On the 1st Friday of each month, Tami Taylor gives you a sketch and shows you how she’s scrapbooked the past month. She’s also got  prompts for gathering memories in the upcoming month so that you can get your photos scrapbooked “one month at a time.”

This month was a roller coaster ride of emotions.  The highlight was an unexpected moment.  At the last minute I decided to go to my husband’s baseball game. It was so much fun seeing him out there playing well and enjoying the camaraderie of his team (my husband is by nature not social).  It was even more fun that he got the most amazing hit of the game and was just shy of hitting the ball out of the park by about 15 ft – and I captured the swing on film!

With a roller coaster there are both ups and downs, and my month did include upsetting events. When I’m ready to scrapbook about them, I’ll use this article for inspiration on approaching them: 20 Lessons on Scrapbook Page Journaling

I really love making one-month-at-a-time pages because it makes me take a moment at the end of the month to look back and think about what the month was like.

For this month I used a page from Emily Pitts to inspire my sketch.  You can find the original page, “Work It Baby,” at EasyScrapbookPages.com.

Here’s how my month looked:

Are you ready to get this past month scrapbooked?  Here’s the sketch and a few tips:

Click here to download the zipped psd file

Click here to download the pdf file

Get Ready for Next Month

Here the “By the numbers” sheet to help you keep track of the month:

Click here to download the By the Numbers pdf.

Want just the “Dozen Things” list?  Click here.

 

Love sketches and layered templates? We’ve collected 30 of our most popular sketches and layered templates for you to download for FREE along with an easy-to-reference (and hyperlinked) pdf that shows them all with sample finished pages. Click here to download today.

 

 

On the 1st Friday of each month, Tami Taylor gives you a sketch and shows you how she’s scrapbooked the past month. She’s also got  prompts for gathering memories in the upcoming month so that you can get your photos scrapbooked “one month at a time.”

I warned you this month was going to be packed for me.  As the sketch shows, I needed photo room.  I was inspired to create a ‘quilt’ themed sketch.  I can use this sketch later with less photos and just fill blocks with paper – but this month I used every square I could.  I wanted the layout to show how absolutely busy we were in March.

Here’s how my month looked:

Are you ready to get this past month scrapbooked?  Here’s the sketch and a few tips:

Click here to download the zipped psd file

Click here to download the pdf file

When you take too many photos, learn to pick and choose what photos best represent an event, every day life, or a month of life.  Here are some great resources to use when you are approaching pages and have many photos to choose from:

• Organize Your December Album by Theme This Year
• Scrapbooking travel and vacation
• 3 questions to ask yourself when you make a scrapbook page
• Scrapbooking Stories on two-page layouts
• Masterful Scrapbook Design’s June Seminar:  Photos

Get Ready for Next Month

Here the “By the numbers” sheet to help you keep track of the month:

Click here to download the By the Numbers pdf.

Want just the “Dozen Things” list?  Click here.

Once you understand layout design principles AND the basic parts of a scrapbook page, scrapbooking gets easier and more fun. 12 lessons cover this territory with hundreds of layouts to illustrate. Click here to get lesson 1 today -- and then new lessons every couple of days -- all at no cost.

On the 1st Friday of each month, Tami Taylor gives you a sketch and shows you how she’s scrapbooked the past month. She’s also got  prompts for gathering memories in the upcoming month so that you can get your photos scrapbooked “one month at a time.”

I know each month I comment on how quickly the month flew by. I’m never being dishonest, but I don’t think I have ever meant it like this past month. Yesterday was January, and now it’s March – and there was an extra day!

I wish I could say I spent a lot of time with family, but everyone in my family was busy this month. I’ve been busy getting new classes out at Creative Passion; my oldest is studying hard to pass his high school proficiency exams; my first grader took up piano lessons. The list goes on (and on).  When life gets so busy, it’s hard to be inspired to make art. I do a little each day in my five year journal and whine to my pal Pattie Knox.  She turned around and sent me a 2-page template to use this month to help ease my workload.  And I was reminded of how fantastic my friends are and what a lucky gal I am.

Here’s how my month looked:

Are you ready to get this past month scrapbooked?  Here’s the sketch and a few tips:

Click here to download the zipped psd file

Click here to download the pdf file

When you’re pressed for time, find ways to squeeze art in for yourself.  It will help you relax, refocus and keep the fun in life.   Cut corners if you need to:

• Use kits so you don’t spend time coordinating supplies.  You can purchase kits online or build your own.  Here’s an article on building your own paper kits but you can use many of the tips to build your own digital kits as well!
• Use sketches to kickstart your pages.  You can find sketches here at Get It Scrapped and Pattie Knox has several of her speed-byte templates (like the one she donated this month) available at Designer Digitals.
• Get details on how to speed things up in the areas of preparation, streamlining page elements, product choices, and process in the Fast Starts issue of Masterful Scrapbook Design.

Get Ready for Next Month

Here the “By the numbers” sheet to help you keep track of the month:

Click here to download the By the Numbers pdf.

Want just the “Dozen Things” list?  Click here.

Once you understand layout design principles AND the basic parts of a scrapbook page, scrapbooking gets easier and more fun. 12 lessons cover this territory with hundreds of layouts to illustrate. Click here to get lesson 1 today -- and then new lessons every couple of days -- all at no cost.

It finally started feeling like winter here in Vegas, and then it started feeling like too much winter!

Even after living here for six years, I am surprised at how cold it gets.  I know it’s not as cold as most places, and it’s not unexpectedly snowy like the recent Washington weather my friend Ami endured, but 40 degree winters after 120 degree summers is cold.

Then, we were surprised with a great weather day on Martin Luther King’s birthday; it hit the mid-sixties and was as sunny as the day was long.  Add in the free entry to all National Parks and it was a win-win!  I took the boys and their new Nikons on a photo walk to Red Rock Canyon and tried to teach them a little about photography.  It was wonderful to get outdoors and I loved that we all had a common goal: get some great photos.

Here’s how my month looked:

Are you ready to get this past month scrapbooked?  Here’s the sketch:

Click here to download the zipped psd file

Click here to download the pdf file

Get Ready for Next Month

Here the “By the numbers” sheet to help you keep track of the month:

Click here to download the By the Numbers pdf.

Want just the “Dozen Things” list?  Click here.

Welcome to a third year of scrapbooking your photos “One Month at a Time” at Get It Scrapped. I’m excited to put a new twist on this project in 2012.

• The first year our “by the numbers” sheet focused on holidays and happenings for that month.
• Last year we used the names and symbols of the months to trigger stories to share.
• This year, we are going to focus on our life through lists, a dozen things to scrapbook or photograph and of course keeping track of our lives By the Numbers. “One Month at a Time” will be posted on the first Friday of the month this year.

By the Numbers – January 2012

Click here to open “By the Numbers” pdf.

Click here to download just the “Dozen Things” list.

(On the next screen right click the image and choose “Save As”)

2012 Title Page Sketch/Template

Click here to download layered template in (zipped psd).

Click here to open pdf.

Make a cover page

I’m starting my 2012 series with a mission statement of sorts. I added photos to support these 2012 goals.

I’m not sure why, but it always surprises me when a year ends.  It feels quick and abrupt, even with 365 days notice.  But, alas, here it is, and in a moment it will be 2012 – a Leap Year, an Election Year (US), an international Year of Cooperatives – as declared by the United Nations… oh and the apocalypse.   Obviously I don’t believe in the last one.  But it is an interesting why to live the year, kind of puts a live-out-loud-make-every-moment-count spin on life.  Hmm, now that I’m thinking on it – it will make a great theme for the upcoming One Month at a Time series…

For now, let’s finish what we started.  This final month of the year brought about quite a bit of chaos here at the Taylor house.  There is nothing more dreadful to a mom of four active boys than “Winter Break”– the time when teachers get so tired of dealing with kids and holiday excitement, they opt to leave us mothers to our own resources.  Fine – I may be exaggerating a little, but, wow, my kids have been drinking from the crazy fountain lately.

Here’s our December:

Ready to finish up 2011?  Here are the final sketch files:

Click here for the pdf version of the sketch.

Click here to download the zipped psd file.

Stay tuned, in a few days I will be back with a new year of One Month at a Time.  In 2012, it will be all about lists and scrapbooking our lives, one month at a time!

November has always been one of my favorite months.  I love that it tends to be more about togetherness, the giddy excitement of the pending holidays, and new beginnings with a new year around the corner.

I really appreciate my fellow foodies ‘friending’ me on pinterest.  I found some yummy recipes and used a few for my Thanksgiving feast.  I also found a great recipe for Almond Joy cupcakes that my now 14-year-old excitedly offered to let me “experiment” making for his birthday party.  His party was a small affair which meant the cupcake-to-boy ratio was one to please any teen.

I am sorry I didn’t follow along with 30days of Thanks last month.  We had many trials and tribulations handed to me in November, but at the end of it, all I can say is there are some amazing people in my life, and I am truly one of the luckiest scrapbookers out there.  I will never run out of people to brag about in my scrapbook!

This month is a photo a day tradition I’d like to keep going.  Each December I love taking a picture a day, and last year I took Katrina Kennedy’s Capture Your Holidays class.  Now I use this month as practice up to the big day. What’s more, I wind up with some pretty darn cool photos to post on my blog, add to my December Daily album, and, finally, use for months to come in scrapbooks.  If you want to take a look  at how I did last year, click here.  (The journaling is from another site called reverb11 where you reflect on the previous year.  Unfortunately, it is no longer going on if anyone knows of a similar site please share!)

November 2011 by Tami Taylor | Supplies: Day Dreamer kit from Sweet Digi Scraps

Click here for the zipped PSD file.
Click here for a pdf version of this sketch.

Click here for a pdf version of this sheet.

Don’t forget to keep track of December, it makes it easier on you to journal at the end of the month.

Just want the faves card?

October was a chaotic month.  We’ve had a lot of changes around the Taylor house trying to shape up our routines and pay more attention to each other.  We attended art festivals, fall festivals and held our own 4th birthday festival.

With November, comes the season of “I can do that!” I take on this crazy idea that I can do so many things before the Christmas holiday, before the end of the year, before fill-in-the-blank happens.  Within a few weeks, I learn my lesson and prioritize what’s really important.  Until reality sets in my list shows that this month I am going to accomplish:

• Project Advent – build a advent calendar to house some very cool legos I purchased for the little ones and yet undecided goodies for the big ones – look for the tutorial on this soon here at Get It Scrapped!
• 11/11/11 – Not entirely sure what I’ll do but I’m a sucker for numbers.  I’m sure my son Kyle will ask me to head to Target as the new video game SkyRim releases this day.
• Christmas Cards – yes I need to start in November or by December first; otherwise I start thinking they aren’t that important.
• Family Photograph – Yikes.. though even now I’m thinking I could combine this with the ridiculous idea to send Christmas Cards – kill two birds with one stone right?
• 30daysofthanks - I really do love this and did it last year.  It was so much fun I continued on into December.  If you want to follow along I will be posting my thanks on my blog Tidbits.  If you join in please share your blog link here in the comments or on my blog.  I’ll give you a shout out.

Add on to that, November also houses one of my favorite holidays, Thanksgiving. What better holiday is there? It’s not about the gifts or running around, it’s about food and companionship. I believe in big spreads and new foods and pretending calories are good for just a day. Beyond the gluttony, I believe in the spirit of having family just hang out together for a day. Waist bands popping, football’s on-couch flopping and my crazy female relatives talking black-friday shopping. I do hope everyone enjoys a little time for family.

For now though, let’s get caught up on our One Month.  Here’s how my October looked:

Click here for the zipped PSD file.
Click here for a pdf version of this sketch.

Click here for a pdf version of this sheet.

Just want the faves card?

Fall is finally here.  As I’ve said before, fall is my favorite time of the year.  My layout “OK, I Confess” documents why it’s my favorite time of year:  Season Premiers!

I made this layout for the October Seminar at Masterful Scrapbook Design on “These Times,” but let’s be honest – I take any opportunity to talk TV.  Anyone catch the new show New Girl? It’s very cute. My favorite remains Modern Family.

I also love fall because the temperature drops a little, and that means the return of comfort food.  (Let’s face it: soup in a Vegas summer doesn’t work.)

To add to my love for cooking and baking there is now Pinterest.

I can’t wait to try a ton of these recipes. If you have any great food finds, please let me know! If  you don’t have a Pinterest account and want one, let me know because I have a few invites left.  It’s a great place to lose track of time and find some great inspiration for food or art!

Before I start delving into all that yumminess for the fall I had to make sure I had my September scrapbooked.  Here’s how it looked at the Taylor House:

If you’re ready to check September off your list, here are the materials to help you:

Click here for the psd version of the sketch

Click here for the pdf version of the sketch
Don’t forget to start documenting your October, here’s some help:

 Click here for the pdf version of the By the Numbers sheet

Just want the Favorites card?  Here it is:

Look for “One Month at a Time” on the 1st of each month. Tami Taylor gives you a sketch and shows you how she’s scrapbooked the past month. She’s also got  prompts for gathering memories in the upcoming month so that you can get your photos scrapbooked “one month at a time.”

August was a ton of fun. There weren’t a lot of responsibilities. No vacation to plan for or recuperate from, and, aside from one summer birthday bash, nothing but lazy days of summer.

Then, on my calendar, it appeared: the most beautiful two words “school resumes.”

It isn’t so much that the kids are gone each weekday, though the break is nice for a stay-at-home mom, as it is the routine that I savor when school is in session.  I enjoy deadlines and schedules: I’m a little quirky like that.  I love the busy morning shuffle getting kids out the door, the afternoon excitement about what happened at school, and Friday actually meaning something. The weekend loses its luster when every day is a day off for kids.

Now that school is back I get to watch my kids start another school year full of excitement over attending new classes, meeting new friends, and seeing old friends daily.  It’s bittersweet, though. I love September, but I will miss this August.  It was one of the most relaxing summers I’ve had in a long time.

My “one-month-at-a-time” August layout captures both the sense of summer ending and school starting. Portraits of each of my children with their back-to-school gear are lined up alongside one happy summer group photo at the pool and a party cake.

Are you ready to document your August? Here’s a sketch for doing just that.

Click here to download the zipped psd file.

Click here to download the pdf file.
To help you through September, here are facts and prompts for capturing your memories.

Click here for the pdf version of the sheet.

Or just the Favs card