This year, I am taking a simplified approach to document my year with a primary focus on photos instead of embellishments. I enjoy monthly memory keeping, so at the end of the month I like to select a few of my favorite snapshots to include in my album.

Let’s go back to the beginning. I love paper and patterns. I have a great collection of scrapbook paper, vintage paper, vellum, and bits of paper from everyday life (Have you ever noticed the patterns inside junk mail envelopes?). I love how patterns transport me to other places. I can almost smell the fresh flowers blooming in the springtime, or feel the hot sand under my feet at the beach, or even hear the crunch of snow in the middle of a winter wonderland.

I’m a collector of many things: fortune cookie fortunes, key chains, seashells, 25 cent bouncy balls, but most of all inspiration. Inspiration is everywhere. You can find it in a book or online, walking outside or sitting at your desk, but my favorite source of inspiration is my own life experiences.