I've been planning on really getting going & finishing my Disney World album and I had a few kits from
Britt-ish Designs and was working on 12x12 digital layouts. My biggest obstacle was time - there just isn't enough of it these days! Between work and obedience training and spending time with my family I found that all scrapbooking and card making was getting pushed to the back burner. And I really wasn't happy about that. It's the one thing that's all mine. Add to that the fact that I haven't had a vacation in 19 months and you will get the idea - I've been too busy for ME time.
So I was finally able to book a week off of work thanks to some great hardworking teenagers who are on Spring Break and could help out during the day. One of the first things I did was start looking at the Disney pictures and kits that I had, then off to
Britt-ish Designs and
Sahlin Studio to look at the Project Mouse collection that they have been working on. The more I read the more interested I got. I've seen reference to the journaling cards on other sites but I never paid attention to what Project Life really was. At the same time I sent off some of my 12x12 layouts for printing and found it is really expensive - the best price I could get here was $4.99 at Costco.
So that brought me back to Project Life. As I took a good look at it I was intrigued with the fact that I could use this system along with all the card and scrapbooking supplies that I already own (hoard!) and with my digital scrapbooking software.
I played around with a couple of 12x12 layouts in My Memories then started to price out what I would pay per page if I printed out my pictures in 4x6 and wasn't I surprised! Each Project Life protector holds the equivalent of 6 prints which I can get at Costco for $.14 each. Then the protectors are $39.99 for 60 sheets which would get me 120 scrapbook pages - so it works out to $.33 each page. When I realized that I have everything already to make my own journaling cards and fillers then I worked it out to between .89 - 1.17 and that's paying full price at Michaels here in Canada. If I use my 40% off coupons or run down to Bellingham I will save even more.
So after a quick trip to Michaels with a 20% off my entire order coupon I was ready to get started.
First I had to clean my craft room which also serves as a games room that occasionally gets used by my children and for storage.
I have make-shift cabinets and a piece of counter top for my tools - eventually we will buy proper cabinets upper and lower and add a bar fridge at the far right side. Everything got a good scrub or dusting then all the tools went back.
The table got a good wipe-down - I really wasn't impressed when I found out my 19 year old had used it for playing poker with his friends. Paper only!! Something I'm really picky about - I don't like any transfer onto my paper when I'm crafting. I love this Ikea table - $60 craigslist find.
Then I started laying out my pictures. These were the only ones that weren't digital. We bought a disposable underwater camera for Typhoon Lagoon. Great idea - I just got my daughter a digital underwater camera for her upcoming trip to the Dominican Republic - no worries about water or sand!
I laid everything out then decided not to crop any I just put them in the sleeve that had 6 4x6 pictures and will add some journalling and embellishments later this week.
I felt really good about how quick I was able to get it all laid out and since then I have sent an addition 24 pictures into Costco for printing. I used the My Memories software to put two 3x4 on some 4x6 prints and added in a journaling card too if there was space. So all I have to do tomorrow is do a bit of trimming then slide them into the protectors (I've already planned out which sheets to use) and add some paper and embellishments. I'll post more pictures tomorrow after I pick them up.
