Week In The Life 2012 | Supplies & Design Plan
Tags:I'm definitely starting to get excited for Week In The Life 2012.
Next week (I start on Monday) I'll be documenting of our lives by taking lots of photos and writing down the details of what we do throughout the day for seven days in a row.
If this is your first time reading about or considering this project I recommend checking out The Basics Of Documenting A Week In Your Life. You can also check out my compilation page of resources from years past, including my completed album for each year, here.
This year, in addition to my base foundation (see below), I've given myself a little bit more room to play. Not sure exactly what form that will take just yet, but I'm setting myself up with a tactile middle portion of each day to contrast with the very graphic (and flat) first and last page of each day.
Here's a run down of how I aim to tackle the album this year:
THE ALBUM

I'll be using a We R Memory Keepers 8.5x11 album again. The vanilla color is becoming my go-to next to the black.
I've also got a second set of 8.5x11 page protectors ready to go.
THE FOUNDATION PAGES

I designed a new set of layered templates for 2012: Week In The Life Layered Template 8.5x11 Vol.4. The main brown graphic elements can be re-colored and the text layers are editable for inputting your own date, etc. in Photoshop Elements or Photoshop (these are layered PSD files). The set includes seven templates with the banners for each day of the week, seven templates for multiple photos and text (that you can mix and match) and one title page.
For those of you who want to do a 12x12 version I've got a layered template set available for that as well: Week In The Life Layered Template 12x12 Vol.4.
Both of those new template sets are on 20% off this week until 6am EST on Saturday.
Also, this coming weekend I will have the banners available as a stand-alone product at Designer Digitals for those of you that just want to be able to print them out and use them in your project. That package will include the individual banner PNG files (the text will not be editable) and a PDF file for easy printing.
Love this 12x12 example from Designer Digitals Creative Team Member Mollie:
If you want additional layered template cards to go inside the divided page protectors (like I have done in the past), you might be interested in these: Share Your Story Layered Template in 8.5x11 or 12x12. These are great for getting additional stories told.
THE INSERTS
Here's where I'd like to inject some room for more play within my content for each day.
This year I'll be using Hambly overlays + divided page protectors + a bit of sewing to create a single insert page for each day. In the past I've just used the divided page protectors but decided to switch it up just a bit.
In that example above I cut one strip from We R Memory Keepers 8.5x11 9-pocket divided page protectors and stitched it along the bottom of a Hambly Herringbone overlay. (I put that Memory Circle in there just so you could see where the pockets are located.)
I'm not sure exactly what I'll be putting on top of the Hambly just yet. I'm thinking letter stickers (emphasizing a phrase or sentiment) or potentially something cut with the Silhouette.
Here's four that I have put together so far:
The first one uses the bottom two rows of pockets (just trimmed off the top one) stitched onto a piece of the Hambly that I trimmed off.
Here's a look at one of the bottom rows of pockets - I cut them so they were right about 4 inches tall (and then did the same for the top row of pockets, measuring from the opening of the pocket down past the seam). I also trimmed off the portion of the page protector along the edge that has the binding holes.
I'm also not sure whether I'll be putting those Hambly + pockets inside a page protector or just punching holes to make it a page in the album. I'm leaning towards just punching holes.
And here's a look at the one with two rows of pockets:
If you are doing 12x12 you could use some of Becky's page protectors from the Big Variety Pack 1 for your middle page.
Have you seen what Julie Fei-Fan Balzer did to create her own custom-sized page protectors with washi tape (no sewing)? This might be a cool way to achieve a similar result as well without sewing (as long as you can keep the pockets intact).
THE DAILY SHEETS

I'll be using the same free set of Daily Sheets for 2012. Not sure how I'll incorporate them in just yet. Last year I just added them in as a page and I might do that same thing again this year.
You can download them again here.
WELCOME TITLE SPONSORS
A very big thank you to the following companies that have signed on to be sponsors of Week In The Life 2012:
WELCOME GIVEAWAY SPONSORS
Look for a great series of giveaways from all these companies next week:
2012 BANNER
Feel free to share this on your blog or site:
Please link to: http://aliedwards.com/2010/01/week-in-the-life.html
YOU'RE INVITED
I hope you'll decide to join me next week in some form or another. It's always that much more exciting when there's a group of people working along at the same time - great for support and ideas.
As usual I'll be sharing my words and photos each day next week and I'll invite you to do the same with a blog link. The following week I'll be putting me album together and will share more of that process along the way.







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97 comments
So excited to try this for the first time! Ali, I noticed while scrolling through the 2011 pre-planning post that there was a Week in the Life community through Big Picture. Will there be a similar set-up for this year? Just curious- don't want to miss out if there is...
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I can't wait I have been looking around thinking of ideas for next week!!!
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I am also going to be trying this out for the first time, well the second time. I tried to accomplish this once before in 2010 when I was leading a mission trip. I would like to say that I didn't fail, I just learned that there was way too much going on for me to accomplish it with any sort of respect that it deserves. Looking back, I think the printouts would have been very helpful. So I am looking forward to trying it again.
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You can do it! Even just filling out the Daily Sheets is a major accomplishment :)
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I am really excited about this, going to try it for the first time this year. Think I might turn mine into a mini album. So excited!!!!!
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I'm getting really excited about this too - my first time doing it! I'm trying to kill two birds with one stone here - finish WITL and burn through some of my stash that I have neglected!
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I am in. (first timer)
Ali, I did a shortened version that was more like a a "weekend in the life" as a preparations for this. And I am happy so that I did 3 albums, one for each couple that vacationed that day. You can view here: http://wienerhoneymooners.blogspot.com/2012/01/my-version-of-week-in-life.html
I will present each couple the finished album on their Wedding Anniversary, which is weekend after next for the first couple.
Thanks Ali for being so inspiring (!!!)
The 8.5x11 is just a better size (fit) for me as my regular scrapping is mini books that I prefer 5x7, 5x6. I
also love your December Daily and will do this again this year(!)
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Hi Ali.
Is there any chance you could give us a preview on how you will use one of the daily templates? Last year I bought the templates and in an effort to be organised I put my photos and journaling into the templates each night. When I saw you had journalled over you photos I was disappointed I had rushed ahead. I started to change them but decided it would end up taking to long so just went with it. thanks so much...cant wait.
Also are you going to creatw a # group on Instagram...my latest addiction . ta
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Hi Diane - thanks for the note. I actually don't know how I'll be doing it yet. I know that will be my foundation and from there I almost always add text to my photos so you can pretty much expect that piece. A group on Instagram would be awesome - I think you just enter #weekinthelife (that's what I'd use for Instagram or Twitter).
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[...] year, I’m not sure if I’m going to participate in Ali Edwards Week in the Life per-say. It’s because I feel that I document daily life already, so it wouldn’t be a [...]
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[...] 2012 Design Plan [...]
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I really want to participate this year - I started last year but gave up because I felt my life was too boring. This time I'm going to stick with it, even if all my photos end up being of the cat!
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First timer here, and I'm very excited to get started. Like others have said, I felt initially like my life was too boring. But I think the idea behind this "exercise" is to make us look at each moment in each day and find the joy in it. There are so many little things in my daily life that bring me joy, I always wish I had started to document them in an easy and fun way. I think this is the answer. I would love to continue and do this quarterly. Can't wait to start this first one!
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Yes, exactly :).
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[...] А как Эли планирует оформить свой альбом в этом году, вы можете посмотреть и прочитать (на англ.) здесь — Week In The Life 2012 | Supplies & Design Plan [...]
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I'm really looking forward to doing this project this year. I've attempted it the past 2 years, but have only gotten as far as recording the photos and words, I've never ended up actually getting the photos printed and assembling.
I've posted on my blog the basic outline I plan on using for the project this year last night (www.inspiredlifewithjess.wordpress.com) if anyone wants to see.
After reading the comments here, I'm thinking I'll order my prints from persnickity prints though, since they're more affordable for 8x10 than they are to order from my local printer here in Aust, and I'll probably get the 2011 prints as well for it, so it might take me slightly longer to update with the final pages since I'll have to wait for them to ship.
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I'm totally in! For the first time I'm doing week in the life. I had to give myself a pep talk this morning via a letter to myself on my blog, but I decided that it may help me forget about all of the 'not so good' things that are going on in my life right now & make me appreciate the good things more.
Thanks for all of the support to start this project!
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The selection of overlays in my neck of the woods is very poor, so I was going to try and print my own transparencies using some of my digital overlay "papers".
Think I'll try first on my inkjet printer and will switch to my hubby's laser printer and B&W if I'm not pleased with the first results.
Wish me luck!
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Good luck! I think the main thing is to get transparencies that are specific to your printer type (such as "ink jet transparencies).
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Ali - will there be a Flickr group this year?
I'm 38weeks pregnant so don't think I'll be able to scrap it right away but will be doing the daily sheets and taking photos when I can. I love WITL! :)
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Sure! Here you go: http://www.flickr.com/groups/weekinthelife2012/
Thanks Ali!
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Thanks so much for sharing this project with us, Ali!
Oh, I am SO excited to do this for the first time! I always kick myself for not joining when I see all of the posts with everyone's updates.
I'm leaning toward the 8.5x11 format because I love the aesthetics of it but was hoping to have the pages printed into a digital book. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good printer who prints at that size? If not, I'll just go with the 12x12 and scale down.
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[...] TRANSPARENCIES http://aliedwards.com/2012/04/week-in-the-life-2012-supplies-design-plan.html – Ali using Hambly transparency for Week in the [...]
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I’m new to scrapbooking but looking forward to this project. It is especially exciting for me as it is my birthday on Tuesday so I get to document all of my celebrations. What an excuse to stretch them out :)
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Its my first year doing this...I am really excited and inspired, thanks for the great design ideas!
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