Project Life ~ Hang On Mickey!

Thoughts ~ A Question ~ Tips

So, I've been telling you that I plan to do my Disney album totally different than my 365 (POTD) Project, right?  Well, I'm still figuring out the logistics of some things... so bear with me as I wait for supplies, and gather my thoughts.

~ THOUGHTS ~

For some of you, a Project Life layout spans a week's time.

But, for me and my Disney album, that means collecting all of the... say... plane ride pics for starters.  I look over the pics to see how many may be vertical.  I wonder, are there enough vertical pics to warrant using a page protector with vertical slots -- remembering that I'll have to use the back side for the next group of photos as well -- OR, can I crop pictures, and use the Instagram-style approach...?

I've recently learned that a lot of the "cropped" square photos that I see on lay-outs are printed using the Instagram app.  I'm not an "app" kind of girl, but that doesn't mean I can't crop my photos down to a smaller square that wouldn't occupy so much space in my layout, right?  That would totally eliminate the need to consider purchasing other page protector styles (other than the horizontal).  I'm thinking that I will just crop those VERTICAL shots and stick with Design A photo pocket pages!  (This has definitely helped me to decide which page protectors to choose when they become available!!  Hurray for a decision MADE!)

ALSO - reminder to self (perhaps stating the obvious to you all...) -- don't be afraid to cut pictures up and use faces someplace smaller.  For example, I have a great shot of me and my nephew.  The other people in the picture aren't even looking at the camera.  So, I'm punching the two of us out of that photo, and using it in a smaller space.  

That vertical photo can be cropped down to fit in a horizontal slot!

I'll have lots of travel tidbits to add as well (ID cards, luggage tags, receipts, boarding passes, etc).  I can fit those into the random gaps that I encounter.  I actually had all of these prepared in a baseball card-style page protector, and I didn't like the look.  I think it'll look much more interesting to have them mixed in with the photos!

I also have cruise documents -- like the daily "newsletter," menus, and maps that I'll place into 8.5 x 11 page protectors.  I'll place them in my binder at strategic spots relating to the photos.

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I love, love, love both Michelle Wooderson's and Deb Duty's approach to Project Life.  If you're doing Project Life, you've got to check out their blogs.  (They are  both part of Becky Higgins' Project Life Creative Team 2012, and you can link to their blogs on their bio @Becky Higgins.)

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Layer, layer, layer.  I love the idea of a piece of scrapbook paper cut to fit a photo slot, with a cropped photo on it, and some embellishment as well.  LOVE the look.  And... by placing smaller photos on coordinating scrapbook paper, you end up with a cohesive look across the 2-page spread -- or just in one area if you want to highlight a section.  Go HERE to see what I mean.

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I like the idea of getting some neutral Disney papers and incorporating them into the album. The album (Turquoise edition) isn't in your typical Disney colors, but I did choose it for the color -- thinking of the water, and our cruise pictures, and for all of the circles within the designs - reminiscent of Mickey.

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Today, I'm working on laying out some pages, but I'm still waiting for Design A and the Turquoise Core Kit  to be available -- so I won't actually get any pages done yet.  I'm definitely starting out slowly... which may be an advantage.  This gives me more time to think things through, so that when I actually HAVE all of my supplies, I can really go for it, and know what I'm doing.

I'll chart my progress for you, but in the meantime.... Bear with me!  There's got to BE progress FIRST!!!

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~ A QUESTION ~

Has anybody out there used Project Life for something other than a 365/POTD project or your annual scrapbook?  A wedding album, perhaps?  Baby?  Has anyone actually DONE a Disney album this way?  Surely I can't be the first!!!  I'd love to hear about it.  Leave me some fun-filled comments about what worked for you!

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 ~ TIPS ~

Last time we chatted about Project Life, I shared a link to a video that Becky Higgins did about getting started.  Here is a slower-moving slide-show that you might be interested in, too.

Also, head on over to Becky's "Free Stuff" page to find free Project Life Binder Labels that you can download.  You can pick the ones that match your binder color, or get them all!

Plus, here are quick links to Deb Duty's BLOG, and to Michelle Wooderson's BLOG.

Whew!  Kind of long-winded today, aren't I?

I realize that I am waaaaaaay overthinking this according to Becky's original purpose.

But, hey - you don't get to celebrate your parents' 50th Anniversary everyday

 -- so I want this to be a really special album.

Hope you'll come along for the ride.