Write. Click. Scrapbook.

Use Your Stuff: Deconstruct your Collection

It's that time of year: right now, the three scrapbook stores closest to me seem to get in some new line of supplies weekly. It's absolutely thrilling to stop by and see new items. My love of making layouts grows with each glimpse of never-before-seen paper, ribbon, stickers, and alphabets. (You know I have a hard time resisting the alphabets!) The appeal of the new: It's something that most scrappers succumb to. In the face of fresh supplies, our affection for what we already own (that we previously loved just as much) diminishes. Of course, I do buy some of the new lines—but only what I know I will use. I manage this by way of a recent epiphany.

 

Scrapbooking isn't my only craft; I'm also a quilter. And my scrapping epiphany actually comes from quilting and from reading quilting blogs. Quilters are just as interested in new fabrics as we scrappers are in new supplies, but they're far less likely to only use new stuff. They mix in their old fabrics in with the new; they save nearly every scrap to work in to some other quilt. A fabric isn't just used once—you'll find it popping up here and there in many different quilts.

 

Maybe this is because fabric is expensive—at least $10 a yard for the good stuff. You don't want to waste any. But if you do the math, fabric, by the inch, costs about the same as patterned paper. (One yard of fabric is equivalent to about 12 pieces of 12x12 patterned paper; if you pay .80 cents per patterned paper, you're spending $9.60 on a "yard" of paper.) Or maybe it's because you tend to purchase bigger pieces of fabric. But really I think it's simply a different way of looking at supplies. Quilters see their stash as a resource, the place they "shop" from first. The colors and patterns, no matter their age, are simply a medium used to create texture and shape. New stuff is worked in with old stuff to make something that's both useful and beautiful.

I think we scrappers tend to look at our stash as collections. This makes it harder to use our stuff because using it feels like deconstructing the collection. So, instead of shopping our stash, we buy new stuff—and then add it right into the collection. It's a tough cycle to break! When the new stuff comes out each six months or so, your "old" new stuff—what you bought a season before—loses some of its appeal. There in the scrapbook store (or looking at images online), it's easy to become swept up in the "I must have this NEW thing" reaction and to buy only because it is new, not because it will be useful for you. Plus, dare I say this: there's something about using the new stuff that helps you feel like you're in the club, the one that's also using everything new.

 

The only way to overcome that reaction is this way: use your stuff. I know...I might just be repeating myself. Haven't I been saying that all week? Yes! But something magical happens when you deconstruct your stash. You find yourself making things you love with supplies you love. You come to understand which products work within your design approach and which ones don't, which helps you resist the lure of the new. When you're consistently using your stash, the temptation to buy only what is new clears away. You can see your purchasing options in a simple light: I know I will use this, I know I won't use this.

 

You might even find there's a powerful little thrill in saying no to something new. You can acknowledge the beauty of something while still knowing it won't work for you—but only if you know what works for you! The rest of today's post will focus on the skill of knowing what to say no to, and what to say yes to.

 

Creative Energy

Pull out the same older album you browsed through yesterday, when you were looking for trends. Today, don't simply look at it—read it. Give yourself some time, maybe a half hour or 45 minutes, and read as much of your journaling as you can. Think about the stories you've put down, stories that now are much less likely to be lost. Laugh over the little things you might have forgotten if you hadn't written about them. Savor the details that have changed in your life. Remember how it used to be?

 

Next, pick one of your least-favorite layouts in this album. If you were given the assignment to redo this layout, what would you change? What products would you use? What extra details would you add to the journaling? How would the layout redo change the memory you preserved? 

 

Close the album. Put it back on the shelf. Now, ask yourself: what is more vivid, the stories and the photos, or the products you used? For me, there is nearly always a positive memory attached to the making of a layout. It's a sort of memory layer: the memory of the layout's creation on top of the memory itself. But what makes me the most happy is knowing that the stories themselves are preserved, paired with pictures that help illustrate the experience.

 

When you look at your albums in this light, the products you use start to lose their importance. You begin to realize that there are a million different ways you could make a layout with the same pictures—but only one memory you are preserving. The products can enhance (or even detract from) the photos, but they can't change the memory itself. That is what endures.

 

An even more powerful exercise, if you can manage it, is to find someone who doesn't scrapbook to look at one of your albums, and then get her to talk about her reaction. This person could be the subject of your album, or someone else. Anyone who has an interest in your life. You'll notice that her reaction is different than a scrapbooker's would be. As a non-scrapbooker, this person will notice the stories and the photos first, the products second. I realized how profound our written stories are one day when my dad, who has Alzheimer's, spent an afternoon reading my albums. (You can read more about that day here if you're interested.) He was an artistic person, but he never once commented on any embellishment or title treatment or anything else scrap-related. Instead, it was the stories that mattered to him.

 

Your stories are the things that matter, too.

 

Smart Shopping

This week, if you've done all the creative energy exercises, you've gone a long way towards understanding what you really do use on your layouts. Take that knowledge with you when you shop for scrapping supplies. Ask yourself: am I drawn to this because it is pretty, because it is new and interesting, because I recognize it as something I will use? Sometimes the answer to all of those questions is affirmative and I count that as an emphatic yes! I can buy this!

 

When I am faced with all that new product, I try to focus my questions even more:

• What do I already own that's similar? Is this different enough to justify the purchase?
• Is this similar to something else I've already used often on a layout? Does that similarity mean I'm more likely to use this new thing (because it's worked for me in the past) orless (because it feels repetitive)?
• Does this fit into the reality of my scrapbooking or the image of what scrappers are supposed to use? This question helps you think about why you want to buy this new product. As an example: I am consistently drawn to chipboard letters when I'm looking at new stuff. But when I'm actually scrapbooking, I tend to get frustrated by chipboard. Inevitably it doesn't stick (if self-adhesive) or the process of altering it is too time consuming. I know that most scrappers love chipboard. I love it too, in theory; I love it on other people's pages. But in the reality of my layouts, I don't use it that often.
• How will this product help me to tell a story? I find that last question to be the most clarifying. It lets me see the new products in a different light. Maybe a saying on a sticker reminds me of a story I haven't told yet, or of an experience I'd like to write more about. Sometimes color can evoke memories, or textures. Sometimes it is a shape—a leaf can remind me of how summer feels, even in the middle of winter, and spark the desire to scrap a summery story.

Organizing

On my scrapbooking desk, I keep two baskets. One holds the tools I use on nearly every single layout: adhesive, small scissors, big scissors, my favorite snap-off knife, and black pens in various thicknesses. The other holds my most recent purchases. I keep all my new stuff right where I can see it because it makes me more likely to use it. I want to use my new stuff quickly not by virtue of its newness or because I want to belong to the club. Instead, it's so I don't add the new products  to my collection. If I try to implement the new—by working it in with the older stuff—right away, it doesn't get collected. It gets used.

 

Once I've used the new stuff in that basket at least once, then I sort what's left (the sheet of stickers missing a few letters, the rest of the brads, some scraps of patterned paper and half a yard of ribbon) into the appropriate drawer or box. This has an added bonus: it lets everything mingle together. Once I've tossed a handful of, say, paper flowers into my flower drawer, I forget who made it and when I bought it. Instead, when I open that drawer, I just see a resource: a bunch of flowers.

 

Use your Stuff Tip

When I do take the time to alter chipboard, I always love the results. Here are some of my most-used tips:

 

• If I'm altering with patterned paper, I nearly always paint the vertical edge first, with acrylic paint. Some of the paint will, of course, slop over onto the top of the letter or shape. Before the paint dries, I place the patterned paper right on top of the paint, then smooth it down. As it dries, the paint adheres the paper just as well as any glue, and I can skip the gluing step altogether.
• If the chipboard shape I'm using is self-adhesive and reversible, I alter the back side. This doesn't work, of course, for many letters (like F, G, L, and R), but it will work for some (like T, A, and V), and most shapes can be altered this way. I peel the backing off and then start sticking stuff down right on top of the adhesive, which is easier to work with than wet glue. Then I just glue the piece down on my layout.
• If you are in desperate need of two chipboard shapes, but you only have one, try peeling that one piece into two. Most chipboards are thick enough that they can take this abuse! The resulting two pieces might need some sanding or paint to look presentable again (make sure to peel carefully!), but you've solved your desperate plight.
• Although it seems like it would be too thick, chipboard can be sewn. Use a denim needle and a wide stitch length; sew slowly so your needle doesn't break. You also might have to adjust the tension, too. It looks nice when you're finished though! 

 

Use Your Stuff Daily Challenge: Mix old and new

Working with whatever type of product or medium you want, incorporate at least one botanical shape (flower, leaf, grass, tree, etc), one narrow rectangle, and one curvy shape (paisley, fleur-de-lis, swirl, wave, etc). Try for a mix of old and new supplies.

Celeste made this layout using the suggestions in the challenge:

 

I love this layout—the colors, the products, and, mostly, the journaling. I think the products do exactly what products should: they draw your eye to the photo and create a mood that enhances the story.

Here's mine:

 
(Did you see that!? I used some chipboard!) Here is what I mean about mixing old and new. The yellow patterned paper (from Echo Park's For the Record line) is a new one I bought just a couple of days ago; the brown pattern is about a year old, the big flowers are somewhere in between, and I've had some of the small flowers for years. But when I opened up my flower drawer, I didn't look for new. I looked for what worked with the layout I had in mind.

Now that my week is over, I'm really, really hoping some of the tips and exercises I've shared will inspire you to use your stuff, too! 

Use Your Stuff: Bits & Pieces

Before I wrote this post, I accomplished a task I’ve been needing to do—and dreading—for years: I decluttered my desk drawer. The drawer in question is the short-but-deep middle drawer of one of my favorite treasures, an antique desk I inherited from my grandpa Fuzz. Inside it is where I theoretically keep all my metal bits and pieces, but really it was crammed with a hodgepodge of stuff I hadn’t had the courage to work through in far too long.

Mixed in with empty bobbins, printer cartridges, and packaging, long-lost sewing machine parts, a house key, and Jacob’s library card were three (yes, three, I’m ashamed to confess) divided boxes with metal bits: eyelets, brads, charms, chains, and corners. Grommets and hinges and ribbon pulls and even a few little buckles. Plus the various tools you’d need to use all that metal on a layout or two. This mess was only sort of organized. If by “organized” you mean it would only take me, say, ten minutes or so to find exactly the brad I want to use—then, yes, it was organized.

Because here’s the thing: the only metal objects I really ever use on my layouts are brads. Everything else feels too heavy or thick or potentially layout-damaging for my design aesthetic. As I sorted out my metal issues, I thought about trends. How they come and go in the scrapbooking world (as elsewhere, of course), how they influence not only what we buy but what we feel—about the layouts we make and where we fit as scrappers. It’s a delicate balance: we want to fit in and have the same fun everyone else is having while we also stay true to ourselves.

I was completely untrue to myself with the eyelet topic. I liked the look on other people’s layouts, but I hated setting them and never could get them to look right. Maybe I liked all the tools—that little hammer was irresistible. Maybe it was the eyelets themselves, the neatly circumscribed hole begging to be tied with something cute. But really: I bought eyelets because everyone else was buying eyelets.

(I was not 15 when I did this.)

You’d think I’d know better. I do now as I sit here, sorting through my metals. Here’s proof: I put every single eyelet—even the cute silver flower ones I’ve been holding on to now for a decade or so—into my discard box. The tools for setting them are also in there. In fact, I narrowed down all my metal options from three boxes into just one—and there are still two empty spaces in that box. I feel empowered and free; I’m also certain I still own far too many brads. But at least I know what I have and can find them, which is exactly what is needed so I can use them.

Today’s post isn’t only about brads & eyelets & charms. It’s about all the little bits and pieces that make layouts outstanding. Journaling cards and die cut shapes and ribbon and rub-ons and yes, even brads and eyelets and buckles. Everything that isn’t paper, cardstock, or lettering supplies.

Creative Energy
Today, think about your reaction to scrapbooking trends. How have they influenced your layouts in the past? How do they continue to shape your process?

Pull out an older album—one you worked on about five or six years ago. Flip through the entire book, focusing just on the trends you followed. (By “trend” I mean a technique or a way of using supplies that is or was new, innovative, unseen.) Do they trendiest layouts feel dated now, or do they pass the time test? Jot down a quick list. Put a check mark next to the ones you stopped using but still like. Cross out the ones you know don’t fit with your current design style. Then ask yourself: how could you implement one of those trends on one of your upcoming layouts?

My list included: dry embossing, hand drawn titles, eyelets (yep, I did use a few!), water coloring, chalking, faux metal letters, fibers (anyone else remember fibers? That is the next drawer I need to conquer!), color blocked papers, sanded edges, doodled designs (I am horrible at doodling!), and burned paper edges. One of the techniques I still like is dry embossing, although I don’t do it very often. (I can only shake my head at the burned paper edges which have, of course, smudged everywhere.) I did, however, find all my dry embossing templates when I cleaned out that drawer, so I think the technique will show up soon.

The point of this exercise is to help you think about what you like, rather than what the current trends say you should like. Jack Kerouac said that “great things are not accomplished by those who yield to trends,” and I think that applies to scrapbooking as well as it does to writing. The great thing you accomplish through scrapbooking is sticking down pieces of yourself alongside the pieces of your subject. This doesn’t mean you can't explore and play. It does mean that it is OK—more than just OK—to do things that you like, not because industry trends told you to, but because you like them. 

Smart Shopping
In the realm of trends, it’s tempting to buy everything all at once. Instead, try to take it in small bites to see if you really like the trend. If you have a scrapping friend, consider going halfsies on things you can split up (like eyelets!) or sharing tools. If you shop at a scrapbook store, ask if they have a sample you can try before you buy. Or buy the very minimum. Here’s the kicker, though: when you get this new trendy supply or tool home, use it. Use it quickly! Don’t let the creative energy that builds over the new thing dwindle. See if the new trend is something you can incorporate into your style. Ask yourself: is this a trend that will pass, or will it become a staple?

Organizing
decorative brads  (by which I mean the larger brads, with images, that come stuck in those white foam rectangles): I tend to buy this kind of brads with a specific purpose for one or two of them, and I buy the coordinating paper or letter stickers. After I’ve used the brads I bought the package for, I take the rest of them out of the foam rectangle and sort them. The small, plain ones go with the rest of that color of brad in my (one!) metals box. The other decorative brads all get dumped into one central box. That way, I can see them out of the “context” of the rest of the coordinating items, which means I can see different uses for them.

ribbon: most of my ribbon is organized in small drawers, based on colors. But I buy long lengths of my favorites (black, white, pink, and shades of blue), and these get flung over the clothes rod that’s still in the closet of my office. They stay much less wrinkled this way, and plus: they brighten up that little corner of the room.

small, flat pieces: I have one central basket where I toss small things like punch-outs, rub-ons, and journaling stickers. Sometimes I do have to hunt through this basket to find exactly what I’m looking for, but during the hunt I usually find something I’ve forgotten about, too. Riffling through your products is an excellent way to spark your creative energy!

Use Your Stuff Tip
journaling spots/stickers/labels/cards: confession: I almost never use these for journaling—I have too much to say and can’t fit it all in that little space. But I also love the structured space you find on a journaling product. I use them quite often as the background of my title. I line up as many as I need—not all from the same manufacturer—then layer the title on top. Or, try buying multiples of the same journaling card (three or five) so you have more space to write your story.

brads: I keep a thumb tack in my box of brads. It will stick through almost everything—even chipboard—and makes the perfect size hole to slip your brad into.

rub-ons: one of the best things about rub-ons is their seamability. (That is not a real word, but it should be!) This means that if you pull the rub-on covering up too soon, while some of the design is not yet rubbed on all the way, it is simply a matter of matching up the edges and then seaming it back together by continuing to rub. It also means it’s easy to combine two different rub-on designs. They’ll look like they belong together because the seams just rub together.

 Use Your Stuff Daily Challenge

Make a layout that uses the following bits and pieces: one die cut or punch out shape, two journaling tags, shapes, or stickers, three pieces of ribbon, two rub-ons and one brad. Alter the number of items if you want, but try to use each of the products.

And here are some challenge layouts from the WCS collective!

Donna made this sweet layout about her son:

 
She used all of the challenge suggestions, but found the rub-ons the hardest. "I almost never use them," she told me, "but, I also never buy them anymore. I sort of learned that I'm not a rub-on girl and I've changed my buying habits accordingly." This sort of realization—and the change in shopping—is just what I am talking about!

(if you're counting, the die-cut is the small yellow button, the two journaling blocks are the sticker that is underneath the title and the circle die-cut that is in the lower left-hand corner, the three pieces of ribbon are up at the top of the layout, the two rub-ons are a piece of rub-on stitching that I cut in two and are at the boundaries between the green and yellow or green and blue pp and the phrase "It's all about the memories," and the one brad is the little owl)

Here's Monica's layout (again with the shoes! I love this pair, too!)

 
I love how she used all the products but still worked in plenty of white space!

(counts for Monika's page: die cut is the dress pattern, the journaling tags have journaling on them, the 3 pieces of ribbon are the butterfly print, the ball trim and shipping twine wrapped around the dress pattern die cut, the rub-ons are the zig-zag stitch on photos and at bottom right of cardstock and bracket shape, and the brad is by the ruffle)

And my stab at it:

 
Every once in awhile I go all-out and use a ton of product on a layout...these pictures felt like they wanted a lot of stuff!

(the punch out is the word "sun," the journaling tags—I used three—are under "warm spring sun," "sipping soda," and "grandpa's flowers," the three ribbons make the border, the two rub-ons are in the bottom corners, and the one brad is the word "play")

And, last but not least, today's card (I am happy to report I didn't have to make any extra cuts to make the card—it's completely scrap-made!)

 

So! Do share: is there a trend you wish you hadn't spent so much on?

 

Use Your Stuff: Alphas

I have a confession: I’ve a teeny, tiny obsession with letter stickers. Sure—chipboard letters are enticing. There’s the flexibility of cutting letters with my Silhouette, or stamping them, or even drawing them on my own. There’s also something to be said for rub-on letters, which are my second-favorite. But when it comes right down to it, my most-favorite, go-to-every-time title (and subtitle and sometimes even journaling) product is letter stickers. They are fast, versatile, and simple. In fact, I think I buy more letter stickers than any other scrapping supply—even patterned paper!

I'm certain you have your favorite lettering supply or technique, too. Alphas are such an essential part of a layout. Today's focus is on all those fabulous letters.

Creative Energy
Yesterday you thought about how you use your supplies. Today, think about your shopping habits. Working with your three favorite colors, try to find the last ten or so lettering supplies that you’ve purchased. Make a list: type, color, brand. Put a checkmark next to the ones you’ve already used. 

Now, within the generic “lettering supply” term, try to get a little bit more specific. What shape of font is your favorite? What size, texture, or mood feels most like you? To answer this question, pull an album off of your shelf (something other than the layouts you looked at yesterday) and flip through it. Pay attention to only the way you made letters. You could even keep a tally, if you want.

Is there a contrast between the lettering supplies you purchase and the ones you really use? That’s a sign: your purchases aren’t as useful as they could be. Try to analyze what draws you to purchase things versus use them. I’ll hold myself up as an example: it’s easy for me to get swept up in the "this is brand new and I have to have it right now" feeling. But when I look at what I really use, I can see two basic categories, script type and very simple types (either serif or sans) of alphabet stickers. I hardly ever use cute types, even if I love them in the scrapbook store. Knowing that, when I’m shopping I can more easily see if my I have to have this right now feeling is based on the excitement of something new or the recognition of something I’ll actually use.

Find the list you made yesterday—the one about your patterned paper preferences. Take a few minutes to analyze the difference between what you buy and what you use, focusing on your favorite lettering supply. Now add to your list—what lettering supply do you use most consistently? What style? Which supplies do you buy but not use consistently? Write this on your list.

Take a deep breath. Pick out three or four alphabet supplies you probably won’t use and put them into your discard box.

Smart Shopping
If I go to the scrapbook store simply because I find myself near one with a half hour or so to burn, it is easy for me to spend too much on stuff I’m likely not to use. Here are a few ways I control my spending when I'm browsing (instead of shopping for something specific, which we'll talk about later in the week):

1. I don’t put anything in my basket until I’ve looked at everything in the store. Once it’s in my basket, it feels like it’s mine, so it’s harder to say no to.
2. Before I put it in my basket, I think about how I would actually use the item. If I can only think of one way, I generally don’t buy it.
3. I give it the Cupid Test. Once upon a time, a long long time ago, I fell in love with a cupid-shaped punch. I adored it! Until I got it home, used it on a layout—a Valentine’s day spread—and then realized: yeah, when else will I use this? If something is so specific to a theme or a holiday that its versatility is lost, it fails my Cupid Test.
4. Bending the rules is allowed! I give myself some leeway so I don’t start to feel frustrated. Especially if something I want is on sale, I let myself indulge on one or two items.
5. If I discover an alphabet sticker that will work on several layouts, I buy two sheets. This alleviates some of my alphabet sticker anxiety. 

Organizing Lettering Supplies
Nearly every layout has some sort of lettering on it, so keeping these supplies organized is useful. What are your favorites? Keep them close to your workspace. The alphabet stickers I use the most are white, black, green, and blue; I keep these in a basket on the shelf above my desk.  The others are all organized by color, so if I need some yellow alphabet stickers, I have to move across the room, but if I need white ones, they’re within reaching distance.

I keep all my raw and white chipboard letters in their own drawer. These are the ones I’m most likely to alter somehow, so I also keep my white and black paint in that drawer. (I like painting the vertical edge of chipboard either black or white, no matter how else I might alter it.)

Rub-on letters are the only products I keep in their packaging. I’ve had too many rub-on malfunctions happen to not store them like this! (It’s always that one last E you really, really need that was accidentally rubbed onto the inside of your storage container, isn’t it?) I also store these by color.

Use Your Stuff Tip
Breaking into a brand-new sheet of letter stickers always gives me a bit of anxiety. There’s that little part of me that worries “what if these would work better on a different layout?” or “maybe this layout isn’t the place for these letters?” I get over this fear by keeping in mind a couple of things:

1. This is not the only “perfect” letter sticker (or rub on or ribbon or whatever I’m having anxiety about using). After scrapping for 15 years, I’ve seen a ton of new releases and learned this essential truth: there will always be something new. In six more months there’ll be a whole new batch of product I love just as much as this one. Saving it for the “perfect” layout is the perfect way to ensure it never gets used.
2. If the word, phrase, or title I’m using the stickers for is very long, I make sure I have enough of each letter before I start peeling off stickers. I usually jot down what I’m spelling onto whatever small scrap of paper is close by; I put tally marks next to the letters I need more than one of. This also helps me to see the words—so I don’t spell anything wrong!
3. I also mix letter stickers quite often. Breaking into two new sheets, or using an old one with a new one, alleviates the anxiety. Plus it makes for a more visually-interesting title!
4. I remind myself often that, in the end, all that really matters about a layout is that I matched a story with a picture. Everything else—even those perfect letter stickers—is just icing.

Use Your Stuff Daily Challenge: Letter Stickers

Create a layout that mixes and matches letter from a black sheet of stickers, a white sheet, and one other color, each from a different manufacturer; find one of your oldest non-letter stickers and use it your layout too.

Here’s Jody Dent-Pruk's take on the challenge. I adore the simplicity of the design combined with the pop of energy the title makes:

 

Our other Jody, Jody Wenke, also took the sticker challenge. I love the detail in that last “O”!

 

Here’s my take on the challenge:

 

Note how we each used a small themed sticker to add detail to our layouts. Somehow along the line, stickers got a bad rap, but I think they’re perfect for adding pop to a layout. The one I used is ancient; I know I bought it before 2003 because that’s when the store I purchased it from went out of business.

Here’s the card I made with my left-over supplies:

 
The seashells are the back side of that green dot patterned paper. It felt too girly for the layout, but perfect for the card!

So, share: what's your favorite lettering supply?

Use Your Stuff!

 
Welcome to the second day of spring! It’s cold here in Utah, but yesterday one of my daffodils bloomed, so I’ll take that as a sign that it will eventually warm up. My name’s Amy Sorensen, and I’ll be your Write Click Scrapbook hostess this week. 

Before I get to this week’s topic, I need to share just a little bit of my scrapbooking philosophy with you:

1. Parts of your creativity get tied up in the products that you buy. You know that feeling when you’re in a scrapbook store (or at an online scrapbooking site, however you shop) and you find it, the piece of patterned paper or length of ribbon or sheet of rub-ons that you absolutely love and must have without further delay? Your mind hops around with excitement over just how you’ll use it. Then you bring it home and carefully file it away—and it gets lost in the enormous amount of other similarly-loved product. I think that absolutely-loved, must-have-now supply keeps a hold of that creative excitement you first felt; I think it stays there, with that product, until you use it or give it to someone else.
2. Too much product hampers your creativity. Quick: look at your stack of green patterned papers. How many choices do you have? Once you reach a certain amount (and I’m not sure what that is, to be honest), your creative energy is drained by considering potential choices. Having too many options becomes overwhelming instead of inspiring. (If you want to read more about this idea, you can do that here.)  

Those two scrapbooking philosophies bring us to this week’s focus here at Write Click Scrapbook: using your stuff. The goal is to energize your scrapping creativity by shuffling through your supplies— moving some of them out of your scrapping space altogether (donate them to someone else) or out of your various bins, drawers, and scrapping cupboards and onto layouts.  Every day there’ll be a creative energy exercise; these will ultimately help you use your supplies more and shop smarter. I’ll give you an organization tip (because if you can’t find the supply you’ve got in mind, you can’t use it). Plus there’s a daily challenge that relates to that day’s product focus. I hope you’ll play along! 

Today’s topic: patterned paper

Creative Energy Exercise
Flip through the last 15 or so layouts you’ve made. (If you’re anything like me, they’re still sitting in a pile, waiting to be stuck into albums.) Pay attention: how do you use patterned paper? What prints, patterns, and colors are most common? How did you use the papers—the entire sheet as a background? Cut or punched into strips, squares, circles, or other shapes? Layered on top of or below other things? As a background for something else like a photo, title, or journaling? Is there a brand you used more often than others, or a brand you buy often but didn’t find on your recent layouts? What patterned-paper techniques are your favorites? Make a quick list of how you’ve used paper lately.

When I did this with my last 19 layouts (the ones waiting for an album to call home), I discovered something surprising: 12 of those have patterned paper for a background. Before doing this exercise, I would have told you that I rarely use patterned paper as a background. The manufacturer I used the most was Fancy Pants and the technique I used most often was cutting my paper into layers. I also back a lot of my titles—made with solid-colored letters—with patterned paper. 

Once you’ve made your list, grab one container of patterned paper—one that isn’t your largest or favorite. Sit somewhere you can spread out. Keep in mind the list you just made, which gives you a great idea of papers you do use, break your pile up into two: keep and discard. As you make these piles, try to keep in mind what you’ve just figured out: what patterned paper do you NOT use? It might be a specific brand or it might be a pattern. For example, in the store I am drawn to checkered patterns, but when I’m actually scrapping, they almost never “feel” right. I use organic shapes and stripes more. Depending on the size of your stash, try to put 5-10 sheets into your discard pile. Put your discards into some sort of box and keep it handy—you’ll use it throughout the week.  Add that category to your list: patterns you don’t use. 

Smart Shopping
The list you created in the creative energy exercise gives you an idea of what supplies you shouldn’t buy more of. Take it with you when you visit a scrapbooking store so that you don’t forget. For example: I tend to buy a lot of one manufacturer’s paper—but I really don’t use it all that often. When I go into a scrapbook store armed with that knowledge, I can admire that manufacturer’s paper without buying much, because I know the likelihood of me actually using it is small. 

Organization
How do you organize your pattern paper? I used to keep mine organized by manufacturer, because I wanted to keep like things together. Then I reorganized by color. I keep all of, say, my purple patterned papers in one drawer, and all of my purple embellishments (letter stickers, rub-ons, and other stuff) in the drawer above it. When I did this, I discovered that my pages became a bit more visually appealing. Color organization helps me to see more potential in my scrapbooking supplies because now, it’s not a Basic Grey patterned paper, or a Christmas-themed one. It’s just a piece of red pattern. An added bonus: it’s really easy to clean up after making a layout.

This brings up a question, though: those pesky double-sided papers. Nearly every manufacturer makes them now. Which color do I organize by, the back or the front? For me, I nearly always organize by the back side, but that’s because I am nearly always drawn to the back sides of papers. They’re usually more subtle or with a smaller print, and that fits my design approach much better than a large print does. (It also means the backs of my layouts are usually gorgeous!)

 Does the way you organize your patterned papers work for you, or do you spend lots of scrapping time just looking through your stuff? How could you change your organization so it works better for you?

 Use Your Stuff Tip
Before I put away the supplies I used for a layout, I make a card with them. It really only takes about five minutes to craft a card, but only if your stuff is already out. If you use the left-over bits from your layout, they’re already color-coordinated so you don’t have to search for anything. You might not even have to cut anything, if you’re lucky! I make thematic cards if the layout I made also had a theme (so, obviously, a birthday card with a birthday layout) or more generic cards if the layout didn’t have a theme. With just a few minutes, you simultaneously use more supplies and ensure yourself an ever-ready pile of cards.

Just to prove that this is the simplest way to make cards, I’m including a card each day, along with the daily challenge. I used these sketches from Kim Hughes’s site to help me with the card designs. 

Use Your Stuff Daily Challenge: Patterned Paper

 Pull out your drawer/file/box/bucket that holds your least-favorite color of patterned paper. Riffle through the entire pile, just to remind yourself of what you have. Pull the bottom three sheets. Use at least one of these on a layout. Put the sheets you don't use on the top of your pile, so you'll see them the next time you pull out that container.

The way that supplies stack up in their containers (older stuff on the bottom) can become a sort of archeological dig—you move backward through your own shopping experiences. Don’t let the age of a supply deter you from using it, though. If you still love it, put it to use and release that stored creative energy!

In scrapbooking, as in life, red is my least-favorite color. So that’s the drawer I pulled out. Then I found a photo that would work with the paper—in this case, it’s a picture of my daughter, Haley, sitting on the stairs on Christmas morning. Since I’ve already told the story of that experience, I told a completely different one. The bottom paper in my red drawer was this flocked-flower one from We R Memory Keepers:

 

Since Celeste makes a lot of digital layouts, she didn't literally dig through a bin of patterned paper, but she did push herself to use a color she doesn't use very often:

 

Lisa also took the challenge. She discovered that she loved these forgotten papers:

 

For today's card, I printed the word “happy” three times at the same time I printed my layout's journaling. Then I just inked the edges of things, stamped the white card (this floral stamp is one of my favorite and most-used stamps), cut out the flower from the last little scrap of paper I had, and assembled:

 
If you take the challenge, make sure to share your layout somewhere—leave a link to your blog on the comments, or put it in the Write. Click. Scrapbook. flickr group. Or, share what you learned with the creative energy exercise. See you tomorrow!

 

Now where did I put that recipe...

Can I be honest?  Today's topic has to do with food, and I can barely bring myself to talk about it.  That's because more than five hours after our Thanksgiving meal, I'm still full!  But I'll take one for the team and forge ahead.

The past two days were a good reminder of why I wanted to cover this topic in preparation for Christmas.  We all have our favorite recipes that we return to every year as well as ones we would like to try.  I don't know about you, but I am terrible about keeping them in one place.  So each year, it's the same routine: waste time searching for my recipes and then print off the ones that are online... again.

I would really like to change that scatterbrained tendency of mine, so I went looking for help.

I love how WCS team member Donna Jannuzzi gathers her holiday recipes.  This fall, she used a  Martha Stewart tutorial to make a simple but cute envelope recipe book to hold her favorite pumpkin recipes.  Then she created one for her family's favorite cookie recipes, just in time for Christmas prep.

 

 

Donna shared, "The instructions call for the use of book binding tape, but I didn't have any and I didn't have time to order any (or drive to Paper Source, which is a bit far for me, to buy some).  For the book I made for Christmas, the cover is made of paper and for the binding I used adhesive-backed fabric.  You can also make the book entirely out of paper.  The project I made for my pumpkin recipes uses entirely paper.  Basically, by saying that you can make the book entirely from paper I'm trying to emphasize that you don't have to buy any special materials to make this book; you can make it from items in your stash (saving both time and money)."

And that's what we're all about this week!

Another idea for organizing your recipes in physical form is to use sheets that can go into a binder.  These free printables from Organized Christmas are perfect for recipes that may be located in a variety of places, especially cookbooks.  There's even one to keep track of recipes you would like to try.

  (By the way, I'm a little embarrassed that I missed this site when researching for Monday's organization post. You simply must check out all of the free Christmas Planner pages that are offered there!  I had to pull myself away to finish this post. ;)

And then there's the technological approach.

I recently discovered Evernote.  It's a way of capturing and organizing information such as web pages, screen shots, photos, handwritten notes, etc. It even has the ability to recognize printed and handwritten text within snapshots and images, so everything is searchable.  Plus there are versions for mobile devices, so if you are at the grocery store and realize you forgot to add  ingredients to your list, you can just look up the recipe while shopping.  Isn't that slick?

I think I may create a notebook for each holiday/season and add my online recipes, handwritten recipes, and recipes I've scanned from cookbooks so that they're all in one place.  And searchable.  Love that searchable feature!

Another great online option that is specific to recipes is Key Ingredient.  There, you can create cookbooks and share your recipes with others if you choose.  What a great place to keep all your family favorites!  There's also a great Flash-based widget for adding recipes to a blog.  Here's an example using my favorite sweet potato recipe.  Click on the tabs to switch between info.

 

Online recipe collections may seem very impersonal to some, but the huge advantage is that they are (at least in theory) permanent.  Just over three years ago, my brother and his family came home from a camping trip to find their house burned to the ground.  As we helped them in the days that followed, the first thing my sister-in-law asked for--after pictures--was recipes.  They don't just involve something to eat.  They're about family, friends, tradition, and comfort.

I would love to hear from you if you have other projects or tips you have tried for keeping your holiday recipes organized.  If something today motivated you to action, please share!  And if you end up making a sweet envelope recipe book like Donna's, we would love to see it in the WCS flickr gallery.

I'll see you back here tomorrow for some layout ideas that will help you capture the Christmas season and traditions with a minimal amout of time and no stress. :)

 

 

Take a deep breath...

Good Monday morning! 

Am I a bit too chipper for you?  The truth is, I love Mondays and I love snow, and today the two make quite a striking couple from where I sit.  

I'm feeling very grateful and content, which is an ideal way to approach this Thanksgiving week and beginning of the Christmas season.  And it's also a great way to start off my focus for the next few days: creatively chasing the joy-killers frantic and broke from the holidays.  My goal is to send you off with all sorts of free and easily-accessible resources that will save you both time and money as you move forward with all of the things you want to accomplish over the next month.

This is a busy week, so I'll try my best to keep things short, sweet & simple. Here's the basic outline:

• ORGANIZATION
• GIFT PACKAGING
• CHRISTMAS CARDS
• RECIPES
• LAYOUTS

Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start. When you read you begin with A-B-C, when you plan you begin with O-R-G...  Okay, cheesy.  But admit it--you were at least tempted to sing along.

If you're not organized to some degree, there will be no avoiding frantic and broke.  So I would like to share some ideas and printables that you can use to get plans down on paper and keep track of all the details.

This is a mini accordion file I decorated and labeled last year to help me keep track of gift receipts.  There's a section for each member of my family and one in the back for everyone else. This was a lifesaver.  Notice that I didn't put a year on it.  I will reuse it until it falls apart.

 

And this year I'll be printing off a few of these to tuck inside, courtesy of Atypical Type A.

 

Remember last Monday's WCS feature by the sisters of eighteen25?  On this guest post at Under the Sycamore, they offer a free download and step-by-step instructions for how to put together this cute and practical planner.

 

Giver's Log offers a very thorough Ultimate Holiday Checklist (both a filled-in and a blank version).  Jump in on Week 4 and fight that tendency toward procrastination!

 

If you're anything like me (i.e., you consider organization to be a worthy form of recreation), you may swoon at the sight of the Christmas planning ebook and slew of printables over at Life...Your Way.

 

Forget plain white scratch paper.  Allsorts gives us a much more cheerful way to create our to-do lists this year.

And team member Celeste Smith not only offers a free to-do list download, she explains how to make those sheets into a pad!

Perhaps you have the desire to do Ali Edwards' December Daily, which is very feasible now that you're taking the steps to plan ahead ;)  That link is full of information and resources.  And our own Karen Grünberg provides this free download of adorable Christmas tree days which can be used as layered templates.

I hope you're inspired to get a handle on your plans as you utilize some of these free resources.  Please leave a comment and let me know if you do!

Easy Summer Scrapbooking, Day 5

Today is our last day together and our last look at easy summer scrapbooking tips.  I’ve enjoyed being your hostess this week and sharing with you some of my favorite time-saving techniques. 

As you might have guessed from the post on Thursday, today I am here to share the collectives’ favorite time-saving tips.  I polled my fellow team members and I’ve pulled together their answers for you:

Celeste Smith had numerous tips to share.  I’ll just say it.  Celeste is extremely prolific.  I love her no-nonsense approach to scrapbooking – she truly wastes no time!  To get more from her scrapbooking time she recommends:

• Purchasing items from a kit club - products are already matched for you and it saves the time it takes to coordinate items.
• Use products from one line from any given manufacturer.
• Make your own kits from your stash - pick a multi-colored piece of striped patterned paper, then dig into your stash and select different papers from different manufacturers that have the colors from your inspiration piece. Add a few embellishments in your main colors and an alphabet or two. Now you have a FREE kit that you can create a few layouts with.
• Handwrite your journaling - then you don't have to fuss with font selection and placement on the page.
• Use journal strips - print your journaling in a three inch width and cut into strips - adhere anywhere on the page.
• Use multiple photos on a page - this way you scrap less layouts per event!
• Keep printed photos on hand - so that you don't have to fuss with editing and printing (or running to Walmart!)
• Scrapbook a few pages digitally - there is no clean up!
• Love the look of sewing? - try rub-on, stamped or hand drawn stitches.

Francine Clouden mentioned that she tries to squeeze in scrapbooking anytime she can.  For instance while her son naps, or while he happily plays and doesn’t necessarily need mommy.  She also works in batches of time, doing a little here and there.  Francine keeps a list of page ideas so that when she has a free moment she knows which photos she should edit and print.  She also seconds the recommendation of using kit clubs as an easy way of deciding which products to use.  When inspiration is running dry she visits her own blog.  There she often finds a story or two to scrapbook and she saves time by copying the journaling from her post for her page.  While she admits that she doesn’t use sketches often, she does love digital templates and finds them a quick way to get a page done and another story told.  In her words, “This is a HUGE change from life before K when I would spend most days churning out pages like a maniac. If I can scrap this way then anyone can!”

I think a lot of us can relate to Francine’s comments.  I know that I work in batches as well.  If I’m spending time editing photos I will simultaneously match them with sketches in my notebook.  I make note of what photos go with which sketch and at the same time I’ll jot down either specific papers or kits that I think will match the theme or colors of my photos.  Later I'll gather those supplies in a basket that I keep next to my scrapbooking desk.  When I pick up my printed photos I have already done, what is for me, a lot of the hard part of scrapbooking.  The rest, putting it all together, is then more fun and productive.

Monika Wright also sent along some of her tips for squeezing in creative time:

• If I want crafting time, but the kids want me...I let them sit on the other side of my craft desk and let them punch shapes with pretty paper. They love it. Then they make pictures out of the shapes they've punched by gluing down the flowers, snowflakes, suns from circles...to construction paper.

• I make my own "kits" by packaging the paper, cardstock, embellishments, ribbon, die cuts... that I have in my stash that coordinate. Then, when I have some time, I pull out a kit and get to work immediately. Here is an example of partially designed pages waiting for the photos. You'll see that there are two pages in the making in this photo. I will often use the same page design for each of my 3 kids.

• When I think of a story, I'll write it down even if I don't have a photograph in mind. I don't think that my photos and stories have to match. Sometimes it's written on a random piece of paper, sometimes I'll get out a notebook and just brainstorm: thinking of things that were said, activities that we did, and sometimes I have a vintage photograph from before my scrapping days and I'll sit down and write what comes to mind...all memories I want to live on.

I then deposit all those stories into this file box I found at the Target Dollar Spot and place it back on my shelf where it will wait for me until I need a story to scrap.

 
Candice Palmer also recommended jotting down phrases from her life or that her kids have said so that journaling is easier.  It makes journaling less tedious and more authentic for her if it is captured in the moment.

A few weeks back Jody Dent-Pruks, together with Vanilla Ice, addressed how to squeeze in scrapping time.  Her top three tips:

1. Be organised (this is key – if you don’t have much time you don’t want to spend the time you do have looking for things)
2. Have a kit of your basics in an easy to reach place so you can just pull it out and work in short stints.
3. Have fun, because you are not going to want to do it if it’s not fun (don’t make it a chore).

Emily Pitts’ tip really resonated with me, as I’m sure it will with some of you who might be, or have ever been, overwhelmed by your supplies.  She says, “I find that limiting the supplies I use really helps keep me focused and actually get things done.  I'm more creative if I don't have a lot to choose from.”

Amy Sorenson, who recently shared an amazing week of think-outside-the-box ideas for scrapbooking your life, shared these suggestions about journaling:

• Write your journaling at the same time you download your pictures onto your computer. The details will still be fresh in your memory, and when you're ready to scrap the photos, having the journaling already written will make the process much faster. Make the journaling easy to find by saving it in the same folder as the pictures it belongs with.
• Instead of working your way through all your fonts every time you scrap, choose a handful of go-to fonts. Choose one serif font, one sans serif; one each that's masculine, feminine, fancy, and grungy. Then, when you format your journaling, use one of those fonts. You'll be surprised at just how versatile most fonts are.

Beth Proudfoot agrees that using coordinated product equals less time rummaging through supplies and more time enjoying the creative process.

Melissa Kaiserman suggested a tip for organization:

I try to keep things not only in easy reach but also very visible.  For example, most of my little embellishments are in an old printer's tray rather than stashed in containers.  It helps so much when I can walk over with a piece of paper or partial layout and quickly rummage through them to find something to use.

 

Vivian Masket shared an idea for what do to when inspiration is running dry.  Often, we spend a lot of time forcing the creativity (I know I am guilty of this on occasion).  Vivian says, “When I get into a design rut, I grab a non-scrapbooking magazine (in my house those are all cooking magazines) and look for layout or design element inspiration based on ads or page design. There's always something that catches my attention and gets the creative juices flowing again.”

Elizabeth Dillow told me that she often works on multiple layouts as a way of saving time.  Sound strange?  Whenever she starts to feel like she’s not getting anywhere, she will pull stuff out for another layout and start moving things around on that second layout.  She says that, “The beauty of it is this: since I have to work in small chunks of time anyway, my brain can work on how I want a page to look when I'm not actually down there working on it. I find that when I get back to my table, I am far more efficient at completing layouts.”

I completely agree with that last sentence and this is something that I do a lot too, if not always.  It does help me to not spend too much time fussing with a layout.  I'll start it and get my ideas working and then I'll set it aside and start another layout (or two, or three).  Usually this lets me think about what to do while I'm doing other things, like the laundry or the dishes - I'm sure you all know the drill!  This way I'm not wasting time just staring at the layout trying to make it "perfect."   

Finally to close our week together, I want to refer you to the comments thread on the give.away.day post.  A lot of what I’ve shared with you today has already been mentioned in that thread.  A big part of what this week was about was making scrapbooking a little bit easier and a little bit faster.  Truthfully, I think this means different things for different people. I definitely have perfectionist tendencies - I try to fight them - but they are still there.  There are certain parts of my creative process that I have learned that I need to short-cut otherwise I’ll get stuck in the details and never get anything accomplished.  It’s not about being behind.  It’s not about scrapbooking every photo.  It’s about the fact that I don’t have an infinite amount of time and my children are growing-up so quickly.  And things you think you’ll remember, well, you might not.  A huge part of why I scrapbook is because I want to record my family’s memories.  I want to remember.  My hope for this week and for today’s post is that you will take from it the tips and ideas that are most helpful to you.  I know that I have certainly picked-up some new ideas from reading your comments and from the comments of my fellow team members.  Thank you all for sharing this week with me!

Until next time,

quick to the point to the point no faking...

 

...I'm cooking MC's like a pound of bacon!

You know you’re going to miss those wicked rhymes LOL 

Now I can’t believe that my week here on the blog is about to come to an end.  It’s been fun co-hosting with Vanilla Ice this week and looking at ways to tackle fairly common problems we all experience as scrapbookers. 

Hopefully I have shown you plenty of examples of how to tackle things in different ways, as time and enthusiasm permits. Still, it’s not just about the end result. It’s the “getting to” that often poses the problem. 

Today I will be looking at the systems I have set up that support my crafty endeavours; systems that make things a little bit easier to get in and get some scrapbooking done whilst still living that crazy busy life we all seem to have! 

Now these are the things that work for me: 

Be Organised:

Oh yeah, sounds so obvious. That’s all good for you over achieving type A’s who would rather clean and sort than sleep I hear you muttering LOL (ok, I will admit there is a teeny tiny kernel of truth in that statement) but I really do see being organised as the solution to time poor scrapping (actually, time poor anything). 

Yes, I know it sounds as much fun as having your taxes audited, but the time you spend getting things ship shape will be paid back to you many times over in productive scrapbooking hours. 

Keeping and working with the supplies you love makes things so much simpler. You know the statement…can’t see the forest for the trees, well it applies to your scrapbooking stash as well. There is nothing like a good sort and purge to get my creative juices flowing!!

 

When everything is sorted, labelled and accessible it makes it so much easier to grab a few supplies and get working. My clear containers allow me to locate an item, use it and then put it back easily. 

It also means that if you have a big mess, it can be packed up quickly. As I don’t have a dedicated scrap space I do have to pack up after I scrap and if I can make that as painless as possible, I am more likely to get the supplies out in the first place. I can also take these containers with me when I go to scrapbook away from home. 

If you need any help with getting organised, you should take a look at our Spring Cleaning Week for lots of good ideas from the wcs team.

Set up a System:

Without a doubt the thing that saved my sanity when it came to my albums was adopting Stacey Julian’s Library of Memories approach. This was my “aha” moment because I could not sustain chronological scrapbooking (I'm all about the new set of photos in my hand!!).

 
 

By setting up four 12” x 12” albums (people we love, all about us, places we go, and things we do) I was free to do as I liked, when I liked! It doesn’t matter what I choose to scrap, there is a place to put it. I also put all size layouts into these folders – 8.5” x 11”, 8” x 8”and of course 12” x 12”. Brilliant. Easy. Love it more than chocolate…ok, maybe not that much. 

Now these are not my only albums. These albums may be the backbone of my system, but there are other formats that I use to make life easier.

I have set up a series of albums for my 2 sons Oscar & Byron. They have an album (or two), which is just about them. They have school albums for Primary and High School. Byron also has a Preschool / Daycare album. I set the albums up exactly the same (keep it simple) and then just add each year. 

 

Byron's Daycare album was the first album I ever completed and it works in fine with his other albums.

The mini book should have a place in the scrapbooking hall of fame. They are just so do-able and time friendly. I have lots of mini’s and I plan to make many more. 

These are some of the albums that I have been showing you this week.

Subject albums are like the ones we have looked at this week, dedicated to a topic such as a holiday.  Once they are done you can move on or they can be open ended, where you add to them when you want.

The spine labels are clips that slid on and inserts so you can write on them. They are from a company called "Smiggle" and I use them all the time. With my "big" album I used one sideways on the cover. Very versatile. 

Back to Basics:

Find a place to work, whether is's a dedicated space (lucky you) or a place you can call yours till dinner is ready!!

 

Cardstock, patterned papers and your favourite embellishments should be in an easy to get to place. If you have to go hunting, you know you will probably talk yourself out of it! 

Have a set of tools ready to go. I have a bag that contains the basics and it also holds my ruler and cutter. If I need to bring in the heavy artillery – crop-o-dile, zyron etc - I can go to my cupboard and retrieve the items.  

 

 

 

Let’s face it, our photos are the jumping off point for most of our ideas so having them available makes sense. Sort, purge, print and file your photos so you have things ready to go when you need them. 

Make use of Special Scrapping Time:

I usually get to about 2 scrapbook weekends away a year. I love these getaways and catching up with friends, checking out people’s work and eating great food. In fact, if I am not careful I could spend the three days talking and eating chocolate!!

When I do have dedicated scrapbooking time I plan before I go, so I can maximise what I get done (and still leave plenty of time for talking and eating chocolate).

I have been known to bring my computer, my printer, and my own office chair (sitting for 3 days can do you in without a little comfort LOL). I pick a project and gather all the things I need so that I can hit the ground running, or scrapping as the case may be.  

 

I usually come home with my project completed or very close; happy that I achieved so much and tired from laughing, eating and little sleep.

Have Fun:

I can’t stress this one enough. If you are not having fun then you have to wonder why you are doing it. I love to get my supplies out and work on a project. I love the people I have met through this great hobby. 

I love that when I’m not feeling the love so much I can take a break, re-energise and then when the enthusiasm strikes, dive straight back in. 

So how are those problems looking now? 

Do ya think we have solved them? Or given you some new ideas to get moving on the solving? 

Word to your mother…it’s been a great week and thanks for all the great comments and feedback.

Now I have to stop pretending to be a 90’s rapper and I think I’m going to miss it!! 

If there was a problem yo I'll solve it

Check out the hook while Jody revolves it.

Ice, ice baby…

 

keep my composure when it's time to get loose...

 
 
 

...magnetised by the mic while I kick my juice!

Ahhh, I just never get tired of those awesome lyrics… but it’s back to solving your scrapbooking problems. 

I have so many ideas swirling around in my head, I know that I have to be a little smarter in the way I scrapbook. As I said earlier this week, I love being able to scrap out of order, working on different things at different times. 

With that in mind I have set up albums that I can easily come back and add to over time. Kids school albums are a perfect example of this; set up your system and then each year you update. You know what you are doing and it shouldn’t take to long, you just have to watch that you don’t fall behind (not saying that that has happened to me. Ha!). 

Other albums I have set up include fun albums like our “Little Book of Big Things”. I had noticed from our holiday snaps that we had gathered a small collection of photos of the kids posing with “big” things that you find in touristy spots. That was when I decided to make this small 6” x 6” album to document all these kitsch attractions. 

I kept it really simple – photo – location – journaling – date, and set the template up on my computer. I chose a patterned paper I thought would go with a lot of photos and used a small amount as my embellishment. I wrote a brief summary of how / why / when and that’s it. 

 

You can see the photos span nearly 10 years and I have plenty of space in that album to add another 10 years worth!

I made sure I wrote down all the details of papers, fonts, point sizes and colours so that I can always replicate it when I need to. I also cut the patterned paper into the 6” x ½ “ strips that I needed and tucked all this in the last page, so it is there whenever I go back to it. I can update an entry in this album in about 20 minutes.

 

Sure, that paper might run out and I might not be able to find it (note to self: check sisters stash to see if she has a sheet of this Basic Grey Recess paper LOL) but if that happens, I will just choose another coordinating paper and move on. When people look through this album, it’s not the paper that they are laughing and reminiscing about.

My “Gimme 5” album (a great BPS class by Cathy Zielski) is set up the same way. I worked through all the entries I wanted to during the class, and then decided that there was nothing stopping me adding people as time went on.

I have the template on my computer and when I think of a person, or 5 facts about them I jot it down in a note at the back of the album. I also cut up plenty of patterned paper squares so when I am ready for an update it will be quick and painless, and I’m not at the mercy of having just the right orange patterned paper on hand.

 

Other albums I have set up using this method include my “family stories “ album (old photos and a fond memory from my childhood). There is no pressure on me to update it, but if I come across a photo and I have a story, then I can quickly pull a page together. 

There is no rule that scrapbooking is an all or nothing proposition. Slow and steady (adding a page here, adding a page there) really can win the scrapping race!! I have lots of albums on the go and it does not bother me that they aren’t “technically” finished, we still get lots of enjoyment out of them and that’s really what its all about. 

OK, tomorrow is our last day. Sigh. Now that you have seen the albums and the layouts, I thought I would finish up by talking about the systems that I have in place that let me get any sort of scrapbooking done. 

Sounds like a plan…

And just before I go, a few photos for Vicki who had asked me in the comments section on Wednesday about scrapping albums for sport coaches, and I told her I would find some old ones of mine. Here they are.

Take heed 'cause I'm a lyrical poet

Miami's on the scene just in case you didn't know it!

       

STOP! collaborate and listen...

   

Now I bet you don’t know where this is heading? Well believe it or not, Vanilla Ice will be helping us out this week on the write click scrapbook blog. Let me explain…

During a recent Glee episode, I was motivated to not only sing along, but to bust out those Ice, Ice baby moves. Let me tell you just how impressed my boys (17 & 14) were to see that spectacle!  

In the middle of all this coolness (ok, embarrassing craziness) Vanilla Ice spoke to me… 

”if there was a problem, yo I’ll solve it” 

…and the seed was sown for a week of problem solving here at wcs, so thank you very much Robert Van Winkle!

So what do we think is one of our biggest problems? I bet it looks something like this… 

Super busy family & work schedule + limited time + 1000’s of photos = one overwhelmed scrapbooker! Time, or lack there of, has to be up there as a problem for most people. 

We have so many great plans and ideas for our scrapbooking that we literally don’t know where to start. And then we don’t. And where is the fun in that? 

There is no one right way to attack this problem, that’s why I do different things at different times, because life is like that. Sometimes I have a lot of time (like a fun girls scrapbook weekend away) and other times I have a few hours after dinner while watching TV. And sometimes I have no time at all and I don't even crack open the scrapbook cupboard.

What I will say is that just seeing what other people do is inspiration enough to overcome your own obstacles and to get you moving forward. 

This week, we are going to dive right in, solve some problems and get some scrapping done, so let’s get going. 

 

OK, see this pile. These bags all contain photos and ephemera that I have diligently collected when we have been on a holiday or outing. I bundle it up and label it and put it in a basket and there it sits, in my scrapbooking cupboard. That pile just keeps growing and growing. You know that you have something similar going on, maybe in boxes, in a drawer, or in folders, but it’s there.

Now the solution is to just dive right in and make a decision. I am going to tell you straight up that I have about 3 lifetimes of photos and ephemera so I am pretty sure I will never have the time, or the inclination, to scrap it all. And I am ok with that.

So I just begin by picking a bag, emptying it out and deciding what I want to remember, the story I want to tell. In this case I had saved everything we came across on a 2 day break in Sydney. We made the trip to take our son Oscar to see The Archibald’s as he had just chosen to do Art as one of his senior HSC subjects.

When I looked at everything in front of me, and considered the 15 page mini book I had planed to make I realised that the real memory I wanted to document was the visit to the Art Gallery; viewing the Archibald’s, and seeing the people’s-choice wining entry of Heath Ledger. 

So guess what? I just scrapped a single page for Oscar’s album. 

I stuck the program from the exhibit on the back of the layout,

 

I put a few of the really good photos of Sydney into my “Places” file,

I filed the photos I wanted to keep into photo boxes,

I kept the cool paper bag that had the name “Oscar” on it because I know I can use that for something, some day,

  and then I ditched everything else (everything you see below). Yes really, I did.

Now I know that seems scary but I have the memory I wanted to keep scrapped, and I am one baggie down. This may not be how I treat all those bags, (more on that later this week) but it got me moving through that pile, which made me feel good. 

Now that’s solving a problem! I’ll see you tomorrow… 

“Word to your mother,

Ice ice baby too cold too cold”