I sort of "laughed out loud" when I read this excerpt on Becky's site: "Project Life provides an ultra-simple solution that helps us get those pictures into albums without draining our time, energy, and wallets." HA HA HA HA HA HA! That's hilarious! Doesn't drain your time, because instead of spending an hour or so each week scrapbooking last month's holiday we spend twice that amount of time every week organizing photos, and saving memorabilia, and writing out what my kid said (or didn't say), and filling pockets, and cleaning up after all that creating. Well, that's what it looks like at my house at least! Oh, and don't forget to buy the basic kit, and the page protectors, and the digital files, and the album, and some extra cardstock just in case....but it's really inexpensive I promise!
It's an exhaustive and exhausting project. And I've decided that I don't want to call the thing I do "Project Life" anymore. I don't buy her kits. I don't buy her page protectors. I don't buy her binders or extras or digital files or anything. I don't buy into "Project Life". I guess mine is more "small l" as opposed to "big L"...if you follow Canadian politics at all, that might actually make sense! HA! That's a good one Lisa....
please note: I am NOT trying to poo-poo on everybody else's experience with the actual Project Life, because I know a lot of people that really makes this work for them and their life! And kudos to them for doing so!! I am just really cynical, and lots of this make-it-easier-but-in-reality-not-so-much-but-it's-gonna-cost-you stuff like this bugs me. And so you get the slightly dark and super sarcastic Lisa-version of things. Yep...I'm kind of an ass.
I thought I would share a bit of my planning process, and how I keep myself organized. Reading about what works for other scrapbookers has really helped me figure out what to try. And more importantly, what to abandon when it fails to get the job done!
So, welcome to my "Life: Documented". So begins 2013.
I have been taking notes in this notebook since October 2012 and it really helps me keep track of what happens during the week, and what Instagrams belong to which days!
Most of the time I just add some point form notes to each date. I also make sure to include funny things Dude said, new album purchases, and maybe a favourite video game or app of the week. Most of this stuff makes it into my spreads.
This next trick is a new one for me. I needed a place to store all of the printed photos and "memorabilia" that I was collecting each week. I am always behind, so I would often lose track of which ticket belonged on which day. And the piles were getting out of hand. So I went upstairs to my stash of large envelopes, pulled down a bunch that are still in good shape, and started filling them up.
Each envelope gets a range of dates written on it (my week runs from Monday to Sunday). Once I have finished scrapbooking that week, the envelope will get a new date range written on it and it will start all over again! And pretty much anything and everything I collect over the course of the week fits inside. I've got NINE envelopes on the go right now, but I have a feeling that a couple will be moved forward by tomorrow night!
Do you have any amazeballs "Project Life" tips or tricks to pass along?
Do you have any "Project Life" issues that you need help sorting out?
I'm going to post my first week's spread (done!) or so, and then see what happens, and what the interest is in these kind of posts. Any interest out there? Any at all...???
I say a resounding HECK YES to your snarky honesty! I have been loving reading the circuit of Project Lifers out there, but when I think about doing it myself my brain immediately goes "Wait, what, I don't want to buy more scrapbooking things" so I feel better for not being the only one who's reluctant to shell out (more) cash for this. I'm exciting to see how your binder evolves! By all means, keep us updated! :-)
ReplyDeleteI have hummed and hawed about Project Life, but I'm with you, it always seemed like too much money and too much time. Good job making it work for you.
ReplyDeleteI still haven't finished week 1 nevermind whatever week we are in right now. It is a lot of work! And there is always something more important/better to do (like randomly surf the interwebs). I don't want to stop but I do need a better way of organizing/staying on top of things! I admit even though I haven't been doing a lot of "real" scrapbooking lately I am missing that aspect of it with project life.
ReplyDeleteDespite having started Project Life for the first time this year (bought the kit, the page protectors, and went with a We R Memory Keepers binder instead [thanks to Michaels for the 50% coupons and a leftover Christmas gift card!]), I really appreciate your honesty. As a person who often feels very strong ways about things, I really enjoy reading the thoughts of other people who feel very strongly about things -- especially things that go against the grain, so to speak!
ReplyDeleteThat all being said, your perspective totally makes sense. My experience so far, though, hasn't been that way -- I feel like it's been an investment in my memory-keeping that's saved me money so far, because it's kept me from buying tons of new scrapbooking products that I just end up hoarding anyway. I look at things, think "Will this work with PL?" and if it doesn't, I skip it. I'm only a few weeks in but I've already found myself doing that more than once. Sure, it may look like a large price at first, but it keeps me from acquiring lots of slightly-smaller-but-more-frequent prices. $10 on embellishments here, $20 on paper pads there...
It's been less time-consuming than any of my mini-books already, too. I'm *still* making my way through a Christmas mini-book (which, I admit, was a poor decision on my part -- how the HELL does anyone work with a small tree-shaped book?) but already feel more satisfied with my PL layouts than that minibook. It also doesn't intimidate me, which I find myself experiencing with many creative endeavors that other people are also participating in... also, my prep consists of very little -- some sticky notes, sending photos two blocks away to get printed at the Walgreens. If I'm feeling spunky I'll whip out some stamps and some stickers, but for the most part it's all pretty easy.
Lastly, I'm just excited to have a venue that works with my longing to document my life in such a way that will make it easy for my future kids to look through and get a sense of what it was like for me when I was younger. I don't have any fucking clue what my parents, grandparents, etc. were like when they were my age and I feel like I've missed out on a very important connection because of it.
That's just my opinion, though, and I totally respect you for standing up and being like "It just doesn't work for me and I'm not sorry!" I would high five you like, ten times if I could.
I love your take on Project life. I have decided to give it a spin and I am taking my own approach as well. Life is to busy to be so indepth with this thing, you really have to make it work for you and your life!!!
ReplyDeleteThis project life is so amazing! I barely found out about it! I think I might be ordering it soon:)
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