So, I jumped on the bandwagon.
With M beginning school last week, it seemed to be the perfect time to finally try out Project Life. I must be insane to put something else on my plate but I’d really like to document our lives and her first year of school, if possible. Let’s see how it goes – I think I’m already behind! Ha! 🙂
I’m going to let you know what I’ve done so far with regards to organizing and getting it all together, and I’d love to know what you do. Tell me what works and, more importantly, what doesn’t work for you! I need this to be as simple and quick as it can possibly be and, at this point, I don’t care if there are any embellishments in the finished product or not!
My photos are already organized on my computer in a way that works well for me so I’ve left that alone. All photos go into yearly folders and are then sub-divided into monthly folders. When I view my photos, I always do it in the daily format so it’s super easy for me to see what days I need for the week and just look through those pics.
Once I’ve decided on the pictures I’m using, I drop them into a Project Life folder which again is then sub-divided into weekly folders. I choose my photos with my templates in front of me so I can decide how many to use, or if I need an insert for more. As I choose the photos, I write in the placement on the template.
From there I do (very little and probably terrible) editing in Photoshop, send them to be printed, pack up the kiddies, and go get them!
I cut and corner round them all, inserting into the slots as marked and then add the Turquoise core kit items I want to use. And then basically, if I have no other time, I’m done. But this way I can just pick away at it when I get a minute here and there. No pressure, since the bulk is done and if nothing else gets added, I’m still ok with that.
Yes, it’s true. I’m ok with nothing but my pics and the dates. If I didn’t go into this with that mindset, I’d never keep it up!
The other thing I do during the week is an idea stolen from my friend Liz. This summer, since it was so busy, she kept a running Word document open and simply added to it each day. Genius! Journalling is the hardest and most hated part of this art form for me but this way it’s quick and easy and only takes a minute or two in the evening. I’m planning to simply print each week on cardstock and insert between the weekly pages.
Now, all that being said, I don’t have Week 1 finished yet:
…so we’re going to see if my big plans actually work in reality!
Wish me luck!
S.
P.S. It’s 12 on Twelve today – are you taking your pics and joining in the fun? 🙂
sarathings 
Welcome Aboard Sara! You will do great. Just remember it’s as easy or as complicated as you make it. Some weeks there lots of stuff happening and other weeks there aren’t. You just adjust to make it fit! Since you take so many photos, I would suggest only picking your favorites and maybe journalling right on the photos with text in PS or stickers or other embellishments. It’s also a good idea if you can pick a spot where you can keep it…that way you are less likely to fall behind. I have used my running word document in many ways throughout the year. Sometimes I just cut and paste. Other times I just use it to make a jot note journalling spot. I just find, since my memory is not great for details, that it keeps everything fresh when I do sit down to work on PL. Good Luck with it and I am sure that M will love it! (Both now and years down the road!).
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Thanks Liz! Still trying to get myself organized and work out how exactly to set myself up. I guess I’ll sort of figure it out in 6 months or so!
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LOL, Sara, you sure are ambitious. Good luck!
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Thanks! I’m going to need it! 🙂
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I do pretty much the process for organizing, editing, and printing photos. I also keep a word doc with notes, by week versus day as I don’t usually do a pic-a-day approach. I use that to jot notes about pictures or capture stories that may not have a picture for a trigger. The other thing I do that helps keep it fast and easy is keep a group of PL supplies near (aka on dining room table :)) I use a tote caddy and keep basic markers, scissors, adhesives, cutter, etc along with loads and loads of letter stickers, lables/journalling stickers/tags and washu tape in it. When I sit down to do it, I use whatever’s there, rather than looking for the perfect embellie. That way i get some added creativity and colour, without much effort. And oh washi tape can be your friend for quick and easy embellishing in PL – my favourite extra. And all that said, I’m usually “behind” too, the more behind, the less extras there on pages as I catch-up! Have fun and can’t wait to see what you do 🙂
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Thanks Colleen! I have a binder full of all my sticker tabs, labels, etc. so I should put that in with my PL pile. And of course, the washi tape is always close at hand, I’ll just have to remember to use it on my pics!
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Darrell sounds like Dave. I really shouldn’t comment because I was an epic fail at PL in 2010. Love the idea, couldn’t keep up, and got bored with the photo a day at the time philosophy. Still have the sleeves and album…and could rework it another way, but who knows. We have very similar photo organizing systems though, simple but efficient.
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I can see you doing an awesome album with all your page protectors! Love the organization of my photos though, it is super simple and efficient!
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If you’re not doing any embellishments, why not crop/size your photos in PS and print them all on one sheet. You could even create a template in PS or LR to make the layouts even faster.
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I still need to cut them all… 🙂
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