Project Life: Getting Started
Moving into a city studio apartment has taught me many things. The value of having counter space, how to use what is really one room for three separate living spaces and last but not least: that I have TOO MUCH stuff! I have been purging clothes, shoes and frankly plain old junk from my belongings for weeks now.
Besides clothes, the things I love are books and my scrapbooking stuff. Sadly in two years living on my own I have only put together a few scrapbook pages. Traditionally, a scrapbook page can take at least a hour to a few hours, and sometimes a few days if you are working with paint and other similar supplies. That requires two things I don't have enough of: time and space (like a large desk to spread out supplies).
I have found the answer to my creative problem...Project Life! This post features how I'm getting started and the July Studio Calico Project Life kit.
(Disclaimer: purchased with my own money, everything on my blog is unless otherwise noted.)
What is Project Life?
In a nutshell, Project Life is a scrapbooking system that incorporates a 12x12 binder and plastic dividers to hold photos, journaling and other memorabilia from each week of your life. That's really it!
Here's how it goes...Snap photos with your phone throughout the week. Journal a little bit each day using an app in your phone or a journal. Crop, edit and save them. Select your favorite photos from the week and print them out with your preferred at home printer or printing service. Place photos into pockets, journal on the journaling cards and you are done!
So first things first, check out some of the examples I've linked below and see if you connect with the look and feel of Project Life.
Examples of pages here, here, and here.
Okay, awesome, right? Continue on to see how I started & how easy it can be for you to start as well!
There are a couple of benefits to this:
You won't need a ton of time
You can use photos you snap and edit with your phone
It looks really cool, kind of like a time capsule of your life
It helps capture everyday life
Because the divider layouts are preset, it is nearly effortless to get a really nice looking page
It costs less than traditional scrapbooking
Supplies
There are a ton of different products out there specifically made for Project Life. It can be really overwhelming so I suggest buying enough supplies for ONE month. See how you like it before you commit to purchasing a year's worth of supplies.
One pack of dividers in Design A, $6 with free shipping from Amazon Prime
One Studio Calico Kit about $25 (with shipping), provides one month of supplies.
If you have never scrapbooked before, please know that getting a whole month's worth of supplies for around $30 is INCREDIBLE.
Notice that I did not even buy a 12x12 binder yet. All you need to start out is the dividers and some supplies. I decided to buy a kit because everything is pre-cut and whatnot. You could size and cut your own supplies but again, if you are saving time, then buy a kit.
OR make a one time purchase of $30 for one of the theme Core Kits (months worth of supplies!
Other expenses to consider: Where or how will you print your photos?
Tips
I've read quite a few blog posts about how to get started so in sum I'd like to offer the top tips here:
If you get behind...Make Project Life work for you. If something comes up and you get behind by a week or so, don't worry about it! You can always print those photos later. A good idea is to take your layout and place post-it notes to remind yourself of which photos you wanted to use on that page.
You want personal journaling...Keep a journal with you everywhere you go, or someplace you will remember to write in everyday and write a sentence or so about each day. You can also look back at captions you used when you posted your photo to Instagram (or other social site). This also helps to remember details if you get behind.
Take photos everyday of stuff you love! That means, people, things, etc. Include photos from magazines, ticket stubs and anything else that is meaningful or entertaining to you. One of the examples I linked included a page that had a photo of a favorite tv show. Anything goes!
Here's an example of a journaling/decorative card. Here's a link to Elizabeth Kartchner used this kit.
For now I plan to print my photos at my local CVS and see how it goes. There are personal printers and online printing options that are well suited for this project but until I know I am really going to stick with this I plan to print photos as needed.
I highly recommend the Studio Calico kits if you like a modern eclectic feel. Their products are always high quality and did you see how cute the box is that it comes in? It's perfect for storing all your supplies. Besides what it came with I'll be using scissors, double sided tape and a pen to journal with.
The way I see it, my blog is already a sort of Project Life. However, I really want that hands-on experience of crafting. Also, there are some photos and thoughts that I do not want to share on the internet so keeping them tucked away in the binder for this project feels more comfortable and personal.
How to incorporate memorbilia into Project Life (video)
Jot Magazine, Issue One feature on how to start Project Life
And last but not least, the Studio Calico's image of the entire Valley High (July) Project Life kit...
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