23 | Things About Me

I've done similar things in the past that ranged from 10-20 things about me. I wanted to do this again, but be more purposeful in what I'm sharing (if that makes sense). I want to focus more on sharing things that you may not know about me (nothing as obvious as "I'm a ginger").

The word art on my photo comes from Ali Edwards (here).

1. I make a lot of terrible puns every chance I get. It annoys my sister, but Jon and I think they're hilarious so it's okay.
2. I have a cyst on my brain - currently not life-threatening, but a head injury would be very very bad for me.
3. When I was little, my older brother and I woke up before my parents and decided to play "hair dresser" in which he used safety scissors to cut the curls off my hair. I hated that all the old ladies would comment on them, and touch them, and I thought that if I didn't have curly hair any more, they'd stop touching my hair and telling me how "beautiful" it was. I looked like a little boy and had some bald spots until my hair grew back (I need to make a layout about this)
4. I've had a cat as a pet for as long as I can remember. My parents got one when my little brother was born (I was 2) and when she died in late 2010, I got Socks from a friend of mine.
5. I grew up without internet at home until 2006. My mom was terrified of hackers and viruses. 
6. I got my ears pierced when I was 10, and again when I was 11 or 12., however haven't worn earings since highschool
7. My hair wasn't straightened until I was 16 - one of my friends did it for me before going to a New Year's party. I didn't own my own good straightened until I was 18 or 19
8. I know at least 12 gingers who live or lived in this area while I was growing up - they're rare, but it's weird that I know so many
9. Until this year, I never drank coffee in any form - now I drink 1-2 mocha's everyday to get my coffee fix
10. I'm a home-body. I'd rather sit at home and watch Netflix or read a book than go out and socialize. Because of this, I've lost quite a few friends, but it's who I've always been. Plus working nights doesn't leave much time for socializing
11. The thought of driving makes me super anxious, but I know that if I ever want to live outside of town, I need to get my license
12. My sister is the only one of my three siblings that I see/talk to on a regular basis. I haven't seen my older brother since...Early July, which is completely normal, even though we live in the same town, and his house is literally a 3 minute walk from here
13. I struggle to keep plants alive. Unless they'll survive on whatever water and light comes from the sky, they will probably die within a couple of weeks. I want to garden more, but I never know how to properly care for the plants, or tell the difference between weed and plant
14. I've already planned mine and Jon's wedding on Pinterest and in my head. We've been talking about it for a year or so now, and the only thing stopping us is money, and all the time we'll have to put into making it happen. Maybe in 2 years
15. I hate throwing things away. I have two bins of clothes from highschool/college in our basement that I can't bear to part with, even though none of them currently fit me. I keep telling myself that I'll change my lifestyle so I can wear them again, but so far nothing
16. I'm addicted to Pinterest. I have 14,000+ pins, and a lot of them are things I want to try, but can never find the time to try. I remember when I had 9,000 pins and Jon told me I was crazy. That was last year.
17. I love kids. When I was in highschool, I babysat instead of getting a "normal" job. I spent most, if not all, of my weekends babysitting for the same family. I was their babysitter for 3 years, and was almost like family. It was the best feeling in the world.
18. I'm extremely indecisive. We have been talking about painting our house since last summer, but I have a hard time making a final decision on the colours. I don't want to spend the money on it if I'm not going to like it when we're finished. Luckily we finally picked colours, and we're making a plan to do it next spring/summer/fall. 
19. I complain. A lot. I'm working on not complaining so much, and trying to have a better outlook on everything. But with all of the negative things happening lately, it's been really tough to keep a positive outlook on things.
20. My relationship with my mom wasn't and isn't always that great. I love her, and I love doing things with her when I have the time, but sometimes (as with everyone) I just feel suffocated by her, but I'm still grateful that I can have such a close relationship with her that I took for granted as a teenager.
21. I have never in my entire life had a tan. I've been 50 shades of red/pink, but never had a tan. One year I got 3rd degree burns on my back, from an expired sunscreen, and being in the sun too long. Since then I try not to spend too much time outside when it's really warm.
22. I love camping, but I haven't been camping in 14 years. My family used to camp every summer with my mom's parents until the summer after her dad died. The year after that the lake we would camp at flooded to extreme levels and we stopped camping. We drove past that lake on our way home from Manitoba, and I don't even recognize it. The water is so high, and a lot of the cabins and trees have been washed away or removed.
23. I refuse to kill spiders. I'm scared of them, but I'd rather put a glass over it and wait for Jon to kill it, than kill it myself. I have no issue killing flies and other bugs, but spiders are where I draw the line.

Thank you for coming by to learn some new things about me. I'd definitely love to learn more about you, so feel free to share some things about you that might not be well-known.

I'll be back on Friday sharing Monday of my Week in the Life album. Have a great day!

23 | Places I'm Going to Visit

Originally this post was going to be things that inspire me. But I felt that was too open because a lot of things inspire me (books, movies, a hundred million quotes, craft spaces, everything on Pinterest, etc.) so I'm saving that one and maybe I'll do multiple "things that inspire me" posts in the future. I realize that I'm going away from just the crafty things I used to post, and more into Lifestyle/Creative blogging, and I find myself enjoying it. I enjoy sharing glimpses into my life as well as my creative projects. I've been thinking a lot about changing my blog, and possibly moving to another platform (like typepad), doing some rebranding, and possibly opening a small shop where I could sell some of the projects I make and would love to share with the world!

1. Ireland | Not any particular part of Ireland, I want to see as much of the country as I can. My sister was fortunate enough to go to Ireland earlier this year (in April) with her band group and I was so jealous! I could have signed up to go as a chaperone, but couldn't afford it at the time of the payments. I've agreed to make her a scrapbook of her trip (she can fill in all the journaling) but living through her experience isn't enough for me. I need to see the country firsthand and enjoy every second of it!

2. Scotland | Again, not just one part, I want to see as much of the country as possible. I love their accents, and of course the red hair that my Scottish (and Irish) ancestors gave me. Maybe it's all the styled and edited photos all over Pinterest of various parts of the country, or the fact that I have a thing for castles and wide open country side, or my love of learning the history of various places, but Scotland is one place I NEED to visit. It's been on my bucket list since 2012.

3. London, England | The accents, the red phone booths, the double deck buses and THE Royal Family are just a few reasons I want to see London. The architecture, and the history are a few others!

4. Germany | I literally can't narrow it down to one place in Germany I want to see. I want to see a lot of the country, and after following Paige Evans on Instagram and seeing all her beautiful photos, I could possibly live there! I want to see the history, the colourful architecture, and the country. I know that to most people WWII was far too serious for them to ever visit Germany (or Austria) but I still want to go, and I want to see those things. It's not the same reading about something as it is seeing it.

5. Austria | I don't think it makes me a terrible person that I want to see the concentration camps from WWII. I'm definitely not a history buff, but I've enjoyed plenty of historical fiction, and learning about it all was so interesting to me in school. WWII was the one subject that I actually cared to learn about.

6. Italy | The food and the architecture are the two main reasons I want to go to Italy. It looks BEAUTIFUL there, and after reading Eat, Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, I NEED to go to Italy and eat some real Italian food. I also want to take in the architecture while we still have the opportunity.

7. Greece | The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants opened my mind to the idea of visiting Greece. While I don't particularly like hot, humid places, I want to see a lot of the history of Greece. I love the architecture, and it's something I think everyone should experience while it's still there.

8. Australia | As much as I dislike hot climates, and bugs the size of small children, I still want to visit Australia. A friend I met in college spent a month in Australia and loved it. I burn easily, but I'd absolutely love to visit some of the wonderful ladies I've met online from there, including my penpal from the One Little Word Facebook Group.

9. China | Jon's dad's family is from China, and him and his parents went a few years ago. They enjoyed it, and I absolutely want to see it. Their architecture is so incredibly unique and I can't imagine being around for millions of years and losing a lot of your history. He talks about their trip a lot and it makes me want to go more every time!

10. Tokyo, Japan | I'm not as interested in Japan as other countries. I'd be fine with just seeing Tokyo, even though I know that's probably not the best way to take in the culture of the country. It is, however the only part of Japan that has piqued my interest.

11. Russia | Even with all of the unrest in the country, it's somewhere I want to visit. I don't know a ton about Russia, but I know that it has incredible history that I'd love to learn more about, and see pieces of for myself.

12. Canada's East Coast | I've never been further than Manitoba, and I want to change that. I want to at least see a portion of every province and territory in Canada, and while I've seen from BC to Manitoba, that's not even half the country. I'd like to start by seeing Newfoundland & Labrador, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia. It looks beautiful out there, and I think it would be a wonderful trip!

13. Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Like I said, I've never been east of Manitoba (Winnipeg to be exact) and I definitely need to see Toronto. A friend from England has been in Toronto since December or January and seeing her exploring the city and sharing her photos on Instagram makes me want to visit it ASAP.

14. Niagra Falls, Ontario | A few people I know have been there and said it was amazing. I've seen pictures, and all that and I need to go! I love waterfalls, and magnificent things. It's something I think everyone should see if they have the chance. I'm not one for tourist-y things or places (this list says otherwise) but I want to see the world!

15. San Fransisco | Thanks to Full House, and the Golden Gate Bridge, of course this would be on my list. I'm clearly very much impacted by the media and my love of bridges (seriously though). At this point it's almost safe to say I just want to see every major tourist attraction around the world.

16. Paris, France | I don't speak any French (except maybe Bonjour, merci and counting to 10) but I want to see the Eifle tower and all the beautiful architecture. My cousin and her husband honeymooned in France and their photos were beautiful. I clearly live vicariously through my family and friends and their travels.

17. Amsterdam, Netherlands | The beautiful architecture more than anything is what draws me to this place. The colorful houses are so beautiful and I need to see them all!

18. Las Vegas, Nevada | Not to gamble. Not for the food. Not because it's a tourist destination. There's a junkyard of old signs in/near Las Vegas, and I'd love to see it. I've also seen a lot of the city in movies, but I want to see it myself (always).

19. Tree House Point, Washington | Thank you Pinterest. It's full of all these cool places around the world, and Tree House Point is no different. I love trees, and camping (minus the bugs) and I think it would be so cool to sleep in a tree house. I always wanted one, but out here we don't have trees that are generally sturdy enough to support a tree house.

20. Banff National Park | Considering that I live in Alberta, and have only driven through the mountains twice (during the same vacation) is amazing. My family didn't do "vacations" when I was younger, so the first time I got close to the mountains I was 19, and was traveling with two friends out to Vancouver Island for two weeks. The second time, we were coming back from the Island.

21. Oregon | The internet is full of beautiful looking photos (of course) and that includes beautiful photos of Oregon. I love the trees and how green everything is in the warmer months. I imagine people who live there don't see it the way I do, but it's definitely on my list!

22. Iceland | It looks so beautiful! Growing up I always assumed that it was an island made out of ice (like the North Pole), but obviously it's not, but even if it was that would be so cool to see!

23. Norway | The internet makes it look so beautiful, but more than that, I want to see as much of the world as I can. I've seen so many pretty photos from Norway, and I think I might have some distant relatives there, so of course I want to see where my family came from (basically all over Europe).

Go ahead, make a travel bucket list. This may very well become a layout. I'm having a lot of fun gradually working through the Type Workshop from Ali Edwards, and it's definitely inspiring me to tell more stories, and document different things I'd never have thought I'd want to remember in the future.

23 Little Things I Want To Remember Right Now Layout

Good morning friends! You may or may not know that I'm taking Ali Edwards' Type workshop. It's definitely inspired me to use typed journaling on my layouts from time to time, and to tell longer stories, or tell stories that aren't composed of complete sentences or proper paragraph forms. It's been absolutely wonderful to try telling stories in different ways. Today I'm sharing the layout I made using my list of 23 little Things from this post yesterday. 

For this layout I used one of my absolute favourite pictures from somewhat recently. I stamped the date the photo was taken, and the date the list was made on the layout. I used a background paper from Heidi Swapp's Hello Today line, some flair from that same line, the white alphabets are from American Crafts and the square alphas are from Studio Calico, and the words on the photo are from Ali Edwards. The little heart gem is from Freckled Fawn. The first line of journaling is also from Ali Edwards, possibly from her "Little Things Story Kit".

Here's the full layout. I love the giant photo and the large block of text. I love that I mixed the three fonts for the title. I love the way they look together and I love that you can read the title as "I want to remember 23 little things right now" or "23 little things right now" or "23 little things I want to remember right now". I love that it's simple. Since the photo and the journaling covered most of the page, I used a busier background paper and I love how it looks!

I love how this layout turned out and I'd like to thank Ali for encouraging us to tell longer stories, and to try things that might be uncomfortable to us. Thank you for coming by to see this spread, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

-Alexandria

23 | Little Things I Want to Remember Right Now

Ali Edward's encouraged those of us in her Type Workshop to document some things we want to remember about right now. There was no limit on how many, no suggestions on things you might want to remember. I decided to do a minimum of 23 things I want to remember, and to share them here. I'm writing this list in May, and I'm sharing the layout I made using these words tomorrow.

The way Tori says "I love you the most"
How happy and giggly Emmett is
Jon's beard scratching and tickling my skin
The way Gracie lays on her side and stretches out and tells me about her day while I pet her
Socks singing us "the song of [his] people" at all hours of the day (and at night)
The smell of the lilacs - even if it is a little overwhelming at times
How much I love the Pitch Perfect 2 Soundtrack
Gracie trotting to the front door to greet us when we get home
My collection of owls. Soon I'll need a room just to store them all
The smell of a new book
My current favourite songs

• Stressed Out by 21 Pilots
• Fight Song by Rachel Platten
• Blank Space by Taylor Swift
• Bright by Echosmith
• Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran

My obsession with making mini albums
The obscene amount of money I spent on T-shirts to support a sort-of-stranger who is becoming an Instagram friend
Jon and I planning our wedding and we're not even engaged yet
The amount of fun I had creating my mixed media cards for One Little Word
Cuddling on the couch with Jon & Gracie watching Netflix
How close my sister and I are growing as she gets older
Bonding with my mom and my sister over our mutual likes/dislikes
My parents gradually mending their relationship after years of arguing
Adjusting to my new phone, and learning about all of it's awesome features
The pressure from my mom to get married
Warm showers and their ability to relax me
The smell of coffee in the morning

Tomorrow I'm sharing the layout I made using the words from this post. I chose a different photo, and I'm so happy with how it turned out!

Have a great day

-Alexandria

23 | Things I Love

Today I've decided to share 23 things I love. I wanted to use these in a similar layout to the one Ali Edwards created for this month's story theme. She made one using the text from this post and I loved the idea so I wanted to make a list of "Little Things" that I could use to make a similar layout. Since my 23 | Things I'm Thankful For post wasn't full of the little things, I knew that I wanted this one to be. This list makes my heart happy and definitely deserves to be documented.

1. When Gracie lays down on her side and stretches, then meows at me so I'll pet her.
2. The smell of a new book
3. How the sunshine shines through the crack of the blinds and across the floor
4. The smell before, during and after a storm
5. The feel of Gracie's soft little kitty paws when she stretches out and touches my face
6. The prairies with their blue sky, fields, and wide open spaces
7. How whenever I kiss Socks on the top of his little kitty head, he licks my nose
8. The way my niece and I argue about who loves who more
9. The first sip of coffee in the morning
10. The grass poking and brushing my bare feet
11. The way the frosty trees sparkle against the blue sky
12. The sound of laughter
13. How Jon's face lights up when he laughs or smiles at something I've said
14. The softness of my favourite blanket
15. The joy after completing a project that I'm proud of
16. The smile that creeps onto my face when Jon says sweet things to me
17. The feeling of joy when someone compliments my work
18. Those first few moments before I'm completely awake
19. Waking up beside my best friend (and sometimes Gracie)
20. The hot sun and the cool breeze on my skin
21. Accomplishing a goal
22. Receiving a compliment from a stranger
23. The colours of the sky

I hope this post inspires you to create lists of little and big things, and to document them in the form of a layout.
Have a wonderful rest of your weekend!
-Alexandria