First Layout of 2013

Here it is! My first layout completed this year.

My school photo from this year seemed to fit with this paper pack - the long retired Grace from CTMH. The papers and Stickease were perfect, and it was easy to use so many coordinating products.

I've been making layouts like this one for a few years now, but it still surprises me how cathartic the process can be. While creating this one I:

• reviewed some of what I accomplished last year 
• got my hands into paper (and cutters and tape runners) for no purpose other than my own pleasure
• used papers and embellishments that I have loved literally for years but have been saving for some "perfect" project
• admitted some things about the way I follow through on goals
• forgave myself for the same things I had just admitted
• remembered that I have to complete this layout before I feel ready to complete one about goals for 2013
• recorded most of that so that hopefully I will remember to do it again next year!

For me it was surely time well spent.

I started the layout with the layered base papers and photo. Then I went to the Stickease for help with a title. I loved the look of this frame, but the words inside didn't fit. I had planned my layout around the "in review" theme so I knew I wanted that title. I added the letter stickers over the majority of the title on the frame, but I didn't have enough space for my whole two-word title. To cover the remaining portions of the frame I cut into the patterned backing paper between the Stickease stickers. The background pattern is the same as that of the letters, so once I found sections that were big enough to cover the underlying text, I simply cut them into the appropriate shapes and then added them to the frame and wrote in my text! Notice the small yellow flower next to the word "in" in the title? The scrap of sticker paper had the corner cut out, but the flower was an easy fix! 


After I had the photo and title in place, I added the journaling. I got a bit creative with all of the different portions of my journaling since reflecting left me with so much to say. Finally it was time to embellish. I filled in many of the spaces with stickers from the Stickease sheet.





 


One of my traditional January layouts done. Keep your eyes open for the other - a layout about goals for the coming months.

What about you? Do you complete any pages at the end of one year or the start of another? How do you record goals or resolutions you set?