My Old Scrapbook Supplies Made New :: Project Life!!

Before I get started, let me just say that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Becky's card-products for Project Life.  She has some amazing designers working for her, and I have done my part in supporting her product line -- BELIEVE me!  But, I like to think that Becky might enjoy the fact that I am being thrifty with my old scrapbook supplies. So today, I'm going to tell you a little about how I have transformed some of my "traditional" scrapbook supplies to use in my Project Life albums.

First of all, you know all of those great stickers and embellishments that you[I] used to use?  You can still use them.  Add them to a plain PL card to dress it up, or to an already pretty card to boost the drama.  Here's an example:  I used number stickers/embellishments to add numbers [ages] to my son's and daughter's birthday layouts.

I confess that I still have some traditional scrapbook papers that I especially LOVE, and that coordinate well together.  Guess what I have done?  I have trimmed them down into title cards and 3x4 cards!  Why not? It's not hard at all.  I just used a PL card for tracing the correct size/shape, trimmed it, and rounded the corners.

In addition, I had a small unused pad of colorful papers and a pad of written thoughts that would probably now go to waste.  I decided to use the same process to cut them into PL-sized cards.  I was able to get 1-large, or 2-small cards out of each page, and now have two complete, homemade, PL-like set of cards.

Last but not least, I want to show you how I'm storing my cards.  The core kit cards come in a great storage box from Becky Higgins.  The theme kits, however, are just in a plastic pouch with a cardboard page that shows all of the cards that are included in the pack.  I've used that page as a divider, labeling it with the theme, and putting the themes in alphabetical order in a plastic mini-crate.  It is rather amazing to have most of my supplies gathered in this one box!!

I'll readily admit that I have totally jumped on the bandwagon when it comes to buying the themed cards.  I have tried to be thrifty about it, buying Becky's summer specials [from her website], and using my coupon at Hobby Lobby, which I have found to be my best local source.

I just ordered OCTOBER pictures the other day, which include a family Halloween party with all of the cousins. Is there a "Halloween" themed card kit?  Why, yes there is -- and perhaps I'll purchase that sometime in the future for another Halloween.  This time though, I am opting to use some fall-themed cards with some other coordinating cards that I already own.

Do you sense my excitement about this process?  No?  [You're kidding, right?  LOL]  Since early July, I have completed January-July 2014, November and December of 2013 [thats NINE months!] -- and, as I said, have just ordered more pictures... August-October 2013!

Here's one of my favorite random pages:

I have a kazillion other pages to show you, but taking pictures of all the pages is a process, so please bear with me.  I'll share them here and there...

I am certainly not an expert on the Project Life system, but... I'm getting the hang of it, and enjoying the process!  Pretty soon, I'll be so caught up that I won't even be able to stand myself.  Then, in all my spare time, I'll have some pretty cool scrapbooks to peruse!

I would love to hear from any of you who are on the Project Life bandwagon!

What's your best tip?

Afterthought from Sally:

In looking for something "fall" today, I came across some strips of scrapbooking paper -- about 3.5" wide. They are from cutting 12x12 sheets down for 8.5x11 scrapbook pages. {Yes, my mom and I are about the last hold-outs for those   8.5x11 albums, I think!}  Anyways, those strips are GREAT for making PL-style cards!!!  I knew that I would use them SOME day!  LOL

Okay - throwing it back to YOU.  Tips?  Anyone?