Week In The Life : Bringing It All Together • The Completed Album
It's amazing the number of emotions I go through when working this project to completion.
Anticipation. Excitement. Frustration. Glee. Love. Pride. Distress. Impatience. Happiness.
It's done. Another week in another year of my life/our lives is done. I can close it up and put it away and take it out again down the road and marvel at how simple & easy things were, or how crazy & stressful & complex - all depending on what my life is like at that moment in time.
This is definitely a labor of love. It takes time to write things down as you go about a day. It takes time to take the photos. It takes time to sort and upload and wait for printing. It takes time to organize the words and add more if needed. It takes time to add the elements to the page protectors.
It is a commitment of time and energy.
It is worth every single minute.
Below I am going to take you through my entire album from beginning to end. Along the way I 'll tell you a bit about changes or adjustments I made. I have also included tutorials or links to additional information when it's applicable.
WEEK IN THE LIFE 2010
Here's a shot looking down at my 8.5x11 We Are Memory Keepers album. You might be able to fit two years in here - it really depends on how many bulky things you add or how many additional page protectors you add. As you will see below I added at least one more page protector per day for journaling.
This was my first time using a We Are Memory Keepers album & page protectors. I loved it. The page protectors seem thicker and sturdier than my favorites from American Crafts.
Included with the We Are Memory Keepers album is a black plastic page which could definitely be removed. I ended up keeping it because I added this little black paper with white type that I collected during my week. It says, "experience life to the nines."
Also, somehow I missed that We Are Memory Keepers makes 8.5x11 divided page protectors. The slot sizes are 3.5 x 2.625. I would love to have all the page protectors be the same along the rings (yes, that's a little on the type-A side). Looks like they actually offer a bunch of different options for both 12x12 and 8.5x11 divided page protectors. Be still my divided page-protector loving heart.
Included in the digital layered template packages is an intro page. The digital page includes the spot for the photo, the title, a spot for an initial, and the twill strip with the days of the week.
For my album, which is a combination of digital and paper, I printed out the intro page with just the title on cardstock. I used the School House chipboard alphabet from Cosmo Cricket for the initial ("A" is for my first name rather than "A Week In The Life"). I used these chipboard letter stickers in other locations throughout the album.
In Elements I re-sized the twill strip, printed it on photo paper (see the how-to process below), cropped it and added it on top of my photo. The photo size on the intro page is 8.5 x 6inches.
RESIZING & PRINTING A DIGITAL TWILL STRIP
Twill strips are one of my favorite digital products to use on paper pages. My packages of twill at Designer Digitals are sized 12 inches wide but can easily be sized down for use on a smaller project. Here's a look at that process for my intro page:
- Open the PNG file. For my intro page I choose the "no bold" option for the Days of the Week because I didn't want any of the specific dates highlighted on the cover.
- Image/Resize/Image Size and change to 9 inches wide. Make sure "constrain proportions" is selected or you will get a warped image. If you want to save paper you can print more than one strip at a time by creating a new canvas and adding multiple strips to that canvas.
- Go to File/Page Set Up to adjust your page orientation to landscape (11x8.5).
- Print on cardstock or photo paper, trim, adhrere.
MONDAY
One of the interesting things I discovered this time around, with my slower pace, is that I thought of other things I wanted to include. Mostly I thought about more words to include about where we all are in life right now. I feel that by taking a bit more time than usual I was able to round out our story and include things I may have missed during the whirlwind week of documentation.
Because of that, I ended up creating some Long Journalers that allowed me to write more or to simply copy and paste the text I used to describe my photos/days here on my blog. On the backs of these journal blocks I did different things on different days including an enlarged photo, more journaling, pattern paper, etc.
For each of these long journal blocks (the blocks fit on a 4.25 x 11 inch piece of paper) I stitched on page protectors to create custom sizes. For more on creating custom sized page protectors, including a short video of my stitching on a page protector, see this post. I really like having the different width included in this album.
This opening long journaler is titled "Life Right Now" and it documents in general what's happening for each of the people in my immediate family. I thought this was a nice way to begin the album - an overview of sorts.
On the back of the long journaler I inputted the content I had documented including time of day.
When working on my long journaling blocks I added in either blue or red type as emphasis. It's a nice little something extra.
Some of my journaling cards, like the one above, are very simple sentiments. Simple is good.
I did end up using the 7gyspies date stamps for each day of the week on my large daily opener photo.
The red wonder woman paper includes notes from our babysitter about Anna's day.
For Tuesday, because I had already hand-written a complete day, I just left my journaling as-is and slipped it inside a page protector.
WEDNESDAY
For Wednesday I turned my journaling from under each photo into a paragraph and went back and forth between brown and black type to show the change in thought from one to the next. The bottom portion is the commentary I included at the end of my post.
On the back of Wednesday's long journaling I chose one of the pattern papers and added a simple "W."
On Thursday I had less text to add to the long journal box so I adhered a photo to the cardstock.
On the back I included an enlarged photo (4.25 x 11 inches). Love adding in this big photo and wish I would have done more of these.
On a couple of the days I simply printed out the captions I added below my photos in my blog posts and adhered them to the photos.
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
I had significantly less jouranling for Saturday than I did for other days (and less photos too). To fill in some of the slots I wrote simple things on the journaling cards. I liked including some journaling that was more reflective rather than in the moment - there is definitely room for both in this album.
SUNDAY
Simple sentiments to fill space and tell a bit more about my life.
This. This is it.
CLOSING PAGE
As many of you know it's not often that I create an "ending page" for my albums. I'm not sure what's up with that...I think so many times I am just DONE by that point and want to move on to the next thing. This time I decided to add one in - a very simple one.
I re-printed the intro page from the template package onto cardstock and simply hand-wrote a couple sentiments and signed my name.
YOU CAN DO THIS
- If you are still sitting on the fence...one of those people that needs to see the end before beginning...it's time to get down from the fence and get moving. This is one of those projects that I promise you will never regret. You can do this.
- As you can see, this album is not about embellishments and do-dads and pretty little things glued down. It's about the words and the photos. And it is oh so amazing to see your life in this way. You can do this.
- If you are in the middle of working on your album...keep at it. It's a
process. Give yourself the gift of working on it a bit at a time...but
commit to finishing it. There's nothing like a completed album to boost
your confidence. You can do this. - If you are just coming across this concept for the first time, honestly, you can do this.
Finally, I want to humbly and sincerely say thank you for embarking on this journey with me. I hope you have captured a glimpse of how wonderfully precious your life is - whatever stage you are in right now in April/May 2010.
Click here for a complete list of Week In The Life posts.
I'll add my LOVE IT! To the rest and also encourage those who haven't started to just start -- that's what I did -- it was hard, but once I chose the paper and templates and just did something it started to fall into place. I love that you have consistency in the whole, but also you have given me "permission" or inspiration to also vary little things -- such as amount of journaling for each day!
You are the best!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Ali,
It's always so great to see your FINISHED album! I am about half done with mine...I love how it is coming together :o) My journaling will probably be the hardest to finish up...but LOVE the idea of doing the long journaling blocks!
Thanks again for a great project & for being our CHEERLEADER!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
WOW! You always inspire me.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
My week kinda exploded at the end and I still need to wrap it back up. Just the push I need, thanks.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Ohhhhhh, I just love this. So very much! And I want to do it! I can't help but hear that little voice in the back of my head that says, "But your life is boring. And ordinary. And, really, what would you have that was worth recording at the end of a boring, ordinary week?" I really need to ignore that little voice. Ali, this project is amazing!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Thank you so much for walking us through your amazing album. I love how you've brought it all together. It shows how important not just the pictures are, but also how important it is to record your thoughts as well!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
So wonderful. Thank you for sharing the process, the pictures, the simplicity. Nice!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Beautiful and brilliant. Thank you.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Ali,
Your album is beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing. I love your templates and plan to use them on other projects.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
I just want to say thank you. Thank you for this idea. It is the second time around for me. Thank you for encouraging me to take pictures everyday. Thank you for reminding me to write our day down. Thank you for showing us the process. Thank you for inspiring me to complete this project. Thank you for this blog and, most importantly thank you for... you. You challenge me, spark my own ideas, and help me appreciate (and document) my day to day life. You are constant reminder to live in the now.
THANK YOU!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
IGNORE IT Marie :). I will be showing some lovely albums next week from other people who might have felt the same way as you.
So much of this project is about experiencing the process of embracing your life...all the little details that make it what it is.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
LOVE your finished product. LOVE it.
I just got my pictures back today from scrapbookpictures.com- they turned out great! Thank you so much for the info on their company. The pictures were on sale when I ordered them, so that saved money, plus the shipping wasn't pricey at all and they're very good quality!
Thank you so much for all of the inspiration. :)
Sign in or sign up to comment.
So beautiful and so meaningful as always. I'm working on my book, and lately I'm feeling a black and white photography mojo. Do you think I may regret it later on if I make my book with primarily B&W photos, with just a few color photos thrown in for some pop? Also, do you know if the Memory Keeper page protectors fit inside a AC Album -- are they pretty universal? Thanks!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Ali- I really think you could make a lot of money by selling WITL kits! Include the different size page protectors and all of the info you included here. Include some of those digital WITL stuff you did over at DD.com & it would fly off the shelves.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
I'm just in love with this. I journal regularly and constantly strive to capture the things -- big & small -- that are making up our family life. I use pictures & scrapbook elements in my journals, and do not scrapbook separately.
But I love this. LOVE.
Thank you!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Ali, I don't think you can ever really understand what an inspiration you are to scrapbookers. Your documentation of this process is so amazing and has inspired me to get out everything I did for a week in the life LAST YEAR! and get busy on putting my album together. I still have all of my notes and took TONS of pictures. I really need to get it put together so that it has meaning. And I can't wait to do it again. Thanks so so much for your encouragement and the time you take to make sure we don't feel overwhelmed. It really means more than you could ever know.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Simmply love, love your album. Thanks for sharing it. It inspires me to want to do the same. Many, many thanks. Keep doing what you are doing.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Amazing job Ali! Thank you for the inspiration and challenging me to do this! I'm so glad I did and so glad it's over! You can view my project at www.stiglets.blogspot.com....thanks again!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
I agree. That is absolutely what struck me as well.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
wow, so beautiful. and what a keepsake you've created!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
As I have said before, I did this at CKU-Chicago. I have gone back to see what I captured last time and if some of the everyday stuff has changed I am making sure to capture. For example, last time I did this my girls watched Tom & Jerry, at night. Now, they have moved on to ICarly. I had to give them both baths and now they take showers by themselves. I tried to document, what they say on a regular basis too. My 3 year olds favorite right now is "make me." They still all three call me mommy (sometimes). Just the little things that will change all too quickly.
Thanks again for this project.
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Ali, I am always amazed - and I admit, intimidated - by your projects. (the "intimidated" is a total me thing and I need to get over it). The way you have blogged about this, the steps you took, how you did it, how yo9u planned it...I kind of feel like you're taking us (*me*) by the hand and saying, "You can do it. Here's how." And sometimes with projects like this, I need "hand-holding" kinds of instruction. Now, to find a local friend who is willing to do it with me - and hold me accountable to actually DO IT. :)
Sign in or sign up to comment.
What a fabulous album! I love this idea and am definitely planning on giving it a try sometime this year. I love the We R Memory Keepers albums/page protectors...definitely one of my favorites!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Wow! Thank you so much for sharing the whole thing. I want to go out and buy a sewing machine just so I can stitch custom page protectors! :) I'm amazed at how quickly you put it all together (and especially that you said you took more time than usual with it). It's beautiful!
About the page protectors - I just bought some of the divided We R ones in the 12x12 size. They are noticeably bigger than the American Crafts page protectors that came with my 3 ring album (which I got at Hobby Lobby last week for 1/2 off - score!). So, I don't think I'm going to use them together. Actually, my favorite 12x12 page protectors are the "Best Occasions" ones from Walmart, so I'm planning to replace all the AC ones with those. I think they're a little nicer than AC, though not as heavy as We R. I know Walmart uses a lot of different suppliers for their Best Occasions store brand (the albums all say Best Occasions on the front, but if you look inside, they're made by different companies - Pioneer, C.R. Gibson, etc.), so the page protectors may not be exactly the same at every store (though all the packs I've bought look identical). Anyway, just thought I'd share! :)
Thanks again for leading this project. I probably would have never attempted it without your guidance. I am so happy I did!
Sign in or sign up to comment.
Oops - I didn't mean for ALL of that to be in italics (just the word "more"). Guess I didn't close my code properly... :)
Sign in or sign up to comment.