My Blog

A new Life Documented sketch.

I've got a new Life Documented sketch available to download at Simple Stories right now!

If you want to download the full sketch with measurements and placements be sure to visit the Simple Stories blog and check out my post. You can find the link to download the full sketch right under the picture of the sketch.

With 10 photos, this sketch allows you to include not only a good amount of photos but also a wide variety of photo sizes. I especially like the photo block on the left page. You could play around with a lot of different photo combinations in that space. I look at photo blocks as a puzzle and try to find out what combinations will work in that space. For example, with this sketch, the photo block is 7 x 9" so here are some more photo sizes and combinations:

• 7 x 5", 3 x 4" and 4 x 4"

• 4 x 4", 3 x 4", two 2 x 2", 3 x 2", 3 x 3", and 4 x 3"

• four 2 x 2", two 3 x 2", and two 3-1/2 x 5"

• 3 x 5", 3 x 4", 4 x 3", and 4 x 6"

There are so many ways to add more by using smaller pictures or if you need to use less photos, just simply use larger photos. Photo blocks are always a great way to incorporate you own ideas into a sketch!

Here's a look at my layout based on the newest sketch:

* You can see more pictures of the details in my post at Simple Stories.

Last year after we wrapped up our annual Christmas card photo shoot (that the boys love so much), Drew and Jackson were being really goofy. Since I already had my camera in tow I snapped a bunch of pictures of them being typical brothers. Drew dancing around, making funny faces behind Jackson. Both of them making funny faces together. Jackson getting a little extra squeezy hug from Drew. It was just a fun little few minutes of them having fun as brothers.

I take pictures of them together all the time but sometimes it's hard to capture certain feelings or relationships when it feels pushed or staged. Especially with little kids, or at least my kids. They tend to freeze up or get annoyed went I ask them to be in a picture or two. (Who am I kidding? I've probably never taken just two pictures of something. A more accurate number would probably be eighty.) I loved that with these pictures, even though they might not be the best quality or the cutest, they are a great representation of Drew and Jackson and the relationship that they have.

I hope you enjoy using the new Life Documented sketch!

Right by my side.

He's always right by my side. And I mean right by my side. Like smushed up against my arm, right by my side. It can be while we are sitting there watching Drew's martial arts class (like we are in the picture) or when he climbs into my bed in the middle of the night or when we go out to eat and he has to sit by mom. Is it bad that I hope he never outgrows this? I guess, technically, I hope he does at some point because I can't imagine the ladies taking intrest in a boy/man that has to lean up against his mom all the time.

I guess what I mean is that I wish I could freeze this time and just enjoy it a litte longer before he grows up. I wish there was a way to remember, after he's grown, exactly what it feels like to have his little body curled up right against mine. The weight of his head leaning on my arm, the warmth, the sense of happiness that floods over me, the comfort of having this person in my life that needs me, a person wants to be that close to me.

We can take pictures to capture a moment or a video to re-live the times in our life but I wish there was a way to capture exactly what it feels like to have Jackson right by my side.