Project Life | Week Thirty-Five
Welcome to Project Life | Week Thirty-Five.
The week before school starts. Labor Day weekend on the Oregon coast. Major office cleaning. Simon deciding he was ready to write out Old Bear Stories.
The cream cheese package I added in because it's a big part of the morning routine for Simon especially - pretty much everyday he eats a small wheat bagel with cream cheese.
The first page of his Old Bear Stories - the rest of the pages are in his journal.
I held back on a few of the beach photos because I'd like to use them in a layout. I have no problem repeating photos in Project Life and on layouts, but this week I just felt like saving them for a layout.
All the labels I used this week (and the blue letter stickers) are from October Afternoon.
This album is getting thick. I'd hoped to have 2 albums but it looks like 3's what I need to do Project Life the way I like with all the inserts.
Someone on Twitter asked me what I'm doing in the places where one album breaks off into another. That's a good question. Right now I have the week split (half in the first album and the other half in the second album). Not sure that I'll do anything - maybe add in another page protector (so as not to break up the week) and just insert some of the decorative cards with a "continued in the next album" note. How are you guys approaching this?
A few weeks back Noell asked me about taking photos of Project Life or any projects inside page protectors. I've tried all kinds of different situations here in my house and here's what I've found works best around here:
I've got a little room at the entrance to my office (two months ago it was filled with stuff for our garage sale and now it's completely empty waiting for something) that has nice diffused light coming in the windows in the afternoon. It's too bright in the morning when the sun comes directly in through these windows, but by the afternoon it's really nice "simple" light. My goal when I'm taking photos of this album is to reduce the glare as much as possible and the diffused light really helps with that as well as the color balance (without doing any unique settings on my camera). Most of the time I shoot looking straight down at the album on the ground. Sometimes I get down on the ground at an angle for a close-up.
When I set the album on the floor I move it around a bit to find the place that has the least glare and no shadow from my body. Sometimes it's parallel to the windows and other times it's perpendicular. As I turn the album I'm able to move away from the glare. Lots of trial and error.
Project Life is a product created by Becky Higgins. It can be anything you want it to be. The pieces of the album kit (similar to the one I’m using) are available here. If you live outside the US check Becky’s site for more information on sources. View all my posts about Project Life here.
Hi Ali,
I didn't break up my week... I just added filler cards to the 2nd side of the last page protector and then made a new "title" page in the new binder. I tried to just leave the week broken up, but couldn't do it! LOL.
Also- I won the camera necklace in May or June, and I haven't received it yet. I'm wondering if maybe it got lost in the mail?
Thanks for all your great posts!
Ali,
I did the same as many of your readers, I added a page protector and filled in the empty space. I used some of the decorative paper and some extra pictures. Love your project life as usual :)
Crystal - please email me: ali@aliedwards.com.
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Hi Ali - Thanks so much for sharing your PL albums, I love seeing them each week, they are so inspirational! I am on my second album also. For now I've inserted some "leftover" decorative PL cards on the first page of my second album, but am considering switching in some various photos, and/or seasonal patterned paper and/or accents. I'd like to still have it "flow" from one album to the next.
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I didn't worry about "ending" one journal and beginning another.
I did what you did: started the 2nd binder with page 2 of the week I was ending in binder #1... I feel when you're going through the year, you're going to just simply move on to the next album with no need for a transition...
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I have just ordered my first project life albums and kit. Inspired by the moments you are capturing with and for your children I realised I wanted to record our unique household structure as it is now. I know that in time to come there will be things we all forget. You have shown how this can be managed in a way that won't overwhelm. Often I start with great enthusiasm but get so involved in making it `perfect' or elaborate I just can't keep up. I aim to make my Project Life simple. I also plan to start just as soon as it arrives rather than waiting until the start of the new year, I feel that captures how things really work around here - no to a neat plan ;-)
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I'm onto my third album, a 5 week trip from Australia to England in May is taking up it's own album inbetween the 2 'official' Project Life albums. I have title & ending pages in the trip album but not in the others, they just stop / start mid week. I'm not happy with that and plan to go back and do something, maybe use filler cards and some photos like suggested above - when life slows down a bit, lol!
Also, my middle album is a brown WRMK, sitting inbetween 2 original Turquoise albums - not happy about that either but am having trouble getting another original Turquoise album here in Australia. Might just have to get a black one instead. Thanks for sharing your pages and thoughts every week Ali, it is a great inspiration, especially those weeks when it's a bit harder to find the motivation to keep going.
Hi Dani,
If you'd like to e-mail me amaccoll@twcny.rr.com
I have an original new BH turquoise binder
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I had an empty back and I just cutup a piece of pattern paper that I liked to fit all the divided sections. But then I am a day late and a dollar short and did not buy a project life kit. Won't be making that mistake again.
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I am still on my first album but I can see a second in the future. Thank you for all your great ideas on how to start the 2nd album. Some of my pages contain all one day and then there are weeks I am missing a photo or two, OR the whole week. This year has been very busy as I am dealing with an illness but I can see that next years is going to be better. Lots better!
Ali - you are an inspiration! You have me looking at the way I take photo's. The angles, the why not's, etc. I took a picture of my mail box the other day and realized I have never taken one before. Why not as we have lived here for 21 years. WoW! My husband shakes his head at me at times with some of the things I save to put in it, but just the other day he brought me a couple of receipts that he saved when we went out to dinner. Another wow! Thank you Ali!!
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I will be doing Project Life for the first time this January and am so looking forward to it! It is great to see (read) your thinking and sharing as I start to get into the mindset of this new way of documenting!
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I so wish I could go back 25 years and do this project 365 every year. So many little things that I will never be able to remember that you have in these albums and will never forget. I am so envious. I love seeing your albums.
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Thanks Ali for all of your continued inspiration with this project. Seeing your weekly posts is a real highlight that I look forward to each week.I am always so amazed that each week you inspire so many ideas!
I'm also sandwiching inserts between my weekly spreads and am now on my 3rd album. It's my first year with PL and for now I am really enjoying capturing our everyday at the level that this project allows me to do it.
I actually had to look back at my first 2 volumes to see what I had done...I did not split up a week. On the backside of the last page, I inserted some additional photos from the week just previous. Then on the first page of the new album, I made another title page of sorts, using some favorite family photos from earlier in the year (from the previous volume). Then turn the page and start with the new week.
I imagine at the end of the year when I have a complete set, I may go back and make sense of the end pages & title pages more formally, but for now that's what I have.
Regarding these very cool labels & letter stickers...are you placing those directly on the page protector? Or just right on the photo?
Another awesome week and thanks so much for all you do for us & for the inspiration!
Those labels are going right on the photos.
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Ali,
Great pictures, love the ones of Simon and Anna together. Glad to see they had good days at school.
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Hi Ali, I'm enjoying seeing your PL each week. I'm following a "document 2011" based on Shimelles document 2010.
Can I ask how long it is taking you each week to complete your PL entry and whether you work on it in one go or in bits and pieces throughout the week?
Thanks.
Hi Kathy - I do a bit of both - working on it throughout the week and then I usually spend two hours or so on one day to finish it up, print photos, take all the photos of the pages and upload to my blog. It's really not a big time commitment and I like that it's something I add to throughout the week. You might also not know that I keep mine out and easily accessible in our kitchen - that helps with adding things throughout the week.
Thanks Ali. I love the idea that it's out and accessible.
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Hi Ali, thanks for sharing you PL with us each week. I am wondering if you put the label stickers from October Afternoon directly on your photos or do you put them on the page protectors?
Thanks,
Jewel
Hi Jewel - on the photos.
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I started my second album in July. I wanted to keep the left and right pages together so I glued the cards and pics from the left page onto a sheet of cardstock and put it in a regular 12x12 page protector. I had to cut the cards and pics a little so that it would maintain even borders. I just need to title the front of that 12x12 page ("2011-- part 2"). Thanks for the ideas and inspiration along the way!!!
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For me PL is about my life. Almost all of it is from my perspective. It reflects my choices of what to document. I am the editor. When my daughter grew up and eventually left home, I was at a loss because most of scrapbooking seems to be about children. I did massive amounts about her childhood through the years, but now it's about me and my husband. It took some adjusting,but it feels good to tell my stories. As moms, sometimes we get lost. I'm determined to live my life.
I love that.
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Thanks for your tips on photographing these pages! After reading it I think I know my problem. Since most of my house is on the darker side, I think I've been trying to photograph mine in lighting that is too direct so I'll have more of it.
I'll be experimenting with other windows and times where the lighting will be completely diffused now. Thank you!
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I have to say - I think it's funny seeing the OV cream cheese wrapper! I work for Organic Valley and love seeing our products in use! I'm so glad that we are a part of your daily routine!
We are total fans!
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I envy that you have an "empty" room !
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Hi Ali, love every single blog by you. It has motivated me to start documenting our story on line. Just wondering if you've ever concidered blogging about blogging for all the people you inspire so much!
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I can't wait to start this next year. Since you know that you need more than 1 album, are you going to buy multiple albums of the same color or get different colors next year? The new Clementine and Cobalt kits look like they could go with either album....did you need more than one "kit"?
Thanks chica.
Most likely I'll just stick with the black We Are Memory Keepers albums - I like them the same ;).
One kit was perfect! Next year she's offering more options with page protectors - will have to see...
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LOVE the self-portrait.
LOVE the last shot of Boy and Girl. XOXO.
You R and Inspiration in all ways.
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Simon is so photogenic! All of your photos are gorgeous don't get me wrong but he demands your attention which is oh so cool.
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