August Project Life..... FINALLY!!!!!

Well, here it is !!! 
I am finally up to date with my August Project Life via Snap.  No more stressing out about it!

When I made the decision to document my Project Life in September as one continuous layout, all in one month, rather than week by week in the interest of making the process less stressful and easier to stay on top of, I then found myself struggling with August when I went back to play catch-up.  I had a few holes in each week and was looking to either put insert or journal cards in the blank pockets or additional pictures.  As I didn't want to add a picture simply for the sake of adding something to fill a hole and "creating an event" or memory where there wasn't one I decided to make August monthly as well, which made the whole process a lot easier to pull together.

I simply disregarded the existing "holes" and moved some pictures around to balance out the flow of the 'now monthly'  layout and then removed the Weekly date cards.  I like how the month has now turned out and I can't wait to get going on October! (I have been making notes throughout the month to ensure that I don't forget anything and as well collating my pictures on a weekly basis for printing.)

For the main title page in August I didn't "go big"  (with the page) as having already created it as a weekly page, so simply made what would have been the date card for that week into the month card for August.  The polka dot background was created in Word (took some time and patience with those dots, let me tell you), the title "August 2013" was also created in Word and then I used the 1950's style font (Harlow Solid Italic) to mimic the letter detailing on the picture of the Bel Air on the right hand page. The retro "Sweet" embellishment above the letter A is a die cut from Melissa Frances called "Kitschy Kitchen".  The red letter A is a chipboard embellishment by the girls' paperie by Margie called Tinsel & Twig. The picture of me to the right, all "retro-ed" out is me practicing the various retro looks I found on Youtube so I can perfect my look for the Retro Festival.

 

What is the Retro Festival you ask?  Well, the event aims to be a celebration of all things vintage and the festival includes Rock n Roll, Blue Grass, Swing, Jive, Big Band and 50's bands.  There are also hundreds of classic and vintage cars, a live air show and a vintage village where there is a large selection of traders selling some of the best the UK has to offer in vintage and Rock n Roll clothing and home wear, craft sellers and local produce sellers. It was a real blast!

 

For the bottom 4 x 6 insert the black background paper used was by NRN Designs called "Heritage Border" (something that I have had for a very long time). The Dr. Pepper and Lunches Soda tags are from Farm House Paper Company "Where Ideas Take Root", the Super Tabs cut-out from October Afternoon "Steno Pad", the vintage lady from Graphic 45 "Le'Romantique Collection" with a scanned copy of the festival leaflet and a picture of some of the retro girls at the festival.

For the second layout above I have included a few summer shots from Cookham, where we go to walk Rupert at the weekend or during the week now that I have a lot more time on my hands.  Hard to believe that Summer is gone now and we are heading into Fall. On those rare sunny days, when the ice cream man has his truck parked in the carpark there, Simon and I will buy a double scoop ice cream to share! Yummy!  On days like this a snapshot of Cookham is ideal for a Kodak moment, making a picture perfect postcard with the vibrant colours - the crisp blue sky, the fluffy white clouds and the luscious green grass.  The blue tagline at the bottom reads "This is what Summer looks like!"   The "You Are Here" card I created in Word as well as the "The Important Stuff" insert card on the opposite page.  I was really pleased with the picture I took of Rupert playing with his stick in the water.  I was amazed that the camera captured all the water droplets.  I have to say that I now find myself using my camera on my Samsung phone way more than my DSLR, which is supposed to be a pretty good high street model.  Not only is the clarity much better but I suppose it is also the convenience factor of not having to carry the camera around and the fact that my phone is always in my back pocket.  On the bottom of the opposite page is a photo I took whilst out on the golf course with Simon (I tried adding a bit of coloured text with a glow tint to it) and I like how it looks. One weeknight when he was off to the course after work he suggested I come along with him and rent a buggy so we could cruise round the course together.  It had been a long time since I had been out with him and I had forgotten what a good laugh it was! The golf journal insert card on the bottom is another card I have created in Word. 

On this layout, on the right hand page I have included a couple of pictures where Simon is working this week in Benson.  I drove out one day to visit him and have lunch there (brown bagging it of course) as the estate was so beautiful and he thought I would love to see it.  The house was a barn conversion and looked incredible.  As well there was a small fruit orchard, a pond with wildlife, an English garden with conservatory and massive great decorative slate pond that Simon was working on, laying the slabs and putting the finishing touches on.  The upper right picture on that page is a picture of Rupert in the car on the way back from the park one day - the banner says "The look you get when you realise the awful smell in the car is coming from you!!"

 

On the left hand page, on the top there is a picture of the stove with the back burner still turned on.  Probably hard to see in this picture but trust me, it is on and there is a small blue flame there.  The journal insert card on the left reads: "Write this Down" on the header and then as follows: "Simon made breakfast this morning and then left the house all the while leaving the back burner on, with an open flame!!  Why is this Noteworthy?? Well, because I have been read the riot act where, on occasion, whilst cooking or baking something in the oven I forget to turn it off once I take the item out.  And I do mean riot act!!  So here, Mr. Self Righteous left the stove on, which has an open flame no less, which is far more dangerous than leaving the oven on!" So I totally had to pull him up on it!  This card was created in Word. (It may seem odd to document this but it is just our type of sense of humour with one another, always taking the piss out of each other and being extremely sarcastic about everything)

On this layout, on the left hand page I have included a photo of one of my favourite items from my American food order.  Living in the UK there are just some things that I simply cannot do without and as they are not frequently found in shops here sometimes I just have to place an American food order when the need to have something overwhelms me!  This time I ordered a massive great jar of Skippy peanut butter, I was so happy when it arrived.  I have included a blue arrow made in Word that says "My American food order and my obsession with Skippy PB.  Is the jar big enough?"  (And to answer that question, probably not!) I hate to admit it, but you'd be surprised as to how quick you can run out of a jar of peanut butter that size.  In all fairness, I do use it for cooking as well - for Chicken Satay and  PB cookies.  The picture to the right is of Rupert relaxing on the couch - too cute!  Added a "Love This" banner in pink and then the word "Adorable" in red script.  Below that is a picture of the small pond/river at Braywick Park, which was beautiful on this day.
 

On the opposite page is a picture of the signage at Coworth Park, a very posh well known hotel in Ascot adjacent to The Guards Polo Club where I was working that week, in the HR office, taking minutes for some of administrative meetings. I put the pic on lined paper from the Simple Stories Snap Life 6x6 Basic Papers Pad with a tag from one of my Smash tag booklets.  The "Our Life Right Now" insert card below it was created in Word.  Next to that is a picture of my tootsies with an ombre manicure.  The pink ombre card is from the Echo Park Photo Freedom kit, the stickers from the Simple Stories Typeset collection, the white flower from a Papermania Capsule Embellishment collection and the centre of the flower is a fuzzy brad also from Papermania Capsule Collection called Sweeties, Red Hot.  The last picture above that is of Simon and Rupert.  We took him for a walk one evening at Braywick and he was so tired upon our return to the car that he simply refused to get up so Simon had to carry him back to the car.  It was quite funny!

On the left hand page I have included a "selfie" whilst walking at Braywick and added the white text in Word.  I have seen a few others online use this type of angle whilst taking a selfie so I thought I would give it a go!  Next to that is a picture of a homemade pud that I made for Simon.  Have been doing a lot more cooking and baking lately.  Below that is a picture of another "craving".  Like I said there are certain things you just can't get here in the UK and on occasion I get cravings for things that are difficult to find so when I can I concoct my own versions.  Two of the places I miss the most have to be California Pizza Kitchen and The Cheesecake Factory.  I guess mainly because they both do BIG salads and do them well.  To find a big salad (some of you might remember the Seinfeld episode with Elaine & the big salad) in the UK is very, very difficult, to them salad is a garnish on a plate.  Why would you want to eat a salad as your main when you can have a meat pie of some sort or more importantly, fish and chips! So when I find myself in the midst of a maddening craving I will do my best to recreate them - this is the CPK BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad.  I have eaten this salad so many times in the US that I could probably recreate it in my sleep.  I have found most items here (or similar) with the exception of the jicama and the tortilla strips. (So for the tortilla strips I just use crunched up Doritos Tortilla Chips with a Hint of Lime. No plug for Doritos there).  It hits the spot quite well and curbs the craving, until the next time.
 

On the right hand page I have inserted a "Happy" insert card, two pictures of Rupert - the one on the top right of when we are arriving at the park: him all excited, full of energy, raring to go and then the picture on the bottom of when we returned to the car - all tired and hot with no energy left.  Added the text in word.  The last picture is of one of the trails we frequent when walking at Braywick. 

The last page I have included two snapshots of the classic cars from when we went to The Retro Festival earlier in the month.

 

So happy to have this done, now I can post September and then move on to October.  Really enjoying documenting my Project Life in a monthly format rather than the weekly format, don't feel as pressured or stressed out about keeping up on a weekly basis. The format allows for more freedom.

Onwards and upwards!