Project Life 2014: Week 3

Okay... trying something very different for me... patterned background paper.  I'm not 100% sure how I feel about it yet, but I think I like it.  It started out as a page of Splendid Fiins' When Skies Are Grey.  Then I decided to see what it would look like with a stripe or two of blue.  The stripe or two turned into 10 and then I decided... what the heck... and added some yellow/gold stripes as well.

Starting this year, I was afraid that my new plan of having different templates each week would slow things down.  But so far that really hasn't been a problem.  In fact, my pages seem to come together faster than when I used the same template on every single page last year.  I think it's because my photos fit my templates better (or is it the other way around?) so that I'm not forcing something to work that really doesn't.

Again... I used lots of stuff, so previews here and links will be on my pinterest board...

Project Life 2014: Week 2

Okay... I'm getting there!  I think I'm beginning to find my style for this year.  I thought I wanted lots of white space on my pages this year, but I'm finding that I just can't do it (yet).  I like photos and lots of them, so I'm focusing more on them for now and using more elements on my pages versus journaling cards and papers like I did last year.

This is week 2, but I'm wondering if my #1 stamp on the top left is confusing.  I found an idea on pinterest, to take a photo in the same place every month to show the changes in both the kids and the area where you are taking the photos.  I used the #1 to denote that it's my first of twelve photos in this series.  I think when this is done, I might make a special insert to add to the back of the book with all of the photos in order.

Anyway... nothing much else to add this week!

Oh... the downside of my new style is the shear number of different items I use. I'm posting the previews below, but probably won't get them linked up like last week.  I will be pinning them to my supply board on pinterest, if you want to check that out.

Project Life 2014: Week 1

Okay.... week one is done....

I know the look that I want, but I'm just not there yet.  But... it's done!

  

Project Life 2014: Title Page

Here we go again!  For my 2013 book, this was the last page I did, so this year I decided it should be my first...

Last post I talked about what I liked about my 2013 plan.  This time I'm going to talk about some of the things I plan on doing differently in 2014.

1.  I plan on using different templates each week.  This actually frightens me just a bit.  My same template week after week was a bit of security blanket last year.  It didn't always fit my photos best, but it's what I had decided to work with so that's just what it was.  It made starting each week a no brainer.  This change is a little daunting.  I have to make a decision right off the bat when doing each week.  I'm excited though... I want some variety in my pages.

2.  I plan on using different background papers each week.  Another daunting change for me... the same background every week was another security blanket.  But I think I'm going to like this change.  Plus the templates I'm using this year show less background, so I think I'll be okay.

3.  I'm no longer going to have a 4x6 week card.  I like the look of it, but it took up a lot of real estate on my page with little benefit.  I would rather have that space for photos.

4.  I think I'm switching to a 3x4 calendar card for my "week" card.  I just bought a set and I'm not sure if I'm sticking with just that set this year, or if I want to pick-up another set or two for variety.

5.  I'm going to be more open with my page counts for each week.  I still plan on doing at least a two page spread for each week, but instead of trying to cram lots of photos onto two pages, I plan on spreading things out over extra pages if needed.  I liked printing two books last year and I'm totally okay with printing every quarter if needed.  I'm finding that this is more than just "project life", this is my family's scrapbook and I'm okay spreading things out a bit in order to fit more in.

6.  I'm switching from rounded corners to square. Nothing earth shattering here.  Just a new look... plus I feel the new templates I'm using are truer to the shape of 4x6 and 3x4 than the one I used last year.  

These next two are more blogging related...

7.  I'm going to try to be better about posting my supply list at the end of my posts.

8.  I'm going to TRY to post things other than project life pages on my blog.  Not sure if that'll happen or not, but I'm going to try :-)

Project Life: The Final Pages

 Since I started the year with a half week, I ended with one as well...

I am so happy to have seen this project through!  I cannot wait to have it printed and actually touch the pages!

So, with 2013 complete, I'm going to talk a little about how I felt 2013 went as my first PL year.

1.  I loved keeping it simple with one template for the whole year.  In order to be successful and not get overwhelmed right off the bat, this really helped.  Regardless of the photos that I had (or didn't have), I opened the same file every week and got started.

2.  I now have my family pretty well Project Life trained.  The photos on my pages didn't come just from me.  Jeff, Alex, Clara, dance teachers, other parents, grandparents, etc. all contributed to my pages.  None of them bat an eye when I ask for a photo to use for PL and some even just automatically send me photos.

3.  As much as I was disappointed at first, I really like printing two books.  It was really nice to be able to see my pages in print mid-year.  It was a big motivator at a time when my momentum was waning a bit.

4.  I also liked (for the first year) having the same basic layout each week with the title card.  Again, it simplified things at a time when I was figuring a bunch of other stuff out.

5.  As much as I resisted, I'm glad that through PL I have been in more photos this past year.  I even found myself planning a family photo for my 2014 title page.  Wouldn't have even dreamed of that a year ago.  Doing PL have made me realize how important to document the everyday, not just the "perfect" photos.  And with that... I'm in more photos :-)

6.  The times I thought I didn't have anything worthy of PL, I just wasn't looking hard enough.  Anything is fair game for PL.  Years from now, what I thought was a boring filler, is (hopefully) going to be a fun reminder of our everyday life.

7.  I thought about making a switch to a Mon-Sun format for 2014, but I have decided that I really like Sun-Sat and will stick with it.  It does break up our weekends, but I'm okay with that.  A lot of our activities happen on the weekends, so to me it takes the pressure off of the week days.  I can sandwich a few weekday photos between two larger activity days.  I'm afraid, if I did Mon-Sun format my book would morph into a year of weekends book.  On the occasions that we have a weekend trip or something else that I don't want to break up, I don't mind having a separate two page weekend spread.  Another bonus of the two books... I have plenty of room for extra pages!

Next up... my title page and my plans for my 2014 book!!

Project Life: Week 52

Finished up week 52....

Project Life: Weeks 50 and 51...

Just finishing up the second part of my week 52, then I'll knock out my "week 53" and my 2013 book will be done!

a very late christmas card...

With my parents' visit, Christmas, my birthday, Jeff's family's visit and the New Year, I've gotten very behind with blogging.  I'm still caught up with PL (december daily... not so much).  I'll post my PL pages next, and post a bit about my plans for 2014 soon.  I'm still trying to figure out my plan of attack to shake up my PL formula a bit without complicating things.  Wish me luck!  :-)