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Monday, January 2, 2012

Project Life - Organizing Part 1 & Title Page

Since I failed miserably at PL last year...I am really trying to be more organized and less stressed this year.  I am definitely doing the weekly approach and I don't plan to just use my DSLR.  That I think was another major problem for me.  I kept thinking my iPhone pictures just were not that good but I know they are fine and I just need to remember it's about capturing the time not how good the picture was, or my depth of field or white balance, etc.  I am going in as a scrapbooker and not a photographer, lol.

Organization Pt 1

I'll talk about my station organization tomorrow but first let me talk about how I organize my thoughts, ideas and the planning of pages. I love the approach and the forms that Marcy Penner uses (see them here) so I took it a step further and created some.

Project Life Planner

I created a book, it's 8.5x11 and it has a light weight chipboard cover (I just covered it with pretty paper) it's probably as flimsy as a spiral notebook you would buy at the store.  I wanted something I could bend and really use, something I would have that I can plan out pages as I go. I created the pages in excel, one for the sketch of the two page spread and one for notes about the week at a glance.  I added in some calendars and binded it with my Bind-It-All.



I started off with a cover page of course...


Then I added a 2012 Calendar...


Then I added a Holiday Schedule and a place where I could put anything thing that I know will be coming up in 2012.


At the beginning of each month I have a calendar for that month and a place for notes.


This is the sketch sheet I created in excel, I told you it looks just like the one Marcy uses.


Across from that is the week review sheet, I can put the date in and list out anything important I took a picture of or just want to remember.  For instance today my son when with his father to Houston Texan's football game, he sent me some text pictures and I told him to save the ticket stub for me, so I made a reminder to get that from him when he brings my son home.




So that is my planner....I do use my iPad a lot, but I wanted to have my sketch sheet with me and my week review with me so I can jot down things or make notes of something I want to remember.

iPad Apps

I have looked ad so many different journal apps, I promise at one point I have downloaded 7, yes 7 of them.  There was always a feature I liked but then I realized I didn't want to make this difficult and I know I only wanted a journal. 

MOMENTO

I did keep one extra app Momento, I use this to filter all of my Facebook info, my Twitter account and my Instagram account, that way I always have a way to look at what I got going on, just in case I need more inspiration or possible fillers. It looks like this one screen shows all your feeds and then another lists them out by days.


EVERNOTE

This really is the easiest way for me to journal on my iPad, it saves the writing by day.  I can make notes all day, random thoughts, quotes or just crazy little things that go on, it's right at my finger tips at all times.  At the end of the day I email it home and then use it to respond to my Oh Joy email.




MY 2012 PROJECT LIFE TITLE PAGE

Since I didn't finish last year, I have the full kit pretty much but I knew I wanted to have more fun with it and add to it, so I am using it as my base this year but mixing in some of my own stash and some new things as well.



I created this really cute symbol silhouette of my family and  I even included the three pit bulls.  I know this book will be about our family but our dogs are a big part of our life as well so I knew they would need to be represented on any thing that represented our family. Another thing you can't really see is the camera, I have tons of them save and I want to some how incorporate a camera in my weekly pages, just a little something fun. 


I added a little clipping from a mini dictionary I found at a thrift store, it's just the definition of Family.


Here are our beautiful pits....









30 comments:

Sasha Farina said...

i especially ADORE your title page!! that family silhouette with three dogs - oh my - can't be any cuter! LOL. I hope to get to know you better this year, April!

Amity said...

Love your title page. This is great. Thanks for sharing the apps you are using. I really appreciate that.

Patter Cross said...

WOW! Looks like you really are set to complete this this year. Lots of great things you have done here. I will be pinning a lot! Wonderful job, and have a blessed New Year!

Anonymous said...

I love your planner...thanks for ideas

sweetcaroline said...

I really like your title page. What is this all about? Where did the really cute page divider come from?

tina said...

I love your Title page!!! That silhouette of your family is the BEST thing ever!!! I need one of those...it's awesome. Good luck in completing your album this year. I'm attempting PL for the first time, so we'll see how it goes.

Tina

tina said...

I love your title page, your family is beautiful! That silhouette you made is absolutely fabulous...I need one of those...don't know how you did it, but it's awesome.

I'm a rookie, I'm doing PL for the first time this year. Good luck with completing your album!

Tina

Tracy said...

Hi! I found your blog through the SC message board. Great post on PL and I absolutely love your organization binder...what great idea. Your title page is amazing and those pit bulls...oh my how adorable. I actually laughed looking at their pics, they look like mug shots...or about as thrilled as kids look when you try to take their pictures, too cute! I will be looking forward to more of your PL2012...don't give up this year. If your title page is any indication, your book will be amazing!

Tammy said...

Great post! Love the planner you've made. Lot's of great ideas here for anyone thinking about PL this year. I still need to catch mine up for the past few months but I have the photos and the stuff so it's just a matter of sitting down and getting it done. Looking forward to more PL in 2012! :)

Briana said...

Wow! I love your PL planner and your title page is awesome! Thanks for the inspiration!

Redhead said...

Wonderful silhouettes! Great title page!

I need to get over camera phone snobbery myself. Some of my camera phone pictures are really ok enough.

April Michelle said...

Thank you for the kind words...the silhouette was really easy. I'll try to post how really soon.

Dayna Sabrina said...

Great title page. Thanks so much for sharing!

Danielle said...

Your planner is awesome! Looks like a great deal of thought has gone into it. The love the silhouette!

Mary Pat Siehl said...

this is so awesome!! i love how organized you are! i am trying PL for the first time and love all your work!

Jenn said...

What a fun idea and so creative and meaningful since you made it all yourself!
The silhouette is so so so precious!!! You need to open an Etsy shop, or at least do a tutorial post about it :)

Lorraine said...

Your planner is awesome! Would you be willing to share?

Pamela said...

Looks well planned!! I don't do Project Life...don't even know that much about it.

*reyanna* said...

Wow! This all looks beautiful so far! And fabulous job with the silhouettes! :-)

Ginger Snaps said...

Definitely bookmarking your blog! Love your style! Especially love that silhouette too!

April said...

WOW! you sure are organized for this PL experience...I am doing it for the first time this year and just finished my first week and title page...http://aprilbest1981.blogspot.com/2012/01/project-life.html...I could NOT figure out how to take a good picture of my pages...I am loving any inspiration I can get so I am going to go back and follow your blog now! Have a great week...

aBlessedChaos said...

Brilliantly done!

Jenifer said...

LOVE the planner idea! This is the first year I'm doing PL and I'm struggling to keep track and yours look awesome! Would you be willing to share directions for the templates?

Again - LOVE it!

Unknown said...

My BFF directed me to your page, and it is totally what I have been searching for! You are so fantastic and so talented in this!!!! I will def be following you daily! Thanks so much, Jenifer, for finding this and sending the link to me!!

Unknown said...

I've just started project life and I have been desperate for something that would help me keep track of my life LOL
would you be willing o share your documents for your planner?????
I would be so grateful.
katinamartinez@live.com
Katina Martinez

Cheri Keene said...

Love the planner and you have a beautiful family! Merry Christmas!

Scrappin Robin said...

Hi, I am starting my PL for the first time this year and I was looking around at different idea's and one link sent me to your blog to your planner, but the pictures are no longer on the post. I would love to see your planner.
Robin Lane
robinsrubyslippers@gmail.com

merideth said...

me too! i want to see your planner - this is my first year doing pl. i have my title page and ONE week done so far. LOL!

Kelly said...

i would love to see it as well...please and thank you!

Kelly said...

i would love to be able to see the pics too! plz and ty! dolphinlover26@verizon.net