project, life: may 2016

I'm still chugging along this year with Project Life and am so much happier (i.e. less stressed) using a monthly format! My method is to simply print twelve 3x4" photos to fill a two page spread. If they happen to all be from a single week, great. If not, no worries at all. With this set-up, a month can have only two pages (it's okay, really!) or many, many more.

These are all photos from the last week in May. The beauty here is that, it was a full week and I have far more than 12 photos I want to use. Instead of my old method of either a) weeding out or, b) creating an insert page, now I will simply use the carry over pics on the next spread.

I'm looking to use more ephemera again. The strict weekly format has me leaving a lot of things like tags, receipts and screen shots behind. There simply was not enough space! Now, space is all relative. So, here I have a screen shot of a television show my husband and I have been binge watching on Netflix, as well as a piece cut from a kiwi package.

Need some supplies for your own documenting? Use code JENBOOM in the Paper Issues shop for 20% off any order!

into the woods :: new issue!

Today, I'm sharing a pocket page for Paper Issues monthly Issue Challenge: Into the Woods. You'll find our monthly issue in our {Friends & Fans} Facebook group. April's challenge album is right here. Please post your Issue related projects in the Current Issue album. The deadline for adding your projects to the challenge album is May 1st for a chance to win a gift certificate to the Paper Issues store.

So what is Into the Woods all about? Here are a few ideas to get you started (use one or use them all). Feel free to use any product you'd like.

• Use wood veneer embellishments, wood grain papers or wood grain stamps.

• Share paper projects about camping, glamping and enjoying the outdoors.

• Use woodland animal embellishments or photos.

• Download the free Spring is Here printable, from the Paper Issues store and use one or more of the images on your project.

While there are many ways to interpret this theme, I chose to use photo from last month of our children in the woods! We have a tow path running directly behind our neighborhood which makes for some fun nature exploration. I loved the snaps I grabbed during two of our walks and wanted to highlight them in  a full page in my Project Life album.

My supplies include cards from the Project Life Everyday core kit, We R Memory Keepers Crush 6x6 paper pad, a teepee PI Paper POP, a Maggie Holmes puffy deer sticker, and some goodies from swag bags.

project life 2016 :: the beginning

Happy New Year! I am thrilled to be tarting another year of Project Life. Last year, I dabbled. Last year was a return to single pages loyouts for me. I had SO much fun exploring full 12x12 pages again. It stretched my creativity and felt good to get back to my scrapbooking "roots."

But, something was missing. I missed documenting the everyday moments. The little quirks of our three children, those phases that are so fluid at their young ages. Toys of the moment, little facial expressions. The fleeting day to day stuff. The good stuff. It's all there in photos. On Instagram. In my Momento app. That's fine. I want more.

So. 2016. Starting anew and re-dedicating myself to little pockets of memories.

I'm not even going to go by week (gasp. what did she say??) I am setting up my album with monthly dividers and am just going to add photos in, not worrying about dates. I mean, unless it's a birthday or some big event, does the actual date matter so much? "It happened in January 2016" works for me.

I chose a word to focus on this year: give. My goal is to focus on giving more to my family, to others and in my own self-care. My intentions are documented right in the front of a brand new album. A great reminder every time I open the cover to work on my pages.

I started off this album using the Project Life Everyday and Midnight Core Kit cards. The simple, graphic cards really allow my photos (just look at those little faces!) and my intentions stand out.

Cheers to 2016!
Jen