:: i am shaving yo! ::

I used mostly the Scrapbook Circle February Kit (sold out), adding some washi, paint, mask, gesso, some alphas, and a couple of 2x2 cards from the Just Add Color Project Life Core Kit.

This is a layout that I made during LOAD214 (LayOut A Day) back in February.  I shared a few other layouts that I completed during LOAD in this post and this post. Some of you might be thinking, "LAYOUT A DAY??  Whatchooo talkin' 'bout, yo?" I'm here today to tell you that it is so fun and so awesome, and soooooo coming up again soon.  Here are a few details:

Click here to view even more details and sign up for LOAD514.

Thanks for stopping by!

:: project life : just start :: (part two)

Did yesterday's post push you?  Are you ready to start?  Here are a few hints/pieces of advice as you start your adventure (in no particular order).

1. Start where you are and move forward.  Don't worry about starting on January 1st, or any 'first of the month', or even on a Sunday or Monday.  Just start.
2. Learn from others, but don't compare. In the beginning, and even now, I continue to be inspired by, and learn from, other PLers.  But I learned early on to accept my weekly spreads for what they are : our documented life. Am I always completely happy with the look of them or my handwriting, or how many photos I took that week?  Nope, totally not. But I am always thankful and happy that I got the week documented.
3. Don't stress about staying "caught up".  I promise, if you tackle PL, you will get more stories documented then you have ever before.
4. Make Project Life yours. No matter what, it really can be whatever you want/need it to be. Weekly spreads? Monthly? Doesn't matter, whatever you want.  Start you week on a Sunday? Saturday? Monday? Doesn't matter, whatever you want. Add inserts? Sure, but only if you want to! 12x12? 8.5x11? 6x8? Any of them, all of them, it doesn't matter -- Project Life can be should be whatever you want it to be.
5. Take lots of photos.  I use my iPhone a lot, because it is always with me.  But I also use my DSLR (because it's awesome). If you forget to take photos, then what? Combine some weeks, use images from the internet (copyright free images, of course), have your kids (if you have them) draw you some pictures, grab some from your hubbies phone, and don't forget your kids images from their cameras or phones, etc. 
6. Get Inspired! Inspiration is out there! It's all over the place!  Blogs, Pinterest, Facebook, online galleries, kit clubs, You Tube, and even the google.  :-) Don't forget about #2, though!  Everyday, I am inspired by others in scrapbooking, art journaling, and project lif-ing. I watch videos, read blogs and scan Pinterest and Facebook for little ideas here and there. Caution: the internet can quickly become a black hole…you fall in…and there's no getting out.  It's a great procrastinator. Don't forget the part about just starting.  :-)
7. Take a class. Yep, there are classes out there. I have taken a few online classes related to PL. Day by Day is offered by Studio Calico, and Big Picture Classes has a class called Project Life Lessons. I'm sure there are others! I am actually taking the BPC again as an alumni (it started yesterday, but it's not to late to register and begin).  Classes are a great way to get started, but they are also another way to connect with others that share this interest. It is not too late to sign up if you are interested! Click here for more information about how to register for this awesome class!  Megan Anderson, Annette Haring, and Elise Blaha Cripe take you through their PL  process (all very different). It is awesome, especially for newbies.  Registration closes April 23rd!  And last but certainly not least! Another awesome opportunity is True Scrap Pocket Pages! TSPP includes six different classes all related to pocket page scrapping.  They are all video classes, and you can take one or more of them for $9 each, or a special discount for all six! I love that you can pick and choose which ones fit your needs (if you can really pick and choose, they are all great)! Click here to view more details .The special sale goes on through April 30th -- but don't hesitate -- these are awesome! 
8. Build a support system. This might sound silly, but it's really great to have a PL support system.  My support is related to the classes mentioned above, Facebook groups, and Instagram!  I have many virtual and IRL friends that I share with and get inspired from through these forums. I am a pretty social person, and so this really helps me keep going. But most of all, I love that my One True Love is on board.  He often hands me something and says, "You probably want to put that in your book, right?" or even, "You should put that in your book."  I love him so!
9. Examine your why.  This is probably one of the most important tips (at least from my point of view). What is your reason for doing PL?  What is your purpose? There is no right or wrong answer, there is only your answer.  Since this post is already getting too long, I will share my why with you in an upcoming post!  

Thank you for stopping by! Come back tomorrow and I'll have a traditional layout to share!

:: project life : just start ::

Are you a "Project Lifer" or a collector of cards? Do you continue to purchase core kits and collect subscriptions, but have little or nothing documented?  I hope this post helps you!!!

I am so lucky to be a part of several Facebook groups, and other online communities that are full of inspiration and helpful hints about Project Life, Pocket Scrapbooking, Life Books, or whatever you want to call this wonderful adventure! I have developed quite a few virtual friendships through this amazing thing called the internet! I consider myself very fortunate to also have several IRL friends that choose to document their family's lives in this same fashion! You know who you are (Theresa, Bridget, Kirsten, to name a few)! All of us do this thing we call Project Life a little differently, and we are all at different places in our PL journey, but we do have one thing in common: We started.

:: just start ::

One of the things that has come up time and time again by "newbies" on various forums is that whole thing about getting started.  "I have all these cards, but I have yet to start" is a common theme! I scream into my computer ---- WHY??  :-)  I do that with a smile, of course.  I want you to do it. I want you to try it out. I want to help if I can. So this post is born.

2013 :: week 1

When I started (January 2013), I purchased one kit (Seafoam), one binder, and a variety pack of page protectors. I was just coming off "December Daily", in fact, DD is part of why I started. I LOVE documenting the everyday. I'm pretty certain that I have almost no completed LOs about birthdays, first haircuts, Christmas, etc. The everyday is what inspires me. I learned that about myself as I worked on my DD.  My favorite parts were those everyday moments that I captured. So, to me, that's what Project Life is all about, documenting our everyday lives so that I can remember everything. My journey to PL, and my reasons why go a bit deeper than that, and I plan to give that it's own post soon!

2013 :: week 3

I admit: I wasn't all that happy with my first few weeks of PL.  I loved the journey, (mostly) enjoyed the process, but I didn't really find the actual final product all that awesome. I mean, when I would look at everyone else's PL spreads, and compare them to mine (something I do not recommend), I didn't like mine. They were just OK. To be honest, looking back, it's mostly because I just hadn't found my style yet.  There are still weeks that I like better than others, always.

Do your scrapbooking LOs look the same now as they did when you first began?  I would be surprised if they did. Mine certainly do not! And neither do my PL spreads. And that's OK.

You know what else is OK? I didn't "finish" 2013. I've written about this before, I know, but I'm going to say it again. I documented more of our lives last year than I ever have. That's my focus. That's my goal. That's my reason. Something I could look at as a failure, (incompletion), is not. It is truly a success (and this really has nothing to do with a 1/2 full or empty glass, trust me, it's all about my reason). It's not like I just stopped or anything, I just missed some weeks.  A bunch even. But it's ok.

I was afraid to start PL, even though I knew I wanted to.  I was afraid to start because of time, mostly. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to "keep up", and even more afraid that I would no longer do traditional layouts. This might not be a fear for you. Maybe you aren't a scrapbooker, or maybe you want PL to replace traditional LOs. That was not the case for me. I love trying new things and that feeling of getting my crafty on, which I find myself doing more of when I'm doing traditional layouts than when I am work on my weekly spreads for PL.  Guess what?  I also did more traditional LOs last year than I have ever done in a year. Not only did PL not make me stop doing traditional LOs, it actually inspired me to do more. Awesome.

Are you on the fence about Project Life? Are you tired of being a card collector?  ;-) I hope that this post, and the posts that I have coming up, help inspire you to just do it. My advice is to not look back.  Start with today, or this week. Move forward. If you want to "catch up" later, fine. If not, fine.  For now just start.

Thanks for stopping by!  Look for another post tomorrow with helpful hints about starting this project.