Project Life 2015 – Week 15

Subtitle: Using a non-Project Life kit . . . or NO kit for Project Life pages

Even to think about using a non-Project Life kit or no kit at all to make Project Life pages you will need a brain. Apparently a portion of mine has been missing for quite a while.

Before I commence rambling, here is my two-page spread for Week 15 of my 2015 Project Life/pocket page album:

main kit used: Magic, a digital Story Kit by Ali Edwards for March 2015

Since I started scrapbooking in the Project Life style in September of 2012, I have almost exclusively used digital kits designed for Project Life (also known as pocket scrapbooking) with one exception – I've continued to purchase word art kits, mostly by Ali Edwards. Boy howdy [Southern expression] have I continued to buy those!

For the last couple of months I’ve been struggling with learning to use a new computer, a new Photoshop program, and a new ACDSee program, all at the same time. The other day my overstressed brain felt sorry for me and gave me a little tidbit of very helpful information, perhaps so I wouldn’t shoot it or something. (I’ve been really stressed.)

So, there I was working through my normal routine in preparing Week 15. I'd chosen and edited photos, and then placed them on two Project Life templates (two pages = one week). Then I add words, in the form of journaling and titles.

Here's what the basic digital Project Life template looks like:

Here's how the right page of Week 11 looked after adding photos and some words:

I was now at The Dreaded Part – choosing which kit to use, specifically trying to find a PL kit* with papers, journaling cards, and elements that coordinated with the colors in the photos and the theme of the pages. That’s where I was on Week 15 when my brain said, “Donna, you're overthinking this.” I couldn't argue that.

Then my brain said, "Forget trying to find a kit on a certain theme, because your pages have no theme. They are based on weeks." No argument there either. In fact, come to think of it, I haven't done theme-centered pages since 2012. [sheepish grin]

Before I could say, "But what about coordinating the colors?", my brain said, "The colors in your photos are all over the place." Oh. No theme . . . no main colors . . . well, no wonder I have so much trouble choosing a kit!  

Me: "But, brain, look at that page above. I have to cover the turquoise and orange template masks with something.

My brain: "You don't have to fill blank spaces with a paper or a card. Just recolor the template spots that are visible."

So, what my brain was saying is that I don't have to use Project Life kits* to make Project Life pages. Who knew?? Seriously.

After more discussion with my brain, it has agreed to let me use kits and embellishments (because I love them and have many, many of both), IF I don't stress over which kit to use.

I'd been wanting to use Ali Edwards' Magic kit, which has 3x4 and 4x6 cards, although it's not specifically designed for Project Life. This week has nothing to do with magic, but I used it anyway. Here's a look at some of the stuff in the Magic Story Kit:

Here is a how the right side of Week 15 looked after I recolored the turquoise and orange that was showing after I added photos and words:

(I turned off the photo and text layers so you could see the colored pockets more clearly.) 

How did I choose the colors to use? I used the Eyedropper tool in Photoshop to sample some of the colors in the Magic kit. Then I used the Paint Bucket tool to recolor the template spots to light blue, gray, yellow, pink, and khaki where needed. 

I didn’t recolor two of the 3x4 spots because I had already planned to cover each of them with a photo. Also, I used a 4x6 card from Magic on one of the 4x6 spots because I like strips.

You could also recolor template spots by choosing colors from your photos.

Here is a look at the completed right side of Week 15:

I've also added embellishments here.

And, totally out of order, here is a closer look at the left side of Week 15, where I also recolored the template spots that weren't covered by photos:

I hope this very long monologue is helpful to you, if you, too, struggle with choosing just the right kit each week. If so, we can both thank my brain. =)

Thanks for visiting my blog, and thanks in advance for any comments you leave. Enjoy your life and record it!

(Some photos are blurred for privacy.)

* I define a Project Life kit as one that contains 3x4 and 4x6 cards. They may or may not also contain papers and embellishments. The basis premise of the pocket-style of scrapbooking is that ALL you need to make pages are photos and cards. The cards are for journaling about what's going on in the photos and for filling blank pockets. A "Project Life kit" may or may not be from Becky Higgins, although she owns the copyright on the term "Project Life."