I have never done Week in the Life before. For years I’ve watched people post amazing photos and layouts documenting their week and thought “I’d like to do that someday”. Well, that day (week) has come!

Ali Edwards is an idol of mine. I mean, who doesn’t love her laid-back approach to scrapbooking? The way she sees beauty in the every day? Don’t even get me started on her photographs! Who else could make a picture of hand washing look like a work of art? If you haven’t checked out her blog post about Week in the Life, you can do that here.

There are so many reasons I chose this year to be the one I joined in. I’m at a great place and I want to be sure to document the small things that make up a happy life. I have been in a creative groove lately and figured now is as good a time as any. And, after years of longing, I’ve finally purchased a DSLR. I have barely figured out how to use it, but that’s not gonna stop me! What better way to learn than a week devoted to taking pictures, right?

I went back and forth about the kit. It’s not like I need more supplies, but it is so perfect! And everyone online was raving about the quality. Because I’m easily influenced, I caved and days later the kit arrived on my doorstep. Shame on you, enablers!

I love the colors in the kit! It’s hard to tell in the photo, but the days of the week on the 4×6 cards are written in gold foil. I’m normally a silver person, but there’s just something about the tone and the shine against those bright colors.

There are also 7 3×4 cards with the days of the week across the top and a section for morning, afternoon, and evening. There are filler cards, general journaling cards, and cards that are more prompts. Even if my creativity is lacking, these cards should make it easy to document the day. At least, that’s my hope.

These little rubber words are absolutely adorable. I have no idea what I’m going to do with them yet, but they will get used. No doubt about it!

I envision at least one of these chipboard circles going on a black and white photo. Have I mentioned how much I love the colors in this kit yet?

There are a ton of these black chipboard letters. And, it’s hard to make them out in this photo, but there are large, thin, transparent letters- one for each day of the week.

I am a sucker for a stamp set! I see so many uses for this long after Week in the Life is over. I’m not sure if I’m going to use the expression stickers in this project or not. I like them and will find something to use them for, but I don’t know that I want to add cream when so much of the kit is white. A little OCD, I know, but it’s the only thing in this color and it’ll probably bother me. Rest assured, if it doesn’t end up in this scrapbook, it will in another.

These wood veneer numbers are awesome! They are just the right thickness and nice and tall. I’m pretty sure there should be a 1 in there, but I didn’t get one in my kit. I’ll probably contact customer service and find out for sure, but I’m not too worried about it.

Since this is my first time, I thought a little planning was in order. Here are a couple of things I’m doing to prepare for Week in the Life:

• I took Ali’s class Lens of Joy. It’s less about the technical side of photography and more about how you view the world through the lens of whatever camera you choose to use. She talked about why she takes the photographs she does and how to capture them in a way to gain the most emotional impact. I learned a ton!
• As I’ve been going through my day-to-day life lately, I’ve been making a list of pictures I want to be sure to take. I’m pretty good about getting special occasions, but it takes practice to see the something special in the everyday. To me, Week in the Life isn’t about scheduling a bunch of things so I have lots of pictures to take. But more about what my life looks like normally (if there is such a thing!).
• I’ve been warning my family, friends, and coworkers. I work in the Service Department of a Chevrolet dealership and, while they are an amazing group of guys, they already think my obsession with crafting is pretty strange. They’ve gotten used to me leaning over their shoulders to get just the right picture of the disassembled engine, but I wanted them to be aware I’ll be taking it to a whole new level! It’s just a week. They can deal with it 🙂
• Sunday or Monday? That was the question for me. I know Ali starts on Monday, but I always think of the beginning of a week as Sunday. And Sundays around here are usually lazy days spent at home, so I think it’ll be a good way to ease into the project. While the rest of the world may be starting on Monday, May 9th, this girl will begin on Sunday.
• I didn’t want to get too crazy with the planning, but I thought it would be a good idea to get the album unwrapped and put my page protectors in. Once I got started, I couldn’t help trying to figure out where some of the cards might go. Before I knew it, I had placed almost all of the cards in the pockets and arranged the pages the way I think they might go. Nothing’s set in stone, but if all I do is take pictures, print them, and jot a couple notes, I’ll have a completed album.

The most important thing I’ve done to prepare for Week in the Life is to really think about why I am doing this and what I hope to accomplish. I love the idea of celebrating the magic in everyday moments. I am grateful for the people in my life and the opportunities I’ve been given. One week isn’t enough to capture it all, but it will be a great reminder of how full my life is.

Are you doing Week in the Life? Is there anything you are doing to prepare or are you flying by the seat of your pants? Do you have any tips or suggestions? If you’re going to be posting your photos or layouts anywhere, I’d love to follow your journey. Leave a comment below of your Instagram, blog, or Facebook account. Good luck!