Catching Up On Project Life

We're several weeks "behind," too. But I've put a stack of post it notes by our album and we at least try to pepper each week with a few thoughts so we aren't reconstructing from scratch. It is pretty typical for us to finish up several weeks at once. And it works.

When I get behind, I'm trying to focus on catching up one step at a time. First, getting pages planned. Then, getting m photos printed, trimmed, and in the right slots. After that I fill in the empty spaces with journal cards, filler cards, and any memorabilia for the week. Then I can go back and add journaling and embellishing as time allows and as I have the desire to do so. Breaking things down into little chunks to catch up on makes it less stressful for me and lets me stay caught up.

I should also mention that our albums last two years. We do one week per half page... Less pressure from the outset. We are always paring back content as opposed to trying to figure out how to use up our space and that feels good!

I just did a guest post at Big Picture about my catch-up process today! I wrote what worked for me and gave some ideas for other catch-up methods. I love reading other's methods too! http://www.bigpictureclasses.com/blog/catching-up-on-project-life-with-megan.html#.UUMx_NEjqBk

i find that if i get my photos printed up and in the pockets the project seems to flow along better...i am behind...way behind as in september 2012 behind. but i am off work for a few more months doing chemo for breast cancer, and i am determined to get caught up before i go back to work...gives me a goal...i am looking forward to getting september done this weekend, but i might be able to see my grandkids (can't be around them if they are sick) and have a picnic in the park with them...and that is more important than getting caught up!! i have missed them the last 2 months!!!

Based on what I am seeing on Project Life Tuesday, many folks are at the week 7-8 week mark. I like to work in batches when I am behind. Organize multiple weeks of photos at one time. Sketch out multiple layouts. Develop multiple weeks. Then I stick the photos in and doing the journaling/embellishing a week at a time. This batch process has worked well for me.

I do mine digitally and just did 7 weeks worth- I've been doing it since the start of 2009. If life is too busy then life is too busy. I always make notes (I use ohlife.com) and I always take photos- it's not 'catch-up' it's just 'now I have time'. I wouldn't want to miss a week that would bug the heck out of me. :-)

For me, the important thing is to plan ahead if I think I
ll get behind. I have planning [ages I print out, and write down the photo info, lay out the photos and write out notes about teh day on. then, if I get behind, it's easy enough to catch up. Considering that I was about 6 months behind last November, and JUST GOT caught up in January so that now I'm going week-by-week, I think it's simple enough to "catch up" if I get behind. I'm going away for two weeks for Spring Break, leaving on Sunday. I plan to make a photo book of the trip, and also put my fave pictures in our Project Life album. I printed up my pics for this week Mon-Thursday, and did my weekly journalling already. That way, when I get back , there's only 2 1/2 weeks to "catch up" on. Then I'll start on my photo book as well. I almost miss being behind sometimes. Like the poster above said, who was "saving up" Project Life to work on at a crop, I sometimes feel like it's almost TOO easy and I don't spend enough time scrapbooking! Each week I'm a bit sad when I'm done. Kind of warped, I know!

This is my first year really attempting the weekly Project Life, so I went with a small format {6x8} bcz I figured it would be easier. In the beginning, January/winter, it was easy and almost as if I could barely fill the 6x8 space. Now as the year has picked up, more busy and doing more, I'm trying to decide if I do more pages, or go to a bigger format. Still undecided. Ok with that. I am def an evolving type in which I like to just let things happen organically and make small adjustments along the way. I truly try to believe in the "no catching up/never behind" philosophy. {also i am waiting for my new silhouette portrait to get here to help!} In the meantime I keep track of my weeks and journaling in a google doc which I can access from any pc or cell.

Hey Ali,
I started project life many years ago after having a baby and falling behind on filling even regular picture albums. I approached mine has a monthly documantation and went back through that year that had passed and choose rendom pictures. Everything does NOT need to be documented. I LOVE that first album because it offers a really cool glimpse into our year. The following albums were done in a more timely fashion... If I do it regurlarly the albums get HUGE. That's a problem! I hope to live a long life and not necessarly fill every room with albums!!! I scrapbook when I can and calls it a day. In 10 years, who cares what happened exactly on what week. What would be fun is have an album that shows a peek into that particular time..., much better than worrying about being behind and not enjoying the NOW. Thanks for writing inspiring posts..., your blog is one of my favorites!

When I was finishing grad school I had a 2 year old and an almost 1 year old. I am now using PL to "get caught up" literally! In 2009 I have 3 photos for the whole month of January!!! Do I care? No. OUr life was CRAZY, but I have those 3 photos--eating dinner at a fave restaurant (I was in my 1st trimester and just starting to want food again) and coloring in the kitchen floor with my oldest. It was REAL LIFE. Some spreads are 2-3 weeks in one. The important thing is that the stories + photos are there for my girls--forever. I am creative, but what I love about PL is that I don't have to be. I have 3 kids 5 and under now and a full time career. This is what is real for me. It looks good and our memories are there to share forever. Using a printer that prints the photo dates on the back has been key. The photos typically jog the memory of that day, so I try not to stress about writing everything down either, I just enjoy the moments.

love the libby approach. no reason to live in the past. if you have the time and enjoy it - then fine. but otherwise carpe diem. If i kept up i might miss out! ;)

To catch up...which I am severely behind I just print a bunch of picks and put them in. I generally add less embellishment and keep it more simple. When I get caught up I get to spend a bit more time on it. :)

Mine turned into monthly then quarterly pages. I am in Grad school...that's my excuse! ha ha Plus my family is tired of having their pictures taken!

I am always 1-2 weeks behind because I choose to get my 4" x 6" prints made at Costco and have them mailed to me. There are no stores near me that print pictures with matte paper and Costco is a 2 hour drive away. But I keep a daily journal so I always have that to fall back on, for the highlights of any day. I started keeping a daily journal in 2010, the first year I did Project Life and now it is a daily habit, at the end of the day I write for 15-20 minutes. I try to write my journaling cards for each day once a week and make Post-It notes for what photo goes to what day. That process often makes me go take other photos when I know I have not taken them for several days. And I always try to take some pictures of the yard, when I am not taking photos of people/activities. I really like PL because when I have those pictures in the album, I am done scrapping those events. I do 2 albums per year (for each 6 months), the We R Memory Keepers leather 3-ring albums.

Last year was a crazy busy year in our lives. About three months in I quit worrying about weeks...and went with months instead. It took an enormous amount of pressure off my shoulders. There was that crazy month of May (isn't there a song in the musical "Camelot" that goes by that name?) We had a child graduating on the East Coast, another returning from deployment on the West Coast, and four wrapping up their school year smack dab in the middle of the country, in addition to throwing a bridal shower in Mobile, Alabama. Life hit insane!It all made it's way into our project life...not all in exactly the same order that it occurred...but, really who cares?!

I started out in January of 2012 with the intention of never letting myself fall behind in this project. This seemed easy enough to do since it was just a week at a time to stay on top of, but life got in the way. By September, I found myself 4.5 months behind :( The last thing I wanted to do at this point was throw in the towel. What I had accomplished up to this point was making me happy, so I stuck to it. I kept notes and ephemera in chronological order and just kept at it. It became a challenge to myself to get caught back up, and with life still marching on, more memories were adding up.

I am happy to say that by years end, I had managed to get it all done...and I loved my results, too! This year, I am making a concerted effort to stay on track and up to date and so far, I have done that. I know that I could find myself back in last years predicament at any time, but the end results are SO worth the effort that it takes and I feel such a sense of accomplishment that I am already thinking of which core kit/album to use for 2014!

I love Project Life!!!

I stopped around April 2012 because I fell behind and was so overwhelmed with the weekly approach that I didn't finish. I look back and think I wish I had captured the stories even if I didn't have pictures. So for 2013 I sometimes do a week per spread...other times I do 2 or 3 weeks in 1 spread. It just depends on the week and how busy I am. All of Jan 2013 has 2 spreads. February has 3 spreads and March is getting 1 per week so far. I am happy with this approach. I will go back and finish 2012, I will print pictures for the month and put them in 1 spread. And that will be that.