I have actually already used the napkins twice since I got them last weekend lol 
I have also tried out some of the stamps and the washi's..... oh. my. goodness.
The washi's!!! I am so surprised at the quality of those washi tapes!

They came from Amazon. Part of me was really afraid that they were going to be really thick and not stick well BUT they are FABULOUS! 
They are shiny but it's kind of like a foil texture so it's not bulky and glitter doesn't get everywhere it's just not that kinda deal so I definitely need to go on Amazon and review those because they are AWESOME!

I've also tried out my Gesso once... I got it on a half-off sale at Hobby Lobby so I only paid $4 for it! I still need some gel medium but in due time... 
I have plenty to play with right now for sure!
Definitely got spoiled this year! 

Anyway thanks for stopping by and I hope you're looking forward to all the pretty things that will be coming to the blog! 
Have a fabulous day! 
Much love!
AmandaIRL

I am really in love with the layout this month!
Every month they get better I think... 
I had some shiny blue tissue paper stashed away in my craft box and it really added some flare to my layout. Again. I. LOVE. IT.
​So here's some process photos. 

Before and after of the menu setup. 

Before and after of the Master Task area.

I love how the pages flip! 
Great moment of inspiration for me I adore it!
I just did a simple watercolor background but it ties together really nicely I think!
I'm really going to enjoy filling up this layout this month! 
Happy September Eve and thanks for stopping by!
Much love!
Amanda

Dad's card!
I feel like I really did Dad's card process some injustice here because it's a pretty cool card... but I did get stuck for a while on photo #3... I could not figure out what to add to it for days and of course the last minute came and the magic happened.
Honestly, I didn't think I was one of those "thrive under pressure people" but the more work I do, the more that seems true... that's not something I really ever wanted to be proud of but I am who I am I guess haha. 
ANYWAY.

Dad's card.
Dad's card was easy. He's a car racing (yes literally) Mustang guy.
The picture of the Mustang is actually a legit picture of him right before a race. 
I thought it would be cool to add that to the photo.
I totally admire how he does exactly what he wants to do.
​He enjoys his life.
It's inspiring. 

So after I picked out the elements... I printed those out (twice... the first time they were too big...) I went ahead and sketched out a checkerboard pattern for the background...
That is done on Watercolor Paper. I like the thickness of it.  
Of course it didn't fit perfectly AND I thought about trimming it down but I left it and I like it that way. 
I also picked red as an accent because that's my dad's favorite color, which is great because black, red and white go pretty well together.

I decided I wanted to distress the background a little bit and create a grunge type of effect. I used a black chalk pastel. 
I added some metallic red stars, cut down the Father's Day text and added a double layer background. ​
The gold you see is Pastel Paper painted gold. 
Besides the checkerboard background I used Pastel Paper for everything else.
I like the texture for one and the thickeness is important. I want the card to be sturdy.
For the last touches I tapped some white paint on the grey background and topped off the entire card with some gold speckles.
Of course I got that one bit of gold paint that wanted to be overzealous so I ended up using my finger and added some more gold.
​That's how the bigger spots came to be but I like it...   
Also added some White Chalk Pastel around the elements and the stars to give it a bit of a pop. I did secure the elements with some foam tape so they do have some depth to them they aren't just plastered on the card. I dig it.
​
Very proud of my end result! 

​Step Dad's Card!
Step dad was a bit more challenging at first but I went with my gut reaction which was coffee and sweets! 
I didn't have as much of a struggle-fest with this card but it also came down to the wire because I guess that's just how I roll lol
I did manage to get a lot more photos of the process on this card though
​so here we go: 

Okay so first off, blue is my step dad's favorite color so that's how I chose the color scheme here besides the coffee and sweets.
How lucky I got with colors lemme tell ya. 
Super happy about that... and as before I picked out my elements, some were just printed from Word, a few others I actually cut from magazines. 
​
Now that I look at it all the pictures on the left are from the internet... the ones on the right all cut out from a magazine... ha that's pretty cool! 
As for the paper I used, well the blue background is actually a file folder I cut up. 
Got a huge pack of them for $1 at the dollar tree.
The yellow background is pastel paper again. I don't know what to tell you, I like it. 

Fall is my most favorite time of the year!! I love getting out my scarves and boots and beanies. I love the crisp air and the trees are vibrant oranges, reds and purples. I absolutely LOVE this area! We only moved to the Birmingham metro a year ago, the Pelham/Alabaster area,  but I don't think we'll be leaving anytime soon! The scenery is stunning and fun is not hard to find! Whether you're looking for a family event or something to do alone, you won't be disappointed. They don't call it the "magic city" for nothing! ​

If I only had 24 hours to experience fall in my area I would definitely have to find a way to scope out the scenery that this time of year has to offer. Once October arrives the leaves start to change and it's so beautiful! Red Mountain Park and Oak Mountain Park are both amazing parks! The trails are the basics at these parks. Red Mountain is known more for the athletics, it's safe to say it's more of an adventure park. So if you're looking for adventure that is the park to see! There are ziplines and obstacle courses and many other things to get the blood flowing. The weather is mild this time of the year, so fall is perfect to enjoy a nice walk on a trail or a zipline adventure! Oak Mountain is where you go to enjoy the scenery and take a load off. Oak Mountain is also Alabama's largest State Park so it's definitely a place you want to add to your list! 

It's hard to pick and choose what to see because there are so many awesome things to see and do. There are lots of museums and parks also the Science Center & Imax, downtown Birmingham is packed with neat little places to go and see but the Birmingham Zoo is always on any tourists list! Since the weather is so beautiful this time of the year, it's ideal for a visit to the zoo! Not just any zoo, but the Birmingham Zoo! There are carosel rides and train rides and not to mention, the animals--Birmingham Zoo is home to over 900 animals!! My husband and I used to visit the zoo even before we had our son! It's always a great time! We love being able to, not only spend time together, but also see all the animals and maybe even learn a few things! 

After all the hiking, ziplining and animal viewing there's a good chance that hunger will strike! One of our favorite places to eat is Joe's Italian. It's a hidden gem. Authentic and fantastic Italian cuisine! They have family take home meals if you want to pick up your order and dine in at home, or you can go inside and enjoy! Not only are their main courses delicious, but wait until you see the size of their cakes!!! Even the single slices are huge and melt-in-your-mouth-delicious!! It's a family owned restaurant and everything is made right in their own kitchen. The service is fantastic and everyone is always friendly! Anytime family comes to visit we are sure to take them there or order out and enjoy with our family at home!! 

Last but not least, the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum is somewhere you must visit if you are a train lover (or you just want a scenic train ride)! They have events during the year with train rides! You can ride a train to the pumpkin patch and pick out a pumpkin in the fall! Currently they have started their Polar Express Train which includes a train ride with Santa! If you're not up for riding a train the visit to the museum is free!! For a more complete list of what the area has to offer you can check BirminghamAl.Gov or Birmingham365.Org there is a full list of museums and other recreational activities in the area!

I hope you have enjoyed reading about a few of the attractions the Birmingham Metro has to offer in the fall! It's an amazing time of the year around here and there's always a festival or event to attend so be sure to check Eventbrite to see what's happening!! While you're over at Eventbrite be sure to check out the Event Management tools! You can set up and plan your OWN events! A great tool to use to get your events planned on the go without having to worry about paper invitations or tickets; it can all be done from the comfort of your mobile device! You can also click to see the list of Fall Festivals!! Thanks for stopping by!

More to come, as usual, but those are there for now if you need something quick!
I'm excited about my household binder. I went ahead and started it in Oct. For some reason I had it in my head that I could only start something like that in the beginning of the year... so unreasonable. 
I started putting it together in October and I'm pretty happy with the way it's coming along. It is true that the best way to get ahead is just to start..
whether you're ready or not..
eventually it will come together the way it is supposed to. 

So upon further inspection I see that I did already mention the Household Binder when I did my last monthly post which is okay.. I'm on the right track it seems.. 
I always have a lot going on. Even at this moment I have homemade bread in the oven with about 20 minutes left... ahhh yes. 
The art of homemaking and blogging...
I'm getting there.
Anyway. Print out some stuff and get organized with me!
There is still some 2015 left to conquer!
I hope you have a fantastic end of the year! 
Much Love.
VintageModMom

So definitely keep your eyes out for more holiday printables I am excited to do some Christmas/New Years ones as well.. and HOPING to get my household binder going strong this year. I actually started it in September.. yeah I know a little late but it's established and where is it written that I have to wait until the 1st of the year to get my crap together? Absolutely nowhere because that's absurd! 
That thinking leaves little room to be a human... ya know?
Today, whatever day it may be, is always the best day to get your act together!

So without further ado here is a link to the new printables AND all the other weekly menus! I have a ton more organizational printables as well. I can't wait to get my printer re-inked so I can start filling up my binder again.
​
**Free printables! Menus.**

This month is going to be pretty crazy I'm sure.. especially with Thanksgiving coming up in a week.. so watch for updates on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!
I hope you all have a fantastic November!!
Much love.
​VintageModMom