An Introduction To Project Life - 2012

Over the last few posts I have mentioned Project Life here and there and some of you may be wondering what in the world I am talking about OR some of you may know exactly what it is and even be seasoned "Project Lifer's".  Whatever your familiarity is with Project Life, this post is all about the "nuts and bolts" of Project Life - what is is, how it works, how it will become a part of my life, etc.

Project Life is a scrap booking concept that was created by Becky Higgins.  It simplifies how you document and preserve memories.  Direct from Becky's blog:  "With this easier-than-ever scrapbooking system, simply pair your photos and journaling with pre-designed title cards and journaling cards.  Your photos, these cards, and even your memorabilia slip into the Photo Pocket Pages and that's it.  The result is a stylish masterpiece that represents your life or whatever occasion you choose to record.  With Project Life's beautifully simple format, deciding what supplies to use or how to design layouts becomes obsolete, leaving you more time to experience life."

Here is a video by Becky Higgins (direct from Becky's blog) that offers a great introduction to Project Life:



There is a wealth of information on Becky Higgins site about this project.  I can literally spend hours looking at her site.  Here is a link to her site:
http://beckyhiggins.com/

When I first read about this concept it immediately appealed to me.  I used to be much more involved in my paper scrapping (before discovering digital) and I really miss my paper scrapping sometimes.  I just like the idea of putting my hands on things and creating with them.  I had also been working for a few months on being a better journaler and making sure I was recording our memories.  All of the little details along with the big ones.  I knew right away that this was exactly what I didn't know I was looking for!

One of the awesome things too about Becky Higgins Project Life is that for 2012 she has introduced a digital version of the products!  You can create your albums through Shutterfly where all you need to do is drag and drop your photos into their pre-designed pages.  But, you still have the ability to make the album ALL YOU as the elements on the pages are able to be moved and rearranged.  You also have the option to buy the digital kits and templates from Jessica Sprague for creating your album completely from scratch!  You can find the digital information about Project Life here on Becky's blog:
http://beckyhiggins.com/products/digital-project-life.php

I have decided to go with the paper version for the bulk of Project Live and here are the products that I have purchased from Becky Higgins to start documenting our lives:

Project Life Binder - Clementine Edition

Project Life Core Kit - Clementine Edition

Project Life Cardstock - Clementine Edition

Photo Pocket Pages - Big Variety Pack 1

12 x 12 Page Protectors

Photo Pocket Pages - Design D

Of course, there will be LOTS of other great products that I add in along the way and I will be sure to keep you updated on what has been added to my stash.  You can make Project Life as creative and original as you wish.  It can be very simple or more involved and a bit more scrap heavy.  That is one of the great things that I love about it.  I will definitely be adding in lots of things along the way to make this project more "me".    

Next week I will have a post for you taking you through the set up of my "base" for my Project Life binder! 

Until then - I am off to spend some time with the family.  Alyssa is home for the holidays and this is her last visit before she leaves for her 4 year assignment in Hawaii in February so I am trying to suck up all the time I can with her.  Who can blame me for that, right?

From our family to yours:

Hugs!

A Few Layouts

I just have a couple of layouts I want to share real quick today then it's back to visiting with my baby girl, Alyssa who is home from Tech School for the holidays!  I also still have to wrap Laddy's presents, make his stocking and clean my house before my Mom and Dad come!  LOL

I was one elated girl a few weeks ago when I got an email from Erin of Secret Stash Designs to be a guest creative team member for her for the months of December and January.  I had applied to her guest call but NEVER thought I had a shot at making the cut.  So, getting that email totally made my day!  Since then I have completed 3 layouts for her and I am telling you.....her kits literally scrap themselves.  All of her elements are so fantastic and I literally tried to use every one on this most recent layout:

Silly Nilly Value Bundle by Secret Stash

I also had the pleasure of working with a new collaboration by Studio Flergs and Litabells Designs.  I just love everything that both of these awesome girls do and when they got together it was fireworks!  Kay Miller also had a new set of her amazing Pieces of My Heart Templates coming out this week and I knew that they would be the perfect fit for this new collab.  Check out the result:

L'amour by Studio Flergs and Litabells Designs

Pieces of My Heart Templates 12 by Kay Miller

Hope you all have a fantastic day!  I will be back soon with my first Project Life post!!!  Hugs!

Journaling Your Life

How do you journal your life?  I have to admit that I have never been very good at keeping track of the little moments in my life.  Well, I don't know that I am even good at preserving the big moments either.  As I have gotten older and I see my children and grandchildren growing right before my eyes, the idea of preserving every minute has become more and more important to me.   

In June I became a part of the Log Your Memory challenge team and it kicked me into high gear to start journaling my everyday.  If you aren't familiar with Log Your Memory, it is a business that is dedicated to real life memory keeping.  You can find more information about Log Your Memory and their great memory preserving products here:

http://logyourmemory.com/start-here/

With the 2011 Memory Logbook, I started using the daily calendar to journal everyday.  I knew that I was going to be starting a 2012 Project Life so I wanted to start journaling to get myself in the habit of doing it everyday.  

As much as I like the fact that I have been pretty diligent about keeping up with my journaling, I have actually found that I hate the time consuming part of hand writing all about my day.  There are so many details that I want to remember but writing all of it out is just not something that I enjoy.  I thought that being able to type my memories into the computer would actually be more suitable to my needs.  

Introducing OhLife!  

I could not have been introduced to this at a better time.  It was just the answer I needed when I needed it.  OhLife is an private online journal.  It is super easy and FREE to sign up.  Each day an email is sent to you (you can alter the settings so that you can receive the email reminder daily, weekly or not at all) to prompt you to journal.  All you need to do is hit REPLY and start typing about your day.  Hit SEND and it is saved to your OhLife journal online.  

You can go into your OhLife account and edit any day you need to and you can even go back and journal past days.  I am currently working on going back and adding my hand written journal entries to my OhLife online journal.  Then I can recycle all the paper I have used over the last few months.  

Typing about my day online takes me nearly half the time that it did to hand write it all and I have now found that I am writing about so many little details that I was not before.  I can then look at my daily entries and pick and choose which details about my day I want to use in my Project Life and whatever I choose not to focus on is still preserved in my online journal for the future.

You can also export your journal entries so that they are backed up and saved or printed for more creative uses.  You could print out your days and cut and paste certain parts into your Project Life.  I know there are so many ways I am going to find over the course of the next year to utilize this resource.

If you are interested in joining me and trying out OhLife, just use this link (this is a special link that just gives me kudos for referring you - once you start using OhLife, if you refer just one person you then get free photo uploads to attach a photo each day to your journal entry.  I already have that but still like to refer through my special link.):

http://ohlife.com/r/yyea5tf

If you decide to use OhLife, I would love to hear what you think about it and for you to share your creative uses for it.  

I will be back in a few days with my first "official" Project Life post!  Woohoo!!!

A Few Layouts

Wow, I have seriously been a bad blogger!!!  I got so busy getting my design business off of the ground that I have neglected the personal side of me.  But, that is all about to change...because 

Project Life 2012 

begins soon!

I have received almost all of my goodies now.  Just look at me loving on my new crush.

I have a couple of big Project Life posts scheduled for the next week so I won't go any further with that right now.  I am super excited though and you will be seeing LOTS of this blog dedicated to my Project Life.  ;)

I do have a few layouts that I have recently done that I want to share with you.  I have not gotten to scrap like I like to in the past month but, I think I am catching back up now and will be able to get back into my routine of a few pages a week.

LOOK at this one!  I got not one, not two but THREE gallery standouts for this page in one day!  I got one from Me So Scrappy, Scrap Orchard and DST!  That has never happened to me before and I was soooo incredibly honored.  I knew I loved the page cuz well, it is my Laddy but had no idea it would be so loved by others!  Thank you all!

Make A Wish Value Bundle by Secret Stash
or get the products I used in my layout separately:
Make A Wish by Secret Stash
Make A Wish Stackers by Secret Stash
Winter Flavors: Candy Cane by Busy Bee Designs

Winter Wonderland by Kristin Aagard
Epic Grab Bag: Mish Mash Fall Stash by Queen of Hearts

Be Merry by Secret Stash
Be Merry Overlays by Secret Stash
Be Merry Bonus Alpha by Secret Stash (Facebook Freebie)
Beveled Cardstock by Secret Stash (Newsletter Freebie)
Rock My Holiday Socks by Queen of Hearts

Christmas Around The World by Pickleberrypop Designers

Hootinany by Jeanye Labaya Designs
Font: SMD Niki by Stolen Moments Designs

Well, I am off to work on my Project Life for the day.  I hope you all have a blessed weekend.

Hugs!!