That Project Life Baby Book... an update
Many months ago, I shared my original plan for keeping a baby’s first year album in the Project Life format. Time for a bit of a reality check, I think.
So far, this album has four printed 4×6 landscape images for every week up to three weeks ago (I order prints roughly monthly, so that makes sense), all placed in the correct pockets, with each week’s page protectors labelled with a post-it note for the date. All of those weeks in 2014 also have the additional photos printed (at a smaller size) and just stored in one of the pockets for that week, uncropped and not planned for placement for most of the weeks. There are notes for each week in one of three places, which seems disorganised but worked well for me, as depending on my location it would be easiest to jot something down in either my planner, a small notebook I keep in my bag, or my phone. They are all small enough and organised enough within themselves that it’s no problem to have all three with me when I go to scrapbook a week.
That’s a fair amount I was able to keep up with as we went through the year, but completed pretty pages are pretty lacking. There are about ten complete weeks and an additional six that have the photos and supplies picked out and in the album, ready to put together. It does make it all come together relatively quickly for me if I’m not interrupted but it’s also possible to do bits and pieces in two or three minutes here or there. So that seems pretty balanced and practical to life as I now know it.
I’ve kept the ideas of choosing two colours for each week, using white borders on the 4×6 cards, mixing my handwriting with the old typewriter, and the label stamp with text on the four larger photos. The second 3×4 slot from the far left is always an accent card, but the other cards mix and match from accents, photos, and journaling. Supplies for this particular week include Sassafras Sunshine Broadcast, Carta Bella Hello Again, a WRMK 3×4 tablet, glitter stickers from Pebbles’ Jen Hadfield collection, my grey letter tile stickers, some Studio Calico chipboard, twine, and stickers, and the sticker book from Dear Lizzy 5th and Frolic, so it’s safe to say I am embracing quite a few old favourites in this album! I’m finding that quite refreshing.
I love seeing this book come together, but I feel most of the emotion in it will come when the writing is in place for far more weeks! I’m not particularly concerned about finishing it all by any certain date, as I really just don’t work well on those sorts of personal project deadlines, but I’m still glad I had a plan from the beginning and so happy that including all those landscape shots has reminded me to use my proper camera rather than just relying on my phone, as all my favourite shots from Wonder Boy’s first year are those lushly lit, better composed photos I capture on my DSLR – though I am still glad I have snapped so many pictures by having my phone to hand. Hurrah for modern technology.
I’m not sure any of that is a revelation, but it seemed worth sharing. Thank you so much for the warm welcome back this week, whether you are reading and watching quietly or saying hello or sharing something yourself. It still feels quietly odd, but it is lovely to craft and talk about craft again!
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13 March 2015, 11:50
Wow – great job! You have certainly done better than I did with my sons (34 and 30). Of course, there was no pocket scrapping back then. In fact, I didn’t even know what scrapping was. You will be so happy in the future that you took the time to make this book. Memory is just not what we think it is when we are young. I love the format you have going. It looks wonderful so far.
13 March 2015, 12:29
Thanks for sharing the real deal with regards to this. You mentioned it very briefly in one of your videos this week and I was curious how it was coming along. Perhaps as work on it continues you will post more bits and pieces. I agree with you that this is a great project to work on here or there in little pockets of time, but also that hunkering down for a whole day and really diving in is a good thing, too. I am slowly finishing up a Week in the Life album. Felt great to work on it yesterday for even just an hour or two while watching your videos. Somethings just have to wait their turn and it sounds like your PL baby album and my WITL album are among those. xo
13 March 2015, 14:49
I love the layout. I think having a plan helps it come together so much easier, yet it is loose enough of a plan not to look the same.
I would never have guessed how well thought out your plan was by just looking at your layouts.
13 March 2015, 15:01
I always love seeing the baby books of my firneds children these days I sit and chat with the growing child as we peruse the baby pictures. It’s amazing how fast time goes by and how much you forget so keeping a PL style book is perfect as you can fit in little bits as you go along and add your prettiness later when you have more time.
Jo x
13 March 2015, 16:48
Hi Shimelle, I’ve just started some monthly project life, so thanks so much for this inspiration! It’s lovely to have you back, I’ve really enjoyed your posts and videos this week!It feels like Xmas with your daily posts! Hugs Lynsey x
13 March 2015, 18:27
I just got 400 pics printed so that I can finally work on months 5-12 of my guy’s first year :) I did great keeping up until I went back to work! I am finding that although I originally planned to stick to just the baby edition core kit, I am interested now in a little more embellishing and mixing it up – but that’s working ok, too, because when I find a new thing I want to use (e.g. new heidi swapp PL value kit with gold foil bits), I just flip back through earlier months and see where I can add a touch of the new thing here and there, so that the whole ends up feeling more cohesive – a tip I learned from your Cover-to-Cover class, I think! His first birthday (2 weeks ago) was a big impetus to get back to work on the album, even if I don’t finish it all all at once. It’s fun spending time with those photos & memories. I would love to know also how you are deciding between things in PL from this past year or separate 12×12 pages – is there any rhyme or reason to what gets scrapped where? how much duplication?
It all looks lovely, as usual!!
13 March 2015, 21:58
I wish there was something like this when my boys were small, 18, 39 & 32 now! So much of their first years have been forgotten :( Our memory is not what we this it is! or will be! So glad to have you back this week!
13 March 2015, 22:00
Make that 18, 30 and 32! Not 39 :)
13 March 2015, 22:51
I love that you are back, posting. I’ve missed you quite a bit. Your pages are as lovely and inspiring as ever.
14 March 2015, 04:46
You did well keeping everything so that you can out it all together when you have the time. I really enjoyed watching your video of the autumn page today. Got back to having my Saturday afternoon fix of Shimelle while enjoying a hot drink :)Thank you
14 March 2015, 08:36
I really like your two color idea and how it’s playing out in your album. My PL pages always look like a mess even if I’m using a core kit. Maybe it’s time for me to try something new! Thanks for the inspiration! I’m so excited that you’re back and scrapping!!
17 March 2015, 17:22
Welcome back! Love seeing Wonder Boy’s album coming together, after this post I was inspired to look through my little chap’s album as a whole and I realised that the only coherence it has is it’s incoherence! Different pocket pages, 12×12, different colours etc however I’ve loved doing it and I love looking through it. My pocket pages have definitely developed as the album has grown. I’m about 8 months behind and trying to ‘catch up’ before Baby 2 arrives in May / June time, not sure how I’m going to ‘catch up’ on 2 small people’s albums :-)
24 March 2015, 06:49
Wow looks so sweet that you create a whole profile about your baby from through out born . very interesting
7 August 2023, 07:48
Il quadranteèuna parte importante dell’orologio rolex falsi,Questa importanza dovrebbe essere aggiunta con un asterisco.
Dopo tutto,le persone sono animali visivi,Come facciata dell’orologio,il quadrante non puòessere ignorato.
7 August 2023, 07:50
Il quadranteèuna parte importante dell’orologio rolex falsi,Questa importanza dovrebbe essere aggiunta con un asterisco.
Dopo tutto,le persone sono animali visivi,Come facciata dell’orologio,il quadrante non puòessere ignorato.