2013-10-10

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

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