Don't Pray When It Rains

I'm a pretty consistent with my gratitude journaling, but not nearly as consistent with showing my thankfulness to God for the blessings in my life. Sure, I'm writing down my thankful thoughts and grateful moments throughout the week, but verbally sharing my thanks with God? Not so much.

Note to self: share your thankfulness for the simple joys in your life with a daily conversation with The One who blesses you daily.

For the last several years, I have curated the Sunday Photos series, featuring one my photographs  along with a quote or some inspiring words that touched my heart. I'll still be sharing words that speak to me in this space each week, just in a new format.

See you next week with another The Sunday Quote!

Hello July and A Free Download

What's not to love about the beauty of blooming flowers? Aaaaaah, summertime and slowing down and the nice feeling that lazy days bring. I'll be prepping my journal page using this free download as I get ready to greet a brand new month, which means another little pep talk to myself.

Ever wonder how to use all these free downloads? Well, you can see inside my own Hello journal where I'm using each month's free download card in my monthly HELLO series here.

MORE CUTE PROJECT CARDS

If you love that floral, I think it's a hibiscus, as much as I do, I've designed a complementary journal card set you may love.

Leave a comment telling me which of the phrases in this set is your favorite and I'll choose a winner to get this printable instant download set for free.

HELLO JOURNAL CARD DOWNLOADS

Focus On The Good | In My Gratitude Journal

My girls, they're superstars. I'm their Mama, so I'm allowed to be biased and amazed at every little thing they do. We just finished up our VBS with Isabella co-teaching the 3- and 4-year olds and Victoria helping with the 5th and 6th graders. And they also worked with me doing kitchen prep work because when you attend VBS at Piney Level Baptist Church, we feed you well!

I added this journaling card {see the tutorial here} into my Gratitude Journal to mark our 21st anniversary.

This week I journaled in the flagship Gratitude Journal from my Etsy shop, see them here, and you can begin your gratitude journaling with partial year journals...the July - December journals are just $22.00 and come with a mini embellishment pack.

WHAT IS #ILOVETHURSDAYTHANKS ?

What is #ilovethursdaythanks? It's a way for me, and you, to connect with other like minded souls. Those of us that find joy in documenting our thankful thoughts and grateful moments. Those moments that sometimes could be so quickly forgotten, those thoughts that haunt us and won't let us go, those words that touched our heart when we needed them most, those people who made a difference just by being there.

From personal experience, not all of my entries are earth shattering moments. I am often thankful for the skills of my stylist who covers my gray hair so convincingly {at least to me}, thankful for the quietness of the house after the kids have left for school, grateful for the noise of house as we all gather for dinner again after a day of us all being somewhere else.

It's the small moments that make my heart sing.

join in

Want to document your own #ilovethursdaythanks? Write down what you're thankful for, it doesn't have to be in a journal or notebook, just list it and then head on over to Instagram to post! Be sure to use the hashtag #ilovethursdaythanks so I can take a peek!

The Best Day Ever in my Junk Journal

What's your definition of "the best ever" kind of day? The older I get, the more I relish the everyday. The everyday moments. The everyday routine. No expectations.

I'm using this journal and also two round die cuts from this printable file, getting pretty lucky that the colors just worked so well with this page layout. See how the "documented" round has a white border around it and "the best ever" round doesn't? I used a 1.25" round paper punch instead of a 1" punch. Isn't it fun when we find new ways to use the same supplies?

Printable Die Cuts

Look at the rest of the fun round die cuts you get in this printable set!

TELLING MY STORY

My friend Lisa sent me a lovely package of goodies about a year ago and I found it again when I was organizing one of my piles. I used her Caffeine Loading project card as a jumping off point for my journaling, it just seemed to work so well with the Guest Check page. And once I added the "Yes, please" die cut, I journaled around it.

Printable Die Cuts

I've been listing and journaling for years and years and there are times I am stumped about what to document. I am not above letting stickers and journal cards jumpstart my journaling mojo, and that's what I did here. 

Mini White Tags

There is so much to be said about being content.

When I posted this page on Instagram, my pal Kate said that I put "that song" in her head. Anyone old enough to know what song we're eluding to? I hand trimmed around the speech bubble, which is part of a printable journaling card set, here.

Speech Bubble Journal Cards

I used one of the stickers from the embellishment kit that comes with this journal as a placeholder for my journaling on this elementary math workbook.

I'm a wildflower, living plant kind of girl. Not that a hand picked bouquet doesn't put a smile on my face.

You can see a few more of #mysummertimeproject journal pages here and on Instagram, too. This little mixed paper junk journal has been the perfect place to document those little treasures of life.

BE A MEMORY KEEPER

Here are more mini books + journals to help you document your story.
Have you tried gratitude journaling? Read more about it here and find Gratitude Journals here.

The First

Which describes you?
I choose happiest.
Because, in real life, I pretty much fail every single time at apologizing. Just ask my husband.

See you next week for another The Sunday Quote.

50% Off Anniversary Sale

Can you even believe that it has been 9 years since we've been meeting here on the blog and in the I Love It All Etsy shop? Whew! It's been a wonderful 9 years, I have to say. Nine years full of learning curves, trends, successes, not-so-much-of-a-successes and a whole bunch of new friends made.

Hop on over to the shop to take a peek at the 161 items on sale for 50% off. Some quantities are limited and some items may even sell out.

Happy Father's Day Card

Father's Day Card Download

3 Journals with Kits ---> All Under $8

Three different journals, all with embellishement kits, are On Sale in my Etsy shop through tonight.

View Sale Items

⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇⬇

use the coupon code

11JUNESAVE30

JUNK JOURNAL | #MYSUMMERTIMEPROJECT

I wanted a little project to work on during our summer break and when I pulled out this journal, I knew what it was going to be: a list journal. You all know how much I love list journaling so it just seemed natural that #mysummertimeproject would be all about telling my story through list making.

And the bonus of it all is that I get a few minutes to search for the bits and baubles I'll use to embellish my page and jot down my story.

TELLING MY STORY

See that metal chillin' tab? I would guess that little gem has been in my stash since 2010. I used it as the jumping off point for my journaling too. With the wood grain paper and the chillin' tab, the list prompt "Favorite Outdoor Activities" seemed a natural. I even added a little wash of watercolors to my tag.

I'm not a very sporty person, but there are plenty of activities that are done out of doors that bring me joy.

small glassine bag  |  shipping tag  |  mini book 

THIS TIME NEXT YEAR 

With end-of-year activities, graduation and now summer vacay, I've been reminiscing. And it doesn't help that my girls constantly remind me that they're growing up and not Mommy's little babies any more.

And then it hit me, this time next year, I'll have two high schoolers. No more kids in diapers, or even elementary or middle school. All my babies are going to be teenagers in high school.

blue tag

I made this fun little paper clip tag by threading through a scrap of paper, using my mini stapler to attach it and then a heart paper punch to finish it all off. It's a great way to use up all your paper stash...and it's super cute. The paper clip comes in the embellishment kit.

EMBELLISH YOUR JOURNAL 

Using the gold paper clip and pink baker's twine in the embellishment kit that comes with this journal, I had a light bulb moment and made my own little tassel bookmark. Ha, don't you just love lightbulb moments?

more paper clips  |  floral journaling card  |  kraft bag

And I always like to tuck a journal card inside the pocket formed from the folded over bag. I used one of these label die cuts, folded over, and attached it with my mini stapler. It forms a little pull tab, making it easier to pull it out the journal card.

label die cut

MIXED PAPER JOURNAL 

Do you have some stories you want to tell? Some memories you want to keep?

This little mixed paper junk journal is the perfect place to document those little treasures of life.

BE A MEMORY KEEPER

Here are more mini books + journals to help you document your story.
Have you tried gratitude journaling? Read more about it here and find Gratitude Journals here.

How We Can Control Our Own Happiness

Oh how powerful it is when we reflect and then realize that we do have control over our own happiness.

See you next week for another The Sunday Quote.

On Sale, Listing Journal now under $15

use the coupon code LISTJUNE to save 35%, making this journal under $15

Looking for a summertime project? Me, too! 
Join me in documenting our stories with a few list prompts I've gathered. 

Here's my first list:
If I Could...
There are a number of ways I could have gone with this list prompt, obviously, but when I saw the book page, I just knew it would be reading. I have been on a reading binge the last month or so and it is driving Gordon crazy because every time he sees me, my nose is in a book. Whether I'm out on the mud porch, sitting in the living room or lounging at the beach on vacation, I have been reading.

So, if I could...I would read 24-7 and forget about all my chores. Especially in the summer. 
Who am I kidding, I would read all.the.time. if I could!

I used the orange folder label from the sticker sheet in the kit for the list prompt and then I did a background watercolor wash on my book page in orange as well. Today, I was feeling matchy-matchy, but sometimes I like things to complement or even clash when I design a page. 

MIXED PAPER JOURNAL 

Ready to join in?
Take a look at the pages inside this journal. I included some pages for you that are already embellished like these:

And then there are some pages that are left plain for you to work your own magic. I love adding in office-themed paper ephemera and that envelope is a perfect little place to tuck some private journaling into.

Grab a journal or mini book or notebook from your own stash or head over to I Love It All and choose this journal, which includes the embellishment kit AND is under $15 for a limited time.

MORE LISTS

The time I spend listing in mixed paper journals makes my heart happy and is one of my most favorite past times. I love that it gives me time to be creative, helps me to use up my crafty stash and also gives me a chance to tell my story for future generations.

Want to see even more of my lists and mini book journals? You can, right here on the blog!
There's the time I listed for my 49th birthday.
And then the epic 50 before 50 journal, too.
I've also listed in my art journal.
And then there are my Gratitude Journal, which kind of take on a list prompt vibe at times.

Kind Words Are Like Honey

This week, let's go out and spread some kind words around like they're snowflakes in a blizzard.

See you next week for another The Sunday Quote.