Project Life | Week Eighteen...

Hello Sassy Friends! Welcome back to Project Life Mondays! Today I am going to share with you some detail on how I achieve balance across my spread, while keeping it simple at the same time.      Week 18 | April 28 - May 4.  

This week was all about paring the layers down and keeping my spread really simple.  I wanted the colours to shine and the story to be told.  However, among all the brightness of yellow and hot pink colour pops, I have added the subtleties of black and white photos and plenty of white space.

 

To create balance on my spread, I first look at the combined space of the two pages.  Then, when I am happy with colour and photo placement, I start to look at the finer details on the individual pages.

 

This week, the bright yellow from the background photo mats and journaling card have created a visual triangle.  I have also included two lots of 4"x6" group shot photos.  These photos, on opposite pages, help to create symmetry.

When I look at the individual pages, I place extra colour where it will help me create movement across the page.  Layering hot pink on top of neutral backgrounds attracts the eye.

 



Repeating similar items, shapes or embellishments can also be used to create balance.

  On page two, I have used layered labels - "take a picture", "photo date" and the typed text strip across the loom band ephemera.  

  Don't be afraid to have fun with colours!  But remember, bright colours work best when they compliment your photos rather than over shadow them. Having equal amounts of colour pops across two pages rather than in concentrated doses, lessens the attack on the senses.  When I have multiple colours and patterns in my photos, I tone them down by converting them to black and white.   Don't forget to join me here next week as I introduce you to our new Sassy Scrapper June kit!  I can't wait to share it with you.          

Project Life | Week Seventeen...

Hello Friends.  This week with Project Life, I have focused on one main event that occurred during this time.  Having said that, it doesn't mean I've neglected to share or touch on other aspects of our weekly life.   Week 17 | April 21 - 27, not only saw the kids return to school from their holidays, but we commemorated our fallen service men and women with ANZAC day.    

 

In our household, I love to fully encourage my children to be involved in the community on their voluntary basis.  The ANZAC day march with the schools, being one such event.  This year, with two of my children being school leaders at their respective schools, it was made more significant for my PL spread.

 

Eleven photos on this spread, are related to ANZAC day - including school assembly and the actual march past. I wanted to share, that even though this event seems to take over the entire page, I have also documented other weekly happenings.

 

 

By journaling about the entire week I can relate back to the remaining photos I've shared.  I don't need to journal in great detail but just make a note of everyday things.

 

 

And where I didn't have photos, I've used ephemera... (for "Earth Day")

 

 

...and another  QR code to link back to a video my husband took.  

  With my "weekly" journaling spot, I only mentioned ANZAC day in point form.  I've included more detailed journaling about the 2014 service, on two other journaling cards. Don't be afraid to make one event from the week, a feature with your photos.          

Project Life | Week Sixteen...

Hi Sassy Friends!  Welcome back to Project Life  Week Sixteen | April 14 - 20!!  Wow!  Where is the time flying off to? This week included school holidays and our Easter weekend.  There were plenty of photos taken and even more chocolate eaten!  But this week with Project Life, I've decided to step outside my comfort zone, and add an extra dimension that will literally bring my stories to life! (But more on that later.)      
Week 16 to me, was all about the storytelling.  I wanted to add the little details about our 19 hour drive home, where we went during the week after that drive and who we celebrated our Easter Sunday lunch with. 


The colours in the May Project Life Kit are combined this week to create a cohesive look, adding a softness to my spread.  The past two spreads, Week 14 & Week 15, used the kit in a monochromatic style. This week, the combination of yellow, pink and turquoise suit the mood of how we celebrate Easter.
  As I started out with the intention of documenting being a focus this week, I wanted to take full advantage of the Elle's Studio Lil Snippets that are included in the kit.  I fed them through my typewriter and typed on all of the labels before cutting them.
 
The same idea applies to areas on the journaling cards.  
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On the second page I wanted to add something more than just journaling.  I wanted to actually complement the photos I had taken, with the sights and sounds of my children being involved.  This means stepping out of my comfort zone and try to figure out how to include short video clips on my pages.   There are some great tutorials out there in cyberspace, but I'm not terribly good with technology.  *grin*  Thankfully I have access to my good friend Kim Jeffress' brain, who completely inspires and encourages me all in one swoop! Creating QR codes.       Now, if you take photos on your phone, there's a high likelihood that you also take videos as well.  I must admit however, I've never really thought to do anything more with those videos than store them onto a disc to watch as home movies in the future.   To start this process, I began with creating my own channel on Vimeo, which is also accessible via my iPhone.  Alternatively you can create your own YouTube channel.  It will do the same thing - store your videos and create URL links.   I have also downloaded a QR Code Maker.  Qrafter Pro is the one that works best for me.  It is a downloadable app for your phone, but it does cost money.   Once you have both your Vimeo/YouTube channel (with the video you want to create a code for) and QR code maker, the process is rather simple.  Access the URL link from your video and apply it to the QR code maker. That's about it. Once the  QR code has been made, you can then print it out to add to your PL spreads.     I am so excited about this process of adding virtual reality to my pages, that you might see a few of these codes pop up in my pages over the next few weeks! I cannot express enough, how much difference to documenting this is going to make for me personally.  One thing I know I will appreciate in the future, is the permanence of these moments, captured in time.  Especially if I never get around to downloading my home movies off my phone and onto discs.
    To finish off the spread this week, I've included some more of my four year old's artwork and some posed photos from Easter Sunday morning.  You might notice that I've also used the My Mind's Eye label from the sticker sheet, as part of my embellishments.  The sentiment "the sweetest thing" was too good to not use on a photo that includes chocolate!  

     This week, I encourage you to share some videos as QR codes on your PL spreads.  Already my children are having a great time scanning and re-scanning the code, to watch themselves and their friends from the photo come to life.   ps - When adding videos to your Vimeo/YouTube channel, you have the option of making them public or private.        

Project Life | Week Fifteen...

Hello Sassy Friends and welcome to Week 15 | April 7 - 13.  This week we shared a special family occasion and I wanted to include plenty of details.   But what do you do when you have equal parts of  multiple photos and journaling heavy pockets to include in your spread?  And what do you do when you don't want to add those extra pages to extend the weekly spread? Well, I use the premade journaling cards, found in the May Project Life kit, to full advantage.  

 

  At first glance, Week 15 certainly has a lot of photos and I've even create a collage to add those extra shots.  But Week 15 also has three lots of hidden journaling, tucked neatly behind the documentation that is already visible.

 

The first lot of journaling is hard to access, mostly because the pocket opens from the previous spread.  This is where I have typed up the week's general events.  I know it's there, but many people going through my PL album wouldn't think to check.  However, using the back of a journaling card from the previous week, appeals to my sense of using all available space when needed!  Besides!  It still coordinates with this week's colours!  *grin*  A definite benefit when using a kit!

On page one, I have also used the My Mind's Eye label stickers in the title pocket to complement the PL card colours used throughout the spread.  I've also added some hand stitching for a touch of extra texture. (I was originally going to hand stitch the word "hello" but found a great alternative with the Jillibean Soup Wise Words.)

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  On page two, access to my hidden journaling is a lot easier.  I've simply added a photo to one side of a large (4"x6") journaling card and typed my text directly onto the free space adjacent.  To add even more story details, I've ran a second, smaller (3"x4") journaling card through my typewriter and attached a punched "tab" near the top of it.  

  To complete my spread, I have added a little touch of pink. The chipboard thickers and SC Essentials camera  are found in the May Project Life kit. To link this pocket back to the title pocket, I've machine stitched around the outside edge.  

  Don't leave out the story details just because you have plenty of photos.  Most times, the story can only enhances the photos.  There are always ways to include extra journaling.  You sometimes just have to think outside the journaling card! Or even think about using the back of it!!