Week In The Life | 2011 Supplies & Design Plan

Week In The Life 2011 is quickly approaching and I'm starting to get really, really excited.

I hope you're considering joining me from July 25th through July 31st - it's so much more fun and motivating when there's a bunch of people all doing it at the same time. This year I'll be including link widgets at the end of each of my daily posts so we can all share our photos and words and encourage each other throughout the week.

One of the big things I do to get ready each year is map out my design plan. I like to know in advance where I'm going with all the content I'm collecting, even though I won't be doing any of this part until the week after I document our days. Some people like to do it all at once (the documenting and the design) but I've found that I like to focus on the documenting (taking the photos and writing down the stories) during the seven-days and then focus on bringing it all together the next week.

There's so many different ways this project can come together. Any of the different foundation plans I've used the last couple of years would work great. If you've been following along and participating with me in this project in the past you'll see lots of things that are the same: size, divided page protector, enlarged photo on the first page for each day, etc. When I find something I like I stick with it - or tweak it just a bit as you'll see with my design for 2011.

Here are links to my design plans from the last couple of years (lots of good info there about getting ready):


Here's a look at my foundation plan for Week In The Life 2011:

This year my focus, besides documenting our everyday stories and routines, is thinking about numbers and time. You'll see that reflected in the products I'm choosing to work with and in my journaling.

There are so many numbers involved in our daily lives - the number of times we do something, days, minutes, time, etc. I like having a little something that's underlying my documentation this year.

Here's a look at what I'll be using this year:

3-RING ALBUM | We Are Memory Keepers Vanilla (lots of additional colors are available through Scrapbook.com). I'll be doing this project in 8.5x11.

EXTRA SET OF PAGE PROTECTORS | We Are Memory Keepers 8.5x11 - you'll need an extra set if you want a spread for each day.

8.5x11 9-POCKET DIVIDED PAGE PROTECTORS | We Are Memory Keepers 9-pocket or other baseball card sized page protectors - this goes in the middle of the spread for each day.

LAYERED TEMPLATES | This is basically the guide I'll be using to create my spreads each day. Available at Designer Digitals in both 8.5x11 and 12x12 sizes (12x12 is coming soon), this package includes an intro page, seven daily pages (labeled Monday through Sunday) and seven photo collage with journaling pages. You can see where focusing on the time of day becomes reality - I'll be using that as a design element as well as something to focus on with my journaling.

I'm not sure yet whether I'll be printing these pages here at home or uploading to a printing service. Right now I think I'll be using these layered templates, printing them, and then slipping them into an album (I won't be making a photo book because I want to use the pocket pages for each day).

I might also do something similar to what I did with my layered templates for December Daily last year where I printed them on photo paper to get the photos and cardstock to get the journaling and title portions. You can read more about that approach here (and I'll post more about that if I decided to go that route in the coming weeks).

JOURNAL CARDS | Available at Designer Digitals - the set includes PNG cards and PDF printable files with crop marks. The package includes four PDF's: red, yellow, blue, and gray. These will go inside the 9-pocket divided page protectors each day. I've also included a PSD file if you'd like to customize them further.

Here's a look at one of these printed and placed inside the divided page protector:

I'm planning to mix up the colors in my album (rather than doing all one or the other). Lots of options. I'll be adding photos and maybe some pattern papers - all that really depends on the number of stories and photos I collect.

ORMOLU DAY OF THE WEEK EMBELLISHMENTS | 2-Day Hooray Days of the Week Button Embellishments - when you purchase these buttons you also get a coordinating set of tags to print. These are going to be placed on top of a piece of Hambly patterned transparencies.

PATTERN PAPER | This year I'm looking for anything with numbers. Most likely these will be added here and there in the divided page protector pockets as a bit of decoration. So far I've got these ones set aside include:


PATTERN TRANSPARENCY | Hambly Little Circles

FONT | Alte Haas Grotesk. This is the font I used for my titles and times in the layered template set. It's a free download available here.

And so far, that's it.

My focus, as usual, will be on the words and the photos and getting all those wonderful, routine everyday life details documented. It's totally possible that I'll grab other things when I actually put the album together but these are the basics.


Elle’s Studio has just release some brand new items in their shop, including tags for summer, everyday, 2012 calendars and more! They even have some tags perfect for your “Project Life” albums and the upcoming “Week In the Life" project. This week only, use coupon code summer to receive free shipping on any order over $40 (offer includes international shipping and expires 07/18/2011).

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101 thoughts

  1. Janie says…
    07/12/2011

    I can hardly wait to try again this year. How many sheets of patterned paper do you purchase to complete your one week?

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. Ali says…
      07/12/2011

      I'm just starting with the four sheets listed above - I may not even use them at all or I may need more. This design in particular uses less pattern paper then I have in the past.

  2. Becky says…
    07/12/2011

    Hi Ali,
    I tried to download the font that you used at DaFont but it was either invalid or corrupt. Anyone else have this same problem? I can hardly wait for the week to come! My week doesn't look to busy tho
    Becky

    Reply 2 Replies
    1. Ali says…
      07/15/2011

      Hmmm - I just downloaded it to my laptop tonight and it worked fine. Maybe try again.

    2. Sandra says…
      07/12/2011

      I am also having problems downloading the fonts (actually, unzipping them).

  3. Linda says…
    07/12/2011

    Missed the sale on your new items at DD because I was enjoying a week's vacation without my computer! Any chance they will go on sale again before July 25th?

    Reply 2 Replies
    1. Ali says…
      07/15/2011

      Hi guys - I know Designer Digitals is having a Christmas in July sale this week. Each day different products go on sale - keep checking, it might go on sale (I have no idea).

    2. Erika says…
      07/15/2011

      Hi, I missed buying them, as well, while I was waiting for paypal funds. I'm also hoping for a sale again, too...

  4. Leigh says…
    07/13/2011

    This is just what I needed to get excited about this year's project. I just moved into a new house and my craft room is not yet ready to work in - now I will make a big push to organize it in time! If not, I may have to go all digital and have the pages printed.

    Reply 0 Replies
  5. Vee P says…
    07/14/2011

    I'm super excited about this! I've watched & read the past 2 years of your scrapbooking projects. I'm glad this year I've decided to take the plunge & participate.

    Usually I collect things & think of making the book after but instead never get around to it. This time, I've already started on making a mini-book & cutting up patten papers to add to the book. I'm following your foot steps & making sure I'm fully prepared so the experience will be easier & fun. Thanks again!

    Reply 0 Replies
  6. inci says…
    07/14/2011

    hello Ali

    Is your bread & butter layered templates at DD for 12x12 or is there also 8.5x11? I am getting ready for week in the life
    Thanks

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. Ali says…
      07/15/2011

      Hi - those ones are just 12x12 but I have an 8.5x11 set here: http://www.designerdigitals.com/digital-scrapbooking/supplies/product_info.php/products_id/9600

  7. Week in the Life update « Here I am says…
    07/14/2011

    [...] Ali Edwards put on her blog during the week how her Week in the Life project is going to come together. [...]

    Reply 0 Replies
  8. steffb says…
    07/14/2011

    Am I the only person that thinks the new Ditto stuff would be perfect for this project?

    Reply 2 Replies
    1. Ali says…
      07/15/2011

      Do you have a link?

    2. steffb says…
      07/15/2011

      I saw it on my Archiver's newsletter, there's a video of it at:

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDUYzDtd3ao

      Actually after I went and researched it I was kind of embarrassed that I posted about it on here, because it seems like it's been directly influenced by a lot of your work - I guess imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...I think it caught my eye when I Was doing your scrapbook on the road project because it would have been good for that too.

  9. Sunday Best - A week in my life says…
    07/16/2011

    [...] with me in taking part in Ali Edwards’ A Week in the Life challenge this year? It takes place between July 25th and July [...]

    Reply 0 Replies
  10. Toni says…
    07/18/2011

    Hi Ali - Love these designs. I have sent you an email about week in the life regarding a different size for the templates but lily got sick so I know you've been really busy. I am so glad that she is home with you again and I hope she is feeling heaps better!!

    I'm just wondering whether you think I can rotate the templates to fit a landscape orientation of the 8.5x11 templates or whether the 12x12 resized/reduced to 8.5x8.5inch then expanded to 11inch width (which would leave white space to one side) would be better in terms of design adaptation (assuming that is ok). For example if I flipped the current templates 90degrees I would need to alter the way the text boxes are and probably need wider shorter text boxes rather than the narrow long ones that show in the preview. Also I don't know if the photo box sizes suit being rotated 90?

    I would wait to look but I'm not sure how far you are away with the 12x12 ones as I imagine things are pretty busy with catching up from Lily being unwell.

    Thanks

    Reply 3 Replies
    1. Toni says…
      07/18/2011

      Thank's for that Ali - time to visit Designer Digitals :) I'm looking forward to next week! Hope the catching up doesn't take you too long.

    2. Ali says…
      07/18/2011

      Also, going with the 8.5x11 turned on it's side is likely a better option than the 12x12 (there would be more adjustments needed that would complicated the process - especially expanding from 8.5 to 11 - that would mess with the pixels).

    3. Ali says…
      07/18/2011

      Hi Toni - thanks for understanding as I am behind on emails from the last two weeks. You could rotate the 8.5x11 design but like you noticed you would need to do some adjusting on the titles (actually the numbers/time would look cool vertically). You'd have to remake the text boxes for your journaling (not hard in photoshop) and adjust the title on the main page. I think it could definitely work if it was important to you to have a landscape orientation.

  11. Meredith says…
    07/18/2011

    I just stumbled across this idea from Sarah Martina Parker's blog, and I am so excited to get started! Your dates are a complete out of the ordinary week for our family, but maybe that will be part of the fun!

    I am so glad I found this!

    Reply 0 Replies
  12. Patricia G. says…
    07/20/2011

    Hi Ali,

    Is the 12X12 format available for purchase yet?

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. Ali says…
      07/20/2011

      Hi - it will be available on Saturday :).

  13. amyw says…
    07/20/2011

    Hi Ali - I'm sure you already answered this question but I can't find the answer anywhere. Are you skipping PL for a week for WITL?

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. Ali says…
      07/20/2011

      Nope - Week In The Life is much more detailed. Project Life will be a great place to include photos of how we are documenting and any others that don't go into the Week In The Life album. I'll be doing both.

  14. Megan says…
    07/20/2011

    Hi,
    I just purchased you Week in the Life journal cards. Are they supposed to have a slight blue background? I just wanted to print them on kraft paper, but it doesn't look quite right. It's my first purchase so I thought I'd check to see if I've done something wrong. I'm looking forward to doing the WITL this year!

    Reply 2 Replies
    1. Megan says…
      07/21/2011

      Thanks so much! They look great printed on white paper :)

    2. Ali says…
      07/20/2011

      Hi Megan - the one's I designed last year (http://www.designerdigitals.com/digital-scrapbooking/supplies/product_info.php/products_id/9579) are light grey. I made them that way so they would be easy to trim/cut out after printing. You can see samples of my printed cards here: http://aliedwards.com/2010/04/week-in-the-life-bringing-it-all-together-%E2%80%A2-the-words.html

  15. Christine says…
    07/21/2011

    Can't find the WITL 12x12 pages at DD. Are they still being put together? Just curious. Thanks for always having such wonderful ideas :) I love everything you do.

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. Ali says…
      07/21/2011

      They will be available on Saturday.

  16. Cathy says…
    07/21/2011

    Ali or anyone....I went to CKU 2006 in Atlanta. I didn't take the Week in my Life class, but afterwards, we received an offer to order the kit and I did. I'm looking through my kits and I can't figure out which one it was. Can anyone help me identify some of what was in it? I'm thinking of doing this, but I may be too swamped to accomplish this at this time. However, it IS an interesting time in my life!!!!
    TIA!
    Cathy

    Reply 0 Replies
  17. simply autumn » Around Here … says…
    07/22/2011

    [...] am gearing up for Week in the Life.  Although I adore Ali’s digital templates for this year’s project, I decided not to [...]

    Reply 0 Replies
  18. Rebecca B. says…
    07/22/2011

    Hi Ali, Do you need Photoshop to purchase the templates on DD? I only have Adobe Reader, are they available in PDFs?

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. Ali says…
      07/22/2011

      The templates are layered which means that you do need Photoshop or Photoshop Elements to use them (they allow you to "mask" photos inside the shapes and in-put your own text.

  19. Week In The Life | Thoughts On The Process & Daily Sheet PDF | Ali Edwards says…
    07/24/2011

    [...] Maybe you’ll follow along with me and focus on the theme of time this year. Check out my design plan and supply list here. [...]

    Reply 0 Replies
  20. Sandy says…
    07/24/2011

    Hi Ali,
    Probably a bad time to ask this question but in your templates are the "date" bits fixed? Like, for example, if I wanted to use your templates to do a different "week in the life" OR because in Australia we write our dates differently from you - ie DD MM YY not MM DD YY. Are these bits adaptable in the digital kit?

    Reply 1 Reply
    1. Ali says…
      07/25/2011

      Hi Sandy - they are adjustable (they are on their own layer).

  21. Week In The Life 2011 | Sunday Words + Photos | Ali Edwards says…
    08/01/2011

    [...] I’ll be back in a couple days with more information about my process for taking the collected content and putting it all together in an album, including a video tutorial for working with the layered templates. And in case you missed it, here’s my basic design plan & supplies for 2011. [...]

    Reply 0 Replies
  22. week in the life 2011 | livermore mom photographer » Krista Lund Photography says…
    08/08/2011

    [...] can’t even begin to tell you how excited i am to not only have participated in ali e’s WITL 2011 project but that i completed it!! thanks to my OPAM! i am checking projects off left and right. ok, only 1 [...]

    Reply 0 Replies
  23. Erin B. says…
    01/04/2012

    I was hoping to print some of the Daily Sheets but the page was not found. Is there any way that link could be fixed? I could design my own but I gave birth 5 days ago to my 4th child so I'm a bit busy! : ) Thanks!

    Reply 0 Replies
  24. insurance says…
    06/08/2013

    Hello there! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout
    out and tell you I really enjoy reading through your posts.
    Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that go over the same subjects?
    Thank you!

    Reply 0 Replies

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