month-in-review | january 2012

This is what I'm working on today. And I don't know about you, but I love the first page of anything. A new book, a new planner or a new mini book..oh, yeah!

 tag tied Marschino baker's twine from The Twinery

Yes, another year, another month-in-review for the Wright family. And, wow, we finished off the month with a bang - our little {all 6'2" of him} boy came home for a visit. Finally. 

Wonder what February has in store for us?

EDITED TO ADD | 2013 Month-In-Review mini books are now available!

Month-In-Review 2012 Archives

January  |  February  |  March  |  April  |  May  |  June  |  July  |  August  |  September  |  October  |  November  |  December

grateful | enjoying the time

It's a good thing when your little sisters like your girlfriend {almost} as much as they love you!

Fighting over who sits next to who. Waking up at 4am because you're so excited and then going to  wake up your big brother, too. Helping to make breakfast and making a big mess. Lots of tickle time, tent-making, Scooby Doo watching and tons of silliness. Worrying about whether he'll still be here when they wake up in the morning. 

Already missing him. 

Grateful for the time AND the visit.

together again

we {heart} felt hearts | the twinery

I admit it, I love any excuse to put on my thinking cap and create a project. While I had my Maraschino baker's twine and red felt out the other day creating this project, I thought to myself, "What else can I do with all the supplies I already have out?"

Well, I'm here today to show you what some felt scraps, a little baker's twine and some patterned paper scraps will reward you with. I made this heart pin for my Mom, but I'm thinking that I should have made one for myself as well!

I began with my two felt hearts and stuffed it with a small bit of a cotton ball because I didn't have any polyfill. After using my craft glue to adhere the two layers together, and becoming impatient with the dry time, I resorted to stitching the heart shapes together with my sewing machine. Probably the best choice, really. The baker's twine is adhered with Glossy Accents atop the line of machine stitching.

After adding a pin closure to the back of the felt heart, I attached it to the patterned paper insert I made for my hinged tin and added a bit more twine {Maraschino and Lemondrop} to add a fun touch.

52Photos | community

my 52Photos capture

A blog button? Odd, right? But, not really and here's why. It's all because of this little blog that I've had the opportunity to make some friends that I would never have met if it were not for the world wide web. Some people I know by name, but have no idea what they look like while others have a photo attached to their profiles. There are those that I have e-mail conversations with and those that I owe long, overdue e-mails to. Some friends don't even live in the same country I live in. Or speak the same language. Luckily, I've met one of my virtual friends in real life and perhaps will have the chance to again this Summer and sneak in a visit to CHA while I'm there. 

It's all of you that make up a community that touches my heart by your kind comments and continued visits and make me smile and warm my heart. And to think we might never have met if not for the interwebs. Now, let's finish our coffee, shall we?

next week's theme

rest

the wrap-up

I'm so looking forward to some warmer weather when the capture of our weekly themes outdoors is a little more pleasant. Not complaining, just reiterating that I do find Spring and Fall to be the most glorious of seasons. And can I just say...how will it already be February next Thursday?

clean and simple | practical scrappers

I'm honored to have been asked to be a Fresh Face Designer through March over at Practical Scrappers.

I shared this card for their Clean and Simple assignment using some happy ❤ day tags I designed, similar to these all-occassion tags and this holiday-themed collection, which I popped on top of a metal-rimmed tag from the shop. Using my Top Note die from Stampin' Up {love} and some Blossom baker's twine from The Twinery {love, love and more love}, this card could not have been any simpler to create.

I'm a big fan of pink and green, probably due to the fact that I was a preppy girl back in my High School days {Hillwood High School Class of '82}, so forgive the throwback feel to the photo shoot!

bag full of love | the twinery

There's love in the air for young, old, single, married...and of course, the wee ones in our life! 

Being a crafty mama, I always have random art project supplies on hand and thought I would share with you this rather easy, but charmingly cute, under 10 minute project. Have I mentioned yet that I am a proud returning member, and now Senior Designer, from the 2011 Design Team for The Twinery? Cause for celebration, right?

Here are my supplies:

So, let's get started. Using some die cut hearts, but you could also use a hand punch or even free hand draw them and trim them yourself, I wrote a message that spans about 9 hearts to Isabella. After punching holes, I threaded the hearts together with Maraschino twine and loosely knotted it to hold the little booklet together before slipping it inside the canvas bag {similar bag, but not the same as shown in  this post}.

Then, using a hand cut felt heart, I used my Glossy Accents {I find that this product does an amazing job of adhering The Twinery twine to fabric, felt and cardstock} to embellish the felt heart with more Maraschino twine and again used Glossy Accents to adhere the felt heart to the canvas bag.

Sweet. Easy. Packed with lots of happy love. Excuse me, I need to go make one for Victoria now.

guest blogger | creating keepsakes magazine blog

You can find me guest blogging today over on the Creating Keepsakes Magazine blog featuring a brand new mini book created with a free page template I designed for you. Yeah, I know...pretty cool, right?

And, yes, that is one of the four brand new colors from The Twinery you see on my cover below. Hello, Orchid, so nice to finally meet you. 

Be sure to head over to the Creating Keepsakes Magazine blog to get the download for the mini book page template and leave a comment there for your chance to win a $20 shop credit to the I Love It All Etsy shop.

wrapped in the arms of love

52Photos | shine

join me on Instagram {monikawright} or on instagrid

my 52Photos capture

What a difference a few days can make. Well, a few days and a new way of thinking. This brand new year has a shine to it that I am welcoming with open arms. And it feels good.

next week's theme

community

the wrap-up

It's so great to see how many new photos are being uploaded, to greet our new members and to welcome back our original members.

guest blogger | big picture classes

Big Picture Classes is a treasure trove of inspiration and ideas. I'm a fan of both their self-paced workshops and hands-on classes. At this moment, I am participating in the One Little Word class taught by Ali Edwards, Grateful Every Day with Mou Saha and tackling a few projects with Aly Dosdall in her Doable DIY Decor workshop. I just love it when I get to be inspired and learn, all in the comfort of my own home at my own pace. 

I invite you stop by today, over at Big Picture Classes, where I'm sharing a few sweet Valentine's Day projects...all made with crafting and scrapbooking supplies you probably already have on hand. Oh, and there might be a coupon code waiting there for you as well!

And speaking of inspiration, today I am giving away one seat in May Flaum's newest online adventure with Big Picture Classes, The Curious Scrapbooker's Field Guide. It's 12 weeks of techniques and creative play just for you.

Class Description

During each of the 12 weeks of class, there will be a focus on specific techniques and products. Adding texture, stitching, mists, stamping and everything else she could think of. May has created a class full of information and inspiration. Students will find scrapbook layout project examples each week as well as projects such as cards, tags, altered projects and mixed media canvases. This class features a new colorful PDF handout and videos each week, and an A-Z basics library of 26 videos.

Want to learn more about how Big Picture Classes works? And here's May's Teacher Top Ten, so you have a chance to get to know your instructor a little better.

TO ENTER  

Leave a comment telling me which Big Picture Class most interests you right now. I'll leave the comments open until Friday evening at 8pm when I'll draw a winner and post here. Be sure to leave a way for me to contact you if you are the winner. No way to contact you...I'll have to award May's class to another lucky person. 

AND THE WINNER IS...

it's just around the corner

In 28 days, Valentine's Day will be upon us. I tend to approach the celebration in a lighthearted way with just a smidge of seriousness. My thinking, "Why wait for this one day to declare your devotion and gratitude for having the luck to be loved and to have loved and loving ones in your life?"

Stuck for ideas? Let me help with a few from that cute little Etsy shop, I Love It All {wink, wink}.

 Because I Love You coupon book

10 Things I Love About You mini book

the alphabet of our love mini book

   red LOVE print                       pink LOVE print                   denim LOVE print

so happy together art print

 Have I Told You print | 4 colors

Date Night Coupon Book

me+you=we | gray                 me+you=we | aqua                 me+you=we | red

all you need is love 5x7 print

Love Makes The Ride Worthwhile print | 4x6 and 8x10

Use the coupon code ILOVEITALL at I Love It All to enjoy your 15% purchase discount!

rain on the windshield

via Instagram {search for monikawright} | also on instagrid if you don't have an iPhone

gratitude journal | a new year

Hello 2012! You have been a very fine year these 12 days and I so appreciate your bing bang bam ending to 2011, I needed that.

So, yesterday was the first day in about forever that it was a little slow for me. Crazy. I finished up a few outstanding shop orders, completed a Journal for a friend and also my very own Gratitude Journal, which I'm going to share today. Now, as you look at my Journal, it's a mish mash of all the leftover bits and pieces from the first Journals I made for the shop and the second version of Journals I made for the shop and then, of course, I added in a few "just for me" pages.

My 2012 Gratitude Journal with pink o-wire binding...adore my Bind-It-All and use it all. the.time. One of my most used crafty tools.

Managed to sneak in my one little word, too. Each day when I open my Journal, I'll have this little reminder to just be...

Isn't that a cute photo with all those colors and patterns and bits and pieces of patterned paper, found paper and ephemera all bound into a "good thoughts" book!

Week 1:52, Days 1-7

I used some colored pencils to add a bit of color to my kraft page. Why not make it fun and bright if I can.

Nothing drastically thought provoking or earth-shattering in my gratitudes to date, but all are daily reminders of how extraordinary an ordinary day can be.

Week 2:52, Days 8-11

If you weren't able to purchase a Gratitude Journal, I do have a few little mini books {will be adding more soon} that you could use for this purpose by adding in few of your own papers and doo dads. And, in case you missed it, here's what the girls are using for their daily grateful thoughts and you could do the same thing as well.

Happy Friday the 13th!

Edited to Add  |  The 2014 Gratitude Gratitude Journal is in the shop and ready to ship!