Project Life...beginning again

This year starts the third year I have put together a Project Life scrapbook. I have learned and evolved each year, adding things and doing things a little different as life unfolds. It is the one scrapbook my children like to look at most. They go to it, explore it, laugh about it and just light up when watching the year unfold. I love that. It has become so much more meaningful than I ever imagined it would be for us.

{Here is a shot of my finished 2011 binder}:

Here is the process for me:

*I take a photo a day and copy it from it's original location over to a Project Life folder and re-name it the date it will be in my scrapbook. I don't print the photos everyday, mostly once a month. Then I add them to their spot in the book. 
{A page from last year with all of the pieces together}:

*I do, however, keep up with the journal cards every other day, or at bare minimum once a week. I have found, for me, that if I need to do more than one week of journaling, it gets overwhelming and I get behind. I also forget the parts of the story that are "fresh" in my mind. The ones that are worth remembering. 

*I take notes on my phone within the "note" application. I have one file that I keep for the year. Within that, I keep track of the date and something someone said or we did that I want to remember. They are not time consuming or lengthy notes. It is simply "01/02: Little one wants us to call her Sleeping Beauty today." Something that will jog my memory to elaborate on later when adding it to the Project Life card or even to a scrapbook. Plus it works on the go, when life is happening. I can add it right when it happens.


*I add in extra page protectors. In the past I added an 8-1/2x11 page protector in addition to the weekly page protector. Here I store artwork, school grade card, notes, check-up papers about weight/height, etc. I keep them in the project life scrapbook and at some point they may be moved to an actual scrapbook page or another binder. But, it is somewhere to store it, within the context of what is happening that week. They may always stay there, who knows. I also like the layers it adds to the book. 
{A page from last year with an extra page protector for artwork. Behind that, I punched holes in a program from a show we attended and added it into the album, and then the rest of the week is behind that.}:

*I love this technique for printing on your journal cards and recently tried it out. It works like a charm! It will be another nice tool to use this year. 

* I like to add in little pieces along the way to the album. Using the finished week {photo above} as an example: I added leaves from our gratitude banner, after we took it down, to the date card and some artwork, from our oldest daughter, in where the "extra" card usually goes.

*For me, somewhere in April {haven't figured out why exactly} I get behind. I am going to try and stay mindful of that this year and try to keep up during that time especially.

*This year I am using this album:

*I am starting with this kit, etc. I will add other things along the way (different journal cards,etc) it just gives me a good place to start.
 
* I am starting with these page protectors {both the 6x12 and the Design A}. I will also be adding in some of these 8-1/2x11. 


I love the freedom of having a convenient "shot" of life in a quick format. It is simple: one little card, one photo for each day. From there, if there is time and desire you can add a little more. But, the pay off is that looking back, you captured the simple parts that might have been forgotten. And that is meaningful and worth the effort.


Some of my favorite designers to watch for more project life inspiration:

Gluestick Girl

Ali Edwards

Becky Higgins

Elle's Studio - love their products, they are perfect for this project!