30 Days Hath September
Heads Up: I've created a Facebook group called, 30 Days Hath September for anyone who wants to join in this project again. You're all invited!
So, the other day I got this message from a blog reader, Diane ...
Message: Hello Stacy,
I was recently organizing my scrapbook albums and came across my 30 Days Hath September from your 2008 class at Big Picture Scrapbooking. I LOVED looking through it. So much has changed from then to now and it has me excited to do another one this year...exactly 10 years later. I have searched high and low on my computer for the class material. Sadly, I can not find any handout from that class or all the other wonderful classes I took from your site back in the day. I was wondering if you have a prompt handout or guidelines for the 30 days class that you could forward to me? I don't really recall how I came up with what to record each day, I'm pretty sure that I followed prompts or guidelines that you provided. I would love to read up on the basic concept and/or prompts rather than trying to recreate on my own.
Thank you so much for any assistance you can offer.
First, let me say that if you purchased classes at Big Picture Classes back in the day, then many of those classes have been archived for you at the new bigpictureclasses.com . All you need to do is create a FREE account at BPC and then reach out to customer service via the Contact Us button and they will put the content you purchased in your account, under My Classes. The content won't look the same, but it is there for many of the workshops we hosted, particularly the longer ones.
Now, on to Diane's request. After reading her email, I went and found my 30 Days Hath September album and absolutely LOVED the chance to look through it again—so much has indeed changed. I immediately thought that it would be SO FUN to create a new version of this project for the 10 year mark. It took me about 3 days to locate the content she was looking for, but I found it! And, I thought perhaps Diane and I are NOT the only ones that might be interested in do over. Of course you do not have to be familiar with the original project to choose to follow along. This concept of daily documentation is something that I first wrote about in my book, The Big Picture with an album project called May Everyday— it is one that has been embraced and shared by many bloggers and fellow memory enthusiasts over the years. Ali's super popular December Daily is probably the best known and loved example. These projects are particularly awesome because they help you pause and truly SEE the everyday life that is unfolding around you, every single day. The older you get the more you realize that this view of "nothing special here" is pretty much the bomb.com ie, super cool!
These are my 2008 days of the week 12x12 layouts. Click to enlarge! On the back of each layout, I enlarged a photo of each member of my family, so there is a big 12x12 photo of Geoff on the back of Sunday, a photo of me on the back of Monday, etc..
These are my 2008 daily pages. They are 6x12 pages, where for most days I combine a photo, some kind of memorabilia and then some writing.
The basic premise for my 30 Days album, which was featured in my 2008 class, Have More FUN is to CAPTURE, COLLECT and RECORD something everyday, and to prepare SEVEN, 12x12 scrapbook pages—one for each day of the week that both highlights and summarizes the kinds of activities going on in your home. Click HERE to download the original pdf handout that introduces the project. Keep in mind however that the album we used back then has long since been discontinued, so you can ignore the instructions specific that that particular album. Click HERE to download the Daily Pages handout. This pdf outlines the daily assignment to capture something with your camera, collect some kind of cultural memorabilia and record in your handwriting some details from your day. Students in my class were sent daily emails with potential ideas for their daily work. I did NOT think I would be able to locate the content for these emails, but early this morning at 3:30am, I had a thought as to where else I might look and I found the content! Yay. Because emails were not formatted and designed in the same way as handouts in 2008, I've put together a new pdf with daily prompts. Click HERE.
For the vast majority of you reading, who likely won't be projecting with me, you could just download the prompts and use them to help you better notice your surroundings and practice a greater degree of present living. I LOVE September. For me it is a second fresh start and the beginning of the end of the year, which *might* be my favorite?!
I'm super excited to create a new 30 Days album. I'll be using an 8x8 Storybook album and from Doodlebug Design. It is one I've had in my stash for awhile. I'll use the full page protectors for 8x8 layouts depicting the days of the week and the divided protectors for my daily capture, collect and record documentation.
I'll keep you updated here on the blog and on my @stacyjulian Instagram and Stacy Julian LLC Facebook page. Leave me a comment if you have a question OR if you're thinking about doing this project. I still have the original artwork that was created by Nancie Rowe Janitz and I'm happy to send it to anyone who want to use it again.
A few things ... I found the 2008 audio message that I recorded to introduce this project. BUT ... it is an hour long. Not sure what I possibly had to say that would warrant an HOUR, but here it is for anyone who wants to listen.
Also ... IF you want to recreate this project and use some of the original elements designed by Nancie Rowe Janitz I've posted each PDF design below!
6x6 Flower
6x6 Lines
30 Circles
4x6 Cards
Title
Ok. I'm excited and I think this will be FUN!
