My "Project Life" January 2012

I've been really frustrated with the whole "scrapbooking" thing for several years now. I don't know if I just got burnt out because I worked in the industry for so long...but I just don't feel like scrapbooking at all anymore. I look back and the big, fat, bulky albums that I created...and some of the photos and embellishments are falling off. I am disgusted that I have all of these pages with only one or two photos. They are pretty photos, but they really don't tell anything about our life. I have slowly been getting drawn into the whole concept of "Project Life". I contemplated ordering all of the junk to create the Project Life album, but then I looked in my office closet at all of my old scrapbooking supplies gathering dust. I don't want an album that weighs twenty pounds by the end of the year. I don't want to make a mess with all of my supplies. I just want to have all of our memories and photos organized in one place. I don't want to accessorize with all of the latest embellishments...I want something that is classic and will look nice even when styles change. I don't want to fill the page with tons of cute patterned papers and stickers...I want to fit in as many photos of my family as I can. So...with all that in mind, I decided to create my own little version of project life. There is so much amazing inspiration out there...and I have seen so many BEAUTIFUL project life layouts, but in the end, I decided to keep mine very simple. I was able to finish the whole month of January today. It took me about 4 hours from start to finish. I think I can handle spending four hours a month on our family memories :) At the end of the year I am going to get them printed in a nice hard bound book that won't take up much room, and won't fall apart. I'm looking forward to getting my memories off of my hard drive and into my hands this year :) Here are my layouts for January...each section shows a two page layout.

 

Comments

[erica]

This is beautiful! I don't have anywhere near that amount of pictures but I love the layout & idea. I don't have many if any hard copies of my pictures...sad but true story.
What program did you use to do that?

[A Facebook User]

I juste LOVE it.

[Stacey]

That is so nice and classic. I'm inspired every time I check your blog. How did you do that? I would love to have something like that to preserve our memories b/c I certainly don't have time for scrapbooks!! Thanks so much for sharing :)

[Michelle]

These look great! I'm doing mine digital too. So much easier... I love the idea of having it published in a book each year.

[Pamela K.]

Great job! In your spare time (snort), could you do a post with a quick tutorial? I'm new at PSE and would like to know what templates/fonts you used. Thanks for sharing! :-)

[Eileen]

Oh Sherelle these are BEAUTIFUl ! I would love if you would do a tutorial on the "how to's" I too have way too many pictures on my hard drive and way too many scrap booking supplies. I got tired of scrap booking b/c it seemed more important to add bling and not the photos. I so love your idea.
I love the pictures of Denver and so happy that your kids enjoyed all the fun spots. I know my kids sure enjoyed those sites when they were young, [ the Butterfly Pavilion was not here when my kids were young], but the Denver Zoo was always a big hit as the Children's Museum.

[elma]

Oh that is beautiful:) I started scrapbooking with my last four kids and I hate it:) I just do not have the time or place to haul all the stuff out and do it:( I am fours years behind and it is really bothering me. Love your blog!!

[Dayami]

Yes!!! Awesome idea!!! I remember a couple of years ago you created one of those books (if Im not mistaken). Its going to be gorgeous!!!

[melanie]

This is awesome! This is what I have been looking for, I am so burned out on the expense and excessiveness of scrapbooking. Please give a brief overview of HOW you do it, I am not up to speed on digital scrapbooking. I love your rounded corners, cute fonts...amazing job!

[Heather McDonald]

Love this...love this! Thank you so much for sharing!!! I knew I was supposed to find your blog. I now have a great idea to do with my photos. I have 15 nieces and nephews...I have soooo...many photos of them. These pages are awesome. Again, I'm inspired by you.

[Brenda Walker]

What you said is exactly how I have been feeling the last year! I have beautiful albums but I am just burned out. I love what you created. Are you going to be doing 12x12 or smaller? Do you leave room so that it can be bound or do you just create a digital 12x12 page

[Lindsay G]

I love it. I too am a big scrapbooker but just can't keep up with all the pictures I take of my four little ones so I have started going super simple too. It is wonderful to be able to whip out a ton of pages quick! Question--where did you find that dotted border around your photos?? I love that!

[Francie]

These are beautiful layouts that really capture your life.

[Kim Garner]

Would love to know what template/digi tools you used to create these beautiful layouts. Thank you! I think if you continued this all year and then printed in a book {like you said} you would probably save $$ since you weren't having to print all the pictures and paper scrap! Love it...great idea.

[Kelly Neis]

12 years ago someone taught me to scrapbook like that, simple and to let the photos tell the story and let the photos be the center of attention. I have recently scrapbooked with a ton of embellishments and I have the same issues you do. I actually like the original idea of letting our photos speak but I still cannot do it digitally, I admire what you did above and they are fun and full of personality just with your family alone, no embellishments. Looking forward to more.

[Shauna Rae]

Love it! I enjoy the simplicity that pictures bring by themselves. Even some of these Project Life layouts that I see are so busy that you can't focus on the event. Anyway, just had to say that I love your style!

[Emily]

Love it all, priceless memories that will last forever!

[Misty]

Curious...where do you send to print into book?

[Kellie]

You read my mind..... PLEASE teach me! I LOVE it!

[Melyni Powell]

I really like your idea! It's simply but still nice. Do you have a way that you keep any paper, etc. memorbilia you get?

[Brenda Walker]

Can you share the template or where you got it from. I imagine wiht your skill you made it yourself. I am just really loving the simplicity of this and it seems doable.

[jeanne]

That is very nice. I have never been a scrapbooker- (always a picture taker though). It's too many decisions to make and too much money spent on NOT pictures. So I love this idea. I like the idea of getting pictures into a hard bound book, just simple. I like your memory collages.

[Kathy]

I hear you on "wanting to get more pictures off the hard drive"..... your pages look amazing. Project Life has seriously taken off 2012 more than ever. Just wondering if you could post what "fonts" you are using in your writing.

[Tricia]

I was actually searching for something and came across your site. I am loving it. Like most of the comments before me I would love to know how you did these pages. I am years behind in the organizing picture department. This would be great! Hopefully, it would be as fast for me to do as well.

[G.C.]

It looks great. I love the simple yet beautiful look. Thanks for sharing

[Heather Crawford]

I agree Sherelle...I am just to a point where I want to get my pictures off my hard drive where we can look at them, but in a nice classic way..that won't looked dated...
Would love to know what templates you used and digi products including that great font you used for the bolder words :) Pretty please?

[Korie B.]

Love this! Like everyone else, I am dying to know what fonts you used...

[Christina]

LOVE LOVE <3<3! I have been feeling the exact way about my digital scrapbooking. I knew there had to be a better way- and more timeless. And because I hadn't come up with a solution, I haven't scrapbooked in a few years now. I LOVE this! Did you make your own templates? This is exactly what I want to do! Seriously, so in love!! But of course, everything you do is classy and beautiful!

[Christina]

p.s What size of books do you print? Obviously these aren't square pages (I've always done 12x12).

[Laura]

I love these! I've been feeling the same way about scrapbooking and your post has inspired me to start learning to scrap digitally.

[Crystal]

Your layouts are wonderful! So full of your family and the time you spend living and loving life! Thanks for sharing!

And I agree - I'd like to know more of the 'how did you do it' part, please.

[Melinda~]

Oh I love, love LOVE this!! Thank you for sharing with us. This is just what I need for my family. Ive been thinking alot lately about all the "invisible" memories floating around on my computer that my children never see. Its actually really sad to know they are not being enjoyed. thanks for this, I am totally going to do it!
(new to your blog, but I am just lovin your little life)

[Melinda~]

Meant to add, I would love some details on how you did these with the fonts, etc. (Im not computer literate, haha)any help will be apreciated!

[Ang]

lovely !!

[Luonna Lancaster]

You are very talented and creative! Very much an inspiration to us all! Where do you find the energy to accomplish all these goals and projects?

[Becky]

I have burnt out on traditional scrapbooking too - I am doing my own version of project life using different slide in pocket pages from We are Memory Keepers and I only do a traditional page on some of my favorite/best photos. I love how you did this digitally and I may be giving that a try soon!

[Liz Elliott]

You are definately onto something here. Why do we need to buy some special kit to do exactly what you have done? I agree whole-heartedly. So how do you get the words right onto the photos? Is it all digital and if so, what software program did you use? Thanks as always for the inspiration!

[alicia king]

love your pages! i like lots of photos!

[Dawn Cheshire]

Fabulous spreads! Love the simplicity of it all!

[Sheila]

Great post!

[Ruby Badcoe]

These photos are absolutely beautiful. They would definitely look good in a book. I have squillions of photos in my hard drive too, and I'm planning to make some scrap books for them. Your post inspired me to create my own Project Life. =)

[Kelley]

Hi Sherelle - I completely agree. I have been working hard to get my pictures into books as I am frustrated with scrapbooking too. Only thing I have found is MYPublisher and their templates are set. I like what you are doing here. Will you share your layouts and where you plan to have your books made at the end of the year. I am currently organizing 2009 :)

[Christi Williams]

I am just starting Project Life, love your layouts. Thank you for sharing. I love your blog.