Project Life Weeks Sixteen through Eighteen

I spent my National Scrapbooking Day getting caught up with Project Life.  Sometimes I title the weekly cards by Week No, and sometimes not.  As I was designing the last few, I couldn't believe that we are already up to Week 20!  I have been doing this for almost five months! It's also become increasingly obvious that I won't be able to fit the entire year in one album.  I picked up a second one and I am going to try my best to keep the year in just two albums.  But then again, if there's a story to tell . . .

Those of you who are regular followers know that I have ever so slowly been dipping my toes into the digital world.  It's probably more apparent with these last few weeks of Project Life than anywhere else.  I actually designed the last two Weekly title Cards in Photoshop Elements instead of my usual Silhouette Studio.  Photoshop can do some things Silhouette can't and there's always the issue of Silhouette crashing when you are working with one too many digital papers.  What you see is really just the result of me playing around and feeling my way around the software.

Week Sixteen

I am a big fan of inserts.  Especially the 6 x 12  size.  I just like an over sized picture! This week I used one for a photograph of my son's school project.  He worked really hard on it and I was very proud of him.  The back of the insert is a photo collage of him working on the project with his Grandmother.  I used one of Cathy Zielske's photo templates to create it.  Those are so worth the few dollars they cost.  It's so much easier to drag and drop and mask than to create my own from scratch.  I also used an oversized photo in the later part of the week.  Sometimes you have to do what you have to do to fill those slots up (I was incredibly light on photos this particular week).

Week Seventeen

I created this week's title card (and the next week's as well) in Photoshop Elements using K. Teague's This Life digital kit.  I could have created the exact same card using the Silhouette Studio software, but I am really trying to get the hang of photoshop and the only way to do that is to use it.  Also, it does have the advantages of being able to add shadows, bevels and other some other things that aren't available in the Studio software.  I also added a collage that I put together using an IPhone app called PicFrame. It's a great app - you can make square or 4 x 6 photos, there are a ton of background papers, and other effects. I am going to try to use it more.  

Week Eighteen

There are two 6 x 12 inserts in this week!  What was I thinking?  That I needed to display all of these pictures and include this DVD of my son presenting his project to his class.  His presentation was truly a sight to behold.  This 6 x 12 insert is actually a cut down Design E page.  I wanted to be able to put the DVD in a pocket without disturbing the other pictures.  The day after the presentation everyone dressed up as their presentation characters and they had a parade.  My son of course is dressed up as John Henry.  As you can see, his hammers are in motion.  That was very important, I was told.  The next insert is a true 6 x 12 insert and that covers the trip my boys and I took up to their Aunt's house to do some planting.  In case you missed it, I made my first ever digital page using pictures from that same trip.  You can see that post here.  I love the big 6 x 12 photo of my baby!  Again, I am nothing but a sucker for over sized photo.  The back of the insert is another I created from a Cathy Zeilske template.  Instead of using three photos, I decided use one of the photo spaces for my journaling.  I imported some digi paper from Lori Whitlock for Echo Park's This & That Charming set.  I wish some of my other favorite companies would make their collections available digitally (are you listening My Mind's Eye?).  

So that's it.  Three more weeks in the lives of my family. Project Life is moving along, moving along. 

Recipe:

Software:  Photoshop Elements 10, Silhouette Studio Designer's Edition

Digital Paper & Kits:  K. Teague's This Life; Lori Whitlock for Echo Park's This & That Charming, Lori Whitlock for Echo Park's Note To Self; Echo Park's Orchard Lane; Cathy Zeilske's 6 x 12 Photo Templates; The Sweet Shoppe's Monsterific; Silhouette Studio Shapes

Stickers:  Amy Tangerine Wanderlust and my stash

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you have a fantastic Sunday!