enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

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Every year for the past three years, I have made a list of things to accomplish before my next birthday. Last year, I created a list of 25. After 365 days, I completed just 14 on the list. Not bad, but not great. (I do not think I am going to make a 26@26 list this year – but I have to think of something else to try…) Below is the book I started last June and wrapped up the day before my birthday.

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You can click any image to enlarge.

I pulled so much of it together on Monday but used text from blog posts this past year and that helped get some "in the moment" journaling. Most of the typed journaling is from the blog.

The full book is 6×6 which is a fun size to work with because you can include square photos of course, but also 4×6 both as horizontal or vertical images. I tried to include lots of photos as well as some ephemera. All of the numbers were stamped in yellow with Ma Vinci unmounted rubber stamps. And as you can see, I left out the numbers that I didn't get to.

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Sometimes, when I am in the middle of working on these continuous albums, I start to wonder if it's worth it and often give up. I am so glad I didn't on this one. 25 was monumental because of the wedding and all that jazz. But these little details really made the year what it was and are so easy to forget. I am so glad I have them all together. And now, after writing this post… I have almost convinced myself to make a list for 26. Eeek.

Questions? Ask them in the comments & I will respond there.

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54 responses to “my 25 @ 25 book completed.”

  1. desiree Avatar

    I love it! Happy late birthday 🙂
    Where is the dress… or shirt in the last two pictures from?

    Like

  2. elise blaha Avatar

    Thank you – its from Boden. From my I LOVE post a few days back.

    Like

  3. Lisa Fine Avatar

    Beautiful! I love the color scheme of this one – I love those subdued hues.
    Have you ever posted a photo with all of your albums? I’d love to see how you display and/or keep them in your home.

    Like

  4. Sheryl Coe Avatar

    GENIUS! I’m going to start mine this weekend…since I have just 6 months before my 34th birthday!

    Like

  5. Nadia Avatar

    happy birthday elise! I love the idea of a list. of course my list is more than double of your list. 🙂 how about a jar with the 26 things you want to accomplish? pick one or two out every month and DO IT! just my two cents! I have thoroughly enjoyed watching your 25th year evolve. thank you for sharing your life! ciao!

    Like

  6. elise blaha Avatar

    I did, years ago when there was about half as many as there are now. I keep most of them in three wicker baskets below my desk. Eventually, I would like a ledge or something to display them, but the baskets are perfect for now. 🙂

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  7. Aubrey Avatar

    not sure how I found you…but total awesomeness!!!

    Like

  8. Debbi G. Avatar
    Debbi G.

    Beautiful!!

    Like

  9. Lori S. Avatar
    Lori S.

    This is awesome. I would love to download the “Big Mini Workshop”. How do I do this. Nothing comes up when I click on the yellow bar.
    Thanks for inspriation.

    Like

  10. elise blaha Avatar

    uh oh – it’s working on my end… but you can find more info about it here : http://www.elisejoy.com/miniworkshop and all of my downloadable classes here : http://eliseblaha.typepad.com/golden/2011/01/pdfs-for-past-online-workshops-now-available.html
    thank you!

    Like

  11. Libbi M. Avatar
    Libbi M.

    thank you for including the link as to where you got the number set. please tell if you used the LARGE number set or the SMALL number set? thank you for sharing this lovely book. f.y.i..the lace in your january mini book inspired me to make a valentine’s day minibook that uses the large stash of lace i have to tell a story of school activities that my 2 girls did that day. thank you for the inspiration.

    Like

  12. elise blaha Avatar

    Yep, I was thrilled to find it. I have the small. 🙂

    Like

  13. Lori S. Avatar
    Lori S.

    Thanks – just ordered it.

    Like

  14. Ingrid Aukan Avatar

    I LOVE this mini. 🙂

    Like

  15. veronica Avatar

    hey, is that striped dress from right before dinner at whisk n ladle!? OMG I SEE YOU SO SOON! HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY DAY!

    Like

  16. elise blaha Avatar

    YES! cant wait. am bringing it to vegas too. I feel like I just go round and round with the same six outfits. xo a million.

    Like

  17. elise blaha Avatar

    Awesome, thanks so much!

    Like

  18. Libbi M. Avatar
    Libbi M.

    thank you!

    Like

  19. Caitlin Avatar
    Caitlin

    How do you trim everything to 6 x 6 so well? No matter what I use I always think the edge isn’t straight…

    Like

  20. elise blaha Avatar

    I have a super nice paper cutter. Its what I use for my shop so it was worth the price tag. Also worth it if youre sick of bad cuts. 🙂 I bought mine on amazon here : http://amzn.to/fjvTIn

    Like

  21. jeny Avatar

    Have you ever taken a few hours and looked back at your oldest mini’s? I bet if you do, you will decide to at least make the 26 by 26 list! I amazing me how much and how fast life changes 🙂 The six x six is a favorite for sure!

    Like

  22. Shelley Avatar
    Shelley

    This is an amazing idea – I wish I’d seen it many years ago, but it doesn’t seem like we did things like that so much – I’m now 50 and sometimes it seems too “late” to start something like this, but on the other hand, I guess I should say, “why not start now”.

    Like

  23. Chris Avatar

    Love how it turned out. I was trying to figure out how I’d tackle things on my list I didn’t get to when putting my album together, and I like how you took care of it just through omission. Great book!

    Like

  24. Kim Avatar

    fabulous!! I always make a list, rarely do anything w/it but May-Be scrap it. this is a great little idea! tfs

    Like

  25. Jennifer Avatar
    Jennifer

    What a cute little book – and even cooler all the neat things you did! So inspiring!

    Like

  26. megan P Avatar

    It is so CUTE!! i think i will just have to make one for my 19th year this year too! thanks for all the great inspiration!
    p.s. i hope you had a great day yesterday!!
    Megan

    Like

  27. Monika Wright Avatar

    I started a 46@46 list and have not accomplished them all and feeling like somewhat of a failure due to 47 arriving in almost a month! I have the album, the template and will let it go at that…recording the I DID IT’S with those that didn’t get the check mark! I will def do this again, but add in everyday things that are also accomplishments. I have to remember that not everything has to be an earth-shattering event to be momentous! Really do wish I had conquered more, but not going to let it stop me!
    Thanks for the inspiration!

    Like

  28. Sara Avatar

    OH MY GOODNESS! I stopped by your blog through Becky Higgins Facebook post and I am overwhelmed. In a good-wiggling-in-my-seat-with-creative-inspiration type of way! Girl…you are amazing! So talented. I love, love, love your style, your designs, your albums…love it! Thanks for sharing all your awesomeness 🙂

    Like

  29. Miss Cupcake Avatar

    Love the book.
    I started a birthday binder full of birthday wishes. I was going to do the number for the year but that seemed too rigid. Instead, I put together a binder with a list of things I’d like to do for the year (no specific numbers, just things I’d like to accomplish), put dividers in for the year, and then added completed pages, photos, inspiration, etc. It is working out really well. I also add images of birthday stuff from around the web. I really love how it is about birthday wishes but it doesn’t have the pressure of completing a certain number of things by a set date. If something doesn’t get finished, I just move it ahead to the next year. I’ve done that twice and feel no guilt!

    Like

  30. Cheryl Avatar
    Cheryl

    I’m at an age where focusing on the number would overwhelm me too. Why don’t we choose to do 25 things before our next birthday? It’s more attainable and still gives us some goals to look forward to doing.

    Like

  31. Sara B. Avatar

    Yay! for mini books! Love the size and the number stamp. Very fun book. I’ve been doing the list thing for the last 3 years, but I never finish them all either. The fun is in the ones you do complete. 🙂

    Like

  32. Intentionally Katie Avatar

    Oooh – you just inspired me to do this for my 101 goals in 1001 days list. My 1001 days is over in September and I’ve taken pictures and blogged about most of my accomplishments…I can do this. I should do this. Wow – that would be one thick book…

    Like

  33. elise blaha Avatar

    Yep, I agree. Maybe go with less list items and just work on getting a few done. It’s fun to have a goal list, no matter how many items.

    Like

  34. elise blaha Avatar

    Totally. Adding anything from your year is great. The little stuff is the most important. 🙂

    Like

  35. Kathy Avatar

    I love seeing your 25 @ 25 book….as with one of the other comments above, I’m 47 and if you without kids find it hard to complete 25 things I would have a hard time completing 47 of them. I do however like the idea of the binder with each year of things that you did do which was in one of the other comments. Thanks for sharing your book with us, it’s great. What an exciting year it has been for you and Paul. All the best from Kathy, Brisbane, Australia

    Like

  36. elise blaha Avatar

    So sweet, thank you!

    Like

  37. elise blaha Avatar

    I hear you. Maybe make 10 goals? I’ve found that the goals I set at the beginning of the year are not always important to me at the end of the year, so I don’t worry too much about getting them all done. Just the ones that I still want to do. That’s the important part.

    Like

  38. Flo Avatar

    I love this book ! Love the square pages and that it tells the story of a year without looking all over the place 🙂
    It’s easy to remember the big events in life, but all the little things that we do through the year, all the little moments of daily life tend to be washed away by the bigger stuff. So i think it’s great to find a place for them, to remember this year’s flavor 😉
    (by the way, your Big mini workshop really really helped for that too !!)
    I can’t wait to see what you come up with for 26, even if you don’t go for a list !

    Like

  39. Laura Avatar

    Thanks for sharing! I’m doing 29 @ 29 this year. So far it’s just a list, not an album but it feels like less pressure that way. I have to say it was hard to come up with 29 things! I wanted to put stuff I might not do ordinarily but that seemed attainable in a year. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Like

  40. Annelise Kliewer Avatar

    i know that books are your thing…but this one is great! i love your style

    Like

  41. Shelley Avatar
    Shelley

    Well, I’m glad you posted, Monika, cause it’s been an encouragement to me. (I posted earlier today)I was just thinking about how I could do this so that it is encouraging, rather than discouraging. I think recording what we HAVE done, even daily things, is a wonderful idea!

    Like

  42. KateinCleveland Avatar
    KateinCleveland

    Hi Shelley … I loved this idea when I came across it last year. I did it this year for my birthday. It’s my 55 in 55 book! Seemed daunting in concept, but, when I wrote everything down it became easy and fun! So I say “just do it”! No pressure, have fun!

    Like

  43. Monika Wright Avatar

    I totally think you should do this, Shelley! Just looking back, I have some neat stories about little things that I might have forgotten had I not “attempted” to accomplish all 46 of my things to do.
    Good luck and have fun!

    Like

  44. Scrappenstance Avatar

    Love this one! What are your biz cards in? Some sort of little protector… I like it! I’ve needed something to serve that function several times with my minis.

    Like

  45. elise blaha Avatar

    Its a baseball card protector cut down so just two of the slots show. 🙂

    Like

  46. desiree Avatar

    Thanks… I love it on you! It’s adorable.

    Like

  47. Koko Avatar
    Koko

    Could you be any more creative?!?!? This is just GORGEOUS and so special! I am so inspired by you every day!

    Like

  48. Jaime Avatar
    Jaime

    Just thought I’d say you have encouraged me to try this, as well as my just turned 10 year old and my almost 6 year old. They have really cute lists and are very excited to get started!!!

    Like

  49. elise blaha Avatar

    Koko, you are so sweet! Thank you!

    Like

  50. Shelley Avatar
    Shelley

    Thank-you! 🙂

    Like

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