Project Life® 4-8 through 4-14-2017

This week's fairly simple spread uses Ali's Tough Digital Story Kit to unify the pictures and dates.  The images used on the photos were part of a word sticker set that came with Tough.  I went right to Tough because this was a HELLA week to try to push through.  Stomach virus and several days of nausea in a life that was not stopping for recovery.  The usual life of a mom.

When I saw Ali make this card for one of her spreads, I knew I needed to make a "So Over Being Sick" sentiment card.  The "smiling pie of pooh" stamp came with the Texting You set from Simon Says Stamp.  The alphabet is a random alphabet I bought at one time.  Every other card/sticker came from a kit of Ali's at some point.  Since I have them split up, it's hard to say.

Project Life® 3/25 through 3/31/2017

This week was one of travel, so many photo options were possible.  

I decided to use a photo of the plane I was about to board in Hartford, CT, as my title card for this spread, since most of my week was on the go.  Each picture has the date stamped on in in StazOn Opaque White. Almost everything on the page is from Ali Edwards, except the "Life" card.

I used some elements from the Ali Edwards Bond Story Kit on this pic, as well as some word stickers from other kits.  This is a pic of my sister-in-law and I as we ran errands.

I used the backs of some cards from last week's spread, as they worked pretty well.  "The story of now" card was the back of last week's "the story of then" card from Ali's Old + New Story Kit.  "Life" is from the Kraft Project Life® Kit, which remains one of my favorite kits.

Page 2 includes some additional elements.  The "How About No" sticker of from the Simple Stories #Whatever kit. I used the Instaweather app for the photo of me in the airport. Ali's Magic Story Kit was used for the arrow and the phrase on the mall pic when we saw Beauty and the Beast.  "The Story of this Tough Day" is from the Tough Story Kit.

 There were many food photos from the week. I used some of Ali's elements from the Eat Story Kit.  I did a small collage of some of the foods and added the "Yum" sticker at the bottom.

Next week: Ignatius is documenting!  Stay tuned!

Project Life® 3/18-3/24/2017

This week, I used Ali's Handdrawn Days digital files on each of the photos for some unity in the layout. Again, multiple products from Ali's Story Kits were used, among other random (probably Simple Stories and Project Life) cards.

I added the stamp "Scrap" from Technique Tuesday's Paper Hoarder set to a card from Ali's Read Story Kit.  It worked quite perfectly for the story I had to tell about Max pouring over scrapbooks.  I also used cards from Ali's Drive kit (Miles and Miles) and Numbers kit (Cost of Goods Right Now). The title card is from Ali's Craft kit.  Embellishments are all from one AE kit or another.  I believe the "hustlin'" card is from a Simple Stories sheet. The stamp on Tuesday's photo is from the Technique Tuesday stamp set as well.  I stamped using Staz On Opaque white ink.

Embellishments again are from Ali's kits.  I have them broken up, so it would be hard to say which ones.  The grid card is a Project Life product.  The Yikes from the Surprise kit was perfect for the journaling about my unexpectedly green calzone. The journal card about my throwback photo was from Ali's Old + New kit, which was my first Story Kit purchase (AKA the gateway drug).  The #Cool card was, I believe, from a We R Memory Keepers kit...or Simple Stories...not sure.

A close up of some flair.  

Project Life® Title Page

Keepin' it simple.  I used cards from the Inspire Edition in my Project Life® app.  I added to the 'about us' card and signed the 'written by' card.  I used Ali's number stickers for the year.  Not sure how far in to 2018 this will go, if at all, so I put the stickers on the page protector in case I needed to edit.  I dig it.  Love the brush script and water color.

Project Life® Week of 3/11 through 3/17

The double-page spread.  Not as much embellishments this week, as I believe there are lots of "words" to consider.  When I was finished with the guts, I just decided that adding more was unnecessary.  I am also becoming quite free with where the photos go in the spread.  If I went in a day-by-day fashion, this spread would have very little unity.  Bottom line: It would have bugged me.  So I grouped things together where it made the most sense.

I decided to use a meme that I loved to title the spread.  So spot on.  I love that I was able to incorporate the back of one of Ali's cards into this spread.  That does not always work out as smoothly.  I also used a Project Life card I had for St. Patrick's Day, as well as a digital Project Life® card that went will with my Seuss-y shots.

This week had a theme all right: bat-shit crazy.  My journaling tells the tale.

Project Life® Week of 3/4-3/10

Week 2 of my newest Project Life® adventure is in the book. This week uses a hodgepodge of materials from a few different vendors, some of whom I remember, others, I do not.  I have my materials organized by their use, not by vendor, and sometimes things look pretty similar from set to set. I attempted unity by having the same patterned 4 x 6 card (I believe from WRMK) on each page, adding a label or chipboard element for variety.  I also repeated some cards of Ali's with grids and sayings. After that, I chose cards that would help me tell the story, which was Ali's theme for the third week of Storytelling with Project Life®.  Some cards are from Ali, one was randomly in my stash, but I think it is from WRMK or Simple Stories.  

I had the spread done, then I went to a scrapbook store and purchased this cute stamp which was part of Taylored Expressions Weekend Warrior set.  I knew EXACTLY what I wanted to do with this image when I got home.  I used StazOn in opaque white and stamped directly on the photo.  First use of the stamp: buttah.

Stickers from various Story Kits of Ali's are all throughout the layout.  I believe these will continually be my icing on my pages.  They are just too cute.  I added them mainly to the outside of the page protectors.

Project Life® Begins Again

I was so, so, so excited in 2010 when Project Life® came out.  I have done this project three times as a whole album, not necessarily a whole year.  It is the easiest, most efficient way of scrapbooking that exists on the planet.  Call it "pocket scrapbooking" if you will, but Becky Higgins was definitely the enabler for me.

Recently, I joined Ali Edwards' Storytelling with Project Life class. An overview of the class is here.

The first week allowed class participants to take video walks through Ali's albums.  I was pretty excited about that.  The best part?  She's not done with them.  Not by a long shot.  And that made her even more human to me.

The second week was focused on process.  We were challenged to just FILL THE POCKETS.  Get a spread done.  Use a "kit" that is color coordinated to eliminate some of the decision making hurdles.  Add embellishments AFTER the story has been told.  Tell whatever story you wish; don't be critical of yourself.

With these things in mind, I tried to take a photo a day, at minimum.  I used Instagram (sorry, it's a private account, but my craft one is public) as placeholders for the stories. (Ali stresses how she uses it religiously to remember the stories when she runs out of time for the physical book.) Here's what evolved:

I used Ali's 4 x 3 Class Set stamps and StazOn opaque white ink on each photo.  You will also see a variety of word and chipboard stickers from Ali's Story Kits and Simple Stories.  The cards are from the Project Life® Honey Edition.  The journal cards are actually bifold cards that I cut in half.

page 1

page 2

full spread

And like that, a week is done.  I decided to go Saturday to Friday with my weeks so that I could compile the pages on a Friday, when I have time and motivation.  Seemed to work well.  Wish me luck!

Project Life: SY2014-15 Part 2

This was a busy winter/spring.  I have no problem taking pictures.  Printing them out and journaling is a little harder for me to keep track of.  That's why the Collect app was a godsend.  It created a 4 x 3 with the date and brief journaling.  I placed them in a 4 x 6 PSD template and sent them to Walgreens.  When I got them back, I cut them and placed them in Becky Higgins Project Life Page Protector Design F.  You will even see a few of her 4 x 3 digital cards in there as well.

Never underestimate the power of stickers to create cards.

Some months had more pages than others. This month included a trip to FSU.  Too bad that did not work out, but all things occur for a reason.

Discovered the InstaWeather app.  Life changer.  It allows you to overlay current weather on a photo.

The larger version of the program had letters from parents and other items.  It did not like staying in an 8.5 x 11 protector.  So I created a ribbon holder for it.

I overpurchased this confetti for the table at graduation.  I thought it would look great on this page.  I used my Fuse to seal the pocket.

Super excited to use the Fuse to seal in his cap and tassel.  I love that I can make it a part of the book.

Used some tint staples to secure the excess.

Again, documenting Ignatius' achievements has been a nice addition to the book.

The choice is made.

Love how the last page turned out.