Ta Da!

Jill says:
I got it finished tonight. 2010 is all done and dusted. I love it. I am very happy with what can be achieved from using scraps and photos of every day items to provide an overview of a year in my life. I'm almost contemplating going back to taking photos of things (rather than taking photos of myself everyday) as now looking back, I love this type of recording of memories.

All Wrapped Up

Jill says:

Well, I finally have finished Lifescrap for December and of course for 2010. It is of mixed feelings. I'm a little bit sad it's all over as I really enjoyed it overall for 2010 but also glad to have it a complete package so I can look back over my year. All I need to do now is finish the exterior of the album and it's all done. Will post then.

Flood Victimes-Damaged Photo Recovery

Here are the exact instructions, step by step on how to recover photos damaged in flood waters "http://theodorerebuilds.com.au/2011/01/saving-flood-affected-photos/"

Flood Victims-Damaged Photos

"A post I think from CQ flood page, from a professional photographer.

If your photos and albums have gone under water dont throw them out. THEY CAN BE SAVED. Just soak them in fresh water, (like your bath). You may have to soak them for a couple of days specially if they have dried out. Never force them apart.

When they come apart GENTLY rinse them in fresh water. GENTLY wipe any mud off with a soft cloth.DONT RUB.

Photos are developed in water and chemicals, so fresh water WONT HURT THEM.
After they are clean lay them flat on a towel in the shade to dry."

I am waiting for this to be confirmed on a discussion board by a professional photographer as I know how important your memories are and will be.

My 2011

Jill says:
For me, 2011, is looking amazing already. I am 8 days into my new Lifescrap for 2011. A jumpstart this year. I am focusing on my personal journey this year. After a bumpy path last year, it raised some questions for me so this year I've set out to personally answer those questions. Each day I am planning on taking a photo of myself and posting it to my own personal blog (http://inspiremotivatecreateachieve.blogspot.com/). From there, I will select 9 photos at the end of each month to print along with the journalling from that day on the blog. I am also utilising a 'discovery' type diary to help me along in my journey. So you will still see 9 photos a month from me, it will just be 9 photos of me. It feels foreign to take a photo of myself, let alone doing it everyday but I'm very slowly getting used to it. And I like that I'm getting used to it-that's exactly what this year is about for me-getting used to and learning to love who I am. Bring it!

Margaret's Inspiration

Jill says:
I had a friend ask this morning if I had any tips about taking photos for the year and keeping/making a mini album. Thanks for the inspiration to create this post, Margaret.
The first thing I would say is "Keep it simple". If you have a busy life, you will definitely drop this project if it's too fussy when life moves up a notch. Simple photos, simple recording and simple album.
Here's what else I found that works:
1. Purchase an inexpensive 1 month to an opening diary in A4 size to record the days you took the photo and any journalling you might want to remember. Leave it open somewhere prominent so you will write in it. This saves time at the end of the month or whenever you get a chance to get ready to put it into paper form.
2. ATC pockets are great for this. They are inexpensive to buy, you can keep them in an inexpensive but attractive ring binder from an office shop (rather than an expensive scrapbooking album), there isn't much area to scrap so it doesn't allow you to "over" create (back to the keeping it simple idea), there is ample room on the reverse of the card for journalling (they are 3 1/2 inches by 2 1/2 inches) and due to the size of the pockets you can save money by mixing and matching papers and using scraps. My album last year consisted totally of scraps.
3. Keep your Lifescrap digital photos organised in a monthly folder so they are easier to print out and keep track of.
4. Take your camera with you at all times. If your phone has a camera, use that or make a point of taking your camera. Try to see things from a different perspective or give the camera to someone else to take the photos. Take photos of things you normally wouldn't take photos of: coffee shop signs, menus, the road, road signs, medicines, the washing from underneath or in the basket or machine, sports equipment, kids drawings, etc. To get some more ideas for photos look at our monthly posts of our finished product from 2010.
5. In saying that, it doesn't always have to be a photo. Use whatever you have: clothing labels, movie or show tickets, sticky notes your family has written, love notes, school notes, the list really is endless.
6. Dont' be afraid to mix it up. If it's not inspiring you, change it no matter where you are at in the year. Better to be mixing it up than to be uninspired and have it as a drag or another project that is unfinished.

This blog holds many more ideas and tips, starting from it's inception in January, 2010. Have a read over the posts from last year and if you get stuck, come back and look some more.

To finish off 2010

Jill says:
I was hoping to get my Lifescrap365 for 2010 squared away nice and early. Unfortunately that's not going to happen. My Husband got an ipod for Christmas and in his excitement he has used up all the memory on the hard drive of our desktop computer which is also, surprise surprise, where all our photos are stored and where I print photos from. It will be going in to get someone to have a look at it tomorrow when everything reopens after the Christmas New Year break.
I have already started my Lifescrap365 for 2011-There is a daily record of it here: http://inspiremotivatecreateachieve.blogspot.com/. I think Mel and I will be having a "meeting" this coming week with a blog from each of us to come after that. Oh, by the way, Happy New Year!