Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Documenting the Everyday

I've tried folks. Really, I have. But the truth is that my heart is just not in it.

"Not in WHAT?" you may ask...

My heart is not in the Project Life trend.

I admire the awesome spreads of industry experts and blog friends who have managed to capture a week or a month at a time in a beautiful one or two page pocket scrapbooking style spread. In fact, I drool over them and wish I were dedicated enough to be like them. And I'm a total sucker for all those 3x4 and 4x6 cards! I've spent more than I care to admit on both paper and digital project life materials! But when I sit down to try to create with this system, gathering photos, memorabilia, and trying to put it together cohesively into predefined pockets - it just feels like work to me. There is no JOY in it for me.

I've made peace with the idea that I'll never be a Project Lifer. I'm okay with it. In fact, I'm more than okay with it - because I stumbled upon a different kind of project that allows me to document the everyday in a way that is FUN for me and brings JOY to my heart.  Enter the Documented Life Project at Art to the 5th Academy. It's a moleskine weekly planner meets art journal meets project life with endless possibilities. Each week the Admins post a challenge to add to your DLP planner - just for fun!

In the past three weeks, I've combined the DLP weekly challenges with the Summer of Color color challenges to create my pages.

DLP Week 24 challenge: Use book paper
SOC Week 1 colors: yellow and aqua with a splash of hot pink


DLP Week 25 challenge: cover your flap in hearts
SOC Week 2 colors: coral and teal with a splash of white
 Since I was in Key West for most of these two weeks, the planner became a repository of bits of stuff from the trip, including pieces from my flight boarding passes and bits from travel brochures. The envelope pocket contains a large fold-out map of Key West. I cut up the bag from the "Life is Good" store where I bought my Key West souvenir (a t-shirt that does NOT say "Key West" on it!) to add to the flap page. The individual "pages" are attached to the original planner with washi tape which allows them to be folded into the planner.
This is probably the most intricate any week will be for me.

DLP Week 26 challenge: Add your favorite bible verse or quote from a book.
SOC Week 3 colors: lavender, grey, and a pop of plum
This is probably as simple as any week will be for me - no flaps or pockets, no receipts or memorabilia from the week - just a pretty art journal page and notes about what happened in my week.

Eventually I'll get comfortable enough with this system to incorporate photos too. And more detailed art journal style pages. For now I'm just feeling my way into it. And loving every bit of it!

9 comments:

scrappyjacky said...

This is lovely,Cheri....and very 'you'.....looks like you've found the perfect solution for you to document the everyday.
I have to say that while I admire other people's pages.....PL does not appeal to me at all.....maybe it would if my children were younger,I'm not sure.

Sian said...

Oh, this is so perfect for you! What an excellent find - I can't wait to see more.

I look back and think an album of a year in the lives of the kids when they were little would be a pleasure to own now; but these days PL doesn't really grab me either

Barbara Eads said...

I totally "get" why you prefer this style of PL documenting. Cheri, you are a true artist at heart. You need to be able to stamp, ink, paint, draw, etc. Those of us that are not so artistic rely on the pre-made stuff. Still, PL is too much for me on a weekly basis. The monthly format has worked for me. Even when I get behind--which happens all the time, it's pretty quick and easy to catch up. I love your journal.

Karen said...

Love this! I've been struggling with art journaling, and have been following the Documented Life Project for awhile. Just last night, I decided to give this a try, not so much for documentation but for the art journaling piece.

Melissa said...

Great job combining these two projects! Your pages look fabulous & definitely YOU - a great way to document life & have FUN in the process! I love that scripture from I Corinthians 13, too!

I'm not really into the PL type of scrapbooking either & I'm totally ok with that! My scrapbooking changes over time, so it's possible some day I'll do a PL life album, but for now I'm happy just scrapping whatever inspires me, taking lots of photos & keeping my photos & memorabilia organized & ready when I want to use it!

Abi said...

I am a PL fan but I know it totally isn't for everybody. I love what you have done here though. Such a beautiful book and your style is really shining through!

alexa said...

I am tickled pink, Cheri for I have just posted this afternoon on this very topic :). I haven't as many art-journalling pages as you have, but am using it, I think, in a similar way - and enjoying it a lot! That's a very neat idea to combine the colour challenges with the DL prompts - and I love your holiday pages from Key West. Let's keep in touch!

Maria Ontiveros said...

Good for you! I never delved in to PL because I'm intimidated by having to print photos at home in various sizes. I occasionally do week in a life and in March started using the Collect app, which has turned into a visual calendar for me. I want to get back to scrapping but just haven't found time lately.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts,
Rinda

Cheryl said...

How fun is this?! I've tried PL several times & have yet to feel "successful" at it. Love this type of documentation you're doing, but I admit that *this* intimidates me.