| Everyone I know who is working on a scrapbook | | | | process - taking out and sifting through paper, stickers, |
| photo album has one thing in common. They are | | | | embellishments and tools every time I sat down to |
| behind on their scrapbooks! Pictures pile up in shoe | | | | work on an album. So I thought about how I could |
| boxes or on the computer until the task seems too | | | | spend less time taking out the necessities of |
| daunting to even begin. I take almost 2,000 pictures a | | | | scrapbooking. |
| year, and while they don't all make it into a scrapbook | | | | I call my method "speed scrapping" because it now |
| if I didn't keep up it would be impossible to catch up. | | | | takes me a fraction of the time to create a layout. |
| When I create my scrapbook layouts, I use many | | | | First, I went to the store and I bought a large divided |
| things: pictures, paper/stickers/embellishments and | | | | plastic folder that would hold 12x12 sheets of paper. |
| tools. At one point I had a whole room dedicated to | | | | The folder would hold the materials for each layout |
| scrapbooking. I had 3 tables set up so that I'd have | | | | (pictures, paper, stickers, embellishments), with a divider |
| room when friends came over. I had a closet full of | | | | separating each double-page. |
| scrapbooks and supplies. I thought if I could leave | | | | Then I organized my pictures. I put the pictures for one |
| everything out it wouldn't be so time consuming. I was | | | | double-page layout in the first section of the folder, the |
| wrong. | | | | ones for another in the second, etc. Along with the |
| Every time I wanted to create a layout, I had to go | | | | pictures I included any notes about page ideas on an |
| through my pictures to find the ones I wanted to use. | | | | index card. After all, I didn't want to hinder the creative |
| Then I had to go through folders of papers and boxes | | | | process! |
| of scraps to see what would go well with the pictures. | | | | I then went through my paper. I have full sheets in |
| Then I'd go through my binder of stickers and my | | | | folders and scraps in little boxes. I pulled out the paper I |
| drawers of embellishments (eyelets, buttons, etc.). | | | | wanted to use, put them with the pictures and then |
| Then I'd pull tools out of my bag. Finally I was ready to | | | | moved on to stickers and other embellishments to |
| work on my page! | | | | select the ones that I want to put with the layout. |
| On a good day, I could complete a single double-page | | | | When I finally have time to sit down with my |
| layout in about an hour. I started to think about that | | | | scrapbook photo album, I can grab the folder, pens and |
| after I had my second baby. How was I ever going to | | | | cutters. Everything I need is at my fingertips. I can |
| keep up with a scrapbook photo album for each of | | | | attend a crop without having to bring everything I own. I |
| them! I needed to simplify the process, without | | | | now keep my tools and pens in a large bag so I can |
| sacrificing my creativity. | | | | pull it out easily. The old scrapbooking room is now a |
| I thought about what I really liked about scrapbooking - | | | | playroom for my children. |
| having something special to hold my children's | | | | Breaking the process into these steps keeps things |
| memories, the craft of putting together a beautiful | | | | simple and makes it possible to work a little at a time - |
| layout. Then I thought about what I didn't like about the | | | | which is all I have time to do! |