Album Progress + More Observations

I read "The Scrapbook," a novel by Peggy B. Baker, last weekend and it totally inspired me to get my values and messages down on paper for my kids. I really feel some urgency to pass on the story of my career choice, motherhood, etc. If (when) something should happen to me, I don't want all I left behind to be birthday party layouts.

"Are the pages themselves missing because there is always something else that needs to be done before you can get to your creative time?" Yes. Perhaps you have an advantage as this has become your job. i love both yoga and photo art. I teach and practice yoga. The art gets done when it is squeezed in. Frankly, I think my husband would rather i spend more time cleaning than creating. It is tough. Deciding where to make/spend time is crucial. I don't watch any tv and it is so hard to make time to do what i love to do. This year i did vow to spend less time wandering around craft stores and more time using my current supplies. That has worked so far. Thanks for your frank prompts.

You know, I really appreciate that you have kept your 2Peas gallery intact. You are my favorite scrapbooker (since I saw your HOF entry and had never heard of you before) and looking back through your gallery is so inspirational to me. It looks like we started posting around the same time, and our sons are the same age-actually within a few days of each other. Somehow that parallel has kept me drawn to your art, and I love seeing your progression as a scrapbooker. I'm glad you don't have too much intention to change past pages; I don't either except, as you've said, where you really feel something important is lacking. As always, thanks for the inspiration.

I don't have a "body of work" yet to look back on, and right now am in the mindset of just getting some stuff done; getting some thoughts and pictures down. I'm focused on a strategy of "begin with the end in mind", as Stephen Coveys says. What do I want my kids to see, read, feel when they look at these pages when they are 18 ... 25 ... and older? That's the question that I keep coming back to as I do pages, mini-books and projects. I think about it as I go along. It's my hope that my efforts in scrapbooking bring understanding to questions, comfort, and love when I am gone.
Thank you, Ali for bringing these thoughts from the back of my mind to the written word.

I love your work - I have also had thoughts about re-doing or adding to previous pages but then I think that that was who I was then - they way I designed, the elements that were available, the style...all that evolves and has evolved so when people look back - Simon when he is older - if you leave things as is, he will see how you evolved, grew as an artist. Thank you for always inspiring!

Hi,
This is a great post. Just got my newest Ck in the mail and have been devoring it. Have a question for you about your studio A article, I just love, love, the idea of those divided pocket page protectors. But, I can not seem to find them anywhere. I live in Utah,yeah,sigh,I am lucky, scrapbook capital of the world right? Alas, still no luck. I tried looking up the web-sites of the companies you had listed (ex Crop-in-Style, and C-Line products) with no luck. Where do you buy them? Help me please! Anyone? jscrapfreak@hotmail.com

Thanks for your insight--it's saved me a lot of time already, when starting to think about my own scrapbooks.

Hi Ali -
Great catching up at CHA! What albums are you using? Are they 3 ring? They look like the American Crafts or WeRmemory keepers. I soooooo need to do this!!!!

You make a good point. Well, several good points! But mainly, in my scrapbooks, what's missing is ME. For one, I usually take all the photos. And then, I generally hate pictures of me... :P And THEN, I tend to revolve my scrapbooking around my daughter... I do have one book that's all about Europe trips my hubby and I took, but that was B.C. -- Before Child!!! :)

"Are the pages themselves missing because there is always something else that needs to be done before you can get to your creative time?" To echo Beth, this comment really hit home! This is me exactly! Thanks for the push in the right (creative) direction, Ali. :)

Holy Cow, Ali! This is awesome and something I had totally planned on doing once we move back. Right now, most of my pages/albums/photos are packed and in safe hands...but I would love to go thru them all just as you have! Don't be surprised if you get an email from me come this fall b/c I will need help remembering everything you said here.
hugs! Sonda T

seriously*
you INSPIRE ME.
the way you write
the way you scrap
the way you are *real*
the posts about organizing your pages/albums have been amazing to read and see.
thanx so much for your amazing ways!
rock on.

I Needed this........

I have such a difficult time when I look back on old layouts. I feel like I want to rip the pictures off and do something new and fresh because I have learned so much more or want to add, like you said, that missing piece. It is hard for me to enjoy what they stand and try not to be so critical of my work.

Thank you Ali, reading these words and your words in Life Artist has given me permission to make a start. I haven't touched my scrapbooking stuff since about November. Being busy with Christmassy things and then having sick children in and out of school in January...and coming to the end of a six week work related course online.I really miss it. When I have not done any for a while I get scared to start. I feel really behind and out of practice and that I have a list of things "I should do". Just this morning my husband said "when does your course finish - you'll be more available then won't you!" I told him I can't wait to get back to making things again! I feel energised now to go through all my supplies, photos and albums and really look at where I am right now and where I want to go from here - it feels like a new start and I can go in whatever direction I want - doing the pages I want not what I feel I need to do to keep up - I've decided I'm not even going to do a Christmas 07 page as I have no good or different photos - but I do have some great "in the snow" photos from January instead why should it matter if there is or isn't a particular page in the album. Thanks for reminding me that this hobby is about my spirit and my art and what I want to record to share with my family and friends.

I'm in the process of moving layouts to new albums with a new theme org system (think BPS) for the albums. Just as I did when changing my photo org, I have taken "thought" notes. What I want to try, what I want to do again, etc. This process has ended up being more than a re-org/storage. Looking back at my layouts and photos has helped give me direction in where I want to go next with my creativity.

I am so jealous...I so need to get organized. I am taking Stacy Julians Class for the second time...maybe I can see it all the way through this time and get completely organized. You inspire me to take every layout I have out and regroup. Thanks again for the inspiration.
peace
Kim

well, a lot of them are missing. i love creating layouts (every part of it), but it really is the last priority on my list... eh, many lists. and that wouldn't change even if i decided to put it higher, because when everything else isn't finished/clean/organized/taken care of i simply can't relax enough to enjoy the really fun things. also, i never scrapbook while my kids are home unless they're sleeping. other than that i suppose that i'm missing from a photo point-of-view. i take all pictures and i simply cannot bring myself to take self-portraits. but does that really matter? i mean, all the words are mine. what i write on a layout are my words about what happened and it's my version of the events. when i write about my children, it's what i see in them. how i see them. my love for them. all that is me, right?

Part of me is afraid that if I do this reorganization thing, I'm gonna want to ditch all the old layouts because A) They are dated! and B) all on hinged pages, often with no background. They would be hard if not impossible to move.

Love what you have written! Just what I needed to hear. Thank You!