Nathalie's Notes

{Project Life: week 20}

It’s crazy to think the half-year mark is creepin’. I was delighted to see that people are still going strong on their Project Life projects, and even those who aren’t are still interested and supportive! I love it when I stop posting about something and get emails encouraging me to bring it back. Thank you.

Friends, here is week 20 of 2012:

As always, apologies for the poor quality photos. I still haven’t figured out how to get these shots looking better.

You can click on the images to enlarge them for a closer peek.

{Project Life: week 20}

Week 20 , left side

Week 20, right side

Week 20: notes

Monday: Sam saying grace at dinner and I included the words in the journaling card because it seems like one of those things I’ll never forget but … just in case I’ve got it down.

Tuesday: Sam being his goofy, creative self playing the part of Super Grover 2.0 which includes a (random) costume, designed by him. It also includes stuffing his boots full of the “tools” he needs so I got a close up of that for one of the smaller pockets. Wednesday: we ate at Jem 100 in Newberg for the first time (how have we missed this awesome place all these years?!?). Inside the card I added journaling about our experience there and how fun it is to be getting “good” at using coupons. Thursday: pic is the kids including bff’s Ella and Addie in the backseat and some journaling on missing our old neighborhood. Friday: Sam got his sticker from the fire department because the week before they had to leave early and respond to the fire at Woodburn High School. I included a photo from the news because I thought that was an interesting, unusual way for Firefighter Day to end!

Saturday: This one was hard to write because I wasn’t super proud of it. It was Armed Forces Day and I wrote about how easy it is to be supportive of what other families sacrifice. But when I think about it being my sons … not so much. I literally almost barfed on this kind man’s shoes when he pointed out the someday my boys would be in uniform.

I also included the little card that came with our Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University kit to document our journey toward that end. (It is awesome! And hard!)

Finally, I wrapped up the week using my favorite Cathy Zielske journaling card:

To learn more about the awesomeness that is Project Life created by the brilliant Becky Higgins click here. To see more of my Project Life posts click here. 

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{Project Life: week 17}

 

And then nine weeks happened. I think I should rename this Project Life Goes On because I have managed to keep taking pictures and notes on the ordinary and extraordinary highs, lows and mediocre meanderings of our days.

And because, no matter what, life does go on and there is always something to be thankful for. Project Life (goes on) is one of the things I am so very grateful for, so here is week 17 and I will post weeks 9-16 later.

Title card: I was inspired by Maria to dress this card up – it’s one of my least favorites in the kit but when I saw her cute, simple addition I changed my mind and used it for the first time this year. I don’t love how the “week #17” turned out … but whatever.

(You can click on each picture to enlarge it and take a closer peek).

{Week 17: left side}

{Week 17: right side}

{Week 18 in progress}

Notes: I use a lot of index cards around here ala Anne Lamott. I’ve started recycling the backs of them in place of Post-its and write my ideas for journaling or pics I took, or want to take … my current Project Life hack is to tuck the days of the week stickers in the next week’s pocket so it’s right there as I’m popping pictures in the pockets. Not having those stickers immediately accessible was a small thing creating a big block in progress. Your block is probably different than mine but can likely be fixed with a tweak in your thinking, process or expectations.

This week I was inspired by Maria at Crazy Lovely Madhouse and by Christine Newman at My Scrapbook Art – Home is where the art is …

I love what Maria said about the Project Life honeymoon seemingly being over. It’s not that I lost my enthusiasm personally but I hit a rhythm and stopped seeking out the inspiration and ideas of others in the PL community. Their posts inspired me to share again and that makes me happy!

To see all my other Project Life posts click here and here.

Snapshots

One of the things I like so much about Project Life is  that I take random pictures like this thinking it’s just a quick snapshot of today. But this little snapshot says so much … Jake longs to go to school with his big brother and more and more wants to be able to do what he does, hence his own “bucket” full of a few of his favorite things. He carries it all the way to drop Sam off, all the way back home and then back and forth again for pick up. This snapshot represents exactly where we are right now, which seems to change in a blink.

Soon enough, Jake will have his own “real” school bucket and these moments we have alone together will be a fond memory. I like that this project encourages me to appreciate those things as I’m living them.

In this shot, you see how we roll … racing … always racing. And how I parent … you can carry your coat or wear it …

Missing socks (and other things)

Project Lie.

Whoops. I didn’t mean to write that. Freudian slip much?

I’ve been working on finding the right words to follow up my abrupt cyber silence.

There just aren’t any … so I’ll simply tell the truth and trust you to be as kind as possible to all parties involved.

I suppose long time readers of this blog could see this coming before I did. While it does not come as a complete surprise it is still a shock to share with you that at this time my husband and I are separated.

I was waiting to say anything until I heard through the grapevine that he was sharing the news with people as he is an intensely private person. (Just one of many things we don’t have in common).

I also don’t know where this separation will lead us … only that it is a relief to have stopped trying so hard and pretending that all is well behind our white picket fence.

I wrote about our unraveling last September. And I can’t explain it better now than I did then. Except to say we’ve traveled farther down the path and in the wrong direction and are currently on distinctly different roads. We might find the intersection of us again. And, we might not.

This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done.

I appreciate your support and kindness toward our family, fractured as it may be.

I am, obviously, working on a new path since being a write-from-home mama might not be a viable option any longer. Unless I have a reader who’s been longing to be a benefactor?! I would totally dedicate one of my books to you!

I am sorry to those who feel it’s selling out to monetize this blog, and I hope not to lose readers but at the moment I have to do what I can to make the best of what I have. I love writing this blog and ask that those of you who shop on Amazon please consider shopping through the link on this page because as an Amazon Affiliate I get some credit with each purchase linked from here. Thank you.

{Project Life: week 8}

{Project Life: week 8}

Week 8 , left side

Week 8, right side

Week 8 insert

Notes:

I am behind on my inserts for the year. Not that I have to have them but I want to. I intend to. Last year when I started to get behind I stayed there. This year I’m letting myself move forward with the day-to-day parts of the project even though  I’m not completely finished with the week.

 

Some journaling close-ups.

 

In other news, I’m getting all organized up in here:

I saw this new Martha Stewart home office collection at Staples a few weeks ago but didn’t to go crazy getting supplies I didn’t have a specific purpose for. (See, how I’ve changed!) 

I’ve been searching for my ideal blog/website planner and finally realized I was going to need to create it myself to match the idea in my head. And, with that, I had the perfect reason to get this sweet  mini binder. It also means I have a place to track my post ideas and for future planning. And, a place to tuck away your questions and ideas for future posts. I love hearing what you want to read more of, what  is helpful and/or interesting to you. That kind of feedback is awesome, please keep it coming!

 

To read all of my Project Life posts click here. 

{Project Life: week seven}

{Remember you can click on the photos to get a closer peek!}

Apologies to those who don’t dig them, but here’s my newest Project Life layout. Week seven already?!

Also, promises for some non-scrappy stuff to come. Lots in my draft folders including stuff for dudes who think chivalry ends at the wedding ceremony, my birth story and adoption FAQ’s – last call for any questions you’d like to see addressed in that post. And, oh yeah writerly stuff!

In week 5 I went off the path with my title card and decided to go crazy this week by creating my own out of these old office ledgers I picked up at a a garage sale last summer. (I {heart} office supplies!) Again, such a small thing with a big return = makes me smile every time I see it. It’s missing something in that blank spot so someday I’ll come back and add to it. Or not. Ideas?

Week 7: left side

Week 7: right side

Week 7: insert (front and back)

Last year I sewed all of Sam’s valentine’s together in my first scrapbook sewing adventure detailed here but he wanted to be able to pull them out and look at them so this year I took a page out of Ali’s book and used baseball card-style protectors. 

Week 7: Details and Data

Love this idea from Cathy Zielske to do a week in review card using one of her templates. The first time I used one of her templates this I didn’t love how it looked as a printed, glossy picture. I love it printed on textured cardstock. I don’t know if I could buy a digital version of Bazzill white cardstock? And then print it matte? Anyway .. this card is a cool way to record the little things that don’t make it into a picture or journaling card for the week. (Click on the one below to see what I mean).

 

Just some journaling close ups:

And these tiny details, the labels from veggies, where fun to pull out of my memorabilia file for the month and simply staple to the pictures … that post on memorabilia is still in the works as promised here.

If you’re interested, you should totally jump on the Project Life bandwagon! It is NOT too late and it is designed for everyone – no matter what kind of life you do – or don’t –have! Flash forward way into your future … wouldn’t it be fun to have something like this to read in the nursing home?! Even if you don’t remember it as YOUR story, you’d have a lovely record of life unfolding in your lap … just think about it. And if your heart says “yes” jump in!

{Project Life: week six}

Same as week five.

{Project Life: week five}

Some day I’ll finish week five and six … meanwhile here’s my place holder:

(Remember, you can click on the pictures to peek a bit closer.) This is the first title card I’ve embellished, such a small thing, but I love it. I also like how the kids’ “wings” look pinned to the page.

 

My Process for {Project Life}, as promised

While most posts are for any and all regardless of theme, this one is pretty specifically geared for people participating in, or curious about, Project Life. Okay, perhaps there’s a tidbit or two on creativity in general … but you’ve been warned.

1 – Focus on the core

I took my journaling cards out of their (adorable boxes), matched them by type and organized them like this to make it easy to see them as I’m flipping through. Stickers in the back, title cards in the front, journaling filler cards in the left side. (I think it came this way?) The blank cards with the grids is in The Drawer which I forgot to snap a picture of before leaving. I’ll try to remember that next week!

My core kit stays together, and accessible. I keep it on a shelf to the right of my desk. Covered so as not to tempt little hands but again, easy to grab during those rare but lovely moments when the kids are content, dinner’s figured out and the house is picked up. Or, way more likely, after the kids are down for the night and before I get on the dishes. Why? Because if I do all my “chores” first, I’ll never get to play. I happen to have a personal rule that I will not go to bed until the sink is cleaned out and the kitchen is clean so I know I’ll stay up to make that happen and I don’t have to feel inspired to do dishes. However, if I wait until later to start my journaling cards or uploading pictures, etc., later won’t happen. Plus, once I’ve taken some time to do something I enjoy like working on my album, picking rice off of every flat surface isn’t such drudgery.

2 – Organized picture files.

Here’s a screen shot of my file for Project Life 2012. (Double click to make it bigger). I upload pictures from my camera card into a general “Pictures- 2012” file where I can sort them by date. First, though, I quickly go through them, delete the bad shots and pick the ones I’m using for this week. Easy to do because I upload every couple days or so to make it a 5-10 minute project (If I’m going to mess with Photo Shop at all). Last year one of my biggest obstacles was waiting too long to upload pictures and then it became overwhelming. I move the ordered pictures into the right folder and the ones just for my blog into the other folder. That way any pictures visible when I click on this folder are ready to upload and order next time I’m going to Fred Meyer. I love buying them a few at a time! (Thank you Amy for the idea!)

3 – Small, steady steps

To avoid project burnout, and to make this something that energizes rather than drains me, I’ve broken my process into bite-sized chunks I can do in moments instead of hours. I don’t have hours to spend on this. I do, however, have lots of minutes here and there. My little monthly Moleskine as memory triggers for when I have some time to fill out my journaling cards which I’m keeping simple by primarily handwriting them. My pictures are uploaded a couple days at a time, uploaded a few at a time and printed in super small batches I pick up at the grocery store. Easy.

The whole “putting it all together” process takes me about 20 minutes to half an hour if I haven’t stuck the day of the week stickers on in advance. I pick the week’s title card that seems to “go” with the week – totally arbitrary yet it makes sense to me. Then, I select coordinating cards if there are any left to add, fill in any missing details and add stickers as needed.

4 – Memorabilia

So this seems to be worthy of it’s own post. I’m working on it. Meanwhile, I’ll just say it’s part of my process to check my Memorabilia box, sorted by date – will post pictures and directions soon – to get all the bits and pieces I want included in my book.

5 – One week at a time

That sums it up nicely. Monday to Sunday captured in pictures and words, random memories, things overheard and the scraps of our life.

Next week: rinse and repeat.

{Project Life: week four}

  

I had fun putting this week together despite the snot, puke and packing. (See my “This week in Google” journaling card below). I knew I would be doing an individual spread of our trip to Florida to visit my parents so it was important to me to wrap up week four before leaving. An example of addressing my former paralysis by perfection: I went ahead and left the weekend out so I could finish. Gasp. Again, I knew the weekend would be plenty covered in our plane photos and memorabilia. Some of the best photos of meltdowns and the stares as my two-year-old yelled “OH DAMMIT” in a crowded plane I didn’t catch on camera, but I trust the memories will stick with me. Plus, I couldn’t take a picture of the very kid I was pretending not to know!

{Remember, you can click on the images to get a closer peek at the journaling, etc. Oh, and to learn more about Project Life and Becky Higgins’ awesomeness click here.}

 

Yeah, totally messed up that little “to” word. Whatever. Love that I finally have a way I like to note the week number.

Loved capturing the boys doing their thing this week.

Loved using the arrow stickers to highlight key details  like the “proof” that Sam was really sick. In addition to the pale face and puke bucket, he didn’t eat his Cliff bar.

My “this week in Google” feature is totally a favorite. This week highlights the underbelly of motherhood.

Loved using this “mental picture” in place of one not taken. There are some things you simply can’t capture on camera.

And this … well, it’s priceless. The arrows point to all places Jake scribbled on in a relatively short amount of time. I added the letters in the Photoshop program I’m still hacking my way through.

I promise I’ll post that organizing stuff soon. Happy to take questions to add to the post-in-progress either in the comments or by email, nathalie AT nathaliesnotes DOT com.