Can you name that tune?
For the next few days I thought we could talk about how we scrapbook. I think scrapbooking, like much in life, is a skill. One we can practice and perfect. Don't get me wrong, I do not think there is a perfect way to scrapbook, but there are ways to perfect our processes. So here goes...
What do you grab first when you have the urge? No, not chocolate, silly, the other urge. The urge to cut and paste and preserve memories. When this urge strikes, I often reach for a photo. Without the photos, it would, for me, be a journal. And though I love journals and journaling, I am a scrapbooker who loves her photos. Pure unadulterated stabs-me-in-the-heart-and-can-make-me-laugh-and-cry-at-the-same-time kind of love.
Grab a photo. In fact, grab a handful. Let's sort them.
Pile one:
Photos that tell stories. Does your photo tell a particular story? Or make you think of other stories? Yes? then leave it in pile one. If not, proceed to pile two.
Pile two:
Photos that make you swoon. Is your picture the kind of picture that could hang on your wall? Is there something about it that sings to your soul? Then it is for pile two. If not, keep going...
Pile three:
Photos that record. Trips to Disney, to the park. Ballet lessons, sports' days. Christmas, Easter, Fourth of July. Leave these in pile three.
Now, let's begin.
PHOTOS THAT TELL STORIES These are the easy layouts for me. The journaling usually just spills out. Think of being the narrator at a slide show. Some of these really don't need much story as the photo tells the story.
Sometimes these pictures themselves are less the story than the story that is contained once you study the photo.
For instance, when I saw this photo, I noticed several things.
The back story is that my little family of five, was visiting my parents for a week in Arizona. With seven of us in a little rental trailer it was a bit of a struggle to get to church on time. My dad grabbed the brush and was helping to brush Poppy's hair. I grabbed my camera which had the superzoom fixed lens on it, and snapped a quick photo. This is what I got.
But that is not the true story of the photo. (For me, back story doesn't necessarily equate to real story.) When I saw this photo, I noticed so many things. Poppy sitting so still for her Grandpa (in stark contrast to what I get when I comb through her hair). My dad combing Poppy's hair (something that he didn't do for me as a child--leading me to notice & ponder the difference between dads and grandpas). My dad's aging hands (I forget. It startles me as in my minds' eye he is much younger). That my dad was going to church with us (Something which I greatly admire and respect as he does it out of respect for my kids). So from one rather innocuous photo will come many layouts.
So for pile one, the journaling is sometimes obvious (though still record it--you'd be amazed at the difference of perceptions and perspectives), and other times the who what where is obvious, but not the real story. Don't forget to record what your heart feels, and not just what your head says. Let's move on.
PHOTOS THAT MAKE YOU SWOON If it deserves a place on your wall, then it certainly deserves a place in my scrapbook. Sometimes these photos are the foundation for a layout that doesn't say much.
Sometimes they are an opportunity to record an unrelated memory.
And sometimes they are an opportunity to profess your love.
So for pile two, sometimes the journaling will be minimal, sometimes the pages artistic, sometimes another opportunity to express the contents of your heart.
PHOTOS THAT RECORD Did you notice that I didn't call these event photos? Thinking of things as events confuses me as sometimes they are more like moments. I would hate to not scrapbook something as I felt like it had the wrong title! Honestly, for me these are sometimes the tricky ones. If I can tell tell the story with one to two photos, I can handle it, but for those where there are lots and lots of photos, I begin to overwhelm. My introverted nature can't handle so many party guests at once. Too many photos means a mulitphoto layout and multiphoto layouts are panic inducing to me. Hives come to party. My stomach churns. Spots appear. Shortness of breath. Increased blood pressure. Honestly, I would rather break these into nine single photo layouts than do one with nine photos. But that is just silly.
Sometimes when I get stuck, I just leave the photos in well titled and organized folders on my computer awaiting another day where inspiration strikes! How's that for honesty? Seriously, I used to rely on assignments for incentive to complete these layouts. Now, I must provide my own incentive. Like no chocolate until the layout is done. Or no Dr Pepper AND no chocolate. Once I told myself that I wasn't allowed to scrapbook any layouts until I had completed a set of photos. You know what happened? No scrapping for months. Was my worst dry spell ever. Let's not do that! Many of you are experts at these layouts, but if you feel my pain, then just be sure to have a journaling system in place. We'll talk more about this on Friday.
I have decided that an additional reason these layouts are tricky for me is that the words are so secondary. I like having something to say (I know that will surprise you! hahaha!). Just the facts ma'am PLUS having to place multiple photos, and well, let's just say that if this was the only form of scrapbooking, I might have had to take up knitting. Not that there is anything wrong with knitting... : )
I do have one last suggestion for these photos. Mini albums. Love 'em. Spent my evening making a new one for you. (and me, of course!) On March 11, 2008, Lavender donned some fairy wings and wandered with them all day long. I took pictures, for certain, but she was wearing her navy blue Roots sweatshirt. Nothing too fancy. So the next day, I was prepared and had picked out some clothes that would coordinate with her wings (just in case). And when she asked to put them back on, I happily sprinted to get my camera! And proceeded to take 30+ pictures of her wandering around her room as a sweet pink fairy. And they so NEED to be in her album. But how? Honestly, they look just as good in her photo album and don't HAVE to be scrapbooked. So enter, the minialbum. Let's us see them. Let's me pretty them. And she can hold it and love it and oogle at her cute self.
Thanks for joining me once again. As you have sorted your piles, perhaps look and see which draws you in most quickly. Then reach in that easy pile, pull out a photo (or ten), and put it on a layout and post it for me to see. You will be happy you did! And I will be more happy! Or at least as happy!
Oh, and that rockin' bio photo up there? Well, that was taken for the wall at church when we moved to Wisconsin. It is one of my few photos of my favorite hair, ever, and has been safely placed in both a minialbum, and on a page. As I look at the photo I see my sweet baby Nigel, before he was tormented by hormones. I see a batman clasped tightly in his hand, as it had been for two years. I see a happy, adventurous me. Thrilled to have climbed to new hair heights, or to new hair shorths, if I may! teehee! I see a moment captured (gratefully) by a near stranger. All because I prefer behind the lens. Silly me. Silly us. If you haven't taken your photo yet, today is another great day to do so! hint hint...
materials:
Longing | 8.5 x 8.5
patterned paper (My Minds Eye) + stickers (pink paislee) + jewels (Kaisercraft) + distressor (Close to My Heart) + pen (Copic)
caught red-handed | 8.5 x 8.5
foam hand & stickers (American Crafts) + pens (American Crafts & Tombow) + stamps (Little Yellow Bicycle) + ink (Colorbox)
bliss | 8.5 x 8.5
patterned paper (American Crafts) + stickers (Sassafrss Lass) + punch (Marvy Uchida) + photo turn (Close to My Heart) + pearls (Kasiercraft) + pens (Copic & Tombow) + brads (Making Memories) + distressor (Close to My Heart) + buttons
I Love You, Mommy | 8.5 x 11
patterned paper & word strip (Scenic Route) + flowers (Imaginisce) + brad (Making Memories) + pearls (Kaisercraft) + border punch (Fiskars) + rubons (American Crafts) + pen (American Crafts)
My Poppy | 8.5 x 8.5
patterned paper (Basic Grey) + thickers & rubon (American Crafts) + pink ribbon (Making Memories) + pen (Americn Crafts) + ribbon, chipboard heart
ooh, apples | 8.5 x 8.5
patterned paper (American Crafts) + stickers (Jillibean Soup) + punch (Stampin' Up!) + pen (Copic)
Once Upon A Time | 4 x 6
pen (Copic) + font (2peas graham cracker) + all other materials from Imaginisce
