project life • my 2014 approach
Monday, December 02, 2013First of all let me just say that I'm happy to be back. It turns out that while a break was very much in need of, I missed this little space that I have built. Now that that's out of the way...
As 2013 creeps closer to an end I have found myself thinking more and more about how I am going to approach my 2014 album. If you didn't already know, 2013 was my first year doing the project and it involved a lot of experimentation. Some spreads I loved, and some I was terribly disappointed in. I definitely learned what I like and don't like, and that will help greatly with my 2014 album.
Here are my plans for project life 2014:
- To start, I'm hoping that Santa brings me the black 12x12 album I added to my wish list.
- I'm using only Design A pages, as I decided that I like the uniform look.
- Since I use paper elements as well as digital ones, I will likely round my corners in order to keep everything uniform and consistent.
- I will be doing more of my journalling on the computer. If I had nicer writing then maybe I would handwrite like I did this year, but I'm just not happy with how it looks.
- More white space!
- I will be using Midnight Edition dividers again.
- I want to use some kind of weekly review card where I can write out all the things that happened and perhaps weren't covered in photographs or journalling. I will probably create a design myself that I will use each week to keep things looking consistent.
- More digital cards and papers. I absolutely love Paislee Press items and plan to use a lot more of them next year.
- Include more of my own handwriting. Thanks to a great app on our iPad called Bamboo Paper I can write away, email the photo to myself, and use it as an overlay on my top of my photos in photoshop. So easy and quick!
- In my 2013 album, my title cards are always different. I think that next year I will aim for a more uniform look, possibly using the same style card and simply changing up photos, designing something of my own, or using Caylee's weekly title cards. I'm still undecided on this one.
- Each week will get its own full spread. This year if I had a slow week or didn't take many photos, I would only use half a spread for the week, and in the end would dislike how it looks. If I don't have much going on that week I will use a big photo or something along those lines to fill up space. I keep using the word 'uniform', but that's what I'm aiming for in 2014.
This year, my first year of project life, taught me a lot. I've experimented a lot, and as a result have come closer to figuring out my style. 2014 is for execution!
What are you all doing differently next year? What did you learn from your 2013 album?
10 comments
my plan and goals are very similar to yours.
ReplyDelete/// things i'm doing the same: design a page protectors. weekly spreads. i used small date strips over photos for my weekly “title card” and loved it so i plan to do something similar, though i'll update the design. completing spreads weekly to stay on top of the project. picking a handful of fonts to use throughout the year.
/// things i'm doing differently: more inserts. more longer journaling entries in inserts. i did one with mila’s birth story and would like to include more words in next year’s album, especially as i stopped blogging this year. more digital elements and overlays. i was so concerned with getting thigns done that i didn’t play as much as i would have liked.
can’t wait to see your spreads in 2014!
Longer journaling - me too! Pictures can and do say a lot but I really should write more.
Deletekeeping the same // mix of computer/handwritten journalling; integrating long journalling [monthly letters to Mason, blog posts, etc]; including photos of myself
ReplyDeletechanging // utilize my real camera more and rely on my iPhone less [unless Santa brings me a 5s heehee]; always utilizing 2 page spreads as well - keeps the album full, and consistent; more large photos; monthly family "portraits"
long journalling... i love that idea. i should do that. i've seen a few inserts here and there where it has been all writing and I have just loved how it looks. such a good idea! thanks for sharing!
DeleteOh man project life is calling my name!
ReplyDeleteyes please! your spreads would be lovely!
DeleteSo thrilled you wrote this little number on project life for several reasons.
ReplyDeleteI saw on many occasions Project Life floating around in craft stores and things of that nature but didn't really understand it. That was until I came across yours via Instagram.
I am so excited and ecstatic to have purchased pages, and things to get my own Project Life started but I really didn't know what to expect. I'm always forgetting to print photos, and usually feel like I have no where to truly "journal" about the day other than my blog. This post definitely shed some light. Thank you so much
xo Bre'an
www.steightofmind.com
so glad that I could inspire you to take on the project. you won't regret it!
DeleteWhat a great post.
ReplyDeleteThat album ? Best ever. In South Africa we pay $60 and it's worth it. I hope Santa has stocked up on them in the North Pole for you. I love what you do with digital, and I really like how you're using your handwriting in pics. I'm glad you're doing more of that next year.
You bring up an interesting point about maintaining uniformity by keeping one week for a spread. I did a few two week spreads, and I don't like the look of them. It looks as though I missed a week, and it gets to me. It is such a good idea to blow up an image. I blew up a sheet of digital paper one week and I like how that looked too. I think I'll take this tip.
♥
$60? ouch. i have been hinting left right and center since I told my husband I wanted that one two months ago. I keep saying "i hope santa brings me that black album" haha :)
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