Week In The Life™ 2016 | Getting Started With The Album + Working With The Layered Templates

So you took a whole bunch of photos and wrote down some stories last week - now what?

First off, pat yourself on the back for even documenting your week. It's a big task but totally worth the effort both during the week and after the week has ended.

The next step, if you haven't started already, is to create a plan for yourself to get the project into an album and on a shelf or in the hands of your family sooner rather than later.

You can do this.

Here's what I know to be true followed by the steps I'm taking to get started:

1. Sometimes it takes me awhile to get going on this portion of the project. Breaking it down into tasks helps me get through all the different parts vs. feeling like I have to do everything all at once. I usually focus on printing my photos (often with my words on them) first and then move on to the cards/embellishments from the kit.

2. I'm not after perfection, I'm after completion. Repeat: I'm not after perfection, I'm after completion.

3. I work with what I have (photos, stories, products, etc) and don't worry about what I might not have.

4. It feels AWESOME to get this project done. That in and of itself is a major motivator for me to get it done. But I also remember that it isn't a race.

5. I always run out of ink and/or paper during this project so I ordered more before starting knowing that I don't want that to be a barrier (especially if I get really into it and don't want to stop my mojo).

6. Make this album work for you. There is no prescription that says you must follow how I do it - use what you have in front of you to make it happen.

STEP ONE | Open up the kit if you haven't already and get your page protectors in order. Here's the order I'm using (at least initially, I might move the two "content" divided pages around on different days):

STEP TWO | Next I placed all the day of the week cards from the kit into either the top or bottom 4x6 pocket. I also punched out all the chipboard circles and put them in the 3x4 pockets (one for each day). I like to have a general sense where things might go, even if I end up chaining my mind after dealing with my photos.

STEP THREE | Print out the full-page 6x8 daily photo. I'm a major fan of full-page photos and always include one or two each day (the second one is often the last photo within the content for the day - sometimes I'll use the collage pages that come with the layered templates and sometimes I just use a full page photo). This year I'm using these layered templates in Photoshop. I print here at home using an Epson SureColor 400 printer for anything larger than 5 inches x 7 inches.

Here's a tutorial that shows you how to work with these layered templates in Photoshop:

Feel free to ask any questions you might have about the steps in the video in the comments below.

STEP FOUR | After doing the title page for each day I do the end page. This page is either a full page photo (which I think is what I'm doing again) or I use a collage template that's included in the layered template package (and I talk about it in the video above).

STEP FIVE | Next I go day by day through my photos with my album sitting next to me at my desk. I assess and print photos to fit the pockets available to me and if I have extras I usually print them and adhere them back to back and punch holes and add them directly to my album. I'll share what this looks like if I use that technique again when I get to this part of the process. Many of those photos will have the story added to them in Photoshop before printing. I also often have the cards from the kit on my desk so I can place/assign them spots based on the number of photos I have and the stories I'm telling.

STEP SIX | After getting each days photos into my album I'll start playing around with the other stuff from the kit (embellishments, etc).

Those are the basic steps I follow to get this project completed. Right now I'm working on the last page for each day. I'll share more as I get farther along in the process.

Again, thanks for joining me for this adventure! There has been lots of awesome sharing in the Week In The Life™ Facebook group if you'd like to see what other people are creating with the photos, words and kits. You are more than welcome to join if you are interested.