Project Life Tuesday: weeks 2 & 3

Still behind.

Still catching up.

Still loving Project Life.

For some reason I was lacking in the photo department despite it being the beginning of the new year and my renewed vow to be better about taking more photos.  As I am planning my current PL spreads that seems to be the norm, not sure why but I am working on fixing that.  No worries though I was able to do a one page spread for both weeks 2 & 3. 

2013 Weeks 2 & 3 Full Spread

 2013 Week 2

 2013 Week 3

Waiting for a reprint for the bottom pocket, I mistakenly printed a 4x6 instead of an instagram.

So glad I have taken a shot of Kelsey's different colored bands every month. Love the consistency and looking back each month.

Week 3 title is a download from September Blue.

Still trying to determine the best time/spot to take photos...I can't avoid the glare.

Products used: Becky Higgins Clementine Core Kit (retired), Studio Calico So Cal kit Santa Monica Add On, CTMH Notice the Details and Comments Stamp Sets. Tabs, stickers, alphas, etc are from all different Studio Calico Kits...I combine them all once I receive the kit and dig through to find what I like...I only keep the papers together. Snow flakes are from CTMH...really old...love PL for using up my stash.

and.....

I had 2 inserts this week!  Actually they were 2 8 1/2 x 11 layouts I created and just slipped right into my PL binder.  I have decided that I am housing everything together in one album as PL seems to be my main scrapbooking outlet these days.

Pretty much killed whatever was left from my Studio Calico County Fair Kit on this.

This was a play JT was in and I wanted to highlight it a bit from my weekly pages.

Need to place a page protector order for uniformity, until then the Avery page protector will do just fine.

The second insert was all about the teenage girl's shoe of choice.  I was going to just put it in a pocket but since I had a B side to fill I thought I would document the UGG obsession in a little more detail.

and...

that is week 2 & 3.

This week:

I have plans to work on the catching up process.  I will be posting 2013 spreads on Tuesdays and 2012 on Thursday or Friday each week.

I'm linking up with The Mom Creative for Project Life Tuesday.

For more information on Project Life...check out this site.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Project Life - slowly but surely

Hello again Mr. Blog, it has been a long time and I thought it was about time I dusted off the cobwebs and started paying a little more attention to you.  I do miss sharing my PL pages, muffin recipes and little tid bits with you...but life has been so crazy lately; good, busy crazy, but crazy nonetheless.

It seems so many things that I love to do have fallen by the wayside while managing 2 kids in sports, a husband recovering from shoulder surgery, studying for my teacher licensing exams and just daily life.  I am still finding a little time for creating but I did fall behind and I am trying so very hard to catch up on not only 2013 but 2012 as well.

So where am I?  thankfully a bit farther than this post will have you think.  I am complete through week 29 of 2012 and planned and ready to print the rest of the year.  I am currently working on week 5 of 2013 but planned and ready to print up to last week.  But I am ok with that.  I work slow and I am lucky if can carve out a few hours a week to scrapbook.  My current goal is to complete 2 spreads a week -  one for each year.  If I can squeeze in a bit of extra time then I will add another 2013 spread in.  I will get there...slowly but surely.  The key is that I am completing my spreads and documenting our life, I'm not stressing about it and I am doing what I love.  And while I am living our life, I am throwing all my PL rules (because the beauty of PL is there are no rules) out the window...there are weeks that I have taken 1 picture...I am combining weeks, I am doing 1 page per week or 2 pages, adding inserts...whatever feels right, whatever works.  And to simplify the process I am using my Studio Calico kits.  I just grab a kit and work with those papers and the embellishments out on my table....it seems to be working for me, and that is a good thing. The added bonus is I am using up my stash and killing kits...something that has been eating at me for awhile. 

While I don't plan on sharing every page I have completed, I would like to share a few times a week.  So today, I have week 1 of 2013 and week 14 of 2012.

Week 1 2013 full

week 1 2013 left

week 1 2013 right

Week 1 didn't see as many pictures as I had hoped despite making a commitment to myself to try and take a photo a day.  Kelsey pulled the picture of the ball dropping in Times Square off the internet and since the pictures I was attempting to take of my tv didn't come out too great we used that one.  We spent alot of time on the slopes over the holiday week with the kids.  The papers used are from Studio Calico's Story Hour main kit and Encyclopedia Add on and Becky Higgin's Clemetine Core Kit. I pull my embellishments & alphas out of the kits as I get them and mix them all together so I can't tell you where those come from (sorry).

week 14 2012 full

week 14 2012 Left

week 14 2012 right

Week 14 (2012) was a busy week and thankfully I was able to record most of it in pictures.  This is one of my favorite weeks (although you will notice I will start saying that alot with my 2012 pages).  Week 14 brought a North vs South (our 2 city middle schools) Spirit Night basketball game with Kelsey playing in the pep band, both kids having their artwork displayed at the district's "Into the Arts" festival, Kelsey purchasing her own iPad and a deployment.  I used the Clementine Core Kit and Studio Calico's Elmwood Park.  The cute little house stamp is from Unity Stamp Co.

No promises, but I hope to be posting PL updates again this week (I am shooting for Tuesdays & Fridays).  If you have any questions or comments I would love to hear from you.

- Tracy

~ I will be linking up today with The Mom Creative for Project Life Tuesday

~ Project Life is a scrapbooking system created by Becky Higgins. There are no rules and it can be anything you want it to be. For me, PL made me fall back in love with scrapbooking. For more information, go to Becky's blog here.

40 while 40

I'm a few months past my 40th birthday and right on track with my 40 things to do while 40 list.  I thought I would list them here to keep track...I will cross them off as I complete them.  Looking back on it I think I really needed to get the organization / de cluttering out of the way in order to start thinking of ways I can really enjoy myself.  Those things really bog me down...it is just the way my mind works.  My list is a bit of personal plans/goals and things that really do need to get done (they have been left undone for far to long).  I have lofty goals but I know I can do (most of) it!   I have to say I love being 40 and if these few months is any indication...the best is yet to come!

Here are my 40 things to do while 40 ( in no particular order):

1. Run a 5K
2. purge my magazine hoard
3. organize recipe craziness
4. re-do master bedroom
5. take & pass my MTELs
6. Finish Kelsey's room
7. Finish Dining Room
8. Decorate sun room
9. learn to knit
10. paint upstairs hallway
11. re-design blog & blog more
12. set up monthly "dates" with the kids
13. submit to a DT
14. submit to a publication
15. build a stash of cards (and send them...just because)
16. hang pics in stairs/hallway
17. paint nails and condition cuticles 2x.week
18. go camping for weekend with family * friends
19. start training for a 1/2 marathon
20. become physically fit (muscle definition and start to see abs...they are in there somewhere)
21. learn how to use my camera/take better photos
22. declutter house
23. organize house
24. purge & organize office / scrap room
25. sell extra supplies on ebay / 2 peas
26. read at least 12 books
27. devise a system to upload/edit photos weekly
28. edit, back up & print photos (2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
29. revamp pinterest boards
30. create 10 pinterest crafts
31. make 26 ( 1 every 2 weeks) pinterest goodies (treats)
32. update wardrobe
33. scrapbook more
34. finish PL 2011 & 2012 (stay current with 2013)
35. go to New Hampshire (or is is VT) pumpkin fesitval
36. go to Salem MA in the Fall
37. learn how to use sewing machine
38. go on a wine tasting or beer tasting date with Bob
39. Complete 26 random acts of kindness
40. attend a tanglewood concert with Bob

Project Life: on getting behind and catching up (part 2)

Last week I wrote about how I was several weeks behind on Project Life (you can read that post here) and the reasons why I wasn't about to let myself give up and how I was committed to catching up.  I have slowly but surely been doing just that.  Today I wanted to touch briefly on that process and share some of my caught up pages.  In a way I am a bit happy that I fell behind and needed to catch up as it got me into a great groove and helped me form a process by which I can get my pages done weekly in no time at all.

My week:
My week runs Saturday to Friday.  I started the year going Monday - Sunday because I really wanted to keep my weekends together.  Halfway through the process I realized that if I had any chance of keeping up with this project for the long term (and after this epic catch up I love PL even more so that answer was yes) I had to change my week to accomodate when I scrap.  Truth be told, I scrap mostly on the weekends and sometimes manage to sneak a few hours in during the week.  I decided to end my week on a Friday so that I could upload the pics Friday night or Saturday morning and send them to print locally to have for Saturday afternoon/Sunday.  That way I can get them in the pockets, start to work on them over the weekend and finish it during the week.  This still allowed me to keep my weekends together which was my original goal.  I plan on keeping this format for 2013 as well.

My process:
I created a folder for each of my weeks on my computer.  This way when I upload my pics from my camera or phone I can just scan through those pics by date and pop the ones I want to use in PL into the correct weekly photo.

Note:  Because I was doing an epic catch up I also created folders for 4x6 prints, instagram pics by size and photoshop prints.  I use photoshop for putting my smaller pictures on a 4x6 canvas so I can print them locally instead of at home.  This way as I was going through a weekly folder I just copied the pics and dropped them into the correct folder.  Once I did all my manipulations in photoshop, I moved all the pics to the 4x6 folder and uploaded them all to Shutterfly to print.

Once I got the pictures into the folder it was time to plan the pages.  I used planning pages very similar to those used by Marcy Penner.  Below each template I listed the type of each photo that I had (4x6, Instagram or 3x4) and then penciled in what was going into each pocket and the size instagram photo I wanted to use.  (this was the point that I moved my photos into the appropriate folder for printing or photoshop...I wouldn't really need to do this if I was caught up and just working one week at a time). 

All along I had also been collecting bits and pieces of everyday life in 8 1/2 x 11 page protectors labeled with the week right in my album.  I was able to pull each of these out and see if I had anything that I wanted to include with that week at that time.  If I did, I just slipped it into the appropriate pocket at this point. 

By planning my pages this way I could tell if I needed to combine more than one week to fill up the pockets.  I do have some weeks that stand alone but I have a few weeks where I just didn't have enough photos so I combined several weeks to tell my story.  I am so glad that I got over my need for perfection and convinced myself that it was ok to combine weeks.  It has made this process so much easier.

Week 10 & 11 (left):

Weeks 10 & 11 Right:

Weeks 10 & 11 were about St. Patrick's Day and the festivities around here, deployment preparation ad everyday life.  Here I used lots of Clementine Core Kit, October Afternoon Woodland Park label stickers, Basic Grey Picadilly Chipboard Sheet (SC County Fair Kit), a homemade quote card and lots of goodies I received in a happy mail package from Jenny G.  And yes, I just realized that my journaling cards in the first photo are switched...just made the change in my album...oops!

One pocket at a time:
Once the photos arrived I took my planning pages and just inserted the photos into the appropriate pockets.  After the photos were in, I went through my weeks one pocket at a time adding journaling cards, mounting pictures to cardstock or 3x4 cards and adding bits and pieces here and there.  I kept it simple using my Clemetine Core Kit and one Studio Calico kit at a time.  This limited my choices which is good as I tend to get overwhelmed with the amount of supplies that I have.  Once the spread was done, I either put the kit away or continued to use it for the next spread. 

I did save my title cards for last.  I found it eaiser to take the stack of title cards from my Clementine Core kit and go through each week to find the card that complemented the colors of that spread the best.  I then lined them all up and added the weeks and any embellishments.  The title cards for weeks 8 through 15 took my about 45 minutes to complete.

Weeks 12 & 13 Left:

 Weeks 12 & 13 Right:

Weeks 12 & 13 saw lots (and lots) of baking, everyday life, the first pedicures of the season, Blue and Gold banquet and a band concert.  I also included the program (not shown) from Kelsey's concert.  I simply put it into a 8 1/2 x 11 page protector, trimmed to size and sealed with washi. Here I used the Clemetine Core kit, more of my SC County Fair Kit (Basic Grey Picadilly Chipboard, SC Wood Veneer Alpha, October Afternoon Mini Market Stickers - Gray), washi tape and the coveted chevron paper from Echo Park (SC Elmwood Park Kit).

Where am I now:
When I started my catch up process the last full completed spread I had was a combined week 6 & 7.  By the end of this week I should be completed up through week 33.  I am waiting for weeks 24 - 44 (up through November 2) to come back from Shutterfly.  I plan on working on those while working on the current week.

This week and next I will share some more of my completed pages and touch on some of my lessons learned in this whole process and my plans for 2013.

If you have any questions about my process...let me know. 

I would love to know...are you behind?  Do you plan on catching up?  Any tips for catching up, keeping up, and not falling behind?  Let me know.

Project Life is a scrapbooking system created by Becky Higgins.  There are no rules and it can be anything you want it to be.  For me, PL made me fall back in love with scrapbooking.  For more information, go to Becky's blog here.

I am linking up with the Mom Creative for Project Life Tuesday.

Project Life: on getting behind and catching up (part 1)

I am sitting here in the corner raising my hand with the other Project Lifers that have fallen behind.  At the onset of this project I told myself I wouldn't get behind, I wouldn't stress about it, and I would effortlessly document my family's life for 2012.  Then reality set in.  Sure I love to scrapbook but honestly, I can't say when the last time was that I have actually sat down and created more than one page in well...a month.  So who was I kidding that I would be able to pull off a spread a week?  Well actually I did quite well up until week 5...WHAT?  and we are now entering week 43...yikes!

But all is not lost...

Even though I wasn't finishing a spread a week, I was still taking pictures, still collecting bits and pieces of our daily life, still recording the little moments, I just wasn't getting those pictures off the computer or those bits and pieces in the pockets.  I was thinking like a Project Lifer I just wasn't acting like one.  But then my son asked me where the rest of our weeks were.  And my daughter came home and handed me a movie stub from her first movie alone with friends and told me it was great for Project Life, if I was still doing it. 

and that got me thinking....

All 5 weeks of our lives that I have recorded and documented and finished were the most favorite part of any album that I have ever done.  All 5 weeks of my Project Life album are the only album pages that anyone in my family has ever taken upon themselves to look at, marvel at, comment on, laugh about, reminisce about.  This was something that I loved.  This was something that they loved.  This was scrapbooking in its simplest form.  This was documenting and recording our lives as we lived it.  This was capturing those moments that I would otherwise not create a layout about.  This was getting out into view those pictures that would otherwise take a back seat to my typical scrapbook and live forever in their chronological place in my photo boxes.

So what on earth was holding me back....

I could make so many excuses for what was holding me back...I didn't take enough photos that week, I didn't have time to edit my photos, my pictures looked boring, my kids wouldn't cooperate with the camera, my pages don't look like so and so, I don't have time to make my pages the way I want, I had too many options...  In reality?  The only thing holding me back was me..so what if I don't have enough photos for the week to fill 2 pages?  Who says I can't combine 2 (or 3) weeks?  Why do my photos have to be perfectly edited...life isn't perfectly edited...a quick tweaking session each week is just fine.  My pictures are boring to whose standard?  Who was I trying to please?  When I look back on it and how much I love what I did and my family loves what I did...obviously I am pleasing the right people...so, the answer is ME! I am the only one holding myself back from moving on and documenting our lives.  My need for perfection and my self doubt about my work are the only real reasons that up until 2 weeks ago my family only lived through February 5, 2012...at least according to Project Life.

so I jumped back on the bandwagon....

Although I guess I never was fully off the bandwagon.  My workspace was filled with receipts, ticket stubs, labels, post it notes, etc. etc. My PL album sat open waiting to be filled.  I still visited my favorite inspirational blogs, I still wrote "catch up on PL" on my to do list.  But a few weeks ago, I made the conscious decision to do just that.  Today I am finishing up week 14, I have photos in the pockets up through week 32 and I am getting ready to place an order for weeks 33 - 43 which will make me current in photos.  The weeks that I have already completed have gone by quickly because I stuck to the premise of project life...photos & words, easy and simple.  I have relied heavily on working the Clementine Core Kit and one Studio Calico Kit at a time; and while I have added a few personal touches here and there I haven't gotten caught up on fussing over every single detail and I have to say I LOVE the result.

If you are still with me...thank you!  I plan to share some full pages and my process on how I got caught up in the next few days.  My hope is that it will help someone else out there that is as far behind as I am/was to document your life and not give up.   The more I work on my pages, the more I love this system, the more I love my album and the more I am so happy that I wouldn't let myself quit.

CTMH September Specials End Soon!

It is the last week of September which means October (my absolute favorite month of the year) is right around the corner!  But it also means that it is the last week to get your hands on some great CTMH stamp sets before they disappear!

The September Stamp of the Month Fall Favorites is an 11 piece stamp set.  It is available for $17.95 or just $5 with any $50 order.

Plus - it is the absolute last week to pick up this beauty!  A double stamp set exclusively made for National Stamping Month.  This set is so perfect for documenting the everyday but would also be perfect for anyone documenting their lives through Project Life!  This exclusive double stamp set is yours for just $5 when you place an order of $35 or more.

 

Both sets can be ordered through any CTMH consultant and if you don't have one...I would love to help you out and give you a chance to win $25 in free product as well!  Head on over to my CTMH shopping site www.tracyoleksak.ctmh.com and click on the JOIN button next to September Mystery Hostess underneath Tracy's Gatherings (bottom half of homepage).  Simply place your order and your name will be entered into a drawing to win $25 worth of free product at the end of the month.