Project Life 2012 | Week Two & Week Three

Today I'm going to share my Project Life Weeks Two and Three + talk a little bit about my how I die cut the titles for the entire month of January. Little tips & tricks to make this an easy process as simple as possible.

Week 2 layout:

My plan is to die cut an entire month's work of titles in one sitting so that I'm not having to do it individually each week. You could go ahead and do an entire year if you wanted to. I am not that organized and I want to have the ability to switch things up at a later date if need be so a month is a good compromise for me.

I started out by choosing the title cards from the BH Clementine Core Kit that I wanted to use for the month. Then I opened up all the KerrI Bradford images I would be die cutting in my Silhouette Software.

Using my handy ruler I measured each title card being sure that I sized my images to fit above the pre-printed strip on the card. I came up with this. With the style of cards I chose, I decided to do 3 of the weeks in one style and 1 week in another. I love mixing and matching. :)

I saved this file on my computer for easy retrievel and so that I don't have to resize these again, the next time I need to cut titles. Plus I can add to it as the year goes and I need other sizes or different images.

Then I duplicated several of the images and cut them all from black cardstock. Then I cut the individual elements from different colors of patterned papers for the title blocks.

Here's what all the die cutting looked like prior to assembly in my album:

Week 2 highlights:

I used a Kerri Bradford photo strip template to create the photo strip in the top right pocket. Also included are ticket stubs from the football game we attended with my brother and sister-in-law and business cards from the restaurants we ate at.

I used my very favorite tea/coffee stain stamp from Studio Calico on the journaling card in the bottom left pocket. I sure wish they would bring this retired stamp back in a new stamp set (hint, hint SC!!!!). I wanted this card that shares the Taco Soup recipe to have that authentique recipe card that has been used and abused and used as a coffee coaster look. This is one of our family's favorite simple weekday recipes so I wanted to include it in our Project Life.

Close up of the title for week 2:

I layered vellum behind the number and added die cut flowers from text paper attached with a pretty brad.

Right side:

I layered jouraling cards in the lower left pocket, combing 2 days worth of journaling here. 

*New Ink Pad Storage* (shown in lower right photo)

For Kristin and anyone else who is wondering, Chad got me these ink pad storage units for Christmas. They hang on the wall, freeing up counter space for me. Plus I can see all my ink pads in one glance. I haven't actually got them hung yet. That's on the agenda this weekend! 

I purchased them at www.suink.net. I do  really like them but I wasn't overly impressed with their customer service. My husband ordered them early in December for a Christmas gift and we didn't get them until January. I can understand they were busy during the holiday and that they wouldn't arrive on time but they didn't return his phone calls after he left a couple of messages and her email back to him was borderline rude. They also didn't come with the hardware attached to hang them to the wall. The hardware is an extra purchase, which was fine but I (wrongly) assumed it would come attached. It didn't. And the instructions are poor. But, my handy "adopted" 22 year old son is a handyman whiz so I'll be getting him to do all that for me! ;)

I also die cut one of the words from Kerri's Life Additions #2 and used it in one of the journaling card pockets. I added a die cut heart (October Afternoon) and a clear heart button (Stampin' Up!). It doesn't bother me at all that you can see the back of this on Week 3. I love the look of including words/backgrounds, etc. in the pockets and being able to see-through them!

Week 3 layout:

I added lots of little embellishments to my spread. All my favorite things:

• Jillibean Soup butterfly punch out die
• Cosmo Cricket & October Afternoon & Narratives phrase stickers
• Wood Letter (stapled to an OA label sticker) from Studo Calico
• Layered journaling cards (OA) 
• Small Heart Punch (Stampin' Up)

Close up of Week 3 title, embellished with butterfly, button and phrase sticker.

Close up of layered journaling cards:

For the first time (this year) I had to include a bit of journaling about a bad day Ethan (my youngest) had at school. Even though it's not fun to remember these kinds of things, this just goes to show how including these stories gives a much more accurate look at life.

Close up of Kerri Bradford's Friday Freebie heart border die cut used as a photo overlay. I die cut mine for this photo but I also could have used the digital version directly on my photo and printed it.

PROJECT LIFE 2012 | Basic Supplies:

InLinkz.com

PROJECT LIFE 2012 | Week Two & Three Supplies:

InLinkz.com

Additional Supplies:

• Coffee Stain Stamp (Studio Calico)
• layered mailla tag (Amy Tan for Studio Calico)
• Cosmo Cricket Tiny Text Stickers
• Date Stamp (office supply store)
• random October Afternoon label stickers

PROJECT LIFE 2012 | FULL LISTING

• Title Page
• Getting Started. December 25-31, 2011
• Week One

I am thinking that Mondays will be my Project Life share day here on the blog (most weeks). I think it will be a fun way to start off each week by sharing the previous week's layout spread and to keep me goal-oriented on sharing weekly!

Comments

[Danielle G.]

I just wanted to say I'm so happy that you are doing PL. I was doubtful about starting this project; I knew you had tried it and didn't like it in the past. I started PL and loved it and then saw that you are doing it, too, and I am so HAPPY! I love your ideas and that you incorporate Kerri's kits in the album. Thanks for being so inspiring!

[Dayami]

Gorgeous as always! Love every detail you have incorporated in your PL, the colors r fabulous. And HELLO!!!! Steelers had my hubby (ok me too!!) PISSED OFF for a wee!!! I just couldnt believe it!!!! Dayami, Peace & Light....Peace & Light.....breatheeee...
Ok, so Im good now!
Thanks for sharing!!
Hugs,
Dayami :)

[Dayami]

PS a *new* scraproom video please :)

[Tracy O]

Love, love, love your PL post this week! Those title cards are amazing...you got me hooked on KB and made me learn how to use my Silhouette (thank you btw!). I was a bit stumped on my title cards and now you have given me so much insptiration.

[Elena]

Loving your PL! I'm not doing it but I'm so glad you are...wish I had done it when my kids were still at home.

[Jaclyn Rench]

I'm loving your project life shares, Nichol! So fun to see all our your added details and your 'spin' on the clementine kit. Can't wait to see more!

[Tiffany M.]

Thanks for sharing your PL. When looking at others, sometimes I feel overwhelmed at all of the stuff they put in them. Yours doesn't seem like that. Love seeing you use your handwriting :) I would love to see that SC stamp come back! Keep hinting!

[Cari]

Love it. Again. So glad that you are sharing your PL pages. I am not so patiently waiting for the page protectors to be restocked but I'm trying to keep up in the meantime! I love your inspiration!!

[Sandra K.]

Nichol, thank you for sharing. You always give me inspiration.

[Debbie]

Hi ,

I love your work and am a huge fan.
I have followed you for the past year and a half. You have introduced me to many favorites,Kerri B,
Technique Tuesday and the Silhouette (even thought I have a cricut and yes I like both:).

I too lusted after the tea ring stamp from SC. I was over the moon to find a similar stamp from Cocoa Daisy stamps.

[MariClaudi]

Thanks for sharing your PL layouts. You were the one who convinced me to purchase the kit last year and I loved the project. I am so glad that you have made the committment to do the project this year.
My goal this year is to use FLAT embellishments and less inserts because my 2011 album is 3 albums big!
This years albums will be monthly layouts instead of weekly. I think I will be able to keep better that way. I have 5 kids and they keep me busy.
Again thanks.

[DWD]

I don't post here often, but have followed you for a couple yrs. I love all your work!!! I just keep thinking you are looking a lot thinner in your photos. Spill the BEANS girl!!! How'd ya do it? A girl supposed to share. Keep up the good work...whatever it is.

[linda trace]

love love love love love.....i havve no other words :)

[Susan]

Great pages this past week! When you die cut all those different papers are you laying pieces of each out all at once on the carrier or cutting one sheet at a time? If you are using multiple pieces how do you know where to cut?

[Nichol Spohr LLC]

I cut all the pieces from the black cardstock then only cut individual pieces from certain patterned papers. I had to run it through each time I switched papers.

[Nichol Spohr LLC]

no special secret. eat less. move more! ;) Lost about 30 lbs. in 2011, hoping for another 30 in 2012! :)

[Shawn Wenrich]

I've been admiring your great use of Kerri's images and started this process myself the other night. I decided to order the paper as I loved the way you've been using it but I didn't originally think I'd need it when I ordered my Clementine kit so I put everything on hold with my cutting. My Amazon order is coming today so your post is going to help me so much. Thank you Nichol!

[lisa]

this is totally tempting me to do PL for 2012. I did Project 12 for 2010 and 2011 (one double page spread per month with a few other layouts spread thru the album). I am loving what you have done and am sitting on the fence, trying not to fall on the PL side...

When you cut the black titles, do you enlarge them at all or just slightly offset them when putting the patterned paper ontop?

[Nichol Spohr LLC]

I cut them the exact same size and just offset them.

[Megan -Best of Fates]

I love your pages - so inspirational!

[Iliana]

Great job! So inspiring.

[Cindy Bozeman-Bonvissuto]

Thank you for sharing the little details. I think it will help me (and others) when I get around to the die cutting part. I also read that about your weight loss CONGRATULATIONS!! It's a struggle, but I'm sure you can do it!

[Iliana]

I can't get the link to your new stamp pad holder to work.

[Nichol Spohr LLC]

for some reason none of their links will open. its www.suink.net

[DWD]

Well..congrats!!! You look wonderful from what I can see in your wee photos. LOL I could stand to loose a few myself. Keep it up and let us know your progress. It may give others hope. HUGS