Scrapbooking for 2013
It has been years since I have done any scrapbooking on a regular basis. Once every few months or so I will try to motivate myself to make a layout or I will make a mini album for a gift but that is about where it ends. I used to love scrapbooking. It was a wonderful creative outlet for me and it makes me sad that I no longer keep up with my albums.
I stopped scrapboking for a variety of reasons. Initially I starting losing my motivation when I got divorced six years ago because I was depressed and struggling to figure out my life. Not long after that I moved to Japan, which was not conducive to scrapbooking with supplies not so readily available locally and shipping from the US very expensive. When I came home I struggled with adjusting to life back in the US and my living circumstances were different. In my scrapbooking heyday I was a small apartment dweller with no maintenance, but today I own a 1800s home that I have been working on remodeling. It is a ton of work which doesn't leave me with as much time as I once had when I used to scrapbook a few times a week.
So what to do? I want to do more scrapbooking but I need something that fits better into my life as it is today. I decided to look into trying to make a Project Life Album this year. It seems like a lot of people use the Design A Photo Pocket Pages (page protectors with 4 horizontal 4"x6" pockets and 4 vertical 3"x4" pockets) and make a spread for every week but this approach didn't seem ideal for me for two reasons.
First, my life is not scrapworthy on a weekly basis in an even way. Some weeks when I am on vacation I would probably want to have more than one spread. When I am not traveling, my life is pretty boring and routine since I work a lot and live alone. Somehow, repeat weekly spreads consisting of me working 60 hours and eating spaghetti for dinner don't seem so interesting.
Secondly, while I like the idea of just slipping my 4"x6" photos into the pockets I have always loved using photo enlargements for my scrapbooking so using only the Design A Photo Pocket Pages seems like it wouldn't be ideal for my personal scrapbooking style.
I thought about it for awhile and decided to order a pack of the Design A Photo Pocket Pages and a pack of 12 x 12 Page Protectors
Do you have any scrapbooking goals this upcoming year? Have you ever used Project Life for scrapbooking? If so, how do you use it?
Friday, January 4, 2013 at 7:47AM | Posted by Lisa | 16 Comments | Share Article | Email Article | Print Article 
Reader Comments (16)
Lisa, first of all I think you have a very scrapable life BUT having said that, I also had that very thought for a long time.
It was through grief that I came to scrapping, the loss of one of my most beloved horses. It helped me remember the positive side of owning a horse. Since then I have made entire scrapbooks devoted to my cats, my horses, to Christmas, to my garden of which I do month by month recording the weather and what is growing, to our waterfall hunting. I started Project Life last year and I also did Design A with regular scrap 12X`12 pages - I enjoy the blending in all my albums. I do my Project Life chronological album as a monthly spread. Sometimes there are a lot more filler cards of quotes or pretty paper.
I think one of my best scrapping projects was something I called Project 58 (not my age) which was loosely based on Lisa Bearnson book "50 Moments; Scrapbook The Pages That Matter Most", it was the first non chronological album I ever made and it was such an emotional (releasing)and fun project. I loved so much I created another album with topics about friends, what depression looked like to me, finding hope, numbers that affect our lives, about books that impacted my life. It is almost like a photo diary. It also got me out of the idea that if I was not at some major life event I had nothing to photograph or scrap. Now I have so much fun just roaming around looking for photo ideas to go with a page idea or taking photos and coming up with an idea later. Even pages that simply say "I Thought This Was Interesting". This year's special scrapbook is going to be a SNAP(small) album, month by month of tackling (some) my fears and (some) anxieties. I set the goal on one side, I will scrap the result on the other.
Lisa I cannot wait to see your blended scrapbook pages of your amazing and truly scrapable life.
I am very excited to hear that you're going to be getting back into scrapbooking on a more regular basis. With fingers crossed that you will share all of your amazing creations with us, I have to say that I love your scrapbooking style and really look forward to seeing your work. I scrapbook in a clean and simple style too, so I know your pages will inspire me in my patterned paper pursuit.
Thanks for sharing so much of yourself with us. You are definitely scrapworthy!
Hey Lisa, I've been doing Project LIfe for a few years now. The first year I did the photo a day deal. While it was a worthy experiment; it just isn't for me. Like you there are times and events that I want to remember, but I don't feel the need to do this on a daily basis (nor do I have the time). So, the past couple of years I've made a spread once a month. I have found like you that my life follows a routine and repeating that over and over would be boring for me. So the once a month approach is much more manageable and it really reflects more of what life is for me right now. I would definitely put two months in a spread if that's what I felt represented my life better as well ;-) Now, I also have 12x12 page protectors and I use these for traditional layouts where I want more pictures about a birthday or a special event (vacation, big accomplishment, etc.). I'm a simple scrapper so those layouts are not time consuming either. To be honest, the initial reason I used this method was in an attempt to catch up after not scrapping for almost 4 years (just too busy). Well, this has served me well for this purpose because I'm keeping up with the present and when I feel more creative I do a little catching up with the past (mostly my kids' childhoods). This gap is sloooowly but surely closing!
I hope you enjoy this system as much as I have and remember that it is intended to be super flexible. So, make it work for you whatever that means.I also agree with the ladies that every life is worth remembering ;-) So happy scrapping in 2013!
Hi Lisa - I just came upon your blog just yesterday after someone on 2 Peas posted about you. When I got into scrapbooking/cardmaking it was right about the time your book Step Up Your Scrapbooking came out. I looked through it many times for inspiration and felt a sort of connection to you as I was just out of grad school at an engineering school. I didn't stay long in the scrapbooking world - I moved on to card making instead. Last year I decided to try out Project Life and I am very proud to say that I finished my 2012 album last night. I used design F since the small pockets work perfectly for iPhone photos. I am married, but no children and work full time so I too don't have a lot of exciting day-to-day events to document. I did photograph my dog a lot though! This year I'm using the WRMK 4x4 photo pockets to change it up a bit. I'm so super excited to see what you do with your Project Life album this year - I hope you plan sharing it on your blog. Also, I enjoyed scrolling through pages and pages of your blog yesterday and made sure to add it to my Google Reader so I don't miss a post!
Hey Lisa,
I started my first Project Life album during 2012 and I love it. I too like more variety than just 4x6 photos. There are so many things you can do with your pages other than following the Plan A, Plan F...etc. Instead of just buying one pack I use several different ones. We R Memory Keepers have several different 12x12 page protectors in different styles. You can use the whole 12x12 or even cut it up and use partial pages. http://www.shopwer.com/Items.aspx?code=12x12protectors&key=cat I even use 8 1/2 x 11 pages if I need more room for a week. You can also use one large picture, a 12x12, then cut it up to fit the Plan A (4 4x6's and 4 3x4's). Here is a link to my pinterest december daily idea board. http://pinterest.com/jennifer_harbal/project-life/
Also, I am a single girl with no kids so it limits the amount of stuff I can do. I have a lot of family though so I put a lot of them in my books as well. I document everything even the sometimes mundane. Sometimes I just have pictures of something I thought was pretty or interesting. Don't worry about trying to fill the space. You could add ephemera, quotes, movie stubs (I do this a lot. Add a pic of the movie poster and put my thoughts.), what you watch during a week, what you eat. When I looked back at the beginning months it was cool to see the everyday and the not-so-everyday. Sometimes what we think of everyday changes into something else so it's nice to get the everyday at that point in time.
I have posted some of my weeks online if you'd like to take a peek. http://jennifermartinovici.typepad.com/crazyjen/project-life/ I used a lot of different styles and types of stuff. I have some weeks that are small and some that are just massive. :) I ended up needing two books.
Hope that helps. I'm so excited to see what you come up with. :)
Jen
Hey Lisa -- I'm a lot like you in that I work 60-70 hrs a week, single, and live alone. My day to day life isn't very exciting... a lot of the same things over and over and a social life that has slowed significantly with longer hours and friends getting married, etc. I have really been wanting to get back into scrapbooking & photography on a more consistent basis... like you I stopped doing it all while in the middle of a depression.
I decided to do a project life style spread once a month. A monthly overview with the highlights and just some random stuff. I bought some of the multi packs of the We R Memory Keepers page protectors so I have different options of switching it up on months that have a lot going on or months that were pretty quiet. My pictures from travels and other times when I have a lot of pictures of a particular event etc I want to add in as traditional scrapbook pages so I can have more space to be creative.
I'm hoping I can get back into it, it was such a good thing for me to do for so long.
I also tried PL a few years ago and thought I had to do a photo a day, but unfortunately petered out before the year was over. I'm not a chronological scrapper, so the PL thing felt restricting to me. I struggled so much with taking a photo every day as I also work full time and have no kids. Also, no cameras are allowed where I work so I had no photos for the thing that takes up most of my time! I've been toying with the idea of a weekly spread for the year, but I think a monthly one might work even better.
As for goals for this year, I'm aiming to take out my camera more often, and spend more time in my scrapbook room (read: actually using it for its intended purpose!). A big part of scrapbooking for me is the creative outlet and I've been missing it lately!
Thank you all so much for sharing how you make scrapbooking work for you!
Mary-Lou- Wow! You have completed a ton of albums - I am impressed! They all sound lovely. You have so many great topics that you have scrapbooked and they must be so meaningful for you to have.
Sandy- Thank you! I will definitely be sharing my pages here. I just got my page protectors and binder in the mail yesterday so I may start this weekend.
Laura- I'm so glad to hear how this approach has worked well for you. Thank you for sharing! I'm hoping it works out the same for me!
Courtney- I'm so glad that my book inspired you! That's cool that you also went to engineering grad school about the same time as me. The Design F pages look neat and I can see how those would be awesome with iPhone photos. Also, thank you so much for adding me to your reader!
Jen- Thank you so much for sharing links to your blog. Your Project Life pages are lovely! I had a lot of fun looking at them. I like how you mixed in a lot of different pages besides Design A.
Amanda- It sounds like we have a similar lifestyle. I completely understand how long hours can kill your social life. My other issue is that a lot of my friends in Ann Arbor have moved away. I hope that you have a chance to try to get back into your scrapbooking!
Hilary- I wouldn't be able to do a photo a day either. I have the same situation at work so like you most of where I spend my time during the week is a no camera zone. I hope you get to do more scrapbooking this year, too!
Hi Lisa! I just want to say Yippee!!!! Glad you're scrapbooking again. I, too lost my mojo for scrapbooking when I divorced 5 years ago (after 25 years) and had to move multiple times since then with all of my supplies in storage. I have finally settled (hopefully for the last time) and have just finished unpacking all of my supplies. I plan to start with cardmaking and hopefully work my way back up to scrapbooking again. I look forward to hopefully seeing some of your layouts posted - your photographs are always magnificient. Happy New Year! Karen
BTW - when unpacking my supplies, I unpacked your book too!
I'm so happy to find this blog - I bought your book back when I first started scrapbooking, and I just love your style (and the outdoor/travel themes). I started scrapbooking again a couple of months ago, so I'm looking forward to a whole new year of inspiration from you!
Hey Lisa - so glad your going to get back into scrapbooking. I have always been a fan of your scrapbook style so it will be great to see how you use your ideas with this new way to scrap. I've personally never tried these but am hearing allot about them. I'm excited to see what you come up with.
Karen- Happy New Year to you, too! Divorce is always tough and I am so sorry to hear that you had to go through it. I am glad that you are looking forward to getting back into scrapbooking and I will definitely share what I make here.
Ingunn- Thank you! I'm so glad that you have enjoyed my book. It means a lot to me!
Orlanda- Thank you so much! You are so sweet! I'm excited to try it out myself.
So glad you will be scrapping again. I might give the project life a try.
I bought an 8x8 from Doodlebug. Actually I got two of their 8x8s - one in the blue and one in pink.
I thought maybe the 8x8 would be a little bit less intimidating to me. They sell inserts which
give you room for 4 total 4x6 pix and 4 of the 2x3 journal cards. Of course, everything can be
changed up but those are the dimensions.
I will be anxious to see what you post because your scrapbooks are always great.
Your blog makes your life look pretty exciting to me! Every day is a new adventure on this blog.
Kathy- Making an 8x8 album sounds like fun. You should do it! Good luck with your scrapbooking this year!
Happy new year, Lisa :) I am so glad to find you and your blog! I have been a huge fan of your work and missed your layouts - one of the last ones I saw was in CK mag and it was a layout about you moving, living and working in Japan. After that, I couldn't find you anymore :( I always loved your photographs, your journaling, your sophisticated style and your book is well-loved and still inspires me to this day. I keep hoping you'll come out with another book! :) I even remember and love your scrap room back then decorated in splashes of red accents :)
I am definitely looking forward to your postings of PL, especially as I am also planning and trying to do one this year. My life is very routine and nowhere as exciting as yours with all the traveling you do :) so my PL is going to be more of a visual, creative art journal type of album, where i record little factoids about me and my family's life in the early 21st century :) -- without pressuring myself to "keep up" everyday :)
I am so sorry to hear about your divorce :(
I do wish you ALL the best that 2013 has to offer :)
Take care :)
I'm so glad you're giving PL a try! I love that Becky Higgins' motto is that "it can be anything you want it to be". I was pretty flexible on how I did PL last year - I mixed up pocket page designs, some weeks, I only had one page instead of a two-page spread, some weeks were just journaling, some weeks (like my weeks in Ireland over the summer) I included more. Being lenient on myself and not letting it stress me out was how I stayed motivated to keep it up all year, and I love the album! There are some great threads and examples at Two Peas in a Bucket, if you need any inspiration and ideas. I'm so happy I found your blog and that you're doing some scrapping again, thanks for the inspiration!!