Still think Project Life has to be a “certain way”? There’s no such thing. Each album will be as unique as the people and families who are using Project Life to document their stories. I think anyone will find inspiration in this email I’m sharing with you today. And it’s perfect timing for those of you in Europe who now have Project Life available to you.
Dear Becky,
I’ve had an a-ha moment: Knowing that I have designated spaces to fill with everydayness has come to mean that I no longer “edit” our lives as far as what I include in the family album. I have crazy handwriting after being forced to be right-handed. I can not spell. I have to filter some pictures to look Instagram-y because they are fuzzy. My printer needs scolding occasionally, and I use a $69 point-and-shoot camera. And that is OK. I would rather have an album to enjoy now instead of waiting until the art fairies make me a well-equipped design genius.
I haven’t been using the full Project Life kit because they were sold out by the time I realized I wanted to do this for life as it happens instead of just for my childhood pics. I’m using your Photo Pocket Pages, Journaling Cards, leftovers from my Amber edition (my childhood album), and stuff from my stash.
The 0/15 spelling test? It’s in the album (bad spelling is a family trait).
The bill from the vet when the cat licked himself into what looked like a bikini wax? It’s in there — complete with the tiny, unflattering cat mug shot the vet prints on the upper left corner of the bill.
A picture of me and my friend after 90 minutes of my first hot yoga class? Yep. She made me promise not to prove it by sending you a copy of us looking like sweaty lumps, but it’s in there.
I have married Steve twice. We won a wedding re-do on a radio station this February because I had chicken pox two weeks before our first wedding.
Tags off the replacement bras I just bought after my helpful spouse threw my old ones in the drier one last time too many? Yep. They fit in the journaling spot just fine.
Movie tickets from the impulsive Mother’s Day movie, even though it was no Oscar winning film? Yup. And I found a piece of print advertisement with the characters on it too.
Our 8-year-old daughter Audrey still needs to journal on the Octopus page.
My cousin posing with a very surprised UPS man after she missed the delivery of our iPad2 and had to stalk the driver to his store at the end of his shift? Yep, it’s there in 4×6 color.
I would have NEVER taken these photos or saved this stuff back when I made whole pages about single events, or even when I did monthly wrap up layouts. They really are pieces of the whole in our messy lives, and I am so thankful that they will now be included. Who isn’t going to love looking at that imperfect stuff later on?
Documenting life is a blessing. Anyone who takes pictures, writes in a journal, scrapbooks, or records life in any form knows how rich the experience can be — both the act of documenting, as well as being able to go back and look at what has been recorded.
And for many, documenting life has taken on a whole new level of significance. I know many of you have used Project Life to record the journey through difficult times. Like Karin.
In her own words: Really It all began December 1, 2010. My beautiful little boy was diagnosed with leukemia and our world turned upside down. We spend 45 hellish days in the hospital getting Elijah healthy enough to come home. Once we got home I didn’t recognize my little boy and I really felt like things were happening and changing so fast. So on January 14, 2011 I decided that I was going to start taking a picture a day of Elijah to document his year in treatment for leukemia. I wanted to be able to look back at this time through treatment and be able to show him that we lived a life with joy despite the circumstances. I wanted him to be able to look back at his treatment years from now and see that we lived life to the fullest and didn’t let life keep kicking us while we were down. Quickly I realized that I didn’t just want that for Elijah. I also wanted his baby sister Aliyah to see her life was lived and loved through all of this. So I started taking pictures and looked for an album to put the pictures in and write a little story about their day. I knew I didn’t have time to make them a scrapbook.
……….
……….
So I found a simple album that was just picture slots and got one for each child. The problem? There was no place to journal. It left me cutting out little note cards and trying to fit the days journaling around the picture. Quite frankly, the end result was awful. But — that was what was available. Then my sister-in-law heard about my project and asked if I was using Project Life because she had just found out about it and ordered herself an Amber kit. I quickly looked it up and it was exactly what I had been wanting. I was sold and so I ordered a Amber kit for Aliyah and a Turquoise kit for Elijah. As soon as it arrived I copied everything I had already put into the cheap albums into the new kits and I loved the results! This was exactly what I had been looking for.
……….
……….
Now I have 17 completed weeks in their albums and daily filling each new day. I am in love with your kits and don’t think I will be stopping at the end of this year. By keeping up with the journaling and photo processing every day I have found an amazing thing. My experience of life has changed. There are days that my experience says it was a terrible, horrible, no-good day with nothing redeeming at all. Then I go up to my loft office and process the day’s pictures and write the kids’ journal entries. Not one day in the 118 days of photos I have taken, has my kids’ overall experience been a total bad day. Sure, there are bad moments and hardships – especially in treating cancer – but my kids are thriving and still happy despite all we have given up. I see their joy and realize that the day wasn’t as bad as I experienced it and so I can go to bed each night in peace.
……….
I have seen my children’s amazing spirit and it has saved me from the darkness I feared when my son was diagnosed. Having Project Life has helped me to really live life with my children and see each day with honesty and hope. I believe whole-heartedly I would have given up on the albums long ago if it wasn’t for the simple brilliance of the Project Life system. Thank You for giving our family the gift of amazing albums as well as a changed outlook. While I am sure many people do not have as big of a push as we did to preserve our history I feel as though I would have greatly benefitted from the fresh eyes daily journaling and photos doing Project Life has given me. The time I spend each night on their albums is so centering it has just become part of my daily routine much like lunch. So again thank you.
August 2010. It was back to school for the kids and the start of a new project that I volunteered to take on for two classrooms — Porter’s 2nd grade class and Claire’s preschool class.
I call these Personal Yearbooks. The idea of course, is to help students document their school life, introduce the youngsters to scrapbooking and personal history, and have fun while doing it. Each month I photographed every single kid. I edited those pictures, printed those pictures, prepared the supplies, and went back in to guide the students in putting their pages together. It’s a monthly ritual.
Many of you have done the same thing.
So here we are. May 2011.The end of the school year. The books are complete. All 43 of them. Each is unique and specific to that child, filled with his or her handwriting, stories, art, and imagination.
……….
{ a few pages from Porter’s book }
……….
{ a few pages from Claire’s book }
……….
As I reflect on this year of doing this project month after month, I thought I’d share a few bits of advice to those (parents or teachers) who may want to do this next school year. Full details can be found here (you’ll see it there on the right side along with lots of other free downloads.)
……….
{ advice }
1. You don’t have to do it alone. You could alternate with another parent, month by month. Or one of your could be the photographer who also prints the pictures and the other person could be the one who prepares the supplies and goes in to scrapbook with the kids each month. My friend Keri did all the photography and prepared all the supplies but then she let the teacher actually do the pages with the kids each month. However you go about it, consider sharing the load so you don’t burn out.
2. Consider doing the bulk of preparation at the beginning. I’m talking about all of the printing, paper-cutting, and any other prep work. I often found myself doing last-minute stuff as I rushed out the door to get to the school. Always so much going on. Had I had everything already prepped and organized, I would have been a lot more relaxed about the project.
3. Involve your child. One thing I’m glad I did and would definitely recommend, is to involve your own child(ren) in the behind-the-scenes process. Porter and Claire helped me with sorting, matching pictures with folders (they know who’s who in their classes a whole lot better than I do), and things like that. They love it. It’s a family affair. And they learn to appreciate volunteer work a little more.
4. Stock up. If you have a stash of patterned papers and other paper crafting or scrapbooking supplies, set some things aside for this project if you’re considering ever doing this. Even though I don’t do much “traditional/decorative” scrapbooking anymore, I am so glad I have always hung on to some supplies. That stuff always comes in handy when it comes to projects with the kids especially.
5. Plan themes in advance. At the beginning of the school year, brainstorm with the teacher and come up with a list of themes you want to be sure to cover for the project. This will help you feel organized, as opposed to trying to think of a new idea each month. For example, here are some POTM (picture-of-the-month) themes we did this year: first day of school, my body system (a specific learning unit), gratitude, class holiday party, reading, field day, field trip, my teacher, recess, the library …
6. Don’t pose every picture. Obviously a child’s smile is priceless and we want to capture that. I also encourage you to mix it up. Take some of the pictures candidly and not always posed with the child looking & smiling at the camera. Catch them in the act of doing what it is that they do at school.
7. Details in writing. Whether the students are doing their own writing on the pages or you or the teacher are writing what the kids say (as it was with our little preschool class) … dig for a little more information. When you ask, “What’s your favorite thing about lunch time?” … follow up with “Why?” or “Tell me more.” This is where the flavor in their personality can really shine through their words.
8. Do it. Even though this year was a bit of a challenge for me personally to keep up with 2 classes worth of Personal Yearbooks, I am so glad I did. Obviously it’s always great to volunteer in the kids’ classes and be involved with their school. But also — these books very well could be the only form of memory-keeping some of these kids will have at this age.
……….
I learned a lot this year. I’m going to do things a little differently next year. Yes, I plan to continue the tradition. But — no more late nights cramming in last-minute preparations that look like this:
Here’s to teaching kids while they’re young, that documenting life is awesome.
Okay, first of all — I have 2 winners to announce from this week’s giveaways! The winner of Laura Vanderbeek’s Photo First Aid online class is Lisa Walton in Perth Australia. The winner of Creating Keepsakes’ newest Creative Spaces special issue is Brenda in Houston, Texas. Congratulations, ladies! Lisa, email laurav@reneepearson.com and Brenda, email projectlife@beckyhiggins.com with your shipping address and I’ll give that information to CK so they can ship you a little package.
……….
{ tv segments }
This week I had a little fun on tv, thanks to the invitation by KSL’s Studio 5 producers. Watch for Monday’s post when I share more about that day. Lots of fun pictures.
First, here’s a quick little Skype conversation I had with the hosts Brooke & Darin on Tuesday to promote the live event that was coming a few days later.
And as for that live event, you can check out the whole show HERE on Studio 5′s site. If you wanted to just check out my segments …
1. panel discussion about the little things mothers do is around 13:00 to 21:00.
2. 5 things I think mothers should keep for their children is around 25:00 – 32:00.
NOTE: That part when I mention that I share a picture-of-the-day idea just about every day on Twitter? So sorry, my sweet and supportive facebook peeps. Totally didn’t mean to leave you out. I share the very same POTD ideas on both facebook + twitter. Just in case you didn’t know that. And if you’re not already following me on facebook or twitter — you should. It’s an extension of the sharing I do here on my blog.
I think the whole show is fun to watch but if your time is limited, that’s understandable. I do recommend for every mother to watch the segment by Matt, Studio 5′s relationship coach. That’s at about 36:00 – 44:00. Seriously, this guy is fun. And he reminds us of things we should hear. Really, the whole show was just great. I so appreciated the opportunity to be a part of something that honors, reveres, and celebrates motherhood.
Thank you KSL, for focusing on what really does matter most.
This Saturday is National Scrapbook Day. Yep, a real holiday.
I’ll proclaim this over and over again: I love scrapbooking. I love preserving my family’s memories. I love telling our story. I love taking pictures. I love all of it. And I loooove how simple it can be to do all of the above. That’s why I do what I do — sharing the simplicity with you.
If you’re doing Project Life and finding yourself “behind” (whatever that means to you), I think you’ll enjoy and benefit from reading this post by Monica McNeill.
……….
I’d like to share this recent email with you.
Dear Becky,
Project Life has really blessed my life and brought such “relief”. I am a busy mom of four boys, and I have been a “traditional scrapbooker” for over 10 years. Like most other women out there who are “traditional scrapbookers” I am behind. WAY behind. I always thought, when my kids get into school I will get caught up, and I will have them done by the time they are married. They are all boys, they will not care anyway.
Well … I was wrong.
1. I will NOT get caught up when my kids are in school.
2. They very much care.
It hit me a few month ago, when my sweet boys kept asking about things from when they were little. I had nothing to show them. Sure I have taken THOUSANDS of pictures, but they are all on my computer. I do have a few scrapbooks done but the most recent I have is back in 2006 when my oldest (now 7) was only 2! And no record of my other kids!
This is what I did.
It has been SUCH a relief off my shoulders and I love it.
I used the stickers to add my own years, and coordinated each “month” book mark with the year instead. I did not print everything but I did print lots — just snips of all of our favorite moments over the years. I bought some extra page protectors and got a great amount of photos in the album. Then I went through and did journaling, which I’m still finishing now.
My boys LOVE it. They really do love it! They have spent hours looking at all the pictures and I love watching them laugh, and smile and remember all the great times we had. I can not express what a feeling it has been to “let go” of that feeling of having to get “caught up some day”.
This is my Project Life … and I love it.
JoAnn Toronto
Miamisburg, Ohio
……….
{ NOTE }
You do not need a full Project Life kit for this type of project. The Turquoise edition sold out. The Amber edition is just about gone if not sold out by the time you read this. If you’re convinced that you want to go back and catch up on “lost” years in an ultra-simple format like JoAnn did … don’t panic if you can’t get a PL kit.
One option: If you’d like to try out the digital Project Life, that’s my own personal preference and has helped immensely in my own catching up.
Another option: Simply use a Bundle of Basics. Photo Pocket Pages + Journaling Cards + a binder. We still have the Becky Higgins Turquoise and Amber binders in stock. Or choose another favorite binder that you like. My products, as always, can be purchased on Amazon.
That’s all you need, besides your pictures of course. Simple stuff.
……….
{ GIVEAWAY }
I would love to hook a few of you up with the Bundle of Basics to help you get some pictures off the computer, out of boxes, and into an album. The 3 winners will each receive a Becky Higgins binder (choose Turquoise or Amber) + 4 packages of Photo Pocket Pages (choose Design A or B or both) + 2 boxes of our Journaling cards.
Ready … set … leave your name + the state in which you live (U.S. only please). Winners will be announced tomorrow!
……….
{ DESIGN CONTEST UPDATE }
Interested in designing some of the new Project Life products coming out later this year? If you missed that announcement, read all about it in this post. The original deadline was today, but in learning that many designers need more time, we have extended that submission deadline to next Friday, 5/13.
In honor of Mom-was-so-in-the-mood-to-dejunkify … We recently had a big clearing-out party in the play room. It was so necessary. I have no idea where half of this stuff even came from.
…..
Step 1: Dump everything on the floor. We were pretty much half-way there already. Couldn’t even walk in that room without some small injury for the few days leading up to this. It’s not usually that messy.
…..
Step 2: Sort, sort, sort. A place for trash and a place for donations. As for everything we kept, I grouped all the game pieces (to put back with their respective games), puzzle pieces (same thing), and other small things that needed to be put with their likenesses.
…..
Step 3: A place for everything and everything in its place.
This incredibly functional piece of furniture is from Razmataz (years ago). Lots of drawers and cupboards so that all the toys are easily accessible … without being visible all the time. Green boxes from IKEA.
Got these little wooden friends at World Market a few years ago. Fun play room accessories.
Our bookshelf is another Razmatz favorite from years ago. I so want to paint this but I’m not sure of a color. Nor can I seem to make the time for such a project. The big clock is from WalMart. Big frames from Costco Home. Porter’s 5-year-old handwritten alphabet is framed next to the lamp. Little leather chairs + ottomans from Creative Leather.
The handprint tradition continues. (See this post and this post for the info if you missed that before).
The kids’ bags & backpacks hang from these hooks (possibly Razmataz as well?) in the play room.
…..
The paint color in this room, by the way, is Caribe (UL220-1) by Behr at Home Depot. The grey is Castle Path (730C-3) from Dunn-Edwards. Castle Path is the light grey neutral that is throughout our other main rooms and halls.
We did not buy anything for this project. It was not a re-decorating or re-design at all. It was a cleaning project. It feels awesome to clear out so much and refresh our organization. The kids loved becoming reacquainted with toys they forgot about and loved donating toys they were ready to part with.
Happy Spring!(for those of you in the Northern Hemisphere) Something about the weather change means organization is on my brain. For some reason, I’ve never really “organized” my jewelry but that’s what I was recently in the mood to tackle. So I went on a little field trip, found these EVA brand drawer organizers at The Container Store, and got to work.
I already had a jewelry case, which I found at Razmataz about 5 years ago. It has been home to my accessories, but the drawers were cluttered and messy and I was easily forgetting what I had. The necklaces, however, have always been easy to keep organized on the hooks that came with this piece. The best thing about hanging necklaces is that it prevents potential tangling.
I got a few different configurations of EVA organizers to go in my drawers. For small earrings …
Larger earrings …
Bracelets and cuffs and watches …
And along the way, I came across things I kinda forgot about. I also came across plenty of items to donate. Some to my five-year-old daughter who is suddenly into jewelry (she is loving the “new” treasures!), and some to Deseret Industries, where we donate most of our unwanted items. And ONE of those things I’m donating to one of you!
Anyone interested in this little number? I made it myself years ago. It was one of my very first attempts at making jewelry and it is still intact. If you’re interested, leave your first name, city, state, and tell me if you want it for yourself, a loved one, a charity, or what. I’ll announce a winner on Wednesday this week.
Oh, and one last note on the topic of jewelry, because I know the question will come up: Where do I find my favorite pieces? Some of my all-time faves are from traveling, since I like to pick up a little something whenever we go somewhere new & different. I’m also partial to pieces that others have made for me … such sweet gestures. I’ve found some really fun things at boutiques too. Forever 21, Target … I don’t know. Just random places. I never spend very much for any one piece. Not my style.
Have you been thinking about trying out thedigital version of Project Life? Now is a GREAT time! First of all, there is absolutely no cost, no obligation, no pressure if you want to try it out for free. You can complete your entire book online without committing a penny. We want to make sure you like it first.
Secondly, be sure to check out my latest video with a couple examples of my own completed books. There is so much more flexibility than most realize. And yet, if you don’t want flexibility, the templates are already in place for your convenience.
Thirdly, we have initiated a SALE. Right now you can save 25% on your digital Project Life book(s) if you pre-pay by March 27th. This gives you a while (including 3 full weekends) to play around, try it out, see what you think. Be sure to check out the short instructional video first to get familiar with it. We have also answered just about every question that has been asked in the digital FAQ section.
Go for it! Get started! If you like it, just click “pay now & save” to save 25% in the next few weeks. Take your time finishing your books … or work quickly and make a book in a day! We’ll print your project(s) whenever you’re ready.
The purpose of this video is to share inspiration. It’s not to review any technical specifics. Just sharing a couple ways that I have personally used Digital Project Life as a time-saving solution in my efforts to record our family memories. More information about the digital offering can be found here, including loads of FAQs and an instructional video for those who are brand-new to Digital Project Life.
I am seriously so pumped about the books I have made for our family. So quick. So easy. So rewarding to have these done! I have some loose ends I’m wrapping up with our 2009 and 2010 family yearbooks where we have used the week-at-a-glance template to showcase our POTDs (pictures of the day) from the past two years. And I continue with that format in 2011 and am loving it. L-O-V-I-N-G it.
Now that we’re into our third month of 2011, I thought I’d check in and see how you’re doing with Project Life.
I sorta kinda … definitely have a feeling some of you are trying for the picture-a-day format and some of you are a little … uh, behind. Am I right?
GUESS WHAT friends?
If you have a couple weeks or a couple months that are just crazy, pace yourself. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Give yourself a break. Don’t make this more stressful than it needs to be. If you’re keeping up the picture-a-day pace, great! That’s awesome. Good for you.
No matter how little or how much you’re doing, it’s all good.
Please realize that there is more than one way to use Project Life. Project Life has an incredibly flexible format. Use it however you wish! It’s your life. It’s your project. It will adapt to your needs. Here are a few ideas to inspire you.
…
{ SCHOOL ALBUM }
Tammy Morales (who distributes Project Life internationally) is using Project Life to catch up on years & years of her boys’ school pictures & memorabilia. You should check out this video she did about her process.
**NOTE: Many of you know we’ve been working on solution-based products to help you tackle the pictures & memorabilia that come with any child … school-related stuff and otherwise. We’re still plugging along and still planning to release those products this year. But if you’re anxious to do something now and don’t want to wait, Project Life can certainly help you get the job done!
…
{ CHILDHOOD ALBUM }
Erin Rollins in California is using a Project Life album for each of her children. Each child’s book is being filled with pictures, art, memorabilia, and general childhood memories. She shares her process here.
…
Jade Conran in Australia is doing the same thing and has felt completely liberated scrapbooking her children’s pictures with the ultra-easy slip-in-the-photos format that Project Life offers. Jade said that she got 250 random photos from Flynn’s childhood finished in one week. “This rocks my world and I feel like an enormous weight has been lifted.” Check out her inspiring pages here. She also did a video that shows flipping through the album, narrating along the way.
…
{ YOUR CHILDHOOD ALBUM }
As in … your old pictures! Do you get what I’m saying? Think about all those pictures from your own childhood that are still sitting in boxes. Um, yeah. Those. That’s what I’m talking about. And that’s exactly what Heatherle in Oregon decided to tackle recently. She said, “I bought the Amber edition because it reminded me of my 1970s childhood. I started with age 4 because the rest of the photos need to still be rescued from the sticky albums, and I am almost to college. The book includes a layout for each year of school, with additional page protectors for report cards and the like, and then topical layouts like Christmasses, Family Members with Trout, Dogs I have Loved, Awful ’70s Fashions. My son visited from college today and spent nearly an hour looking through the book.”
…
{ BABY ALBUM }
So much happens in that first year of life and you don’t want to miss a thing. That’s how Elana in Hawaii feels. Their sweet little girl Alison was born this recent September and they are using Project Life to document Alison’s arrival and milestones and adjustments as a family. Elana said, “With a nearly 3-year old and a newborn I haven’t had any time to scrapbook in the traditional sense, but with this kit I love how easy it is to document my baby girl’s first year of life.”
…
{ REMEMBRANCE }
Tina in Nevada emailed me recently: “Six weeks ago, a dear friend of mine lost her daughter to a brain tumor. She was only 40 years old. While at the funeral, my friend mentioned how difficult it was to find a photo of her daughter to display because all the photos were in boxes. I offered to help her, when she was ready, organize the photos into books. I am a 3rd year Project Life addict and knew your system would be perfect for her. It’s going to be easier than scrapbooking all the photos but more detailed than a regular album because she’ll be able to write details about certain photos. I’m sure you had no idea when you came up with the idea, all the different ways people could use your project.”
…
Thank you Tina, for sharing that. Thank you Elana, Heatherle, Jade, Erin, and Tammy. And thank you to so many of you for sharing how Project Life is revolutionizing the way you not only document life, but also the way you cultivate a good life.
There is a plethora of ways to document what your child says. Today I’m touching on two of those ways.
And by the way, this isn’t just for kids. Of course the ideas are applicable to adults just as well. Perhaps to David’s dismay, I have been known to document his exact words once in a while, particularly in those years before our children came along. I may or may not have made him answer a full list of interview questions once or twice. In the name of personal & family history of course. (He must love me?)
{ interview style }
First I’m going to pass along an idea from reader Meggan in Sequim, Washington. Perhaps you’ll relate.
Meggan wrote, I was trying to recall the last time I actually sat down with my kids and just had a conversation with them. Well to be honest, it’s been a while. I’ve been so busy with errands, taking kids to school, meetings, etc. that I haven’t spent that one-on-one time that each kid deserves with his/her parent. So, I put a hold on our morning activities, and sat my kids down & talked.
Meggan’s creative twist on the activity was to treat her child like a star and she was their fan and they set up an interview. The key is to write down their answers exactly as the words come out of their mouth. That’s what makes it so precious, so real, so accurate. For example, her 4-year old stated that he likes candy as his favorite food, and it came out “Can-knee” so she wrote it down just as that.
Meggan added, It was such an amazing moment with each of them. I enjoyed hearing their cute little voices & mispronunciations. To tie it in with my POTD, I set my camera up across from us, set it on “self-timer” and took a picture of us conversing.
Meggan is adding this interview page to her Project Life book. She continues, I am truly enjoying the POTD idea– it’s allowed me to look at my life more in depth rather than just scratching the surface. If you’re interested in seeing how she set up her document to include, here it is:
……….
{ capture the quote }
It’s as simple as that. Your child says something you don’t want to forget because it is so precious, so funny, so witty. Write it down immediately while it’s fresh & as accurate as possible. Same principle applies when someone (a friend, a sibling, a teacher) tells you something your child said or did. W R I T E I T D O W N .
For those of you doing a picture-a-day with Project Life, including a funny quote or story is always a great idea. You can accompany the story with a picture of that child or something related to the story. Or not.
Example. This is a POTD from one day last week:
The journaling for that day reads: Got the following email from our friend/neighbor Steph: “So today after school Claire saw Shane and I walking and asked if she could come over to play. After I explained to her that Shelby was home under the weather, she finally cut to the chase. “Well, could you bring your dog over then?” This is Classic Claire. It’s all about the dog for her. Another Classic Claire thing right now is how she signs her name with a flower or a heart or both. Such a girly girl.
I was able to take a little anecdote, as shared by a friend … and a picture of Claire’s current way of signing her name … and blend them together in a “Classic Claire” entry for that day.
Just came across some notes I took on time management in the context of working at home. I appreciated the reminders and thought maybe some of you relate to the whole working-at-home thing. If you can read my chicken-scratch, perhaps you might benefit from a pointer or two.
These notes are based on a couple short videos I saw online sometime last year. They were done by Julie Morgenstern, professional organizer, who teamed up with Canon to do a series of videos on organization and time management. I wish I could share the link but I can’t find them now. If anyone else knows, feel free to post the link.
I’d like to tell you a little something about the year 2008.
I was pregnant 9 out of the 12 months that year. Pregnant for me is synonymous with sick. I was blessed (so, so, so blessed) with 3 healthy pregnancies and 3 healthy babies but man, I did not feel well the whole 9 months. I’m not complaining — not for a second. It’s just the way it was. 2008 also happened to be the first year I attempted taking a picture a day to document our life. I started on January 1st (before I was prego) and that lasted, well … not even 2 months. That pregnancy just kicked me over and it was all I could to do muster the energy to care for our other 2 children and work and carry on with life as a semi-functional human being.
I have a point to sharing this.
2008 went pretty much un-documented. Sure, I took pictures. (How could I not?) Definitely didn’t take quite as many and I certainly didn’t get much scrapbooking done that year. Soooo … fast-forward to now. Guess what I just finished? (**insert squeel**) Our 2008 family yearbook! I am so pumped, people. Like totally & completely so happy about this.
How did I pull off that little magic trick?
I used Digital Project Life. Specifically, the month-at-a-glance template. I chose 7 pictures to represent each month, dropped my pictures in the template, added my journaling, done. One layout per month and just like that, 2008 was documented! Yes, I’ll share more of this with you when I received my printed book in the mail. Of course this can be done with the physical kit as well. It’s all the same concept: Documenting life with the most simple approach to scrapbooking.
Want to see a few digital Project Life books? Today I’m sharing books completed by 3 different customers, each with a different approach. These were all done using last year’s Original design. Of course we now have 2 new designs — Turquoise and Amber. Oh, and psssst. Have you noticed that there is a 30% sale going on right now? If you want to pay in advance for your book (and still be able to take your time creating it), the Digital Project Life books are 30% off through the 31st (Monday). So if you’re thinking about it, play around with it this weekend.
……….
Brittney made a book as a Christmas gift for her parents who were leaving on a mission. It includes pictures of her siblings and each of their respective families. She removed all the journaling cards to make it a picture-heavy book. This turned out to be an awesome gift that will make home feel not-so-far for these grandparents while they’re away. Check out Britt’s entire book HERE.
……….
Laurel made a book of her family’s 2010 — all 52 weeks. Showcasing 7 pictures a week (each layout is a new week), she used the Original week-at-a-glance template in its most original format. In other words, she left the default square photo spots all square (you can easily alter the size & shape & scale), which resulted in a very nice, uniform look. Check out Laurel’s entire book HERE.
……….
Jill also did a 2010 book but she used the month-at-a-glance template (like I did). Some months are represented with just a page and some months take up 2 or 3 layouts. She even added a few full-sized pictures in the mix, which I love. Jill said, I tripped over the Project Life web site in late December and I quickly decided that it was the perfect solution to help get me caught up on my scrapbooking. I was able to put the whole 2010 book together in less than a week. And, I had a lot of fun working on it — especially once I realized that I could alter the template pages if I wanted to. Check out Jill’s entire book HERE.
……….
Digital Project Life is flexible to your needs, just like the physical kit. I love seeing the different variations and how each customer is making the book work for them. If you have completed and ordered a Digital Project Life book, you would have been sent an email that has a link to your viewable (not editable) book. Feel free to share the link in a comment here … if you’re open to sharing that with everyone.
Should I just warn you right now? I should. This blog post contains a lot of pictures. And maybe — just maybe – a little nostalgia for some of you.
This is the sight of organization in progress:
I recently had the sudden urge to go through every cabinet, every drawer, every shelf in our home office. And since the drive and the energy and the motivation were all very much alive, I went with it. I didn’t resist.
In this process, I came across a lot of stuff. Stuff as in … a lot of stuff I have been hanging on to for years. I take on a big project like this at least annually and it was definitely that time again. I did a serious assessment. Even more “serious” than in past years because of the personal evolution I’ve experienced these past couple of years.
In going through my stuff, I asked myself a few simple questions:
- Why am I hanging on to this?
- Do I ever use this?
- Do I really value this?
No? Then buh-bye. Clear out the clutter. Let someone else enjoy it. If yes, then fine. Keep it. Note to self: Remember I have this stuff and make more effort to use it more often. Otherwise there is no point for it to take up valuable storage space.
Want to know what supplies in my stash I couldn’t let go of? Well, plenty of things actually. You know — patterned paper, cardstock, basics like that. But also — flowers & brads. Even though my decorative/creative scrapbooking days are far & few between these days, I just can’t seem to let those go.
And letter stickers. Gave a ton of letter stickers away to friends … among many other products. I love that you can see Claire & her little friend reaching in to choose some for themselves here. But I still hung on to a healthy amount of favorites. To me, letter stickers are a staple for creative projects.
So you know what I did throw away … and I even surprised myself? Old Christmas cards! No – not our family’s extra copies. That’s our family history. But after 15 years of hoarding Christmas cards from loved ones, and realizing we truly never go back and dig them out, and reminding myself that I’m not responsible to be the keeper of other families’ histories … well … in the name of SIMPLIFYING … I finally let go.
And it felt very liberating.
Here are some other nostalgic pieces from the past. Like the binder where I kept all of our house ideas for years and years — floor plan ideas, decorating ideas, favorite magazine tear-outs, sketches, color inspiration.
Other books full of inspiration, more specific to scrapbooking and paper-crafting projects.
I know this will bring back some memories for some of you who have been familiar with my work from “long ago”. Behold … the sketches. Many, many, many sketches.
And some organizational stuff from several of my book projects. Lists & calendars & scheduling my tasks and deadlines. Some things never change. : )
Even my homemade Prismacolor colored pencil reference sheets. Nerdy? You bet. Necessary? I sure thought so at the time.
Oooooh. Anyone remember this album? I taught a Creating Keepsakes University class called “Snapshot of Me” that was all about telling the story of your life & personality right then & there in that time of your life. Anyone happen to be in one of my classes? This was from 5 years ago. I’m so glad I did that project. I’m even more glad that hundreds of others did it too. That’s a lot of story telling. A lot of life documenting.
Here are even more themed books that are currently sitting pretty in a cabinet.
And this … This. Wow. Talk about nostalgia. This album was the start of my very first little Project 365 – a picture every day of the year, starting January 2008 — just 3 years ago.
I used a photo album I picked up at Target, stayed faithful with my daily documenting until a very sick pregnancy took over my life that year. But the idea never died. It was only a matter of months that the concept came to be in the form of a scrapbooking kit. Of course this eventually evolved into what we now know as Project Life.
Kinda fun to come across that.
………………..
Oh, and one more thing. I came across a lot of homemade cards that I made over the years, especially ones that I designed specifically for my 2002 Creative Cards book. I’m hanging on to a few favorites.
But the rest of them? Good grief. Did I really hand-stitch pieces like this for a card?
Guess what? I’ve got a collection of about 40 cards — each one of them a unique handmade card by yours truly — and I am giving them away. The whole collection. Got a strong desire for handmade cards? Know of an upcoming auction that we could donate these to? Another way you plan to use the cards? Leave a comment and be sure to include your first name, city, and state. I’ll announce the winner by the end of the week.
…………..
Thanks for taking a stroll down memory lane with me.
One common goal for many of us at the start of a New Year is of course, better health. Betting eating habits. Less sugar. More exercise. Less take-out. More water. Something along those lines … right?
One thing that has helped our family in the past is e-Mealz. I’ve talked about it here before. Many of you heard of it long before I ever did and some of you are already using the service. I’m bringing it up again now for two reasons:
1. Because in our little family, we’ve totally gotten off-track lately with consistently homemade dinners. Holidays, wacky schedules, stress, feeling slammed with so much to do. Excuses, excuses, excuses. We’re so ready to get back on-track.
2. There is an e-Mealz promotion going on right now that will knock off $2.50 from the already-cheap subscription price. Click HERE to learn more and if you sign up, enter ORGANIZE. This code expires January 31, 2011.
We’re so getting back on e-Mealz. If you’re not familiar with how it works, you’ll learn all about it on their site. For me (and anyone else who uses it), it helps in several areas – budget, weight management, simplifying, and organization.
I know you guys well enough to know you’re going to ask me for this recipe. It was an e-Mealz recipe we made this past Fall but I’m afraid I don’t remember which one, sorry. It involved stir-frying rotisserie chicken and zucchini and red peppers in a little olive oil and we added pine nuts. That’s all I remember. It was delicious.
I also know you’re going to ask me if the kids like the food. Mostly, yes. Our kids are picky eaters like most kids. Yes, they say “ewww” and “ugh!” more than once a week when they see a pile of vegetables on their plate. We’re over it. As we say over and over and over again – You get what you get and you don’t throw a fit.
Here’s to more consistently homemade meals. Here’s to sitting around the table each night as a family. Here’s to better health and stronger family ties. Wishing each of you the very best with whatever your goals and resolutions may be.
We have some very special friends - the Fuchs ("fewks") family - that are adjusting to a "new normal" with their special-needs daughter who had a terrible accident and is now confined to a wheelchair. You can read all about it HERE
For the benefit of Claire's family - and also for the benefit of many generous sponsors - I opened my blog for advertising for one month only! This is temporary + the ads will run February 1 - 29, 2012. 100% of the ad fees have gone directly to Claire's family.
Because of the nature of this fundraiser and the need to keep the entire process very, very simple - we are not taking any more sponsors at this time. Anyone who wants to reach out to the Fuchs family with a note of encouragement, or a letter in the mail, or even a cash donation, can find that information HERE
