I Couldn't Stop Myself
I'm not making any specific promises one way or another, but I'm here to tell you today that I still love the structure of weekly Project Life® spreads.
I thought I could let them go and have a more go-with-the-flow approach this year (thanks for cheering me on with that plan by the way - you are rad), but when it came time to actually do something all I wanted to do was stick my words and photos into Design A page protectors.
So that's what I did and I'm so, so happy.
Even though I haven't been doing it regularly for months, I found myself missing the structure because, less face it, I'm that kind of person. I also realized the following:
- I actually really, really love the week-at-a-glance format. I thought I could let it go but it feels like home to me now. And you know what? Sometimes home is boring and it needs a face-lift or a reconnect or it needs to be purged or something to remind you that it's something special - that it's yours. That became pretty darn clear to me yesterday.
- I love printing my photos and this format allows me to pick the highlights that comprise our week and tell the awesome bits & pieces stories of our lives.
- The Story Kit™ and Story Stamps™ layouts I'm creating for the classroom content are really allowing me to fill my need for longer stories. I did five layouts for the theme this month and I might even do more. Maybe they will still be kept in this album and maybe not. Time will tell as I create more pages in the coming months.
Instead of a full-on plan of this or that or this vs. that (which was never really my plan anyway), I'm going to just have fun and enjoy myself and do it the way I want to do it when I want to do it with whatever feels good at the time.
Because really, isn't that the point?
Here's a look at Week One:
Sigh. I'm happy.
This week at least. Ha.
Nothing earth shattering in the creativity department here, just a glance at a few stories and bits from our life. I didn't even add any embellishments besides stamping and one sticker.
The white heart was punched from cardstock using this heart punch and added on top of a recent Studio Calico Project Life® kit card.
The "collect moments" card is from my Gatherings Story Kit™. Remember This speech bubble is from this digital set: Story Bubbles.
I'm planning on putting more of Anna's artwork to good use.
The "Yes to" card is from an older Studio Calico Project Life® kit.
"Together is the best time" card is from my Gatherings Story Kit™.
"Today" stamp is from my Week In The Life™ kit. We have some kits without albums available if you are looking at wanting any of the products that were included. You can check out my archives on that project here.
Hope you guys have an awesome week!
Yep. I'm going with a digital monthly summary and an 8.5x11 album for just stories! Now if I could just find my diary full of stories . . . misplaced it somewhere! Don't you just hate that when you reorganize??????
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I worked on my PL over the weekend. I finished up 2013. I'm working on the last half of 2014 and started 2015. I find it all very satisfying even though it's difficult to stay current. What keeps me going is the fact that my children really appreciate my efforts and I love watching their faces as they look through my books.
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Funny thing is Ali I had the exact same realisation. I was thinking of changing up my memory keeping this year with PL as well but what I've found is I like the weekly thing. I'm in a great habit of organising photos and sending them off to get printed on a Sunday night and today (Tuesday) I pick them up and complete my week. I'm right now doing week 3 and I love it. (Mind you I am 6 weeks behind for 2014) My perfectionist nature is always kicking in and criticising my pages but overall I love the weekly thing. The only thing I have done differently is not put week 1 etc in the title, I'm just putting the dates so if I do fall behind I can do a spread that may be 2 or 3 weeks and no one will even notice! Thank you for sharing your lovely spread. Simple but awesome!
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This post made me chuckle. :) I'm so glad you're happy with your layout! I have tried to do monthly collage spreads (pre-Project Life), and it actually felt more overwhelming to me than weekly. With the weekly spreads, I feel like I can use all the photos I really want to use, and tell the important stories too. With a monthly approach, I felt like I had to narrow it down too much. I guess if I was going to do multiple pages each month, it might work, but my brain would still want everything to be chronological, so it might as well be organized by week. :) Love that you used Anna's drawing, and I like how you wrote journaling across the kitchen cabinets. Fun!
I think that's how I'd feel about monthly too.
anniebeagle that is exactly how I've felt on the few attempts I've made to do monthly. My brain still wants to put the events in chronological order, and I don't want to leave anything out.
Ali, I LOVE that you're going back to this method, any method, that works for you. Give yourself permission to do what works and enjoy it! Love all you do, Ali!
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Yah!! I really enjoy seeing your PL pages!! They are always quite lovely. Here are a couple of questions that I have... Did you happen to make a title page for your 2015 PL album that you can share? Do you ever fret over storing those big 12x12 albums? The bulk of the albums is my main concern. That's why I might switch to photobooks this year, but oh how I prefer the real physical kits.
Hi - you can see my title page here: https://aliedwards.com/2015/01/my-plans-for-memory-keeping-in-2015
I have a lot of albums - so many that I had shelves built into my office to store them. It definitely feels like a lot - but it's also been part of my job for the last 12 years :).
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Thanks, Ali! Silly me...I DID see that title page, but perhaps since you did it on a smaller scale, I didn't remember seeing it. :)
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Hi Ali. i think that's what's so great about your new approach at the beginning of the year. the way you have it set up you can do weekly or monthly project life pages or regular layouts and it will all work together in the album.
i finally sat and watched Begin Again. also, i've always thought that Aaron looks like Adam Levine in the photos that you post. :)
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I like the structure of a weekly format too.
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I get so emotional looking at your pages, Ali! They capture the little things that mean everything. I also relate to you as a single mom with two kids and a lovely man in your life. :) Yay!
I have all my PL supplies, but dang it I can't seem to get started. :S It's something I know I need to do.
Lastly, THANK YOU for this month's kit! I so appreciate the thought and care that go into your kits.
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Thanks Ali for the 'give yourself permission' attitude to just try it on, if it doesn't fit, don't wear it. I've been changing some things too...some fit some don't. BTW...I love seeing your pages and reading your thoughts about how life happens. Sharon
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I love it! I have been fighting it for so long, but I think it's time for me to start a weekly layout as well. I've been afraid of the "long term" commitment, in case I fall behind, but I'm seeing more and more the loveliness in capturing those every day moments and stories as they happen. I need to remember to include more black and white photos, too - yours look amazing in this layout. Thanks for your inspiration!
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I kind of see doing a PL as my weekly date with creativity. I just play with it and allocate space however makes me happy and looks good. Some weeks have big stories, and some are just a mish mash of whatever - mostly I like capturing life as it happens because when I look back it reflects the time for me. Kind of like when you hear a song from another time in your life and it takes you back.
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I have a question about Anna's heart artwork. Did you put the original in the sleeve or take a picture of it and use the picture?
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