Throwback Thursday

I just started scrapbooking my photos from 1980 and 1990. Yep, you heard me.  I am that far behind.  I did not start scrapbooking until around 1998.  By then I had been married 11 years and had two boys.  So I started out “behind.”

So I am not even close to being “caught up” and you know what?  I don’t care!  Scrapbooking is one of my hobbies and I don’t want to ever be ALL caught up.  I like knowing I have hundreds (and hundreds and hundreds) of photos just waiting for me to scrapbook them. 
 

I like the concept of Project Life, but I am not a Project Life scrapbooker.  I still like the creativity of creating 12x12 full page layouts. I found the best fit for me is to combine the two styles of scrapbooking together. I use the We R Albums Made Easy 12x12 D-Ring albums and the pocket pages made for 4x6 and 3x4 photos and cards to get more photos in my albums along with my full page layouts. 

So, embrace your hobby and let yourself off the hook for being BEHIND!  It’s your life and your memories – scrap them at your own pace. 

~Karen

We R Memory Keepers - Mint

We R Memory Keepers - Coral

We R Memory Keepers - Greige

We R Memory Keepers - Pocket Page Protectors

InLinkz.com

New Beginnings

During my recent morning walks, I've been noticing all the amazing fresh greenery that's popping up around my neighborhood. It's got me thinking about new beginnings and how I might feel as a new scrapbooker entering our overwhelming world of product and style. Where would I even start? Then I read a blog post by Ali Edwards (she is my memory keeping hero) about these exact thoughts. You can read her entire article here, but I'll give you her top five tips for beginning, with my two-cents worth added of course! Even us seasoned scrapbooking warriors need a reminder of our humble roots now and then.

Begin with the end in mind. Consider the purpose of your documentation and what you want to capture. Write it down. You could refer to this "mission statement" to bring back your focus anytime you start to feel it waver. Start simple. Don't get overwhelmed by product. Decide on an album size, choose some cardstock and a method to trim it, add your favorite pens and some adhesive and you've got all the makings of a scrapbook. Really, it's that simple. 

Make a list of the stories you want to get told. You'll notice during your scrapbooking journey that although you have an amazing life and there are myriad stories that must be shared, it can become a never-ending chore to tell each and every one. Pick a few important ones to begin and get them down.

Look online for inspiration. You already know that if you're reading this, right? There are oodles of fantastic artists and sites out there just waiting to inspire you.

Embrace imperfection. You might not get it right the first time or the tenth time, but it's worth it to keep trying. Just start and see where it leads. The more you practice, the more your scrapbooking will evolve.

To Ali's list I would add taking a hands-on class that would allow you to explore different products and design methods, as well as finding a "crop" or group function to attend that would give you ample time to work on a first project and more than ample inspiration from those working around you :)

~Kristi