Hi Everyone,
This post is a bit of fun and a chance to share the Project Life love! I would like to thank Jill Conyers for organising this Blog Hop – it is the first time I have participated in one.
My enthusiasm for PL is high – I am not a scrapbooker and I am finding that by trying some scrapbook techniques and digital techniques I am keeping my interest up. My project is not a POTD – I am hoping to do a double page layout each week that gives an overall ‘flavour’ of the week.
Originally I was handwriting my journal cards but now I am mainly doing digital in Photoshop Elements which I am teaching myself by using ‘trial & error’ and online tutes. So here are some of my favourite bits from January.
I think the title page is cute but it is missing something – I will know what it is when I see it and then I will add it – any suggestions? I think I will be adding the missing something to the envelope card. The 2012 is a photo I found online. The photo of my daughter is one that I will be getting each year of her standing at the front door – it will be good to see her changing in the pictures over the years
This journal card is one of the first that I did in PSE. It tested me and it was worth the effort to try something new – ignore the spelling mistake – I have reprinted 🙂
I want to add the ephemera of our daily lives – this is something I don’t do very well. My daughter’s daycare teachers are collecting artworks etc for me to include into the album – they got this handprint on her 3rd birthday.
I roughly plan what I am going to add to the album mid-way through the week. This helps me keep focussed on getting an extra photo or story if I have gaps. My system – haha! – is just looking at my photos and putting a few sticky-notes on the pages – VERY technical, I know.
I want to make sure that PL does not become a baby-book or tribute to Paige – I try to add some of my stories and least one photo of me each week. This can be hard but I am hoping that I will look back in years to come and think – “gosh, look how young and cute I was!” – or something like that (right now I think I look old and tired, I am tired). Maybe my future grandkids will be amazed that I wasn’t always an old lady?
Although some handwriting is fine – mine is not nice – I prefer to do my journaling in PSE now that I have figured out how to do it. Love the ‘clean’ look of this page. I am also using Ali Edward’s photo overlays on some of the pics.
When it comes to embellishing I am mainly using stickers and washi tape – will probably do more as I pick up a few techniques.
My project is done using the Clementine core-kit and the Clementine digital elements. I have accumulated a basket of stickers, alphas and other bits and pieces – I am sure that I will be adding to this as the year goes on.
I get most of my photos from my dSLR or my iPhone – totally love the Instagram app. Sometimes I check out my Mother’s photos for the week and see if she got something good that I can use.
Inserts are a regular feature each week with my layouts – so far I have used extra photos, artworks, letters etc. This week I will be featuring the Instagram photos that I have taken for a Photo365/POTD app that I am using on the iPhone. I read a fabulous post at Simple Scrapper that featured 2x2pics in a coin-collector’s page protector. I will be including this in the last week of each month.
I am blogging my layouts each week. I link-up to The Mom Creative on Project Life Tuesdays and this also keeps me keen and the deadline pushes me to stay up to date.
So that is the overview of my Project Life for January. Please let me know what you think, any suggestions or questions are very much welcomed.
I have had to post a few hours early due to the time differences. -The bloghop goes live at 8:00 EST (US) on 5 February. The next blog to hop on over to is:
Noelia at www.noeliaevangelista.typepad.com – please pop over and share the PL love.
Here are the links to the other participants in the bloghop
shire said:
this blog hop is a really great idea to share our project life love 🙂
thanks for that!
your pages are beautiful..!
Inga
sharon71 said:
Thanks for looking Inga, I’ve just looked at your blog too – lovely!!
Lynn Wigren said:
Glad you are joining us and hope you find it a lot of fun! I like blog hops in that they keep me accountable. I love how much journaling you have on your pages – its one of the things I need to do more of. And I know what you mean about your pages not being all cute kid photos – I have the same problem but with my grandson!
sharon71 said:
Thanks for the comment Lynn, I think that I will keep sharing on the blog hop. I really enjoy looking at what others are doing with their PL.
April P. said:
Wow! For not being a scrapbooker, you sure are pretty savvy with the tools! I think it’s so awesome that this project transcends to everyone who takes photos, not just scrapbookers 🙂 Love the picture of your daughter in front of the door. That’ll be awesome to show changes over the course of the years. Thanks also for sharing the coin collector size inserts. I had never seen those; and you and I do the same with our post-it note planning!
sharon71 said:
Awww shucks!! 😉
I am trying to resist the urge to jump into scrapbooking – I do other crafts but cannot afford the time or the finances to take on another. Maybe a couple of classes at the local scrap shop.
Noelia said:
I really love your pages, such a nice combination of paper and hybrid. I think your title page is lovely! I also love the bits and pieces of ephemera and print outs you are including in your pages. I will have to check out PL Tuesdays at mom creative. Thanks for sharing!
sharon71 said:
Do check it out Noelia, there are dozens of bloggers linking up and so many great ideas.
DonnaB said:
Hi Sharon,
It was great being neighbors with you on the blog hop! Your post was awesome and shared so many ideas! A summary post was a great idea! I’ll have to do better next time….Love your title page! Hey what about adding a personalized postage stamp to the envelope card? Here is the link: http://pstamps.auspost.com.au/index_wf.html
Just an idea, as you said you may want to add something.
Love your typed journaling, the ephemera & the handprint, and that you said you don’t want it to turn into a baby book. My PL is very heavily about my daughter but I try to squeeze my husband & I in there too. But she is my joy, so she does dominate my pages!
Are you doing the Body Transformation? Keep us posted how that is going for you!
Thanks for sharing and I loved your post! So much creativity!
sharon71 said:
Thanks for the lovely feedback Donna, I love getting comments. The stamp idea is a good one – I will have to check it out.
I am doing the 12WBT – it starts next week – will definitely be including the journey in PL.
Thanks again – and I look forward to seeing more of your posts too.
Margie S (Nihao, Cupcake!) said:
I love everything. I especially love your title page and I kind of like the white space that you have. The photo of your daughter in front of the door is especially endearing. I love your idea of taking a photo of her there every year – priceless. Now with all your inspiration, I better get working on my next PL layout!
Margie S (Nihao, Cupcake!) said:
I didn’t see my comment show up so making sure you got it. I love your title page most of all. I don’t think you need to change a thing! 🙂
Jill @ [Fitness, Health and Happiness] said:
Your PL album is off to a great start! I love the coin holder idea. Don’t be surprised if you see it in a week to come layout 🙂
Thanks for joining the hop this month. Hope to see you on the list in March 🙂
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Heather Johnson said:
This is great, I will definitely be “in” for this next month. I had to laugh, you and I are so on the same page! I started uploading my finished pages to Shutterfly and decided that I was going to do a two-page spread at the end of each month that contained a letter to each of my girls on one side….and a collection of 2×2 photos on the other side! I had a lot of photos that didn’t “make the cut” so to speak–and I thought that would be a great way to remember them!
sharon71 said:
Thanks for looking Heather. xo