Project Life | Week Thirteen

Welcome to Project Life | Week Thirteen

I really liked the chance to mix things up this past week and just include stuff (I was waiting for my camera battery charger to arrive here after I left it at my sister's house).

As I was uploading the photos of my spread I was thinking about how each of these pieces of stuff has a story all their own. Lots of them relate to errands run or things consumed. Here's a few details starting at the top right:


  1. Kim took the girls to see the baby chicks at the farm supply store as an activity last week. Love that she finds fun things like this to do with Anna.

  2. A trip to the post office resulted in a delivery confirmation slip. It's a sign of a project completed and sent-off. Love to have stuff like that crossed off my list.

  3. Earl Grey - a long-time favorite tea.

  4. A list of new books ordered and received from Amazon.

  5. Packaging from a couple new pens. These ones were highlighters. I use Shapies for some of my hand-drawn word art at Designer Digitals.

  6. Spring Reign is the seasonal beer from our favorite local brewery Ninkasi. I cut this piece directly from the 6-pack packaging.

  7. The movie Tangled came out on video this past week and was quickly purchased. Super cute story.


And on page two (starting at the top left):


  1. A drawing of our family that Simon did while we were in Charlotte.

  2. A thank you card from my sister. Reminds me that I want to order some personalized stationary.

  3. A little to-do list from errands ran with Anna on Thursday.

  4. A receipt from one of my new favorite local antique shops: Glory Days.

  5. Chris and I both bought a couple new items at Nike this week. He's training for a running race early this summer.

  6. A coloring sample from when we went to toddler story time while visiting my sister.

  7. A current prescription.

  8. A hand-print and painting piece that Anna did with Gabrielle while we were visiting.


I'm looking forward to getting back in the groove of a regular week around here.


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. If you live outside the US check Becky’s site for more information on sources. View all my posts about Project Life here.

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29 thoughts

  1. Beate says…
    04/05/2011

    I love the idea of not having any photos a week. I think I'll be doing one of those, especially since I haven't been taking many photos lately.
    I got CSF (chronical fatigue syndrom) and wasn't sure starting this album, if I would be able to keep up with it. I haven't for 3 weeks now. I don't want this to be another thing I'm not seeing through of failing at, so I decided that I'll just gotta pick up where I stopped, and if there's a few weeks missing it won't matter I'm sure. So that's why I love the idea of a week without photos. I feel it will take a lot of pressure off taking photos every week. Thank you for giving me a solution to the problem I've been having lately!

    Reply 0 Replies
  2. dawn says…
    04/05/2011

    Hi Ali, I love your album and it's full of good/fun stuff. This was such a good idea you had and glad you shared it with us. I did fill my week with fun papers/ tags/ artwork etc. It was so fun to do a different kinda week so I'm going to do this more often. How sweet to have Anna's handprint and Simon's drawing and your sister's note. I have mine posted on my blog if you would like to check it out. My blog is at http://everydaymemorieswithprojectlife.blogspot.com thanks again for sharing your time each week this.

    Reply 0 Replies
  3. TaraMcK says…
    04/05/2011

    I think I am going to try a week of just stuff. Love your layouts, awesome source of inspiration each week. Seeing this really helps me keep focused on this project. Many thanks for sharing each week.

    Reply 0 Replies
  4. Diane says…
    04/05/2011

    Love, love, love the kids artwork! That is so special, I must remember to do that as well. Thanks for sharing such great ideas!

    Reply 0 Replies
  5. Bridget Morelli says…
    04/05/2011

    Love love love this idea - I am doing the digital project life version this year (and am actually able to stay caught up that way) but I have decided to use some of last years unused project life pages to do this project and put it in our yearly scrapbook. Thanks for the great idea!

    Reply 0 Replies
  6. Damiane Lucas says…
    04/05/2011

    Great idea! No photo stress. Thanks also for sharing your beautiful garden in today's blog post. I love the spring colors you captured.

    Reply 0 Replies
  7. Pam Abbott says…
    04/05/2011

    I, too, collect many of our daily life stuff...and sometimes wonder if it is with it....love that yours comes together so well...I don't feel ridiculous for saving things like shopping lists! Someday, we will look back at this stuff and laugh, smile, etc...

    Thanks also for sharing about your sharpies. I often buy your at at Designer Digitals and have wondered how you create them...someday, I will pick your brain about this. :-)

    Reply 0 Replies
  8. margaretarelene says…
    04/05/2011

    I am so enjoying seeing how you go about documenting your year, Ali. I did this project last year, and was a bit overwhelmed after a while with taking a picture every day, although some days I took a lot more than one. I know now that I would like to do this project again next year, seeing how you have included the 'stuff' of everyday. Documenting your days does not need to be done with a photo, sometimes the goodies collected that day tell the story just as well. Thank you for sharing your life with us, and being an inspiration as well.

    Reply 0 Replies
  9. heidi y says…
    04/05/2011

    Thx for sharing your PL album with us!! You are so creative! You didn't have your camera charger, but you kept on going!! Love it! Thanks for sharing your creative process...

    Reply 0 Replies
  10. Deb J says…
    04/05/2011

    I like this idea. I need to do something like that more. I tend to forget to get memorabilia for my pages.

    Reply 0 Replies
  11. Susan Sherrer says…
    04/05/2011

    Hi Ali, would Jessica mind sharing where she got these sweet thank you notes? Would love to order some myself. Thanks! By the way, our kids love the movie "Tangled" too -- I think they've watched it five times since we got the movie just a few days ago...

    Reply 2 Replies
    1. Laura says…
      04/06/2011

      I second the curiosity about your sister's thank you note source!

    2. kim says…
      04/08/2011

      I would also love to have these!!

  12. cinback says…
    04/05/2011

    I love your little bits of capturing life.

    Can I also ask for your help? I am having printing issues as explained on my blog... http://seriousplay.typepad.com/cinback/2011/04/printer-help.html . If you have any advice to offer, I would be so grateful! Thanks.

    Reply 0 Replies
  13. Elizabeth H. says…
    04/05/2011

    Love the photo-less concept! So do you end up buying most of the books you read or do you check out from the library as well? I find it difficult to not buy books because I want access to them when they "call" to me. I hate the idea of being restricted to 3 weeks to rush through them. I also dislike the amount of money I spend at Amazon, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. Ali says…
      04/05/2011

      I do buy most - I've gone through library phases and used book phases. I love the library...I'd love to get in the habit of going there more.

  14. Jessica Woodford says…
    04/05/2011

    I love that all the paper in our lives tells a story as well, not just photos! Thanks for great ideas!

    Reply 0 Replies
  15. tetcy says…
    04/05/2011

    I LOVED Peace Like A River by Leif Enger!!! Enjoy:)

    Reply 0 Replies
  16. Jessica B says…
    04/05/2011

    I love that you didn't let project life go just because you happen to not have any photos this week! Thank you for the inspiration.

    Reply 0 Replies
  17. diane herman says…
    04/06/2011

    I love what you are doing Ali...if only I could get my hands on project Life here in Australia. Sadly it is proving to be very expensive to ship from Canada...and the Australian supplier can not tell us when they will be available.
    Awesome product but not so good for us Aussie scrappers :(

    Reply 0 Replies
  18. Julie Tann says…
    04/06/2011

    Your ideas are brilliant:) I do all my pix using divided page protectors, so your ideas are what I need!

    Do you save greeting cards, if so how do you display/store them in your albums? I'd love to know how to do this.

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. Ali says…
      04/06/2011

      Hi Julie - I don't usually save cards. Sometimes I do - if I do I'll cut out a part that I like - either the message from the person or the design on the front of the card.

  19. Alicia says…
    04/06/2011

    I love seeing your little non-picture items for ideas! Prescriptions, receipts, packages from one of my addictions (office supplies) are all such great ideas!

    Reply 0 Replies
  20. Laura says…
    04/06/2011

    I love the idea of including other stuff. It tells the story, too, and I know how much I enjoyed looking at my grandmothers collected stuff and seeing how much things cost, etc.

    But it's been drilled into my head to use archival safe paper, pens, etc. Are there any special considerations when including ticket stubs and receipts and packaging?

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. Ali says…
      04/06/2011

      I think the archival safe issue is more for when the elements would come in contact with the photos. In this case, when the items aren't touching the photos, it should be fine. You could always use a product like Archival Mist if you wanted to go a step further.

  21. DaniW says…
    04/07/2011

    Fabulous! I am laughing so much as my last fortnight's pages look just like this - even to a library list of books borrowed - and the tea packet label!! I love how similar everyone's ordinary lives really are, even on opposite sides of the world!

    My camera lens is broken and it will be over 2 weeks by the time I get the new one, so I have been finding very similar things to include instead. I like to journal about why they are important to me / us, but it didn't seem like you did that in your album? The comments in your post about each item were really interesting, have you put them in your album as well?

    ps thanks so much for your travel with kids posts, we are just about to fly from Australia to England with 2 boys, 3 1/2 and 1 1/2 years old. I have ordered I Spy bags and bought etch a sketch among other things, and am researching play centres in the airports we are stopping at on the way. Thanks again!

    Reply 0 Replies
  22. Lindsay says…
    04/07/2011

    Ali, I've been following your project life and kept thinking I should do this - well I've finally decided to purchase the kit. The Virgo in me doesn't like that I'm not starting in January but I'm beginning to embrace the words "oh well" :-)

    I'm so excited to get started! Thanks for your inspiration!

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. Stacey says…
      04/08/2011

      Lindsay as a fellow Virgo I can tell you it'll annoy you for the first week or so, and then you will love it so much it won't matter! I just started posting mine to my blog (my Week 1 was February 6th). Go for it fellow Virgo!
      http://sleepyhead922.blogspot.com/2011/04/project-life-introduction-week-1.html

  23. Katie says…
    04/07/2011

    I love that you put in the Coastal add. I am going to keep an eye out for items like this to add to my pages.

    I think I like this project the best of all the others you have done. Such a great one!

    Reply 0 Replies

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