How to print 3×3 and 3×4 images for Project Life

Printing images for my Project Life album often takes the most time – especially if I am playing catch up. I like to edit and print in bulk and scrap a few layouts at a time. I used to print using my Canon Selpy, but it was working out expensive. I like to use that printer for mini projects (such as Day in the Life) or if I am totally up to date on the album.

So for most of this year, I have been printing in bulk. I edit the 3×4 images into a 6×4 images, and the 3×3’s into a 9×6 picture to print off in store.

Here is a tutorial on how I use Photoshop to collate my 3×4 and 3×3 images ready for printing:

October 2017 finished spreads:

How do you print your images?

Pregnancy and Birth Project Life album page layouts

Pregnancy. What a journey. When I found out I was pregnant, the documenter in me had all the great intentions of doing a Project Life/ pocket page/ scrapbook album dedicated to my 9 months, full of the developments, emotions, ups and downs. In reality  –  The first 3 months I spent napping, the middle 3 I spent fully enjoying life, the last 3 I spent researching and purchasing all the items a little person needs – Not leaving much time for that extra documenting.

When I played catch  up on my 2017 Project Life album, I just included all the little things I wanted to when they occurred week by week instead of a separate album. I had a great pregnancy, no cravings, no sickness so felt there was little to document except my growing bump. I took a ‘proper’ photo every month which I still need to sort and put into an album, but the more natural or selfie pictures fit nicely in my PL album.

There wasn’t much inspiration out there, I had a look on forums and on Pinterest, but there was little that was my style, or it was all old fashioned scrapbook layouts, so I just winged it in my own way!

This video looks at my last few weeks of pregnancy and the birth, walk thing through how I incorporated the photos within my pocket page spreads in my 2017 Project Life album using July Studio Calico kit and Lollipop Guild pregnancy cards.

Cards mentioned:
LOLLIPOP GUILD PREGNANCY JOURNAL CARDS from Studio Calico (now in download only) available here

What did you do to document your pregnancy or birth? I’d love to hear in the comments!

 

 

Project Life Plans for 2018

2017 was a big year, a new baby girl, two holidays; and that called for another large 9×12 album. This year, I’m going back to a smaller, simpler and slightly less time consuming 8×6 approach. I’m still completing my 2017 album (only 3 months left to go!) Mostly due to lack of time to complete a layout, I’d sit down with all good intentions, but something (or someone small) usually stopped me completing, then the amount of photos I took of baby girl when she was born, was overwhelming. I am still using the Studio Calico documenter kits – I find them fun, easy and generally my kinda style. I seriously contemplated cancelling my kit subscription this year –  I have so much left over kit items I could use to make up weekly spreads, but I like the ease of the kits. I may look at other kit subscriptions later on in the year for a change, if you have any suggestions I’d love to hear them!

There are 3 main reasons I’ve gone back to an 8×6 album this year:

1. 9×12 pocket pages are really hard to get hold of in the UK, they lurk around the search engines, but are usually out of stock. I never remember to add them to an order from SC during bundling, and it makes postage expensive.
2. Lack of photos – sometimes. Some weeks I have very few photos, or they are all of the same little person pulling a slightly different expression. I felt the need to include all those images in my 2017 catch up, but I need to learn to let go a little and just choose the best ones that tell a specific story for that week, wether this works or not remains to be seen when I start the album.
3. Time  – I’ll be back at work soon, I have no idea how I am going to juggle my full time job, lesson planning, marking, child care, cooking, house work etc etc… so my PL album will need to be quick and easy if I have any hope of keeping up to date(ish)

So what will change?

• Album size
• Mind set on completing layouts, not worrying if they are a work of creative genius
• More process videos (hopefully!)

What will stay the same?

• Studio Calico documenter kit subscription.

 

Project Life Layout Process

Playing catch up, working on August 2017, thought I’d share my process using 3×3 and 3×4 photos and Studio Calico documenter kit.

 

The story of the last 6 months

So i’ve been away for a little while – it wasn’t intentional. I haven’t done a project life layout since May (and that was March’s layout) Oops. So it’s fair to say i’m a little behind with my album. As always!

This is the main reason why:

Maddison – 3 months old

I was overwhelmed by all the photos I had – over 800 pictures within the first week of her been born. So I put off going through them expect for the odd social media post. I was asking myself – how will i fit all these into my usual PL album? – the answer is I won’t! Should I do album just of her? Well I can’t manage my main album, let alone two – but that’s still in the ideas book.

I plan on spending the next few days planning some layouts and just getting photos printed so I can get them into the album. I might finish 2017 before the start of the 2018 album…maybe!

Friday – Week In The Life

The stories behind Fridays pictures

9:15am:

Telling the story of how nowadays it’s much for common for to do something with my hair. Pregnancy has its perks and my hair is currently one of them, its much more manageable, so i straighten in most days for work, today I though i’d try the wavy look.

9:55am:

The story of how if one of us is sitting at the computer desk, Dexter will always want to jump up. He loves leaning over and having a look out the window at the trees.

11am:

The story of taking Dexter to the vets for his check up after his operation. I enjoyed a good sing along to Bruno Mars on the way.
The vet said he was a very good boy and he is healing nicely.

1:45pm:

I sat down do to some marking, usually I sit at the table, but I really felt like I needed to put my feet up. I was reading my Year 12’s TV drama scripts.

The story of a 30 week bump.

3:15pm:

A healthy snack to keep me going, I used to able to eat any kind of apple, now only Pink Lady will do.

9:30pm:

There is nothing like getting into a clean cosy bed.

Week In The Life – Thursday

I am enjoying this years Week In The Life project so far, but I feel it can be hard to find stories to tell when I’m off work on the school holidays, the days are filled with very similar, routine things, but I guess it’s the little stories that I will forget and appreciate when I look back.

Today I wanted to try and use the ‘ing’ prompt to encourage some stories.

9:15am:

Eating//
I usually have Muesli every day when I’m at work, so it was nice to have a bowl full with an episode of Frasier.

10:00am:

Watching//
Dexter was still asleep recovering well from yesterday so I sat and watched the new episode of Pretty Little Liars. I admit i’ve pretty much lost the plot of the show and think i stopped caring who AD actually is half a season ago – but I’ll still watch till the end.

11:10am:

Doing//
Changing the bed and putting on the washing

13:50pm:

Drinking//
Decaf tea is generally my only option nowadays – I have the odd real cup of tea/ coffee first thing in a morning, but i’m used to the decaf now and doubt I’d be able to tell the difference. Bump is getting bigger, at 30 weeks, its getting harder to see my feet.

13:55pm:

Reading//
Having a look at social media and a read of Ali’s WITL blog for inspiration for tomorrows story telling.

19:15pm

Cooking//
Lee called to say he was on the way home, so I began dinner prep – Burgers and Salad was on the menu. I much prefer a salad than vegetables.
Notes:

I have been taking a mixture of landscape and portrait pictures with the album in mind, with my DSLR camera I naturally shoot landscape, so by either cropping images or using ones from my iphone, I should have a mix to fit into the page protectors currently set up in the album (hopefully)

Week In The Life – Wednesday

The story of Wednesday…

8:15am:


Lee up and getting ready for work, talking to dexter about the day ahead. I got up shortly after and had breakfast.

10:10am:

Dropped Dexter off for his appointment at the vets to be neutered, his little face was not impressed, but he got into the kennel OK and said hello to his neighbour. I felt guilty, but I know it’s the best thing for us a family ready for the new addition.

11:10am:

I browsed the shops for nothing in particular, but found a nice mustard lampshade, perfect for the nursery. I treated myself to a decaf cappuccino and a slice of carrot cake at Costa, partly because i really needed the toilet (the joys of pregnancy) and heading home to an empty house would have been strange.

13:30pm:

Made myself some lunch, chicken salad sandwich was on the menu.

2:45pm:

Lee came home from work  – a rare early finish, made him some lunch and a coffee. He often puts him arms around me while we wait for the kettle to boil or food to cook, we both work, he works long days and in the evening i’m busy cooking, tying, cleaning. I like these little moments. 

5:45pm

We got the call that Dexter has come around from his operation and we headed to pick him up around half 4. He was so docile bless him, we put him in his basket but he soon looked to come for a cuddle.

8pm:

A common view on the sofa. We sat after tea and watched some more of Marvels Iron Fist – it’s no where near as good as the other Netflix series, but we are trying to make our way through them.

9:50pm:

We put Dexter’s collar on for bed time. He was not impressed. He whimpered through the first few hours of bed time – we relented and he got into bed with us, minus the cone.

Hope your Wednesday has been an adventure.

Week In The Life – Tuesday

The story of Tuesdays Week In The Life, todays prompt was ‘favourites’. I had planned to take photos of my favourite products but the pictures I ended up taking mostly worked.

9am:

At the weekends or on school holidays my favourite breakfast to have is tea and toast. I could get up 15 minutes earlier and have some before work, or take some in some foil, but it’s never quite the same. We have two toasters in the cupboard that need new fuses which we always forget to put on the weekly shop, so the toast is done under the grill.

10am:

My favourite type of morning for a brisk (well as brisk as I can move now adays) dog walk – sunny but chilly weather along the canal, our regular route.

10:30am:

I sat down on my favourite side of the sofa to look through yesterdays WITL images, wearing my comfy joggers (the only item that fits me comfortably now except for my maternity jeans) Dexter likes to come and investigate what I’m doing.

11:15:
Snap Election announcement by the UK PM. Politics. Not my favourite subject.

11:30am:

Organisation, one of my favourite past times. I wanted to try and finish sorting the study and feel better for the spring clean.

1pm:

Tomato Soup and Sandwich (a favourite that reminds me of home) while watching a few episodes of the new series of Grace and Frankie

2:30pm:

An afternoon nap with Dexter in his favourite sleeping position.

4pm:
Woke up to find Ali had posted her Mondays words and images which I had been eager to read for some inspiration. I can never seem to get my thoughts/ feelings down in the same way for journaling as he can.

6pm:

A walk for Dexter and a quick trip to our local super market to pick up some more milk and as usual a few other bits fell in the trolly.

10pm:

My favourite place. In bed discussing our day and catching up on the days news.

Week In The Life – Monday

Welcome to another year of me participating in Ali Edwards’ project A Week In The Life.

I took part in this project in Summer 2015 and a I completed 90% of the album, the journaling taking a back seat as usual.

This year I plan to:

• Take a more relax approach buy not feeling I have to take 50 pictures a day to tell a story
• Try and focus on a prompt or theme for each day to keep in focused
• Write down the story behind the pictures in a hope it will translate into the finished album.

The story of today

A classic bank holiday Monday filled with household jobs.

9:30am:

After a well needed lie in I volunteered to get up first and make the morning cuppa using our usual favourite mugs, decaf tea for me, coffee for Lee. Followed by croissants for breakfast and an old episode of Top Gear on Dave, surprisingly an episode I haven’t see 3 times.

10:45am:

We began sorting out the office room moving some furniture around so the the smaller desks from the current craft room can be put in there, after a bit of measuring it all managed to fit in. My craft room now has space for nursery furniture.

13:30pm:
A quick Lunch with the in-laws  and play time for Dexter

15:00pm:
On impulse, we went to see a new housing development. I’ve been dreaming of owning my own house for years, especially now I’m Pregnant. Saving never quite goes to plan, but the  current  help to buy scheme is the perfect opportunity to have a serious think and find out more information. I doubt we’ll be able to get a mortgage, but it was nice to dream.

18:30pm:

Dinner time. Country Chicken using my trusty pot which my nan passed down to me years ago.

20:00pm:

Lee spent some time tying some fishing rigs, while I caught up in Line of Duty.

Hope your Week in the Life 2017 is off to a great start.