Project Life | Week Two
Tags:
Here's a look at our Project Life | Week Two.
Here's the left side:
And the right side:
The second half of the week includes both what I was doing (in Vegas) and what was happening here at home.
In-between the left and the right side I included a couple things this week:
Last week I showed you a sneak peek at the program insert I included.
In addition to that I took the layout I created last week and placed it inside an 8.5x11 page protector. Depending on how many layouts I make over the course of this year I might just make this into two albums (first half 2011 and second half 2011). I love the idea that this would include layouts and the stuff of life within the divided page protectors on a weekly basis.
On the back of the layout is our flight itinerary to Vegas and a card I received while I was there.
Here's a couple close-ups:
I took the photo and journaling from this post and inserted them into the album. I can see doing that at different times throughout the year. I'm thinking that these long journalers that I used in Week In The Life last year would be great for longer journaling that you want to add to your album.
I think I might use one of those for the post I did last Monday about going to the capitol.
For this 4x6 I created a new canvas in Photoshop at 300dpi. I filled the background with grey using the paint bucket tool. I copied my text from my blog post and pasted it onto the 4x6 canvas and adjusted the font, type size and made the color white. I added a hand-drawn "on Tuesday" title.
Last week Simon told me when he gets older he'd like to have a wife. He'd also like to have a boy named Greg and a daughter named Molly.
Project Life is a product created by Becky Higgins. It can be anything you want it to be. The album kit is available for purchase through Amazon (it's currently sold out but should be back in stock soon). If you live outside the US check Becky's site for more information on sources.
View all my posts about Project Life here.
TODAY'S POST SPONSORED BY :Peachy Cheap
Scrapbook DAILY DEALS! 65% OFF My Minds Eye Journaling Cards TODAY ONLY!
Comments
Sign in or sign up to comment.
95 comments
Ali you are spectacular. You are making this look easy and applicable- to capture our stories, to share our memories. And to let our style shine through a layout or the words we use to describe our feelings. It's all very exciting and you remind me of that. Thanks!
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
Hi Ali,
love your Project Life. I received mine in the mail the other day (Australia) and am putting it all together at the moment. Was wondering if you have put all the "weekly date" cards in the album already pre-dated and if you have put all the journalling cards in or doing this as you go along? I noticed that you havent used any "filler" cards - are you going to or put extra memorabilia in those pockets? also, are you handwriting all your journalling or going to mix it up and use your typwriter. sorry about all the questions - this is my first time at attempting this. Love yours.
Replies
Hi Jane - I've already inserted all the 4x6 cards with the weekly date (I stamped that on there). I might use some of the filler cards - so far I've not needed them as I've had other "life" pieces and journaling to put in those pockets.
So far journaling has been mainly handwritten. I might use my typewriter but most likely I'm just planning to handwrite - keeping it simple :).
thanks for replying Ali - it made my day....could even become my journalling in PL!
Sign in or sign up to reply.
How to document kid/athletes who do the same sport everyday? I know you were/are a swimmer. And everyday seems to be the same as I am struggling to "mix it up."
What do you wish your mom had documented about your swimming and meets? Our days are school/volleyball/homework/bed with meals on the fly...
My project life is becoming repetitive, help!
Replies
Dee - think about conversations, little moments, things she says, things you overhear with her + her friends. A little focus on the sports - times, personal bests, etc. My Mom kept newspaper clippings - those are awesome for seeing the times. What I wish I had was more little things - how about snacks (not sure how old your kids are). Look beyond the schedule...maybe invite her to jot things down or ask her what her favorite thing that happened today was - stuff like that mixed in with the routines of sports would make an awesome album.
Sign in or sign up to reply.
Ali,
I'd like to add some machine stitching to my layouts. I feel you have shared recently a new sewing machine you are using & happy with. If you or anyone out there could tell me the brand/model # I'd really appreciate it.
Also, are you any happier with your new Selphy printer?
Replies
Hi Audra - the sewing machine has been awesome. It's a Brother XL2600 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F7DPEQ?ie=UTF8&tag=aliedwardsdes-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000F7DPEQ).
I was happier with the printer this week. That might have been because the photos I printed were already dark :) - those couple of shots from Vegas.
Sign in or sign up to reply.
I wanted to include that quote you always post from i think Anna Quindlen about appreciating ordinary days. Any idea where I can find it? I searched the week in the life posts but no luck. Maybe I just missed it? Thanks.
Replies
Here you go:
"..but the biggest mistake I made is the one that most of us make while doing this. I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of the three on them sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4, and 1. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in a hurry to get on to the next things: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less."
Anna Quindlen
Sign in or sign up to reply.
I love, love, love the concept of Project Life. Thanks for sharing your progress. Keeping receipts and stuff of life is something I've always loved to do. It is amazing to look back at all the theater receipts and programs of all the plays/musicals/operas that I've attended to most of my life. I've always thought I was the only odd one keeping that stuff. Your blog always makes me feel like I'm not alone...you and so many of your readers feel the same way about memory keeping and this is such a blessing! By the way, I've been meaning to ask you if you have come across the story of Vivien Maier. I just loved her story (now shared through her amazing photos.) She certainly was a Life Artist! It is amazing to see her life through her lens. I've been so inspired by her story and I thought this is something you might enjoy seeing, if you haven't already :)
Here is a brief segment that aired in the news in Chicago last month:
http://www.wttw.com/main.taf?p=42,8,80&pid=A1hO97qcWo7ViDL_rWniVH2LakYxNa7J
and here is the blog dedicated to showing her photos:
http://www.vivianmaier.blogspot.com/
A documentary about her life is in the works, here are more details:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/800508197/finding-vivian-maier-a-feature-length-documentary.
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
Hi Ali,
Quick question for you on your thoughts about using ephemera that can fade (specifically thermal receipts). I worry a bit about them fading (I have 1 from last Jan, PL that already is barely readable) but don't really like the idea of photocopying them as a means of preservation - the reason I like them is that they're a part of "real" life, not just copies. Any thoughts?
Replies
I like Johanna's idea - to keep both. So far I've just been keeping the regular receipts and haven't had any issues yet. I'm not sure I really want to go through the extra step of photocopying/scanning.
Kim, an idea – if you want the "real thing" AND something that will be readable over time, you could simply include both a copy (or photo, or note with the most important parts) and the original. This way, you would have two layers of documentation - what it looked like when you got the receipt (or movie ticket, those are often thermal prints here in Germany, too!) and the faded original showing the time that passed.
Sign in or sign up to reply.
Ali, do you use any other printer besides the HP Photosmart B8550? For Christmas, my husband gave me Photoshop and an awesome negative scanner (so I can load years and years worth of film-camera photos in the computer). Our next purchase -- just for ME -- is a new MacBook and a new printer, with the ultimate goal of being able to take the photo (I shoot with a Canon 50D), sit in my scrapbook room (and not the den or the office) upload the photo, manipulate the photo (Photoshop), print the photo and then scrapbook/project life the photo. I have NEVER had this ability before and I am getting really excited! But wanted to know if you use any other photo printers. Thanks!
Replies
Nope - that's the only printer I use for photos here at home. I do also have a small little laser jet that I use for printing out business stuff ;) but I don't use that for my projects.
Sign in or sign up to reply.
Quick note: YOUR NEW HAIRDO ROCKS!!!!!! LOVE IT!
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
I love the idea of the Project Life but wonder how it effects you doing larger stories? If you do the day to day life stories and pictures do you still do as much of your larger stories or does it free you up to do other projects? I'm concerned I'd give up scrapbooking all together and just do Project Life as a way to document my life.
Replies
Hi Susan - good question. To me, this IS scrapbooking.
I just typed up a big long story from last week that I'm adding in...so, so far it's definitely not taking anything away from anything else. I also plan to include longer stories as well as other layouts that I make throughout the year.
Sign in or sign up to reply.
I cannot help but share this with you. Enjoy...
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7274694n&tag=related;photovideo
Replies
That was great Robyn - thank you :).
Sign in or sign up to reply.
Thanks for sharing, Ali! So grateful that you post your projects as you go along because you truly are an inspiration to all of us.
This is my first year doing Project Life and I am LOVING it so far! I have a similiar approach as you with the project. Last week, for instance, I only included 3 photos across a 2-page spread and I loved what came out of it. I think too many people get so wrapped up in taking a photo a day that the project loses value and meaning. For me, a lot of cool things happened last week that I didn't have a photo to correspond with my story- and that's totally okay; for instance, the Packers are in the Superbowl (yayy!!), the Australian Open started; my husband and I booked trips to Costa Rica and Vegas. These things added up are what made my week what it was- so I am okay with journaling about those things or clipping out a newspaper headline because that was what had meaning to me last week.
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
Ali, I'm trying to do the journaling thingy you did here with creating the canvas, filling and then copying the note but what next? How did you print it?
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.
How do you get the white text to print on the grey paper like the "On Tuesday" photo?
Replies
Sign in or sign up to reply.