Project 365~The Set-Up

So, I've done it. I've committed to doing Project 365. One photo every day for a year. I knew that if I was going to attempt this, I'd need to have everything planned out and set up so that it was very easy for me to accomplish. I'd also need some sort of daily reminder so I wouldn't forget and an incentive to actually do it. :)

First off, I decorated an American Crafts 12x12 album. This is the first one of these I've actually altered and it was huge for me. If I don't do P365, I'll have wasted this album. That's a big incentive for me, right there.

I used Glimmer Mists, Heidi Swapp masks, American Crafts Thickers, Making Memories stickers, a Prima leaf, a sheet from a mini album, a black Zig pen and my trusty white Signo Uniball pen.

I also set up a P365 kit. It has pens, my "journaling cards", some extra 4x6 sheets of patterned paper for the current month, a set of stamps and an ink pad. It's all right there, sitting on my craft table ready to go.
I labeled the container "capture 365" as Capture is my word for this year. I really want to capture 2010 as it's our first full year as a family of four and our first full year in this new home.

Finally, here's the interior. I used American Craft's divided page protectors. Each sheet holds six horizontal 4x6 photos on each side. Now, some people are having a hard time with this year starting on a Friday because it messes up their weekly two page spreads. So, they started their year last Monday or last Sunday. For my set up, this "half week" actually works out perfectly.

The top left opening with the patterned paper is going to be my title card for the week. The next three openings that have photos are for, well, photos. :) I just plopped three pics in there to show you. The bottom two openings are for journaling. I have a piece of patterned paper in each slot and I'm writing my journaling on 3x5 index cards with a line drawn down the middle. In a full week, I'll have one extra space for more journaling or some sort of fun embellishing. I have an extra space for this half week as well.

I'm not sure if I'll keep the index cards as my final product but they work fantastically for now. They are already cut and lined and all I need to do is grab one and start scribbling, er, journaling. Well, I had to draw the line down the middle but that was a cinch.

I'm writing the date on each photo in Photoshop using Monotype Corsiva font at size 250 on a new layer set to Overlay so that it looks like a watermark. (Check out my next post for that.) I'm saving each photo in a file on my desktop labeled P365 2010 and I'll order photos every week or so. I'll also try to post each day's picture and journaling here on my blog every day or so.

So, from here on out, the only big thing I have to do each month is just choose my color scheme/patterned papers for the month and cut them into 4x6 sheets and I'm good to go.

If I really get crunched for time all I have to do, bare minimum, is take the picture and scribble some journaling on my index card. Or, heck, I could even use a napkin if I don't have a card handy. LOL!

Are you doing a Project 365?