
This last year, my scrapbooking page output has increased drastically since setting up this blog and a room dedicated strictly to scrapping. I do something scrappy every day during Zae's naptimes and after he goes to bed. If I'm not working on a layout, I'm blogging about it, looking at other blogs or scrapbook.com galleries, working on pocket letters, or endlessly reorganizing and cleaning up my infamous "stacks of stuff." I do the the latter way too often, but that's the way I roll {and at least now I can shut the door at the end of the day instead of packing and unpacking my pretty mess off the kitchen table that otherwises ruins a perfectly good selfie}.
In lieu of a party, I thought I'd share some of my favorite posts from this year. Some of these were created before I created my blog, and my style and technique has grown so much since then. It's fun to see the evolution
Princess Adeline (Created 2012)
I love this picture of my niece, Adeline, with her shock of untamable hair that stuck straight up for her first year of life. She's the princess of my sister's family. My sister is not a princess; she works with horses, tosses a hay bale like it's a feather {maybe a bale of feathers}, and isn't afraid of bugs or dirt. Handmade baby quilts are a traditional gift in our crafty family, which inspired the patchwork background.
Love Beyond Measure (Created Spring, 2015)
On Mr. 67's birthday, a gorgeous sunny day, we took Zae riverside to feed the ducks and snap some pics. This is still one of my {820} favorite pictures of the two of them. This was a pre-made page that I made in the spring of 2015, as a way of distracting myself from an awful case of {all-day} morning sickness. Zae was being a wiggly worm and so over having his millionth picture taken.
Seraphina (Created September, 2013)
This layout is one of my most emotional layouts, because it brings me back to sadder times, but it's also one of my favorites. We lost this little angel at 20 weeks. At the time, scrapping was a way to work through emotional turmoil. So many of my scrappy friends repeat this same sentiment, and in fact, being creative is good for your health. So don't feel guilty about your YOU time!
Shy Baby
Am I allowed to say every layout is my favorite? It's funny that you can feel so emotional about things you create. Every layout brings to mind a moment, a feeling, a hope, a memory of some kind. Since Zae was a rainbow baby several times over, you'd think I'd be constantly worried...and I did have my fears, but in my heart of hearts, I knew this time was going to be different.
Autumn, 1983
My dad was an aerial photographer, but that was his profession. His true passion was candid portraiture. He was a talented photographer, back when you had to know what f-stops were and you got 24-36 chances to get a good photo. How things have changed! My photos folder is 20k strong at least, and growing faster than I'm curating. He left me with lots of wonderful childhood photographs, and a love of photography.
September 2016: My Buddy
Last fall was difficult. I lost my 13 year old cat to kidney failure. I had CTS surgery a few days later. Zae turned one and it hit me hard. I couldn't pick him up because of the weight limit (this was emotionally draining). So again I turned to scrapbooking. I am pretty sure I cried a gallon of tears during the making of this layout, but they were cathartic tears.
October: L-O-V-E (Created Spring 2015)

November: Be True 2 You
I began moving into the mixed media realm in this layout, using lots of glimmer mists and watercolors. I also challenged myself to use a color other than pink. What I really meant by that was something less girly. So I started with blue...which turned into purple. With flowers. {Whattayado?} I'll have to keep the flower room drawer under lock and key if I'm ever going to create a layout that really says "boy." {it ain't happening, folks}
December: Love 67, Forever

I ordered the Garden Greens dies and Handwritten Love dies to get started. Then I die cut every scrap of paper I owned, which I've been sending along as freebies to my Etsy shop customers.
January: Happy Winter
I was still in the haze of Christmas euphoria when I created this sparkly winter layout. I love how white-core paper looks like frosty snow when distressed with Prima's distressing tool by Ingvild Bolme. We live in Minnesota, where winter has it's own zip code, and I don't much care to visit, but it gives a some fun inspiration and a chance to let the glitter fairy loose.
February: Ampersand & My Polearm
March: A Boy and His Cat
Let me take this opportunity to thank all of you who have emailed, left love in the comments, visited just to stop by, and shared invisible tea and crumpets with me in the last year. You are truly appreciated, and your kindnesses make my day that much brighter!
It's actually a little scary to think it's been a whole year since I sat down one evening deciding I was going to start a blog. Zae was still just six months old at the time. Now he's going to be 18 months in a few days. Time goes by way. Too. Fast. So live your happy, enjoy your days, and don't forget to document them!
Well BIG BIG Happy 1st Birthday to the Dear Zae blog!! And what a wonderful blog it is! I love reading your posts and seeing your heartfelt creations! watching your blog evolve and grow has been wonderful! the photo of Zae is absolutely phenomenal!!! WOWOWOW! Your Dad's love of photography definitely rubbed off on you! Gorgeous beyond words!
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