First off, this is my third year doing this. I remember hitting several walls the first year--especially in February when I realized I had to "keep up this pace". I later had a change of attitude and didn't put so much pressure on myself to have the "perfect" photo or element every single day. Letting go of my expectations was SUCH a release for me...
After that first year, I remember thinking I would not go on and do another one. It was a lot of work, one more thing on my To Do List, blah, blah, blah. When I put the last journaling spot in with the last photo, and I took that completed book and showed my family, my attitude quickly changed. I was SO thankful I did it.
Now, I am not like many who only use Project Life as their single source of scrapbooking. In fact, I think doing only everyday shots sometimes does a disservice to milestones, longer stories, lessons I want my my children to hear from me, etc. For me, I use it for just everyday stuff. And that really counts.
I'm working with the Amber Project Life edition this year. Love the fun, bright colors that make me smile. My girlfriend and I swapped a few of the journaling spots (she got the other edition) so we could mix it up a bit. I do not use the binders that come with the kit once the year is over (I use We R Memory Keepers 3 Ring binders exclusively for all my family albums, and they're all color coded). I do use my binder throughout the year and keep all my stuff in there at hand in our living space so I can find it easily. Our kids journal in it often (pretty much weekly). I love that their handwriting and viewpoints are captured. I also use divided page protectors and baseball card protectors to add elements that I also love--tiny pictures, fabric swatches from a recent home improvement project, bits of mail, a receipt, etc. Helps to add to the feel of our lives right now.A while back, I started a process that works for me and develop my pictures weekly. That being said, I do own a Canon Selphy CP780 and I LOVE IT. It is perfect for little photos or something that is needed in a pinch. I have an HP printer that I also enjoy, but mainly use those for larger prints, not my Project Life stuff. As I've said before, I love Costco's photo processing--so I mostly get my prints there or online. If you are new to this and are starting to feel overwhelmed, I would recommend finding your own rhythm and stick to it. Whatever works!
I found this recent quote SO perfect for this project...
And for those of you who need a little daily reminder to write, I've found this site to be extremely helpful. It sends you an email reminder, and all you have to do is respond for your daily post! OhLife is fun...and perfect if you have trouble with the journaling part.
And for those of you who need a little daily reminder to write, I've found this site to be extremely helpful. It sends you an email reminder, and all you have to do is respond for your daily post! OhLife is fun...and perfect if you have trouble with the journaling part. I'd love to hear about your Project Life Projects, and any suggestions you might like to add! Feel free to leave any questions as well.
Enjoy your day!
I've thought about doing the project life many times, BUT my boys aren't fond of having photos taken of them. I have tons from when they were younger, but at the ages of 15 & 13.......the photo journaling just isn't as easy as it used to be!! I'm clinging to the milestones that I'm able to capture & the occasional random candid photo I sneak once in a while~
ReplyDeleteI'm doing Project Life again this year. I felt the same way as you the first year, I kept wondering if I should continue or not, but then December 31 came and it was SO COOL to look back at the whole year.
ReplyDeleteI'm still scrapbooking too, but LOVE doing the 1 simple photo a day.
I am having a tough time with keeping up and remembering to take a photo a day.. any tips?
ReplyDeleteHi Terri--
ReplyDeleteI have several suggestions! First off, become a fan of Becky Higgins on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Becky-Higgins-LLC/301573840173
She offers lots of suggestions on a regular basis, and all are inspiring. Also, Ali Edwards is doing a weekly update on her Project Life on her blog (aliedwards.com) so you can find inspo there, too. Big Picture Scrapbooking is doing a class on the topic, so you can check there. Also, Erin Cobb is sharing her series of photos called "One Frame A Day" here:
http://photographybyerin.typepad.com/take_two/
I hope this helps!
What a fantastic project! And I love that quote by Elizabeth Berg!
ReplyDeleteOh I've admired many a project life spread without taking the plunge myself. I love the notion of leaving it out and having the kids do some journaling. Do you have a set time of day to do it? Load by week? Where do I find out about the whole process? Are the sleeves of high quality? I've heard they are/were flimsy. How about the kits? THANK YOU!
ReplyDelete@Heather--I use the Project Life that Becky Higgins developed (available at Amazon.com). I upload my photos weekly to Costco, and keep up with it usually on the weekend (Sunday evenings). Are the sleeves flimsy? Somewhat. But they hold, and I've only had 2 tear in 3 years, so that isn't too bad. The book gets a lot of use, so I'd say it holds up well. I like the kit--but if the protectors were less expensive, I'd just buy those and do my own (just being honest!). The kit is a value--I just am not a big fan of either one this year. Hope that helps!
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what I was looking for Trish! The quality of her kits has been a question for me from the KOTM days...stuff seemed cheap. I didn't know the PL kits changed every year. Looking fwd to next years designs then! The concept is too delicious to pass up! :)
ReplyDelete