Ali Edwards's Blog, page 178
May 13, 2016
Week In The Life™ 2016 | Thursday Words & Photos
Making it happen.
That's a lot of what this project is about. Making it happen and keeping going even when you face fatigue or other roadblocks along the way - or simply adjusting it to make it work for you. My days when the kids are gone are often simple and I'm cool with that.
Thursday was a good day around here. A full day of outside + work + friends.
Here's a look at my Thursday:
My parents were up and out early today because they were on East Coast time and I think they were also excited to get home to their plants at the beach.
I get it.
I was also up early because I like to get up early. I like to get up early even when the kids aren't here because it's the time of day I get the most stuff done (
which is one of the things I love about the summer season when I can start working earlier without the school driving around). This morning I tried to see if my sprinkler issue was something I could maybe, possibly fix myself (or operator error). The main issue was that the last station wouldn't turn off. I ended up calling someone to come out and fix it and they were able to do it in the afternoon so I'm back in business.
As I walked from the front yard to the backyard these guys were watching me. Intently as you can tell. I think I should probably take my harvest wreath down.
One of the bushes that surrounds my front porch is just starting to bloom. It blooms right now and then will bloom again later in the summer.
Sitting at my desk where I spent most of my day. I get it when people ask what to take photos of when they are at work all day. I just take multiple photos of me sitting in the same spot throughout the day to show the passage of time.
Thursdays are one of the days when Katie works here in the office. Our friend Kim takes care of Graham so we usually have a Thursday morning meet-up for the hand-of. Kim also watched Anna when she was this age before and after Katie was hired - she's an awesome friend and they are the family that always comes over for Halloween.
This dude is so, so smiley. He's got a whole lot of people who love him.
Then we work. Today I was working on layouts for the Read
Story Kit™ - that meant back and forth between my computer and my work table as I printed, typed journaling, and then video taped myself putting the projects together for the classroom portion of the subscription. Read will be available on the 15th.
Both cats were hanging out in the office today. Usually it's just Sam in his basket (see below) but today George took a nap on the desk too.
My work table with my tripod and camera set-up. The version I have is an older one but similar to this one:
Promaster Carbon Fiber. I use an accessory tilt arm to be able to get it in position to shoot straight down.
In his basket in the office. Most of the day until he wants some love and then he comes over and sits on my lap at my desk.
Here's what it looks like at 3pm. Not sure what's happening with my face but I was typing journaling for one of my layouts so maybe that's what my face looks like when I type.
All cleaned up for dinner with friends. One of the things that I've really learned over the last few years is the importance of friends. Super thankful for the chance to go to dinner and hang out.
Rangoon Gimlets at Sabai in Eugene. The best. Gin + basil + lemongrass + lime.
My friend Kristin. I've been really lucky to cultivate friendships with Mom's in Anna's first grade. We closed the place down.
Other things that happened that I didn't take photos of:
iChat with Cathy
two phone calls with Chris to finalize our summer schedule
the sprinkler dude
lunch of hummus + chips + watermelon
finishing the day with Aaron
SHARE A LINK TO YOUR BLOG
I'd love to have you share a link to your THURSDAY words and photos below. Please link directly to your post vs. a general blog link. In addition you're invited to come over to the free
Week In The Life™ Community Gallery & Message Board.
May 12, 2016
AE Digital Creative Team | Wild Digital Story Kit™
Happy Thursday! Today I'm sharing awesome layouts made by my
Digital Creative Team using the Wild Digital Story Kit™.
Be sure to check out our new
Creative Team Gallery where you can go to see how the team is crafting their stories using my products - including additional images from the projects we are sharing below. We'll be updating it a couple times a month.
This month the team is sharing stories they crafted using the
Wild Digital Story Kit™ which is available for a few more days (last day to start a subscription is the 14th). Remember that all subscriptions, including the digital subscription, includes a classroom with specific ideas for working with each theme.
Just a heads up again that most of my team uses the digital kit to create paper projects - meaning they print out the digital pieces and add them to paper layouts/pockets (vs. completely digital projects).
One of the things I love about reading their stories is how they take the theme and make it work for them - which has always been my goal to encourage with each and every story theme. Not everyone loves getting outside and not everyone has a wild & crazy story from growing up. I love that the team takes these words and finds a way to connect with stories from their own lives.
Hope you all have a great rest of the week and weekend.
Check out the Creative Team Gallery for more detailed photos of each members projects.
Interested in learning more about working with digtal scrapbooking products? Check out my free series on Getting Started With Digital Scrapbooking here.
Check out all my digital/printable scrapbooking supplies here.
Week In The Life™ 2016 | Wednesday Words & Photos
Welcome to Wednesday.
I'm hoping you are finding a rhythm for yourself with your own personal documentation. If you haven't, take a deep breath and come back to your reason why and/or your intention for this project.
Every other Wednesday is the transition day when the kids go to stay with Chris and Tiffany (
they stay with them until they go to school on Monday morning). In the beginning it was really, really hard. Over the years it's gotten easier and I know they are in very good hands. On Wednesday the story of my week shifts to what life is like when my kids aren't here with me. Some of you have no idea what that feels like and for others of you it is a regular part of your life.
As I mentioned previously, this isn't a sad story.
It's just a story. And it's mine. And it's okay. I'm continuing to learn to embrace my life day by day with as much joy and compassion and kindness and fun and hard work as possible.
Here's a look at my Wednesday:
Sam. This cat is crazy in the morning and then sleeps the rest of the day (most often in a basket in my office). At 5:45am or earlier he is ready for me to get up and go downstairs and fill up his bowl. He very gently pats my face with his paw and then tries to lay on my face - over and over until I get up or push him off the bed. I don't enjoy that whole interaction but I really do love this cat and am so glad he is part of our lives because the rest of the day he just hangs out.
One of the things I love about this project is the invitation and opportunity to pause and "see" the pieces that make up our lives. This morning I was about to go in and wake up Anna until I paused at her door and went back downstairs to get my camera to take this shot of what is on her door right now.
What do you see every day that you often walk right past?
Wednesdays are garbage day. I usually take it out before I take Anna to school.
Serious face but not serious mood. Getting Anna to school.
Everything was running a little late this morning. I drive Anna to school then come back to the house to pick up Simon to take him to school - this process begins at about 7:30am and I'm usually back home at my desk a little after 9am. I like driving them both separately. In the past Simon came along and for awhile we would go to a coffee shop or run an errand in the awkward amount of time between when they both start school. As he got a bit older it just made more sense to let him stay home and sleep in - especially when he was able to get himself all ready on his own. I like the individual time with each one even if it's a decent chunk of time out of my morning.
I know it won't last forever. It will change again next year when Simon starts high school at a school that is much closer than his current school.
I usually have mixed feelings on these Wednesdays as I transition from the kid schedule to my own schedule. I miss them when they aren't here but I've also gotten really good at filling the time with work (which allows me more flexibility when they are here for picking up after school), or getting together with friends, or Aaron, or working in the yard, or going to the movies, or just resting and hanging out.
Rather than heading straight home after dropping Simon off I drove to our county Developmental Disabilities Services office for our first meeting with a case manager for Simon. We are learning about the services they offer (
through age 22 for him before another re-evaluation point) including behavioral supports and respite care.
After that meeting I stopped by Aaron's house because he's been sick and we hadn't heard from him yet today. All good.
Today was a
poppy Tiek day.
I picked my parents up at the airport. They had been in Charlotte visiting my sister.
Catching up outside on the couch. George is a major fan of the new couch too.
My parents headed to the store and I headed upstairs to do a video for the next
Story Kit™ and work on my layouts for the classroom portion of the subscription.
Boyfriend Jeans from Factory JCrew + flip flops from Gap Outlet + a super old white sweater.
When my parents got back from the store it was time to make my Dad's awesome
Almac Supremo Margaritas. It's a super simple classic on-the-rocks margarita.
Salt. Yes. For dinner we BBQ'd lamb and had a salad and bread. Perfectly simple and good conversation. It's nice to have a chance to have my parents to myself without the kids here. Really it's great whenever they are here for a visit. We all love it.
On Wednesdays when the kids are gone I often start laundry right away - grabbing their baskets from their rooms and getting it done right away so that they have all their clothes cleaned by the time they get back.
In the early evening I usually walk around the yard and see what's happening and/or do some watering. My sprinklers are having an issue right now so I'm hand watering a bunch of things.
Ants are a "natural and temporary activity" with peonies. By the time they bloom most of the ants go away - I usually gently shake the flowers after cutting them before bringing them inside.
Watering my two hanging baskets on the front porch.
I love this photo as a companion to the one I took of me and the kids on the couch last night.
Bringing the outside in at the end of the day. These are the first of my peonies to bloom in the yard - my others are a much lighter pink.
The rest of my evening was filled with writing up this post and getting into bed early for a full work day tomorrow.
SHARE A LINK TO YOUR BLOG
I'd love to have you share a link to your WEDNESDAY words and photos below. Please link directly to your post vs. a general blog link. In addition you're invited to come over to the free
Week In The Life™ Community Gallery & Message Board.
May 11, 2016
Week In The Life™ 2016 | Tuesday Words & Photos
Tuesday was a blur.
It was one of those super full days that included meetings outside of the house for business and for kids. It included my phone dying while I was out and about (bad planning). It included dinner out. It included a lot of hugs.
I took a lot fewer photos today but what I did take is a pretty good representation of life right now.
Here's a look at my Tuesday:
I found her laying sideways in her bed, all curled up in her covers. She usually gets up around 6:45am.
I want to remember how easily she gets up most days and how happy she is to go to school.
Anna asked for a fruit plate and string cheese for breakfast after learning that we were out of her usual bowl of cereal. The fruit plate today included watermelon and blueberries.
Simon was already up early - around 6am - in order to get in a few video games before school. He gets himself totally ready for school now including shower & shave (yep), dressed, breakfast, etc. He knows what time he needs to leave (very punctual) and today he got his own snack bag ready (chocolate pudding, goldfish and a chocolate milk) when he could see I was distracted with something on the computer.
I want to remember how much easier and how much harder it is as they've gotten older - all in the same moment.
He asked if he could read to me from Goblet Of Fire on the way to school. The answer, of course, is always yes.
I want to remember just how much I love to connect with Simon.
After dropping off kids I got back to the house and finished up a few design files before bringing my work downstairs to the kitchen table. I needed an environmental change for reading some contracts in preparation for a meeting later in the day.
I want to remember how much I've grown over the last five years.
Next up was a 3-mile walk while listening to
the Art Of Simple podcast.
Meeting with my business attorney called for a shower and change of clothes. Shoes are from
Toms.
After that meeting I had an awkward amount of time available before picking up the kids. I headed to Target to pick up cat food.
I want to remember how photos of my feet can tell stories all their own of where I've been and what I've been up to on any given day.
Picked up both kids and headed over to a resource fair about the transition period after high school for people with disabilities. Super informative for Chris and me. Super boring for Simon and Anna.
Before we got out the car I asked if we could take a car selfie again this time around and they were up for it. These will be some of my most treasured photos in the years to come.
I want to remember this. Just this.
After the transition event we walked over to watch the high school baseball game for a few innings. Katie & Peter & Graham were there and their friend Kelsey. Simon was super stoked that his team won.
Tuesday's are the day that Simon usually rides horses but he skipped it today because of the other event.
I want to remember how fun it is to be out and about, to be a part of our larger local community.
Dinner at DQ. Some people say our local DQ is the best they have ever been to. It worked for this day/night where I'd been away from home for half the day. Simon had a hot dog. Anna had grilled cheese.
I want to remember how for years and years Simon's dessert of choice has been a small dish of chocolate ice cream. He is not swayed by anything fancy - tried and true for him please.
After we got home we watched two episodes of
The Wonder Years. We started it last weekend and they've been asking to watch it most nights. It's a nice 30 minute show option and they love it. The big brown couch is still going strong after all these years.
I want to remember how much I love just hanging out on the couch with these two goofballs.
The evening prayer is also still going strong. Both kids ask for it every night.
I want to remember to savor these moments, even when I'm so tired I can barely keep my eyes open.
Anna reading an
Amazing World Of Gumball book. She came into my office after I tucked her in to show me that the book included the MASH game (do you remember that one)?
I want to remember how much I love these kinds of shots of their rooms. I love seeing what they have on their shelves and on top of their book cases. What's the same and what's different.
Simon reading
Goblet of Fire.
I want to remember how much Simon loves to laugh. When I tucked him in he was still laughing so hard from something he'd seen on the The Wonder Years.
SHARE A LINK TO YOUR BLOG
I'd love to have you share a link to your MONDAY words and photos below. Please link directly to your post vs. a general blog link. In addition you're invited to come over to the free
Week In The Life™ Community Gallery & Message Board.
May 10, 2016
Week In The Life™ 2016 | Monday Words & Photos
As I made my way through Monday I kept thinking that I wasn't taking enough photos. When I uploaded them all I had more than enough to tell the story of this day. After doing this project for so many years I've loosened up a bit with my own personal intensity but I still want to make sure I'm getting a good bunch to choose from. One of the things I'm going for this time is a healthy mix of shots I've taken before (I love comparing from year to year) and some new ones even in the familiar spaces of my home.
Today's soundtrack: Justin Timberlake's new song Can't Stop The Feeling
General thoughts: My people are growing. Things are good around here. I love my yard. I'm so thankful to be done with April. I still love how this project invites/forces me to capture more.
Below I'm sharing my photos from the day and my thoughts/reflections to go along with them. Some reflections are emotional. Some are factual. Some include a bit of both. Some photos I'm just letting stand on their own and others are a gateway to other stories of life right now.
Remember, as with most of these kinds of projects, it's the sum of all the parts vs. any one particular day that is most magical.
Keep going. If you missed something today try to capture it in some way tomorrow.
I'm shooting with a
Canon 5DMKII with a 24-70 lens and an iPhone 6+. Any editing done to the photos is done in Photoshop using Curves and/or Levels or using RadLab.
The date circle I used on my main image above can be found here (either filled or outline):
Week In The Life™ Messy Circles
Here's a look at my Monday:
I started the shower and then looked out the window and saw the top blooms of my Japanese Snowbell tree. It's a window I look out probably every day but I rarely take photos out it. Soon there will be a blanket of white blooms in my backyard under this tree. I like how I can very faintly see my reflection in this photo.
The places we step. The textures. The painted toes. The things that need to be cleaned. The floors I've become used to.
Loving that light happens earlier at this time of year.
Do you see what I see? Anna under the table, not thrilled that I set up the camera this Monday morning to capture the two of us at breakfast. I said nothing, just took the shot and then went back to the business of breakfast and our morning routine.
Can't go wrong with a friend who shares your taste in pink + cheetah prints.
After he eats breakfast and gets himself ready he can play video games until I get back from taking Anna to school. This morning he was playing Lego Harry Potter.
He is taller than me now.
Waiting in line at Walgreens to pick up my prescriptions after dropping kids off and going through the car wash.
Someone on Instagram asked me if my eyes and body were sad when they saw this photo. My response was this "Always - but not in a bad way! All good here. I'm thankful for both the ups and the downs."
I think this is probably one of the reasons why people hesitate in taking photos of themselves and sharing them. It's a vulnerable thing. As human beings we are so rooted in stories that we immediately create stories about what we see and that can be scary/uncomfortable for people who don't want to be judged one way or the other. I was actually super happy while I was sitting here at Walgreens waiting for my prescription because I was the only one in line and the person working was quick and efficient and it was a good morning.
Just because someone isn't smiling into the camera doesn't mean that they are sad or melancholy. And I firmly believe that it's okay to be sad and melancholy and to show it and document it when you are. It is a part of all our lives and I've come to know that there is beauty in the sadness when it rises it. That's what is real - it's just as real as the joy.
George's new favorite spot.
The business of business includes check writing to my accountant and attorney.
Katie's here two days a week now and she works from home the other days. We do a lot of chatting and planning on Mondays. Today I was working on my 24th Story Kit™ designs.
Katie goes home for lunch and I go downstairs to see what I can eat. Leftover pizza for the win.
This year I planted something new: allium. I planted both a white and a purple variety. They were awesome. Loved having them in my yard for some contrast with my other plants.
Here come the peonies. So close to bursting wide open.
Paolo was here last weekend and helped me set up my new outdoor couch. This is my happy place. This and the pool. I sat out here to eat my lunch and read the paper.
Katie returns and we both work through our to-do lists. I leave at 3pm to go get Simon and attend a high-school transition meeting.
I did't take any specific photos during the meeting itself. To be honest I didn't even think about it. The process of getting to today's high-school transition meeting has been intense (much of March and April was consumed with this issue). We are so happy with the high school Simon will be attending and the program he will be in but it really took a lot to get to this point. Today he got to meet his case manager/teacher/program director (he had lots of questions for her about her movie knowledge) and ask some questions about what will happen during freshman year. We got to talk about his schedule and what classes he would start out in during the fall term. We are hoping for a smooth transition and a soft-landing for him as he begins the next phase of his education.
While I was at the meeting Katie picked up Anna and headed over to her parents who were hanging out with baby Graham. They happened to be wearing matching sweaters of course.
Home again about 5:45pm.
One of my personal goals this summer is to get really comfortable with grilling a variety of things.
Tonight it was flank steak and zucchini. Simon complained about it and then ate all of it + the roasted beets. He has come so, so far in his eating habits.
Math homework after dinner. It included me googling stuff to remember certain things or to get some vocabulary to walk him through the steps with the least amount of words. And lots of reminders to slow down and read the problem and make sure his answer passes a common sense test.
Dishes. Always.
While I edited and uploaded photos tonight Simon asked if he could read to me from
Goblet Of Fire. He twirls his hair when he reads. I've been encouraging him to read the books when he asks me questions about Harry Potter storylines telling him that he will learn so much more if he reads the books (he's read the first two all the way through and has picked up the others now and again). Anna hung out on the pink couch until it was time for her to get in bed.
A first around here for the few minutes that both cats sat next to each other on my desk. It was short-lived but lovely while it lasted.
I stopped taking photos at this point while the kids were here in the office and I was working on this post. My week will even out with evening shots on the coming days.
SHARE A LINK TO YOUR BLOG
I'd love to have you share a link to your MONDAY words and photos below. Please link directly to your post vs. a general blog link. In addition you're invited to come over to the free
Week In The Life™ Community Gallery & Message Board.
May 9, 2016
Week In The Life™ 2016 | Ready, Set, Go
Today's the day.
Say hello to your in-depth opportunity to be an observer of your life. Look for the stories. Look for the rhythms. Look for the routines. Look for what brings you the most joy. Look for the spaces you are currently being challenged (how can you embrace, learn, grow, accept, expand, open, move forward). Look for the little things that are evidence of your existence.
The truth, my friends, is that we never know when our "everyday" will change. Capture what it is real for you right now. I have no idea what is in store for me this week beyond what I know is on my calendar - that places I need to be, the things I need to do. The gift I give myself are the photos that capture the pieces of my life this week.
Remember, it's not about the sheer number of photos you take but the photos that can be used to illustrate your story.
You can do this. Have fun with it. I'll be back tomorrow with photos and stories from my day.
May 7, 2016
Thoughts On Week In The Life™ 2016 | Getting Ready
On Monday (
or starting on Sunday) many of you will join me in embarking on documenting a week in your very own life. A week that will include highs and lows. A week that will include meals and work and people and emotions. A week that will include the regular stuff of life and little surprises along the way. A week of your life as it exists right now.
Week In The Life™ isn't about taking a photo of every single thing in your life for seven days in a row. You could totally do that if you wanted to - strap a GoPro to your head and go for it. Taking that many photos just creates a new problem for many people - how in the heck do you use all those photos? Find your own rhythm with your photos. I always end up taking more at the beginning of the week and less at the end - it's just how it goes for me and I'm okay with that.
Week In The Life™ is about looking for the patterns and stories via the lens of your camera and the words you write down. Look for stories as you carry your camera around. What are the things that make up the piece of your life?
When I first started
Week In The Life™ I focused quite a bit on making sure I wrote stuff down throughout the day. The last few years I've written less during the day and more in the evening at the end of the day as I reflect back on what's happened and looked through my photos to post on my blog. As I look through the photos from my day stories I might not have really seen become visible - things that might be beyond the surface. Again, I'm looking for routines, for rhythms, for patterns, and for the pieces that make my life mine.
My goal, as always, is to capture, via words and photos, the season of my life right now. Not your season, not my parents season, not my kids season (even though that is a part of the story) -
mine. We, you and me, are the main characters in our stories. Remember that as you go about your week.
You can do this.
As I mentioned recently in another post, I chose this particular week this year because I would have the kids for a portion of the week. In all my past albums I've chosen dates when my kids were here but that's the not full story of my life. This year I want to tell more of the other story - the story of what it's like when they aren't here with me. Please know that this is not a sad story - it's just a piece of my whole story (which is my One Little Word® for this year and feels fully appropriate). I'm excited to document this piece in this way.
My hope is to capture the things in my life that bring me joy and make me me outside of my role as Mom.
You can read my 2015 intention here for a different perspective on what I was looking to document last year.
1. SET AN INTENTION AND/OR HAVE A REASON WHY // What do you want to focus on this year? What is your reason for doing this project this time around? What are you most excited about capturing? Why are you taking time out of your precious life to make this project a priority? Write it down somewhere you can see it as a reminder to yourself.
2. NARROW YOUR FOCUS // After you figure out your reason why, consider narrowing your focus. For some people the concept of documenting a week is just too broad and the broadness holds them back from doing anything at all. In the Week In The Life™ Facebook Group one of the community members (Carolyn) is doing six photos from six different themes each day (family, play, everyday, nature, enjoy, work). For me, I want my focus to be more broad but if that idea helps you get a handle on this project then run with it. As with all the projects I embark on I encourage you to make it work for you. Keep in mind that narrowing your focus might just mean getting clear on your intention for this project.
3. REVIEW PAST WITL PROJECTS // Even just flipping though them will remind you what you loved, didn't love and what you want to do the same or different this time.
4. IF YOU ORDERED THE KIT, OPEN IT UP // I took some time today to open up the kit packages, look through the cards and get my page protectors in order. This helps me think a bit in advance about how things will flow within the album even before the week begins.
5. TAKE IT DOWN A NOTCH // Don't worry about how many or how your living room looks or what kind of camera you have or whether you stay at home or go to work every day or on and on. Use what you have right now to capture your life right now. No stress, just documentation.
6. DOWNLOAD THE DAILY SHEETS // People have been using these for a number of years now to help document the days. They are a great starting point for learning how to write stuff down over the course of the week and then the content can be transferred to your album later.
Download the 6x8 version here. Download the 8.5x11 version here.
7. GET YOURSELF IN THE STORY // You are the main character in this story and your story is worth telling. This project is an awesome opportunity to play with self-portraits using the timer on your camera (iPhone, DSLR, etc). Use this as an opportunity to practice getting yourself in the story - either by making it happen for yourself or by asking others to take photos of you as well.
8. PURCHASE A LAYERED TEMPLATE SET AND/OR WORD ART // For those of you who are digital or a combination of digital and physical don't forget to check out the new layered template sets and word art that became available last week. I'll be using the 6x8 set as the base for my opening and closing page each day.
Week In The Life™ 6x8 Layered Template Set No. 3 (also available in 8.5x11 and 4x6)
Week In The Life™ Messy Circles Filled (also available in an outline version) - this includes the entire month of May in case you are doing different days than me
Here's some past posts I've written to get you in the mood - they really get to the heart of the matter:
Week In The Life™ Photo Tips Our Days Are Built With Stories What Stories Will You Tell Check out all my past Week In The Life™ posts via my archive here. Past "Getting Ready" Posts: 2015, 2014, 2013 (there are more that you can access via the archives if you want to go back farther - I personally think the more recent ones are more valuable)
On Monday morning I'll share a ready, set, go post and then on each of the following seven days I'll share my personal photos and words here on my blog. In the following weeks I'll share how I use the Week In The Life™ kit + the digital supplies to bring my words and photos together with intentional embellishments.
My friends, you can do this.
Thoughts On Week In The Life™ | Getting Ready
On Monday (
or starting on Sunday) many of you will join me in embarking on documenting a week in your very own life. A week that will include highs and lows. A week that will include meals and work and people and emotions. A week that will include the regular stuff of life and little surprises along the way. A week of your life as it exists right now.
Week In The Life™ isn't about taking a photo of every single thing in your life for seven days in a row. You could totally do that if you wanted to - strap a GoPro to your head and go for it. Taking that many photos just creates a new problem for many people - how in the heck do you use all those photos? Find your own rhythm with your photos. I always end up taking more at the beginning of the week and less at the end - it's just how it goes for me and I'm okay with that.
Week In The Life™ is about looking for the patterns and stories via the lens of your camera and the words you write down. Look for stories as you carry your camera around. What are the things that make up the piece of your life?
When I first started
Week In The Life™ I focused quite a bit on making sure I wrote stuff down throughout the day. The last few years I've written less during the day and more in the evening at the end of the day as I reflect back on what's happened and looked through my photos to post on my blog. As I look through the photos from my day stories I might not have really seen become visible - things that might be beyond the surface. Again, I'm looking for routines, for rhythms, for patterns, and for the pieces that make my life mine.
My goal, as always, is to capture, via words and photos, the season of my life right now. Not your season, not my parents season, not my kids season (even though that is a part of the story) -
mine. We, you and me, are the main characters in our stories. Remember that as you go about your week.
You can do this.
As I mentioned recently in another post, I chose this particular week this year because I would have the kids for a portion of the week. In all my past albums I've chosen dates when my kids were here but that's the not full story of my life. This year I want to tell more of the other story - the story of what it's like when they aren't here with me. Please know that this is not a sad story - it's just a piece of my whole story (which is my One Little Word® for this year and feels fully appropriate). I'm excited to document this piece in this way.
My hope is to capture the things in my life that bring me joy and make me me outside of my role as Mom.
You can read my 2015 intention here for a different perspective on what I was looking to document last year.
1. SET AN INTENTION AND/OR HAVE A REASON WHY // What do you want to focus on this year? What is your reason for doing this project this time around? What are you most excited about capturing? Why are you taking time out of your precious life to make this project a priority? Write it down somewhere you can see it as a reminder to yourself.
2. NARROW YOUR FOCUS // After you figure out your reason why, consider narrowing your focus. For some people the concept of documenting a week is just too broad and the broadness holds them back from doing anything at all. In the Week In The Life™ Facebook Group one of the community members (Carolyn) is doing six photos from six different themes each day (family, play, everyday, nature, enjoy, work). For me, I want my focus to be more broad but if that idea helps you get a handle on this project then run with it. As with all the projects I embark on I encourage you to make it work for you. Keep in mind that narrowing your focus might just mean getting clear on your intention for this project.
3. REVIEW PAST WITL PROJECTS // Even just flipping though them will remind you what you loved, didn't love and what you want to do the same or different this time.
4. IF YOU ORDERED THE KIT, OPEN IT UP // I took some time today to open up the kit packages, look through the cards and get my page protectors in order. This helps me think a bit in advance about how things will flow within the album even before the week begins.
5. TAKE IT DOWN A NOTCH // Don't worry about how many or how your living room looks or what kind of camera you have or whether you stay at home or go to work every day or on and on. Use what you have right now to capture your life right now. No stress, just documentation.
6. DOWNLOAD THE DAILY SHEETS // People have been using these for a number of years now to help document the days. They are a great starting point for learning how to write stuff down over the course of the week and then the content can be transferred to your album later.
Download the 6x8 version here.
Download the 8.5x11 version here.
7. GET YOURSELF IN THE STORY // You are the main character in this story and your story is worth telling. This project is an awesome opportunity to play with self-portraits using the timer on your camera (iPhone, DSLR, etc). Use this as an opportunity to practice getting yourself in the story - either by making it happen for yourself or by asking others to take photos of you as well.
8. PURCHASE A LAYERED TEMPLATE SET AND/OR WORD ART // For those of you who are digital or a combination of digital and physical don't forget to check out the new layered template sets and word art that became available last week. I'll be using the 6x8 set as the base for my opening and closing page each day.
Week In The Life™ 6x8 Layered Template Set No. 3 (also available in 8.5x11 and 4x6)
Week In The Life™ Messy Circles Filled (also available in an outline version) - this includes the entire month of May in case you are doing different days than me
Here's some past posts I've written to get you in the mood - they really get to the heart of the matter:
Week In The Life™ Photo Tips
Our Days Are Built With Stories
What Stories Will You Tell
Check out all my past Week In The Life™ posts via my archive here.
Past "Getting Ready" Posts: 2015, 2014, 2013 (there are more that you can access via the archives if you want to go back farther - I personally think the more recent ones are more valuable)
On Monday morning I'll share a ready, set, go post and then on each of the following seven days I'll share my personal photos and words here on my blog. In the following weeks I'll share how I use the Week In The Life™ kit + the digital supplies to bring my words and photos together with intentional embellishments.
My friends, you can do this.
May 6, 2016
Project Life® 2016 | Week Fourteen
Ah, repetition. I love you.
Playing a bit of catch up and keeping it simple by focusing on the words + photos and setting myself up for success with one single design for my journaling cards repeated for each day of the week. It seriously makes it so easy to get the spread done and the story told.
The products I used in this spread are my Highlighted Products Of The Month and are available for free shipping/$2 international when purchased before 5/11/16 at 11:59PM EST. Check out my recent newsletter for all the details.
Here's a look a Week Fourteen:
I'm telling you, I really do love creating a series of cards like this and then just filling in the stories. Simple and easy and consistent and I love how it all works together.
You'll also probably notice that I only added one thing on top of any of the photos (a stamp from the Wild Story Kit™) - I like including spreads like this in my overall album as well.
Small Manila Tags + Sans Serif Alpha stamp set + Stories Washi Tape + Black Staz On + rolling date stamp + white cardstock = super easy way to create homes for your stories.
Mixed Alpha Stamp + Black Staz On + rolling date stamp + a bit of Anna's writing = super simple title card.
I seriously love how that card turned out. I'm a long time fan of black + white and a very small bit of color.
Print those photos + get them in the pockets + create a series of cards + add words = life documentation.
SUPPLIESMixed Alpha StampSans Serif Alpha stamp setStories Washi TapeSmall Manila TagsBlack Staz Onrolling date stampAED SlickWriter PenAED Precision Pen
May 5, 2016
May Digital Release | Week In The Life™
Happy May!
In February we announced that we were changing up the way we release digital products from weekly to monthly. This month we are releasing 6 brand new products geared towards Week In The Life™ and over 50 Classic AE products from my past collection previously offered at Designer Digitals (Classic AE products are designated with a grey box around the product preview and have their own category here).
Click here to see all new products added as part of the
May Digital Release. We also created a new category in the digital section of our shop that includes all the new (excluding the Classic AE) products for the last couple months.
Week In The Life™ 6x8 Layered Templates Vol. 3 Week In The Life™ 8.5x11 Layered Templates Vol. 3 Stories Of Life 3x8 Layered Templates This Is/Was Days Of The Week
Week In The Life™ Messy Circles 2016 Week In The Life™ Messy Circles Filled
If you are looking for more information on Getting Started With Digital Scrapbooking check out my free series of posts
here.
We have over 50 new Classic AE products in the shop this month focusing on Week In The Life™, days of the week, mothers/mother's day, graduation and everyday memory keeping products.
Thanks for your support and here's to telling more stories together!
