Project Life by Stampin' Up!

What is Project Life by Stampin' Up! (#PLxSU)?
*See photos below.


Want to create an entire album in about 3 hours?  Want to catch up on your scrapbooking and stay caught up?  Want to document a recent vacation or event?

Project Life by Stampin’ Up! is “memory keeping” without all of the time, money, and creativity required of traditional scrapbooking.  


My family loves looking at the albums I’ve created.  We will sit and look and laugh and remember quotes, ages, and more – things we totally forgot about.  In 50 years from now, someone will think it’s neat to see my handwriting in an album!  The problem is, I stopped “creating” albums several years ago!  I just didn’t have time any more.  I’m sure many of you can relate – either it’s become overwhelming for you OR you never started because it seemed so overwhelming.  Project Life by Stampin’ Up! has made it possible for me to start my memory keeping again!


For everyone, there is something that makes memory keeping important to you.  Everyone has something: friends, family, pets, relatives, trips, kids, grand kids, vacations, life events, and more – that you want to remember.  In 50 years, you will love being able to see and read (so you can remember) about these things!  And, even more so, your friends and family will love and appreciate that you took the time to write down these memories with the photos.  I don’t know about you, but even within a few months I can forget important details about photos I took – names, dates, ages, and more!


Another reason people scrapbook is it’s fun, relaxing, therapy, girl time, it lets us go on scrapbook retreat weekends, and more!


Here are some quotes from a Facebook Survey I did asking why you scrapbook or wish you did:


Brenda  It brings back precious Memories! Sometimes we forget who we are .....when you see memories of all the ones who are in Heaven who Love You or people you don't see anymore....it brings your life back into perspective! Life & Memories make us who we are Today!

13 hrs · Like · 1

Brenda By the way Love You Jennifer!

13 hrs · Unlike · 2

Kelly Pate Preservation of family history.

13 hrs · Like

Rhonda It brings you back to that moment/feeling/memory. But you have to journal along with your pictures.....

12 hrs · Like · 1

Barbara  Capturing thoughts and/or emotions that were occuring during that moment

12 hrs · Like

Cyndi Capturing history. And making note of it. JOURNAL ppl. Lol. Looking at old pix and wondering, "who is that" & no one knowing, drives me insane

12 hrs · Like · 1

Dwana Creating memories, documenting and preserving family history and when journaling thoughts and personality of those captured. My kids just love going through our family vacation books and school books.

12 hrs · Like · 1

MaryAnn  There are a lot of special moments in life that may not have pictures. This is a great way to capture those as well.

12 hrs · Like · 1

Wendy I don't know if my computer and phone will be around forever. If I print my photos and have them in albums even if they aren't fancy at least they are there. Something tangible that someone will be able to look at one day.

10 hrs · Like · 1

Danah It's the only way to stop time.

9 hrs · Like

Karen Sharing and remembering!! Our youngest daughter had as a senior project a scrap book of her life! So amazing to have now!!

9 hrs · Like

Susan Preserve memories! We tend to. Forget the details

8 hrs · Like

Deb It's like books. E-books will never replace the real thing. The same goes with photos. What better way to keep memories than with real photos artistically dressed up...

7 hrs · Like

Mary I'm scrapbookng. So thAty children and relatives will be Avble rib see some kg our life

4 hrs · Like

Becky Everything everyone else said is first and foremost but it is also time for to slowdown and let my creative juices flow.


With Project Life by Stampin’ Up! you can let go of the pressure of creating elaborate scrapbooks.  We can get rid of the guilt of all of those photos piling up.  Project Life by Stampin’ Up! will simplify “scrapbooking” for you so you can enjoy your pictures and your LIFE while making memories.  You will be able to focus more on the little details of life.  


It requires no skill or experience – just the desire to do something with your pictures and the willingness to do a little journaling (write a few memories) along with it.  #PLxSU is about simplifying your memory preserving process and feeling good about what you’ve done.  


How is this possible? Pair photos and journaling with pre-designed cards that come in our Card Collections, and you will end up with a gorgeous album that documents your life!  You will spend less time and money buying scrapbooking supplies.  


Where do you start with all those photos that have been piling up?  You could start with your current photos or a recent event (wedding, baby shower, vacation).  You could start with your oldest photos and work up to current photos.  It’s up to you!  For me, I’m starting with current photos because my memory is best for those.  I’m doing this for my family – not for me!


To get started, first I recommend getting your photos printed!  Start taking advantage of sales and free shipping.  I use Shutterfly.com, I know people who use Persnikityprints.com, freeprints.com, and Groovebook.com.  You can print from Wal-Mart, Costco, CVS, etc.  I personally like using Shutterfly because they also keep my photo albums for me, so later if my computer crashes, I can go to their website and retrieve my photos.  It also makes re-printing easy.  Shutterfly also makes it easy to share photos online with friends and family, too.  Dropbox is another service/app that I recommend for sharing and getting your photos off of your phone. 


Besides your photos, you need 3 core components to set up an album.


An album, Page Protectors (at least one pack, but I’d recommend 2 -10).  I recommend the Variety Pack (p.188), and a Card Collection.


How to get going once you have your product and photos: One option is you can set up an entire 12×12 album and have it completely prepped and ready to go, so all you have to do is slip your photos in and write some journaling notes on the cards. These steps (below) apply to ANY kind of documenting you’re going to do (current photos, wedding, birthday, vacation, heritage, starting with your oldest photos and working forward, etc).

No matter what pictures you plan to add … here’s what you can do to set up the album ahead of time:

Step 1: Load pages

Take the pages out of the package and place them into your 3-ring album.  You can mix the variety pack up so that the different layouts are mixed in randomly.


Step 2: Open up your Card Collection

Take a look at (thumb through) the cards so you get an idea of the designs. 
Step 3: Insert all Title Cards

Slip a 4x6 card in the top left pocket of every single 2-page layout. There’s no rhyme or reason to the order. And, you can re-arrange them later.  I also fill in every 3x4 and 4x4 pockets now.   

Remember, you can remove cards to add photos or memorabilia later, and you can re-arrange the cards later, too.  You can even re-arrange the order of the pages to fit the vertical/horizontal photos you have.  Change anything you want later!



That’s how simple it can be done! ALL THAT IS LEFT TO DO IS add photos & journaling. REMEMBER: No embellishing necessary. 


*Keep in mind, this is only ONE way of using #PLxSU – this is the simplified, fast, no thinking way.  But, you can do it any way you want.  You do NOT have to set up the album all at once.  You can just go page by page as you decide as you go – it’s up to you!


You can embellish if you want, but if you don’t add a single thing beyond your photos, words, and these cards … the album is DONE and it’s a beautiful and complete scrapbook! Gone are the days that we feel obligated to spend hours on elaborate layouts.


This idea of setting up an album ahead of time works really well for someone who doesn’t want to think about which cards to use each time they add their photos. Decisions are made ahead of time and quick tweaks can easily happen along the way if you want.


When you are using PLxSU you work at your own pace – you could do one layout a month and still not have all of your pictures trapped in your computer.  You could do a layout a day or week.  Or, just do layouts whenever you have time.  You really could do 4-5 years in a short time!  It’s so quick and easy to do SEVERAL layouts in an hour or two (I have completed an album in less than 3 hours).


Other ways to use #PLxSU tips:


You may choose to keep your photos chronological and highlight just a handful of pictures from each month per layout, resulting in an album that holds several years’ worth of memories. You may want each layout to take on a theme or event (holidays, trips, birthdays, back-to-school, etc.) that has nothing to do with chronology. Or you may use this album to organize years and years of old pictures (ex - from your childhood, or some family history).


You may even get ambitious and include a picture-a-day for an entire year - one week per layout. The result of doing this is a very unique way of preserving a wide-angle look at your real life, here and now. A little something every day. 


If you are interested in documenting everyday life I strongly encourage the following approach: One layout per week, but not necessarily a picture-a-day. This means that you go about your life, taking pictures of little moments and saving memorabilia here and there - if you want. Instead of being committed to having a picture to represent every single day (which is fun but definitely ambitious)... you would simply gather whatever you want to include on a layout for that week. Perhaps you do end up with a picture to represent each day on some weeks. Perhaps all the pictures come from one particular occasion that week. It really doesn't matter. This approach is a bit more "relaxed" and flexible than a 365 approach but you end up with the same kind of album that paints a picture of your life as it is right now.


The point is this: You can use Project Life however you want.


I can't emphasize this enough: Project Life is meant to SIMPLIFY the process of memory-keeping. If you use it at the most basic level, you are more likely to succeed in "keeping up" – and you'll still have an amazing album.


Yes, of course you can get creative if you'd like. Many people love adding their own flair with extra embellishments, etc.  And, Stampin’ Up! has a full product line!


Basic Getting Started Products:

  • Album $29.95 (p.188)
  • Card Collection $15.95 (p.189) – and there is a Holiday Card Collection in the Holiday Catalog (each Card Collection100 cards and will make at least 1 album of 24 pages)
  • Page Protectors (12) $6.95 (p.188)
  • Journaling Pens $4.95 (p.188)

Advanced Products/For Your Embellishing Pleasure:

  • Project Life Accessory Packs $9.95
  • Project Life Corner Rounder $7.95 
  • Project Life Stamp Sets
  • Project Life Framelits
  • Grid Cards $3.95 for 50

Other PLxSU Tips:


Document as you photograph!  Take some PL Grid Cards with you along with a PL Journaling Pen in your purse and journal as you take photos so you don’t forget the details.  You can pop these directly into your albums later!  (TIP: use Stampin’ Up!’s wood mount cases to store it in!)  You can even just use a pen and a sticky note and transfer it to a card later.


Take photos of everyday moments you want to remember – your pet sleeping on your bed, your kid’s shoes laying by the door when they come home from school.  Your child doing homework.  Your spouse driving while you are the passenger.  Cooking, your work space, your electronics (yes! – so you can see how they’ve changed – image if we had photos of our first cell phones!), etc.  Take pictures of the “everyday” – and things that will not always be around and you will miss them when they are gone.


Start taking photos both directions – landscape and portrait.  You never know which direction the pockets will go when you scrapbook them – UNLESS you decide to use ONLY Design 1 (p.188) where all photo pockets are landscape (plus 3x4).  AND, take some photos farther away (with more background) so you can crop them for the 3x4 if you want.  And, you can print in trading card size to fit the 3x4 pockets.


AND – Project Life by Stampin’ Up! is exclusive, you will NOT get any repeated card designs, and the corners are square so you have the choice to round them or not.  And, our cards are a great quality!  The box is exclusive to SU!, and it can store photos, other embellishments, the accessory kits, the journaling pens, and more!


Any of our stamp sets can work in your pages if they fit the theme!


We also have #PLxSU Card Collections, Accessory Packs, and Stamp Sets in our seasonal catalogs. 



Cut photos apart and put them in 2 or more pockets.  (Example: cut a 4x6 photo into two 3x4 pieces, and it will now fit into two 3x4 pockets.)


Mix regular 12x12 page protectors with your PL pages.  It’s YOUR album!


Use the 6x8 page protectors in your 12x12 album!  You can use for memorabilia or photos and cards.


Use the Project Life dies to die cut designer paper, memorabilia, and more to fit into the pockets.


Take photos of memorabilia and print the photos to save space in your album.  


You can type up a story and print it out to place in your album.


I know everyone is busy – especially me!  But, we can all take the time to document our lives for our family and friends.  It’s about keeping the memories alive for years to come.


MAKE IT WHAT YOU WANT! 

Keep it simple with cards and journaling or step it up with embellishments, stamps, and more. 

Start with your current pictures, start doing a layout a month, start with your oldest photos, start with a recent event, or

WHATEVER YOU WANT!

Jennifer Cotton

972-723-9289




**MANY of my notes are taken directly (exactly) from
Becky Higgins, creator of Project Life.











You can use the Pl cards to make cards, too!







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