As you know, I've been taking and documenting a "Picture of the Day" for the past two years. All the photos and captions I've shared here have made their way into one of two scrapbooks...and I absolutely love them. I love this project. I love how I've been able to capture our life, how it is now, and put it into a book so that years from now, when the boys ask, "how were things when...???" I can show them these albums. I love how, even yesterday when I was looking at our 2010 album, vivid memories where brought back to the front of my mind by a simple photograph of something ordinary. After two years, I love scrapbooking more. But even more than that, I love documenting so that all of us can remember.
What I don't love? It was October of 2011 when I finally finished the journaling for our 2010 album {and I still have about 6 photos to develop for that one!}. Currently, in my 2011 album, I have two months of photos to develop and five months of journaling left to do. I have it all here on my blog; it's not difficult to copy down the caption for a particular photo as I've recorded them once here already. I've just gotten a tish behind on keeping up with following through on that part. {And as a refresher - for those of you that care, if any of you do :) - I use Becky Higgins's Project Life products for these albums. The albums consist of divided page protectors, so there are enough slots in the album for 7 photos and 7 journaling cards for each week. Hence, the picture of the day format. The idea is that it is streamlined and simple. There's no planning or creating or extra bling needed. Everything is included so that you can just insert your photo, write a card, and be done.}
Well, I think it was already March of 2011 when I decided that for 2012 I was going to do things differently. The biggest motivating factor is what I just mentioned - while I'm consistent on getting my photos posted to the blog to share with all of you, I struggle with maintaining the next step, which is getting things written down for the album. Secondly, after doing the "picture of the day" format for the past two years, it's feeling forced. There are so many days when I feel like I'm searching for something to take a picture of just for the sake of having a picture. There's no meaning or spontaneity behind the picture; it's just a picture for picture's sake. Also, there isn't always a story behind every picture. Sometimes it's just a cute boy, and what else is there to say??? :) Conversely, there are some stories that don't have a picture - like how Reed likes to tell me, "You.Drive.Me.Cray.Zee!" I'd also like my album for 2012 to take on the theme of a cohesive family album, highlighting special events or happenings. Some days there is more going on then others, and I want the freedom, and the space, to take advantage of it. Lastly, I want to include more than just photos and writing in my album. In my previous two albums, I have included some "extras" - like movie tickets or the boys' artwork - but I'd like to do more: mail, receipts, programs, Drew's handwriting, Reed's coloring pages, etc. All of this, I think, will provide me with a bit more flexibility, and creativity, in how my Project Life album for 2012 comes together. AND, so far, it's proven to get me behind my camera more. I've lost a bit of inspiration and desire to take photos, and this past week alone I shot 54 photos - probably more than I took in November and December!
Oh, and I hope to get the boys more involved, too. I'd like to see both Brad and Drew include some journaling, and maybe Reed can help me pick out pictures or something. I don't know. We'll see how it goes. :)
My plan is to still post the pictures from the week that I will be using in my album. This probably means that there may not be much, or any, commentary from me about exactly what's going on in a photo. Because I don't have the option to print my photos at home, and I like to wait for good deals through online developers, my plan is to put together everything else that I'll be including in my album on a weekly basis. Once I do receive photos and have them placed, I'll take pictures of my completed pages, for anyone that might be the slightest bit interested. Which may be no one. That's cool. We all like to hear ourselves talk sometimes, right? :)
So, here's to Project Life 2012!
{And please check out Becky Higgins's products HERE. I love them, and highly recommend them! This year I'll be using the Turquoise edition...and I really love the Clementine edition, too!}
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