right now | september 2014

I'm nearing the end of my second year listing my monthly right now thoughts and documenting them all in this mini album. I've been thinking of changing up the list and format a bit, just because I'm ready for a little change up.

What would you like to see in the way of size and prompts for the next round? I'd like some suggestions for new topics to document each month, so leave a comment telling me your favorite thing to document each month.

#currently #rightnow #monthly #journal #download #printable #free


september  |  9.22.14

feeling
so happy that fall has arrived!

on the to do list
its' getting shorter...the garage is 99% complete!

my guilty pleasure
eating a whole bag of sour patch kids

favorites
falling leaves, mum, pumpkins, cool breezes, sweaters

dreaming about
warm fires, a movie and some hot cocoa 

grateful for
the joy of celebrating another birthday with my mommy!

Download your page template here
Here's the post where I share how I created my mini album.


right now 2014 archives
january february march april may june july august september october november december

my mind's eye giveaway

I'm tickled to say that I'm rejoining the My Mind's Eye Design Team for my monthly series Mini Albums with Monika. I just turned in a project that I think is so darling and hope you do as well. The girls love it, so that makes me smile!

It goes live on October 1st, but I'll remind you about it then.

To celebrate, I thought that I would have a little giveaway and share some of goodies from My Mind's Eye with you all. These are last year's collections, but still just as cute and fun...and free for you!

WIN THIS

Paper Kits from My Mind's Eye
ENTER HERE

gratitude journal | october - december 2014

The year is winding down and you may have seen some posts about the Gratitude Journal here or on my Instagram or Facebook page. I have special pricing right now on the October - December journal for those of you that have wondered about it and whether it was something you would want to commit to.

Here's your chance to check it out and give it a go!

30 Days of Lists | Days 9 - 18

Do you make lists? I do. A lot. Then I lose them, or forget about them. Or kind of avoid them because I don't really want to do what's on the list. It's been better since I use my Filofax now, though.

The 30 Days of Lists class is a fun way to list and explore topics you've thought about but never put down on paper. {affiliate link} 


THE LISTS

Day 9 | I Don't Have Time For


I used enamel dots and tucked my list inside a glassine bag.

Day 10 | Subjects I Can Talk About for Hours


Day 11 | Things I Finished So Far This Year


I used the reverse out of number stickers where I had already used the ones. Thrifty Mama to the rescue! This is the reverse side of the numbered card for Day 13.

Day 12 | My Must Have For A Night In


Day 13 | The Best Things About This Week




This is one of my favorite layouts. The card on the right is the front side from this list.

Day 14 | Best Places to Find Inspiration



That gold washi and the little heart make me smile!

Day 15 | Favorite Cliches


A blast from the past with this paper...I've had it hanging around since I was on the Momenta Design Team!

Day 16 | Posters on My Wall When I Was Growing Up



I think that pink chipboard tag has been in my stash from when I began scrapbooking back in 2010.

Day 17 | Reason To Believe In Yourself



If you can't believe in yourself, how do you expect others to?

Day 18 | Thing I Do That I Wish Made Me Money


I'm following my dream, are you?

THE CLASS
It's not too late to join me in the 30 Lists adventure, find more info in this post. If you like lists, join me in the September 30 Days of Lists class. I'm a sponsor of the 30 Days of Lists class and would just love to have you join us. You can create your own journal, buy a journal from my shop or just post your lists on Facebook or Instagram.


Find Day 1 here.
Days 2-8 here.

DISCLAIMER | I am an affiliate, as well as a sponsor, of the 30 Days of Lists class and will earn a small affiliate fee if you use any of my links to purchase the class. As you can see by the number of times I've taken classes, I believe in this adventure and think you will enjoy it, too.

the twinery + ruby rock-it | product showcase


Welcome to Day One of another great hop featuring goodies from The Twinery and Ruby Rock-It. You should have arrived here from The Twinery.

If not, head on over to The Twinery blog so that you can start from the beginning and not miss a stop along the way...or a chance to win our fabulous prizes!


The Projects

DIY Notebook
I do adore a cute notepad, don't you? I seem to have my best ideas when I'm in the school pick-up line and now I'll have something cute to jot my ideas in. I used my Crop-o-Dile to punch holes at the top of my DIY notepad made with copy paper to thread several strands of Solid Blossom baker's twine through. I added a cardstock sticker to a punched bracket shape for extra cuteness.

#floral #bakerstwine #crafts #notebook

Project Life December Daily
If you're a fan of pocket page scrapbooking, make your own! Even though Oriental Chic is not a holiday-themed collection, I made it work by adding in a touch of Solid Peapod baker's twine while using the gorgeous berry red papers. 

What do you think, does it work?

#projectlife #pl #pocketpages #scrapbooking

five minute notepad transformation

Life is too short to use a notepad that's not cute, don't you think? I have all sorts and types of random notepads lying around, and I bet you do as well. I grabbed this one to work with, but have also used spiral bound notebooks and school composition books with success.


I prefer to use my Elmer's glue sticks when working on a project like this one. After applying the glue to the back of my cardstock, I can place it on the cover and still have a few seconds to move it around until it's pretty close to a perfect fit. With a dry adhesive, I can't do that. I then flip the cover over and trim away any excess paper.


Pretty amazing how some pretty paper and cute embellishments can transform a notepad in five minutes. Makes that To Do list a little less intimidating, doesn't it?

5 on the 5th | september 2014

Black + White was the theme this month. It just came to me when I was driving the girls to school and had on a black top with white stripes. Funny enough, as I sit here to type up this post 10 days later, I'm wearing the same top as in the first photo.

#50nthe5th #photochallege #photography #projectlife

Some months, I have no idea what I'm going to take a photo of. I wonder, "How can I take more photos of our everyday, extraordinarily ordinary lives that will be any different than the other two years' worth of 5 on the 5th photos?" 

But, each month when I do these roundup posts, the photos tell me a story of our lives. Little bits that would have been forgotten if not for the photos that I took the few minutes to take.

September 

1 | A foggy morning greets us as we pull out of the drive and wind out way around the mountain. We don't see sunshine until we hit the straightaway heading into the town where the girls go to school. We are often treated to glorious sunrises, but today we saw a bright, hazy sun already above the mountaintops. Photo courtesy of Victoria

2 | I cannot tell a lie, I love my two cups of coffee in the morning. And it's even better when Mr. wRight is on vacation and we can spend that time alone together talking about everything and nothing.

3 | That's my hottie aka Mr. wRight! Replacing the basement door that's been here since Mamaw and Papaw Wright built this home is something we've needed to do but it's a little bit of history going away. The old door has that cool wavy glass in it. But, they are also single pane glass panels and leaks in cold air. And it's very short, that's why he's knocking a row of block out to make the new door fit, which will match the mud porch door. The door is exceptionally wide, too, and I tell G that he may have to push me through in my wheelchair {since I'm 8 years older than him}.


4 | You know when you order a gift with all intentions of saving it for Christmas? I couldn't resist giving them their Lisa Leonard rings today. After excellent mid-term grades, it was a special treat. The rings are star shapes with a heart in the middle. Perfect.

4 | We had dinner in town with our tired handyman and a stop at The Home Depot. As Isabella and I were leaving, she saw the moon and thought we should take a photo for our 5 on the 5th black and white challenge.

5 | We're like two Grande Cappuccino's in a Chevrolet Suburban cup holder. 

Yes, I know there are two #4's this month. Obviously, I got excited about taking photos that I lost count.

January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September

house + family rules art print giveaway

I'm in the middle of a clean and purge in my Studio so be sure to drop in often, but also on Instagram and Facebook as I destash the clutter. You can sign up for the Newsletter here, I'll have a giveaway just for newsletter subscribers next week.

Enter below for your chance to win this lovely poster in a happy, happy, happy shade of coral! You'll win the exact print pictured below, without the photo of Gordon and I or the letterpress W, of course.

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED

Enter Here For Your Chance to Win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

30 days of lists | days 2 - 8

I forget how much I enjoy sitting down with a daily challenge and spending a few moments thinking and being a little bit crafty, too. It's so easy to think about what else needs to be done, should be done, is more important than this, a list. But, it's good to nurture me and what I want to do from time to time as well.

THE LISTS

Day 2 | I Can't Pass Up


Working with some Studio Calico rub-ons. The random letters and punctuation aren't supposed to be there, but my rub-on skills are seriously lacking in finesse. Added a button and a #2 brad with a bit of baker's twine on the tag.

Day 3 | If I Had An Extra Hour in the Day


I used enamel dots from MME and a PL journaling card sent to me by a sweet IG friend AND a #30lists journal from the shop. Buy today and it ships today. 

Day 4 | Projects to Finish This Month


The back side of a page became the holding place for my date created with a star {in the kit} attached with foam dots and my all time favorite Thickers. My list is short but a big one at the same time...you'll know this if you've been following me for a while.

Day 5 | Things to Nurture This Month

filofax friday | september 2014

This little tip is going to cost you $1.00. 


I switched out my Filofax a few weeks ago at the suggestion of my Mr. wRight. He asked me why I was using that one {my yellow personal Finsbury} when I had a really nice one I could be using. The really nice one he's referring to is my ochre Malden. He keeps eyeing it and seems even more interested now that I've told him that there's also an A5 size from Filofax. 

What Time Is It?
It's the first Friday of the month, so that can only mean that it's time for Filofax Friday!

My $1 Tip
I'm like the rest of you and always browse the Dollar Spot at Target on our way into the store to pick up one thing but leave with fifty. I picked up this notepad a while back, more for the fact that I liked the yellow, but also that it had a magnet on the back. My plans were to use it to track To Do's for the shop

Then I had an idea. 

I removed the notepad I had in the back flap pocket, like the one I made using this cute as ever notepad tutorial and slipped in this one. And it fit!



Follow Along
Follow me on Instagram, where I share loads more Filofax tips, tricks, hacks, ideas and DIY's that never make it here to the blog. Oh, and there's an occasional giveaway there as well. 

Here are more Filofax ideas, tips and photos to browse through.
Follow my to filofax board on Pinterest.
And, fun downloads.

baker's twine bookmarks | the twinery

Baker's Twine Bookmark Tutorial | iloveitallwithmonikawright.com

Above all other hobbies and pastimes, I do love a good craft project. It's not uncommon for me to pick up random supplies while I'm out and about with the girls. It's also not uncommon for them to ask me, "Mommy, what are we going to make with that?" 
Most times, I reply with an "I don't know...yet."

I'm guessing that you could still construct these baker's twine bookmarks with the smaller Popsicle sized wooden craft stick, but I had this size on hand from a recent hobby store shopping spree and they seemed to be the perfect size for my bookmarks.

BAKER'S TWINE BOOKMARKS
  • baker's twine from The Twinery
  • wooden craft sticks
  • washi tape, I used wider than usual rolls
  • Crop-o-Dile
  • assorted craft beads

After decorating the wooden craft sticks with washi tape, use your Crop-o-Dile to punch a hole in one end. Choose your favorite shades of baker's twine and go crazy. I used three different methods to attach the twine, so get creative.

Feel free to add beads or buttons or sequins, or...well, you get the idea.

Baker's Twine Bookmark Tutorial | iloveitallwithmonikawright.com

If you happen to use a standard width washi tape, you may have to use two rows of washi tape to cover the larger wooden craft sticks. The Popsicle size craft sticks would easily be covered with just one row of the standard width washi tape.

BONUS PROJECT
My Mama always told me that presentation makes all the difference. And who doesn't adore a smartly wrapped gift?

Paper Flower Gift Wrap | iloveitallwithmonikawright.com

I happened to have a gold sparkled washi tape on hand and it was so utterly perfect for the Gold Shimmer baker's twine that I knew I wanted to incorporate the bookmark idea into a packaging idea.

Because the gold sparkled washi tape was just a standard size width, I had to run two rows of washi tape to completely cover the craft stick. Then I punched holes on both ends of the stick, strung the baker's twine through both holes and wrapped it around my gift box. 

Paper Flower Gift Wrap | iloveitallwithmonikawright.com


BOOK PAGE FLOWER TUTORIAL
Be sure to check out the post where I share a tutorial on how to make the paper flower topper adorning my package!