Thursday, January 31, 2013

Anyone can scrapbook, and everybody should.

When it comes to Project Life, each of us fits into one of the following categories:

1 - You don’t do Project Life and are sick of seeing blog posts about it.

2 - You do Project Life, you love it, and you are hooked.

3 - You’re thinking, “What the heck is Project Life?

I’ve been through a few scrapbook phases in my life; from the early days of ticket stubs, school photos of friends, and random bits [barely] adhered to pages with a simple glue stick, to a more elaborate form of scrapbooking with more-embellishments-than-photo-fare permanently attached to fancy cardstock and patterned paper.
No matter what format you choose, keeping a book with some photos and tidbits about life as it is right now {aka: a scrapbook} is important. It’s personally important so you can look back and see how far you’ve come in this life, or where you still need to go. And it’s important to your friends and family because some day, whether you like it or not, someone will want to know about your life. They’ll want to know how you lived it, who or what you loved in it, and how you spent your days.

The idea of page protectors with little sections to slip bits of paper and photos into just appeals to me. I can’t think of a simpler, more workable format for saving photos and memorabilia - and in the end, calling it a scrapbook. Lots of people call this Project Life {the simple, yet ingenious brain child of Becky Higgins}.

Carrie got me started on Project Life last May, and in the beginning I resisted. I didn’t want to do the traditional weekly spreads – didn’t want to conform. I ended up just printing lots of photos, saving a few odds and ends to include, and the result is that I have a nice collection of some of my favorite photos for the second half of 2012. I like it, it’s a cool collection of photos in chronological order, but it’s not the way I want my 2013 book to be.


This year I’m committing to Project Life in its traditional format with weekly spreads. I even bought a kit complete with journaling cards, all in a cohesive color scheme, and I’m taking daily notes in my hard-copy calendar/journal. Sometimes I’ll share my pages here on my blog, but for the most part I’ll probably keep it to myself.


You don’t need the actual “Project Life” page protectors to do this project! There are plenty of other brands, sizes, and shapes of page protectors and three-ring binders {sold at Target, Michael’s, OfficeMax…}. There’s no right or wrong way to make a personal scrapbook. Our scrapbooks should be as unique as we are.
So, go ahead - start documenting your life!
Somehow, just document it.
Because anyone can scrapbook,
and everybody should.

20 comments:

Sian said...

"Anyone can scrapbook" - Frame that!!

Rhona said...

So very true Deb. I have to say I'm so glad I started PL properly last year because I do actually have photos and some journalling that we can look at. I haven't been very good at scrapbooking layouts for a long time but I love PL and can see me continuing for years to come (in some form or other). xx

Cheri said...

Obviously someone got a variety pack of the page protectors! I did my first photo + journaling card entry in a project life page yesterday - just a silly moment with a cat. Can definitely see this going somewhere!

Ruth said...

Yes, yes, yes!! In fact, I saw a scrapbook just this morning that I thought would be perfect for your trip to London ~ I nearly bought it, but I wasn't sure it was acid-free. Maybe I'll go back and check.

Irene said...

You give me inspiration to scrapbook again. I have many photos and embellishments collected from my two boys. Thanks for the inspiration.

Abi said...

Yes they can! I loved your three comments at the beginning, Summed PL up very nicely. I love what you are doing and can't wait to see more.

scrappyjacky said...

I hate to disagree,Deb....I don't do PL.....but I do actually enjoy seeing what other people are doing with it....and I'm sure I'm going to enjoy yours!

Anonymous said...

No that is not true - everyone should NOT scrapbook - you can't make people do what you like - if it is not their thing - then leave them alone. I might say that you should therefore climb terrorizingly tall mountains, bungee jump and walk among snakes - since others do - then you should, miss high and mighty.

Anonymous said...

Like Jackie I don't do PL but am very happy to see other people's projects and also like to use some of the journaling cards and components on my pages. Love your book.

Amy said...

Last year I was #1 and this year I am #2!
It's lovely to see hoe PL is working for you Deb.

alexa said...

Great post! I have been hovering all over the place between 1 and 2 and back again!

Beverly said...

I'm not a PL kind of gal but love that you are emphasizing how any way you do it is right...just do it ;)

Cate Brickell said...

Yuck to the anonymous commenter!

I think the sentiment behind your words is spot on - I hate that I have none of my story to share with my children, no words, no photos, no memorabilia. I think project life is going to become the core way I keep our story in one place.

Maria Ontiveros said...

My biggest hang up with project life is how/when you print out the photos.
Rinda

Margaret said...

I totally agree, but I worry about a sort on censoring of experience in this way. What do you think about that?

Denise said...

I love what you are doing for this.I never managed to keep up with it last year- but might just try again having seen yours xx

Karen said...

I'm not ready for PL, but I am back at scrapbooking again, and overall keep up to a certain degree.

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

Hm...interesting set of comments on this post.

For Margaret: I suppose there is a bit of censoring, as scrapbookers do tend to focus on the fun/good things that have happened. It's just more fun that way! That being said, I did include a photo of my mother's casket in my Project Life spread for her week, and also a bit about losing my sweet cat Fancy Jane when that happened.

For Anonymous: Peace out, dude.

Alison said...

I think I look as my scrapbooking as my PL...and I think if I participated in PL I would scrapbook less-what would I do with my stash THEN!;)
Alison xx

Stephanie @ La Dolce Vita said...

I'm in a different category. I love it, but I'm not doing it. I do have my yearly photo albums that I make, but I'm not ready to commit.

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