Sunday, October 14, 2012

Project Life | Let’s Get Back Together

HelloPL

Hello Project Life. 

It’s been a while since we decided on a trial separation at the end of June. Our first 2012 album was full, so it was a good time to quit you.
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We went our separate ways for over three months and I was glad to be free of you for a while.  I played with other crafts.  I dated digital layouts again.  I hung out with 12x12 paper layouts.  I even went outside in the sunshine and played.  We said we would re-evaluate our relationship after this trial separation.  What do you think?

As for me, I’m surprised that I’ve missed you quite a bit. 

I miss printing out photos and putting them into your pockets.  I miss taking more daily life photos because I knew that you existed.  I miss having a place to put my memorabilia.  I miss date stamping and sticking fun embellishments and journaling next to my photos.  I’ve missed you, but there are some changes that we need to make to our relationship in order to go forward.

The major reason we separated was that you were unyielding and rigid in your format, and you demanded too much of my free time.  You left me no time to do anything else creative.  I’ve come to realize that you don’t get to dictate how I want to go forward with you.  I want a more freeing relationship.  I don’t want to HAVE to stick photos and journaling into your pockets EVERY SINGLE WEEK.  When I have photos that I want to print, you will be there for me.  And do we ALWAYS have to do the two-page spread thing?  I mean, really?  Doesn’t that get old?  I propose that your new album be filled whenever and however I want.  I know it sounds like I’m calling the shots, but this is for the best if we want to continue to have any kind of relationship at all. 

I’m tired of the guilt you made me feel when I fell “behind” on you.  I want to enjoy our time together.  I want to see you when I feel like it, not because I feel like I HAVE TO see you.  I don’t’ want you to dictate rules such as no missing weeks or printing out photos just to fill the spots up.  We just need to be more open to other possibilities, such as sticking other scrapbooking formats right into your album next to Project Life pages. 
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And last of all, I’m not going to feel bad about not documenting the time when we were separated.  That time has passed.  If I feel like printing some photos and date stamping them?  Fine.  If not, then we will just have a gap in our relationship and we’ll both be fine with it.  It happens.

So it is with joy that I welcome you back into my life. :)
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I just want to remind you that rules are not accepted going forward.  Especially the “all-or-nothing” rule.  You’ll just have to deal with the fact that I’m doing my best, and I want to enjoy life with you in it. 


Sincerely,
Me

30 comments:

  1. You tell it to PL, Christine!!!!! Good for you for sticking up for yourself! :)

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  2. I commend you for making it through June, even while openly recognizing it was taking up too much of your time. I think the small-size format of the pockets is great creative instigator for many (vs. the intimidation of a 12x12 page).

    I knew a chronological approach wasn't for me, so I'm using the PL plastics with regular full-page protectors inside of an album with four dividers for the main LOM categories: All About Us, Places We Go, Things We Do, People We Love. Total best of both worlds!

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  3. Also forgot to add that I'm looking forward to seeing how you adapt the format going forward. I enjoy your style and seeing how you use product that I most often really like as well.

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  4. I don't have a grand plan in mind. I just want the system to be flexible, and I want to enjoy it. I think I'll make it up as I go, and adjust to what I like best with my Project Life.

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  5. LOL. I loved reading this. You are so cute Christine. I admire you for deciding what's best for YOU...taking a break when you need it...choosing to come back...or not..it's really up to you. But either way, I love watching your process.

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  6. Great journaling piece, I think you should print it and slide it right into a PL page. I want to try PL in real paper next year. I've heard a lot of people talking about simple stories. I haven't heard too much about them but it intrigues me to find out. I think 2peas just started selling them.

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  7. Loving your style, Christine. That made me chuckle :). Good luck with your reinvigorated open relationship! Looking forward to seeing some of your pages xx

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  8. I am so happy you wrote this!! It drives me bonkers that people feel all this pressure to do project life with the two page/one week format. I think Becky's whole idea was to simplify scrapbooking and eliminate the guilt after all. As one I those people who doesn't do it that way (and loves it and has a well documented life and never feels guilty or behind), I'm happy to see someone else break out o te box too.

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  9. Christine, you had me laughing. You tell it to PL - you're the boss, not PL. I have PL but I have never done a photo a day or weekly spreads. I've always done it the way I want to do it. If I don't feel like it I don't do it. I think PL is great under my own rules. You go girl!

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  10. those were some of my same feelings as I finished a year of PL. Thank you for showing me I am not alone. Maybe under these new rules, I may try PL again.

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  11. I'm also curious to see what you do with it going forward! I never got very far with PL but I think sometimes it would be nice to do a very low key version of it. Good for you for getting back to it!

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  12. Can't wait to see your new take on project life! I think I need to have the same talk with my PL. I am soooo far behind!

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  13. Good for you for re-evaluating and deciding to make it your OWN.

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  14. yeah christine! welcome back... on your terms. btw- heard your name on the paper clipping round table. a couple of your products were the product pick. episode 014. yes, listening to old episodes. xoxo

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  15. Hahaha ... oh, please print this post out & put it in your PL folder ... such a fun "letter" & great way to approach the process, Christine!

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  16. Ha! I actually never thought to print it out and put it into my PL binder. What a great idea! I just might do that! :)

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  17. This is fantastic! I definitely agree that you should print this out for your PL. I think my way of doing PL has changed about 10 times this year, so I understand where you're coming from. I'm sure you'll be able to find the fun in it again :)

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  18. what a hilarious post :)

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  19. So glad you are getting back together with PL. You were a cute couple.

    Now please tell me, what size is that scallop circle on your title card? Is that from a punch? I want one but am having the hardest time figuring out what size I need.

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  20. Love it! I look forward to seeing your new take on Project Life. I love the look of your PL page and 12x12 page side by side!

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  21. Melissa - yes, the scallop circle is 1 3/8" and it's a Fiskars punch: Fiskars 01-003775 Scalloped Squeeze Punch, Large, Seal of Approval

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  22. Excellent - thanks, Christine. I think that might be the size for me. ;)

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  23. LOVE it! So happy to see this and that you are doing it on YOUR terms. That is the only way that I have been able to keep going on it. I get behind, I catch up and it keeps going but I try not to stress myself out on it. Anything I am adding is a wonderful thing. As I have told you I love your PL posts and I will look forward to when they come along and I promise to give back and leave a comment about how much I love your work and how much it always inspires me.

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  24. TOTALLY agree with your new philosophy.

    PL is a fun project hopefully nothing too demanding.

    Love your new perspective and can't wait to see what you'll do!

    Julie

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  25. Lovely post! While I have been doing a good job of keeping up this year, I am thinking "how many scrapbooks will I have if I do this for the rest of my life!?!"

    You're right - we need to make it fit our life, not the other way around. I don't think Becky meant for it to be this stressful :)

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  26. I am glad you're back on the PL band wagon, I always enjoy seeing your style and getting ideas from how you've put things together.

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  27. I LOVE this post - it made me laugh! Good for you for taking the bulls by the horns and telling PL who's boss. I miss your layouts and can't wait to see some of your pages again... So glad to see you and PL back together again.

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  28. Hi Christine! I have a question and I've been thinking of asking you for awhile now. I'm thinking about doing Project Life starting in 2013. Do you think most people who do Project Life focus more on it than doing regular scrapbook pages? Is it in place of regular pages? What are your thoughts?

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    1. Hi Christina!

      I think it depends on how much scrapbooking time you have, and how format of Project Life you want to do. For me personally, when I did weekly Project Life, it took me 5-6 hours to process photos, pick photos, print photos, and do the actual scrapbooking. I did a lot of things with the pockets though, and didn't keep it simple. I think it can be done a lot faster if you were to just use the core kit from Becky Higgins and not get too scrappy. I didn't have time to do other forms of scrapbooking, so PL did take all my creative time. That's why I'm not doing weekly now. I know some people who do both PL and regular pages. I think it just depends on how much time you have to commit to it.

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