Scrapbooking On the Side: Instagram Album

As you know, I love me some Project Life. My passion for all things Becky Higgins, Project Life, or
embellishment-related (like a Studio Calico membership…more on that later) is at an all-time high.
It feels like forever since I’ve worked on my album, but May ends in just a few days, which means my pictures are prepped for printing and I’m excited to finally utilize some of my Instagram-friendly pocket pages this month.

And speaking of Instagram, Brad got me this great We R Memory Keepers Instagram album and pocket pages for my birthday and I finally got around to making my book! The inspiration is 100%% from TracyXO at The Single Girl’s Scrapbook. If you’re not reading her blog, hop to it! Her layouts (and her scrapbooking motivation) are inspiring!
A while back, she made an album focused on the IG hashtag #fromwhereIstand. I loved the idea, so much so that I began to lust after the album and wanted to make one of my own. I was ready to even go through and find any of my feet photos…but then I realized that my most used hashtag has got to be #NOTD (nails of the day). Those who know me know how much I love nail art, and I loved going through my IG feed and finding my favorite nail art.

These mini albums are adorable. When I picked mine out, I got it in one of those bundles on Amazon (where you save money by purchasing related items, in this case the photo pockets to match). There are various colors.

 
 

What I did/used:
We R Memory Keepers Instagram album
1 pack of 4x4 photo pages
1 pack of 2x2 photo pages
We R Memory Keepers IG card set in Indian Summer
4x4 photos (printed off of the Walgreens app straight from Instagram)
2x2 photos (printed via grids on PostalPix app straight from iPhone)
Fiskers Paper Cutter to separate the 2x2 photos

This project just took about 2 hours to do. Unlike my Project Life layouts, this is more photo heavy, with less journaling and even embellishments. For the first time ever, I wrote on the actual picture, something I’ve seen done multiple times but was always a little scared to do. I think this was the best way to try it.

I love the idea of doing this and having a little book that documents my nail art. This month has been pretty low-key in terms of my nails. I spent over a week with naked nails and, in fact, they are actually naked now. I truly love nail art and nail polish, but sometimes the inspiration isn’t there or my nails just need to breathe. As I get older, I know that other things will become priority over nails and so it will be nice to have something to look back on, as nail art has undoubtedly been a definitive part of my life for the last few years. Life is truly about the little things.

If you’re interested in making one of these albums, I recommended taking a look at your Instagram and seeing what types of photos/hashtags you use the most. Maybe you take photos of different coffees you’ve tried, pet photos, or whatever you love the most! Obviously, it can be random, but it’s fun to have a little book dedicated to what’s most important to you at that moment, even if it’s something seemingly silly!

P.S. While I put the album together, I took some square shots on my phone and turned it into a Flipagram.
You can check it out on my Instagram right here!

Project Life: Month Completed/On to the Next!

I have to be honest, I’m actually kind of excited that February is such a short month. As soon as I finished putting together my January PL pages, I was ready for more! It took a while for me to finally have some time to put January together after coming back from Mexico (work has been giving me a lot more hours, which is nice), but I was a machine once I sat down with everything. Here’s a peek of January!
 
 
 

And here’s the little mess I set up for February’s pages!

My collection of scrapbooking materials has grown in the last month.
Archival ink pads, a label maker, 8 different colors of archival journaling pens, and so many stamps.
The best thing about Project Life is that you don’t really need to embellish…the cards are decorative on their own.
However, adding your own flare is one of the best parts!
I have over 100 photos for February…this should be interesting.

P.S. For those of you that follow me on Facebook, you probably saw that Becky Higgins, the creator of Project Life, regrammed a photo of my nail art, inspired by the Kraft edition core kit. Such an awesome moment!

Project Life: And we’re off!!

Now that a new month has begun, that means it’s time to start constructing the first month and pages of my Project Life binder! I have been anxious (in a good and a bad way) for this time to come and it’s finally here!
I’ve talked about my preparation for this pr0ject on the blog a few times so far.
You can read about that here and here.
Pictures were printed and picked up on Saturday.
The photo pages have been opened and inserted into the book.
Now, I just have to construct it!

The first thing I did was go through all of my printed photos and date them on the back.
To change this/make this easier this month, I’ve started saving them in my PLFebruary folder with the dates on the photo. It will definitely help me tell a story of each day or week.

 

After adding all of the photo pages from the big packet, I started to go through my Sunshine Core Kit to find with cards I wanted to use for my first (and last, though I only picked a couple) page. This is the most fun, but also most stressful, part. I want the pages to flow but there are also so many different designs and colors that it’ll be hard not to throw everything in and just go crazy!

Finally, I added some photos from the first few days of the year and some notes about it. The journaling cards are filled with my general goals for the year with this project and what any reader should expect to see a lot of in the book.
(Even though it will mostly be me and my family and friends.)

This is what I’ve got so far.
I have to say, doing this is making me want to have a lot more cohesive photos for this month. I think it will be easy, especially with my trip to Mexico next week! And it will help with page construction because they literally will tell a better story. Some pages are going to have a theme, such as monthly reads and nail art.

Sidebar:
This Recollections rounded corner punch might be my best purchase of the year so far.

I don’t plan on using it for every photo, but I love the look it gives.
It also helps the book flow, since all of the cards in the kit are rounded off.
I was worried that I would screw up the photos, but this awesome tool makes it basically impossible.
If you’re in the market for one, check it out at Michaels!

Project Life: Prep Time

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m planning on doing a Project Life scrapbook this year. People do them a variety of ways…a photo a day, constructing pages per week…but I decided to do it every month. I’ve been saving photos in a folder on my computer that I’ll print out at the pharmacy (no printer to do my own, but that’s okay). Once it’s printed, I’ll figure out my layouts per page and write on the journaling cards and embellish parts I feel need a little extra kick.
I’m excited and nervous and ready for the day that I get to put it all together.
In the meantime, I’ve gathered a lot of the equipment I need to get this party started.
I thought I’d show you what I have, since it’s changed since that first post up there.

Instead of the small album I initially bought, I now have a big 12x12 binder for the entire year.
I’m still excited about the small album I purchased, which I plan on using for a more isolated topic.

 

Once the big binder was purchased, a big photo back was necessary. Design A is pretty common, but since I also take a lot of vertical photos as well as Instagram photos, I purchased these additional pocket pages that will help change up the flow of the album and make room for a variety of pictures.

 

As previously mentioned, I purchased the Sunshine Edition kit designed by Elsie & Emma. I finally opened it and went through the cards and I’m in LOVE with the designs. I also got these textured cards that were designed for the same kit to add embellishments or smaller photos to. They were super discounted so I couldn’t say no!

 
 
 

Finally, I am gathering a pretty awesome collection of decorative tape and stamps. So excited about these.
The first photo is a rounded corner punch. I love the idea of rounding off some of my pictures so that it flows with the rounded edges of the card. I don’t know if I want to do it to all the pictures or not. Still, I love it!

I can’t wait to share more once I’ve started the actual project!

Scrapbooking: In-Between and Outside

Last week, I mentioned my enthusiasm about starting a Project Life scrapbook.
It’s all I can think about, and I’ve been lucky to score a bigger binder and a 60 page photo pack (along with the Kraft Edition core kit, for the future I hope) while A.C. Moore stays open for it’s last month. The awesome thing is, a lot of the stuff ended up being “free” compared to online prices, and I think that’s ultimately what pushed me to just do it.
I’ve decided to take it one month at a time. Some people do a photo a day or scrapbook a week at a time.
I’ve been stashing my favorite photos from the month so far in a folder on my computer titled, simply, January that I will batch print at Walgreens and construct at the beginning of February. I’m worried about remembering certain details, things I want to write on the journaling cards, etc….but that’s what the photos are for. Sometimes, all it takes is a quick look to remember the feel of the moment. So I’m not too discouraged. Nervous as heck, but not discouraged.

In the meantime, a huge part of me is dying to get the ball rolling. And sure, I’m doing something by taking pictures. But I’m not constructing anything. Nothing is coming together. That’s when I found Smash book. After work on Saturday, I walked through TJ Maxx. I was looking for some cheap and cute stationary, since I’ve also decided to start corresponding with friends via snail mail. (Like…I’m doing a lot of stuff right now to stay distracted while my life sometimes feels like it’s falling apart…save that for another time.) I happened upon a ton of these cute, pre-designed scrapbooks and fell in love. I bought the Mod Design and grabbed a roll of their washi tape and some page tabs (all of it was under $10, even with the $1 I donated to charity at the end of the transaction, proving why I love TJ Maxx and Marshalls forever). The next day, I was wandering around Michael’s craft store and saw that their Smash products were on clearance! An 80 piece set (tape, a list notebook, different fun phrases and stickers to put in the book, etc.) including another book was $6. So…yeah…I needed it. I was SO EXCITED to actually be able to start doing something crafty and scrapbook-y before I started Project Life.  And yeah…I was scared, too.

Cut to today. After cleaning a great portion of my room last week, I have photos and ticket stubs and all those good things from the past several years all organized. So I grabbed everything I wanted to use, pulled out all the craft supplies I’ve gotten so far, and sat down to start a Smash book. I don’t think I could’ve done it without the help of Lorde…I listened to her album and EP 3 times through while doing it.
It’s nowhere near done, of course. I completed seven pages, but I’m proud of what I’ve done so far.
Doing it gave me a sense of accomplishment that I can’t wait to experience when doing Project Life.
At first, I had a great fear of screwing up pictures and pieces of my life that I’ve held onto for a while. Then I realized that this was way better than hiding them in bins and boxes and allowing them to collect dust.
As I got further in, I started to actually cut some photos (reassuring myself that there are copies on my computer and/or phone as well) and get a bit more creative. It was a really fun experience, and it kept my mind off of all the junk that’s been wanting to get in there because I was surrounded by all of the wonderful things I love.
Here are some photos I took while I worked:

 

When I cleaned my room, I finally put a gift Brad got me for Christmas in 2012 to use: a craft organizer.
It’s fun to open it up and see all the goodies, and I set up at the kitchen table to spread out and work.
Coffee in the cutest fox mug provided the fuel.

 
 

Finally putting ticket stubs to good use. I wrote about the little experiences that went along with the concerts or movies, if I could. Don Jon wasn’t a favorite movie, but it was the first (and only) time I ever went to the movies by myself, so it’s something I will never forget.

 
 
 

Some of the layouts. I made sure to write special memories, my thoughts and feelings, and lists of my favorite things that I’ve shared with these people. The pet page is a particular favorite. None of these dogs are mine, but I get to play with and love them…they deserve such a big space.

I’m excited about the page holders, because it will be fun to open to exactly where I’d like to be when looking back.

Basically, I’m excited I did this. It gave me the boost I needed to realize that, as long as I dedicate myself and follow-through, I can achieve this little goal of mine. It’s overwhelming and satisfying.

A New Endeavor: Project Life

Something that is on my list for 2014 is scrapbooking. In my 26 years, I have never considered scrapbooking. And, if I’m being honest, I still don’t really know if I understand scrapbooking. It’s a fancier photo album? A glorified journal with photos? I don’t know. But I intend to find out.

Not that I don’t have my moments, but I wouldn’t classify myself as crafty.
I express myself in some “artistic” ways, I guess, by writing or taking pictures of my life or even painting my nails.
It wasn’t until the last year or so that I got into scouting through craft stores and thinking of what I could do on my own to save a few bucks and make something from the heart.

Because of this lack of innate craftiness, I’m really excited to explore scrapbooking in the form of Project Life.
If you follow A Beautiful Mess, then you’ve surely heard of this.
Basically, with a few ingredients from the Project Life collection and my own photos and decorative choices, I can create a journal/photo album hybrid that will put my photos and memories to use. I love blogging and taking pictures, but I think it will be really nice to have something physical to flip through when I want to take a walk down memory lane. A lot of photos in my phone or on my computer go ignored. A lot of memories fall by the wayside because I document it (or not) on the blog. And it’s a total pain to go back through the pages. Not that I don’t do it, and I love it when I see something I forgot about, but it’s not as easy as picking up a book and flipping through it.

Lucky for me (though it is sad), a craft store nearby is closing, which means mega sales on basically everything I need (I just had to get the Sunshine Edition core kit, created by Elsie and Emma!). In fact, if it weren’t for this, I probably wouldn’t have considered doing it. It’s not like I have the funds to throw around, especially since trying a hobby for the first time doesn’t mean it will actually last. This is the perfect way to dip my toes in and, if I love it, later investments will be worth it. I may not have a ton of money, but I have plenty of time.
What a better way to use it then to record it?

Operation Organization–Part Two

Once again, I embarrass myself on this website. (Whatever, it’s real life, and I’m making improvements!)

Hello, and welcome to one of the messiest, if not the messiest, part of my room! I’ll credit the mess to my excessive shopping and extreme lack of storage. I actually had a bigger closet in my on-campus apartment in college, believe it or not. But let’s not forget the main reason I’ve let everything get so bad in the first place…laziness.

For a while, I’ve wanted a garment rack. Before this little Tupperware pile began, most of the clothes there were on what I called a “makeshift closet.” It was a wire hanger that was stretched to hang over the top of the closet door and had several other hangers hanging from it. Needless to say, it eventually stretched out, everything fell off, and I just couldn’t do it again. Off to Bed, Bath, and Beyond I went.
In addition to the garment rack, I decided to get a nice shoe rack as well. I was still utilizing one of those compartmentalized shoe holders that you hang from the closet with Velcro straps. It was okay, but it left a lot of my shoes without a home.

The end result:

I’m so glad to finally have a garment rack. It’s just a simple one that was easy to put together. But now I can display my favorite items without having them get all squished and wrinkly in the closet. Bonus: There’s more room in the closet! I also took the opportunity to get a bag of clothes and shoes ready to donate. There’s still a lot more to go through, my dresser and armoire, but at least those things are put away.
I needed to clean up the huge mess infiltrating the floor.

Ultimately, there’s a lot more work and organizational skills I could utilize to make the best out of my tiny closet space.
But I’m proud of the work I’ve done now.

I’m not sure when Part Three will commence. The next thing I’m on the hunt for is a bookshelf or some of those organizational cubes.
I need a place to display my collection of books (duh) and DVDs. Don’t worry…you’ll see that mess soon enough.

Operation Organization–Part One

Warning: The following photo is very embarrassing for me and probably disturbing for you.

Since I had Monday off, I decided to start attacking one of my little resolution/life changes – Organizing. I actually did this around the same time last year and, while I made a bit of a dent, everything fell right back into  (the wrong) place. I could blame a lot of things.
Not enough storage space. The closet’s not big enough. I don’t have time. I spend 75% of the week at Brad’s place. But the truth is…well, it’s sheer laziness that holds me back. While I may spend time at Brad’s, my bedroom is still my place. And it’s become more of a burden than a sanctuary. A place I just sleep in. There is nothing inspiring about it, cozy or comforting about it. As you can see above, I let clutter infest my life. And, while it is embarrassing to display this on the interweb for anyone to see, it needs to be seen. Because I’m a normal human. Well, scratch that. An extremely lazy human. Who needs to clean up her act, in so many ways.

After a couple of cups of coffee, I played happy tunes and set a timer for 20 minutes to see how much I could get done with this tiny but significant space of my room. I kept resetting the timer, as I was still very much in the mood to get everything done (and because 20 minutes wasn’t enough and all the stuff you see above was on my bed, a counter-productive tactic that needed to be fixed). And here’s what I did:

There’s still a lot going on here, but everything has it’s place now.
No empty medicine bottles or papers that are months old and are no longer necessary to have.

I had a lot of cute little prints and pictures that were hidden by all the junk.
Usually I would just balance them against things on my dresser, but it was time some of these things were put on display.

Same thing with my instax film. I have SO MANY PICTURES and they are just in a little pile. I need a cute place to store them.
I decided to pick out my favorite ones and display them, to give my room a more personal feel.

And now that my dresser is organized, I can show you the cute lazy susan-style nail polish holder that Brad made for me for Christmas. It is the cutest thing in the world, and the perfect way to display my favorite colors. And now I can actually spin the thing.

I’m also keeping extra nail polish and nail thingees in this cute tin I bought for $2.50 at Target. Also utilizing my Hello Kitty jewelry box (another Christmas present, from my coworker) to stash earrings and necklaces that were in the boxes they came in, all piled up.

And, last but not least, my cameras are finally back on display. They were covered with crap. The camily is back!
For now, I’ll be displaying my soon-to-be-read books at the corner of the dresser until I get a bookshelf. There were so many books, paperbacks and hardcovers, crowding the middle of the dresser. I can’t wait to pick up some things that will truly help organize my room and show off the little collections I have at the same time.

‘Til then, this is all that’s been done. But I’m proud of the little bit of progress I made, and I can’t wait to show you more!