I’ve fallen off the Project Life sharing pace for the past few weeks. Truth be told, I have fallen off the actual making of the pages pace as well.
My approach has been fairly consistent for the past few years: I pick a day and I make the pages. If it’s a habit it gets done, but as soon as I start to push it off, the habit weakens. So this week, I’m going to share the past three weeks and then dive into my Project Life dilemma, which really isn’t as ominous as it sounds. First up, the past three weeks.
The coolest thing about Week 39? Aidan and her friends went camping for the weekend and she took a ton of shots with her phone, which she then shared with me. In fact, Aidan and I recently set up a new shared photo stream so she can quickly share photos with me on my phone. We both agreed this could be a cool set up when she’s off at school and wants to share stuff from afar.
Week 40 is very themed, if you couldn’t tell. This is what happens when you don’t take a ton of photos. You just fill your page with Halloween décor. I kept Week 40 to just a single page. To balance out the single page, another single page for Week 41.
Now for the dilemma.
Okay, technically it’s not a dilemma but rather an executive decision. Many of you know that if you document the entire year traditionally, it can take two binders to fit the entire 52 weeks. That was my case last year. But this year, because I went digital at Week 18, I think I’m going to be able to fit the entire year into a single We R Memory Keepers album. It’s going to be close.
See how the bulkier meets the not-so-bulky?
The question at hand is this: do I consciously make more single page entires as opposed to double page ones in order to guarantee they all fit, even if it means cutting out photos that could have fit in regular two-page spreads?
Or does it even matter at this point, with just about 10 weeks left?
I know. The decisions I face.
I’m just not an fan of overstuffed albums. There. I said it.
This has also got me thinking about 2014. Maybe I want to ditch the album altogether and simply create a printed book at the end of the year. I know there’s an appeal in terms of space and efficiency. That said, I still like ordering my digital pages every few months and getting those prints in hand and into an album.
Feel free to weigh in. Would you edit your photos to fit the space you had? Would you ever mix digital and traditional? Would there ever be a reason to? Would you miss the immediacy by waiting a whole year to make a book? Would you ever go back to the traditional approach after doing it digitally? What works for you?
By all means, share your thoughts.
And that’s all I wrote for Weeks 39 to 41.
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Ellie says
This is my first year doing a project life album and I think it’s going to fit, but I understand the dilemma– last year I did an 8×8 album for my honeymoon pics and it’s a little too stuffed for my liking. I thought about splitting it but then it’d be two half-full albums.
It might be hard to do single-page entries as we head into the holiday season, because there are generally more people around, more photo opps, etc. Maybe make a mini album of Holiday 2013?
Holly says
Oh, I feel your pain! I tried the traditional version of PL this year and there are so many pieces of it that I love. But, ok, I will say it……it’s MESSY! Compared to some of the smaller digital books I have done, it has a completely different feel to it. I am thinking about going digital for a whole year of PL but am afraid if I wait a whole year to print, I will lose my momentum. Printing a digital spread and then putting them into sleeves is an option, but again, I LOVE the smooth clean look of a 100% digital book. I think I need scrapbook therapy!
Katrina Simeck says
Similar situation here – and I’m going with single album. My 2012 project took up 3 albums, so I’ve had to let go of a sense of failure about this year only occupying 1. Does it mean that this year is “less than” in some way? Maybe…and maybe that’s real. I can definitely see more Artifact Uprising albums in my future, but I think that they will complement my PL album(s), not replace.
Jess says
I’d buy another album and split them up. No matter how thin it was. I wouldn’t want to not include something just so it can fit in the album. But that’s just me. 🙂
diane says
I have been thinking the same things.
This is my 3rd year of PL. I have fitted a full year in every album. I rarely add anything extra and albums are not overstuffed (not a fan either).
I do a double page still, I don’t want to leave much out as PL is our family album.
I had planned to go digi and make a photo book for 2014 BUT I decided I have enough page protectors and PL Seafoam cards to use them again next year. So all I need is a new folder. My spreads are very c&s ( you and Tracey Larson are my inspiration) mostly photos with usually two 3×4 seafoam journaling cards. I used the computer for journalling & Tracey’s and your’s templates this year so may pages are hybrid I guess. I am pretty happy with my “crap free” approach.
The other reason I decided against the photo book was that my 8 and 10 year old like to look at the album as the year goes by and they like to write the odd card for me and I love to include some of their handwriting. And it is for them I do this really. I also love watching them look through it with their Dad. He loves looking at it with them (this from a man who wouldn’t let me take his photo when we were first married 22 years ago but who now, thanks to iPhones, will take photos when he is somewhere with the kids and im not there…he even sends them straight to me).
So I guess what im saying is “ask your kids”…for me the fact that my kids and hubby have a physical album to look at as the year progresses is the biggest benefit for me.
Renee Hoffer says
This is my first year working on Project Life–and I love it! One of the unexpected treats is watching everyone in the family stop by and look at the current layout. I keep the album next to my work space in my craft room, it’s on the way to the laundry room so it gets a lot of traffic! My daughter has always enjoyed looking at whatever project I am working on but with PL, even my 18 year old son will consent to a photo “just for the PL album”! So I will continue to create traditional pages, even if it means that I lag just a bit behind from time to time.
Susanne says
When I started scrapbooking a few years ago I started it digitally. This year is my first year with PL – also digitally. I build my pages with Photoshop elements and put them in the software of the photobook developer during the year. As soon as I’ve finished the last page of 2013 I will order my book.
In the meantime I just enyoy looking at the pages on my PC.
Maureen says
Our 2011 books were three 3 ring binders (photo + journaling everyday). 2012 turned out to be two 3 ring binders (combined photos from the week + journaling for each day). This year I switched it up and created our 2 PL books from Creative Memories Products only (combined photos from the week and a weekly summary.) I have our two 3 ring binders prepped and ready to go for 2014 (I made my own kit plus we will be doing combined photos from each week + journaling every day, as we did in 2012). Due to wrist issues and not being able to lift anything heavy, I understand your delima with not wanting over stuffed books (which is why we have 3 books for 2011). If it were me, I consciously would NOT cut back on the amount of photos taken over the next 10 weeks. I would continue on as I have been and if it looks like I would need another album to avoid the over stuffing issue, then I would add another album, divide up the year as equally as possible in each book and call it done.
SherriS. says
Wow! I’ve just read the other comments and I may be the lone ranger that may not print my pages out! Gasp. I’m really on the fence but leaning towards not printing. I upload my pages to SkyDrive and have shared the link several times a year to family and friends. I like linking the laptop to our TV and enjoying a slideshow presentation of my pages too. Limited space and the prospect of moving again make this decision work for me.
Susan says
I’m a digital Project Lifer and all my pages are in 1 album. It is super heavy but the idea of an entire year documented in 1 album is pretty cool to me. There is room to finish – even with double page spreads. I saw recently Lindsey Teague Moreno’s hard bound Project Life album that cost $450 – sounds like a chunk but if you figure you print 12 x 12 pages, album, and document protectors those will add up too over the year. But, I really like my system now of every couple of months of placing a 12 x 12 order and filling an album through the year for my family to look at.
Mandy says
I too have a senior, my first getting ready to go to college. How do you set up a shared photo stream? Sounds like a great idea.
cathy says
Mandy, its part of the new iOS7. If you have an iphone, you can do it under the Photos app!
ana roat says
Call my yesterday’s new but every now and again you just have to put down all the technical crap we’re surrounded with and enjoy the pleasure of texture…go for a second album.
Sindee says
I may the exception to the rule here, but I do wait until the end of the year, then make a blurb book for my Project Life book. I love having a printed book, no pages falling out, and they are nice and compact. Perfect for my OCD personality. I also scrapbook exclusively digital, no mess! Another OCD obsession. I’ll try and link a picture of my finished 2012 book.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23488147@N00/10421415524/#
Keianna says
I have done PL a couple years and always get it into one album. I do a single page per week and embellish with flat items. I do not like the thought if splitting a year. I say continue with single pages and throw in a double for holidays or to balance pages out. You will capture most if the season in your Thankful mini album or your DD album if you do one this year. Also, I have thought of doing digital, but I think I need to see the pages to stay motivated.
carrieH says
I agree with Keianna-I also do PL, but the last few years have been doing your Gratitude album, as well as December Daily. I love these little books, and they cover much of our month, so my PL spreads are thinner anyway since I don’t really need much duplication.
Sue says
I totally vote for the skip the album option. Last year I printed mine in a 12×12 hard cover photo book and it is awesome. Easy to look through and takes up very little space so it can stay out on my coffee table all year round. I will be doing the same thing at the end of this year with my digital pages 🙂
Tiffany M. says
I think if I went all digital I would print them in the photo book and just wait until the end of the year. Just think of all the space you would save and it would be an easier book to look at in the end. I think it would be difficult to go back to paper though.
I am not digital, but I wish I could get my pages to take up less room! I think I would be tempted to do half to fit it in the same album without over stuffing, but that wouldn’t have to mean less photos. You could change up your “page protector” style to allow for more photos.
Marjorie says
I think that in your case (seeing as you don’t like overstuffed albums) you could have two albums for 2013: one with the traditional pages and the other with the digital pages. I wouldn’t do spreads so they fit into one album. I learnt the hard way–you might regret not including all the pictures you love just for a a matter of room left.
Helen says
I’m doing PL for the first year, all digital. I struggle to fit everything on 2 pages per week (and often have 3 or 4 pages a week, even one with 6 for vacation week!). I’m putting mine in 2 albums not because they wouldn’t fit, necessarily, but because they’re so heavy my small kids wouldn’t be able to lift them! To me, the benefit of having room to put all the photos in you want outweighs the benefit of limiting yourself to one album. I’m with you- I love getting printed pages periodically and having the album available for reading for 3 months, or 6, or 9, or however much I have done. I would have such a hard time waiting til the end of the year, and I think it would affect my motivation, too. Thanks for sharing your pages with us. I’m always inspired!
Rhadonda says
Indeed these are first world problems but i will weigh in ( : I don’t think it matters. I am just doing pages as i can and i don’t care of they are 1 or 2 pages. For me it is about getting something done rather than nothing, so i do feel better about that. Maybe someday it will matter to me, but not today. By the way Aidan’s camping pictures are amazing!!! Love her perspective. I say do what you want with your pages, they are your pages. Okay that’s my 2 cents. I am digital all the way printing the pages when there is a print sale. So then if i have ticket stubs etc i will just stick a pocket page there. Thanks for reading!
KimberlyGoon says
I have done all three systems. My first Project Life was the hands on kit where you write on your journal cards every day and insert pictures. I loved that I could add other snippets of life like programs and tickets and receipts. Then I did a digital book where I just dropped and dragged my photos in and wrote on the journaling cards…basically sticking with the design of the book. That was easy to stay caught up on because everything design wise was already in place. I love that the finished book doesn’t take up a lot of space. Now I am doing everything digitally and sending my prints to Persnickety every month or so and them putting them in an album. I journal every day in a little note book and when I have time catch it all up digitally. I think I like this third way the best so far. It is easy and just a little time consuming (if I stay caught up week to week. I am a little behind right now). And I love that I can do more layouts if a week is busier than another and have sometimes major events (Like my son’s high school graduation week) included in PL. I think I’ll stick with this format next year.
Margy Eastman says
When I started PL, I was hoping this would be a project I could repeat for years to come. So I considered the real estate available for albums and went digital. My pages are sitting at Shutterfly waiting to be bound in a book after the holidays…and during their first photobook sale of 2014:) I think I might do single pages for each week next year, with exceptions for family trips, holidays, etc.
Andrea says
I would edit the photos to make it fit in one album. Clean and simple, right? As for 2014,
PL is great and works for many memory keepers, but I’m looking for something new. I don’t have an answer yet, but it’s going to be something smaller than 12×12 and it’s going to be easy! (ha!)
kristi b says
Scrap as you normally would. If they don’t fit, go back & scan some of the regular pages into digital & discard the bulky ones.
Personally, I do 1 12×12 page per week digital. I have found I can tell most weeks in a single page.
Nicole says
I am doing Project Life for the first year, and am doing it digitally and plan to print it out as a photo book at the end of the year. The only thing I feel I miss out on with doing this is ‘inserts’. Sometimes I have too much stuff for just a two page spread, and would love to pop in an insert (in one of the smaller sizes, like Template G, etc.) I know there are a few workarounds to doing this in a photobook, but I don’t really like the idea of cutting part of a photobook page. Other than that, I am SO looking forward to getting my photobook in the mail once it is all done and ordered! I guess you’d feel the same way receiving individual printed pages through the year, but I like the idea of one BIG surprise!
cathy says
Sindee, thats a fine looking book! That kind of inspires me!
Loree says
This. Exactly.Thanks, Diane!
Kropster says
I don’t do PL, but I am on Year 7 of what I call “a page a week”. I do 8.5×11 ( because of you) and it started out traditional with lots of digi pages, but now it is mostly digi (due to my laziness). But I still love the texture of traditional pages and try to throw them in. I am addicted to strap hinge albums. Haven’t used CM in over 10 years, but still manage to find strap hinge by Westrim (getting very hard to find). So that eliminates my worries about how fat they can be.
To answer your questions: I only marginally edit my photos to fit the space … since I’m not locked into titling a week 42 or 43 or whatever, l sometimes have 3 pages about stuff that might have happened the same week, but then maybe nothing happens the next 2 weeks that I care to scrapbook. I try to plan it out so that I have 4 or 5 LOs each month. And I throw in some heritage pages, or “me” pages, or other random topics when I either don’t have anything to report on current events or just feel the need to include something different.
Yes, I mix digital and traditional and love it.
I would NOT wait a whole year to do a printed book. I have done some printed books for vacations and gifts and frankly, I just don’t like them. The just don’t seem as “scrapbooky” as a traditional album. Plus I, like you, love seeing my printed digi pages as I complete them.
Yes, I would go back to traditional after doing digital. l love the traditional, but feel like I’ve captured more memories with digi, spent less money on supplies, and feel less stressed about “keeping up” using digital. But I still love traditional and hope to throw in more traditional pages.
I’ve actually thought of doing a class of my “page a week” idea. It has been a great way for me to love scrapbooking again, include heritage pages that I would never get around to, and still feel “caught up” in capturing memories today to share tomorrow. And , Cathy, if you were to look through my albums you would find almost every page is a scraplift of something you’ve posted, something from your books or something from your classes. YOU have been my inspiration.
thank you!
Char says
I do this too. It’s great to see the finished book at the end of the year. A reward as such 🙂
Tracy says
I tend to do 1-page spreads for each week. Unless there’s something big going on (like trips), I tend to stick to the 1 page format because I can fit more. Also, I do other albums beyond PL, so I don’t feel that I’m cutting out anything by restricting myself to 1 page layouts most of the time. With that said, I use an actual Becky Higgins Project Life ring album – I will be able to fit both 2012 and 2013 into that one album.
Laurie says
My thought-mix the traditional and digital together. Buy a bigger binder and fit it all in for one year!
Britiney @ Consider the Lilies says
My initial reaction was that I’d hate to not be able to look back at what I’ve done as I’m working through the year. On the other hand, getting that finished book all at once at the end of the year would be quite a rush! Personally, I’d never leave anything out just to fit in the album. I don’t love having over-full albums but I’d probably do it that way rather than have 2 half-full books. How wonderful is it that this amazing system is so flexible. So many people, so many different ideas, so many amazing products at the end! YAY PL!!!
Melissa says
What if you made a book each quarter of the year? I’m not sure what company you’re thinking of having your books printed through, but Shutterfly has discount codes and often free books, you could probably do 4 books for the year pretty inexpensively. Then you’d have your books in hand quicker, eliminating the “waiting all year” part.
And you, I’m sure, could put together a nice “box” to wrap around all 4 albums to make it a set (think a 3 dvd set, how the individual movies come in a box that wraps them together).
Sue Alg says
I’ve been doing PL for almost 2 years. I’ve decided to just start another album when one is full no matter what time of year. I do both digital and traditional–whatever moods strikes me at the time. I’m on my 4th 12×12 album.
Sometimes I do a double page layout and sometimes just a single page. Often I add smaller page inserts (5×7, 8×10, etc). I love PL.
At the end of each year I create 3 albums for my DIL as Christmas presents. Previously I only did digital 12×12, but last year I not only did 12×12 digital, but also added divided pages. I often refer to my own PL albums for ideas and things to capture in their albums.
cathy says
Katrina, have you made one yet? With artifact? Theyre pretty dang cute.
Katrina says
Yep – just uploaded my WITL album – anxiously awaiting the finished product!
AmyJed says
If you are planning to do a December Daily album, you would most definitely be able to do single pages for those weeks rather than a double page layout. Or maybe you could do a double page layout for the whole month! December is only 6 weeks away after all 🙂 I look forward to seeing what you come up with as a solution!
Abby P. says
I’m currently forced to go digital — I sent files to Persnickety Prints every 3-4 weeks (only $5 shipping). I LOVE when I get the 12×12’s back. Slip them in 12×12 sleeves, yell out to the kids that we’ve got new photos in “our album” and smile and they point and giggle. Go for extra albums – this stuff’s too good not to get it all out there.
Noticed the slight border around your PL cards/photos. Nice!
Michelle Mounts says
I am doing PL traditionally for the very first time and am really hoping to squeeze it all in one book. I guess I would rather have one huge book as opposed to two books for one year since my older years are all in one book. That is just me.
I LOVE that you and Aidan have a shared system for sharing photos. My oldest is a freshman in college right now and I am always asking her to take pictures (which she is not very good at doing) and to send them to me so I can see them. That is awewome!
Tracy says
I would focus on continuing to capture the photos and document the memories that you want for the rest of this year. Print them and divide the pages into two albums. (I also dislike overstuffed albums.) Two books of all of your memories is better than one packed book with missing pieces. Don’t compromise on the memories…
I have done physical albums for the past two years and it has been two albums per year. I love doing Project Life so much that I know I want to continue it for a long time – and I can’t imagine having the space for 2 binders each year to come! So, I have decided to go digital starting next year!
I love the instant gratification of having my pages done each week or month, but I also LOVE the idea of one clean + simple photo book for the entire year. I’m excited to try this.
You could always go digital and have a Project Life photo book printed every few months so you don’t have to wait until the end of the year to print one book.
Jenny B. says
Here’s what I think: Do two albums this year. You can do as many 2-pagers and inserts as you like for the rest of the year, and then your shelf will look all cohesive with two albums per year. THEN… for 2014, go all digital and do photo books! 🙂 I just got my volume one photo book printed for 2013 (weeks 1-26 in a 10″x10″ book from Shutterfly), and I love it!
amy t schubert says
I have about 3 different photo books that I intend to put together from a whole year’s worth of photos/stories.
Which is to say that if I have to wait a whole year to do it, I apparently just DON’T do it. I love the idea of a printed photobook with all your digital layouts, but if it were me I’d just never get to it.
cathy says
Quarterly is kind of a cool idea!
Christine says
I would calculate the joy factor and go with the greatest reward. Whatever that is for you.
Isabel says
I gona do Project Life for 2014, it´s gona be my first year. I make many searchs in the net for what I whant in my project and I decide to do the project digital because is more cheap,takes less time, it´s not messy and you can add every iten that you do with the classic scrapbooking paper and I decided to print a book in the final of the year.I understand the reasons of the other ladies and doing the project in paper we need to touch in paper because we taught in school with him and we miss the touch of the paper because of our senses it´s mind thing that we can live with out.the digital is here to stay and in some years is gona dominate our lives, because we are in a digital era in evolution.
Linda says
This is my second year of PL – 100% digital. As I finish each week’s layouts, I save them on the computer and send them to my ipad so I can a) enjoy looking at them (and sometimes even find typos), b) show them to family and friends as I go, c) just plain enjoy them! Last year I ordered a hardcover 8.5 x 8.5 book as soon as I finished the final layout for 2012. The final book arrived and I was thrilled all over again! This system works for me and I love it.
Barbara says
I’m still struggling with my PL but doing it. Getting done what I can. I say don’t hinder your creativity by limiting it to one page. If the week only warrants one page, then scrap one page. If it warrants two pages, then do two pages – just my input.
Sindee says
Thanks Cathy! A lot of the products used were yours! If you’d like to browse the whole book here is the link to blurb.
http://www.blurb.com/b/4630807-project-life-2012?ce=blurb_ew&utm_source=widget
Yolanda says
I tried Project Life, but designs and format just weren’t for me. If there had been a smaller album available at the time, it may have worked, but I doubt it. Instead, I have been progressively working on a family album which I will have printed as an 8×10 Blurb book. I have adapted the Week in the Life templates from Nettio Designs as the album base. The book is divided by season.
I work on it when I can and feel no pressure to fill in a story every week or every month. I simply capture life as it happens and use my Day One app on my Mac and on my iPad to record daily happening. Because these tell a different story than the finished pages, I am thinking about posting all of the journaled notes atthe back of the book.
For me, there is a tactile think that is different about a photobook versus the glossy pages of a PL album. I love the matte feel of Blurb’s Proline papers. And that designing for print really pushes me away from embellishment and fluff and just to what I love: the faces of my family and the stories about our lives.
Maureen says
I would say do what feels good for the rest of the year, and worry about how full the album is then.
For 2014, if you do your Persnickety Credits, each 50 pages is ..what …$73? + $5 shipping. Estimate how many pages you did this year and you can figure the cost of an album in page protectors or a printed book. Your chicks are older so it’s not likely that you will have little hands looking at those printed books all the time. Discussions at the Designer Digitals forum had some owners of Shutterfly printed books with loose pages after two or so years.
I think for some of us who like more instant gratification…kwim?…printing twice a year at least satisfies that urge. Plus when someone like a dh points out a mistake in spelling AFTER it’s printed, you can print the page again and all is ok. I find the idea of a 100+ printed book too daunting with pages in order and no journaling in the center fold. I can handle a 20 page printed book but not much more. That’s my 25cents.
Janelle says
I’m typically a digital scrapbooker, but this year I dove into Traditional PL, just because everyone and their mom is doing it…! I chose to do a monthly 2-page spread, plus inserts, and that’s been working really well for me! I do monthly “highlights/big events” on the Design A page protectors, and put little bits/notes/random thoughts into baseball card page protectors, inserted in between. I LOVE those little baseball card sizes, because I don’t feel like I’m wasting a (relatively huge) 3×4 card on a quote, random musing, news event, or business card (which fits almost perfectly into a 2.5×3.5 pocket!). I pick a color scheme every month to unify everything (though my husband didn’t even notice that trend…).
Pros: The whole year is going to fit nicely into a single album, I still capture both highlights and everyday moments, I get to play with paper supplies, and get the “instant” gratification of getting printed pics every month instead of waiting until a big upload to get my digital pages printed. Hope that inspires you somehow!
P.S. For your current dilemma, I would just split into two albums. January-June, July-December. Not overfull, and the division will at least make sense? Good luck 🙂
Verity says
Last year was my first year of PL and I did a double page spread for each week. Sometimes I would add in extra 8.5×11 pages for something the kids had done etc. At the end of the year I had 2 albums -I thought that a lot but reading some comments that was kind of frugal. Being as space is limited I changed my way of doing things this year. I do a monthly spread which is more than a double page spread but less than the number of pages when you do it weekly. I will easily fit the year into one album. Next year I plan to try a digital photo book. Man, they take up a heck of a lot less space on my shelf!
plus.google.com/104091805338475671554 says
Sigh, I’ve agonized over this longer than I probably should have. In fact, I could have caught up on my weeks worth of pages that need to be done, in the time I thought about this! I’m all digital, my first year of PL. I love Lindsey Teague’s book and I intend on doing the same; printing it all out in a book after the year is over. I hate not “seeing” my layout after it’s done, and that’s part of why I’m behind. The good ol “Out of sight, out of mind.”
I have a 2 year old, and I’m ok with two books if needed, just so I have all the photos and memories. And since it’s digital, I’m probably saving myself some $ by not buying a bunch of supplies.
Cathy, I’d love to see a post about your digi workflow. I’m struggling like crazy with a good workflow of…downloading photos from my phone/camera, then choosing the ones for that week, then picking layouts, arranging, organizing, picking elements, etc. That’s the one thing I miss with the paper scrapbooking. I can’t lay it all out and see it! It’s all on my computer.
Sigh…
Heike says
I’m also adding “traditional” LO into my PL spreads, thus I don’t feel the need to get it into only one album. And my family loves to go through them and to discover something new each time. If I did any digital pages I would also just put them in as well as soon as possible, so that everybody can go through them while it is still fresh in their minds.
And who ever said, that the album needs to stop at the end of the year? I just continue on and start a new album when it is reasonably full no matter if it is the first of january or the 21 of november 🙂
Jenn says
I do a Blurb book at the end of the year. I started digitally half way through the year last year, and printed my book about six months later. So this is the first year I have to wait 12 whole months to print. It only in the last few weeks that I’ve felt a little itchy to have a book in my hand. Mostly I’m content to just browse it using the Blurb book builder. I “build” it in Blurb as I go along, so I can read the book on the Blurb software during the year.
Lori says
I love my digital books. I get a 12×12 book printed each year. Last year’s was 109 pages. They look so nice on the bookshelf, and take up so little room. It’s also easier for other people to look through them.
Christine says
This is my first year PL. I don’t think about fitting photos or having enough space or what I will do after this year is finished. It would totally ruin the creative process for me and become more of a chore.
I do digitally and traditional. Sometimes I just have a great idea that I want to do in real paper or I have an item I want to include in my page, like a wood veneer model of my dog.
For me it’s about the story first and the photos later, the urge to create and not mechanically put cards and photos in a page protector.
There are weeks I don’t make a page and jump from week 23 to 27 because that’s how my life is. Nothing happenend during that time and than there are weeks that I make 4 pages of 1 week because I gave much to tell.
I always keep in mind what Becky told us in the first class day. Project Life is what *you* want it o be. It’s a true reflection of our life and there is nothing regular about that.:-)
Pat says
You may not like my “messy” approach to my PL albums. My albums span years. For instance, my current album starts with my failed attempt at PL in early 2012 (about 6 weeks), then adds in a couple of 2 page spreads that were topic specific. The next pages are the last 2 weeks of 2012 when I picked PL up again, followed by 5 months of 2013 (so far). When it gets too bulky, I’ll move to a new album and continue until that one is full. Yeah, I know … it bothers my OCD side, too. But I’m learning to live with it.
Robin Gibson says
Personally, I wouldn’t want to leave anything that I really wanted to include, out. And it doesn’t bother me to have two albums for one year. But now, given that we are considering a (really huge) long-distance move, in the not too distant future, I’m agonizing a ‘bit’ (read- a WHOLE lot) about the whole ‘physical space’ issues of having lots of albums & such. My jury is still out on this one.
For your ‘leaving stuff out’ issue…will you regret not including things, so it will all fit into one album? If not, then go for it, and you’ll be happy with that:)
Regarding doing the photobook at the end of the year, which I think is a very cool idea, btw…I wouldn’t be able to stand not looking through my album during the year. While I LOVE doing my PL album…my favorite thing to do, is look back at it…lots! And so does everyone else. This alone kind of rules that option out for me. But I kind of like the idea of a ‘mini’ yearbook done that way, lol. And then I’m back to the ‘space’ issue, lol. Yeah…I know…it’s hard to be in my brain:)
Angie Kyle says
Sindee, you have really inspired me to use your approach. I LOVE your book! Great job!
This is the perfect time to plan for next year.
cathy says
Makes sense, plus I should have mentioned, I have the second album. I bought them both at the beginning of the year. So, I could do a split.
Sarah says
absolutely not way, I could wait to the end of the year to see my layouts – scratch digital book! overstuffed binder – yuck! Go with your gut, document what you want, and in the end have two slightly skinny binders! Done and Done!
Just sayin’ that’s what I’d do!
Melanie Britt says
May I just say…
I am thrilled you went digital.
The digital project life world seems so lonely!
~Melanie
cathy says
Thanks! I love it, too!
Anne-Marie Cox says
2014 will be my 5th consecutive year of PLing.
I am currently going back and doing 2009.
With all 4 babies off to full time school and my oldest working next year I am sur there will be less photos…
BUT I am still undecided… it is a dilemma… or a conundrum… or a riddle… or a quandry… or a predicament… or a puzzle… or a perplexity… or an enigma… or perhpas just a plain old pickle… I just can’t decide.
Elizabeth says
What did you decide to do?
Janie says
Not a fan of bulky scrapbooks either. My PL is strictly digital and then the pages are printed in a SF book. But those books can become heavy so sometimes I split the books up by a quarter or half of the year. Sometimes a week is one page, other weeks are two pages. And special events get their own page(s).
All the options are what frees PL into something fun!
cathy says
Well, I certainly have TONS of ideas to choose from. LOL! I think Im just going to finish the year, not edit my photos (unless there are weeks when I want to) and then split the albums. : )
Janie says
P.S. – My digital pages are kept in order in their own folder so friends and family can see them while the book is in progress.
dawn says
Hi Cathy,
First I want to say how awesome ALL 3 weeks worth of PL are here!! LOVE THEM, especially the Halloween/week 40, so cool.
Ok, I read thru a lot of the comments here, lots of good advise. Here are my thoughts….
Your PL is by far my favorite to see each week, I try not to miss any of them!! YOUR STYLE is what I like so much, clean and simple but PRETTY!! No nonsense or scrapping stuff involved, just clean and simple with gorgeous pictures!!
I miss your traditional pages, hate to say it but I do. Not sure why because your digital ones are awesome too but I love the paper and seeing your handwriting.
UUMMMM NO WAY could I wait all year to see my pages, would GO NUTS!! Feel the same way about seeing yours, I would miss them!
I agree with the others who said with Thankful/DD albums your PL should be ok with just one album. But I just read above that you have a second one so really it’s up to you then if you have it. I think it would be ok though and if some of these weeks are one pages then even better for you. Whatever feels right.
When you go digital I think it does make it easier to get behind on it and on posting them. That one day a week commitment on Sunday’s helps me stay on track and posting them does too. I think this helps you too????
I’ve seen others who have switched and it seems to make them fall behind too.
Hope this covers all the questions/concerns you had. Thanks for always sharing and letting us help out.
Guess what we woke up too this morning in Ohio???!! A little bit of wet snow on the ground and more on it’s way. So fun to see the snow with fall leaves mixed in.
Can’t wait to hear your plans for PL and 2014!!
Sara says
I did a blog book via Blurb the first year I did project life. Since then I have done it the traditional way. I like how it can sit out all year and my family looks through it. I also like being able to add an occasional picture my girls draw or a homework sheet from school, etc.
That being said I know I could scan all of that stuff to add to a printed book and it would take up less space. I guess I just love being able to page through it quite often and I really like have pictures printed and in my hands. Something about photo type books, whether it’s Shutterfly or Blurb just don’t seem to show how cool certain pictures are.
Just my two cents though. I think anyone doing this project in any way or form is so lucky to be capturing the everyday stuff of life!
cathy says
Thanks Dawn. Snow in Ohio already? UGH! : )
LindaHAZ says
Cathy, I’ve done one year of traditional Project Life and ended up with two bulky 12X12 photo albums. These are tough to store and tough to look through because things fall out of the pockets and they are BULKY. I then switched to Shutterfly Project Life options and love the ease of this method. I was tired of corner rounding and printing 4X6 photos. The Shutterfly option works for me. I was able to finish 2012 and my family loves to look thought it over and over. I am working on 2013 and caught up to end of July but its easy to update a month in one day so I am not worried. I keep good notes in my dayplanner. It is so much easier to store these books and to view them.
I miss the creativity from adding embellishments of the physical Proj Life but I know my Shutterfly version will get done. If I were to do a physical version again, I would definately consider doing 1 page spreads for a week to reduce the album to just 1 binder. Currently I do not edit my photos. Again its time related and I feel lucky just to get photos into a book. I can view my digital photobook as I go along so I don’t miss having an actual printed page over the year.
Love your work. Keep inspiring us!
ARC says
Clearly you have enough opinions here, but of course I’ll throw in mine 🙂
I hate overstuffed albums too, and I refuse to let PL occupy 2 albums for one year. (And I do paper PL.) So I switched to one 2 page layout for every 2 weeks.
You can figure out how much space your additional layouts will take by counting the same number that you’ve already done, and measuring the thickness. The binders are (I think) 3″ wide so you’ll know if you’re getting close or too thick at 2 pages vs. 1.
(I’m trained as a scientist, so I like “experiments”.)
Also, I love the idea of having a bound book. I think that is so elegant and beautiful. In the meantime, you could buy a digital photo frame and enjoy the layouts that way, prior to getting the whole book printed.
cathy says
See, Im having issues with the bulk too. I do NOT have much storage in my house for scrapbooks, unless I want to start keeping them in my basement. My basemen isnt damp, per se, but still… the wheels are turning.
Cath Dean says
I am also deciding to go completely digital next year and print out a book at the end of the year. All the bits falling out is driving me mad as well as space. I think we all are going to be little 80 year old grandmas with bookshelves upon bookshelves full of PL albums and no room for anything else!!! Hmmm first world problems!!! Photo books for me next year!!!
Susan says
I combine both. Period. The week’s photos and my free time are the determining factors. Too busy? Then it’s either NO page or a digital page. Want to play with Silhouette and wood veneers? Then it’s traditional PL–making little hybrid cards is creative. If it leaves “holes” in the page plan, I fill in with a 12×12 Photo of the Week (or two of them) or divide photos into pieces–or just insert a page of color. If a page has TWO weeks on it, that’s fine. I can put a date on the individual photos if it’s needed. I calm the page chaos with a Minimalist Design, filters and LOTS of white space (Cathy, your cards are GREAT for this!) The pockets get all those favorite quotes, ticket stubs and greeting cards that, otherwise, would be stuck somewhere and lost . . .
Why does this work for me? I am compulsively neat–it’s my therapy, my chance to let go of the date thing and just RECORD, store ephemera, and be creative–or skip and week:)
Susan says
Oh yeah, I should add . . . I’ve done a digital page and ADDED Sihouette cuts. (I have a large format printer, so print pages myself.)
Gypsy says
I just wanted to share my PL photobooks: http://seeshareremember.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/photo-book-palooza.html I love the compactness of them and I didn’t have to wait a year to get them printed I had to wait 4 years. Simply because I couldn’t afford to do it until all the planets aligned with Australian accessible printer who offered 12×12 and had a 50% off special on that included extra pages!
As for the current years issue- don’t skip on photos- the photos tell more than half the story and the story is what it’s all about.
Jenny B. says
I just posted some photos of my book. 🙂 Here’s a link if you’d like to see:
2013 Project Life | Book One
Jenny B. says
Oops! Looks like the link didn’t actually link. Here’s the URL to copy/paste:
http://familybees.blogspot.com/2013/10/2013-project-life-book-one.html
Laura says
If you think you’d still be happy with the year by just doing one pagers until the end, then that’s a good choice. If you tend to have more pictures to include through the holidays, you might regret not just getting a second 2013 album. If you keep doing digital, you’ll definitely fit just fine in 2014!
I do PL “traditionally” (using my own stash rather than the branded product, except for some of the page protectors.) I like to see the album filling up during the year — I think it’s part of the fun and the motivation for me, so just doing a book at the end of the year isn’t something I’m contemplating right now.
Janet S says
I am digi and print at the end of the year. I work monthly and include all the pictures I want but try to focus on the highlights. This is my first year with a grandchild so the 100 pages might cause problems.
This year I’m using your newer templates turned landscape. I have up to July completed this year and have a weekend retreat soon to catch up to current. I’ve used My Publisher the last few years and have 2009-2012 in a book format. They stay in the living room and are handy to look at and share. No little ones looking at them at this point so I can see where the page protectors would be best for that. Sometimes I miss not being able to add memorabilia.
Page quality – I’ve done matte, glossy which were smelly at first but that has improved with time – The glossy pages photos are crisp – and I like the lay-flat pages. Cost is under 200.00 8 1/2 x 11 landscape and My Publisher (owned by shutterfly now) normally offers half price books often. Last Christmas I bought a $100 for $50 knowing I would use it. Which made the book 80ish? with shipping. Watch out for expiration dates on the sales. My Publisher will also add upgrade deals as you go through the ordering process. Through the year they offer extra copy printings for $25.
I have shared before but here is a peek at my books. http://janlynns2012.blogspot.com/2013/02/family-album-2012-completed-oct-dec.html
Sierra says
Biograffiti | Busy Girl Photobooks created PL templates for Blurb. Makes it easy to drag and drop (into PL style pages) but still gives me the flexibility to create pages in PS and upload those as well. I prefer Blurb to Shutterfly so that system works for me.
Good luck!
Micki says
If I could ***Like*** this, I would! Perfect logic, as it is all about family…and LIFE.