Documenting My Summer: Small Format Project Life

Project Life

So truth be told, I've been putting off Project Life since May. Summer for us means a severe lack of routine. With no set schedule — there are lots of crazy fun events, but also a lot of lazy downtime. The transition from normal everyday routine to summer craziness made it really hard to keep up with my Project Life album.

After letting the format stress me out and putting Project Life off for more than a month, I made a bold decision to switch my format to 8×6 inch page protectors. I'm using a Studio Calico Handbook with divided page protectors. This format is perfect for the summer because it lets me concentrate on the special occasions and events that dominate the season and lets me skip over the boring downtime.

My small solution:

I gave up on ‘weekly spreads’ and created spreads for each event. I like this format a bunch because it lets me try out different storytelling styles with each spread. Because the spreads are based on events instead of fixed time periods it’s easier to play around with the style. I was able to totally catch up in just a few nights.

Project Life

Inside Cover Page

To create the inside cover page I trimmed a 12x12 sheet down to fit inside the full 8x6 page protector and added a yellow 'summer 2013' flair to the top of the page protector.

Hello June

Simple minimalism dominated the early pages of the album. I really just wanted to get caught up, and to be totally honest -- nothing important happened but I liked the two photos at the top and I definitely needed to use the Stefon stamp.

Road Trip to Vermont

A single journaling card let me tell an overview story while I used the other pockets to focus in on some photos and the ephemera. I loved splitting the 4x4 photo up into two pocket pages. I finished up by stamping all over the spread.

K+J go to the Ballet

This spread focuses solely on the photos. Lincoln Center was such an amazing place and we had such an amazing night out that I didn't really feel the need to journal about the experience, just let all the photos tell the story.

A Mix-up Week

This was the week that Find Your Voice started! It took up the majority of my time, but I wanted to make sure that I fit in our trip to NYC for a Bronze Radio Return concert.

I am so in love with this format -- I ordered pictures to finish up the rest of the summer and I'm even debating over carrying this small format over into the fall.

Moments:

Cape May, Brooklyn, Maine, NY State, Longwood Gardens & Philadelphia -- I liked this format because it let me concentrate on the moments; and in the summer when our routine is a bit more loose, moments happen randomly and don't fit into organized weekly spreads.

Techniques:

Lots of full pocket photos and journaling cards. I added the pamphlet from the country fair with a paperclip. I kept this super simple so that I could have it finished and not let it hang over me.

Thoughts:

Love this size album. I think I'll be using it for my December Daily album this year and a couple of other projects I have in mind for older photos.

Supplies Used:

Album: Studio Calico Handbook (sold out at SC but in stock at Simon Says Stamp); PL Cards: Studio Calico kits July, August; BH Core Kits Midnight, Kraft; Stamps: Road Trip, NYC, Summer 2013, i <3 you, love this, ny's hottest club; SC states, SC travel; KP July/August; Embellishments: KP Alphabets in Teal, Red, Food Flair; Grey Airmail washi

Are you struggling with memory-keeping this summer? Consider going smaller and focusing on the fun events of the summer!

Project Life is a memory-keeping system designed by Becky Higgins, learn more at BeckyHiggins.com