eye, Making Memories); Digital Files (Samantha Walker); Other (Twinery Twine, Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Fiskars Border Punch).

Chance to Win!  You have until midnight Wednesday, April 18th, to link your photos to this post on the Ella Publishing Co. blog for a chance to win a Muvazi Skin Care Renewal Set.

Also, please check out the other inspiring Take Twelve Layouts by the rest of the Take Twelve Team!

Elizabeth Dillow

Aliza Deutsch

Margie Scarpignato

Janette Kincaid

Monica Bradford

Jennie McGarvey

Lisa Day

Valerie Bishop

Amy Prior

Stephanie Medley-Rath

Angela Gutshall

Lisa Ottoson

Take Twelve Project - March 12

March 12 was just one of those days.  Things seemed to start against me and wouldn't let up as the day went on.  From disappointing doctor visits to breaking cameras, it was the last type of day that I would want scrapbooked and shared with the masses.  However, I think that is the beauty of Ella Publishing Co.'s Take Twelve Challenge - it encourages us to document our lives as they are - the good and the bad, the bright and the dismal.

[IMAGE TEMPORARILY REMOVED FOR PUBLICATION]

The design inspiration for the layout was actually a JCrew store window in Cambridge, Massachusetts filled with accordion rosettes of various shapes and sizes swirling against a black backdrop.  There is additional meaning behind this design, however.  For the most part, March 12 felt like a really dark and dreary day filled with black and gray clouds hanging over me.  However, despite my own self-pity, there were the bright moments of sunshine that made me remember that my life isn't that bad and that I too can overcome this day.

[IMAGE TEMPORARILY REMOVED FOR PUBLICATION]

The array of yellow accordion flowers in my layout represents these moments of sunshine on my gloomy March 12th day - lunch with dear friends, Charlotte's silliness, watching her play with Justin.  And so, even though it wasn't the perfectly balanced day that I wish every day was, March 12 was a reflection of my life and I think is definitely worth remembering.

[IMAGE TEMPORARILY REMOVED FOR PUBLICATION]

Supplies:  Patterned Paper (Echo Park, My Mind's Eye, Crate Paper, Sassafras); Letter Stickers (American Crafts); Buttons (Basic Grey); Other (Fiskars Punches; We R Memory Keepers Floss).

You can find my other Take Twelves layouts here and here.

Remember, you have until midnight EST Sunday, March 18 to upload your project here to win the awesome prize given away at Ella Publishing worth $50!!  Hope you get to play along!!

Project 100 Update:  80 down, 20 to go.

Take Twelve Project - February 12

I love how the Take 12 Project falls on a different day of the week each month.  This month, the 12th fell on a Sunday while my college roommate and best friend, Melissa, was in town.  It amazes me that even after all these years, we are still such amazingly close friends.  And talk about dedication, this girl has visited me in every city I have ever moved to (including Melbourne, Australia after college).  Love you, Mel.  And if good friends don't help you find balance in your life, I'm not sure what does.

The idea behind this layout was to create a map of the places we visited in Newport, Rhode Island that day.  My inspiration for this layout were the amazing illustrations Oliver Jeffers made for United Airlines.  Using my Silhouette Cameo and Silhouette Studio Software, I created this large diecut of the Newport coastline.  I then tracked the different places we visited with some handstitching and October Afternoon Mini Market stickers.  I also made sure to include a time stamp for each of the little photos.

Supplies:  Patterned Paper (Echo Park - For the Record); Stickers and Embellishments (Echo Park - For the Record, Sassafras, American Crafts); Letter Stickers (American Crafts, October Afternoon, Cosmo Cricket); Other (Martha Stewart Border Punch; We R Memory Keepers Floss).


You can find my January Take 12 layout here.  And don't forget to check out all the other members of the Take 12 Team at Ella Publishing to see their fabulous takes on the challenge. 

Aliza Deutsch
Angela Gutshall
Jennie McGarvey
Lisa Ottosson
Stephanie Medley-Rath
Margie Scarpignato
Monica Bradford
Lisa Day
Janette Kincaid

Remember, you have until midnight EST Saturday, February 18 to upload your project here to win the awesome prize given away at Ella Publishing worth $79.99!!  Hope you get to play along!!


Project 100 Update:  48 down, 52 to go.  


As always, thanks for looking!

Take Twelve Project - January 12

My new year resolution for 2012 was to find BALANCE.  I've decided to use Ella Publishing Co.'s Take Twelve Project to help document and assess whether I'm reaching this goal month to month.  I'm hoping that these monthly layouts will helping me determine for myself if there is balance in my day to day life.  

Here is a day in the life of Van Nguyen on January 12, 2012.

I wanted this layout to be a celebration of my day.  A few months ago, I was so unhappy with my life.  I lived on the extremes and there was certainly no balance.  But now, only a few months later, my days are filled with dirty dishes in the sink, smiles from Charlotte, and muffins in the oven.  January 12, 2012 was certainly a good day.  And what better way to celebrate than with banners and garland?

Using Photoshop, I created mini polaroids for each of my photos.  I included both color and black & white photos.  The color ones are supposed to represent those alive and active moments during the day while the black & white shots are for the quiet and more calm memories.  I then added the time and a little bit of journaling for each snapshot.  (A huge thank you to Kristy Lee, my amazingly talented and brilliant friend over at Scrapbook Steals, for the suggestion!)  I then decorated each photo with a mini clothespin to look like it was hanging from the garland.  

For my supplies, I reached for my January Counterfeit Kit.  It has some lovely subtle colors and is filled with Sassafras banner stickers, mini clothespins and a lovely doily garland paper by Studio Calico.  

For the title, I cut out a calendar image from a sheet of Sassafras Sunshine Broadcast and mixed it with a doily and some Sassafras embellishments.  I then painted part of the calendar with a white paint dauber before adhering some thickers for the title itself.

To finish off the page, I stamped an Ali Edwards stamp along the bottom that says, "look through the lens, capture a moment, tell a story, preserve a memory."  Since this layout was a series of 12 different moments during my day, I thought that statement was especially appropriate. 

Project 100 Update.  6 down.  94 to go. 

As always, thanks for stopping by.  And make sure to visit the other Take Twelve Team Design Team projects for more inspiration!

Like the Car

Nihao, Cupcake!

Janette Carter-Kincaid

Scrap Inspired

Scrappy Wife, Happy Life

Day by Day

Right Here-Right Now

The Scrapbooking Haven Diva

Scrapworthy Lives

People of the Scrapbook

My Little Blessings

Life is Sweet

A Swoop and a Dart

Endless Possibilities

Yeah, Write

Take Twelve Inspiration Kit Giveaway Winner!!

Good Morning, Everyone!!  Guess what today is?!  January 12 which means it's the first day of our Take Twelve scrapbooking and photography challenge!!  Yes, I am clearly very excited.  And to kick off today, let's kick off by selecting a winner of our giveaway.  Random.org - please select a winner...

And the winner is comment 6 from...

CATHRYN:  I love this idea Van. So smart!!! One of my goals this year is to scrapbook just for pure enjoyment.  Not always for some deadline or challenge!!!  Thanks for the chance to win my friend!!!!

Congratulations!!!

Thank you for all of those you commented and shared your 2012 resolutions with me.  I hope you still play along with the Take Twelve Team!  Happy January 12!!

GIVEAWAY - Take Twelve Project at Ella Publishing Co.

Are you ready to accept Ella Publishing's new Take Twelve photography and scrapbooking challenge?!  As a Take Twelve team member, I'm certainly super anxious to get started!
 

For those who don't know, the goal of the 2012 Take Twelve Project is to take 12 photos on the 12th day of each month for 12 full months - and scrapbook them!  You can join in the fun any month of the year, but I hope you'll join with me starting January 12.  You can get the full details and purchase your own Take Twelve Inspiration Kit at ellapublishing.com/taketwelve.

And you know what's even better?  The folks at Ella Publishing have given me an Take Twelve Inspiration Kit to give away to one of my awesome blog readers!  The kit is full of inspiring ideas, shortcuts, and printables for the 2012 Take Twelve Project.

Here's a sneak peak...

So...how can you win??  Make sure that you "follow" my blog and post a comment to this blog entry sharing one of your goals for 2012 by 11:59 EST on January 11.  Make sure to also include a way for me to contact you in case you win.  I'll pick a winner and post it first thing on January 12!  If you already purchased the Take Twelve Inspiration Kit, Ella Publishing will issue you a refund.

So good luck and happy crafting!!