Write. Click. Scrapbook.

S is for Stories.

So, what's your story?

What is it really that motivates your scrapbook storytelling?

What kind of stories do you most enjoy telling?

What are the stories you have the most difficult time sharing, why?

Leave a comment and answer whichever of these questions you'd like.

Then ... take our weekend challenge to sit down by all by yourself and flip through one or more of your scrapbook albums--preferably one that holds a random mix of layouts. Select three pages featuring journaling you really like. Read each of these pages. What kind of information did you share? What information is lacking?

If you were to go back today, would you add something, or write something differently?

With this experience in mind, create a new layout and tell a new story.

and from Melanie...

Everyone has stories. Good and bad, funny and sad. As scrapbookers, we choose to remember them on paper, where they will hopefully be passed on for our future generations to read about.

But what happens when we have the photos, but no stories to go along with them? When I decided to scrap the photo of my late Grandmother in my layout below, I had no info whatsoever about it. A family member had given it to me a while back, and couldn't offer any tidbits about the date, time, or place. It's still a photo I cherish—an important piece of the story of my family history that has a place in my scrapbook, even though the story is incomplete.Supplies: patterned paper (Cosmo Cricket) + cardstock (American Crafts) + letter stickers (American Crafts) + brads (Making Memories) + font (Splendid 66)

Did you notice I used the Compendium colour scheme I posted yesterday? I think it works well with my topic, and the colours compliment the grey tones of the vintage photo. I'd love to see what you create, too!

K is for KNACK

Today we're hosting a Knack Attack. This is where you admit and decide to be really proud of something you have a knack for. A knack is an acquired or natural skill at performing some kind of task or a tendency to do something in a particular way. As women we often feel the word 'talent' is too strong. See if this sounds familiar "Oh, I'm not talented, I just have a knack for ..."  

Our 'knacks' are quite often very unique and personal and how we feel about them just might shape our destinies. It's important that we are able to own our abilities, so we'll lead out and hope that you follow along!

Melanie says:

Colour is something I have a knack for when it comes to scrapbooking. One of my favourite things to do at the lss where I work is to help people choose cardstock colours for the photos they come in with. I don't think I've ever had an unhappy customer! Colour matching is something that many people struggle with, and I feel very lucky that it comes intuitively to me. I'd be very happy to sit in front of the Bazzill racks at work all day and play with different colour combinations, if my boss would let me! I also get  lots of colour inspiration from magazines like Real Simple (my fave) Canadian House and Home, and a slew of websites that I have bookmarked in my faves.

Here's some colour inspiration from Compendium that I'm nuts about, and that's been in my 'to use' file for a while now. The taupe cover and the bright orange pages peeking through look so rich  & sleek together. Great for a fall layout, don't you think? Or maybe something minimal and sophisticated.  I love that teeny tiny bit of yellow in the title that just makes it perfect. :) Feel very free to add in another colour if you'd like, this is by no means set in stone.

>

If this happens to inspire you too, post a layout to our Flickr gallery  using it. I'll post my version of it on Saturday.  I'd love to see what you can come up with!

Stacy says:

I have a knack for coming up with concepts that make meaningful scrapbook projects and albums. It was this knack that provided me the opportunity to present ideas to Lisa Bearnson, Don Lambson and Mark Seastrand all those years ago. These original owners of Creating Keepsakes magazine suggested I write a book (Simple Scrapbooks) that ultimately became a sister publication.

I think most here know that I am an advocate for non-chronological scrapbooking. When you allow yourself to step back and view experiences outside of the strict time line in which they occurred you are free to make unique connections you otherwise might have missed. You are also more likely to conceive of concepts that make your story more interesting.

One of my all time favorite concepts is the idea of breaking down any topic into the component parts of personality, people, places and things. This concept is not only the basis for individual projects I have created, it is the foundation of my Library of Memories system and approach to my everyday albums.

For example, who says you have to scrapbook a travel destination in one album? When I returned from a trip to New Zealand with my husband, I wanted a way to capture our adventure and display it on a small shelf in my music/memory room. Driving to Wellington, we stopped at a beach and collected shells. We later bought a little dish with a Kiwi painted inside, to hold some of these shells. I decided to print my favorite photos as 3"x3" prints (from scrapbookpictures.com) and organize them into personality (US) pictures and those depicting the people we traveled with and met, the places we visited and the things we experienced.

Here's the inside front cover of my 4"x4" US mini-album.

 

Most of pictures are of us individually, but there are a handful of self-portraits too ...

Look -- you can see Geoff on the right holding the shells we found, that are now a part of my memory display!

So ... KNACK ATTACK! What's your knack (inside or outside scrapbooking) Leave us a comment and tell us what you're good at!

and the giveaway goes to . . .

Congratulations to CLMK523 who said:

Thank you to Elizabeth and to Big Picture Scrapbooking for their generosity this week. CLMK523, please email your contact info to us at writeclickscrapbook at gmail dot com by midnight Saturday. Thank you everyone!

N is for NOTICE

N is for NO we did NOT forget it is giveaway day. Keep reading.

N is also for our challenge to NOTICE some little everyday thing and celebrate it.

Our days, especially as we head into the holidays are generally full and fast-paced. And yet, the true joys of this season of gratitude and giving often stem from the littlest things. So, let's practice our ability to recognize everyday moments and our willingness to STOP and do something about them.

Last Sunday morning as I was racing around preparing myself and five children to be at church by 9:00 am I noticed some feet protruding out the stair rails.

Luckily, my camera was close by. I grabbed it and climbed up to find this

...

... seriously cute moment.

I remembering saying out loud in a smug voice, "I'm so happy I'm a scrapbooker!" Then as I put my camera back down I realized that I don't even care if I ever scrapbook this photo, it feels GREAT to simply be the kind of person that notices the ordinary, everyday stuff that will ultimately become the extraordinary and memorable stuff.

Melanie says :

Noticing the seemingly mundane, everyday stuff that life is made of didn't always come easily to me. And when I say mundane, I don't necessarily mean 'boring'- just the ordinary things that we see around us on a daily basis, but that most people don't tend to see. Scrapbooking, and via that, photography, have sharpened & honed my perception of the world around me, and I'm so grateful for that. I notice things now that 5 years ago I wouldn't have looked at twice. Awesome, huh? I love being an observer, and documenting what I see.

The  morning frost on my lawn yesterday. 
The way the afternoon light hits the leaves on a bush and shimmers ( taken outside my son's school while I waited for him to come out). 
Catching a sweet moment between my son and his best friend yesterday afternoon.

 

Ribbons sitting on my work table.
 

Take a moment today to look around you, and photograph something out of the ordinary that catches your eye.  I take photos everyday, and I love how it's helped me notice the little things around me that make life beautiful.

Now, keep in mind you don't always have to photograph something to celebrate it. You can simply call it out, text your sister, phone your mother, post it to Facebook or Twitter -- or really, just STOP, breathe and take it in. If you are fully present in the moment, then there's a better chance you can call up the happy emotion of experiencing it again and again.

Leave us a comment and share what you NOTICED and what you did to celebrate, and you will be automatically entered in our weekly giveaway.

 

Today's prize is everything you need to better NOTICE and get NOTICED in scrapbooking. Write. Click. Scrapbook. co-founder Elizabeth Dillow is preparing to teach an all new 4-week workshop at Big Picture Scrapbooking, called Inspiration Defined. We all know that inspiration is key to the creative process and that those who haven't learned to NOTICE inspiration all around them, struggle to sustain their passion and abilities long term. In this workshop, Elizabeth will not only help you NOTICE inspiration, but track, translate and transform it into a unique expression of YOU.

Read all the details and register for Elizabeth's workshop at Big Picture Scrapbooking!

   
p.s. Comments are open until 8:00pm PST.

Good LUCK!

A is for APPRECIATE

Appreciation. What a great concept. 

Remember the call, 2-4-6-8 Who do we appreciate? I most associate this with my years playing softball. Regardless of whether you win or lose, you gather as a team and shout out this call followed by the name of the opposing team. 

Melanie and I would love to know who you are feeling especially appreciative of right now. Leave a comment sharing who and why and then go do something to show your appreciation.

If you're like me, you love to give cute/quirky gifts that are both useful and thoughtful. Here's just such an idea. Perhaps it is something you can use during this holidays this year.

The first thing you should know is that this is NOT my idea. I participated in what is called a Super Saturday at my church last weekend and this was one of the projects we had the opportunity of signing up for. As soon as I saw rolling pins wrapped in pattern paper, I signed up for ten.

Here's What You Need:

1. Pattern paper (anybody have any?)
2. Wooden rolling pin (click HERE or find them @ Walmart for around $5.00)
3. Decoupage medium (click HERE or purchase at a craft store, like Michaels)
4. Shellac for wood (click HERE or purchase at a craft store or home improvement center)

Here's What You Do:

1. Select one sheet of pattern paper for each rolling pin you want to cover.
3. Trim the width of the pattern paper to a smidgen less than the length of the roller.
4. Practice rolling the paper onto roller once or twice and trim the length so that the paper will overlap by about an inch.
5. Apply a thin layer of decoupage to the roller and wrap with paper.
6. Apply a bit more decoupage onto the overlapped edge and squeeze out any air bubbles.
7. Let the decoupage dry completely. You can place a thin rubber band around the roller to hold thick paper in place.
8. Use a bristled brush to apply several thin layers of wood Shellac over the paper-covered rolling pin. Let each coat dry before adding an additional coat. 

And just in case you were wondering, you CAN actually use these rolling pins.

TIPS.

We used a cookie sheet covered in parchment to hold rolling pins after the final coat of shellac. The handles rested on the edge of the cookie sheet allowing air to circulate under the rollers.

Don't worry too much about inconsistencies while the shellac is drying. I was certain a couple of my rolling pins were doomed to the trash bin and after they were completely dry they look OK.

I made the mistake of buying rolling pins at the dollar store. The rollers are plastic. They are fine, but I would spend an extra dollar or two and get wood rolling pins. You'll be happier. 

Save the extra pattern paper from each rolling pin and use it to embellish gift tag or card. These would make a fun Thanksgiving hostess gift or delightful neighbor gifts for Christmas. You could even attach a favorite pie recipe.

One more thing ... I really appreciate you reading this blog post.

H is for....Heart

 Melanie here… thanks for the enthusiastic welcome yesterday! I’m Canadian, and we celebrated our Thanksgiving last month. But I’m so glad Stacy asked me to join her in celebration of it again. This gives me another chance to reflect on all that I’m thankful for. Today’s letter is : H, for Heart. My heart definitely belongs to my family- my husband and two sons. They’re the reason I started scrapbooking, and the reason I continue to scrapbook. To tell the story of us, to add words to the photos that I love, that I know will slowly disappear from my (aging!) memory if I don’t have them written down. My heart is full when I’m with them, and it aches when I’m away from them. 

Here are a few pages I’ve done about my family.layout from Cathy Zielske's Design Your Life class at Big Picture Scrapbooking

 

 

Here is a challenge to you: scrapbook a page about your family, and add journaling about how you really feel about them. Write it from your 'heart', and try including a photo with YOU in it!

T is for TALK

Today's letter is "T" and "T" is for talk.

You assignment today is to TALK. We all have our families and our friends, whom we generally enjoy interacting with, but beyond that we also belong to the human family. As we head into  T-H-A-N-K-S-G-I-V-I-N-G this year, let's talk to the people around us. When you see your neighbor as you pull into your garage, step out of the car and say 'hello', when you're in the line at the grocery store, look for an opportunity to strike up a conversation. Go out of your way to listen and learn something new from someone you wouldn't normally talk to and see if it doesn't make you more grateful to be alive and sharing the planet with so many diverse people.

Remember too that what makes someone interesting is someone who is interested.

If you have an experience talking to someone, tell us about it.

Who did you talk to?
Was it easy or hard?
What was the response?
How did you feel?
What did you learn?

It's T-H-A-N-K-S-G-I-V-I-N-G (Scroll Down)

 

Guess what? Melanie Louette and Stacy Julian have chosen to join creative forces and team up to host the Write.Click.Scrapbook blog for the last two weeks of November.

Drop by each day for an acrostic celebration of this season of gratitude. We'll give you a word to think about and do something with. Everyone is busy this time of year, so we're excited to draw energy and inspiration from each other and collaborate in the true spirit of our collective.

Friends

photo and quote selection by Cheryl Overton

Finding Joy this Holiday Season

During the month of November my mind turns to snow, staying warm and dry, getting ready for the holidays,  more snow and how much money Christmas is going to cost. Among all of the racing thoughts towards the holidays I always wonder what I can do to make the holidays more meaningful, more full of the warmth and gratitude that should surround this supposedly joyful time of year. In these tight economic times I'm trying not to let the lack of funds get me down. I've made a commitment to myself that I'm going to do all that I can to enjoy this holiday season without breaking the bank or my spirits and in the process, teach my family "the true meaning of Christmas".

Are you feeling the same way? Instead of driving yourself batty fighting for the latest toy or electronic gadget, I invite you to join me and the Collective in cheering someone who is less fortunate and giving thanks to those who are fighting for our freedom (see Wednesday's post). Or, spend a couple of hours going through your scrapbook supplies and donate extra stuff to a worthy cause. Need some ideas? Here are just a few of my faves. Check these out or search the Internet for a local cause to get involved with. I'm sure you'll find that spreading cheer and thanks will calm your harried soul and brighten your holiday season.

Send Love Today is an organization whose goal is to create hope and happiness for people suffering with any type of brain cancer and their families. Volunteers sign up to do one of two things: 1) send out a certain number of cards per week to an assigned patient (aka: friend) or 2) make cards at their leisure which they send to Send Love Today who distributes them to friends as needed.Volunteers also make dolls and knitted things such as hats and scarves. Linda Thomas is one of the amazing creators of this organization. Her own husband, Stacy's, brave battle with brain cancer was the inspiration for Linda to carry on Stacy's legacy of faith and courage through the site. Take a few minutes to read about the courage and strength of people who are fighting this disease and also those whose brave fights are now over. But be sure the tissues are handy first! Then sign up to send cheer and joy to one of the families who needs your help.

Other worthy causes:

Crop Because You Care a scrapbooking event held in February that benefits the Epilepsy Foundation of Utah.

We Scrapbook for Charity Committee is a Facebook community you can join that benefits the Make A Wish Foundation of Toronto, Canada.

Pieces of the Puzzle stamp by Technique Tuesday benefits Autism Speaks. A portion of the profits go towards this organization to help raise awareness and fund research for autism.

Scrapbook Royalty is a 100% volunteer run organization that raises money for noble causes through unique scrapbooking events.

Treasures for Charity is an online shop that donates 20% of sales to Scrapbook Royalty.

Where to donate your unwanted supplies:

Operation Scrapbook strives to provide foster children and children with brain cancer their own scrapbooking supplies completely free of charge.

Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America To donate supplies for their activities, visit their website to find a local chapter near you.

Girl Scouts of America is always in need of supplies. For example the wish list for Utah includes glue sticks, construction paper, scissors, crayons, pencils and plastic containers. Visit their website to find contact info for the leaders in your area.In Utah, contact Julie DeLong at 800-678-7809 or 801-716-5153, or e-mail jdelong@gsutah.org.

4-H Afterschool coordinates with university extension programs to provide structured activities through a "learn-by-doing" curricula, which includes expressive arts. To find a 4-H After school program in your area, Contact Gregg Tabachow, National Coordinator, at 4HAfterschool@fourhcouncil.edu or 301-961-2869.

The Child Abuse Prevention Association (CAPA) uses scrapbook products during art therapy sessions, and to create albums for children when they leave the center. For more information, call 816-252-8388.

Make-A-Wish Foundation volunteers will use your supplies to create scrapbooks for each wish recipient, documenting the entire experience. To find your local chapter, visit their website or call 800-722-9474.

Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) uses donated supplies during arts and crafts time at one of their 90 summer camps for children with limited mobility or who use wheelchairs because of a neuromuscular disease. For more information, visit their website or call 800-572-1717.

National Head Start Association operates the longest-running school readiness program in the country. Teachers use donated supplies to engage preschool children in projects that build motor and spatial skills.

(Information about donation spots above from http://www.sltrib.com/athome/ci_12803730 11/14/09)

  If you find that you're just running out of time to do much scrapbooking during the holidays you can  journal your experiences, thoughts and memories online and then go back later and create the page to match. At least you'll have the memory saved for later! Check out these online journaling services:

LDS Journal.com Free, private and secure, I like that you can update your journal from your mobile phone and add photos or video/audio files. They also provide a service that will print and bind your journal or put it on DVD at the end of the year for you at a nominal fee.

MyTherapyJournal.com This service requires a monthly fee, but you can sign up for a free two week trial. This service is also private and secure and allows you to add photos.

Univue is an online journal but also a place to connect with family and friends. You can make your journal private or public or make certain entries public. Kind of a cool place to create a family community and further genealogical work if you're into that.

There are many more - just type journaling online into your browser and find the one that works best for you! (By the way, I found the photo of the journal above on Etsy and linked it for you just in case you're a notebook freak like me, have more than your share hanging around, are proud of that fact and find this journal a must-have - digital be damned!)

Thanks to all of you who have participated in the blog this week! I appreciate all of your comments and hope that you have been inspired to get your memories out of your head and onto some paper (or a computer).

And a special thanks to "The Collective"! Their willingness to participate made every entry fun to write and even more fun to read. Thanks, Ladies!