Three Things : Lines (and a Designer Digitals giveaway)

I find it easier to journal if I go back to the basics of Who, What, Where, When, Why, How. Sometimes I do it just like that, just jot down a few words. Other times, I'll write complete sentences.

I admit it I am hopeless at getting the words on the page - usually if it gets done it is because i have typed the journalling on strips and cut it up and paste on i find this the easiest way to get journalling on the page, however as I take photos in raw I am now making an effort to write the journalling in a little book as i process or print the photos. . .

I always have a notebook and couple pens in my bag and jot down the details, but journaling is easy for me so all my LO have it, hiden or in plain sight :)
I think once you get the habit going it's natural to just write little notes to yourself ;)

I was a newspaper journalist before children, so my problem is usually what NOT to put in - takes a lot of skill to make a story short, zippy and succinct enough not to daunt the viewer! I prefer writing journalling first (typing of course because it flows better for me)as there is no restriction on length. Looking back through my albums frequently reminds me it's the journalling that adds the most to a LO.
It's all still about writing stories, only these ones are my own.

I carry a little notebook with me and write down what inspires me. I also write myself an e-mail from work to my personal e-mail at home. If I don't write it down one way or another, I am bound to forget. Thanks!

I love tags for journaling. And lists. And using quotes that I have written down...the sweet and funny things that my 4 girls say.

journalling is part of my everyday..
i always have a notebook and pen in my bag!
thanks for everyday inspiration...
love and peace
xo
Susanna

Ways to get my journaling down include having a pen sitting right next to me when I scrap or if I feel a bit lost about what to write, I call in husband and son and ask them to tell me what is happening in the photos (since most of the time the photos are about them). It is pretty cool hearing there stories rather than my own.
I can't wait to see what you come up with for DD.

Last summer my husband and I took a great camping vacation to Grand Teton and Yellowstone. Prior to the trip, I printed cards (similar to some Fontwerks stamps from last year with space for date, place, people, then lines for writing). At the end of each day (or other times--like rainy afternoons), my husband and I each wrote a journaling card about what we had experienced that day.
We captured details we would have otherwise forgotten. And heck, my husband participated in a scrapbook project! (This is very unusual in our house.) As an added bonus, the dimensions of the card provided a great starting place for making sketches for pages and a uniform feel to the whole project.
Definitely one of my best journaling strategies to date!

I always journal in my own handwriting and I love that my daughter will see it someday!

Journaling is hard for me. The best way I've figured out to do it is pour myself a margarita and pull out the pages. I go in spurts where I feel creative with words.
Linda
29 Palms, CA

I have a book I write in. I freewrite in it... I just scribble what my experience of something is while it is really fresh in my mind. I summarize these writings & use it for my journaling.

1. Write on a separate piece of paper to decrease the worry of making a mistake.
2. Just write. It doesn't have to be perfect. I would love anything my great grandparents wrote-even a grocey list.
3. Speaking of lists. They are the best. They decrease the need for perfection. Just jot down favorite memories of the day. Funniest memories, worst memories, sweetest memories... of the experience.

I love to make travel albums from my trips, and when I do, I always keep my travel journal right beside me. It's amazing how many details and feelings I've forgotten by the time I get to scrapbooking the trip! I used to journal in my 'primary teacher' printing, and my husband always jokes that it's my computer font. Now I use my own 'real'writing because I feel that it's more personal than perfect primary printing. (Lots of P's!)

I really love using stamps or journaling spots (like the ones from every jot & tittle! :) to get my thoughts down.
If all else fails, some hand drawn lines will do the trick as well!

My favourite is patterned paper with lines or grides and than a punch. So I have quickly journaling spots. (Sorry for my bad english).

I have to admit that I usually leave the journaling to do at another time and that time does not seem to ever come. I am so insecure about my writing. I read all your post a few weeks ago and I actually just last night sat down and journaled about an event that I know I am going to do a layout of. This is the first time I did the journaling first and I think it is going to work great for me.
Thanks,
Nicolle

I keep notebooks all over my house, and I journal as I go, often I journal then take a photo to complement the text.
Some days I just pull the page out of the notebook and stick it down, or if the writing is really messy I type it using the computer. Or add it straight to the layout if I am doing digiscrapping which I seem to do more and more of these days I think I am addicted ;-)
Whichever way it happens my layouts are not complete until there is text on them.

i like to just overlay (ghost lettering) words right onto either my photo - or my background papers - but usually telling the story is important to me, so i have to find a place to type an entire paragraph!

Hi Ali! Love your art! One of my favorites is to write on the photo in photoshop before printing it.
Anni from Sweden

I download my photos into folders by event. I'll look at the photos and take notes of facts and emotions and save them as a word document in that event's folder. It makes journaling easier just in case it takes me a while to get to that event...it re-inspires me.

I like your journalling tip about framing the page or photo with words - it seems to be less intrusive than a big block of text sometimes. Other times I like to make the journalling as big as the photo to emphasize the story.

I have no problem getting my thoughts down on a LO...I don't consider it finished if it doesn't LOL. I usually start a page with plenty to say!
Now, can I use my own handwriting? That's a whole other problem LOL

I am a Luxe junkie and the Simply Luxe is just fantastic. I think I am a storyteller-I don't seem to do brief journaling well at all. So I do mine on my computer, print and put on my page. I believe it has something to do with my age!

Hi Ali,
I like to journal my thoughts or the cute stories on the day they happened (in a moleskin notebook). With a 22 month old and a newborn I don't have much time to scrap and so it's important to me to record the ideas and stories at the end of each day. Even if it's a couple of weeks later when I put the page together, the spirit and emotions of the story are still captured and I can refine the text.
A xx