Project Life 2013 // Week 1

A new year, a new album. I was really looking forward to a fresh start with this project. My big change from 2012 to 2013 is that I'm not going to use a kit this year. A few reasons...

1. I have so much stuff already plus a subscription to the Studio Calico main kit (not the PL kit). I don't really need any more stuff.
2. I barely used my Cobalt kit last year. Once I got the hang of it, I didn't really like using the kit anymore. I used all the date cards just for consistency, but hated them towards the end. I want to keep that top pocket open this year for fun paper or photos. I really like some of the Seafoam journaling cards and patterns, but not enough of them to buy an entire kit. I may download the digital cards and print some myself. We'll see.
3. I underestimated what a fun, creative outlet this project would be. This year, I am going to try and challenge myself to come up with something new and cohesive each week.
4. I think it will keep me motivated to do this project for another year.

And so it begins.

The first week of 2013 was spent on vacation in New Orleans, LA. We had so much fun. I took 400 pictures. This was a fun spread to put together and a great way to start off our year. 

I used a sheet of Paper Source wrapping paper I've been holding onto for at least a year and a half for the date card.  I poked the heart brad through the page protecter because it was bubbling up the plastic and looked funny. My plan for this year is to build consistency by stamping the date range onto a Martha Stewart kraft label and go from there.

I made a fun little card to document our 13 hour (each way) road trip using Amy Tangerine foam Thickers. I am obsessed with them. I don't know why I haven't used them before. Next to that is an iPhone screen shot of our route. Basically, we drove straight south for 900 miles.

Another one of my grand plans for 2013 is to embellish as much as possible when I have the time. For this first week I want to add a little something to almost every pocket. Obviously, there will be weeks where I'm busy or behind and can't add a million details. I'll just do what I can each week.

This is the front side of my 1st insert. I trimmed down a Becky Higgins Design D page protector. I ordered the variety pack and all of the Design D pages were about 1/4" wider than Design A. It was weird. I think I got a bad batch. The format of this insert was perfect for all the photos I took on our trip. I didn't do too much embellishing here. I wanted just let the photos tell the story. There is so much to look at in New Orleans. Everything was so bright and colorful and vintage and cool. I loved it. 

Here is the back side. I think it's a great little round up of all the sights and sounds for New Orleans. I might make a mini-book for our trip too. (I really enjoyed New Orleans. Best city ever.)

The tab on the side is from Ormolu and I covered it in purple polka dot washi tape from Freckled Fawn. I did the same to the tab on the second insert but instead covered it with pink striped washi from Hello Forever.

Insert number 2. I used Design I to hold these photos. The front side is a few pictures from the Sugar Bowl on Wednesday night. I am still looking for a good size plastic protector to hold our tickets to the game. I'll probably end up trimming down an 8.5 x 11".

Here's the back side of the second insert.

I got another bonus stamp set from Studio Calico. I responded to one of their Instagram contests and they sent me this stamp set. I knew that our stop at Wafflehouse on the drive home was one of the very few opportunities I would have to use the 'Y'ALL' stamp. I stamped right onto some neon orange washi tape and put that onto a scrap of grid paper. The squares above and below had the color blue in them so I later added a few blue enamel dots next to the text so they would flow together better.

Here's the last square in the second insert. Instead of a photo, I wrote how many miles the drive was on a sheet of blue striped paper. I left the tan tear strip on at the bottom since I liked the arrows. I used 3 more Amy Tangerine thickers for the number to tie it back to the original road trip card on the first page. It still didn't feel quite finished so I glued on 2 wood veneer arrows. I am hoping to incorporate more of my bubble letters into the album this year.

And finally, the last page. Mostly NOLA pictures. The bottom 2 4x6" pictures are from a night out back in Chicago. I tried to separate them from the top with strips of silver washi tape at the top. Sort of as a divider line. It worked out better in real life than it looks in these photos. 

In an attempt to embellish the photo of the street band, I just wrapped a small piece of washi tape around the corner and added a camera sticker. I'm not sure what else you can say about 2 people playing a bass cello & a banjo in the middle of the street.

To the right of that, I printed out a picture I took of a brick wall. I wrote some journaling on a Becky Higgins grid card (I trimmed off the rounded corners) and taped it to the photo with a piece of green & yellow striped washi.

These are my favorite pages I've ever made. And clearly I had a lot to say about them. I think that the combination of an awesome vacation, hundreds of photos and a fresh start left me very inspired this week. Thanks for reading (if you're still reading). The end.

Supplies used:

Every week – Martha Stewart for Avery kraft labels, American Crafts 12x12" D-Ring Faux Leather Album in Graphite, Becky Higgins Design A Page Protectors, American Crafts Slick Writer – Medium, American Crafts Precision Pen – 03 & 05, Oh, Hello Friend date stamp, Dear Lizzy 5th & Frolic Roller Date Stamp, Staples Date Stamp, Staples Glossy Photo Paper, HP PhotoSmart 7515, Staz-On Jet Blank ink pad, Thermoweb Tape Runner + Refill, Studio Calico kits // Roller Rink, Sock Hop, 34th Street

This week – Paper Source Gift Wrap, Dear Lizzy for Studio Calico fabric brad (similar), Amy Tangerine Foam Journal Thickers, Freckled Fawn washi tape – white on pink stripe, purple polka dot, neon orange (wide), yellow airmail, Hello Forever washi tape, American Crafts glitter brad, Amy Tangerine adhesive metal flair, Becky Higgins Design D (trimmed down) and Design I page protectors, Ormolu filing tabs, Martha Stewart for Avery labels, Pebbles letter stickers – blue & white, black & white, Elle's Studio label, My Minds Eye enamel dots, Freckled Fawn wood veneer arrows, Becky Higgins Grid Card, In the Clear washi tape, American Crafts/Amy Tangerine Cute Overload Puffy Sticker (similar), American Crafts/Amy Tangerine Fabric Sticker, Hero Arts & Studio Calico 'Hey Y'all' Stamp Set

Comments

[ConnieM]

welcome~ your album looks awesome!!!!

[Suzanne B. Webb]

I am loving seeing al the PL photos....I'm still not sure how it works, is it daily, weekly, monthly, or your choice? I have been interested in this for so many years and want to try it. I love what you've created so far....beautiful!

[Suzanne B. Webb]

By the way, welcome to 2Peas!!!

[pearl]

love chicago and the food in new orleans looks delicious. i'm in the same boat as you, not purchasing a PL kit this year, just using my SC subs. :)

[Sparklin]

Great pics, fun spread!

[amy tangerine]

dang i love this! your writing is adorable and your photos are too fun.

[Sue]

I am not using a kit this year either. I bought the cobalt as well last year (digital) and barely used it. Love your pages this week - I am hoping to visit New Orleans in June for a conference - fingers crossed!!

[Molly]

thank you so much! i am doing a weekly spread but it really is up to you. ive seen others do a monthly spread. last year, when i got a little behind i just did 1 page for each week until i was caught up. i think you should try it! its fun! :)

[Molly]

woah! thank you so much! :)

[Molly]

oooh my fingers are crossed for you! its an awesome place to visit!

[laurab]

These are great photos. Thank you for sharing...this is my first time ever with project life.

[Cerise]

What a wonderful way to spend the first week of the year! I love New Orleans.
I don't bother buying kits either. I have SO much of my own stuff.

[Lynn Wigren]

Found your blog from OLW at BPC. Love your first week!

[lisaplus5]

your first week looks great!!! so glad you shared with us!

[ErinK.]

Love your bubble letters! Real cool the way you used the brick wall pic.