besottment by paper relics

A Short Exploration into Project Life: Recent Spreads

I think I found a good way to photograph my Project Life pages without having too much glare. I was taking Millie out last night after dinner and noticed there was decent light but no sun. I grabbed my binder and camera and started shooting the pages on the deck. Millie came to help as I snapped away (as you can see above).

I am really, really enjoying documenting this way! But I still crave to journal in my usual formats, so this will never replace that. I am curious to see if I keep going after May!

You say this spread unfinished on my last spread post, but here it is completed.

Along with an up close shot of the wrappings from my birthday present from Lori that I kept on the outside.

Here is the first new spread - the tail end of my birthday and the start of my visit to Andrea's.

Things to note in this spread:

• I cut up some of my birthday cards to add to the spread (left side).
• Some birthday present wrappings made a great base for one square (top right).
• I used part of a painting made for me by a very talented 5 year old to write on (bottom right).

Above is a close up.

Things to note in this spread:

• I took some silly iPhone photos that I printed and used on the left.
• I used some of my fave journaling staples - dyed coffee liners, doilies and Jenni Bowlin stickers on the left had side.
• I made a smaller page by cutting down a standard insert and using pretty tape to hold it closed (right).

Things to note in this spread:

• I cut the card in half so I could view both sides in this journal (left).
• I used ephemera from presents received (that had cute packaging) and from the vineyard we dined at one night (right).
• The bottom right photo of me was taken by a 2-almost-3-year-old with my phone and I thought it was silly, so I added it.

 

My Own Fave Journaling Spreads

I always add the journaling photos I show here on my blog to a jouranling set on flickr as well. There are almost 1,000 photos in this set dating back to 2009 (if you ever wanted to peek at my journals spreads in bulk, this is the best place to do so).

However, the other day while I was adding photos to that set, I decided to create a new flickr set called "My Faves" where I put my own favourite journaling spreads. I thought it might be fun for people to see which spreads I love the most. I was pretty selective and only put pages I really love looking at in there. Some I love because of the old papers I used, some for the content, others for the overall composition, but they all speak to me the strongest. You can see them by clicking HERE.

 If you prefer a more organized approach (rather than being faced with 1,000 photos at once), on the sidebar there is a link to "Peek into My Journals" which is a nice little gallery on my website that has quite a few journaling photos broken down into sections (moleskine, stitched, ringed, etc). This gallery is best if you want to look at certain kinds of my journal spreads. 

Want to know my most favourite?

It has long been this spread that I made in the fall of 2010:

A Short Exploration into Project Life: Some Spreads

I still have not perfected photographing my Project Life pages yet, but I did not want to let that keep me from sharing what I have done.

Above picks up where my last post left off...

Things to note for this spread:

• I had gone antiquing and found lots of old paper, which I used in making a little collage for the day (the top left). I found an 1890's illustrated dictionary that I took the page with JOURNAL on it out of to use as the base. (see close up below)
• I ordered a skirt from Garnet Hill, so I cut the model out of the catalog and made a half page (by sewing down the middle of a Martha Stewart 5.5 by 8 page protector and cutting the far side off).
• When I purchased my Mini Cooper, the paper work came with a Mini Cooper shaped paper clip that has been waiting to be used, and finally was.
• I overheard a quote I loved so I recorded it in here, using one of the ladies I love.
• I cut both a shopping bag and business card down to size to slip in slots on this spread.

Below is the backside of the skirt girl.

This week I had a friend visiting, and I knew we would be taking lots of instagrams, so I purposely had it fall to a page that was all 3x3 squares.

Things to note for this spread:

• The left side is all instagram photos (with writing on one)
• I placed a sticker on the top of the page protector overlapping 2 of the page sections (top right)
• Used a Banner paper punch to record the flavor cupcake I had (bottom right).

Things to note for this spread:

• I was playful with the wrapping and packaging of my birthday gifts...
  • I used the packaging from hair ties as a photo frame (top left).
  • I took a photo of an antique platter I was gifted and wrote on it.
  • I used some of the wrapping paper from a gift as a background for one of the sections (bottom left)
  • I made a collage of fabric, lace and vintage millinery that was used to pack a pretty gift (a necklace from this sweet friend) and stapled it to a card that I adhered to the outside of the page protector as not to smush it (see close up below)
• With glue and twine I added a candle from a dessert I had to one section.

This spread is not done, I but I still wanted to share it, so you will see it again in my next update.

That's it for now!

I am already really enjoying flipping through the pages I have made - and I am starting to worry that 2 months and 2 days will not fit in the binder I am using, but I am playing it by ear for now!

Some Recent Journaling

In the midst of my exploration into Project Life, I have also been keeping up with my regular journaling habits, working in THIS journal a bit... having some fun playing with quotes.

"Always be a little kinder than necessary" - J. M. Barrie (you can see an Instagram version HERE)

"Tis' better to live your own life imperfectly than to imitate someone else's perfectly" - Elizabeth Gilbert

Free Download: A Sweet Manatee

When I was recently in Florida, I was lucky enough to see some manatees (see my instagram photo below). They are such gentle creatures, and I love watching them.

Seeing them reminded me that I had a fun illustration of a manatee from a 1910's illustrated dictionary.

If you wish to learn more about manatees, be sure to visit the Save the Manatee Club website. 

 * as usual, just click the image to see the larger version and right click on it and save as...
To see more free images available for download - click the FREE DOWNLOADS button in the sidebar.