memory keeping 2019 // February
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Ali Edwards has been doing her Project Life pages monthly instead of weekly this year and after not having a single clue as to how (or even if ) I wanted to document 2019, I said the following four words to myself last month: “DO IT LIKE ALI.” (D’ALI! , remember?!)
With that in mind, needing it to get done this past weekend, and Ali not sharing how she completed her February pages yet, I just carbon copied the format she/we did in January. Haa haa! No over-thinking. No panic. No care about how unimaginative that was. Plain & simple, filled with ease, and DONE is the name of this year’s documenting game.
The first page for February is photo-heavy (hey, Cathy Zeilske!) with digital pieces from Ali’s February & March Stories By The Month™ kits worked in and on top of photos. I used a 9x12 Page Protector with the 3x3 pockets. // album is this 9x12 black & white album from A Beautiful Mess from years back
To work opposite the February grid page, I used Ali’s 6x12 Words + Photos Layered Template Vol. 2 for my journaling. I used the same simple list style journaling as I did in January, and layered ‘February memories’ on top from the February Stories By The Month™ kit.
JOURNALLING //
Here's what I added to Ali’s layered template in Photoshop for my journaling:
“I hadn’t posted a single thing to my IG in January b/c the first whole month of this year was practice in being with myself and learning life after the grief of last year and December.
I arrived to February feeling stronger than ever, and truly opened to new experiences. Here are some of the things that happened this month:
1. I was sick with viral laryngitis and got to take off work Friday, Feb 1st. It’s so interesting to feel not well and be FORCED to give your body the time and rest it needs. No gym for 2 weeks.
2. Tea house date w/ Jeff My first real-life meet-up date was to meet Jeff at a tea house in Flushing on a Sunday afternoon. We talked for 2.5 hours, we held hands, he did a double-cheek kiss. He ended up ghosting me, but who cares?! I did it! I’m officially dating.
3. I created a rainbow paragraph organizer for the kids and it was funny to see how they used it and how it helped them write a five-sentence paragraph. I also made them a multiplication helper page, and to see them be able to use it is cool. I’m trying my best with them, but I’m so overwhelmed by the work load.
4. We interviewed Cathy Zeilske! I really love her voice and what she contributes to the paper-crafting world. It was such an honor to have her as a geust on the podcast.
We also had Tiffany Han, Erin Maya, Megan Auman and Sara McNally who said she wants to “think about people out there as just friends I haven’t met yet.” SO GOOD. They were all amazing guests.
5. Valentine’s Day I got flowers & heart-shaped box of candy for Valentine’s Day from the kids, dad brought dinner for Ness & me, and as I layed myself down to rest, I connected with ____ on one of the dating apps. We were up with each other flirting on the phone until 1:30am in the morning. So unexpected, but best Vday ever.
6. February Break was amazing. Christmas decorations were finally put away, I spent 4-5 days BIG CLEANING the apartment & threw four big black garbage bags worth of stuff in the dumpster. I bought a beautiful new king-size comforter which I absolutely adore.
7. Wolfpack dinner at Ticolo. I met Kiko & Christine the Monday of break to catch upend celebrate break! Just two months earlier, I was sad over sushi talking to Christine. I came so far from that and it felt so good to be excited about a guy again.
8. Avenue Q with Paul The Friday of break I met up with Nurse Paul and we bar-hopped, and had dinner at Bareburger, and saw Avenue Q off broadway.
9. (secret journalling just for me about a guy I dated and what happened)”
Behind the 6x12 layered template I printed a 6x12 image (actually the 6x6 top portion, then 6x6 bottom portion) of myself feeling more like myself than I have in probably over a year. It was a magical moment that had to be acknowledged with a leopard print border & a lipsticker. ;)
Use the < arrows > to swipe through the slide show of up close shots.
To finish off the spread, I digitally journalled on Ali’s ‘LOVING these things’ card:
Two months down and I’m excited to have landed on a way I feel I can actually get this done. I’ll continue reflecting on each month as a whole at the end of the month and pull out the stories that feel the most meaningful.
Not bad, huh?
SIDE NOTE: I plan to get all of my past memory keeping on my website eventually, but it’s a BIG undertaking. I have three years of Happy Planner® memory albums completed start-to-finish, and I get so many questions and inquiries about 'em. They're what I’m known for — I get it — so I created an #ARZHappyPlannerMEMORIES hashtag where you can access the images from 2016 & '17 for now, if you so please.
