This project started with the goal of getting in the photos more. I wrote a long post on shutter sisters about how I want to be in our family photos more often (full post here which got me thinking about how I can do that on a regular basis.
If I learned one lesson last year, it’s that things happen when they’re put on a schedule. A frequently recurring schedule.
I’ve been a huge fan of Tara Whitney’s Six people Twelve Times project.
And then there was this layout I made for Big Picture Classes last summer:
I decided to combine all those ideas and make a commitment this year to take weekly photos of all four of us.
I’ll be honest that this is the project I’m most worried about. Because this one requires commitment from my whole family and it means I have to use my tripod and self-timer more often. But I am blessed by the most amazing and kind family so I am going to take a leap of faith and I am going to assume it’s going to work. It might end up in the same spot in the house each week but I am ok with that. The idea is just to have photos of all of us together. It doesn’t have to be super-exotic or creative. We can try that for 2012, for this year I just want to start the habit of getting photos of all of us.
So I take the leap.
I spent a long time trying to figure out the format for this project. I thought of using the template I did for Weekly Gratitude last year but I wanted the photo to be bigger. I wanted a full 4×6 photo of us each week. So instead of going with a 4×6 album, I decided to go with a 2-up. Much to my delight, the colorful albums I love at Target also come in a 2-up format so I came up with this template:
Just in case any of you are interested in doing something similar or using the template for yourself, here it is: download me.
It’s two 4×6 photos. The top one is just a photo of us with the date on it. The bottom one lists each of our names and gives me space to put a sentence or two about each of us from that week. (Things like thoughts, mood, current obsessions, etc.)
I will then print them out and put them in this album:
and there will be a page for each week.
So here’s to crossing our fingers that this project comes to life. I will really really love to have this one at the end of 2011.
I LOVE this page! so pretty! love that it uses so many photos.
I love all your projects for 2011 but this one really speaks to me. I had just written a note to do something similar to what Tara did this year when I saw your blog post: speak about fabulous timing!
This year will bring many (big!) changes to our family and I really want to capture us (3) right now before it becomes the five of us… I am probably going to schedule another Week in the life project at the beginning of the year, but doing something more regularly (weekly or maybe every two weeks for me?) would be the perfect additional project.
I hope I’ll be able to join you on this one and keep up with it!
Oh what a fantastic project! thanks for the template!
This has been something I’ve been intending to do, capture the family in photos. We’ve very little photos of us as a family, since either me or hubby is always behind the lens, reading this pushes me to plan and put it into action. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
I love this layout! It led me to doing one of my own and to taking your BOS class! (and to a bunch of other things…) Wonderful idea! And I love those colorful albums at Target!
A great challenge and I will try very hard to be successful, going so far as to purchase an album…a little guilt for not using a purchased item goes a long way with me!
If you have time I suggest you watch the movie SMoke http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114478/ not that I advocate smoking but I love the idea about the photograph – trying not to give too much away here – I think it is relevant to your mission 🙂
I will have to go check it out now. i am really curious!!
This is great! Thanks for sharing the template. I’ve already did up a layout this morning! I hope you can make your wish come true with this project! Thanks again!
Oh I love this idea. Have to work with it a bit different, maybe a picture on the 3th of each month from the 3 of us. I am pretty sure my guys are not going to do this every week, LOL. But let’s see what we can do!! Thanks for the great ideas and inspiration. It is gonna be a busy year next year with all these projects and I am gonna love it.
yep i thought to do it monthly too but i noticed that (for me) weekly is more doable actually. it just becomes more engrained in our routine and I do it. Monthly is too infrequent to ever become routine.
Karen maybe you are right. We will have to see how it works in our daily life. Will start with once a week and see how it goes, LOL. Thanks for so much inspiration. I will keep following you in 2011.
This is a fabulous idea! How great would it be for a family having a new baby to do something like this, to show the little one’s growth, etc.
(PS – the album pic isn’t showing…)
yes the album picture is still not there. I have to snap it, i am sorry!!! you’re right it would be awesome with a baby, never even thought of that! 🙂
Don’t be sorry AT ALL! You always seem to have so much going on and yet you are fabulous at blogging and everything else that you do.
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Hi Karenika, I am in your “Find your way” class on BPC. Would you be willing to share the name of the club in Turkey you mention in your layout. I am planning my vacation in Turkey for May and I have done lots of things in the South already, but would welcome your suggestion 🙂
hmm which layout? I am guessing it’s Hillside but I am not sure. do you remember which layout? If it’s Hillside, it’s in Fethiye.