Project Life was invented by Becky Higgins and there's a really cool video on her blog at beckyhiggins.com, that stated simply what PL is. Its a binder, its pocketed-page protector, pictures and words. No scissors, no adhesive required. Granted, I take it a bit further.
I quickly jumped in, because I loved the concept. After about 4 weeks, I was done. I just didn't have the system, the drive, time, etc, etc. to keep up. So like 2011, I'll be doing monthly spreads well after the fact. (actually I'll complete it this summer while in KY) because I've printed all the pictures, kept the little bits and pieces.
However with all that said, I am bound and determined to make it happen this year. There's so many bloggers, scrapbookers, etc doing this project, that I had to be a part of it weekly. We've got so much going on that I'm forgetting things as fast as its happening and these are are the moments I'll miss so much when the boys are grown.
So when Studio Calico (one of my favorite scrapping company, which is actually located in BG, KY) offered a project life monthly kit. I signed up. yep. No more trips to hobby lobby or michael's to just browse. My scrapping budget is coming directly out of my account monthly for this wonderful kit.
Unfortunately, the demand for the kits were overwhelming for SC and many people didn't recieve a January kit, M.E. included. BUT I GOT FEBRUARY'S. woohoo!
Getting to my point... I'm keeping up. I'm two pictures away from getting week 6 completed. YES!
So, I decided to go ahead and share the January weeks with you here. I know a lot of the photo are blog photo repeats, but its what's going on.
I've also blurred the text because I wrote about us, our names, our location, friends, etc. that I'm just not cool with floating out there in digital-sphere.
Week 1
This is the back side of the cover page, so the 5 is thus backwards for this page, but I like the cool see-thru items. This is pretty basic. Trying to be simple with a cute week one title card with the dates stamped on, a new year's pic, a couple of stories, a calendar, another picture from the airplane on the flight home and then a clipping from a planning meeting we had at church. And that's it.
Because week one was a short week and a travel week, I really didn't have many photos worth using, so instead of trying to use filler, I simply used a pretty piece of 12x12 cardstock and cut it to slip into the pockets on the facing page. This way week two could be a spread, keeping everything in order. I'm trying to not to worry about that big blank page, but to love the paper and move on.
Week 2
Still not really into the mode of taking a lot of photos throughout the week, so lots of random stuff. The big post holiday grocery run and receipt. I think it'll be funny to look back years from now to see what milk cost, etc. Some story cards and a picture of Babe with the kitchen. The Man and I had to get caught up on watching our show, so I downloaded the logo for the show and added it as well.
Week 2 (right page)
Here I managed a couple more photos toward the end of the week and a couple more stories. I wound up living that top slot blank with just the patterned paper, because its just cool. The top is LG at cub scouts. In the middle and bottom a picture of Buddy and his friend Z who was over for a sleepover and the details of their adventure. The bottom also has a pic of the ornament storage.
Week 3
The top is a title card and a clipping from Buddy's homework on the top. He has such wonderful handwriting. I use my iphone for pictures a lot and because I have a first generation phone the pictures are NOT high quality, so I typically keep them small and print them two to a 4x6 photo sheet. There's the Man in his seahawk jersey ready for the playoffs and a snapshot of our winter weather advisory. We got nothing. On the bottom I have a "hello 2013" card from Studio Calico and a picture of Babe on a lawnmower at Lowes. Just because.
(Right Page)
On top we have a picture of Babe playing in the sink, he had actually gotten so wet, he took 'everything' off and was happily playing. And there's also a clipping from LG's spelling word list. In the middle I have a tweet card, a patterned-transparency, a clipping of artwork from Babe's class and then a caption about the picture below. On the bottom, a picture of our post-holiday mantel and Buddy's grade card. Just random stuff form our everyday.
I tried to get a shot of the patterned-transparency, but I don't know if you can see it very well. Its just a piece of plastic with that cool pattern on it. Another see-thru element.
Week 4
This was the week we all had the flu, so laying on the couch for 3 straight days didn't lead to a lot of photo taking or documentation. But that's life and I'm moving on. There's a cute title card, a picture of the boys all in the same chair at the computer on top. In the middle a picture of LG with his cool rocks from the rock tumbler, a drawing by Babe (can you believe he drew that?), the backside of the transparency and a clipping from a note to LG telling him I about after school plans. On the bottom, Buddy makes homemade lemonade and a blurb about the Flu.
Week 4 (right page)
Like I said, there's wasn't much to document, so another cool piece of card stock fills in the pockets on the facing page. done and done.
So there's January, all finished. I'm really glad I'm doing this and can't wait to use my February kit goodies from Studio Calico. Yay! I'll post all of February, in early March. Stay Tuned!
Thanks for sharing. I have been trying to figure out something easy to do with large blank spots for a while.
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