My first Project Life album!

I am super excited about this post today because I have something crafty to share with you! It's no secret that our family has been on a pretty twisty journey the past year or two, going from adoption to now foster care.  Throw in a few other curve balls of life and you have me sometimes feeling a bit worn out.  I am pretty good at recharging though and crafting is one way I like to simply have fun!  I'm always kind of surprised when a mom tells me they feel guilty for doing something fun or resting or fill-in-the-blank, whatever fills you back up.  My favorite quotes about this very subject are "an empty cup can't fill others" (or something like that), and "learn to rest, not quit." 

I believe whole-heartedly in taking care of ourselves, because so many of us mamas are taking care of so many others!  In order for me to give, give, give, I must sometimes fill back up.  I do at least one thing a day to fill back up, even if it's a 10-minute sit by the fire or a cup of tea and a good book before bed.  

Crafting and photography set almost everything right in my world.  When I'm partaking in either of these activities the noise is silenced, my soul is at rest.  It's when I reflect, pray, and worship.  It was with this in mind that I began looking for a way to combine my love for the two in a tangible, hands-on medium I could easily fit into my busy life.  

I considered my own form of bullet journaling, but it just didn't ever click for me.  In the end it felt like too much work for a lot of lists, when really the things I want to remember aren't my lists but the stories and photographs.  Enter Project Life!  

I discovered the idea of a Project Life scrapbook album years ago but haven't ever made one.  One day recently at Hobby Lobby as I was talking myself out of buying every single scrapbook item ever made, it clicked.  I should totally make a scrapbook and put all the cute stuff I already have to use.  I started reading up on Project Life albums to see how others started and kept up their own yearly scrapbooks. 

I was delighted to see that anything goes, truly! You can spend as little or as much time on a Project Life album as you like and I like that.  

So what is a Project Life album?  It is a scrapbook album that you fill with scrapbook items, like these cute graphics and art cards you see, and photographs during the year.  You can purchase a BIG album like I have, which is the 12x12.  You can also purchase the clear pages with pockets to go inside the album.  Last, there are scrapbook accessories GALORE online or at Hobby Lobby you can also fill your pockets with.  

These are my first pages!  Or really, one page, two-sided.  You guys, this was SO easy and so wonderfully fun to do.  I have my own printer so I quickly scaled some photos as close to 3x4 as I could and combined them on a sheet to print.  Next I cut out all the photos, slid them into pockets, and journaled on a few scrapbook cards.  Last I slid the scrapbook cards into the pockets and added a few extra embellishments here and there. 

This was so super quick to do and I love that!  I can easily keep this up by taking a few minutes each Sunday night, printing a sheet of photos, and having my page made for the week in under 30 minutes.  

Here's a close-up of the pages I've finished so far! 

Isn't that so fun?! You know how much I adore the blog, but I'm a very devoted book fan over a Kindle any day so it completely makes sense that my personality craves a real-life book of my life story.  

Of course it didn't take long for the girls (ok, Anna) to spot some of my cute supplies laying around and get totally inspired. 

I mean she does come by it naturally, doesn't she? 

I had both the girls pick out some cute scrapbook cards and print some photos.  Then they each got their own binder and we filled the table with stamps, markers, glue, and more!  We've left this out on our table all week long and it is adorable to see how many times I'll find one of them quietly and happily working on their scrapbook.  I'll share their pages with you soon! They are precious. 

In this ever so busy season of life, scrapbooking is saving my sanity.  It's keeping my creative spirit alive and that feels so good. 

What about you?  Have you ever done a Project Life album or another kind of memory-keeping?