CZ Design

Project Life check in

Project Life check in

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Last week marked my third week participating in Project Life, and I've gotta tell you: it's pretty dang cool.

I think my favorite part? No adhesive needed. Seriously. There is something so liberating about saving memories without adhesive. Of course, digital scrapbookers have known that for years. And now, the Project Lifers do too!

I'll show you my pages from the last two weeks.

Page1

(I designed myself a custom layered journaling card because I like to have one place I can type up a summary of the week. This might change going forward, but for now, I really like being able to type it up, print it out, and put it into the page protector.) I also designed a little "Spring is finally here" card to add to my page.

Page 2

Here is last week (a.k.a. the week the iPad 2 arrived).

Page3

For this week's recap, I used one of my Journal Card PNG files and just added a text block to it for my journaling.

Page4

Notice that last week, I tweaked my "Spring" card to say something a bit different on account of a dusting of snow. I also blurred out one story, mostly because occasionally there is a story that is just for our family's eyes. Sorry to have to be so cryptic, but you have to respect the wishes of a teenager.

I wasn't sure if I would lose steam on this after a few weeks. Last week, I didn't take a lot of pictures, and I didn't keep much ephemera, but when I sat down yesterday to do it, it was so quick and easy. I printed out pictures in a snap on some 4 x 6 photo paper, and then I typed up a few journaling cards and it took all of an hour to pull it all together.

Here are closer shots of my weekly summary cards, complete with typos I decided not to change.

Card1

Week3card

The thing that's so great about Project Life is that it really can adapt to the way you like to do things. Me? I like typed journaling. Not because my handwriting sucks, but so that I can get more of the story down in less space. Creating my own journal cards (both PNG and layered PSD files) is helping me to tell my story in the framework of Project Life.

Thanks, Becky H. You're too cool for school!

 

 

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. dawn says

    Cathy way to go on your PL, it looks awesome of course. I love all the cathyiness you added to it. How funny about the SPRING IS HERE AND MAYBE IT”S NOT CARDS, that’s what we have too. I think PL totally rocks and this is my 3rd year doing it. It is the easiest way to scrap, no adhesive and no cutting just sliding pictures and journaling cards into the slots. I’m so happy you are doing this too, just by posting every week will keep you motivated to stay caught up on it. My morning just got brighter after reading ALI’S PL post and then coming here to see yours, thank you thank you for sharing. BTW love all the different shades of paint on your wall, I hate deciding on paint too.

  2. Shanon Gibson says

    The more I see the way others are using PL the more I am inspired to give it a go. The next year will be a busy one since my husband will go in his final deployment before retiring from the Air Force after 23 years, plus a huge move back to the States. I have been on the fence about starting such a huge project but I really, really want to do it since my husband will be gone for 6+ months. Life still goes on and it will be something I can work on with my pre-schoolers. So long story just for me to say Thanks for sharing your PL with us! I am inspired!

  3. Stacy says

    Love seeing your weeks unfold. Just wondering if you will be making psd files for the little slots too? I have been hoping they would magically appear at designer digitals for the last couple of weeks. 🙂 Also, wondering if you are still working on an 8.5×11 recipe book and if you would consider making an 8.5×11 baby book (maybe horizontal this time)? Lots of requests, I know. But, I just love your templates. They make my life so much easier. Thanks, Cathy. 🙂

  4. Antoinette says

    Oh good golly miss molly….. the style you use for PL is divine! So clean, simple and absolutely stunning. I spent waaay too many dollars on Saturday at DD buying most of your stuff and wanna use them right away.
    OMG – also love the new FF album, already made Rope my iPhone ringtone AND i’m also indulging in an iPad2. Just like you, i never got the first one and this time I thought – what the heck – i WANT it – yay…. Still waiting for mine to make it all the way to South Africa. Have fun and thanks for sharing 🙂

  5. Laura says

    As I am waking up to snow in Iowa this morning, I am enjoying the irony of your cover page.

  6. Kay Gregory-Clark says

    Oh no, not another Cathy DD design I have to have! I’ve been dabbling with PL, but not keeping up since I started another project. You’re giving me the incentive to get back to it. My life story: jump in with both feet on a project until the next one comes along.

  7. JoLynn says

    I am totally addicted to the new Foo Fighters CD! I think I have listened to it at least 154 times since I bought it last Tuesday! And boo on the snow! It’s snowing in beautiful Rochester, MN this morning!

  9. cathy says

    Stacy, not sure at this time. Although I am using my own little home-made templates for making cards and photos to slip in. Ill keep you posted!

  13. Angie Hall says

    LOVE your PLife pages, Cathy! I’m heading over to Designer Digitals for the journaling brushes. Love them, too. And I love the idea of putting your paint sample swatch card thingy in PLife, too. Every little thing you do is so special.

  15. LisaE says

    Cathy,
    At this point in my scrapbooking life, I am not a digital scrapbooker. However, I LOVE LOVE LOVE your journaling cards!! Is it just as easy to make them on a Word document? Any suggestions? Thanks so much!! You’re rocking on your moving, and on your PL!! Lisa

  17. cathy says

    Im so useless in Word, but theres no reason you couldnt make it. I think youd just have to make some text boxes and measure them to be the width of a 6 x 4 card, and then make text boxes for the journaling, and add a background fill to the text boxes holding the title.

    : )

  21. thepellerins@msn.com says

    Awesome as usual! Isn’t the iPad great? I swear, it’s changed my life! 😉

  23. liz says

    Forgot to mention, that little facebook wall post card you included this week? omg, brilliant. Yes you are. But you knew that already right?

    🙂

  25. Dee Cummins says

    Thanks, Cathy. I just scooped up those journaling cards at Designer Digitals. I knew as soon as I saw them that I HAD to have them. Is there a support group for that???

  30. cathy says

    Yes. I will be forming one soon. LOL! Enjoy! Theyre really fun to work with. If you have any questions, dont hesitate to let me know!
    c

  31. Sheri B says

    Just wanted to say thanks for this post! I had been debating on whether or not to embark on this project, even though I was really drawn to the idea of creating Project Life album I felt like it was too late since I didn’t start at the beginning of the year. This is a much needed reminder for me that it’s OKAY to start when I’m ready! : ) So thank you! And also, your journaling cards are fantastic and I’ll be looking forward to using those when I do start my project. Thanks and hope you have a productive and blessed week! Sheri

  32. Juli Jones says

    first of all, i love your PL album as i do with everything you touch! i am doing it this year for the first time. i was wondering what the difference was between a png file and a layered psd file? i haven’t done digital scrapbooking but want to learn so i can do cool things like what you did for your album. i actually bought some of your stuff and ali edward’s stuff recently at designer digitals and am pretty frustrated cuz i have no idea how to use it. i have photoshop elements and am still trying to learn that as well. i have your books and have followed your blog for a couple years now and i’m ready to not just sit here and drool over your stuff, i want to frickin’ know how to do it! LOL so here’s where you’re going to refer me to jessica sprague or renee pierson right?? yes, i need to take a class:) anyway, i think you rock!

  33. cathy says

    A layered PSD is set up like a template. There is a journaling block layer for type, a title layer (which has the artwork for one of the titles) and a layer for the title background bar which you can change the color of to match your album project. A PNG comes in black only with no background. You would have to add your journaling into the PNG by adding a text layer. VERY easy to do!
    : )

    Does this help!

    Most of my templates come with basic HOW TO instructions as well. Also, here is a great link for getting started in digi:

    http://www.designerdigitals.com/digital-scrapbooking/GettingStarted.html

  35. Kristin B. says

    Awesome post! Love how you are doing PL! And – had to comment on your iPad posting…our new “baby” was just delivered one week ago and I was exactly the same about hovering by the front door waiting!!! Quick question – what app are you using to write the big words on the iPad? Is it Pages?
    Have fun! Thanks for all the inspiration!
    -Kristin B. (a fellow Twin Cities girl)

  36. Stacey says

    Can your journal cards be changed in Photoshop to a 2×3 format to fit the smaller slots in the BH kit? I’ve been wanting 2×3 digital cards.

  38. Juli Jones says

    well that does SOUND easy…of course i’m the type of girl who needs to read the “dummy” books, usually takes me a bit longer to figure things out:) but thank you so much for the info, i will def check out those links and look for the ‘how to’ in the templates i bought of yours. thanks again cathy!

  39. laura kate says

    1 – fab designs and thoughts (as per the usual).
    2 – i wish i got to spend a week in madison! next time dan wants to trade, he can come to london (which, oddly enough, is not necessarily as cool as south central wisconsin).
    3 – plz stop spamming the ipad pics. i am jealous. 😉

  40. Debbie P says

    I like the project life. I have collected everything but not yet put it into the book 3 months behind 🙂 But when I do seat down to do it it will go by fast…

  42. Sandy says

    I have been collecting photos and stories for my Project Life kit since the beginning of the year, but I haven’t put anything in the album pages yet. I felt uninspired, like I was lacking the creative vibe I needed to make them look good. Well, after seeing your pages, I feel inspired and motivated. Your pages are amazing, and I can’t wait to run over to DD and get the supplies I need to make awesome pages of my own. Thanks, Cathy!

  43. cathy says

    Im sure you could do it, but it might be kind of tricky. You could make 2 x 3 files, and then drag in the titles and make your own title bars. Make sense?

  44. Claire says

    Hi Cathy –

    Thank you for introducing me to Project Life. I’ve been having fun playing with my kit. An even bigger thank you for creating the customized journal cards.

    Claire.

  45. Dar says

    Got one of those kits for my sis, who takes awesome pictures all the time but never scraps because she claims she’s not “creative enough.” And her photos keep piling up in the boxes and drawers … So when you wrote about Project Life, I got her one in her fave color, and now I have to wait another whole week to give it to her for her birthday. I am so excited for her to see how easy this is!! (and a little jealous – it would be bad to just give her a sweater, and keep this, right?)

  47. tara pakosta says

    so awesome! I am so behind on mine!
    I have been taking the photos, I just haven’t printed off any since the first 2 months of the year. at least those are done!
    I LOVE yours!
    tara

  48. cathy says

    A friend of mine was over this weekend and saw the PL set up and thought, This is PERFECT for me. Shes not a scrapbooker, but most of us want to save memories and document all the same. : ) Hope she loves it!

  51. DD says

    Cathy – can you pretty please post instruction for how your are capturing your Facebook statuses (statusi?). I tried using Grab but I can’t figure out how to re-size to a 2×3 image. Love your stuff!