Monday, August 15, 2011

A Week In The Life

Is over again for another year, and over here at Simple Aussie Girls, four of us took part this year. Nicole declared this to be far too big a commitment, and normally I share that opinion, but this year I decided to join in and give it a go. My plan was to keep the whole thing as simple and pain free as possible, so that I could reduce any self imposed hurdles that might prevent this from being yet another un-finished project.

This week we plan to share our respective takes on Ali Edwards Week In The Life, and hope you enjoy seeing a bit of how we've gone about things, and of our daily lives.

Like I mentioned before, my intention was to keep things as simple as possible for myself. I downloaded the PDF's thoughtfully provided by Ali, printed them and kept them accessible on my kitchen counter. With a pen tied to the bulldog clip holding them together so the kids couldn't run away with it. I kept basic notes about each day, and took photos. Not nearly as many as other people, but when it came down to the end, I wasn't able to use all of them anyhow!

I put the album together in a hybrid fashion.  My title page, using some word art from CZ.

IMG_9217 I won't share every page as they are pretty much the same, but just give you a taste of how it came together.

friday I decided on a simple double page spread for each day, facing each other.

friday 2The above photos I printed and chopped up, and slid them into divided photo pockets. It looks great and I love the slight see through element of it all, but I am not sure I will do this again! It wasn't as fast as I would have liked it to have been!

And how it looks all put together:

IMG_9188I made a slight error when printing - I didn't "flip" the text - I printed them all the same, however when you flip the page the text doesn't lay at the centre of the main page, which gives a great big ole bit of trapped space in the middle. However, I didn't want to print or re-do those pages again do just left it be and made a mental note for "next time"!

And if you have done the mental math on the pages, you would realise that I would end with a blank divided page at the back - which I intend to fill with photos I didn't use already for the week.

I decided to include the daily pages that I had scribbled on.

IMG_9215  I've put them in a pocket, and as they are a bit messy, simple made a cover to put in front of them in the same pocket.

This has left me with a blank pocket on the other side of those daily pages...which I have filled with a special layout, that you will see more of in a few weeks time, involving Amy's next challenge.

If I do this again? Go into a little more depth, I think. I've skimmed the surface in keeping it so simple. Use some patterned paper, I think. While I don't mind the clean graphic look, a bit of pretty paper would have been nice. But I can't be bothered adding any now its done!  Other thoughts: include the front page of the newspaper, folded in a pocket. Print out some news headlines for one day, from an on line news service. For sure, include shopping dockets (I didn't actually go to the grocery shop during my WITL!) But now, I've done it once, and its pretty much done and away in its album.  I think I might do this every second year, and house it in the same album.

Pop by tomorrow and see how Amy put her WITL together! Feel free to share a link to your own Week in the Life in the comments, or on our Flickr page (just let us know so we know to have a look!)

9 comments:

  1. I think making this project simple is the key - there is nothing worse than getting half way through and being so overwhelmed you don't finish!
    I love the simplicity and I actually really like how you have not put in any papers or cardstock - and the details pocket at the end is a really good idea.

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  2. I DOOOO love the whole concept. I will do it soon - I swear. Love this.

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  3. Love it! Love the simplicity. I like the divided page pocket idea as well. I'm still putting mine together, but should be ready for my post on Thursday.

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  4. Love it! Well done! Nat xx

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  5. I REALLY REALLY love your approach and am thinking I would love to use this approach for something soon. Not sure I can wait till next year!!! But best finishe this years WITL first. I love your observations for next time.
    What size have you printed the pages? Print at home or professional??

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  6. good question Di, I should have addressed this in the post: I used 8.5 x 11 template that I printed at home on A4 - the full page it didn't matter as there was plenty of white space to allow for the different print size, but the collage page, I dropped the template onto an a4 canvas in pse, so I didn't loose the size of the photo, made for the pockets. printing at home allowed me to control this, I was worried that the little pics might be the wrong size for the pocket if I sent them away to be printed.

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  7. Love this Sharon, the simplicity is UNREAL and makes me want to do this project-especially like the cover page.

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  8. It's come together beautifully! I am another who loves the simplicity of it - especially that left-hand page with the large photo and the journalling space. (I've just finished my own, viewable under 'My allbums' over at http://simplyalexa.typepad.com/photos/a_week_in_my_life_july_20/index.html)

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  9. I like how you've put this project together...maybe I'll give it a try one day!
    Alison xx

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