Sometimes I wonder if I have lost the plot entirely attempting Project Life again this year. I started last year with a hiss and a roar and lasted just under six months before I came to a grinding halt. I loved my album and my family still pull it out often to look at it but it was such an enormous time suck. It all went wrong when I started sending my photos out for printing as the lag got me very behind.
I spent a lot of time tossing the idea around before the Studio Calico announcement of Project Life kits pushed me over the edge and I have decided to try again. I did not start PL at the beginning of the year as we had a house full of guests and my kit had not arrived so this week is catch up week. I have all my photos printed for the first three weeks and I have pulled out all my Clementine kit from last year as I really want to use it up, mainly as backing for smaller pictures. I have also purchased some lovely cards from Geralyn Sy's In a Creative Bubble store. They are stunning in real life - even more beautiful than they looked online. Other than that I will be raiding my newly organised stash (it really helps to have an OCD sister come and stay - it all got too much for her and we spent an afternoon sorting).
In the interests of keeping costs down I have decided to use one of my Amy Tangerine chevron albums.
I am absolutely going with keep it simple for the front cover. I may come back and change this later on but it works for me now. The flair came with the Studio Calico kit.
I have one rule for my new approach to PL and that is the old chestnut of done is better than perfect. I followed my husband's advice and used the auto settings when printing my Creative Bubble printables and they made them smaller. I could have reprinted them I suppose but I have just mounted them on some Clementine kit inserts so they do not roll around too much. I may add something to the geotag insert. The inserts are all SC with the exception of Everyday Living and the Home Sweet Home pages which are from A Creative Bubble. We discovered to our horror that we have no recent photos with all three of us with the exception of the one here which is far from perfect. I am tempted to leave it as is but we may try and take a few photos over the weekend and replace it! I used insert G for this cover page which is actually 10 x 12. I just knew I wanted to be able to use photos going both ways.
I have tried to tell lots of stories and deliberately kept the pictures small so there is plenty of room for journalling. We had my sister and my brother-in-law and his girl friend staying with us that week so there was quite a lot going on. I also included a couple of photos from our last day in Phuket as I work Monday to Sunday and the 31st was Monday. Along with the usual supplies I have included a flair from Sasha Farina's store and a tonne of smaller lettering from my stash.
This second half of the week one spread includes a folded goals list for the year, a bit of an explanation for my new look and I also share the word our family is embracing this year - Adventure.
If I am honest it took me two hours to get to this point not counting printing the photos, trimming and organising them and the printables. I really do not have the time to spend more than this each week so I am really going to be working on streamlining my process as I continue. I am absolutely going to have single side weeks if not much has happened. I want to record our life but I don't want to reduce the time I have to live it!
I am hoping to get Week 2 finished tonight in front of the telly although I suspect that might be wishful thinking as we are off for a long weekend in Bangkok on Friday so packing could be in my future.
Have a great Thursday!
I spent a lot of time tossing the idea around before the Studio Calico announcement of Project Life kits pushed me over the edge and I have decided to try again. I did not start PL at the beginning of the year as we had a house full of guests and my kit had not arrived so this week is catch up week. I have all my photos printed for the first three weeks and I have pulled out all my Clementine kit from last year as I really want to use it up, mainly as backing for smaller pictures. I have also purchased some lovely cards from Geralyn Sy's In a Creative Bubble store. They are stunning in real life - even more beautiful than they looked online. Other than that I will be raiding my newly organised stash (it really helps to have an OCD sister come and stay - it all got too much for her and we spent an afternoon sorting).
In the interests of keeping costs down I have decided to use one of my Amy Tangerine chevron albums.
I am absolutely going with keep it simple for the front cover. I may come back and change this later on but it works for me now. The flair came with the Studio Calico kit.
I have one rule for my new approach to PL and that is the old chestnut of done is better than perfect. I followed my husband's advice and used the auto settings when printing my Creative Bubble printables and they made them smaller. I could have reprinted them I suppose but I have just mounted them on some Clementine kit inserts so they do not roll around too much. I may add something to the geotag insert. The inserts are all SC with the exception of Everyday Living and the Home Sweet Home pages which are from A Creative Bubble. We discovered to our horror that we have no recent photos with all three of us with the exception of the one here which is far from perfect. I am tempted to leave it as is but we may try and take a few photos over the weekend and replace it! I used insert G for this cover page which is actually 10 x 12. I just knew I wanted to be able to use photos going both ways.
I have tried to tell lots of stories and deliberately kept the pictures small so there is plenty of room for journalling. We had my sister and my brother-in-law and his girl friend staying with us that week so there was quite a lot going on. I also included a couple of photos from our last day in Phuket as I work Monday to Sunday and the 31st was Monday. Along with the usual supplies I have included a flair from Sasha Farina's store and a tonne of smaller lettering from my stash.
This second half of the week one spread includes a folded goals list for the year, a bit of an explanation for my new look and I also share the word our family is embracing this year - Adventure.
If I am honest it took me two hours to get to this point not counting printing the photos, trimming and organising them and the printables. I really do not have the time to spend more than this each week so I am really going to be working on streamlining my process as I continue. I am absolutely going to have single side weeks if not much has happened. I want to record our life but I don't want to reduce the time I have to live it!
I am hoping to get Week 2 finished tonight in front of the telly although I suspect that might be wishful thinking as we are off for a long weekend in Bangkok on Friday so packing could be in my future.
Have a great Thursday!
It looks great. I don't think it has to be perfect, it just has to reflect your week and when I look back at the start of last year (I only lasted 6 months) I wish I had of stuck with it because even though mine was a bit messy it was great to look back.
ReplyDeleteGreat job and thanks for the bubble store link. Off to buy some.
ReplyDeleteIt looks great. I swore I'd never do this project, who would want to see what I do each week. But I started this year and so far so good...I also use the KISS system.
ReplyDeleteI think it's looking good!
ReplyDeletei love it....but wondering what page protector that first page is??? love the mix of landscape and portrait...plus the 2 little card gaps!!!
ReplyDeleteNice job! And yes, definitely done is better than perfect. If it makes you feel better, you can tell yourself you can always go back and embellish more, etc. (That's how I got myself to move on, and just get it done, and it worked in 2012.)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the cover of your album with the little flair in the middle. And of course, you have great taste in albums!
Key for me when I was getting photos printed externally (before I got my awesome printer) was to stick to a schedule - sort and edit on Sunday, send to printers via Internet Sunday night, pick up on Monday.
Good luck! I know you can do it - and just think of how exciting it'll be to have a complete album of what is likely to be a busy year for you, with moving and all!