So how'd the whole Project Life thing go for ya?

For me, not so well. I love it. Oh, how I still love it. But boy did I stink at it last year. I think I was doomed from the start as I didn't begin until I got the page protectors, which I meant I started off 2 months behind. As I mentioned in my last post on Project Life, I just couldn't get going until I had them, even though I had the core kit. Once they arrived, I did the first two weeks of 2012 then skipped ahead to the current week. And then life happened. I got busy. I didn't scrapbook much at all whether regular pages or Project Life. Then I got so behind I'd say, "eh, why bother now." I started to think maybe it just wasn't meant for me. But as 2012 was nearing it's end, I was looking through the pages I had completed and I loved them.  I was disappointed I gave up and didn't complete the year because I truly enjoyed reliving the weeks that were done. I fell in love with the concept all over again. My passion for scrapbooking and documenting our life has come back. It apparently just needed a little vacation.

I'm now renewed. Refreshed. Ready to start 2013's Project Life album. I'm feeling confident this time around. I won't be behind from the get-go, which means I'm instantly ahead of last year. I've got a new plan for 2013, one I think will help me to actually complete the album without being overwhelmed. 

But first, what went wrong in 2012.

• Even without the the whole starting late and immediately being behind and then feeling like I needed to catch-up thing, I set myself up for failure. Anyone who knows me knows how indecisive I am. Like stare at two bookshelves in Target for a half hour because I can't decide which one I want. Only to leave without either because it's too much pressure to choose. So clearly, downloading every printable PL card I thought was cute was a bad move. This meant it took me a loooong time to pick out the cards for each week's spread. I should not have strayed so far from the core kit.
• And that whole indecisive thing also makes it hard to pare down my photos for the week. 
• I struggled with my handwriting. I totally need an old-school typewriter. But until that happens, I'll continue on with my ineligible handwriting. 
• Then there are the weekly title cards. I kept trying to make them different each week. While not terribly time-consuming, it's was time I didn't have to waste. 
• I had a file in my kitchen to collect the bits and pieces of life to use in my album. I'd then bring them down to my scrapbook area, dump them, and then not know what went where. I now have a nice collection of receipts, stubs, pictures, tags and more that I need to sort through.

So I know what went wrong, which means I know what needs to go right. And tomorrow, I'll share my plan for Project Life 2013.

Of course said plan includes completing 52 weeks, versus 2012's 15 weeks. Here are a few of them.

Week 13

Week 14 left, with insert. 

Week 14 right, with insert

Week 17

Week 36

Tomorrow, my plan for 2012 as well as some tips and thoughts on the process by my fellow Project Lifers. And Friday, I'll share pages from some of our WCS team members as well as our favorite products.

See you on Thursday,