In 2012, I did my own version of Project Life. I decided to use the pages to tell stories and the pockets as two-up (or one-up) mini scrappy layouts. I also included my weekly art in the pages. When I was trying to figure out my plans for 2013, I decided I no longer wanted to use the 12×12 albums and I definitely didn’t want to have to make two albums. So, I came up with the idea to use the baseball pocket pages in 8.5×11.
I already have a ton of them and so it seemed like the best plan. My plan is to use one page a week. So a spread will be two weeks. Which should mean that at the end of the year, I’ve used 27 page protectors. Which should fit into one album.
I am not sure if it’s going to work out. I am also not sure how the stories will work out. I am not sure if I will include my art or not. My plan is to make it work. To experiment and find my way.
For now, all I have is the cover page. Which is super-simple. That’s the plan this year: super-simple.
I haven’t even bought an album yet. I have one that I’d been using for my OLW, etc and will put my pages in there until I am sure I am sticking to the 8.5×11 format. Then I’ll buy one. Likely, the American Crafts Modern albums as they are what I use for my normal albums.
Here we go. Nothing super-sophisticated. Just an excuse to tell our stories. Let’s hope it works!
Karen, you are so awesome!! I’ve thought so many times about using baseball protectors, I love these little pockets. Thankfully in OLW which I joined this year uses them and that will help feed my need to have them. I reallllly love this idea of yours though and can’t wait to see what you do and how it will look. I’ve gone over it a few times and am not sure how to get it all in there, daily, weekly so I’m hoping yours works out and can help show me how it could work. SOOOOO EXCITED!!
This first page looks great, love love the photos and your OLW on it. Thanks Karen for sharing and already inspiring me with new ideas this year.
p.s. this was perfect timing because I’ve been thinking about my own PL albums, this will be the start of year 5 including her first 365 project. So I’m thinking and looking back at all these and loving them but wondering if I’m due for a change? Also I have lots of leftovers from the kits. I never use the day/date stickers, the start/end cards/ journal cards small and big, now they are just going to sit there and not get used. I do love the new Seafoam kit coming out too though, decisions decisions, thanks for sharing another wonderful idea to add in my thinking. GOOD LUCK!!
i can’t seem to fit the art just yet but everything else is working out 🙂
p.s. the other thing that held me back on these protectors is that everything will have to be cut to size, which will take up a lot of time. Do you have plans for this? Can you size your photos at home this size since you print at home? I print out of home so this wouldn’t be an option but curious if you are doing it this way. Thanks!
I really like the idea of trying baseball pocket pages… :o)
I have been following your blog for quite a while now and got inspired by your savor project, so I created an album with photo pocket pages to start my very own project… I’m really excited about it and curious to see if it stays like this all year. Hope the photo pockets will work for me. I think it doesn’t have to be the original PL kit. It’s also very difficult to get the original stuff here in Germany, so I didn’t even try it. I didn’t want to be frustrated in the end. Can’t wait to see how your project turns out and what I’ll learn from mine…
I am a big proponent of making it your own project and using your stash! I used so much of my stash last year that it made me happy 🙂
I think this is a great simplified idea!
Hi Karen, thanks for the reply back! I did a page last night and not sure it works? I can’t fit in all the writing and 2 photos I had to really chop down. Is it possible you could please send me a peek at yours? Really want to give this a try and make it work before deciding for sure. Thanks for the help, appreciate it! I even dreamed about this, kept waking me up thru the night and didn’t get enough sleep.
Thanks again,
rikm@adelphia.net
This is a great idea. I’m doing my first ever PL and doing it entirely digitally. I decided to go with the 12×12 double spread. Excited to see what this year brings creatively.
Great idea! Simple and smaller. I doing OLW and don’t want another big album so I am trying to come up with a way to simplify this. I saw Heidi Swapp’s video last night on Memory Folders and thought this might be perfect for my OLW. This way I have a single folder for each years word. This is my 1t time doing OLW so I am still not sure what to expect on what we are putting in the 81/2 x 11 album. Any clue as to whether we will fill?
it depends how big your album is. Last year, it ended up being about 12-14 pages. She changed all the prompts this year, though, so I have no idea 🙂
I love your plan to downsize your Savor Project this year!! It makes me think I can do something like this!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Hi Karen,
I sent you an email with a picture of what mine looks like for now. Still not sure how to fit all the journaling. Let me know if you got it and what you think if you have time please. THANKS SO MUCH!!
Would love to have a peek at yours to get an idea for it. Hate that I feel behind already on the project. Thanks!
I was thinking about using 8.5 x11 for PL this year too, since I wanted to start scrapping that format. 12×12 is just too big for me and my little ones. I spent a couple of days doing researches and thinking about it, but couldn’t find a solution that would fit my needs. The configuration for this size is so limited, especially if I want to use 3×4 journaling cards. I thought about the baseball cards protectors too but I like bigger photos so this style is out. I think i’ll use simple story’s 6×8 album and PL inserts. Still can’t make a final decision though. 6×8 seems a bit small. 8.5×11 would have been an ideal size if there were better configurations to accommodate 4×6 and 3×4 photos/cards.
Not sure where I’m going with this. I guess I was just happy to see I’m not the only one wanting to do 8.5×11 PL. I wish Becky would consider this next year. Maybe if you have a chance to chat with her on PRT or wherever, you could mention it to her. 😉