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.

The month of May in progress

Melissa says:
When the beginning of the month rolls around, I love to create an overall look. Not only does it make it easy to just add photos and journalling, but a massive timesaver when you can just reach for the same thing for a block of time. Here's a sneak peek at the process. Maybe it will help when it comes to planning your next project.


Step 1.
I like to choose 7 complimentary patterns or cardstock. They are sometimes from a collection but mostly they are a general mix of things I already have at home. I have found that 1 full sheet of each pattern is more than enough. 2 pieces of cardstock to flesh out the title pages completes the set.








Step 2.
Next I start looking in my scraps folders to find any of the papers or cardstock that I have previously used. Stickers and rub on's with numbers are essential when labelling the date and I have a set of acetate months that I am using all year.For me, stitching is a pre requisite, so I find the matching shades of DMC cotton and any embellishments that will compliment the colour grouping.






Step 3.
I take the time to cut all of the pieces I will need to fill the page protectors ear marked for the month. A cardstock base for the title and final page of the month and all of patterns are cut into journalling size rectangles to fit the ATC refills. This is where all of your scraps can start to be very handy.





Step 4.
I place all of the pre cut pieces in all of the sleeves, so I can move colours around and get the placement just the way I want it before I start any of the entries. Usually I like to get this done within the first few days of the month so it allows me no time to fall behind on taking a photo most days.

Step 5.

To keep track of the photo's I take every month, I have a cheap diary to keep important details in. Each day that I take a photo, I circle the date, write what the photo was as well as a quick bit of journalling. It's also a great place to keep a note of anything else I need to keep track of.

When I have done all of those things, I keep all of the supplies together for the entire month so I can quickly just grab, create and move on to something else. Great for dashing into my workroom to do a few minutes between hanging out the washing and mopping the floors.

Blank spots

Melissa says:

It's true that life just takes over, things fall by the wayside and scrapbooking can sometimes take the backseat. Right now, there seems to be so many other things that need doing. I haven't sat and scrapped in my life scrap journal for a few weeks now. I'm supposed to be producing for classes right now but have only found the time to jot down the date and what my photo was for that day. I will get my journal up to date over the weekend. Even as type this, I am reminded of a conversation Jill and I had when this all began. We promised ourselves to enjoy the process, not to stress and if you don't get something done every day, there's always tomorrow. Something will twig and you'll be off and running again. Maybe all you need are a few ideas that can help fill in those blanks.



No 1. Print an email from a friend.

No 2. Use a favourite quote that lifted you spirits.

No 3. Stamp an image on a journalling card.

No 4. Use a link to remind you of something inspirational.

No 5. Take a photo of your phone.



Little kick starts like these take only 5 minutes. I might even use one myself today.