I thought I was more up to date on sharing my OLW album, but as I sit down to write this post, I discovered I’ve not posted about this project since March …which, was pretty much when the world fell apart. Because I don’t want to play catch-up completely in December… and since I’ve already made a little video for August – October…I’m going to go back make a quick video of April – July and tuck that right above August and October and I’ll be caught up with myself! Go me.
I have to say I am quite pleased that I have kept up with this project every month in 2020. Most years they’ve been abandoned by April. Last year I think I did several months in quick succession at the end of the year… so considering all that has gone on this year I’m calling this a big win even though we have two months left to go!
One Little Word is a year-long project, spearheaded by Ali Edwards to choose a guiding word for the year and, through a series of monthly prompts, explore how that word can integrate into your life and you can welcome in and also let go. Learn more about the project HERE
What’s your word this year? How’s your project going?
Hello my fellow stay-at-home people! Are you feeling like me that you should be able to be accomplishing many more things than you actually are? Honestly my projects to work on / Things to do list was quite hefty before there were about 10,000 facebook posts and articles giving us ideas on how to fill our time. I have stopped reading those posts… I have plenty to do as it is, and when you add in constant mask making to donate. I have no lack of ways to spend my time.
This morning I decided to finish up my March OLW … yeah, because we are almost half way through April and I have not started any of that yet LOL. So here is March… the March prompt was to pick one thing to do for 30 days, do it and then write about it at the end of the month. I picked movement and as you can see, I was woefully bad at it even before the world shut down. I am proud of myself that I at least picked only ONE thing and not 47 so I consider that winning.
Here are my pages:
I didn’t feel like making any additional cards with sentiments etc.. so I added in a few photos that basically defined the month (other than the cat on my head filter one which is just odd and needed to be included). Glad to have it done and to not be too far behind! I also continue to be happy about my organization for this project, that continues to work well!
Thanks for taking a look at my project! Have you participated in Ali’s workshops? Have you picked a word for the year? Has your word changed since the world turned up-side down?
No, I haven’t finished the year (because it’s only February and I could potentially be missing out on all sorts of cool stuff). Off and on for the last 9 years I’ve picked a word to contemplate for the year. Ali Edwards has kind of formalized this idea and even leads a year long workshop . My prior words have been Prosper, Brave, Passion and Forward and for 2020 “Complete”. I think that complete has a good flow from forward last year and I like that it has several meanings. Plus, I got a lot a stuff I want to get done!
This year, as last I am participating in Ali’s workshop and I thought I’d share my first two months of the album here…I have to say this is the first time that I have been this far ahead LOL we’ll see how long that lasts!
January
January is traditionally the set up month where you kind of think about all the different aspects of your word (or, some people use phrases) and make some notes about what you’d like to let in, leave behind and how you’d like things to go. I did purchase Ali’s kit this year in addition to the digital kits that come with the class so I wrote everything out on the included small cards and printed out the larger pages from the digital kit. The little instax photos of me were taken by the girls while we were in Florida in January while they were doing photo shoots around the pool (which I found endearing and hysterical at the same time). I pulled out some black and white washi tape and papers to add in to the pockets. Looking through this again…I think I actually skipped a photo of some of the cards but you get the idea.
February
February’s prompt was to make a collage exploring your word. I have done this in the past, I have two large ones hanging in my studio and honestly no more wall space so I decided to keep the collage to 6×8 to fit in this book and then when I started cutting out images, I decided to simplify even further and just add in a few images of things that make me feel “complete” and a quick photo I snapped of myself (trying to remember to include a photo of myself each month) Yes, I looked thrilled as I was running late to meet a friend for breakfast! I also realized looking at this again that i meant to attach the “February” word art piece at the bottom of my photo. At first I thought I was maybe just phoning it in because I didn’t do a big collage again but I like the simple aspect of the photos…these are by no means all the things that make me feel complete but a representative smattering.
Organizing
Last year, I found that having all of my OLW Album supplies in one place made things much quicker and easier. This bin which I repurposed from the bathroom project, has product from this years kit as well as leftovers from last year and a few things from my stash… I am keeping this tucked into my shelving unit until it’s time to work on the album so it’s out of the way yet accessible. My bin of washi tape and other embellishments are right there if I want to pull something from my stash to add to the book! I’m also really glad this year that the album fits in the bin with the supplies (last years arrangement I had to go hunting for the album which I stored separately) So I’m very happy everything is in one place!
Thanks for taking a look at my project! Have you participated in Ali’s workshops? Have you picked a word for the year?
I participated in Ali Edward’s “One Little Word” class last year, this was my fourth year choosing a word for the year (rather than resolutions which, lets face it…never happen). This year I felt like my word – FORWARD – manifested itself in many ways so I consider it a success!
I made a super casual (cue uproarious laughter) video of my completed album, and as I was editing it, I had the thought that this is not really a scrapbook but more of a visual journal. Click on the link below!
My word for 2020 is COMPLETE so I feel like I am getting off to a good start finishing up 2019!
Do you participate in OLW? What is your word for 2020??!
One of the ways I engage with my hobby of memory keeping (and also prime the creative pump for my business and my other creative endeavors) is with a membership at Simple Scrapper which is a community of like minded memory keepers from all over the world (which is so totally cool) that offers classes, challenges, online crops, book clubs, a monthly magazine, templates and loads of fun and support. This past week has been their semi-annual “Stash Bash” week, a challenge for members to work on reducing or organizing their creative stash with an eye to making more projects and getting more stories told.
I’m currently working on my girls school albums with a completion date of June 7th (conveniently, their graduation date!) so I am making plenty of layouts and recording lots of memories right now. I do have one particular area of stash that needed a little love so I thought I’d share my Stash bash Project here with you (I’ve already shared it with the Simple Scrapper Community)
My lovingly acquired selection of Story Kits!
I am the proud owner of many many Story Kits and Story Stamps from Ali Edwards. I also amassed a years worth of Stories by the Month and, I’m embarrassed to say I have hardly used any of them. When I thought about why (other than the usual reasons) I realized that they are all still in the original envelopes, so I can’t see or flip thru anything. So how to get them out of envelopes and deal with different sorts of stuff: cards, stamp sheet, sheets of cardstock and stickers and then loads of types of embellishments. my first impetus was to go to Target and buy more plastic fridge bins to house the collection. I really am not thrilled with the purple bin from the girls old toy room where they now reside. Then I checked myself and thought a) too much plastic already and we are trying to make a conscious effort as a household to cut back and b) don’t feel like spending the $$. I looked around the house and thought shoeboxes! Totally can do that! Except didn’t have quite the right size/shape etc…. I realized I can just keep them in the purple bin and get over it because it fits perfectly in the bookcase. In taking apart a few kits and spreading them out… I hit up on the solution to the problem: 1-Take (almost) everything OUT OF THE PLASTIC stamp sets, chip board, everything except some tiny stars and other embellishments that must be contained. 2- All the loose embellishments go back in the big plastic envelope that the kit gets shipped in. 3-Envelope is labeled w kit name 4- Envelope goes in back and stamp, chipboard, stickers, paper-ish kinds of things and finally the journal cards all stacked on top, then stood up in the bin. It’s a little catty-wampus, it’s not perfect but quite frankly I was pretty giddy with how FUNCTIONAL it’s going to be for me!!
the new home for the smaller embellishments! Easy to see and access!Everything out of the plastic, ready to be stacked up and filed! Easy flip through access now!
I then took all my story by the month sets, which I’m using to document 2018 monthly, found a binder and some page protectors and slotted all the cards, chipboard and stamps into the page protectors so NOW when I’m ready to work on January, I can just add more page protectors and the cards and stamps are all in one place.
Monthly themed cards and embellishments ready to use to document 2018!
All of this was accomplished while still in my pajamas yesterday afternoon! I’m so excited how everything turned out!! I’ll try and post more photos in the comments, I wanted to share here because I know many of us probably have piles of these kits and hopefully some idea will help you to work with your kits!!
Happy Dance over here!!
How do you organize your materials to make your projects flow more efficiently and leave you more time for actually making things??!
triggsey 