ON MY MIND | Making time for people we love.

Me (aged around 18mths+) and Mum.

Today's post is a little different from my layout shares and all things crafty. I am going to share a few little tidbits about myself...and what's on my mind right now. 

Not many of you will know this, but I developed a chronic health condition when I was 24. I will be 38 this year, and thankfully, I have experienced amazing physical healing in the past few years and I feel like a new person! 

This incredible journey I have been on has taught me so much. What stood out most was learning to live gently, intentionally and gratefully.

Being physically unwell and being a new mum was by far the biggest challenge I have ever faced. Physically, mentally and emotionally for both myself, and my husband. My condition worsened after childbirth.

During those years when the boys were just babies, I was consumed with my own physical discomfort, that I pushed everyone away. I was anxious, irritable, and basically a pain in the backside to be around. But through all this, my mum was always on stand by. Yes, mothers are a bit awesome like that.

I look back on those years and I remember mum ALWAYS doing things for me, yet never complaining or nagging. She would come over to help with the boys, and do things around the house when she finished work. She was just there for me, never showing her own heart ache as she watched me deal with my health. 

As a mother myself now, I truly appreciate what an amazingly strong woman mum is. She raised myself and my brother as a single parent for many years, having been abandoned by my biological father whilst she was pregnant with my brother. 

Which in a roundabout sort of way, brings me to what is currently on my mind. 

Towards the end of each year, I tend to do a bit of self reflection. Thinking about where I am heading, what I have achieved over the past year, what I would like to achieve in the coming year, what areas of my life I would like to make changes to, and what I want to make a priority.

With every passing year, as my babies (yes, they are 6 and 9!) grow up, I am getting older, and so is my mumma.

I am making it a priority this year to spend more time with my amazing mumma and to take the boys to visit her more often. She spoils them rotten, which is exactly the way it should be! The boys keep her young and make her very happy (and bring a little chaos too)

Mum is still working which I think is great! Not so much for the money, but so she can hang with her little crew and gossip no doubt. 

I have a habit of thinking about the future...a little too much. Sometimes, to my own detriment because it often morphs into worry.

I do not want to live with the regret of not having spent enough time with those I love. This is why it pains me to look back on those years of being unwell and feel the regret of not being present with the ones nearest and dearest to me. And this includes my babies -- which could well be the part that hurts the most. 

I want to take more photos OF mum, and photos WITH mum. It has occurred to me that I don't really have that many photos of mum and I. Not since I was quite young. Pfft! And I call myself a memory keeper!?! Things are about to change :)

I believe with all my heart, the most important thing is to tell those whom we love, that we love them. To never, EVER allow our love to be left unspoken or unknown.

Away with my lame excuses of being too busy, or having no time. I am going to MAKE time and make memories to treasure for a lifetime.   

TUTORIAL | Create 3x4 polaroid style 3x4 photo

Hi there! 

Just dropping in to share a quick tutorial on how to make a 3x4 polaroid style photo in Photoshop.

I have an older version of Photoshop so I am hoping the video still helps those of you with newer versions and also Photoshop Elements.

This is the first video tutorial I have created, so please be kind if you notice any awkward newbie-ness. I recommend viewing it in VIMEO via the link below instead of playing it within this page.


How to make polaroid style 3x4 photo from Sue Ko on Vimeo.


Would love to hear your feedback in the comments below.

Thanks again for dropping by! 

I will be back soon for another Project Life layout share. 

My Project Life Process right now.

I know, I know! It's January 2014 and I've only just completed November 2013. 

But don't get excited, because that's the only month I have completed for 2013!

Now moving onto September 2013...here's what it looks like so far.

I am happy to report my Project Life process has been reviewed, revised and refined...and repeat.

Today I'm sharing my process (read: strategy) to complete 2013 by the end of February. That's my aim. I will keep you posted on how it pans out.

Those of you who are regular visitors to my blog (thank you!!) will know I have been working on layouts of my boys as babies. That is still rolling along but my focus for Jan/Feb is completing 2013. And you may also know I primarily do monthly or event spreads.

So this is what I'm doing right now.

HOW I ORGANISE MY PHOTOS ON THE COMPUTER?

I have a folder for each month, and then sub-folders within those. The folders with day_month_year are from my camera, and then I have a folder for photos from my phone, and my husband's phone.


HOW I DECIDE WHAT LAYOUTS TO DO? 

Step 1: Events
Firstly, I will work on events from the month. For example, our afternoon at Bribie Island, or putting up the Christmas tree -- anything where I have taken a series of photos from the one day.

Step 2: Monthly Overview
Once the event/s for the month are accounted for, I move onto selecting the photos for my monthly spread/s. It could be 1 x double page layout, 2 x double page layouts, or just the one page. 

I prefer the flexibility of monthly spreads because I don't feel the pressure to have sufficient photos for every week, or to have a two page spread every single week.

Step 3: Individual page for the kiddies
Once I have completed the event and monthly overview pages, I work on the overprints and the "highly commended" photos.

The "overprints" are the photos that I have printed twice (mostly because the colour was out, or I forgot to print with a border). 

The "highly commended" photos are ones I really like of the boys which I was not able to include in the monthly overview spread. 

These handful of photos go into the boys' albums as a single page layout dedicated purely to them. Here I will include details of their school excursions, drawings they have done, quirky quotes and any other details I want to record.

Here's a look at what I've done for the pages in the boys' individual albums for the Nov 2013. 

The focus was on getting the photos into pockets and telling the story. 


Here's a close up of the journalling. 

STAMPS: Kellie Stamps (Photo Bomb). Dear Lizzy roller date stamp.

That's my process for now.  I'm happy to say it's proving productive, and I'm having fun -- no pressure, just keeping the documenting wheels in motion. 

What's your Project Life or memory keeping process right now? Would love to hear about it if you would like to leave a comment and share.

That's it from me today, thanks again for stopping by! xx

November 2013 layout

Here in sunny Queensland, Australia -- it is stinking HOT!

We are fortunate enough to have the air conditioner cranked, and another batch of the boys' favourite coconut mango ice-cream in the freezer (sorry, i know i go on about this, but it's really GOOOOD!).

I'm sharing my first completed monthly layout today. All my previous layouts have focussed on an event, so it was both fun and challenging to work with a bunch of photos that was a snapshot of our November 2013. 

Here's a look at the spread.

I used Amy Tangerine's Cut and Paste mini kit, Dear Lizzy's Polka Dot Party mini kit, and the Midnight Edition.

For my title card, I stamped "NOV" (Monday-Friday set, Kellie Stamps) on a 2013 Calendar Journaling Card (Paislee Press).

This "Love this moment" stamp is a rubber wood mount from Kellie Stamps. I think I will be using this one A LOT! 

Freckled Fawn wood veneer heart from The Stamp Spot on an Amy Tangerine Cut and Paste filler card in the next photo.

I love sweet potato gems! This is a bit of a treat in our household so the NOM NOM wood mount stamp (Kellie Stamps) was perfect for this photo.  I used Brilliance ink in Starlite Black and I am so impressed with how beautifully this ink stamps onto glossy photo paper.

A little bit blurry, but check out the Light Wood Veneer Flair (Kellie Stamps)! These flairs have really cute designs.



How crisp the above stamped image?! This was the first time I stamped onto glossy photo paper and I think it almost looks like it has been printed. 

I've use the quote stamp from the Best Friend's stamp set (currently on sale, Kellie Stamps) and the Brilliance Starlite Black ink again. Although the ink has "black" in the name, it's more of a shimmery dark charcoal colour which I love.

Finally, remember you still have time to win this awesome prize pack simply by commenting on all the blogs participating in the Kellie Stamps January Release blog hop. Competition closes midnight (AET) 5 January.

Good luck everyone, it's an awesome prize! And thanks for stopping by xx