Disclosure: I received a discount on photos from Persnickety Prints, a Project Life album, photo pocket cards, and a kit. I was not compensated in any other way and all opinions are mine. Amazon affiliate links are included in this post.
As you may know, I’m not a crafty type. I wish I was. I long to make beautiful things and share them with the world. Alas, that is not the realm wherein my talents lie. It’s no surprise, then, when I tell you that I have 40,000 (Yes. FORTY THOUSAND.) photos collecting digital dust in my iPhoto right now, remaining utterly disorganized. Up until recently, I’d feared that my inability to organize gazillions of photos into keepsakes my children will forever treasure would haunt me all the days of my life. When it comes down to it, I don’t scrapbook because a) I don’t have time and b) the process seems completely beyond my craft-challenged reach. So, I never even attempted it. Then, Candice invited me to a Project Life party.
Project Life: memory-keeping for smarties.
Becky Higgins created Project Life, “to simplify the process in order to allow you more time to enjoy life!” In other words, it’s scrapbooking for dummies smarties. Because Project Life, “requires no glue, no scissors, no tools, and no skills of any kind.” See? Smart. So smart that even a craft-deficient chick like me can play along.
And, in case you missed it, you need NO SKILLS OF ANY KIND to use Project Life. That’s me, people! I have no skills, OF ANY KIND, when it comes to scrapbooking. Can I get a what-what? It’s like Becky made Project Life just for ME. Um. Or, well, for people like me. I guess it’s good to realize I’m not the only one missing the craft gene.
Project Life products (sold separately on Amazon, at Hobby Lobby, and other stores) include beautiful albums, kits with card inserts tailored to your memory book’s theme, pens, and photo pocket pages of all different sizes and vertical and horizontal formats.
I chose the 12×12 faux leather Clementine album, and the Honey kit which has the bright, cheerful colors and designs I wanted to showcase my fun summer photos. I had my photos printed by Persnickety Prints (they came out beautifully). And I headed to Candice’s house.
When a party is more than a party.
Let me stop here to say a gathering at Candice’s house is not just a party. It’s an event. She and her mom (who is the creative genius behind Paper Bandit Press, a new line of witty and pretty letterpress cards) created a lovely atmosphere tailored to our creative task at hand, complete with Project Life-themed party favors and a lovely backdrop for the addictive food Sarah made. Candice even turned the Project Life cards from one kit into a festive bunting that hung above us for inspiration as we assembled our albums.
One of these things is not like the other…
Spending the evening with Candice, Kim, Sarah, Amanda, Amy, and Haeley, who are all creative design powerhouses, was especially humbling for this non-crafty gal.
Photo credit: ARG Photography
Imagine someone who can’t cook, but who appreciates great food, getting to hang out with Julia Child all night. By the end of the evening, some of Julia’s culinary genius is bound to sink in to the non-foodie, right? That’s what this Project Life Party was like.
My fellow bloggers were incredibly welcoming, kind, and helpful and I believe some of their talent rubbed off on me. Before I knew it, I’d put together the first page of my album!
Photo credit: ARG Photography
Sure, I had a lot of help from the Project Life kit which includes suggestions for where to place cards in your first page and your last (Remember! NO SKILLS are needed. Hooray!). But, I did it. And I cheered. And these supportive women cheered with me. I couldn’t have asked for more perfect muses for my summer photo album.
Finally, I’m creating a beautiful keepsake album of which I can be proud, and one that my kids will love poring over, maybe one day with their own kids, for years to come.
More posts from our Project Life Party:
#ProjectLifeParty | Summer Album via arg photographs
How to host a Project Life party via Candice Stringham Photography
A Project Life Party via Frankly Entertaining
Project Life Party via Design Improvised
throwing a project life party! via Becky Higgins, LLC
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I’m so glad that you came to the party! Your pages looked great and it was so much fun.
Thank you so much for inviting me. I wouldn’t have believed how fun and easy Project Life is if you hadn’t shown me. 🙂
I was at Hobby Lobby this morning picking up some more supplies. I might have a problem!I’m glad that we all got to hang out and do something productive at the same time!
If getting more Project Life products is wrong, I don’t want to be right. It was so fun hanging out with you!
You did a great job! I love scrapbooking, but I haven’t done it since before Colin was born. I had to pack all my stuff up to make room for him! It’s all in the closet in the playroom.
Thanks, Sara. If you haven’t scrapbooked in ages, this is a wonderful way to get it done that’s super easy and fun. And your kids can get involved. There are lots of neat notecards to write dates and other interesting information about what was happening when your photos were taken. Love that aspect of it.
It looks awesome!!
I’ve never heard of Project Life but I might have to check it out because I would love to make beautiful photo books with a little help 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
I think you’ll love Project Life, Ashely. Especially with a new baby in the house. You have less time to make books but you want to capture everything about him and do it in a lovely way. This would be perfect for you and all new moms.
Great job. These are so cute. What a great idea! I bet my daughter would love it.
Thanks, Jennifer. Yes, my daughter (she’s 8) is already excited about helping me create more memory books with Project Life. It’ll be a nice activity we can do together. And it would make a great birthday gift so she can start making her very own albums.
omg. I so want to do this. I recently started an altered book which is basically a scrapbook-y art journal for my writing inspiration. Love this and pinning your pics!
An altered book? That sounds so cool, Tayla. I’ll have to check that out too.
Oh how much fun!! I used to love scrapbooking and making greeting cards but my inspiration process takes too long. 😉 LOL So my digital photos are just sitting on iPhoto and a backup drive too.
You sound just like me, Taylor. If I can do it perfectly, it usually gets pushed to the side. The cool thing about this system, is it takes that weight off of your shoulders and still allows you to make beautiful keepsake albums. The various kits are so lovely.