Long has the idea of doing the whole Photo A Day over the course of an entire year appealed to me. The problem I face in trying to do that is this: too big a commitment. I like to tackle photo documentation in much more manageable chunks. Enter Seven Days:
SUPPLIES Layered Template No 25 (Cathy Zielske) • Classic Cardstock Foundation (Katie Pertiet) • Worn Page Edges 2 (Lynne Grieveson) • Archer font
I took last week—a week where let's be honest: most of us take a gazillion photos anyway—to document my seven days. Now as much as I love my camera and taking photos, I don't take pictures every day. But with the challenge of knowing I was actively trying to do just that, I found myself being a bit more creative and purposeful with my camera.
I also found myself looking for the story of the day and as we all know, that doesn't automatically translate to the best photo.
For example, on Monday, I took a shot of a card and some McDonald's gift certificates given to Cole by his bus driver. Of all the years my kid has ridden the bus, he's never received a card from a driver. I was genuinely touched that this kind man generously gave a card and gift certificates to every kid on his route. It really echoed what the holiday season is about.
Now I realize on a design like this, you don't have the room to tell the full story, and so you have to boil it down to the barest of details. This in and of itself is a great exercise in trying to be more concise with your journaling. And, for those of you who detest journaling, it's not a huge commitment to write a single sentence caption style.
While I don't plan to do this every week in 2010, I do plan to try and do one week a month, very likely the first week, to try and get 12 pages documenting a handful of shots and everyday stories from my year.
Again, it's not necessarily going to be about the best and brightest of shots, just a slice of ordinary life with possibly a touch of the extraordinary showing up from time to time.
The template is also available in 12 x 12.
Paivi says
I love this idea!
Juju says
I’m starting a 365 project on New Year’s Day, and like you, I have no intention of scrapping every day’s photo. But I do like your idea of scrapping at least a week of every month. Great template idea, too!
hannahk says
cathy ~ wow! one week a month is a great idea ~ sometimes the simplest things are the best.
kate says
I think that this could be do-able for me. I couldn’t face a 365 but this one week a month is definitely enticing.
MichelleG says
Love this idea! The template is great!
Jennifer Larson says
Cathy, I love that idea. Ive been debating doing Project 12; now I have another idea to consider. Thanks for the inspiration!
CarolNH says
This I could do!!! Thank you, Cathy…
JillS says
honestly, I was laying in bed this morning thinking about how I’d like to do 365, but there’s just no way I’d scrapbook it, but what about a page a week. Thanks CZ for reading my mind!
Nira says
i’ve been scrapbooking for many years, and i love the idea of 365, daily, weekly ideas for scrapbooking. But reading this blog I finally got what it was all about … on Monday you put in a memory for Cole that he would probably otherwise forget as he grows old … that a man showed kindness to him, a man that would have probably been forgotten but not now.
kate says
Hello me again!
I know you said “Archer font” but where is that from? I have just opened the template and I don’t have that font but really like it 🙂 Thanks
Cynthia Friese-Hassanein says
OK Love this template and Looooooove this idea!!!! I was thinking of doing one day a month this next year. But, I really like the idea of a week:)
Rhona says
Great idea, I hadn’t got as far as thinking what I was going to do yet – it’s given me some food for thought! As for the Beatles Monopoly, if my daughter knew that existed it would definitely have been on her Christmas list. At 13 she is a huge Beatles fan!
KodiS says
Can I just say that you’re BRILLIANT!?! Thank you so much.
Rebecca says
Out of all your digi templates, this is the one that made me say, “I’m going to buy this right now!” And I did! 🙂 Thanks so much for a great template!
cathy says
Kate:
http://www.typography.com/fonts/font_styles.php?productLineID=100033
I used Archer Book for the journaling. And Archer Bold for the days of the week. of course, those are “rasterized” as artwork so you can have that font show up without having to own it. But if you want to journal in the font, you’ll have to own that font!
cathy says
Wow. Duly noted, Rebecca! : ) Enjoy!
kate says
Thanks you are a star. I haven’t learned how to change the colour of a raster text layer yet, so figured if I had the font then I’d be able to change the colour that way instead of overlaying a block of colour and grouping with previous. Lots to learn but having fun doing it. Really love this template! Thank you x
Linda says
I think this is perfect and I will use it for the week before my daughters wedding in Feb. What a great way to document some of the details of what will be a very crazy week!! Will buy this as soon as everyone goes back to college!! 🙂
cathy says
Kate, it’s really easy to change it. In PSE, click on the layer with the rasterized word, Monday, for example.
Then, go to the Set Foreground Color squares in the lower part of the tool palette.
Then click on the top square to pull up the Color Picker. Pick a color to start.
Then click ok.
Next, go to Edit > Fill Layer and make sure under Contents you choose “Foreground Color”. Then also be sure that Preserve Transparency is checked.
Click okay, and volia, you have changed the color of a rasterized text element (or any element for that matter!).
tara says
LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE it!
Nancy L says
Cathy, you read my mind or maybe read the blog that gave me the thought that “I would sure love it if Cathy Z would come up with a template for a 7 day page because I am too lazy to come up with one myself and frankly don’t really want to take the time right now to learn how to” and then…I pulled up your blog this morning and lo and behold there was the template I was looking for. I will be buying it and the 12×12 as soon as I sign off. Thanks!!
Suzanne says
Cathy I’m with you on the photo a day thing. I keep saying I’m going to do it and then just never do. I think it is the who committing to a year thing. Maybe I’ll try something like this and see if it changes my perspective.
cathy says
Nancy, i don’t want to freak you out, but i CAN read minds… LOL!
kate says
and voila! I did it! Thanks Cathy! 🙂
Amy L says
I love your template and plan to use it as I finish..my..last..few..weeks..of Project 365. I really can’t do this again in 2010! But I have absolutely loved taking pictures of everything in our lives for a whole year. It really does make you look around your life in a more observant and grateful way. I am SO glad you are designing your fantastic products!
Deb J says
How fun. I have a new album all set up and ready to go that will hold my weekly page. I too have found trying to do a daily photo is too hard to get done. For one thing, I don’t have that exciting a life. So many of my days are all alike. Doing a weekly page means I can summerize the week or put in the one or two things that were different.
Shirley says
Now this is something I could do! The 365 thing is way over the top for me but once a month is perfect! Thanks for the great idea and love the template.
Nicole S. says
So glad to see you scrappin’ again, Cathy! To think I followed the blog faithfully all those months, hoping to see this amazing renaissance of Cathy “Simple Scrapbooks” Zielske (as opposed to Cathy “Simply Hilarious” Zielske). Glad to know they can coexist. 🙂
Gina says
My week would be very boring to document. Most days I work all day and come home too exhausted to do much other than journal for upcoming layouts, watch TV, and/or surf the net. 😛
Those with kids have more to include for daily or weekly scrapbook posts it seems.