Long overdue Scrapbook Update: no.1 OLW

Yes, it's been awhile. I had big plans to update my blog more frequently this year, but after my picture fiasco, everything stood at a stand still. So, here come some scrapbook LOs I've done in the past while.

First up is this assignment for One Little Word: nine spots describing and circling around my One Little Word for this year: Prepare. Last year, my album's main color was green (surprising? no.) This year I decided to go with something fresh, so it's yellow with a bit of blue and grey.

Printable Calendar

It's February, I know. But, I have finally got a working/organizing calendar all set for my needs. I'm PREPARING. And hopefully getting things rolling this month. This calendar is a bit boring, all black and all, but it will work. I made a large section so I can write down activities of the month, and two smaller spaces for what I'm going to clean this month and the projects I have on the go. I NEED THIS. I need to have it all laid out so I can see overall, all the things I need to do. I hope this will help me be able to prioritize more effectively.

I've uploaded this month's calendar to Scribd, so if you click on the calendar above, you can download your very own! If there is interest, I will upload all the rest of the months for one downloadable file. Happy organizing!

UPDATE: I've been using this calendar for a few days now and I'm not loving it. So, I will tweak it and post the next ones before March comes around!

One Little Word 2012: Prepare

It's a new year and I have started Ali Edward's One Little Word class for the second year. I am so inspired by this idea - choosing a word instead of a bunch of goals. My goals are still there, but my one word ties them all together and doesn't make it so list-y.

My word for 2012 is PREPARE. There are many things I'd like to "prepare" this year, including a cleaner and more organized house, better meal planning and preparation, but my word this year came from here:

"Organize yourselves;
prepare every needful thing,
and establish a house, even a house of prayer,
a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning,
a house of God."
Doctrine and Covenants 109:8

The word Prepare came to me, and I can envision preparing my heart to welcome the Lord. I know that preparing my home is a big part of the peace and calm I want to feel in my heart. Usually when my house is in order my mind is more clear, thus inviting the spirit to dwell in the peace and quiet that I've made room for.

I hope to post more this year on how I'm progressing with my word. I wanted to put a picture up of my first assignment for class, but I'm still getting the hang of my new {exciting!} computer and I actually haven't uploaded any pics to iPhoto yet! It's on my list of things to get on right away, so stay tuned!

If you're interested in taking Ali's course at Big Picture Scrapbooking, click on the link on the sidebar here or the picture above and sign up! It's a great way to remember your word all year long.

I Love You LO

I finally put this one together. It's been in my mind's eye for quite some time, but I wanted it to be perfect, and now's the time. Journaling reads: "How excited we were to catch our first glimpse of our 1st baby. And how tickled we were when our little one gave us that special sign we are so familiar with - "I love you". Well, little one, we love you too."


And an update with my one little word: I've been taking Ali's class and I've really enjoyed the prompts and the way she has encouraged us to keep our word in mind. I've really been trying to "focus" on focusing on the important things. One thing I've really found that has improved is my goal of not procrastinating the thoughts and ideas in my head. If I know that I should do it, I have been doing it. This goes for crafty things, like the baby quilt I've been working on, and beginning to cut the master bed quilt I have in mind, scrapbook layouts and mini albums, for physical things I have been putting off for too long: EXERCISE!, and just plain old upkeep: doing the dishes right away. I even followed my thought pattern last week and made cookies (I haven't made cookies since Christmas time!) I am feeling good about my goals and my one little word!

One Little Word

Hello again everyone (does anyone even read here anymore?!) Yes, it's been some time since I last posted. Let's see.... excuses:

1. I'm pregnant and tired. Lots of naps when Otto naps.
   
2. I have a busy little boy running around all the time. [How do people get anything done with more than one?!!! Maybe my next one will sit still more? Ah, who wants a sedentary child anyway?]
3. I lead a pretty boring life and I haven't done any post-worthy crafts of late.
4. We were all sick on and off through December and a bad cold for me this past week.

I "follow" several blogs by some inspirational ladies who scrapbook and/or craft. They have kids. I honestly don't know where they find the time. I suppose most of them probably have some child-care and/or cleaning help.

So, this issue of TIME has got me thinking. For several years now, I have been familiar with an idea that Ali Edwards set out regarding choosing one word to live by/remember/focus on to help enrich your life through the year. I've often thought it's a nice idea, but with all the thoughts and ideas in my head, I could never narrow it down to just one word. This year is going to be different. I pored over the comments in Ali's blog post about her word, which you can read here, and I wrote down some of my thoughts and some words that were coming to my mind.

My process went a little like this:

• first word: ENJOY. I want to enjoy each moment this year and concentrate on making my time and efforts enjoyable. But this word wasn't quite it.
• second word: TIME. Heaven knows I need more of it... or maybe I just need to learn to manage my time better and use my time for things that are most important. This still wasn't quite right.
• third word: BETTER. I'm constantly thinking to myself and saying in my prayers that I want to be a better mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, etc. But I think that is always going to be a goal I will constantly be working at.
• fourth word: LISTEN. Stop and listen for what is really important. Listen more to those around me. But that's still not right.

Then, I found it and it spoke to me and I just can't get it out of my head.

focus

My main idea: to focus on what is important in the moment. Focus on not procrastinating. Focus on who is important in my life. Focus on things I want to accomplish - unfinished projects, scrapbooking ideas in my head, sewing, etc. Focus on feeding my family better. Focus on my personal spirituality, which has been seriously lacking of late. If I can only remember to focus, my hope is that my life will be enriched by my more focused choices in the use of my time.

I'm really excited about this and especially excited that I actually have a word this year! I will also follow along in Ali's new class for her prompts to help me keep my one little word in "focus" throughout each month this year. She will be sending out prompts only once a month, which I think will be easy to handle. Join the class yourself and see how your one little word can change your life this year!

Read more about Ali's One Little Word here, here, and here.

Current Virtues

Before Christmas, I purchased a set of virtue cards from here. I have browsed through them (there are 100) from time to time, getting to know them a bit. Several weeks ago, I chose three to focus on right now. I keep them out to refresh my mind and motivate me to remember what my goals are. These are the current ones:

NOBILITY: Nobility is keeping faith with our true value as spiritual beings. It is living up to the virtues, the Divine trust within us. We treat ourselves and others with dignity and respect. We speak and act graciously. We choose the moral high road regardless of the cost. If others try to bring us down, we remain steadfast, remembering our true worth. Our sense of decency is our touchstone. The world's temptations cannot divert us from our purpose. We don't follow the path of least resistance. We lead principled lives. We live the good life.
I know that I am a child of God, and thus, am heir to His kingdom. I know I won't make it back to Him unless I follow His example and plan. Therefore, I must become more like Him, that I may draw nearer to Him.

PRAYERFULNESS: Prayerfulness is a relationship with a power greater than ourselves. One that loves us and knows us intimately. We live in the presence of our Creator, mindful that every act, decision and thought is meaningful. Prayer is quiet reflection that cleanses the mirror of the soul. It is a sacred conversation that opens us to forgiveness, hope and renewed intentions. We listen and receive spiritual guidance. We ask for help, heighten our awareness and watch for it to come. Praying our gratitude keeps us in the flow of Grace.
To me, prayerfulness goes hand in hand with nobility. I need to keep the lines of communication open that I may draw nearer to my God. I know I cannot do all things on my own and need the direction only my Heavenly Father can give.

ORDERLINESS: Orderliness is living in a way that creates harmony around us and within us. We have a place for the things we use, and keep them where they belong. Order and beauty in our homes and work spaces brings a sense of peace and freedom. Our thoughts and ideas flow more freely. We do not hold onto clutter. We clear the way for genuine abundance. Orderliness is being focused and purposeful, planning taks step by step instead of going in circles. As we trust Divine order unfolding in our lives, we find a still point of order in our souls.
I love this one because it is so tangible. Most of you know that I am an organized person to begin with. However, I seem to always have "organized clutter" all around my house. I think because I have so many interests and hobbies, things just pile up. Scrapbooking, sewing, art, cooking/baking, reading, food storage. There are some things I can't control, like food storage, which we must have. But I am currently trying to organize my scrapbook clutter. And it all begins with a new vision. I regularly visit scrapbook blogs and some of them have giveaways weekly. I leave a comment among the other thousands, never dreaming that I would be one of the chosen. Well, a few weeks ago, I actually won! Stacy Julian is a very inspiring woman, and I won a seat in her online class, Library of Memories, and her book, Photo Freedom. I got her book in the mail yesterday and read it cover to cover. Her process is revolutionary and so freeing. The way she organizes, then scrapbooks her photos is so liberating! I am excited to begin the process and allow the orderliness to inspire me. If you are a scrapbooker and you are constantly overwhelmed with being "caught up", check out the links above. I gaurantee your outlook will change for the better!

So, my goals for now are:
1. To be a better person, more like my Savior and Heavenly Father.
2. To pray more meaningfully. To thank more often, and to seek guidance and direction.
3. To have order in my life that I may have a sense of peace and freedom in my life and in my mind.

What are your current goals?