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Thursday, December 30, 2010

Project Life

One of my new years resolutions (definitely the biggest, and the only concrete one at this point) is to do something with all the pictures I take instead of leaving them in my computer. Forever.

Have you heard about Project Life? I had before today, but only in passing. I read quite a few blogs related to card-making and scrapbooking, but it's mostly designer pages for stamping and papercraft companies I like. Today, I stumbled across Becky Higgins website/blog and started reading about Project Life. Within about 5 minutes of reading, I was on Amazon ordering one. I got mine in Amber:

So why did I jump all over this so quickly?
1. It's really cute. That's often the motivation for my purchases.
2. I think it's an awesome solution for a problem I've been dealing with for quite some time.

Confession time: Though I say I'm a scrapbooker (I probably mention this to someone at least once a week)...I haven't made a scrapbook page in at least 3 years. Yup. I said it, it's in blogland for all to see. I'm ridiculous and apparently, a liar. But I really do consider myself a scrapbooker. I'm always buying supplies and albums, I take pictures all the time, and save memorabilia with the intention of putting everything together in one handy little book. It never happens.

Because I make cards and stationery and they're so immediately gratifying (as in, I get to see the final product within an hour or two of starting the project), I tend to slack off on my scrapbooking. Even one layout will take me that long, and one layout does not a scrapbook make.

Enter Project Life. It seems to me that this system of scrapbooking is laid out in such a way that I might actually...you know, make a scrapbook. Novel, right? It's all about putting your pictures out there, telling your story, and combining everything so those memories aren't lost with my good intentions to finish that super-embellished scrapbook.

As I told my friend Kathy this morning when I texted her in my Project Life-induced excitement...this isn't my style of scrapbooking at all. I tend to love things frilly and vintage and distressed and embellished to the extreme. That isn't changing because I purchased this kit. I've actually given myself permission to like both styles. Amazing, right?

Here's the thing...when (if) I have time to sit down and complete a traditional-for-me layout, then I'll do it. That will never go away, I hope. In the meantime, this system makes scrapbooking manageable for me in the moments where I don't have time or I don't feel inspired to make a full layout.

So, I can't wait to get this package in my hands. I'm planning to make it a 2011 project, which means I'll start January 1 (2 days from now) and go forward. I've done Project 365 (badly) before, and failed within the first 3 months because I've missed a picture or two. That obviously doesn't work for my life, so these won't be week in the life pictures or a picture a day or anything like that. I just want to capture our real lives, instead of waiting for big moments or vacations or something our nieces and nephews do. And I never want to say the phrase, "Oh, I'll take pictures of that when we have kids..." again. No more excuses from me.

I hope you all have thought about your resolutions and are making them attainable and planning steps to achieving them. It's really a fantastic feeling.

Happy New Year!

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