Project Life - My Process for 2014

Last year, I only made it through about 6 months of Project Life. As with so many things, I think I over-thought it. This year, I am taking a few steps back, making some changes, and hopefully completing all 52 weeks.

If you don't know what Project Life is, it's a memory keeping process created by Becky Higgins. The intent is to make recording your life as easy as possible, with whatever level of "difficulty" or creative genius you want to bring. This will be my third (and hopefully most successful) year.

My first change for 2014, is having my weeks run from Monday through Sunday. The calendar I am using as an Editorial Calendar and to-do list for life and work, records the week numbers (making keeping track easier). I'm contemplating making a consistent week card for all 52 weeks to cut down on my creativity block.

My second change is only using my stash and the Studio Calico Project Life Kits. While I love ALL of the kits that Becky Higgins has for this project, I get easily "overloaded" with too many choices and then I can't move forward. Or I get "stuck" with tunnel vision and can't be creative at all. I still have quite a selection of supplies from last year (thanks to my Studio Calico subscription), so I'll be using them where I can going forward.

Here are some process steps I am planning to take:

• I'm going to try and record notes along the way on 3x4 journaling cards.
• I'm going to try and work on the weekends, completing the previous week's layout.

Since I no longer have a craft room, my dedicated space is my beloved Ikea Raskog cart. I'm planning to set up the Studio Calico cards in the middle tray, since I have outgrown my Project Life boxes with unused items. Perhaps some thin storage boxes will fit in there.

So my Project Life week officially started yesterday. . .and I can already see that taking enough pictures is going to be a stumbling block - I forget. Thinking ahead to my page protectors, I can fit a landscape and a portrait picture for each day - so that's 14 pictures a day for a picture-heavy layout. This has also been a stumbling block in the past, I get a week with no pictures and it stops me cold. This year, I am trying to anticipate that ahead of time.

Are you participating in Project Life? What's your process look like? I'm planning on checking in once a month with a re-cap and update.

catch you soon -

#vlogmom | no regrets

This week's #vlogmom prompt is from Victoria from Veep Veep. Victoria asked us, "What is the last thing you bought that was truly worth it?"

You may be surprised at my answer. . .



So what is your most recent purchase that was totally worth it?

catch you soon -

Project Life Week #13

You will notice in week #13, that Martha Stewart and her Avery Labels are saving my bacon.   Yes, I am using them on almost every picture.

Once again, I picked a few things to highlight, and focused my journaling on those things.

I did add some "everyday" pictures - like Ryan's new cleats for baseball, the kids helping with the garden, and Owen reading.

Two of my favorites this week are Owen's white-board writing of his family and this shot of all our feet.

I ran out of ink in my printer. . .so I had to get more, because I am loving the options that printing my photos at home give me.  I go through all my photos for the week I'm working on and print out all the landscapes ones in 4x6. . .any portraits I print in the 3x4 size. . .and then I decide if I want to use any square Instagram photos as well, and print them out as a contact sheet.

how is your Project Life coming along?

catch you soon -

Project Life Week #12

I finished up week #12 today. . .

Once again I had several pictures for one event. . .a trip downtown to a great Art Studio. . .and not much of anything else.  I did a weekly re-cap journaling card (4x6) and used the day of the week stickers to highlight the days I had something to say.

The Martha Stewart labels are definitely making it easier to include more journaling.  I also included a picture I took with my iPhone of Owen's Daily Sheet from school.

It's still not as "creative" and "artsy" as I'd like it to be. . .but honestly, I am happy with the ease and simplicity of it.  I print the pictures, cut them & round the corners, slide them in and then I see where I have spaces and what I want to say.  I'm trying to keep my eye on the prize - at the end of 52 weeks, I will have told an amazing story of our year.

catch you soon -

Project Life Week #11

I'm totally happy with this week, even though it really only highlights 3 things.  I'm so happy because I got some of the new Martha Stewart Home Office with Avery products from Staples.  These lables have made all the difference in journaling for my photos.

 What I'm learning during this process is we are extremely routine heavy during the week - and then weekends is family time.  I have to take some pointers from Ali Edward's Day in the Life project, and get some snippets of our everyday life.

Another thing making me happy with my Week #11 layout is using old products.  For that bubble blowing picture. . .I used some Creative Memories bubble stickers.  Same for the bubbles and sun on the journaling card.

Thinking of doing your own Project Life? Or stuck on the one you started? Leave me a question in the comments and I'll try to help you out.

catch you soon -

Project Life 2012 . . .Week 10

Already at the week 10 point in project life. . .that's 70 days into 2012 already.

For this week. . .I tried a few new things. . .there were 2 major stories for the week - my overnight girls trip to the beach and Owen's trip to the Emergency Room.  I wanted to highlight these 2 things, first, because they were important to me and to my family.  And secondly - I had a lot of pictures of both events, and not many for the rest of the week.

I used a 4x6 foldable journaling card to document Owen's trip to the ER.  I also included his wrist band.  It took me the entire card to write up our adventure.

I cut a 3x4 journaling card in half lengthwise and attached one half to the end of one of my pictures.  I am planning to get some of the Martha Stewart Lables to use this way - but so far my Staples isn't carrying them.

I did a week in review card, but only highlighting stuff that happened.  I wasn't sure I'd like it, because it seems a little incomplete. . .but it works.

So I think I've hit a new level with my documentation and I'm feeling pretty good about it - I'm trying harder not to ignore the reminders from my Day One App too.

How are your weeks coming along? Do you put journaling for EVERY picture?

catch you soon -

Project Life 2012. . .Week 9

Today I printed pictures for weeks 9, 10 and what I had for the current week, 11 as well.

When I put week 9 together. . .I was still left with 4 of the small spots (Photo Pocket Pages Design A) empty. . .and I felt like I had nothing to say.

I started looking at the pictures. . .and thinking about the things we did and how we acted as a family that week. . .and I was able to journal three cards. . .highlighting some things.

I am still loving the project. . .I need to push myself to tell the stories under the pictures. . .I need to remember to take pictures, write in my Day One App. . .put it all together.

I am basically sticking with the Clementine Core kit - adding some random embellishments as I put the page together.  In fact. . .I think I'm going to go add a label sticker to the picture in the bottom right of this page. . .

Looking at Week 10 and 11 I am already moving in a better direction.  This project is definitely an evolution for me - both creatively and personally.

catch you soon -

Project Life 2012 . . .Week 8

So here we are week #8. . .

I was short on pictures this week. . .and didn't have a lot to say about what we did.  I did cover a few important happenings - getting my thoughts down.

I'm still not happy with the lack of creativity on the pages. . .but I feel the need to "get it done" and that's taking precedence over my creativity.

I need to try and focus on little bits of stuff, taking pictures and keeping up with my  Day One App.

But I still love the project. . .the whole idea behind it and what I will have at the end.  I'm anxious to see how I grow throughout the year as well - in my creativity and design.  Hoping to get Week #9 done this weekend - and getting Week #10 done too would be a bonus!

how is yours coming along?

catch you soon -

Project Life Week 7

So I seem to be in a slump with Project Life. . .I'm forgetting to take pictures and I'm not recording stories.  I still love the project though. . .and I'm happy that I'm doing what I'm doing. . .I just wish sometimes it was prettier or more crafty. . .that I didn't feel like I threw it together to get it done.

Week 7 highlighted Valentine's Day and my birthday.  I caught some of our traditions and wrote about the way I felt on my 44th birthday.

It's hard to see. . .but the 10 of Hearts card has a picture of an envelope I got . . .it says "Owens Mom"

How do you get yourself inspired to keep going?

catch you soon -

Project Life Week #6

So I am still one week behind on Project Life.  And I think I didn't take many 4x6 pictures for weeks 7 and currently in week 8.  How are you guys handling a lack of pictures? Is that a problem ever?

I am proud of Week 6, because I recorded some good moments in time.

I went back and tried to jazz up the Title Cards for the past weeks too. . .at least adding a number besides the date.

I also figured out how to print my Instagram photos and I just added them to the 3x4 cards.

Because I was behind, I didn't journal on the photos or on labels on the photos. . .I may go back and add that if I get caught up on weeks 7 & 8.

How is your Project Life Status?

catch you soon -

Project Life 2012 - Week #5

So this update should include Week #6 too. . .but I've fallen a week behind.

Here's the thing I've learned about falling behind. . .it's hard to catch back up.  For me, once that momentum is lost. . .I might just give up.  And I love this project too much to give up. . .so I'm plugging along.

Here is Week #5 - I did much better in the journaling/storytelling aspect.  I also tucked in some great ephemera - like Owen's drawings and notes that John wrote to the boys.

I realized that I need to get decorative labels or journaling spots to add right on top of my photos.

This week I did NOT include a list of what we did each day. . .I forgot. . .and I think it's okay if I have more to say about what we did.

I have many OCD and Type-A tendencies. . .I am trying to just be free and creative with this project. . .let it take on a life of it's own.

I think I'm growing with the process each week. . .right now keeping up is my biggest struggle.

How are you finding yourself 6 weeks into the project? If you haven't started, it's not too late - start today!

catch you soon -

Project Life 2012 . . . Week 4

So this week I got really good at stuffing in little bits of ephemera. . .but my story telling is still flat.

I also need to change out the program from Ryan's 5th Grade Band Concert because once I get the "right" page protectors. . .it won't fit anymore.

I'm not too upset with the less than perfect quality of the photos. . .they are capturing little snippets of our lives.

But I really want to work on developing the story part of it more. . .I'm so anxious to get it "done" that it's turning out to be too simple and flat for my liking. I need to "craft it up" more I think.

One of these weeks I will hit the right balance. . .for now it's 2 steps forward, one step back.

What helps you tell your stories better?

catch you soon -

Project Life 2012. . .Week 3

we are into week 4. . .and I was happy to wrap up week #3 on time.  I am not happy with the layout. . .this is the one I like the least so far. . .it seems "flat" and I feel like I have nothing to say.

. . .looking at it this morning, I would add something to the Title Card. . . write on the empty journal card. . .put in chipboard letters that say "walk" on the bottom row picture of my feet. . .

maybe I can add those things while I put together week 4 this weekend.  I downloaded the Day One App and the prompts are helping me to capture more about my day. . .I am really liking a numbered journal card with a brief list of what we did that week.

how is your Project Life coming along?

catch you soon -

Project Life 2012. . .Week 2

first let me show you the "final" pictures from Week #1. . .

here are some close ups of the pages. . .

as I'm perusing the web, I'm realizing that I need to journal more. . .I feel like my life is "boring" - full of mundane, everyday tasks like dropping the kids off, cleaning, working, cooking, cleaning, working. . .you know the drill. . .

i'm missing out on the little stuff. . .the stuff that makes life so great.  perhaps "missing out" isn't the correct term. . .I'm here for it. . .I just don't record it. . .

so I'd like to pick up some cute labels (REALLY want the Martha Stewart ones from Staples - but they aren't in stock yet)

and here are some pictures from Week #2. . .

and some closer shots of the details. . .

i am proud to say that Week # 3 is already coming together and I plan to work on it Saturday evening and Sunday.

how do you remember the "little" things that happen everyday that make your life so precious?

catch you soon -

Title Page & Week One of Project Life 2012

i have mentioned before that I am officially joining the Project Life party for 2012.  it took me a while to make the decision, and when I finally did, the preferred style of page protectors were sold out.

this may seem like a little thing. . .but I learned it was a big hindrance to my "getting started".  my opened kit and empty binder was like a blank Blue Book  (remember those? do they still use them?)

i hemmed and hawed and poured over Becky's, Monica's, Lisa's, Cathy's, Elise's and Ali's blogs. . .I discovered and followed new scrapbooking friends taking off on this adventure through twitter and pinterest.

but i had to just sit down. . .and start.  my plan is to run my weeks from Saturday to Friday, so I have Saturday and Sunday to complete the prior week.  I plan to post my updates on Thursdays.

someone had the idea to keep journaling notes on their iPhone - so I set up a paper and have recorded something for each day. . .Cathy is using an App called Day One - I'll be checking that out this weekend.

i finished my Title Page. . .I do not love the 4x6 in the upper left hand corner. . .it will do . . .the rest I am pretty happy with.

i have week one planned out. . .but not completely pulled together.  again, i struggle with words. . .what to write.  ironic, since i am a blogger right?  but somehow committing that pen to paper is so "permanent". . .such a big chance to get it "wrong".  i KNOW there is no wrong - it's MY story and however I choose to tell it is perfect. . .but it's still daunting.

two other things i learned so far. . .my date stamp only goes to 2007. . .clearly I have not used this tool in a while.  and secondly, i should not have selected True Digital Prints when I ordered photos. . .I am planning to print most of my photos at home from now on.

so onward and upwards. . .trying to remember to take pictures along the way of my day. . .save bits of things to use, and jot down what we did, where we went, what we said, etc.

are you playing along with Project Life?

catch you soon -

wordless wednesday. . .

catch you soon -