One year ago I launched a photo project as a way to celebrate my 50th year on the planet. I called it 50 Selfies at 50. The goal? Take 50 selfies… while I’m 50. I know, my genius knows no bounds. While I didn’t actually post 50 to my Instagram account (after a while, I felt like I was phoning it in), I did, in fact, take well over 50 and was able to combine them into one glorious, multi photo layout:
The rules were simple: it had to be a photo that I took myself, either as a hand-held classic selfie, or one wherein I set up the timer and took it that way. All shots were taken with my iPhone simply because it’s so easy to do. For those shots with a self timer, I used this handy little Bluetooth remote shutter release.
I learned a few things from doing this project:
- After a while, selfies get old.
- My wardrobe leaves something to be desired.
- Selfies with other people are just more fun.
- You can never look too stupid or too cool.
- Life is short. Have some fun with it.
- Including yourself in photos is a moral imperative for memory keepers.
And because today is my birthday (yes, thank you… all well wishes welcome because, you know, I AM ALIVE and life is good!), I have a short video that’s not really a classic tutorial but rather, me talking over a clip that has been sped up. No, I was not drinking wine at the time of the recording.
To download the layered template, click on the image below. If you need more than 64 squares, You can duplicate a complete row and then adjust the template as needed. I’m always just an email away and can help if you need it!
And here’s to Year 51.
Jen says
I love your personality. And your talent. Please keep both going on the interweb. 🙂
Delia says
Happy birthday Cathie. Have a great day and may all the days to follow be full of joy.
Jacquie says
Happy Birthday Cathy! Hoping your day is filled with happiness and more great memories.
CarlajinAR says
hope you have a great day!!! Love your selfie page. Love checking in each day to see what you are up to lol
Wendy says
Loved this idea!
KellyMinMN says
Happy Birthday CZ!
Candace says
HB2U, Cathy! And thanks for inspiring me to do my own photo project: #52in52at52. I started in May on my 52nd bday and Insta post one pic a week (mostly selfies, a few not… My favorites are the ones with friends and family). And oh my gosh I am SO ready for this fun but somewhat narcissistic project to be done!? Excited to use your template in May (or eventually…) And I will probably do a mini chat book too. Thank you for sharing your inspiration, wit, and creativity!
Susan says
Happy Birthday Cathy! Thank you for the inspiration and for the template. I love your fun attitude. Have a wonderful day celebrating you. And congratulations on successfully completing your project. Really great layout.
Holly says
Happy Birthday!! Love yourPage. I think I see this in my future. Without that template I wouldn’t, so thank-you!! Have a fun day!?
Debbie says
Happy Birthday Cathy!!
janel says
Happy birthday Cathy, I have loved following you for …well…oh so many years. I hope you have a wonderful day and get to be with your favorite people. I can relate to the wardrobe conundrum. Thanks for the great template. I look forward to using it. I am thinking I may have to fill it in with favorite foods. Have a good one, and thanks for the many years of being YOU! Here’s to many more!
Connieg says
Happy Birthday Cathy! What a great, fun, inspiring, hard project. Thanks for the template.
Cyn BC says
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CZ!!
Here’s to another year of making great memories.
Thank you for the template – LOVE IT. What a versatile way to showcase a year in one page. I think I could fill a page with the selfies my kiddo takes in a day…
Off to Costco! Fleecy tops and yoga pants have arrived!!
Kim H. says
Perfect!! Thank you for the free template. I turn 50 in June and I’m committing to doing this exact same project. Thank you for always being an inspiration. Happy Freaking Birthday!
Tammy B says
Happy birthday Cathy! Your card is in the mail but it will be a bit late. ? Just look at it like an extension of your celebration! Enjoy your day! ???
Karen says
Happy Birthday! I love reading what you write, learning from you, and am so happy you’ve reached your fiftieth!
Omayra says
Have a blast today!!! THANK YOU for sharing your talent with us!
Shana says
Happy Birthday Cathy!! ?
What a fun template, thank you for sharing & being you.
Susan Skogseth says
Happy Day of Birth that you share with my daughter. I am so loving that template. Thanks so much. Here is to another year around the sun now pardon me while I drown my sorrows that my first born is 25 in a nice cold beer. Is 11:38am too soon to start?!
Kim J says
Happy Birthday! Thanks for sharing your talents, humor and family with us. You rock!
chris s says
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Cathy!! i hope when i turn 50 next year i can do it as gracefully as you have done!
alexa says
Many happy returns of the day! And may there be lots of happy days between 51 and 52. Thank-you for all the inspiration :).
Karen C. says
That turned out so great! Happy Birthday to you! Thank you for the freebie, at 67 I’ll need to do some major adjusting! Luckily I scrap in 12×12 so that will give me more room.
heidig says
Happy Birthday! You never fail to make me giggle. I think I’ll do this template next year since my bday falls in January. Fifty-seven photos at 57??? Not as catchy but it’ll do. Enjoy your day!
Dana says
Happy birthday Cathy! Thank you for the template! I loved seeing all your selfies and can’t wait to make my own. Have a great day!
Jane says
Wishing you the very happiest birthday Cathy – thank you for being you, for your warm generosity, fun loving spirit and your love of life and this wonderful craft we all hold so dear.
Jana says
Love this! Happy Birthday Cathy — you continue to inspire us. Thank you for that gift along with the template gift. xoxo
donna says
This is a well done project! your selfies are so fun.
When I turned 49 a few years back, I set out to do 49 adventures. i had rules, because i am lazy 🙂 i made it! the idea was to not whine, but go out and do things and find things. It was so very perfect for me. I met some awesome people, and found great events that I had never attended before. This year I turn 52 and am trying to find something equally as fun and interesting to celebrate the year. Thinking of just exploring the number 52, like things made or born or designed in 1965 etc. we shall see!
Lida says
Happy Birthday!!! Love your layout and thank you for the freebie!
Mel H says
Happy Birthday Cathy! You always keep it real. Thanks for that.
Yolanda says
A very happy birthday to you, Cathy! Here’s to 51 more.
Deneen says
Great minds think alike LOL. In June when I turned 52 I started my #52selfiesat52 project at first I thought I would take and post one photo a week for the whole year until my next birthday but after a while I thought I was posting way too many selfies LOL. They sure are more fun with other’s in them as well. I post one from time to time but I am actually not posting them all. Thank you so much for the template I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with them. At first I thought I might just complete project life pages in the app but I really like your template so I may have to use it 🙂
Isabel says
Happy Birthday Cathy! Love this project, thank you for the template. Happy Internacional Women´s Day to a awesome brave lady!
Jeanne says
Just awesome! Happy Birthday!
Robin says
HaPpY ? BiRtHdAy!!! ?❤????
Janet K says
Happy, Happy Birthday!!!! I love this & thank you.
Angie F says
Happy Happy Birthday!! I LOVE all your selfies!!
JeanD says
Happy birthday Cathy!!! I’m just about to turn 60 and I liked the idea of all those selfies and was really happy that your template has 64 spots. I think I have a challenge 🙂
Carol says
Birthday blessings!
Becky K. says
Thank you for the template and the great video! I switched from a Windows PC to a MAC and from PS Elements to full blown Photoshop awhile back and was just overwhelmed with all the changes. I slowly stated to digital scrapbook again and your video tutorials have been so helpful. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
Sandy_in_MD says
I love this project! Thank you for the template & video. I seldom have myself in the picture and need to start documenting me. I appreciate the motivation.
Sandy_in_MD says
And – HAPPY (belated) BIRTHDAY !!!
Jenell says
Happy Happy Birthday, Cathy! Love the 50 at 50! I turned 60 this year and should have done something like that. Maybe 61 at 61!!! Great job. You continue to keep me laughing and crying and inspired and I thank you! Hope you have a great day!
Sue Triggs-Rhuda says
Happy Belated Birthday! Love this project! In December I’ll be (gasp) 55 so maybe it will be time to take that up…in the meantime, your template squares are perfect for the series of over 100 photos my girls took of themselves on my iPhone…if you shuffle thru, they make a time lapse movie! Thanks for the freebie and cheers!
Cindy says
Happy belated birthday Cathy!! And thank you for the freebie, now I’m off to watch your video.
Michelle Peacey says
Happy (very belated) birthday Cathy. Love this idea – am going to try it out. Will have to add another square because I will be (gasp!) 65 this year! But every year above ground should be celebrated so I am going to try and live my life as grateful as possible. And taking a picture of oneself 65 times might show me who I am and figure out if I need or want to change that.
So thank you Cathy. You always give us something to think about while having a good time
scrapbooking.
Anita says
Happy Birthday Cathy, thanks for the template and inspiration and for always making me smile.
Barbara says
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CATHY!!! And thank you for the template!! I turned 50 last June, so I am right behind you….I love this project you undertook and am thinking about combing through past selfies (and scheduling a few within the next few months) so that I can use your wonderful and generous gift to commemorate my 50th year! Thank you for sharing your talent and for inspiring us to get in (some of) the pictures we take and record the beauty of our lives!
Sandra1968 says
Happy belated birthday!
And thank you for the template. I’ll hope to turn 50 next year and I just love the idea behind this template. Your selfies page is great 🙂
Kate B. says
Happy Birthday! Love this idea. I missed 50, but maybe I could go for 62 selfies at 62!
Libby Wiers says
Great idea! Thanks for the template…I’m at 68 @68. LOL
anne says
Thank you for the template! And I second the ‘keep your personality + talent in the interwebs’.
KnitterPam says
Happy Belated Birthday! It won’t be long before I’m celebrating the same….
Adriana Weingart says
WOW… Your birthday is a little before than mine… Congrats (a lot later)! I wish your 50 year is being a great and blessed year!
I love this template! Thanks for it!!
WhamBamPam says
Hi Cathy,
I found this just before I am turning 50, so thank you, I know part of my plan for 2018 now.
WhamBamPam aka Pamela McGillin
Cathy Zielske says
Well I would say this is meant to be!
Penni Walker says
Oh no. I tired to download but the link isn’t working??? Can you please help.
Thank you