Sunday, July 22, 2012

Project Life, Week 25

Hi friends, I thought I'd pop in here and share something crafty that I've been spending a lot of time on this year -- Project Life. If you're not familiar with this scrapbook system, check it out at beckyhiggins.com.

I have to let you know I'm uncomfortable sharing my PL pages here on my blog, because a) they're not very good; b) I'm pretty boring; and c) I'm not much of a photographer. [Interestingly, I used to take much better family photos years ago, when I first got a DSLR and let the camera just do its thing in auto mode. Over the past few years, I've learned just enough about photography to be dangerous, but not enough to be any good (yet). Seriously!]

I intend to fix that, but until then, I'm not letting my familiar friend Perfectionism keep me from tackling this project!  I haven't really scrapbooked in years, and while I don't necessarily miss the scrapbooking itself (cards are a perfect size canvas for me, thank you!), I do wish I had more stories and memories recorded for my children to enjoy both now and in the future. Project Life, with its 4x6 and 3x4 pockets, is perfect for me!

Here's Week Twenty-Five, June 17-23:


And some close-ups:

(left side)


The Project Life Core Kits all come with pre-made title cards, but I thought this would be the perfect place for some creativity, so I'm doing my own thing for these. Even if I don't get very creative elsewhere on the weekly spreads, I think it's fun to make each of these unique and interesting. For Week 25, I've used the Echo Park This 'n' That Charming collection, both the papers and some sticker elements. The corrugated letters and numbers are by Jillibean Soup. I like how this one turned out.




Father's Day 2012 may get its own traditional scrapbook page someday, but I still wanted to include a snippet in this album. The base of the top left (3x4) card is by Echo Park (either Charming or For the Record?). I added the "Happy" sticker element and then an old "Father's Day" rub-on from my stash, as well as some yellow baker's twine. The right card is from the Project Life Clementine core kit. I added a photo, some washi tape, and handwritten journaling. (By the way,  my handwriting is definitely something that has deteriorated with age!) On the photo, the "we love" comes from Ali Edwards' We Word Art Brushes & Stamps (available at Designer Digitals). The letters are stickers.



"This photo tells a story" is another digi element by Ali Edwards: Little Bit of Messy.The journaling card is from one of the Echo Park Charming 12x12 patterns (I think).




More Ali Edwards digi elements (I may have combined brushes from two sets to create pool party) and more Charming papers and stickers. I need to switch out that smudged journaling label!



(right side)



A photo of my boys rough-housing. Behind the photo are two 3x4 Echo Park journaling cards, accented on the right with patterned papers. I used a craft knife to cut around those little flags on the left, then just tucked the photo behind them. Some Tim Holtz tiny staples hold everything together.




Another Charming journaling card, an oval punch/die-cut, and some yellow letters that I cut with my Silhouette (Postino font)



Two really bad iPhone photos of our first trip to a local ice skating rink, as well as our admission stickers and the receipt. The letters are stickers -- I think they maybe October Afternoon. (And I think I should take notes so I can I.D. this stuff better!)




A trio of random photos from the week. The numbers were punched from an Echo Park Charming pattern and correspond to items on the weekly summary card (included below). To make the trio, I used a free photo template from Persnickety Prints, 6x4 Tiny Templates.



Mr. Popper's Penguins was a free movie at the local theater this particular week. I just did an internet image search and saved the highest resolution movie image file I could find. The decorative card on the right is (I think) from the Project Life Clementine core kit.



Last is a week-in-review card that I pretty much loathe :) Just didn't turn out like I wanted, but I was too spent by this point to change it up. The numbers (again, punched from one of the Echo Park Charming patterns) correspond to the numbered photos elsewhere on the week's spread.

Whew! That's it. Let me know what you think!


13 comments:

MackieMade Paper Creations said...

I think you have done a great job!!!

Marisa said...

Your pages are much better than mine as I have never made one LOL! Good for you for putting some memories down on paper. Your kids are adorable :)

Debbie Carriere said...

LOVE it!!! Love all the personal touches, love your main title card, and love the digital brushes! As I sit looking at a foot high (seriously!) pile of memorabilia from the past two months :( Thanks for the motivation!!

Melisa Hunter said...

Thanks for sharing! Your pages are wonderful! You are definitely too hard on yourself! I bought a Project Life kit in December with the intention of filling out a couple of pages for each week and I haven't done a single one. It sounded so easy, but life gets in the way. So great for your family to have these memories to look back on later.

Basement Stamper said...

I love that you are sharing your Project Life and I know I don't share mine for the same reason. I told my SIL that it's a glorified photo book for me, because I try to scrapbook some of must stuff but it's still pretty boring and my pictures are definitely NOT good. I am happy to see that you are sharing and I need to photo some of mine and share as well.

Jen Tapler said...

Oh Amy! I'm so happy to see some of your PL pages! This looks fantastic (and WAY fancier than my pages!!). Most importantly, I'm just so glad you're doing this. Memory keeping is so important. I've always been a scrapbooker, but was never great about really capturing the everyday stuff. After we went through the Alzheimer's ordeal with my Dad a few years ago, this became SO MUCH MORE important to me. You just never know if you'll (a) not be around to share these memories with your kids some day or (b) be around but not able to share them. So happy you're doing this and have stuck with it! My Project Life album has become my FAVORITE project and my top priority for crafty time. You're inspiring me to try to share more of mine...

Monika/Buzsy said...

Amy, your PL pages are AWESOME! The little extra touches to the cards are fabulous. The stitching, the tags, tabs... I don't think you have to feel uncomfortable at all! You rocked these girl!

selina.mcginn said...

Your PL pages are amazing. I'm not a scrapbooker either but have contemplated doing PL. Thanks for the inspiration.

Dawn Easton said...

Oh Amy, you make me want to get out and do this too!!! I am NOT a scrapbooker at all :( Your pages are amazing!!!!

Amy Rohl said...

You are much too hard on yourself, Amy, because these are just perfect! Boy, you're tugging at me to give this a whirl, but I'm afraid it would whirl me into panic mode...aack!

Thanks for sharing!

Maureen said...

LOVE your PL spread! You definitely should be showing them off! Love how you added all your own supplies to really make it personal and fun!

Anonymous said...

Hi Amy! These are great!! I'd kill for your handwriting, too! :-) Keep posting - I'd love to see more! And when you start selling your beautiful, awesome cards, be sure to let me know - I'll be first in line! I strongly suggest you open an Etsy shop. You'll always have new items to add! TFS!

Unknown said...

I love it. Please share more.