Three Things : Lines (and a Designer Digitals giveaway)

I'm a fan of the words. So, I always start a page with both the photos and words in hand. That way I'll know how much room (or how many pages) I'll need.
For me, it's about getting them down in the first place. This starts long before the page is given life. I capture the words as they happen and through variety of ways: On sticky notes, in a spiral notebook, via my blog, and (now) via a digital recorder (in my purse for the car -- much safer than writing while driving, heh-heh). Then, I have plenty of words for my pages.
(Now, if I could just figure out a way to snap photos while driving that was a little bit safer...)
PS: Thanks for this opportunity to snag some Ali/DD goodies -- such a cool treat!

writing's the hard part and i do a combination of things. Since i mostly scrap vacations, i always have a journal and do things in the moment. For example, at a coffee shop, I'll get a napkin and ask my husband a question on the napkin (what's the best thing you did today) and he'll answer it on the napkin. I keep that and put it on the page. At hotels I always write reviews of the day on hotel stationary and then I'm done. I don't stress about misspelled words or incorrect grammar, but just go with the flow. I also have a journal and do a review after my trip in my journal, while i'm traveling back.
If I'm stuck, I will write a haiku or two or three. The structured(ness) and smallness of the haiku make it a fun challenge!

I always remind myself that whatever I DON'T write down, I will no doubt forget over time. That really inspires me to jot down all the info I have about an event, a moment, etc.
I am thrilled that you will be working withDesigner Digitals. It is (hands down) my favorite digi scrapping site.

I am so guilty of leaving the journalling and not getting back to it -- that whole perfectionist thing. I have been participating in a challenge this last week and that has got me FINISHING the layouts I'm creating for the challenge, which feels awesome. My tip would be to remember the reactions from people who take the time to READ your layouts, and how much pleasure they get from the words/fleshed-out story. Without words, in my mind, a layout is just a skeleton (or a fancy photo album page) -- it needs the story to make it live and breathe, whether the story is short or long.
Carmen.

Always journal when I do my layout...and look back at my blog to double check details or see if there's anything more to add!

i'm always reaching for various journaling stamps, but my most favorite is Scenic Route's ledger patterned papers, whether it be the ruled patterns or graph patterns... love them!!

I never leave the journaling for later-- it would never happen. At the very least I throw a Heidi Swapp journaling spot on there and right one sentence, or use word stickers. I love mini letter stickers for when I don't want to write by hand. I also think it's good to have a range of journaling blocks, cards, etc. that will match pretty much every layout. It should be a design element as much as anything else on the page.

I keep a blog -- if I am journaling about something older - I can go back and re-read posts to get reinspired to write -- sometimes I've copied and pasted the post and used that. Lots of times when I plan my page ahead of time, I'll put a couple words on a post-it that are jumping off places for my thinking when I actually do the page. Small paper and boxes helps to remind me I don't need to write volumes - just little bits is ok.

I've been stocking up on cute journaling tags and notecards. I love the ones on Etsy and from Making Memories. They make the perfect little place to put down brief comments and journaling. Heidi H.

Just do it and stop worrying about it. I tend to get so bogged down in trying to get the perfect wording or the perfect paper or perfect idea that I stop creating because it becomes overwhelming. I must stop fretting, and start doing!

I *almost* always start with the story. I have thoughts or a particular thing that I want to record and so I start with it. I also keep notebooks everywhere around the house, just waiting for a list or quote or little story to be written down. Even if they never make it to the page, they are recorded.

I ascribe to the "Do it Now" idea of journaling. If I don't, I find it doesn't get done. On occasion I have jotted down the journaling first as I look through photos so I will remember why I want ot scrap it. I also have a few computer files started with journaling. Lastly I find going back to some blog pages helps me remember some details for journaling (though I have been very slack in the blogging this year). I can often take the blog text and either use it verbatim or do a little editing and the journaling is done.
Sherry

Just do it and stop worrying about it. I tend to get so bogged down in trying to get the perfect wording or the perfect paper or perfect idea that I stop creating because it becomes overwhelming. I must stop fretting, and start doing!

since I have started scrapping digitally, i look at it as if i have to do the journaling because i cant go back (i know i can...it just makes me get it done!)
a couple of my favorite digital goodies for journaling are:
http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/shop/55383/?f=c_335&c=24
http://www.designerdigitals.com/ecom/product_info.php/products_id/2040
http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/shop/48611/?f=c_282&c=24&pg=1&pp=200
http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/shop/55381/?f=c_282&c=24&pg=1&pp=200

It depends on the pictures, I am one who likes to not follow the norm, so I will place it where ever it feels right.
Thanks for the chance,
Beth

I keep it pretty simple...I capture the essense of my thoughts on a posted note and stick it to the page protector. Then I can go back and type a bunch of notes to crop and add to the layout saving paper. I may have to steal some better ideas from those above me thought :)

Good morning everyone - wow what a great list of ideas for journalling.
I used to write everything to the computer - carefully crafted, edited and spell-checked. It took forever - and I'd often have 10 or more layouts "waiting..."
Now - me and my Glaze black pen write down our thoughts as we go - on the photo; around the photo; underneath the photo; on journalling cards; in stamped blocks; everywhere and anywhere. The story gets told - in clear, crisp black ink.
chhers!

I tend to journal wherever I can, even if it means adding it around elements or embellishments of the page. I feel this lends a certain quirkiness to the page that defines it as my own.

I keep little scraps of cardstock to journal on. I just reach into my scrap bucket and pull out a piece and write what I need to on it.

Biggest tip is one everyone else seems to be using - write it down asap SOOOO...
Second biggest? ALWAYS do the WHO, WHERE, WHEN, WHY/WHAT HAPPENED. You will forget and it's so frustrating!!! I always add how I felt or one other important detail to break the routine... but it is a good routine and it works!!!

I'm trying to keep a little notebook in my purse and several ones at home to write down ideas to scrap and journaling to remember. It has been hard for me to write. Recently I've made funny sentences with word stickers. Loved the process of this word puzzle. I'm a work in progress!

follow the line from my heart to yours....

Hi Ali!!!
I write down my thoughts on anything I can find, as soon as possible! After my dear puppy, Pookie, passed away...months later, I had a dream about her - it was very emotional for me - the first time I saw her since her death. I grabbed the first flat surface I could find and wrote down every detail until I was spent. It was a shoebox top that was next to my bed (from a pair of shoes I just bought). I've since transcribed it to cardstock and it will be the last entry in the memorial book I've started.
I now keep little journals just about everywhere! I go to the dollar spot at Michaels and pick up the little spirals - they are designed for little girls, but what the heck! I'm a princess too!
Take care of you!
Michelle

I scrapbook photos whose story I'm ready to tell -- and the journaling comes very easily. All photos have a story, sometimes we have to wait for the words to come -- don't stress over it. Put those photos aside. Journaling with bullet points and a few words to describe the story behind the photo also helps motivate me to get the journaling done.

I always have many pages,projects going on at once, Im a little hectic, I have a big bulletin board with all my current things Im working on. I use old fashioned post it notes,love the sticky, this way I can add, change or toss my journaling as it comes to me or whatever else I need to remember and keep organized.Post it notes everywhere.Thanks so much!