Another year, another opportunity to play catch-up on the previous year’s projects! Amiright?

Hey gals, it’s Catherine. In this post I’m sharing how I put together a very simple title page for our pocket page album.

I used just two Paislee Press products for this layout: the 2017 calendar cards and the (free!) 4×6 photo templates vol. 1 (an oldie but a goodie).

You could definitely put something like this together in no time for a 2018 album, but I actually like to create my title pages at the end of the year or the beginning of the next one.

Here’s a look at the full layout:

And close-ups of the left side

…and the right side.

First up, I chose one or two photos from each month.

This is usually the hardest part of the process for me, but since I was SO limited on how many photos I could choose, the process was actually pretty fun.

We spent the year living and traveling in Europe, that part was pretty simple. I went straight for photos I loved from the bigger trips we took that month.

Seeing a picture of the kids in Scotland or Croatia immediately takes me back to that time of the year.

Of course, you’ll have different “landmarks” from throughout your year. Maybe you’re documenting kid or family milestones, special occasions, or the seasons.

However you want to think of your year, try to pick photos that make sense for your life and that will take you back to that specific period in time.

Second, I edited the photos.

I use A Color Story app on my phone or Lightroom on my computer, but either way, I use the same process.

I’ll spare you the nitty gritty details, but basically, I like to brighten, sharpen, and give pics a little contrast before I print them.

I figure if I’m going to the trouble and expense to print a few photos, they might as well look the way I want them to.

I also like to mix in a little black and white among color photos. I think it breaks up the color and gives the eyes a place to focus, and it helps correct any color issues in your images.

Third, I added the calendar cards in Photoshop.

Liz’s templates are crazy easy to use. If you’ve never learned how, then start with this tutorial.

It’s the first one I read waaaaay back in 2011 when I first stumbled upon Paislee Press and the whole concept of hybrid scrapbooking and Project Life.

Liz walked me through the whole process of how to use layers in Photoshop, and although your screen will look different now, the same basic rules apply.

If you already know all this stuff, then grab some calendar cards and get going on those templates! Just make sure you’ve got your photos selected and edited before diving.

Fourth, I sent everything to print.

I don’t print my photos at home – I use a local lab or a lab on the internet – and I always choose a matte finish when possible.

Finally, I assembled the layout.

If you’re ever worked with pocket pages then you know that this is seriously the most satisfying exercise in the world – ha!

There’s nothing quite like doing the prep work, sending it all to print, and getting to assemble a layout in no time flat.

I love how this title page turned out! If you’re looking to add one to a past album, check out Liz’s supply of calendar cards for past years, and check out the links below for other relevant posts.

How do you like to begin – or end! – a creative project?

You can see more of what I’m up to on Instagram or check out my blog for more modern memory-keeping ideas, tutorials, and inspiration.

xo, Catherine

Further reading:

Mixing color with black and white photos
A simple Project Life title page
3 quick and easy photo tips