CZ Design

Project Life, Week 2 + a free card download for you

Project Life, Week 2 + a free card download for you

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Week 2 and it's all systems go! I realize my enthusiasm is at an all-time high, and I refuse to believe it's simply due to the fact that it's only the second week. Simply stated, I am digging Project Life.

OBSERVATIONS: This past week again found me much more conscious of telling stories and taking pictures. Using the Day One app, I've been jotting down notes throughout the day. Because it prompts me at four different times, it reminds me to stop, drop and write. I like that.

I've also been thinking more about ephemera. Now God knows I'm not the most cut-and-paste-y type of scrapbooker, but I really do want to include little bits here and there. Like this week, I included Aidan's passport photo and receipt. (She's heading to El Salvador in March for a mission trip and she is going sans parents. Gasp. I'm working through it, people. My baby is stretching her wings.)

I've also decided for now that each month will see a different patterned paper worked in for my journaling cards and backgrounds. This month it leans into an orange color scheme. Next month? Who knows. I want this to ebb and flow throughout the year, reflecting whatever colors or ideas I'm into and that complement the Clementine palette overall.

Here are the pages:

W2_PageA

W2_PageB

I like the mix of hybrid, computer-generated pieces and hand written elements. That's my goal—to combine them both throughout the year.

I also like the fact that my kids are photo takers and I included shots from their weeks as well. (The four guys at a Wild game came from Cole's camera, as did the shot of Aidan and Cole right next to it.)

I'm also planning to include some text messages as well. See, I just got texting this year so it's a whole new way of communicating to me. Definitely worthy of documenting in this album. (To take a screen grab of a text message on an iPhone, just hold down the Home key on the front of the phone, while also holding down the button on the top of the phone. Click them at the same time and you'll hear a camera shutter, and then find the screen grab in your Photos app. Then, just email the shot to your computer, and go from there!)

Weekin

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I realized after printing everything out that I typed "Cole's basketball time" on my Week in Review card, but you know what? I know what it means, right? Right. 

FREE DOWNLOAD FOR YOU: Did you notice my cute little "Thursday" card above? I found this awesome free font called Blackout, and decided to create two sheets of printable cards in PDF format. 

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They come with crop marks and you simply print and trim and voila, they fit right into the Project Life pockets. Oh for cute!

Inpocket

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Just something cute and fun that I thought you might like to have in your arsenal of Project Life goodies! Be sure to use your best photo printer settings to get a nice rich color as seen above. Enjoy!

Download CZ_FreeDayCards 

If you'd like to learn more about working with Layered Journaling Cards and sizing cards to fit into Project Life pockets, watch my video here.

SUPPLIES: Click on thumbnails.


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Project Life, created by Becky Higgins, is a flexible, easy-to-use, highly customizable way to save your memories in a fun, stress-free way. Learn more about getting started with Project Life by clicking here.


 

 

 

 

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. dawn says

    I love all the fun you have in your week, so many things going on from all family members. WOW Aidan is really going far, prayers and good luck for both of you. What an adventure for her. Love that you danced in the basement, just you having fun. Gotta love these moments.

    How cute are these printouts, thank you so much I love them!!

    I also write down notes thru the week about our days and things to remember then sit on Sunday’s and put the week together. Have another fun week!

    Reply

  2. Kendra B says

    This is really making me want to take my birthday money and buy all the stuff to do a project life album!!! Especially now that I have these SUPER CUTE day cards!!

    That’s pretty exciting about Aidan!

    Reply

  4. KathyinMN says

    Oh AWESOME for the journaling cards. Just ordered my pictures, so I’m guessing my project life pics will always be about 2-3 weeks behind, since I don’t print at home. I love the idea of taking screenshots of my phone, since I’m on it so much anyway, its a great way to capture what it is I’m doing all week.

    Reply

  6. Ruth says

    Thanks very much for the days of the week download ~ will be using them in my PL, without doubt!
    Your daughter looks so very much like you!

    Reply

  7. Jan says

    Cathy, thanks for the info on taking a screen shot on the phone. That will be very useful. I haven’t jumped on the PL bandwagon yet, but I love seeing all of the different ways everybody is using it.

    Reply

  8. Chris H. says

    Hi Cathy, I have a tip that has made my iPhone pics sooooo much more a part of my PL so far this year. I’ve got so many photos and inserts this week it’s crazy!

    As you said, you can email them to yourself.

    I prefer Dropbox because it eliminates more emails I have to sort through and I’m sure the photo is in its full size this way. I got dropbox when I got Day One on your recommendation and I LOVE THAT TOO!!! Finally a place for all the stuff that flows through my brain!!! My workflow for pics and dropbox:

    I have a Dropbox account and I have DB on my phone and my computer.
    I take pics with my iPhone.
    Open DB app, then upload whatever photos you want to it.
    On computer, open the Dropbox and theres your iPhone pics!
    I simply drag them to iPhoto and shazam! There they are for use in PL.

    For PC or non iPhone users, I think there’s a dropbox app for droid and I know it works great on PC too, as I helped a friend install it last weekend.

    Have fun!

    Reply

  10. Chris H. says

    Kathy-
    I don’t print at home either, but try to do it once a week as Costco is just up the street and I’m out anyway. I prefer a local printer. I do get ‘behind’ a few weeks sometimes but find if I keep up on the journaling at least, the album is much more rich in content.

    I’ve found that post its are great tools! I decide what picture goes in the album slot and stick a post it with short description of pic, do the journaling so it’s fresh in my brain then the pics are stuck in when I print them.

    Additionally, I got the digital templates from Jessica Sprague and the digital kit that matches my physical album. I do extra inserts that way and put them in my ‘to be printed folder on my desktop along with copies of my pictures that still need printed.

    See my comment below on an easy way to get iPhone pics to your computer. 😉

    Reply

  11. Morti says

    Thanks for that info Chris! I have a PC and was gutted to find that Day One is only for Macs – then found Momento instead – so knowing there’s a DB app for PC is v helpful!

    Reply

  14. libbywilko says

    Thanks Cathy, loving your layouts and a total bonus with the freebie today… when I opened my feed reader there waiting for me.. an extra nice surprise a post from you and a present 😀

    Have a great week… like the alarm idea… I’ve been writing it up at bed time and must admit find it hard when its only been a day ! LOL

    Reply

  16. Lynn M says

    Thanks so much for the cards; they really are SO cute! I love that you’re doing PL this year. We’re bundled up in sweaters & quilts too! Just too dang cold all of a sudden; what happened to the midwest’s January spring?

    Reply

  17. Melanie Jackson says

    Thank you for the free download. So funny, my husband was showing me this weekend how to take a screen shot on my iphone. I haven’t mastered it yet but still working on it! Thanks again!

    Reply

  19. cathy says

    I never thought about using DropBox on my phone. Brilliant! Im going to start today because I used DropBox for so many other things that are work related!

    Reply

  20. cathy says

    Okay, COOLEST tip EVER! Dang. I may have to post this Chris, for the masses. LOVE it. Just set up a Project Life Photos folder on my DB. Worked slick as can be. YOU RULE!

    Reply

  23. Corey says

    Thanks so much for the cute cards! They are super cute. And crop lines! No one does that and it’s so helpful! THank you, thank you!

    Reply

  26. toni from says

    Another Great week, I LOVE that you include the pictures that the kids take, it is so important to include them in the process. Thanks so much for the journaling cards, I can’t wait to use them!

    Reply

  29. Anna says

    Thank you for sharing the tip on how to get the screen print from your iPhone emailed to your computer! I saw you do it last week and thought it was a really cool idea – but didn’t figure out how to do it… Now I know! Thanks! 🙂

    Reply

  30. Carmen says

    Cathy,
    I spent two days pondering a monthly color, but then decided not too because I’m already half way through January and didn’t do a color for it. I absolutely LOVE how coordinated it looks with a monthly color though, so you may have (unknowingly) convinced me that I really do want to make the extra effort.

    Reply

  33. Mary-Lou says

    Thanks Cathy for the free daily cards, much appreciated since I want my Project Life to be up to your amazing example (my own imposed standards of excellence).

    Reply

  34. Michelle says

    Thank you for all the great inspiration and snazzy downloads. I am determined to make Project Life work for us this year and have found a week in review much easier to accomplish than a picture every. damn. day. for a whole year. Too much stress for this rather anal Momma;)

    I have a product request for you…I am working taking 12 photos on the 12th day of each month this year. I would love a CZ Design from Designer Digitals to drop them into. Pretty please. A two page spread with places for 12 square pictures each month with some great CZ typography would make me so happy! Yes?

    Reply

  36. Laura says

    I like how you’ve done the week in review card — I did Week 1 and Week 2 in a more linear (rather than summary) form and I’m in the mood to change it up this week. Thanks for the days of the week cards — those would be cute for a vacation mini or week in the life album, to. 🙂

    Reply

  38. THE Megan says

    wait…why do you have to use dropbox for your iPhone screen shots? Mine just show up in my photo stream from iCloud. I don’t have to do a thing; they are just there.

    Reply

  42. Kristen says

    Your pages look awesome. I just put together my “week 2” spread last night and I was kind of unhappy and didn’t know how to change it. For one, I guess I’m taking too many pictures, but I have hardly had any slots left for ephemera or even writing. And that’s what I love about the look of people’s pages such as yours…with that MIX of pictures and “other stuff”, it’s just a photo album and it’s not nearly as cute. I realized another dilema is that the type of page protectors I liked (which I believe you and Ali Edwards use….style “A” I think) is unavailable, and I’m having a hard time accepting the ones I’m using. But I have no choice because who knows when “A” will be available again and I have to keep going, so it’s just frustrating.
    I love the free download though…thank you! Can’t wait to add it. 🙂
    Also I think Aidan’s upcoming trip is awesome…you must be so proud of her.

    Reply

  43. Yolanda says

    For months, and even more acutely after I finished December Daily this year, I have felt the call to start Project Life. And yesterday, I submitted my order and took the plunge. I have been jotting notes and taking pictures since the year started. I love digital design and photobooks, but the ability to capture ephemera is what has spoken to me so strongly about this system.

    But….texts and instant messages!! I spend all day IM-ing with my husband and communicate mostly by texts with my friends. Of course I should include these. But if I hadn’t seen it here, I am certain I would never have thought about it.

    Reply

  45. cathy says

    In fact, I think i need an updated version of iPhoto for some reason? I just looked at my iCloud and its greyed out. Does that mean i need to buy a new one?

    Reply

  46. cathy says

    Okay, thats it Megan. I have iPhoto 8. I have to upgrade for $14.99. I suppose its totally worth it though!
    That kind of sucks that it wasnt a part of the Lion Upgrade. Theyre nickel and diming me to death!

    Reply

  47. Chris H. says

    I don’t do the photo stream because I didn’t like that EVERY photo, even the whoopsies or the stupid ones I don’t necessarily want to save long term go to it and you can’t delete just one picture without deleting the whole stream.

    I am very OCD about photo management and photo stream wasn’t customizable enough for me. Dropbox works with my brain. 😉

    Reply

  48. Juliann says

    Thanks for the cards Cathy. I am not doing Project Life but a week’s worth of these cards will go perfectly with my instagram photos from this insane week of snow that we are having out here in the Pacific Northwest. A week in our life story to be told.

    Reply

  50. Alex says

    Thank you so much for these wonderful FREE journaling cards. You totally rock…I haven`t started Project Life yet, because they haven`t started selling/shipping in Europe yet. But for now I will use them for some extra layouts in my MMEW book…

    Reply

  52. Nicolle says

    Just wondering…do you print your PL pictures at home? I have such a hard time doing this project because I have never printed my pictures at home. I can’t seem to get it together because the thought of uploading pictures to be printed and then having to go pick them up is just too much for me. I do have a Epson printer that can print photos but I worry that it will cost a lot of money and not be very good quality. Do you have any advice about that? Thanks Cathy!

    Reply

  53. cathy says

    I do print at home. I have an older HP Photosmart that ive had for about 4 years, maybe 5. And so, I bought all my printing supplies… 4 x 6 photo paper, ink etc, fully planning on doing much of my printing at home. : )

    The quality of my HP has been great. Ive been using it for a long time and the paper I use is great as well. You can see the links up above at the end of the post! : )

    Reply

  54. Beth says

    Thank you for the download…and THANK YOU for the instructions for screen capture on the iphone! Not only does it work for texts, weather, walkmeter, etc. (but you knew that!)

    Reply

  55. Lisa S. says

    Those journaling cards are perfect! Thank you for sharing them with us!!! I lived most of my life up there in Minnesota (some of it right near Como Lake). While reading your post I had paused where you wrote about your walk around Como Lake and then realized other people do live there! I don’t imagine you’ll be walking anywhere near Como today though!

    Reply

  59. Jen says

    Thank you so much for the freebie! Inspired by this, I went and ordered some of your stuff from Designer Digitals too: here in the UK we have been waiting for so long for PL to arrive, I want to get a head start! Apparently the shipment has arrived into the UK and we are going to be able to order soon 🙂 Love your stuff, always 🙂

    Reply

  63. Kary in Colorado says

    Thanks for the download–I love it! Also, my son spent two years as a missionary in El Salvador and I’ve spent a week there with him–there are wonderful, wonderful people there. She will love it. Just tell her to always wear her shoes and don’t drink the water! Beautiful place though and she will have a great time, I’m sure!

    Reply

  66. Vickie says

    Thanks for the cute download. I don’t do Project Life but I can use these to add cuteness to a scrapbook page.

    Reply

  67. Suze says

    I upload my pictures each week and time the pickup with my grocery shopping so it’s not an extra trip just for 7 photos. I have kept up to date with my PL for 3 years this way. Hope this is of some help!

    Reply

  69. Jenny B. says

    Love, Love, Love!!! I am getting excited about Project Life too! I’m doing all digital right now, and I have to keep telling myself that it’s OK that I don’t know how it’s going to enter the real world yet (album with page protectors or Shutterfly photo book). I usually like to have everything planned out and decided, but my indecisiveness was holding me prisoner, so I decided to just JUMP IN! I love your idea of including text messages, and I really love the little weather graphic you’re including each week. I keep trying to convince my husband that I need an iPhone. My argument is that it’s really a pocket camera that just also happens to be a phone. 🙂

    Reply

  70. con-tain-it says

    Thanks for the download and the tip on how to use my iphone…lol I’m also a newbie with text and an iphone so “I’m like a virgin”…so had to go there…I’m watching Madonna on Graham Norton right now…lmao Was inspired by your title page when I did mine this week and I’m making do with the pages that I have on hand until Design A arrives in February. Have a great week, fondly, Roberta

    Reply

  71. Phyllis says

    Thanks for the cute cards – I’ll be using them soon. This is my first year with Project Life and so far, I’ve managed to keep up with the first two weeks completed:)

    Reply

  73. Rhadonda says

    These cards are totally amazing. Love love them. I have all the project life stuff just haven’t felt like doing it. My life is kinda boring right now. I know, i know, it is not really but i just haven’t taken the time. Sure am enjoying watching others and their process! Thanks for the cards. My husband goes to El Salvador twice a year on mission trips. He truly has a heart for the people there.

    Reply

  74. Julie says

    You’re so cute…just started texting this YEAR???? how can that be…your site is very ‘tech savvy 😉

    I have a funny story about texting. IN 2008 when my beloved Philadelphia PHillies were in the world Series I texted like a mad woman – to every and any body.
    THEN the bill came…….
    Hubs sat me down and showed me the bill then said I need to stop texting so much or we would change our plan. CRACK me up…..I felt like I was 16 again….and I tried not to laugh while we were “having a come to Jesus talk”….. We changed plan,now everybody is happy-end of story. 😉

    Reply

  75. Kim says

    I just googled it, thinking of course it’s going to be as easy as an iphone, right? Ummm…no. 🙂 You have to download a program, but after that it seems pretty easy. There’s videos on you tube that show exactly how to do it.

    Reply

  79. jen says

    hi cathy – love the cards and your progress!! one question – i got your title page from the other day and would like to change the back ground to a patterned paper like yours (orange is not my colour) but am having no luck!!! please let me in on the secret! thanks!! am working in photoshop elements.

    Reply

  80. Christina says

    Cathy, thanks so much for the cards! They’re a great addition to my PL this year. I do have one question though: Do you know why they could be printing out a bit smaller than 3×4?

    Maybe it’s just me. :

    Reply

  81. cathy says

    Jen, you need to use the layered PSD file that is called CZ_ProjectLife6x12TitlePageBlank that came in the zipped folder. Open a digital paper you would like to use, then select all (Command or Control + A) and then Copy (Command or Control + C). The go the the title file, click on the BACKGROUND layer, and simply paste (Control or Command + V). You dont even have to clip it into the mask. Itll just be your background!

    Then you an use the eyedropper tool to tweak the outline color of the name area, as well as the font!

    Reply

  84. jen says

    if i may ask one more question…how did you make the card on the front page that says one year. our stories. our lives. i’m trying to do it with what i know but again am coming up short! thanks for your help!!

    Reply

  85. Amy says

    Thanks for the iPod screen grab tip!!!!! It took a few tries but I DID IT !! Cool! I may use it to take a screen grab of some of my day one entries:0)

    Reply

  89. Christina says

    I think the problem was my printer — it defaults to “shrink to fit area”. Fixed that, printed more and now they’re just dandy. Thanks again!

    Reply

  90. Jana says

    I love Dan’s comment about stirring the sauce! Sweet how it coincided with that day’s list too. Very fun pages & thank you for the cards!

    Reply

  92. Gypsy Chaos says

    Do it!
    This is a gift for you.
    You will enjoy throughout the year. You will notice things that you never noticed before.

    This is a gift for your family.
    They will enjoy seeing what you record. If you’re lucky, they’ll share photos, stories, traditions.

    This is a gift for the future.
    Just DO IT!

    Reply

  93. Gypsy Chaos says

    February. The items that sold out are expected to be available on Amazon in February.

    That’s the latest intel from Becky Higgins, anyway.

    Reply

  95. Susanne says

    Hi Cathy, thank you for your inspirations and download. For I create my project life all digital is it possilble to get the daily journaling cards as a psd-file?

    Reply

  96. cathy says

    Susanne, I created them in InDesign. Sorry! : ) But, you could open the PDFs into PS and then save them as PNG files and go from there to create layered PSDs using the Cut from Layer command to make stuff into individual layers!

    Reply

  98. Jenell says

    Cathy – thanks for the free cards. I’m enjoying your PL project already. I wish I would have started on Jan 1, too – seems logical to start on a Sunday. I’m just not sure my weeks would be worthy of keeping track for an entire year. Doesn’t seem like enough “fun” stuff to report. Not that it’s bad, just 52 weeks of “not much” would be boring. I’m still contemplating . . .maybe I’ll start in Feb.

    Reply

  99. Susanne says

    Jenell, I also don’t know, if I will have enough “fun” stuff to report every week. If not, I will do just one page for one week or even two weeks on one page or however. (I create all my pages digital and “build” them into photobooks. Unfortunately here in Germany it’s not possible to get single pages printed.)
    I will see if and how PL works for me.

    Only yesterday I decided to jump up the “Project Life” train and created the pages of first two weeks of 2012. And I had so much fun. Maybe you should just try it, too.

    Reply

  101. Karen Freeman says

    Thanks so much for the download Cathy. Just a question re the TYPE class – I posted this on yesterdays comments as I have been doing a catch up of reading since I got back last night. Comment posted also on yest blog post sorry – wasn’t sure if you would see it.
    HI Cathy I have your DYL in my BPC list and am trying to take it alongside others. I read here that this type class is similar in content, but I was wondering given that i have it as the self paced version of DYL, would I still be better to take this class? Thanks for your time.I’m quite new to scrapbooking.

    Reply

  102. cathy says

    Karen, yep!~ Just saw your question. You do not need to take this type class. The content is very similar to DYL because type theory doesnt change much, regardless of what way it is taught! : )

    Reply

  103. Kim Lee-Own says

    Cathy, I have to say a huge thank you for telling me how to do the screen grab off the iphone. I’ve been wanting to do that forever!

    Reply

  106. Heather says

    I’m struggling with that too – I hate my local print options (Costco is ok, but the rest are horrid – and I don’t hit up Costco that frequently)….. I’m using Persnickety – and fighting myself…. prints are cheaper if I get 100….. but that puts me behind obviously. I’m editing pics today & keep telling myself I will print regardless of how many. Persnickety is SUPER fast too which is nice! I just did a comparison of print options & CC is the only local worth anything, Snapfish & Shutterfly both took nearly 2 WEEKS to deliver which counts them out regardless – I don’t care how cheap you are if it takes you that long…. well that & the prints weren’t very good.

    Reply

  107. Heather says

    Ugh – I HATED photostream & I really really wanted to like it.

    Firstly I can’t get my pics & my husbands on it unless he wants to share icloud with me…. which he doesn’t (he has his own contacts etc)…..

    I’m the majority picture taker though so I tried it regardless – and it MISSED pictures! Here & there it wouldn’t bring them in…. no clue why not. iPhoto wasn’t consistently connected – I had to stop Photostream/delete from my iphoto (essentially) & restart it.

    I had been on the newest iPhoto for a while & my 40k picture library was getting slow…. and I store outside the library. I did some looking & updated to Aperture… LOVE IT!!!!! I use it to import my pics from iphone super fast – and it copies them wherever I want on my PC/external drives…… SO much easier & I know I have them all now!

    Oh – and I had the feeling Photostream was downsizing my pics a bit… the file sizes seemed smaller anyway.

    Reply

  108. jennifer says

    dancing in the basement……..how fun are you? LOL your posts are always a good read…..thanks for the cards! 🙂

    Reply

  110. cathy says

    I dont like it. I upgraded my iPhoto and then realized, I cant delete any of them? and it seemed like they were coming in at a smaller resolution. So, I turned it off. Ill be putting my photos from my phone into the DropBox app. That way, I control which ones I want!

    Reply

  113. kate Adderley says

    Hi Cathy, love your work, so clean and simple, love that style, thanks for the free cards, l printed them off, but need to buy new ink, DOH, l would love to buy some of your digi downloads, but dont know anything about that side of scrapbooking and have no one to show me, DOH again, lm doing PL for the first time this year and absolutly love it, love looking at your work

    Reply

  114. Delia says

    Thanks Cathy. Fabulous as always and I so appreciate you doing things for us non photoshop savy readers. I’m sure that there are many who, like me, would like to give back to you and would by happy to have a “pay you” option on your free non photoshop downloads. Thanks again. You truly bring a lot of joy to all my early mornings.

    Reply

  115. Anita Tymburski says

    Thank you for the download, Cathy! Thanks also for the fitness and scrapbooking inspiration. YOU are the reason I’ve taken up running. I’ve just signed up for my first run – a 6k run/walk – at age 49. My daughter and I are using the Couch to 5k and we plan to knock it out of the park!

    Reply

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