So my friend Becky has been doing Project Life for quite some time -- and I've been secretly jealous of her ability to find the time to get it done each week and document the lives of her 'littles' {as she calls them} so well.
For months - I dreamt of finding the time to do Project Life...and for months I would go on with my week and not think about it until she posted her weekly layouts to her blog....which would again draw out the feeling referenced above.
She swore it was easy -- and didn't take much time -- I thought, "uh huh, yeah right -- look at your book it is AMAZING" -- but after months of seeing her capture the most precious times in her 'littles' lives in a book that she will have when she's in her rocker and old and gray....I finally took the plunge -- ordered the inserts on Amaz*n and uploaded my pics for printing.
And then the inserts came. And then the pics came. And then I bought a binder at H*bby L*bby. And they all sat in a stack on my dresser. For months -- while life got the best of me. Then I ordered more pictures because weeks had gone by and if I was going to do this I needed all my pics. So they came -- and joined the stack on the dresser. And then Eric mentioned that if I wasn't going to actually start Project Life that maybe I should stop ordering the pictures....which made me angry -- b/c in my head I was going to start -- any day now. But in reality he was right, it was dumb to just keep ordering the pics to put in a stack on the dresser. So I made a promise to myself to put Project Life as one of the top 5 things I wanted to get done this week. Because really this is important to me -- I want to document the lives of my own 'littles' and I want to be able to look back on it years from now and remember all the joy we had in our house. So I started last night....and as Becky said -- easy peasy! and I love it and am so addicted to it. It really does not take much time and the finished product looks great!
So Project Life is supposed to be a weekly account of the happenings in your life. But since I'm starting Jan 2011 -- I decided to just do a monthly account until I get caught up to the current. So last night I finished January, February, and March (I plan to go back and do a sep. page for our trips to Costa Ric* and Disn*y) and then will do April, May, June, and July and Colorado trip -- and then start with the weekly stuff going forward.
Here is my kitchen table -- pulled out all the scrapbook paper I could find. Man -- do I have a lot sitting around this house! Good thing -- makes layouts super easy!
January 2011 layout
January 2011 : pg.1
January 2011 : pg.2 -- minus donuts w/ dad pic that I forgot to get printed! need to do that!
February 2011 Layout
February 2011 : pg.1
February 2011 : pg.2
March 2011 Layout
March 2011 : pg.1
March 2011 : pg.2
So many of you have sent me messages on fb asking how to start and saying that you can't imagine doing this. Seriously -- it does not take that much time. And if you know me well -- you know that I really don't have that much 'free' time -- so I must be telling the truth when I say it doesn't take that much time!! Do it. It is super easy - seriously! I plan to do April and May tonight....and before you know it I'll be caught up on the year and it will feel SOOOO good to know that I have pics and events documented somewhere aside from sitting on my memory card or in some obscure folder on my mac.
So how to begin {copied DIRECTLY word-for-word from my friend Becky -- b/c why waste time re-writing what she already wrote so well}
or, as nike puts it, just do it! just start where you are. this week.
don't even approach it as something to get caught up on. just take it day by day and go with it.
i've found that keeping my actual book downstairs on our dining room table helps me to just slip things in from the week. a receipt, a special card, a news article, a piece of artwork, etc. etc.
and then when i finally get around to printing my pictures on tuesday or wednesday {from wolf camera for 5 cents each}, i can take it upstairs and whip out a week in 30 minutes {or less!}
here's your supply list if you're getting started:
+ a 12 x 12 three-ring binder scrapbook {these go on sale at hobby lobby & joann. or you can use a coupon.}
+ 2 sets of these 12 x 12 photo insert pages. {i WOULD recommend getting these ones specifically, as they have the four inserts for 'journaling' or whatever}.
+ 1 box of these journaling cards.
+ 1 4 x 6 matte stack of your choice {available at hobby lobby, michael's, joann, target....} these make it super easy to matte your pictures if you get the smaller kind like i do - OR fill in a photo slot with some journaling OR cut out a smaller journaling card from this... and so on.
***if you don't already have a paper cutter, i'd recommend getting one. i have this cheapo one that i got from target. i'm pretty sure you could find one at joann or hobby lobby on sale... or with a coupon.
***i also just recently added a corner rounder to my stash. they're $9 or so, but you can get them on sale also. {can you tell i like sales??}
so.... what are you waiting for???? get it done! i know you want to!
and here's a BIG PS - all of joann's scrapbook stuff is 40% off. i think they have a really good selection too.... so there. now you have NO REASON to not get started!!!!
Jen posting again :: Ok so that's it -- and I really really really hope she doesn't mind me posting one of her layouts -- b/c she is way more talented than I am...just to give you some inspiration...
TIP ALERT :: oh and if you order 3.5 x 5" pics your life will be all that much easier! b/c you won't have to cut down your pics for the 4 'big' slots on your page :) just round those corners and stick 'em in!
