Some Days Are Hard


Most days it is easy to forget that London has a heart defect. Some days though, it hits me like a ton of bricks. Today was one of those days.


Banning Lane | Some Days Are Hard

I will always remember the week that London was born like it was yesterday. I remember feeling almost numb. Everybody was just living life, but my whole world had just come to a screeching stop. That feeling really didn't go away for a good year or so. The hardest part of the whole thing was that that doctors really couldn't tell us what was in store for London's little life. We were definitely in good hands, and her team of doctors had a really good plan, but it was the unknown that kept me up at night.

London is now almost four. The days that were once spent going to cardiology check ups, therapy appointments, and weigh ins with her dietitian are now filled with all kinds of crazy little girl adventures. She runs, and plays just like any other little three year old. In fact, unless you catch a glimpse of her scar, you would never know that anything was ever wrong with her. 

Because she has such a normal little life, it's always a little surprising how anxious I get in the days that lead up to her yearly cardiology appointments. I know that we have so much to be thankful for, and that for the most part London is doing really well. But I also know, it is at these appointments that we will learn if something isn't going quite right. That is why I can't sleep the week before her appointment. That is why I say a million little prayers on the car ride to the hospital, and that is when it hits me that my little girl has a heart defect. 

This part of London's life is hard, and sometimes really scary. No matter how many echo's, EKG's, heart cath's, or lung scan's she gets, it will always take my breath away to look at photos like these. Even now, it just doesn't seem real. But this is part of her story, and I thank God everyday that she is mine. 

For the record, everything came back fine. Her cardiologist is really happy with her progress, and says he will see us again in one year!

Project Life | Week 38

Banning Lane | Week 38

I am really behind on my Project Life album. I had a "catch up" plan that just wasn't really working, and I found myself getting farther and farther behind. I finally decided I needed a new "catch up" plan.

This project is really only fun for me when I am up to date on my album. So last week when I sat down to scrapbook, I decided that I would just work on the most current week. I found myself getting excited about this project again.

My new "catch up" plan will be this. Scrapbook the most current week first. When I have extra time I will go back and complete a week that still needs to be done from a few months back. I think this will be the best approach, and I am ok with having a gap in my album for now.

So here is my week 38


Banning Lane | Week 38


At the beginning of the year I decided to use title cards from One Little Bird, and I absolutely love them. I usually recolor them in Photo Shop Elements to match the color of my spread each week.

Banning Lane | week 38

I used a combination of cards from One Little Bird, and the Becky Higgins core kit Jade Edition.

I usually print most of the cards I use from home, so the corners end up being squared. The Becky Higgins Project Life cards come with rounded corners. It does not really bother me to mix the two.

Banning Lane | Week 38

The "give thanks" is a digital brush that I got from Ali Edwards. You can find the set here. I really like the way it looks on this photo I took while we were camping.

If you want to see how this whole layout came together, you can watch it over on my YouTube channel, or right here.


London's School Album

A couple of weeks ago, my little girl went to her very first day of pre school. It was a pretty big day for all of us, and one that I will never forget.

I knew that I wanted to document the story of that day, so I made sure to take a lot of pictures of all the sweet little details. London was so excited to go to school, and it was just so fun to see 

"Banning Lane | School Album"


For London's school album I decided to use an 8.5x11 We R Memory Keepers album. I also knew I wanted to use pocket pages. They just seemed like natural choices for an album like this

I picked out a favorite photo of London, and enlarged it to use on the left side of my layout. For the right side I took all those little detail shots and slid them into a 9 pocket page protector. 

Most of the products I used came from my Ali Edwards Story kits, and my Felicity Jane kits. I love how the softer colors came together to make a really pretty and girly layout. 


"Banning Lane | School Album"

I have seen a lot of people do a back to school "interview" and I really like the idea of that. It will be fun to see how London's answers change from year to year. Plus I thought it would be a great way to fill up the reverse side on the nine pocket page protector. 

I typed up eight questions to ask London. I then cut them into strips and taped them on to plain white card cards. I decided to put a picture in the center pocket, and I really like how the whole page looks.

For the right hand side I wrote down a bunch of things I want to remember from that day on a piece of 5x11 paper. I got the idea for the design of the layout from Ali Edwards. She did a very similar layout for one of her Story Kits themes and I absolutely love the way it turned out. 

Banning Lane | School Album

The last thing I added to the album is a picture that London painted on her first day of school. I will also be adding a picture of London and her teacher. I just have not taken one yet. 

My plan is to just collect things as London brings them home from school. I don't know if I will add things as I get them, or just update this album at the end of the year. My hope is that I can fit all of her school years into one album, so I know I will have to be a little picky about what actually makes it into the album. We will see how that plan works!

I do a quick album share in the video below, and on my YouTube channel.

Septembers Top Five

I thought it would be fun to do a favorites post at the end of every month. Here are Septembers.
Banning Lane | Septembers Faves

1. I have been binge watching Ally McBeal on Netflix. I can't believe Billy died. I had always hoped the Ally and him would get together.

2. Diet Pepsi from a can. In the morning its the first thing I want. I hope to break that habit soon.

3. I have been LOVING instagram lately. If you're not following me you should (@banninglane)

4. Tony Moly lip balm is the best. I usually put in on before I go to bed, and after my morning shower.

5. I just don't think I could scrapbook without my sewing machine. Its definitely a go to technique for me.

What are your current favorites?



Felicity Jane | Project Life "Title Page"

I am over on the Felicity Jane blog today with a pocket page spread. I love how perfect the cut apart 3x4 cards were for a title page for my album.


Pop on over to FelicityJane.com to see the full spread, plus a quick process video.

Thanks for stopping by!

Felicity Jane | "Red Couches" Layout


Banning Lane | Felcity Jane "Feels Like Home"

When I got my Felicity Jane "Feels Like Home" kit, I knew I wanted to do a layout about what feels like home to me. I knew that my red couches would be the perfect thing to document. We have had them for so long, and they hold so many of our stories. 

Hop on over to the Felicity Jane blog to check out my layout. I also have a process video 
over there as well as on my YouTube channel.

Felicity Jane - Be You

I am so excited to tell you that my first official Felicity Jane design team layout is up on the Felicity Jane blog. I had so much fun working with the new "feels like home" kit. 

Here is a little peek at my layout:

Banning Lane | Felicity Jane "feel like home"



Head on over to the FJ blog to see my entire layout, plus a few more close ups. While you are there, be sure to check out all the great projects that the other design team members are doing. 

P.S. I am aware that I really only blogged about my "week in the life" project through Wednesday. I'm not totally sure what I am going to do about that. More than likely I will make a video of my finished album. I will of coarse be posting that video to my blog. Sometimes life gets busy, and I am ok with that!