Project Life on a Shoestring...part 1

Let me start off by saying that Project Life is an amazing concept created by Becky Higgins.

Its a great way of recording the big and small things in your life in an easy fuss free format and having completed my own version of Project Life for 2012 I have to say I'm hooked.

These are just 2 random sides taken from my 2012 album ...

But I can imagine it can look daunting to a new starter at this time of year when the PL hype is at it's highest with lots of new supplies being released and discussed. The supplies out there do look brilliant but I wanted to share with you a slightly different way of going about this project without the same expense.

I'm a scrapper & have been for a few years now & like most scrappers I've gathered some scrapping stash :) did I say some ... I think I mean loads :D So when I start something new I am tempted to go straight out & buy the supplies but I'm reluctant to spend lots on something I may not maintain plus I'm on a stash diet, in other words I need to use up what I own and PL is great for this in my opinion. In fact during the making of my 2012 PL I spent NO MONEY on specific supplies except the American Craft Albums it's housed in!!

PL is based on recording each week as a page in an album for my version I've relaxed this a little & try and record each month over 4 sides unless I have a really busy month then I'll add extra pages in.

The key equipment I used...

1. page protectors

2. 6x4 mats

3. journalling cards

4. photos and memories.
5. embellishments.

6. ephemera.

1.They sell special page protectors but in fact you can achieve a very similar look with any protectors you already own. These are the 2 types I already had in my stash.

The key to getting the same feel to your own album pages is the layout and I've achieved this by either using cardstock as my base for the 12x12 page pockets then layering this with a mixture of 6x4 mats cut from patterned paper or slotting these matts straight into the divided pockets.

2.These mats I cut from any off cuts of patterned paper I have finished with, paper I don't particularly like anymore, those scraps you just have to hang on to! or the remains of old kits and I cut them as I go & store them till I'm ready to start my pages. These  make the basis of all my pages. 

I bet you are thinking they are a little bright but they are only the base layer & end up barely visible, honest :)

I hope you like this first look into the way I scrap my families life.

Join me next week when I cover journalling cards, photos & memories x

If you have any questions please left them in the comments & I'll try my best to answer them xxx