The Project 365 Lifestyle

Help! I can't find anything to take a photo of anymore!

2009-01-26T09:07:00.000-08:00

We all have some days that we just look around, sigh heavily, and say, "Now what do I take a picture of?" It's kind of like standing in front of the open fridge door and saying, "there's nothing to eat in here!"

Give your brain a rest and use this list of words to help inspire you. If you love theme albums, why not make your whole project into your photo interpretation of a different word each day!

You can develop your own word list by:

opening up the dictionary, closing your eyes, and putting your finger on a random place
asking your kids to choose words (a funny experience, too!) or using their spelling lists from school
choosing a few pages of text from the paperback you're reading and taking out any word under 2 and over 6 letters (except colors) (this should be fun with a smutty book...LOL!)

Here's your first 31 words (in no particular order)
chair
music
round
cold
colorful
note
row
alive
craft
odd
sew
blue
curvy
orange
shiny
bottle
dusty
plastic
soft
brick
funky
play
storage
busy
happy
read
tap
button
light
reflection
two

2009 - Week 3

2009-01-24T07:11:00.000-08:00

2009 - Week 2

2009-01-14T23:31:00.000-08:00

Stuck? Here are some photo ideas to inspire you!

2009-01-11T19:31:00.000-08:00

A large Christmas tree in the center of town
Your favorite band
Your favorite ice cream
Your favorite recipe
Your favorite website
People you meet
Your alarm clock
A full moon
A new moon
Your “bucket list”
Your hair care products
Items in your favorite color
Your electronic gadgets
A boo-boo or body part in a cast
A collection of knick-knacks
Cooking with kids
Your tattoo or getting one
Your favorite piece of furniture
National holidays
Heritage festivals
Your favorite restaurants
Your jewelry
A pile of clutter
Walking the dog
Your favorite place to shop
A basketball game
A trip to the library
You child’s favorite outfit
The view out your bedroom window
Your favorite cereal
Your everyday dishes
Your fine china
A quote by someone and this person’s picture
What you do that relaxes you
A book your child is reading
An unfinished (or finished) crossword puzzle
Your child’s favorite toy
Dance parties
A natural landscape
Housewarming parties
Your shoes
A favorite magazine
A favorite book

2009 - Week 1

2009-01-07T15:11:00.000-08:00

2009 - Let's do it all again!

2009-01-01T10:32:00.000-08:00

Caution - this is a bit long because there are so many ideas for getting started that will help you right now!

Last year, participating in Project 365 was popular, but this year it's everywhere you look - worldwide!! I've heard of at least five digi shops that are hosting, challenges, numerous Facebook groups you can join, a paper scrapping kit by Becky Higgins (that has sold out already!), and I'm sure there are many more folks out there who are participating in their own ways. Some participants on Facebook and are going to post their photos and layouts in their personal photo albums. Invite your family and friends to play along with you...it's fun to take photos together! Don't forget to have the kids play along - it would be amazing to see the year from child's point of view.

I just can't say enough about this project and highly encourage you to join in. By 'join in" I don't mean you have to JOIN a group if you don't want to. I did it all on my own last year and really enjoyed it. It sure was an easy way to create a comprehensive album about our everyday life that will be fun to look back on for my whole family - after all, they were mostly involved, too! I'll still make special albums about events or vacations but I think this will be the way I create my annual family album from now on.

Feel free to start your project 365 anytime - a few of you already have - and don't be afraid to start late. January 1 isn't the only good date to start...lots of other countries and nations have their new year starting on a different date. And, if you want to do a pregnancy theme, you'll definitely be starting on an alternate date!

Are you a teacher? Do a shortened version with your class and document the school year, a semester, or a quarter. At the end of the designated time period, choose a different weekly layout from each pupil and have an art show...so many possibilities.

Since I am such an advocate for documenting life this way, I decided to host Project 365 in the Plain Digital Wrapper challenge forum (linked on the right) and give away the weekly templates, featuring 7 photos per page, that I created for my 2008 album...all totally FREE. I created all 52 of them (and a cover) to document my photos because I was too lazy to upload a photo to my blog every day - LOL! My 2008 photos are not all placed into the templates yet - I'm up to week 34.

If you're hesitant or aren't ready for such a commitment, why not start out doing a photo a week? Once you get in the habit of taking your camera everywhere you go (even to the grocery store) you'll find it's actually pretty easy. And with all the free templates out there - including mine - putting it all together is a snap!

My 2008 Project 365 was about our everyday life and interesting things I observed. One day I took a picture of an oil spot in a parking lot on a rainy day just because it had a cool rainbow effect! Since everyday life is pretty eclectic (mine is anyway), I decided to NOT have a particular theme except for making the background the same for facing pages. However, if you need to have a theme or a theme helps you get inspired, why not do a week for each family member and pet, a week or two for a vacation or trip, 365 days in the garden, 365 days of recipes (for all you foodies out there), add in a photo of you or a family member once a week (very fun to look back on at the end and in the years to come!), or if you have a DSLR camera, play with the settings and document what you used for your photo.

Secret tip: I actually had a few uninspired days last year where I just couldn't find anything to take a picture of or I just plain forgot. To fill in those days, I took extra shots of the garden, scenery, indoor closeups, etc. It's not really cheating because I did take the photo - it's being 'creative' in finding an easy solution! ;-)

Ideas for December

2008-12-01T23:21:00.000-08:00

(Exchange Christmas ideas for Hanukkah, Kwanza, or other winter celebrations)

Mittens, scarves, hats and boots
An outdoor ice-skating rink
Rosy cheeks
A steaming cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows
A wreath on a door
Boxed ornaments or decorations
A mailbox with holiday cards
Christmas shoppers with packages
Gifts under a tree
A local Christmas tree farm
Kids in pajamas
Winter Solstice
A random act of kindness
A pair of skis
A self-portrait each week all year
Boxing Day
Decorating cookies
Christmas carolers
Ramadan
A pile of opened presents and ripped wrapping paper on Christmas
Holiday parties
A Christmas Eve program
Christmas stockings hung at the fireplace
A snowman
Christmas cards you received
The first snowfall
A favorite Christmas decoration
Christmas lights on a house
Cooking and baking
A recognition or award ceremony for someone in your family
New Years Eve

Ideas for November

2008-11-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

Your favorite website
Birds flying south
Elections and voting
A close-up of a colorful leaf in a puddle
A leafless tree silhouetted against a twilight sky
Freshly baked pies
The Thanksgiving table
International Digital Scrapbooking Day
You studying or reading
A self portrait each week all year
A Thanksgiving turkey
A pumpkin pie
Everyone working in the kitchen on Thanksgiving
A pile of dirty dishes after Thanksgiving dinner
An umbrella in a rainstorm
A train station
People at an airport
Luggage you’re taking on a trip
Your favorite spot to relax
Piles of laundry
The inside of your refrigerator
A family heirloom
The place where your parents were married
The place where you were married
A new pair of shoes
Where you went to school
Where you went to college
Your child’s first date
St. Andrews Day
Tailgating parties

Ideas for October

2008-10-01T20:35:00.000-07:00

(Exchange Halloween ideas for other fall celebrations. Canadians: add Thanksgiving ideas from November)

Your backyard on a fall day
The view out your front door in fall
A frosty mug of beer or a glass of wine
A soccer team practicing
Baled hay stacked in fields
Pumpkins or gourds
Costumed Halloween revelers
A basket of apples
A haunted house
A sunrise
Sukkot
A self-portrait each week all year
The autumn leaves in the canyon
Your favorite Halloween costume of all time
Trick-or-treating
Sweetest Day
Carving pumpkins
Bonfires
Athletes at a sporting event
Spectators at a sporting event
A local pumpkin patch
Your husband’s profession
What makes you happy
A bucket of paint you plan to use on a room
Cookies straight out of the oven
Interesting architecture you see
Someone jumping in the air
Headlines on a daily newspaper
A baby’s crib
A birthday present
A bowl of soup on a cold day

Ideas for September

2008-09-01T20:22:00.000-07:00

A sunset
Cattails in a ditch
Your kids’ schoolbooks
A high school football game
Lunch boxes or lunch bags
A school crossing guard on duty
Events at a fair
September 11th memorial
Horse shows
Rodeos
Auto shows
Rosh Hashanah
Sidewalk art shows
Clouds
A photograph for each letter of the alphabet (for example, an apple for the letter “A”)
High school memorabilia
Your sports equipment
Yom Kippur
A self-portrait each week all year
Christmas in stores already in September!
A school reunion
Your child getting on a school bus
Your clothes before and after weight loss
Your child walking to school or catching the bus
Musical instruments
A child’s recital or performance
A house decoration that’s important or you just finished
Sunday dinner rituals
Your homemade bread
Something that strikes you as important that day

2008 - Week 33

2008-08-18T21:21:00.000-07:00

2008 - Week 32

2008-08-11T21:19:00.000-07:00

2008 - Week 31

2008-08-04T21:18:00.000-07:00

Ideas for August

2008-08-01T06:14:00.000-07:00

Your backyard on a sunny day
Neighborhood produce or a flower stand
A motorboat on a lake
Children playing in a fountain or sprinkler
A Ferris wheel or attractions at a local carnival
Vines ripe with berries
A colorful patio or beach umbrella
A self-portrait each week all year
Outdoor concerts
Farmer’s markets
Drive-in movie theaters
A barbecue
A day at the amusement park
Swimming pools
Swimming at the lake or on the beach
A camping trip
Your favorite vacation destination
A family reunion
A road trip
A family or friends playing games
Your parent’s childhood home
Your childhood home
Party decorations before a party
A party invitation
A thank you note you received
A visit to an assisted living home
A visit to a museum
A visit to an art gallery
What you see on an evening stroll
Your child learning to walk
A dessert

2008 - Week 30

2008-07-28T20:48:00.000-07:00

2008 - Week 29

2008-07-21T20:23:00.000-07:00

2008 - Week 28

2008-07-14T20:43:00.000-07:00

2008 - Week 27

2008-07-07T20:10:00.000-07:00

Ideas for July

2008-07-01T14:12:00.000-07:00

The view out your front door in summer
A bowl of limes or lemons
A local flea market or a garage sale
A child eating a popsicle
Your car trunk packed for a vacation
People waving flags
People watching a fireworks display
Children with sparklers
Christmas in July
A cornfield
A pitcher of lemonade or iced tea
People playing catch
Parades
A bandstand in a park
A self-portrait each week all year
A waterfall
Hiking
Boating
Waterskiing
Your children in a sandbox
Your children swinging on a swing
A statue or a fountain
Stonework on an old wall
Your lunch
A favorite treat, such as cupcakes
A street sign
Your closet
Your outfit
Your feet
A newborn baby
A remodeled room

2008 - Week 26

2008-06-30T13:09:00.000-07:00

2008 - Week 25

2008-06-23T20:05:00.000-07:00

2008 - Week 24

2008-06-16T23:05:00.000-07:00

2008 - Week 23

2008-06-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

2008 - Week 22

2008-06-02T16:00:00.000-07:00

Ideas for June

2008-06-01T17:00:00.000-07:00

Someone mowing the lawn
Farm animals
Someone riding a bicycle
Graduates with diplomas
A wedding party
Your father’s profile
Your father on Father’s Day
A hotdog stand
Grass
Painting the deck
Bridal/baby showers
A wedding ceremony
A wedding reception
A wedding cake
Wedding presents
Wedding guests
Your vegetable garden
The last day of school
Your flower garden
Summer Solstice
A self-portrait each week all year
Your dinner
Someone cooking dinner
The people in your life: family, coworkers, roommates, friends, and more
A local movie theater
Your computer
Your creative space
Any art or scrapbook projects in process
Your favorite pillow or fabric
Your jewelry box

2008 - Week 21

2008-05-26T19:53:00.000-07:00

2008 - Week 20

2008-05-19T19:50:00.000-07:00

2008 - Week 19

2008-05-12T19:48:00.000-07:00

2008 - Week 18

2008-05-05T19:44:00.000-07:00

Ideas for May

2008-05-01T19:46:00.000-07:00

The view out your front door in spring
May Day
Gardening tools
A favorite CD
Teenagers in prom attire
Cinco de Mayo
Someone getting a haircut
International Scrapbooking Day
Flowers in a garden
A gas station with gas prices
A yard sale
A snack of cookies and milk
A self-portrait each week all year
Animals at the zoo
Children visiting the zoo
A day at the park
An important graduation
Your mother on Mother’s Day or Mothering Sunday
Monuments
Your home’s decor
Visiting neighbors
Your breakfast
Your unmade (or made) bed
Your sleeping kids or husband
Your kitchen
Your bathroom
Your living room
Your bedroom
Someone dressed in military apparel
A parade
A cemetery on Memorial Day

2008 - Week 17

2008-04-28T21:00:00.000-07:00

2008 - Week 16

2008-04-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

2008 - Week 15

2008-04-14T19:36:00.000-07:00

2008 - Week 14

2008-04-07T16:30:00.000-07:00

Ideas for April

2008-04-01T14:01:00.000-07:00

Your backyard on a rainy day
Field trips
The first flowers of spring
Friends sitting on a park bench
Your cleaning products
A self-portrait each week all year
Spring blossoms on the trees
Your child learning to ride a bike
Your bookshelves
Puddles
A bird’s nest with eggs
Newly hatched birds in a nest
Your child’s school
Your child’s teacher
You child’s best friend
Fog
Your MP3 player
Running shoes
Birthday parties
Birthday cakes
Birthday decorations
Family dinners
Pets
Neighborhood pets (like horses or that yappy dog down the street!)
Your local bakery
Your neighbors
Your cell phone
A favorite magazine
A favorite book
A favorite movie

2008 - Week 13

2008-03-31T16:00:00.000-07:00

2008 - Week 12

2008-03-24T16:24:00.000-07:00

2008 - Week 11

2008-03-17T14:22:00.000-07:00

2008 - Week 10

2008-03-10T16:05:00.000-07:00

2008 - Week 9

2008-03-03T16:00:00.000-08:00

Ideas for March

2008-03-01T11:44:00.000-08:00

(Exchange Easter ideas for Solstice or other spring holiday celebrations)

Your backyard on a spring day
The first robin of spring
Your family Bible
Flowers in a pot
Puddles
Rainstorms
Umbrellas
A fort made of cushions
A self-portrait each week all year
Dying Easter eggs
An Easter egg hunt
An Easter basket with candy
Gardening
You exercising
Your gym
Your favorite chair
Your favorite food
Textures
Mountains
A street lamp
An old house
Your house
Your mailbox
Your doorbell
Your knocker
Church activities
Grocery shopping
Doing laundry
Arranging flowers
Walking the dog
Your favorite place to shop

2008 - Week 8

2008-02-25T15:29:00.000-08:00

2008 - Week 7

2008-02-18T10:26:00.000-08:00

2008 - Week 6

2008-02-11T12:23:00.000-08:00

2008 - Week 5

2008-02-04T15:14:00.000-08:00

Ideas for February

2008-02-01T12:25:00.000-08:00

A close shot of a couple holding hands
Making valentines
A hand proffering a valentine
Valentines you received
Family member’s smiles
Your place of worship
The grave of an ancestor
Your car
Someone playing with a pet
The main street of a small town
A big city skyline
A grandmother playing with a grandchild
Your most prized possession
Your workplace
Your grocery store
Your purse
Someone on a cell phone
A woman applying lipstick
A face illuminated by candlelight
A self-portrait each week all year
Your diet food
A date with your husband
A pile of clutter
You doing your housework
Volunteer work
Where you work
The movie theater
Relatives

2008 - Week 4

2008-01-28T15:08:00.000-08:00

2008 - Week 3

2008-01-21T15:06:00.000-08:00

2008 - Week 2

2008-01-14T13:28:00.000-08:00

2008 - Week 1

2008-01-07T14:08:00.000-08:00

Ideas for January

2008-01-01T14:01:00.000-08:00

(Southern Hemisphere folks: swap seasonal ideas as needed)

A New Year’s Eve party
Your backyard on a snowy day
The view out your front door in winter
A close-up of icicles
Your open jewelry box
You or a loved one at the computer
Your self portrait taken in a mirror
Your hairstyle
An elderly couple
Your breakfast
A child playing dress up
A picnic in the living room
Cleaning out the closet
A self-portrait each week all year
Family coats
Snow skiing
Cross-country skiing
Snow-shoeing
Sledding
Building snowmen
Making snow angels
Throwing snowballs
Drinking hot chocolate
A leafless tree in the winter
A weight loss progress chart
Your favorite restaurants
Your jewelry
Your clothing
Family eyeglasses
Your old shoes
Things that bother you

Project 365 - it's a lifestyle!

2007-12-31T23:59:00.000-08:00

Make your New Years' resolution to participate in "Project 365." It's a fun and creative year-long project where you take a photo a day and see your life in a whole new way. I'll even start you off with a free template! You'll end up with a fabulous, meaningful Year-in-Review album and maybe even some new photography skills, too.

Taking a photo a day is a big commitment but it has big payoffs...especially for a digiscrapper. Time moves so fast and many of us (me included!) usually have trouble remembering what we did just yesterday or even last night, let alone a whole year ago! With this project we will be able to look back at any day of the year and recall things like

* what I did
* who I met
* where I went
* what I learned

Participating in Project 365 might even make you a better photographer. Using your camera every day will help you learn its limits and get more practice at composing shots. I know I'll definitely be forced to get more creative with my photography when I have to come up with something new every single day!

One of your photos could be to take a photo of yourself every week (I think daily would be a bit much...LOL!) and see how much you change. This would be especially helpful if one of your other resolutions was to lose weight. Or, why not use a child, pet, or even a cool tree as your subject.

Warning, you'll find this way of documenting your life and your family and friends extremely addictive. Many scrappers even are using this style for their annual year-in-review albums.

To get you started off on the right path, here's a free layered 12x12 template in psd. format that includes 7 photo frames to document your first week. There is no preview because I want you to be creative! Upload your finished pages to any gallery or photo sharing site or blog and post your link in the comments.

If you need inspiration or more information on this project, click here: http://photojojo.com/content/tutoria...a-photo-a-day/

Ready? Set? Snap those photos today!