HAPPY: MY ONE LITTLE WORD FOR 2013

I heard about Ali Edward's class not so long ago and instantly loved the idea. Picking one word, just one little word, to define and guide you throughout a year. How hard could it be? Hmmm, harder than i thought. It took me about 2 months to get to my final word.

I first considered IMAGINE, but even though i didn't do my one little word in 2011, i could clearly see that imagine had been my '11 word. I mean, i even tattooed it on my skin! Then, i picked GROW, which seemed perfect for me and where i am right now, but i wasn't a 100% into it, which was a big clue that it wasn't the good word for me. Finally, yesterday i woke up in the middle of the night, and there it was, perfectly clear. What i most wanted in 2013, and what all the other words i had considered led me to, was that in 2013, i wanted to be HAPPY. Such a simple, little, word, yet it means so much to me. 

So much that it's part of the next tattoo i've been planning to get for a few months. 

So much that this quote is one of my favorite ever (i kinda have a thing for John Lennon ♥). 

So much that i discovered Gretchen Rubin and her book, The Happiness Project, last November and have since decided to start my own Happiness Project (picking this word somehow was the first step). Those were big clues. Yet it still took me 2 months to find this word.

In the end, it really is that simple. In 2013, i choose to be happy.Happy with myself and my bodyHappy that i am done with schoolHappy with the job i have yet to findHappy in my relationshipsHappy with my art and this blogHappy with my life.As for documenting, i know that most of those who are taking Ali's class are doing some sort of mini album to document it, but i have already decided to tackle Project Life in 2013 along with my regular layouts so adding this would feel like to much. Instead i'm simply gonna make it part of my Project Life, starting with the opening page (of which you got a glimpse at the beginning of this post ;))Thanks if you've been reading that far, and if you're also tackling my One little word project, i'd love to hear your word!

2012: CANADA TOP 10

Hello there! Sorry for the silence over here, i was busy moving back to another country! Home again, in Paris, for at least 6 months! But before thinking about the new year to come, let's continue with my 2012 best of, with a Canada special edition.

The last four months have been incredible and filled with little and big adventures. Here are my 10 favorite moments:

1// Making new friends. Lots of. From everywhere. My school keeps on saying that an exchange is made for studying, but i keep on thinking it is made for meeting people, incredible people.

2// Seeing whales! No matter how cold it got on the Zodiac, getting to see whales for the first time was incredible. I've always been very impressed (and a little scared) by the sea and all that's within and getting so close to some not so little whales was pure magic!

3// Indian Summer. I heard a lot about it, and i really didn't see how the beginning of Fall could be so different than in Europe. Well, i got it now. I saw leaves turning red, orange, purple, gold and a zillion over variations. One of the most beautiful phenomenon offered by lady Nature

4// Going to Washington (i'm in love with this city!) and seeing my sweet friend Josh for the first time in 2 years. Starting to make plans to go back there...

5// The Niagara Falls! It was a-ma-zing! Even though the site is very very touristic, the falls are incredible. And i once again felt very tiny

6// Canadian snow. We don't get that much snow in Paris, or at least it never last very long. Waking up to a white Ottawa is one of my fondest memory.

7// THE best night out with the girls in Toronto. Lots of fun, laughter, bad karaoke, crazy sweet people and dancing. 

8// The first road trip. Girls only! I LOVE road trips (even though i still don't have a license), and this exchange was full of them. A lot went wrong (hello Toronto traffic!) but that's what made it priceless!

9// Safari in the omega park. I fed deers! Saw baby bears, and arctic foxes. Then our windows got stuck wide open and we had to drive an hour by −5°. Lots of fun! 

10// Alice! When in Central Park, the Alice in Wonderland statue were a compulsory stop! One of my favorite book growing up and one of the reason i really really wanted to go to Central Park. It's beautiful ♥

My exchange is now over, but the fun is only beginning. I can not wait to start scrapping all these memories!

#MILEADAY

Something crazy happened in Canada. I started going to the gym.

And kinda liked it. A bit more everyday. So when I heard of Elise's annual challenge: Mile a day, i thought: hum why not?

If you've never heard of it, the concept is really simple: run a mile, everyday between Thanksgiving and the New Year. That's 40 days. Looks like a big number, but you know, time flies (especially around Christmas!)

Main reason i decided to join: i LOVE challenges. Goals to reach, challenges, that's the kind of stuff that keeps me going, and more importantly, that get me to seriously focus on something (i wont even tell you how many projects or ideas that never ever became real). I never really run before but i spent the previous 2 months going to the gym at least 3 times a week so a mile a day did not seem like to big an objective. I went for it. 20 days later, I'm halfway done. And still loving it.

Biggest issue? Elise is lucky enough to be living in California, where it's ,you know, sunny. It's an entirely different story in Canada. From the point of view of the french girl that i am, it is FREEZING. And snowy. So treadmill it is, which is a lot less fun, and pretty, than jogging outside. I really like the challenge, but i think next time I will do it during spring, or summer. But I will definitely do it again. Just so i can take more pictures of my feet!

I guess it's ok to say it now: I'm a runner!

2012: FAVORITE PLACES

In 2012 I had some amazing opportunities to travel and discover new cities, countries and even continent! I truly love to travel and 'confront' my culture and beliefs to those of other people. There is just SO much to see in this world and I have spent 2012 trying to soak in as much as i could.

I spent a week in London for a seminar in June, and even though it is only a 2 hours train ride from Paris, the two cities could not be more different. When most parisians seem to always be on a hurry and sometimes so very judgmental, i love Londoner famous 'phlegm' and openness to difference and personality. Would definitely love to live there for a few years!

During the Summer, my sister bachelorette party took me to Barcelona, Spain where we enjoyed lots of cocktails and sun-time at the beach. And let's not forget about the tapas! This precious girls' time was probably the best way to kick off this Summer 2012! Weekends away with my sister always make the Top 10! 

2 months later, it was time to fly south again, all the way to Portugal for my nephew's baptism. The beach, the palm trees, and lots of sunshine in family. That was actually the first time in 5 years that i spent the summer holidays with my folks as i had been working most summers since i turned 18, and i am so grateful i got those holidays to enjoy before i start working god knows where.

Finally, with September came the biggest adventure of my life so far. I moved in to Ottawa, Canada! Almost 4 months later, i got to meet incredible people, see whales in a little city up north of Quebec, feed carrots to baby deers, sleep on the beach of Toronto's island, started exercising and loved it and froze to death when it started to get so very very cold.

Of course, once I was in Canada, going to the US became so very easy and before you knew it, i was in Washington DC! One of my dear friends lives there and i got to see him after almost 3 years living on 2 different continents! One of my favorite memories of the last 4 months! The city is absolutely gorgeous and so much more peaceful than New York, it's busy busy neighbour. Just add Broadway to DC, and I'm moving right away!

Next stop you'll ask? Paris of course! Because when it comes to Christmas, there really is no place like home!

It's your turn now: Where did 2012 take you? What was your favorite place to be this year? I'd love to read your story!

2012: the best of

I've always found December a really weird month. It's really exciting because of Christmas and the holidays but also sort of nostalgic as a year is coming to its end and making room for a new one.

I feel like I have always been more on the nostalgic side of it, thinking back to everything that happened, or did not, looking at pictures, reading through old messages... This december is a bit special for me, first because i am still in Canada, 6000 km away from home but also because it is the very last month of my life as a student

Thinking about what is coming next has been so stressful lately, as i feel like i need to decide who i want to be, what i want to do and where i want to do it, that looking back for a few moments feels very good.

I don't have any of my craft tools with me here, so any kind of DD or christmas journal is not possible, but then i figured: why not share here about this year, and what made it so special.

So welcome aboard 2012: the best of, my end of year series about everything i loved these past 12 months.

Feel free to join me, i'd love to hear what made this year so special to you! And see you tomorrow for the first post!

COCKTAIL TIME

4 girls. 1 bachelorette party. 2 afternoon at the beach. What's missing? A few cocktails of course!

This layout is the last one I did for my sister bachelorette party album, using Shimelle's class The Perfect Collection and Amy Tangerine collection. If you want to see the other layouts I made, they are all here, or you can just click below on "the perfect collection" tag.

Thanks for taking a look, here are some more detailed shots of the embellishments:

 

TIPS FOR WRITING ON YOUR PHOTOS

Fonts used: Mrs strange and Always Forever

Pictures, like words, can tell the most beautiful stories. And my favorite books are by far the ones that have pictures on it. Even on our scrapbook pages, we always mix them up together looking for the perfect harmony. So why not write directly on our pictures? I realize it might sound weird or bad to some, but with some little tips on mind it can turn your pictures into way more.

TIP #1: White space.

When taking a picture, don't be afraid to leave lots of white space. Your words will fill it up. White space is neither wasted or useless. It will just make the main element of your picture stands out even more.

Font used: Traveling Typewriter

TIP #2: Add a layer between your photo and your text.

Some backgrounds photos are busier than other. it doesn't mean you can't add words on top. You just have to find a way to make your text stand out a little more. The easiest way to do that is paint over your layer with the brush tool available in all editing software (I'm using Photoshop CS4 to edit all of my photos). Brushes are available in all sorts of size and type. And you can also play with the colors and opacity level! After all this fun, don't forget to add your text ;)

Spray brush in dark and light pink with 80% and 60% opacity
Font used: Pointy

TIP #3: find the perfect font

I LOVE fonts! I spend way to much time on dafont, fonts and iFontMaker looking for the perfect ones. And most of you do the same on your scrapbook layouts, right? When mixing words and pictures, we search for balance and harmony, and will only stop when everything looks like it always belonged together. Well, I do the same when writing on pictures.

Font used: Zapfino

SUMMER OF LOVE

I realize now i never finished showing you my summer mini album so i thought i'd put together a little slideshow with all of the pages.

Created with flickr slideshow.

I had lots of fun putting this mini together. And i don't care if nothing extraordinary happened, the little details are the one that matter the most to me. What about you? How did you save your Summer 2012 memories?

About Summer of Love: i made this mini album thanks to the lovely Kara from i just might explode. You can see more about each page here and here

HELLO PORTUGAL

On the day i was supposed to leave for Canada, my plane got cancelled. My bags were packs and i was so very ready for this new adventure. Yet i had to wait, at home, for an extra 24 hours. So I scrapbooked. And hello Portugal was born. It's going to be the introductory layout for this album. 

I tend to use only one picture on those layout, so i have room for all the technical details: destination, date, diary-like journaling. And embellishments of course. I had just received a gift from Two Peas, the new Soho Garden collection by AC and i looved those butterflies too much not to use them right away. I'm certainly no hoarder! Added a few flairs (did you know A Flair for buttons is now available on Two Peas? Rad!), a doilie, gems and that was it. It was time again to catch my plane!

CURRENTLY

Slowly trying to get back at a normal life rythm. 

Here's what i've been up to:

- enjoying Canadian Fall and the most amazing tree ever

- seeing whales for the first time

- visiting my friend in Washington DC

- shopping in New York

- making new buddies (aka squirrels)

- watching a show in Broadway

- meeting Alice in Wonderland(aka my favorite book ever)

- nap time in Central Park

- Halloween!

- taking thousands of pictures

- making awesome memories

Hope you're having the best time too, wherever you are.

NIAGARA FALLS

My friends and I left Ottawa for a few days to start exploring Canada a bit more and so we went to: The Niagara Falls! I've somehow always dreamed about seeing it with my own eyes and boy I'm not disappointed at all. It's very very impressive and something you should see at least once in your life. We arrived pretty late so we stayed to watch the fireworks (i LOVE fireworks) and the falls by night are the prettiest!! Just take a look by yourself ;)

OTTAWA

Hello there. Sorry for the silence, been busy adjusting to life in Canada, meeting new people and having fun.

Here's a few pictures of Ottawa, incredible city where everywhere you look at, nature and civilization seem to be living in peace. 

SUMMER BOOK PAGES PART III

Part III of my summer mini book adventure. Did i tell how much i loved doing it? Kara is great, she has a very different style than mine and yet she really inspired me and got me going doing things i usually don't do much (like talking about random things or getting to know my camera a lot better). So yay for Kara!

 

I told you about the papers on the last post, so let's talk embellishments right now. Letters stickers: i used a bunch of them, all sorts of colors & shapes. They're like my favorite thing to buy so i have quite a lot, and it was fun using them all. Little thingy: every page has a paper clip on one side, i just bought them at my local store, how cute are they? (i love using basic supplies on my scrapbooks!). Lots of the embellishment are from the Love, Elsie collections. I bought pretty much everything Elsie created back then, and i still have quite a lot. I used a lot on this mini, like everything you see on the day sky/night sky pages! I've also aded a few flairs, from A flair for buttons mainly and of course lots of washi tapes. Pretty simple stuff, but i love the look of it!

See you soon for the last part ;)