As it turns out I ummmed and ahhhed one too many times to a friend, she kindly pointed out that if I have to think it about it that much then it is obviously NOT the way to go. Sheesh, why didn't I think of that? To add to this wise, if not blunt advice, the very first blog I read after a short hiatus addressed my exact dilemma.
I am not ready for the Project Life format, brilliant idea that it is; I need my conversational layouts. I need them to be random. I don't want each week ordered, some weeks I might scrap ten layouts and then it will be another two before I even think about a page. Last year I made 114 layouts, productivity is not the problem.
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| This layout does have a white border, in my holiday laziness I forgot to add a drop shadow ... |
What I am doing, is scrapping when the mood strikes and if the mood strikes. I have no commitments. The next big step is, no paper this year. Not for scrap pages anyway, digital photobooks all the way. Cards are excepted, again, if the mood strikes. Quick and simple and uncluttered ... and, a way to scrap 12x12 again and have the layouts printed easily.
Small projects, WITL, LSNED, DD/JYC and general pages will all be printed as photobooks. So far I am planning to print 12x12 pages through Viovio and 8x10 pages at Blurb, I have my 2011 DD/JYC, which is 12x12, currently in print at Viovio and will share when it arrives. I have set up folders with files for 12x12 and 8x10 psd and jpeg files, by month, ready for printing - easy, all ready to go. No searching external drives for lost files and no impatient deleting of psd's only to find a typo that really bugs me.
I feel like everything is as it should be - isn't it a funny thing to feel worried about your hobby?
2012 is well underway and I'm looking forward to another year of photos and stories and conversations, hopefully you'll join me along the way! At the very least I am counting on you to tell me that I am not completely nuts!
19 comments:
Okay, I'll go first ~ you are not completely nuts!
PS: word verification is "digger"!! Brilliant!
You've got to do what works for you and if this is it, you're not nuts :o)
I have to say Project Life seems to be clicking for me at the moment and I'm enjoying the process so maybe this year was my year to do it!
xx
As long as you feel it works for you it's good...you don't sound nuts to me either!
Alison xx
Love that story Amy! I agree, I don't think PL is for all kinds of scrapbook stories and if it doesn't work for you or is not the way you want to scrap then so be it :)I have to say - I am not keeping up with it at all - last week I hardly took any photos, so it might be Project Month for me instead of a weekly bit. I know for sure if I was not doing what I am, I would have my head in it literally!
PS - the papers are perfect with the photo
Love the layout and I have alwasy loved your conversational layouts so am happy I'll still get to see those. I think everyone needs to go with waht works best for them at that point in their life. Glad your friend was able to point you to that truth ;)
I think your pages are absolutely fabulous!! I have been struggling a bit with finding a way of scrapping that suits me...sometimes all that is out there can be so overwhelming. I say the story is the most important...keep up your lovely style. I LOVE IT!! Dawn (Montana)
Oh Dawn, I know EXACTLY what you mean! Taking a step back and re-realising that this is all about fun and down time and relaxation was a big thing for me ... it is easy to feel the need to keep up with the latest craze - whatever that may be!
My realisation was, however the story is told is a good thing!
Thanks ladies ... feeling less 'nutty' today! :-)
Amy,
First, what an awesome story in the layout today! It totally made me laugh!
Second, I think a lot of my organizing frenzy is to help me focus on what I want to do in my art/photo/scrapping hobby and to get rid of the things that don't suit me anymore. One decision I have almost completely made is that I'm not going to teach art stuff anymore. That really helps me narrow my supplies.
Rinda
I love your style and your stories Amy and see no need for you to change it up just because of the Project Life craze. I also know I couldn't do it and attempting it would just be setting myself up for failure!
brilliant layout and brilliant plan amy. you always have great ideas...enventually :-)I don't think PL is you, although parts of the concept you could use....
I too have ummed and ahhed. Having managed 365 into weekly layouts for about 20 weeks and feeling it was a hassle back in 2010, I decided Project life probably wasn't for me either. I have long been envious of Laura Buckingham's 'monthly summary' pages and I seem to be working well over that time scale. I bought some divided page protectors from WRMK (9 squares of 4" x 4" in them), pick a colour theme for the month and make a double page spread of photos and text - a month in summary. Not too much additional bunff to go into the album but enough to cover the details. I seem to be scrapping the little details more than I do on the big pages. I will continue big pages too but a monthly roundup with photos taken on the iPhone and handwritten text seems to be working up to now.
I think what you already do works well, I love seeing your layouts Amy and just love the idea of them being turned into photo books! :)
This is something every photographer/scrapbooker struggles with and you definately have to do what is right for you.
Project Life will never be for me - it's simply too full on. So I think what would be nuts would be to continue down a path which you weren't enjoying without realising it and trying to make the changes you need. Finding ways to make it fun sounds pretty sane to me :)
I love the work that you show on your blog Amy and it is so obviously what you are happy with and you do it so well. So with the phrase 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' I think you should stick with what feels right for you!
Of course you are not completely nuts! I think it's so important to remember that this is a hobby, something we do for fun to preserve our memories for future generations. I like that you've thought it through and set up a plan for yourself for the year!
Loved reading your post, Amy - and that is such a pretty page. Her eyes are just stunning! Not spotting any nuttiness - whatever clicks will be right for you. I am looking at my paper scrapbooking supplies which I did not use at all last year, apart from white card, and wondering what it would feel like to totally get rid of the lot....
Oh, dear Amy, if you only knew how much I LOVE your scrapping style (and I know others feel the same way) you would never ever EVER change a single thing about it! To me, you are a great example of what scrapbooking should be - the preservation of a photo and a story, one that you choose to be significant for that day, that child, that event. In my mind your style is pure perfection, and I'm surprised that you would even question it.
Perfect example? This layout. Great clean finishes, ADORABLE photo, fun story that your kids will love to read when they are older (and that I loved reading now). It's simply perfect. Keep doing exactly what you are doing {please!}.
I have decide PL is for my family stories/moments/events. Then each child has their own album for specific stories. I will continues the way I am going but will need to make a few 12 x 12 phtobooks for the last 18 months...so many unprinted and untold stories...will just compile them in a photo book I think. Have you got yours yet...are you happy??
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