Project Life 2013: Week 1

It is hard for me to believe that we are in week 21 of this year. In so many ways the time has dragged by slowly, and in others it has quickly passed by. I am behind on Project Life (no surprise there), but I actually do have more than just one week completed. :o)

Some people start their weeks with Monday through Sunday. Sunday has always been the beginning of the week for me, so that is where each week starts. Now the first of this year was on a Wednesday. When I take the photo a day approach, I will put that picture in that day's slot. That meant that this year I had some extra spaces to fill at the beginning of the layout. It varies year from year what I fill it with. I usually don't worry about it until the end of the year, but this year I decided to tackle it first.

The top left card is a card that was designed to be used for the title page. I trimmed it because I wasn't a fan of the clock motif in the right bottom corner. I wanted to use the card though because it says "Living Life One Day at a Time." And that is exactly what I am doing with the help of loved ones.

The orange card is one of Becky Higgins's freebies that can be found on her blog. It is her reason for creating Project Life products and very much influences the way she lives her life. "Part of Cultivating a Good Life is Celebrating the Little Things." And that pretty much sums up what Project Life is all about. By capturing the everyday moments I come to realize how important they are and how much they influence the big things in life.

I am a lover of quotes, so don't be surprised to find them spread throughout my album. :o) I have been known to buy scrapbook paper and then want to create a memory so that I can use my new favorite product. Yes, that is a little backwards. Ha! I sometimes can get caught up in trying to get the best photo that I forget to really experience the moment. I have felt plenty of guilt for forgetting to snap a photo because I got too caught up in the moment. That is O.K. It means that I was living in the moment instead of worrying about capturing it on my camera.  I've learned that my favorite photos I have taken are ones that are candid and unplanned.

January 1st my parents, Tom and Chris paid a visit to the Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge. I picked three photos from the experience and had Tom do the journaling since I wasn't there. Two of the photos were taken by Chris I believe and one by my dad. (He loves capturing shots of birds.)

January 2nd Chris drove my mom and I around Vancouver. I was on the hunt for the perfect pair of jeans for Chris (part of his Christmas present). Chris learned quickly earlier last year that taking photos is important to me. If he is out and about with us he usually takes on the role of photographer. It is such a HUGE blessing because he gets shots that I never would. And yes I actually end up in some of the photos. :o)

January 3rd was quite a full day. Chris helped my mom put away some Christmas decorations, and a song came on that she loves, and she started to dance. My mom is known for her zest for life, and she had Chris join her, and he actually did! He was shocked that she actually knew how to dance (her father taught her). Chris also got his first experience chopping wood with my dad. I think Chris experienced many "firsts" with my family, and he was a great sport about it all. We also headed back to Eugene.

January 4th I made a trip to Kohl's. My youngest sister asked if I had gotten the new Dr. Seuss animals. I wasn't aware that they were the choice for Kohl's Cares for Kids at that time. They had different animals around black Friday. I was disappointed to find out that they were out of Horton. We have been wanting to add him to our ever growing collection. But I did bring home these two. The alligator is in Dr. Seuss's "ABC" book and the yellow one is in his "Sleep Book" (this story has the ability to make me tired and ready for bed). Tom was excited for both. For the journaling I had Tom write his top 10 reasons for loving Dr. Seuss. You will also note a tab that says, "Remember this*." It pulls out to share something kind Chris did for us that I felt was important to document and remember but that didn't have a photo to illustrate it.

January 5th Tom made a trip to WinCo to stock up on groceries since we had been out of town and were running out of food. I found it funny that WinCo still had their Christmas paper bags for bagging groceries. I included the receipt and circled the total cost.

I had fun putting together the insert for week one. My brother-in-law got me to try "Draw Something," and before I knew it many of us were drawing pictures back and forth to each other. I like my inserts to be smaller than 12x12 so that they are sandwiched between the weekly layout. This page protector is Design F that I trimmed down. All the photos are screenshots that I took with my smart phone. I cropped them to 3x4 in Photoshop Elements.

The other side of the insert showing more of the drawings that were sent my way. I thought about putting what word was being drawn but thought it would be fun to look back and see if I could still guess them. :o) I just have to say my brother-in-law is amazing! I don't know how he draws such detailed photos and his screen is smaller than mine! I attribute it to the fact that he just finished up medical school. Ha!

A close up of the top of the backside of the insert. I cut the card out on my cameo. I took a screenshot of the kind of options you are given of what to draw and cut it out. I wanted to show a little more detail on how "Draw Something" works. The harder the word the more coins you earn. If you collect enough coins you then can buy a new set of colors to draw with. It is nice having a game where I don't feel stupid. ;o)

Project Life 2013: Title Page

I know that I've shared a photo of my title page on Facebook via Instagram, but I thought I would share some close-up shots and why I chose to set it up the way that I did. It may seem simple, but the title page is actually usually the last part completed of the year being documented.

I based some of my cards off of other people's title pages that I found on Pinterest. I love scraplifting (using someone's ideas as a starting point) and making them work for me. With each Project Life kit comes cards to use for the title page. Not a single one made it onto the spread this year. That isn't normal for me but what I wanted to include just didn't allow room.

Somewhere on the title page you will always find the year being documented. The TWENTY 13 was cut on my cameo (die-cutting machine). I bought the shape in the Silhouette Store. The card that is backing it may have been one of the cards that was supposed to be used on the title page or back page. I added the hello epoxy sticker for a little embellishment. What can I say? I love adding dimension. :)

The C.S. Lewis quote was a freebie give by Elise Blaha Cripe. She actually designed one of the editions that came out early this year called Seafoam. This quote really sums up my hopes for this year. I am hoping that 2013 is very much different than 2012. It is just as difficult so far, for some of the same reasons and for some different ones. When my mom read the quote she mentioned how in the next life we will find better things. No. I'm talking about THIS year. That I left 2012 behind and that this year holds better things than I left behind.

The upper right card was very much inspired by someone else. The column of days was cut on my cameo. The black square is where I am planning on putting a photo. I'm thinking of a feet shot. I'm not sure why, but I have been in love with those shots for a couple of years. Maybe because it is a different way to show who is present. (Or it could be the fact that there is nothing I can complain about the way I look).  :)

The "At the Start" cards are actually from the Seafoam edition. I saw how someone used it, and I decided that I wanted a place where I could include where each of us are at the beginning of this year. I own the card digitally and pulled it into Photoshop Elements to change the colors so that they match with the other cards. There is a card for Tom, Chris and me. As I have mentioned before on Facebook via Instagram (I'm seeing a pattern here), this year Tom and I are including a third person's point of view. Chris has really become like family, so I asked him at the beginning of the year (or the end of last) if he wanted to take part, and he gladly accepted. I had each of us fill out a questionnaire, and that is what you will find on each of the cards though I added the cuddling question for fun. :) I also included a wood veneer on each card. In the scrapbooking world you will find those little people referred to as "Potty People" or "Restroom People" since they are the silhouette of what you will find on public bathrooms to indicate which bathroom is for the girls and which one is for the boys. Here are the cards close up:
 

 

With my card you will notice that I've edited out some information. From time to time you may see me do that since my life is very much influenced by others, and I want to respect those boundaries.

At the end of this year I hope to have us fill out similar questions and see how much has changed from January to December. This year will most definitely bring more changes.

The other card inbetween these will hold another photo. I'm thinking of a shadow shot with the three of us. Another go to photo shot for me. :)

The bottom left card will hold a headshot photo of us or something similar. I like including pictures taken actually during the year to include on the title page. I don't even think I have a photo of the three of us. The three flags say memories, hope & together. I chose to include the word hope because it is my One Little Word for this year.

The bottom right card is a saying cut with my cameo that I bought in the Silhouette store. It is something that I need to be reminded of often. I can get caught up in the doom and gloom and forget that there really are those out there that love me and are keeping me in their prayers. And ultimately I am loved by my Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Project Life

I have mentioned Project Life before via Instagram and Facebook, but I know most of you that read my blog are not scrapbookers, or you once were but just don't have the time anymore.

At the end of 2008, Creating Keepsakes was selling a scrapbook kit titled "Project 365" designed by Becky Higgins. I didn't know a whole lot about it except for what the magazine had to say about it. My first reaction was that there was no way I could take a photo every single day for 2009. Sounded crazy to me! But as the thought mingled in my brain and I saw photos of the kit I began to have a change of heart. I wasn't actually doing much scrapbooking for myself and "Project 365" was designed in an easy way to capture the everyday moments, moments that usually didn't end up on a "traditional" scrapbook page.

The morning it went on sale I was at my parent's computer ready to purchase. The site was overloaded with people trying to buy the kit. I don't know how many times I would almost get to submit payment just to have to start all over again. I was exhausted (I think it may have been New Year's Eve the evening before) and tempted to go back to bed and try later in the day. But something caused me to keep trying and somehow I was able to grab two kits, one for my mom and one for me. Turns out that the kits sold out in record time and there were many unhappy with Creating Keepsakes for not being prepared. I don't think they realized how popular this idea was going to be. I felt so blessed that I listened to the prompting and didn't go back to bed.

Becky Higgins then quit working for Creating Keepsakes and started her own company. Everyone was on pins and needles wondering if she was going to come out with a new kit. People wanted to keep documenting their lives using her system. She did indeed come out with a kit titled "Project Life" (it is now referred to as the Cherry Edition). This time she made the kit so that you could do a photo a day, capture a week at a glance or a month or even do it just by events in your life. It was more versatile. I believe the first batch sold out, and she had to order a second one.

Since then the concept & products of Project Life have grown by leaps and bounds. Becky Higgins has partnered up with American Crafts (huge scrapbooking manufacturing company) so that Project Life will be available for retailers to sell (starting next month). Project Life just recently made its TV debut on HSN, where two editions were available to buy at a special price, and they went like hotcakes. Other scrapbooking companies are now following the trend and are providing cards/page protectors/cardstock, etc. that you can either mix with Project Life products or use on your own.

The concept is genius and is one that anyone at any age can do. I am in my fifth year of doing Project Life. 2009, 2010 and 2011 I took the photo a day approach. Last year is still in the works, but I am taking the weekly approach. I knew I wouldn't be picking my camera up as often as I struggled with depression and anxiety. 2012 also includes inserts of memorabilia and extra photos. It looks like it will take up four scrapbook albums while the first three years only took up one each. This year I am back to doing a photo a day with the idea that it would leave me time to work on 2012. Well I loved including inserts so much that I'm doing that again this year and getting a little more creative with the spreads. I'm not scrapbooking "traditionally" yet, so this gives me the perfect creative outlet.

There is a cute short video on Becky Higgins's blog that visually shows what Project Life is all about. If you are at all curious, I definitely recommend watching it. You can find it here.

Project Life has many editions (seven new ones coming out in May) and is also available digitally and on Shutterfly. I am hooked and can't imagine documenting my life without it. I wish that it existed back when I first got married so that I could have the past seven years documented this way.

Project Life Editions I have used:

2009: Project 365 (no longer available)
2010: The Cherry Edition
2011: The Amber Edition
2012: The Cobalt Edition
2013: The Clementine Edition

P.S. I also own Baby for Her Edition (to document my baby years), The Olive Edition (hopefully to document about my grandparents), The Wellington Childhood Mini Kit (document missionary experience), The Bridgeport Childhood Mini Kit (to document our time with Bryce), The Mayfield Childhood Mini Kit (to document our time with Josalyn), The Blush Edition (just because it is my second favorite of the new ones that will be available and I couldn't pass up the good price on HSN), various page protectors, 12x12 envelopes, 6x12 envelopes, 9 Mini Albums, grid cards, patterned paper, cardstock, etc. As you can see I have a weakness for all things Project Life. I'm planning on owning all the editions I don't buy in physical format digitally (ummm...have already purchased a lot). Next on my list...The Honey Edition!

P.S.S. I am hoping to share Project Life 2013 pages here on my blog. I thought before I do I would share a little more information so that you know exactly what it is I'm sharing. :o)