Project Life 2012

Happy New Year Everyone! It's been a while since I posted. I have enjoyed the holidays and now I'm ready to tackle 2012 with "delight". Delight is my one little word for the new year. I want to use "delight" as a sense. I want to delight in every little detail whether it be tasting food, seeing the seasons change, hearing my teenage son giggle....I want to not only savor the moments but I want to experience them with delight.

As the new year approached, I knew that making resolutions (as I have in the past) was just a waste of time if they were unachieveable. I'm not going to diet (maybe watch more closely what I eat) and I'm not going to exercise (who knows - I may WANT to get out and walk some so I can take photographs). But I did set a few goals for myself this year......
1) participate in Project Life 2012 - details below!
2) get my photos organized on my computer (which means - sort, delete, print, etc.)
3) doing #2 means I need to scrapbook more
4) get some sewing projects completed
5) visit the lake a lot more this spring/summer
6) sew/quilt a scrappy picnic tablecloth

I want to talk about Project Life 2012, for those that are not familiar with it. I know most of my blog readers are cross stitchers and believe it or not, I still stitch every now and then (maybe I need to add that to the list above - to stitch more LOL). This may be a project you will want to start (BTW - you can start ANY time). I know you "think" there is no way you could ever add another hobby to your day but this is so simple!!!! Almost everyone has a camera phone so take some photos and get started! Document your life!!!

Project Life 2012 is a concept that Becky Higgins began 4 years ago. Becky is WELL KNOWN in the scrapbooking world for her contributions to the Creating Keepsakes magazine as well as authoring some wonderful sketch books. This concept allows scrapbookers to get pictures in their books before the memories fade and to capture the day-to-day details, besides the holidays and other big yearly moments, in a flash. The products she designed are available through Amazon and consist of picture pocket page protectors, journaling cards, albums, etc. Everything a scrapbooker needs. So, why have I just now decided to do this?.........

Well......
1) The concept originally was to take a photo each day. A photo that represented that day or a moment that happened that would probably be forgotten in a weeks time but years from now would be a cherished memory. I knew that I would never be able to take a photo each day for 365 days!
2) I really don't like picture pocket page protectors. It was too confining for me. I'm a "lumpy" scrapper and I just couldn't buy into the print the photo and slip it in the pocket and be done.
3) As a "lumpy" scrapper, I love to embellish. I need to add more to my page.

At the end of 2011, as scrappers began to talk about their plans for the upcoming Project Life year, I realized that there were other scrappers like me! They wanted to embellish, they could not take a photo every week, they needed to scrap the way that was their style. I also realized this was MY album. I'm in charge so let's tweak the concept and do it!!! The main purpose is to capture the little details and moments - I can do that!!

My Project Life 2012 album...
1) does not contain picture pocket page protectors. I am scrappin' my photos onto 12x12 cardstock and doing a 2 page spread for each week.
2) probably will not consist of a photo for each day. I am focusing on the week, itself. I may take 5 photos in one day or something similar. But, I will focus on capturing little momemts, nature, things........I want to be able to look back in 5 or 10 years and see the furniture, see how the trees have grown or are gone, what was on TV, how electronics have changed, etc.
3) lets me embellish! I'm adding my die cuts, buttons, my snippets of life, etc.

This in NO WAY says that the way Becky, or other scrappers, do their albums is wrong. What Becky has designed has been a life saver for so many scrappers. People are documenting their lifes. The small stuff becomes much larger and more important years down the road. It is a great product and if you are a beginner (or advanced for that matter) and you want to get in on this, Becky makes it easy and gives you the tools to take all the guess work out of the equation! It's memory capturing made simple!

So, here it is.....The start of my Project Life 2012 adventure. My week is going to run Sunday through Saturday. My "plan" is to upload and print the previous week's photos on Thursday and scrap my pages over the weekend. I will "try" to post my page updates, here on the blog, on Thursday/Friday.

Title Page:

The 2 page layout (week one/1-1-12 to 1-7-12):

The left page:

And the right page:

Thanks for taking a peek inside my new adventure! If you are interested in getting more information on Project Life, click here. While you are there, check out Becky's design team. They will inspire you! I also have to give a shout-out to Michelle Wooderson for sharing her Project Life 2011 and now 2012. She has a style that I really admire. And if you have a little extra time, visit Glue Stick Girl too!

If you have any questions, just ask!!

edited to add #6 to my 2012 goals