Three Things : Lines (and a Designer Digitals giveaway)

Hi Ali!!
My favorite tip?
Well it's one I learned from you. It's that lovely white Sharpie for use on posters. I love it. It works on everything and everytime!! Thanks

I keep a very detailed calendar, so I just refer back to what I wrote about that day to get all the details for any particular layout.

I to use my daytimer to keep more detailed notes, quotes, funny things my kids say, or things we do to use later in my journaling.
I think the journaling is just as important as the pictures!

I have several different notebooks where I journal things I want to remember & stories that I want to tell. Then... when I sit down to scrap, I pick one story & photos to match & voila!

Since I blog everyday as my journal, I can simply cut and paste and do a little editing if need be. It's a great blessing to have it on hand and ready.

Hi Ali! My favorite journaling trick is to carry a notebook around for the sole purpose of recording stories, random little thoughts, and other inspiring or interesting words. When it comes time to work on a mini-book, or another project, I've got a supply of stories to jump-start the creative process :)

I usually jot things down on a calendar and then when I am ready to journal I get started from those prompts and WRITE IT DOWN. The act of writing gets me going and I can then get into the groove. Journaling is not easy for some of us and I have loved reading these posts. Thanks, this is a great resource.

A notebook I keep by my side. Always! Even when I am at work I write things down! Or in the train to/from work. It's only 15 minutes, but it 15 minutes well spend with words because of the time frame I am in (on the train). I love to read the words back and use the on a layout.

Just write it. Seriously. Pretend you work for Nike and Just Do It! If I don't journal right away, I forget to do it later, so I always journal the page when I make it.

Ali, my little trick that has helped me journal and I now have a love for journalling. Write from your heart ~ whatever your heart says to you when you look at that photo or that page, write it down. Those albums are your personality and when your heart speaks the pages become alive and filled with emotion.

I really have a hard time adding journaling to my pages, but when I do, I like to journal around the edge of the photos. I learned that from you. Thanks!
So excited that you're going to be working with Designer Digitals. I love their "stuff".

I know if I don't get the details down right away, I forget things. So, I keep the post its on the top of my desk with my pens/markers, journaling type stamps and lined paper. I try to do the journaling right away, sometimes it's first, but at the very least, I write everything down on the post it and then put that on the page. I usually go back and get the journaling on the page in a more pleasing way, but just in case I don't, at least I have the story behind the photos!

I love to have my daughter place a handmade drawing or doodle near photos as an embellishment and then journal around them very small near her lines. It looks like shading from far away and leaves great little ideas, memories or shared info. You have to look for the secret areas on layout pages and she just loves that part. Makes her read the journaling so much more and a great way to put "Sweet Notes" to my girl for later views in our albums. Thanks for the great website... love to learn with "A"!

I am crazy about journaling and I love ledger anything! What more is there to say?

I use Cats Eye Press stamps to help me get down my thoughts. I love their stamps with lines. They provide enough space to jot down thoughts without requiring too much writing. As a mother to four, I appreciate any help I can get.

Love that mug!!
To make sure the words are always part of the story, I like to have a variety of writing and word-related items handy. Always have my favorite pens handy, and I really like the small typewriter letter stickers (from Making Memories, I think). Having some larger, interesting rubons or stickers for titles makes it easy to add key words or really focus on one word. I also have a small notebook of old-school lined paper for my go-to when I want to write more and not think about product at all. I love words, but anything that keeps it fun & interesting is even better. :)

My all time favorite is the 7 gypsies circle punch stamp. I have several variations, but always love the lined blank one the best! I wish I had more rhyme or reason, but it just makes me smile. I love it. I even brought it with me to Houston last week for my Evolution album!

It's hard for me NOT to journal on a layout before feeling that it is finished and putting it aside. I always leave a space for journaling on a LO or journal a tag and incorporate it into the LO.

Hi, I love the Heidi Swapp journalling spots, they go with any style and are so easy and you get loads in a pack! Perfect!
Love that CI Paper too,
Rachel

I ask my husband to write down his thoughts on the back of photos. When I go to scrap I always have a laugh or two at his notes (sometimes a cry) and find that his words and my memories make for easy and meaningful journalling.

I try to write from the heart. I also ask my daughters to write their feelings for layouts where they are featured.

Truly, the best strategy I (try to) put into use is to "just do it"--not to overthink it but to go with the thoughts, feelings, story that have been rattling in my head since I started thinking about the layout.
When I scrap socially, I have a hard time journaling because I usually don't have the "head time" I need...but I've found if I just get the essence down on paper I am usually pretty content with that...and if not, I can change it in my spare time! I also like to take snippets from e-mails I send or my personal blog entries...sometimes I am so thankful for those in-the-moment emotions I would have otherwise lost!
I do love a good story!

Ali, I'm just SO excited you'll be dabbling in digital elements...I'm an avid shopper of designer digitals and I think it's a fabulous partnership!
Usually I write first, and everything follows; but one time, I had a rash of pages where I didn't journal any of it. I think it was because I was scrapbooking with a group, and I can't write with the chatter that invariably happens when you get a bunch of scrapbookers together! :) So I just treated the late journaling as a project, and did all the journaling at once to catch up. I felt much better after I did that, too. :)

for me, the way to get words on paper is to start with the story and find the pictures (evidence)that made the memory real.

Hey Ali, your blog always makes my day. Winning your designs would be awesome!! I have recently started to journal everyday so i am hoping that this will make journaling in my scrapbooks easier.