Project 12 is a scrapbook challenge that I have been hosting on my blog since 2009.
In 2010, I got together with Becky Fleck and Scrapbook and Cards Today magazine to host this challenge, and we had sketches to use and prizes to give away on a monthly basis.
The idea behind Project 12 is this: Whether you take one photo, 100 photos, or no photos each month, you still have a life to document. Sometimes that life gets super busy, especially during the summer months. But there's still that itch. That itch to create. And then there's the 273 photos you took at the lake that one day, and then the following weekend when your daughter learned to ride her bike without training wheels but you didn't have your camera. How can you possibly summarize it all?
Enter Project 12. One layout a month. Do one layout a month to summarize what's happening at your house. Use photos that capture what you did that month. Use photos you need to get in an album but don't necessarily want to use in a separate layout. Use your journaling when you don't have that photo.
Scratch the crafting itch with one layout a month. You can do that, even during the busy times.
At the end of the year you'll be able to go back and see what you've lived, and you'll be so glad you participated. This project also works really well in organizing your albums. I have my P12 layouts mixed with my other layouts in the same book.
2013 details:
Gossamer Blue is hosting the challenge with me for 2013 and I am very excited about it!
I've decided to mix things up, to make things fresh and feel inspired, so will be working with divided page protectors, the traditional way of scrapbooking.
Check out my layout for December 2012 - there are 14 photos! What a great way to tell your story share your memories than to create art and include so many photos to document your life journey.
A big thank you to Scrapbook and Cards Today magazine for hosting this challenge with me from 2010-2012. You can check out Becky's sketches and the other formats this monthly challenge has taken below.
The process:
- As I prepare to do my layout each month, I think about the big events that happened during the month. Was there a birthday, a holiday, or something important for our family that I know I will want to document?
In December, that was Christmas, New Years, and taking my girls to the Nutcracker. Those were the major events I wanted to capture.
- After I have determined the major events, I go through my digital files and memorabilia and determine which minor events capture our month best.
In December, those things included a lot of sledding, cookies with Grandma, and a couple of snowflake projects, and visiting Santa.
I took a lot of sledding photos. I took a lot of Christmas photos. Project 12 is about summarizing, so I went through all of these photos and chose those that best captured us. They aren't necessarily the most crisp and focused shot, or the one with the best depth of field. They are the photos that tell our story.
- After I determine which photos I want to use, I look at my page protector and determine where everything will go. I make sure to make a place for a date/journaling card, as well as other journaling spots on my layout.
- The last element is embellishment. Project 12 is more about memory keeping and less about technique. It's the photos I don't want to forget, not the popular crafting trends. I can use those on regular scrapbook layouts. That said, I do want there to be balance and a little flair. :) It just isn't the priority.
- At this point it's a matter of printing photos, arranging, and slipping things into pockets ( I print my photos at home).
In 2013 I plan to use more candid phone photos. In this way, I won't miss my daughter riding her bike or something spontaneous that happens when we are out on the town.
Tips:
I use the Momento ap for my phone. It's a great way to add little notes and quotes from my kids. It also keeps track of my Instagram photos and Facebook feed in chronological order. I love this ap.
I also use Instagram a lot. I'm a huge fan of the Earlybird wash in particular. This is a way for me to make this project cohesive because in the end, I still do care about design and having everything work together.
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2012 details:
Things changed a wee bit for 2012. I am posting on the SCT blog on the 15th of each month, utilizing the current color palette, and a previous Becky Fleck sketch that I've chosen the month before. I'm still posting to my blog too. Click the Project 12 button on the right hand side. Here's what I've done so far:
January- March I tried something different because I wanted to be more up to date. I didn't care for the process, so in April I went back to the traditional way of doing things and that made my heart MUCH happier. It has worked for a few years. I see no reason to change! :)
January
February
March
April
2011:
the Details:
On the first day of each month I will have a Project 12 post. The title of that post will be, for example: "Project 12 June in July", and I will post it on July 1. Because you can't document your life until you have actually lived it, you can't create your June layout until at least July.
If you want to participate in the challenge and try for a fun prize, link your layout on my blog by the 28th of the month. There are two chances to win a prize every month. The first is by linking your layout to my Project 12 blog post for the month. The second opportunity is when you email an image of your layout to ideas@scrapbookandcards.com so they can upload it to their Project 12 Facebook album, or you can link your layout to the appropriate blog post at the Scrapbook and Cards Today blog. A choice is given for so those who don't have blogs or post in online galleries can still participate in the challenge. There will be a link to the correct SCT blog post on my monthly challenge post here.
Please note: At SCT they like you to link your layouts to the blog post where the appropriate sketch was revealed. The January 2011 sketch was revealed on 1/1/11 on the SCT blog. Link your layouts on that thread. That is also the place to see what prize you are playing for. Your January layouts, linked in February, are in the running for a prize pack from American Crafts, including the Love line and adhesive.
I host the challenge at both places.
Please let me know if you have any other questions! I will try to update this page with any new information, and will also have the current sketches and blog links here for quick reference.
Link your layouts 1/1-1/28 here:
December challenge in January and January sketch reveal at SCT
December in January (my blog)
Link your layouts 2/1-2/28 here:
December in January (my blog)
January sketch reveal at SCT
January layout sketch:
Link your layouts during 3/1-3/28 here:
Project 12 February in March (my blog)
February sketch reveal on the SCT blog here.
February sketch:
Link your layouts from 4/1-4/28 here:
Project 12 March in April ( my blog)
March sketch reveal on the SCT blog here.
March sketch:
April sketch:
Link your layouts from May 1-May 28 here
Project 12 April in May (my blog)
April sketch reveal on the SCT blog here
May sketch:
Link your layouts from June 1- June 28 here:
Project 12 May in June (my blog)
May sketch reveal on the SCT blog here.
June sketch:
Link your layouts from July 1 - July 28 here:
Project 12 June in July (my blog)
June sketch reveal on the SCT blog (here)
July sketch:
Link your Layouts from August 1-28 here:
July sketch reveal on the SCT blog (here)
August sketch:
Link your layouts from September 1-28 here:
Project 12 August in September (my blog)
August sketch reveal on the SCT blog (here)
September sketch:
Link your layouts from October 2 - 28 here:
Project 12 September in October (my blog)
September sketch reveal on the SCT blog (here).
October sketch:
Link your layouts from November 1-28 here:
Project 12 October in November (my blog)
October sketch reveal on the SCT blog (here).
November sketch:
Link your layouts for December here:
Project 12 November and December in January: (my blog)
December sketch reveal on the SCT blog (here)
December sketch:
