Project Life | 2012 Title Page + Process

I started documenting my life using Project Life in May 2011. I really enjoyed the process of photos + stories. I loved looking at my album, as did my friends and family. However, in the 4th quarter of 2011, I hit a snag. I "fell behind" in my Project Life album due to busyness and "not-good-enoughness". I looked at too much Project Life inspiration on other people's blogs and on Pinterest. It overwhelmed me and I felt like my album wasn't "good enough". Instead of spending my time just getting my album pages done, I was spending time looking at other people's albums. I started comparing my pages to other people's pages and felt frozen with indecision. My tendency for perfectionism made me want my album to be perfect each week, instead of just getting it done. Thus my 2011 album lay unfinished.

I got an email newsletter from Ali Edwards yesterday that really encouraged me. In it, she talks about "creative practice". You only get good at anything when you practice, and take the time to actually do it.

Ali said, "It's easy to spend your "practice" time researching, reading, looking at images online, getting lost in other people's work and inspiration, etc. While I think there's definitely some value in that process, for me the real value is in actually doing/making/writing/photographing/etc. Don't spend all your practice time watching other people's practice." 

It spoke to my heart. It resonates with my 2012 mantra of "Begin from a place of grace... and finish strong."  So that's what I'm taking to heart this year so I can get my album done!  :)

So here's the process I'm going to follow for my 2012 Project Life album.

• Take photos on most days.  Not too worried about taking a photo per day, since my Project Life album will be highlights of the week.  I will use whichever camera is available to me at the time (Canon T2i, Canon SD850 IS, Blackberry phone, iPod Touch).  For more on capturing memories with the camera you have with you, I wrote an article on the Lilypad blog here.   
• Daily journaling using Oh Life and my Moleskine daily planner.
• Upload photos to computer 2-3x per week.
• Process & tag photos in Adobe Lightroom 3.  I love using Lightroom for my photo catalog!  I use it to tag photos that I use for my blog, and the photos I want to include in my Project Life album.  It makes it SO easy and painless.  For Project Life I just export all my photos of the week I want to print into a "To Print" folder.  It is on my to-do list to do a Lightroom screencast video tutorial about this process on my blog soon.  
• Make photo collages using Lightroom or Photoshop.  (Screencast tutorial also coming soon.)
• Print out photos at home at the end of each week, using my Canon MP620 printer and Canon Glossy Plus II photo paper.  If I have a ton of photos or if I fall behind, I will send the photos to Costco and pick them up.
• Handwrite journaling on the 3x4 journal cards from Project Life Clementine core kit.
• Computer journaling and print out onto the 3x4 journal cards from Project Life Clementine core kit.
• Computer journaling using digital items and print them out onto matte photo paper or cardstock.
• Embellish and decorate as I have time, but not be afraid to just get it done with the basics. 

So far I've got my title page done, as well as the first week of 2012.  I will share the first week of 2012 later this week.  Today it's all about the title page.


I used a combination of Project Life Clementine Core Kit and some cutouts using my Silhouette SD digital cutter. 

I printed out our names onto the 4x6 journaling card.  Then I added a 2x2 photo of us.  I used an existing postage stamp shape in my Silhouette library and added the "2012" to it before cutting the shape out.


I designed this frame with "2012" in it myself in the Silhouette Studio software and cut it out with Bazzill kraft cardstock.  The cutout is overlaid on top of the "Everyday Life" 4x6 card from Project Life Clementine Core Kit.


I designed this 3x4 frame with our names in it in the Silhouette Studio software and cut it out on kraft cardstock.


I cut out this camera shape with my Silhouette, layering different colored cardstock, using dimensional adhesive so that the heart stood out.


That is my title page for 2012!  Here's to making memories and documenting it!

SUPPLIES:

Project Life Core Kit | Clementine Edition	Project Life | Photo Pocket Pages - Design A	WRMK 12x12 3-ring album	Silhouette America - SD Digital Cutting System	Ali Edwards Hello Life Boxes
Postage Silhouette cutting shape	AC Amy Tangerine Silhouette camera shape	Chunk Five font	Pacifico font	Bazzill Basics Kraft Cardstock 12x12
Canon MP620 printer	Canon Photo Paper Plus Glossy II, 4 x 6 Inches	3M Scotch Adhesive Dot Roller	Tim Holtz Tonic Non Stick Micro Serrated Scissors

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