Project Life, January 2012, finished

  February was busy. I was participating in LOAD. Then people got sick and stuff happened. You know...life. So I put PL aside to deal with that and to make sure my DT stuff was done. Priorities. So finally, I was able to sit down and work on my Project Life pages over the past few days. I am happy to say that January is done!
   I know PL has had a lot of flack from people. I admit, I was skeptical about it at first. I have discovered that PL is really what you make it to be. For me, it's sort of become a creative jumpstart. I am not saying my little 4x6 cards are awesome. In fact, I discovered that I actually struggled with the design for these cards. I keep seeing so many cute cards and pages on various blogs. For whatever reason, I just can't seem to get my head around these tiny layouts. So for this reason, I think it's a good challenge for me. After spending some time tired and stressed out this past month, the little PL cards were also a nice way to get my creative juices flowing. So I would work on a PL card or two, then be inspired to make a whole 12x12 layout. Challenging myself plus creative jumpstart equals a win win. I am suddenly again, very inspired and right back on my game.
   If you recall from my first post introducing my first few January pages, I had planned to have everything coordinated from a kit I had made.Halfway through making this months pages, that sort of went out the window. I began choosing papers that fit the theme and story of the photos. The little cards became a bit easier to make. I also found that I was making use of themed papers that were sometimes harder for me to use on my 12x12 pages. So another plus for PL. I am using up stash.

sassafrass paper, MME papers
Studio calico tissue tape, Ruby rock it photo corners
MME chipboard journal spot, paperclips
LYB tiny type alphas

  One more plus for PL...memorabilia. I have always struggled with storing it. Then, I often forget to use it on a page. With PL, I find I am using it right away. On the page above, I used packaging from a toy my son recieved. It helped me document how my son was given these action figures for his reading endeavors. It also documents the game my DH has been playing recently. PL also helps me add in little factual tidbits. In this case, I documented the price of gas right now using a clipping from our local paper. I never would have made a full 12x12 page about that.

Sassafrass papers and alphas
MME papers, Ocotber afternoon papers and stickers
DCWV papers, My Little shoebox papers and alphas
American Crafts ribbon, Paper trunk Alphas
Imaginesce paper and stickers

  In January, we lost our cat, Sweetpea. I was not ready for a full memorial page. I did find I could document how we felt, as a family, on my PL pages. Project life is a good way to include the hard stuff. It's also a good way to include everyday photos that might not otherwise get scrapped. Like the photo of the bird we saw on our walk or the ladybug my son found. I have done pages about our weekly walks before. So I find that PL is a nice way to still include those without making yet one more 12x12 layout of the same subject.

October Afternoon papers and die cut
My Little Shoebox paper and alphas
DCWV paper, K and Co. chipboard title
We R Memrory Keepers papers
Sassafrass border, Basic Grey gelli sticker and brad
Maya Road flowers, Scenic route sticker border

  I will say that I planned where each little set of cards went. This final page has all cat stuff because it sort of introduces the 12x12 cat pages I have made about our new Kitten. I like how project life includes little stories that add to the larger ones told along with it in the album. It seems as though each section of PL will serve as a month in summary and will divide my album into chapters.

  So now, I am sort of finding my footing with Project life. I am making it work for me in my album. I need to go print off my February photos and begin working on those. We will see how this adventure goes, but i am pretty sure I am now hooked on PL.

Calvinball recap:

1st time player- 1 point
late to the party- 1 point
1st time sub- 1point
layouts-4 points

layout in a challenge: 1 point

spreading the word-1 point
daily blogging- 2 points

total:11 points 

*Paula pointed out that yesterday's page counts as 1 point for her challenge. So I added that in today. As far as PL, Some of the above pages were made last month. So I am only counting 1 point for the cards made this month. The cards  made this month equal 1 12x12 page.