• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Mix Measure Make

A colourful, vintage, and handmade home.

  • Home
  • Mix
    • Decorating with Vintage
    • Decorating with Colour
    • Useful Vintage Decor
    • All Things Holidays
  • Measure
    • DIY House Projects
    • Before and After
  • Make
    • Tutorials
    • Art Challenge
    • Sewing
    • Felt Embroidery
    • Quilting
    • Painting
    • Knitting & Crochet
    • Other Crafts
  • About
    • About Me
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookies Policy
  • Shop
    • Shop
    • Cart
    • Checkout
    • My account
    • Terms and Conditions
  • Show Search
Hide Search
Home » Easily Documenting Your Craft Projects With A Sprocket

Easily Documenting Your Craft Projects With A Sprocket

Danielle · June 10, 2021 ·

108 shares
  • Share104

Visually recording and documenting your craft and DIY projects is a great way to celebrate your accomplishments and see your own growth. I’ll share how I use an HP Sprocket to document my projects in my planner, as well as give tips for how you can use it to record any other goals and progress.

Sprocket photos to document craft projects on journal pages

This post is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I make a commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Read my disclosure for more information.

Weekly Planner

I’ve never really kept a journal or a diary of my thoughts. But ever since I was in university, I’ve used some sort of a weekly planner to keep track of assignments, work, chores and events. I’ve kept them all since the early 2000s, and it’s a fun throwback to look through them. It’s also a good way to jog my memory if I need dates for something.

I used to buy whatever random planner was pretty and caught my eye, using a different one each year. Then for a number of years I bought black Moleskine planners, until I realized that the page set-up wasn’t quite working for me.

Stack of old journals

A couple years ago I saw the whole Bullet Journal craze on Pinterest and it was very appealing. I bought a Leuchtturm1917 dotted journal and was pleased with the possibilities of setting it up however I wanted to. In the end though, I decided that I don’t want to devote hours to making my journal look pretty. So I’ve settled on a simple layout that works for me.

Leuchtturm1917 Bullet Journals

On each double page spread, the left side contains a row for each day of the week. Here I would write down work commitments, events, appointments, holidays, etc. On the right side, I keep running to do lists for each day of the week, crossing things off when they’re completed. I have a couple of charts in the back for bigger ticket items to shop for, movies I want to watch, and a list of completed craft projects. But otherwise I keep it pretty simple. I’ve found that if I don’t waste too many extra pages in the back, that I can get two years of weekly double page spreads in each journal.

Gifted an HP Sprocket

A couple of years ago, my husband surprised me with an HP Sprocket. It’s a little machine that prints small pictures without using ink. You put in special Sprocket photo paper, and select a photo from your phone camera roll, which is connected via Bluetooth to the Sprocket. You can edit the photo, adding frames, stickers, text, etc. Then you print it out. There’s a backing that can be peeled off to turn the photos into stickers. I find that the colour of the photos is often a little off. However, for capturing memories and not requiring any ink, I find that they do the job well. Also, my Sprocket is older and there are newer models out there. Therefore, I can’t speak to how a newer one compares to mine.

An HP Sprocket and printed photos

I’ll admit – at first I was unsure about what I would use the Sprocket for. It was fun to print tiny photos that were stickers, but it’s not like I collect stickers in my childhood sticker book anymore. And then one day it occurred to me that they were a great size for sticking in my planner without covering up too much space. I think the first few photos I stuck in were of Oliver.

Visually documenting my craft projects

After that, I began to look through my camera roll for the “best memory” of each week. Sometimes that’s a photo of something we did, or a cute photo of Oliver, or of a project I completed. During the pandemic, I started doing a lot more craft projects that usual, so the bulk of my weekly photos are of completed creations. Occasionally there’s nothing particularly memorable from the week and so I won’t add a photo. In rare weeks I’ll add two (or even three) if there were multiple great things to remember.

A Sprocket printing a photo from a phone

Before this, I always had a record of finished projects in my camera roll. (Especially if it was an item that I gifted and would no longer have access to). And I would share my projects on my personal social media with family and friends. We live across the country from all of our family, and so I like to be able to share and connect with them.

However, in comparison to public sharing, the purpose of putting Sprocket photos in my journal is to create a record for myself. Printing out 4×6 photographs of my projects to add to a photo album would also work to document craft projects. But I prefer to see the Sprocket photos on my planner pages, in the context of time and what was going on in my life around them. Being able to flip through the visuals of all the completed projects I’ve done allows me celebrate my accomplishments. It also allows me to see my own growth. That might be new skills I have learned, skills that I have improved, or perhaps daunting projects I finally was brave enough to attempt. I even include projects that didn’t turn out as well as I’d hoped, because there’s always something to be learned.

Documenting a craft project with sprocket photo in planner

I like to document all sorts of other other things too. Check out my Family Heirlooms Journal sheet.

Keep reading for other uses for a Sprocket.

Beyond Documenting Craft Projects: Other uses for Sprocket photos

Documenting Other Goals and Memories

You don’t need to feel limited to using Sprocket photos to document craft projects. You can use it to visually record and celebrate all sorts of other achievements or special memories in your planner. Perhaps you’d like to take a picture of your newly organized pantry that’s never been so clean, document progress you’ve made toward fitness goals, or remember a trip to the pumpkin patch as a family. The possibilities are endless!

Here are just some ideas of things you can add photos of in your planner:

  • A great new recipe that you tried
  • Cleaning and reorganization successes
  • Fitness goal progress
  • A stack of books you read off your list in a month
  • Favourite family outings
  • Growth of your kids over time
  • Acts of kindness you performed
  • Skills you’ve learned such as using power tools
  • Certificates you’ve earned for completing training or courses
  • Before and Afters of Room Makeovers
  • A new haircut you love
  • Beautiful views from a hike you went on
  • A photo of an event or concert you attended

Share photos with family and friends

Another simple way to use the printed photos from the HP Sprocket is to use them to keep in touch with loved ones. I have a set of grandparents who do not use the internet. And therefore I can’t simply email them photos of my projects. I like to write newsy letters to them for special occasions. Lately, I’ve tried to include a few sprocket photos of some of the projects I’m most proud of. Since they’re smaller than normal 4×6 photos, I can usually include a couple with my letter before having to pay for extra postage. Sending them a few small photos helps me share my life with them.

Tips to Remember:

If you decide to begin documenting your craft projects or other goals in some way, remember these key ideas: It’s not about the pace of your completions/goals reached, or your individual skill level. Rather, it’s about your growth along the journey and being brave enough to try new things. Celebrate your skills and accomplishments and keep this record for yourself.

Documenting Craft Projects pinterest graphic

Do you document your craft and DIY projects? Or other goals?

Do you document your creative or other successes? If so, do you prefer digital or physical records? What type of goals and achievements would you document with Sprocket photos? Let me know in the comments below!

All the best,

Danielle

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Emma says

    June 24, 2021 at 8:31 pm

    My mind is officially blown.. This is such an incredible idea! I need to get one and start doing this!!

    • Danielle says

      June 24, 2021 at 10:54 pm

      Haha, thanks Emma! You should get one – you’ll be sticking Sprocket photos to everything 🙂

  2. Michelle says

    June 11, 2021 at 8:37 pm

    Oh my gosh what a great idea!! This would totally help me with recipe testing too!!

    • Danielle says

      June 12, 2021 at 9:47 am

      Thanks Michelle. I’m glad you thought of a use for the Sprocket – great idea!

  3. Hope says

    June 10, 2021 at 7:12 pm

    Wow, cool idea! I’ve never heard of a Sprocket. What a neat device!

    • Danielle says

      June 10, 2021 at 8:47 pm

      Thanks Hope! It is pretty neat – I like that it doesn’t need ink, and it’s so tiny to store.

  4. Betsy says

    June 10, 2021 at 11:49 am

    I love this idea. The sprocket would work great for sharing photos with our grandparents. They love receiving them, but it always takes me forever to get them printed! On a side note, I’ve been a bullet journal user since 2017, and I’m with you in keeping it simple. If it gets too complex, I get stressed out.

    • Danielle says

      June 10, 2021 at 11:59 am

      Thanks Betsy! Yes, it’s super quick to grab the Sprocket and print a couple photos. And yes – simple! I think I had great intentions when I bought the Bullet Journal for all these elaborate pages I saw on Pinterest, but it just takes too long!

  5. Stacey says

    June 10, 2021 at 10:26 am

    This is a fun idea! I didn’t know what a sprocket was. I like to document my craft projects on my Instagram account!

    • Danielle says

      June 10, 2021 at 11:32 am

      Thanks Stacey! I like to document my projects on social media too – it’s a nice way to share with family and friends. But I also like the personal aspect of tracking my projects just for myself in my planner.

Primary Sidebar

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Danielle of Mix Measure Make

I’m so happy you’re here! I’m a wife, educator, sewist, and artist. I adore all things vintage and colourful, and am always dreaming up my next DIY or craft project. You can get to know me better, and find out what Mix Measure Make is all about here.

Recent Posts

  • May Paintings – Working Through A Creative Slump
  • Avoid Surprises: Guide to Buying Fabric Online – With Confidence!
  • Learning Surface Pattern Design and a Free Art Print!
  • Back to Basics! Learning Helpful Skills with April Art
  • Hanging a Mini Quilt With a Dowel: Best Tutorial & Template

Search Mix Measure Make

Search by Category

Search by Date

Copyright © 2023 Mix Measure Make

  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
As an Etsy Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Cookies Notice
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of all the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Read our Cookies Policy
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
108 shares