Project Life 2014 January layouts 1st half

So it's halfway through January and I'm still caught up with my project life believe it or not. I don't do weekly like week 1, week 2 etc but I do them monthly or seasons depending on how I feel. So here is the dividing intro into 2014 page-

Used supplies from the sunshine edition project life, the we r memory keepers captured album, and some thickers and wood veneers. It's a design A page protector I just split the 4x6 with a 3x4 card. I didn't sew you'll see in the second page I went back to standard design A look. 

I'm going for clean and minimalistic this month. It always changes throughout the year I just have the clean feel going so far this year. 

Then we have my olw insert which I talked about in my other post. 

The back to that where I used my quote and my mommy+me photo for January. My hope is to capture a mommy+me, daddy+me, and a #selfie every month. 

More olw inserts

My bold intention + strong commitment insert from my olw workshop. 

And my final layout. I have a feeling I'll go back and add some writing on those two potty photos to talk about what's going on. January has been a big month with potty training! We haven't had an accident since the start of the new year. 

Project life 2014 introduction/planning pages

So one of my bold intentions/strong commitments for 2014 is to really put this blog out there and get into remembering, inspiring, and making changes to this blog....

Oh yeah those are my past one little words- still significant to my journey even years later. 

One thing I want to share is the process of project life that I take. I know there are so many people out there looking for inspiration and some that even have come to me personally asking how I do it. So tonight while working on my project life I thought... What a perfect time to start sharing since it's the beginning of the year! I personally start my albums back in October since I go by Emma's birthdays not yearly... Still the new year always seems to be a second pivotal change in my albums. 

Okay so if don't go about doing weekly. That seems to put too much restriction on myself. What if I have one week where I'm like screw this week it sucked... Then I don't feel inspired, I don't want to remember it... So do I end up making that week? NO! So I only create a slight dividing 4x6 card that says- Hello January, Hello February etc... Also last year I did Hello Autumn, Hello winter too. 

When I feel inspired to do project life I pull out my 12x12 lilac we r memory keepers 3 ring binder, my core kit sunshine edition (which now contains capture by we r memory keepers and some studio calico leftover cards), my iPhone (which I'm pretty much 100% even tho I have a canon rebel camera), my canon selphy printer, and my pens/embellishments/thickers etc that I'll talk more about later. It's only extra stuff that's not needed. I also use my filofax, Instagram, Facebook, and this blog as references to what I want to record. I also use post it's as a way to pre plan my layout. Now I don't always do this either, but I do find I enjoy my pages more when I have that extra planning completed. Probably just because I can't pass up an opportunity to make a list and plan stuff out. 

So once I've gathered everything I find different ways to keep my toddler involved to a point. Sometimes she doesn't care and will play toys or watch her shows.. And sometimes the best time to do it is when she's asleep. Tonight I gave her my extra pens and some cardstock and asked her to make me a pretty picture. Sometimes I'll give her a card and ask her to write/draw something. They always make a great add in to the pages. 

Once I have her happy I'll put some music on in the background. I'm always so relaxed and calm when I'm listening to good music. My playlist always includes bands like artic monkeys, muse, broken bells, arcade fire, black keys, John Mayer, the avett brothers, and imagine dragons.

I always keep page protectors in my album ready to go, but I don't pre place my 4x6 or 3x4 cards. I know some lay out the entire album... That just would never work for me. So I do this-

Those are technically the backs of the cards in the spread before the one I'm working. Most cards you buy any more I double sided, but I don't use the backs I use a new card. So there is technically 2 cards per slot. So I mostly use design A page protectors which have 4- 4x6 slots and 4-3x4 slots. Now I see how confusing this page looks, but the other side is going to be a fun cover page into that I'm still working on so it looks like it's all 3x4... But I just used two 3x4 cards in a 4x6 slot. It's so flexible you can seriously do WHATEVER you want!!

Here is the planning page on the next side. I'm using a different type of page protector that fit my one little word printable inserts perfectly. 

That's all for tonight, the next time I continue to work on this spead I'll take photos and show you how I journal, print photos, and insert everything into the album! 

Birthday week

So today is my birthday and I hit the big 27! Spent it with the two coolest people around- you and daddy. Also worked on project life.

Project Life Year 3+Cover Page 2013

So I finally caught up and was able to start your 3rd album. I'm finishing it up at the end of the year 2 until I pick up another album.

cover page:

I'm super happy with how this turned out. I'm happy with the decision to go black and white with the kit components and then the photos here I went black and white as well. The rest of the album wont be, but what it did and how daddy worded it too... was it feels like autumn!!

Going black and white/neutral based kit theme has allowed the pictures to stand and make a statement themselves.

here is some up close photos of the cover

I used some fabulous products from Becky HIggins, Paislee Press, Amy Tangerine, and Designs by Lili.

Project Life: finally decided!!

Believe it or not I finally made a decision on year 3 project life albums and our mommy/daughter journal.

Holy Cow its a miracle. 

Project Life year 3 will be in 

6x8 page protectors from Studio Calico

I'm also going to trim Becky Higgins page protectors that I have left over from year 2 album.

and an album that fits. I'm waiting until the 18th to see the new daybooks mentioned by Studio Calico, if not I'm seeing a Kolo album that will work, they are just super pricey. 

Mommy/Daughter Journal year 3 will be in 

Mod Journal from Invite.L 

I'm almost finished with year two albums... hopefully by the end of the week so I can have a fresh start with this years albums and journal. 

I'll update some photos soon!!

project life: how I've neglected you...

So I'm so far behind in project life.. like 2 months...

I have a few post it notes for the journaling but I need to print 37 photos, not including daddy's photos, and I have over 28 snapshots of the album to upload and show everyone. I'm just going to post a few and show how things are going.
this will be super duper photo insane. I'm going to work on weekly posts ;)

You love to help with pl... 3x4 grid cards are perfect for it.

a journal heavy week full of talking points and planning.

I'm still loving the sharpie/smash pen combo! It's become a regular thing now.

Keeping it simple here! Oh and I'm discovering the stickers that are added in the kit.... AND I LOVE THEM. How it took me 11 months to figure that out idk lol

Love this photo. Great dad/daughter shot. You can so translate this convo but I love the talk bubbles. I tried an American Craft white pen to write on the photos. I love the look its just not as smooth as I would like. I'm going to continue to look around for another white pen or give it a second go.

this is a handwritten recipe from my grandmother. This was a huge find when we went through some of her stuff. She was an amazing cook who ran 3 different restaurants in her time. We thought all were lost when she passed away.

LOVE this photo mash-up!! its the mommy/daughter combo I came across looking through old photos. 

All classic combos full of heavy journaling and photo combos. This was just great everyday life poss

I had fun doing this 8x10 photo/product collage. Love those fun unique page add-ons. 

daddy had a fun guys night catching a concert with uncle john. 

One of my most lived by quotes. 

As always loving Ali's png word files. I really need to pick some more of these up!

Yeah that just happened.. 1 spread for 7/22-8/25.

This is what happens when you decide to help with project life ;)

This page I'm really wanting to add the video code that you can scan to watch the video on your iphone or android app... I just have to get those photos printed!! 

You and Daddy are working on letters and your name. You guys are having fun making pictures together... this is probably one of my most valued add-in I've put in project life.

I'm leaving everything after these little sneak peeks off.. I'm working on getting everything else added in. I'm keeping it simple and letting the kit do the work for me.. that's what its there for. I'm going to catch up and finish this last month out... and I'll officially have a complete entire year project life album. Bucket list goal check off!! Also its the longest most dedicated project I've ever done. 

Feels Good. 

Project Life/project planning: desicions

I'm not kidding this is one of the toughest decisions... 

what Project Life edition do I go with for 2013???

lol 

but no really it is.

This will be how your entire 3rd year scrapbook will look like, and as always Becky doesn't make it easy....

She finds the BEST designers out there. So here is the two choices and I'll need help from our readers to decide which to go with-

Seafoam by Elise Cripe

I've been a fan of Elise forever. Let's say its a big crush okay... secretly I stalk her blog so much it comes up as frequent sites and its bookmarked in my top 10 links. 

I love Seafoam's simplicity and graphics. I love nothing more than a nice chevron. I'm kinda afraid that it might be too "boyish" for her album. I always like when there is black as part of the kit because I write everything in black. 

next is 

Olive by Heather Bailey 

now I'm new to Heather Bailey, but Becky didn't slip on the decision to bring her on!! I'm so in love with this color scheme. I feel a true Emma feel to it. Its full of strong graphics and great layout for the journal cards. The only thing that scares me is how "strong" of a kit that it is. I never want the kit to overpower. There isn't black in the kit either, so I'm not sure about what color I would do all my journaling in... I really don't like to do colors simply because I want the journaling to stand out! 

hmmmm told you, tough decisions.

So please help!!!