Three Things : Lines (and a Designer Digitals giveaway)

Variety is what helps me, i get bored with just one thing. Someimes it's journling blocks or paper, sometimes handwriting and sometimes printing something on the computer. I believe journaling is the most important part of scrapbooking, it is our family history!

My best advice is to try not to be afraid. It doesn't matter if what you write doesn't come out "perfect" and the best way to become a better writer is to practice. Write without thinking too much. If you're afraid of writing and making mistakes - pretend that you are only taking notes and that you are going to write "properly" later on. But then include the first thing you wrote on your layout. Writing a little something - however it turns out - is better than not doing it...! :)

LOVE THE LINES! I have to journal RIGHT THEN--no waiting allowed (or I'll never do it). I've also found that I need to handwrite it--again the waiting issue. If I "plan" to type the journaling, I don't do it.

I try to pick pictures when scrapbooking that I have some words or stories I want to add too. If I see a good photo, but don't know the message I want to convey, then I usually sit it out on my desk until something comes to me.
Thanks Ali,
Katie

I keep a journal at hand and write down asap, the thoughts that are running through my brain. Also, I love using transparencies for journaling and the empty space of my pics.

Before starting work on my doctorate I kept journals and every morning over coffee I would get up and write. Now I BLOG, it helps me keep my sanity! I also keep a notebook by the computer to write down my thoughts.

I used to think I always HAD to use the computer to get my journaling done. Now I handwrite alot of things even though I'm not crazy about my handwriting. And I've been trying to always write the date somewhere on the page.

Once I know what story I want to tell, however vague, I jot it down on scrap paper... not worrying about the grammar or spelling, just feeling the story. Then I read it outloud to try and get the feeling of how it will sound to someone else. If it SOUNDS good then I'm happy!

My suggestion is to just do it...I look at the picture and think of the all the thoughts and emotions and go with it!! My thought is will my family look at it in 5 yrs and say oh mom...you can't even spell. NO!!! If someday I am not here and all he has to remember me by is this book and thought...the last thing he hopefully will think about is my poor grammer!!! If all else fails I will have given someone a good laugh for the day.
Have a blessed day,
Tracy

My suggestion is to just do it...I look at the picture and think of the all the thoughts and emotions and go with it!! My thought is will my family look at it in 5 yrs and say oh mom...you can't even spell. NO!!! If someday I am not here and all he has to remember me by is this book and thought...the last thing he hopefully will think about is my poor grammer!!! If all else fails I will have given someone a good laugh for the day.
Have a blessed day,
Tracy

Can I just say that first of all I am just blown away by 568 comments that you have so far. WOW!
I am a mom of 1 little sweet boy who is 3 and I'm realizing how more and more it is important to journal all the little things he says and does. Sometimes I'm not even sure what to write, thinking I've got make it sort of long...but I so see that journaling can also just be a few words that just come in mind when you look at your page, or if I can say photo. Photos speak volumes and I think it's good to remember that there are more words than you think that can make up a page. So my favorite tip would be just look at your photo and let your imagination flow with whatever word or words you have to say...don't be afraid what others might think of your words. What matters is that it just expresses your creativity!

My words will just spill out onto the paper. I worry about grammar and spelling and formatting once I get what I want down. It needs to be real and true and be like Im talking it. Then I go back and work out where it goes, correct the spelling and somewhat correct the grammar, but bearing in mind I want it to sound like me talking... and well I don't often talk using full stops and commas, LOL.

I journal as I complete the page. This is easiest for me. Lots of great tips though. And I always try to write the date somewhere on the page.

I seem to do best when I can just jot things down in my own handwriting - it's fast and I like that it gives things a hand-made vibe. I too love lined papers and stamps and your famous trick... writing around the perimeter of the photo or the page!
Thanks, Ali!
A.

I love all these things with lines - even as a kid I worked in an office supply store - there's just something about them? Love that mug too!

I bought a font of my handwriting, since I do much better typing out my thoughts and can revise easily. When I am happy with what I have written, I print it out and have my "handwriting" on my LO.

I journal down my thoughts in a Moleskin notebook. Especially on quotes and also the thoughts of the day. I wll also blog about my thoughts. So when I do a page, I will then transfer the words to my LO. :)

I'm afraid I'm a terrible 'journaler'. I usually end up sticking a few key words on a post it note and hope that I'll remember what the key words mean when I finally get back to that layout! Congrats on joining the DD team- I love that place!

I really love to include journaling in unexpected places like the petals of a flower or on the swirls stamped on the page. I think the journaling is the best part of the page.

Since I am notorious for saying "some day I'll journal this story" I've told myself that the best way to get it down is JUST TO DO IT. It doesn't have to be perfect or even tell the whole story. So I guess my tip is that you can't journal incorrectly. As long as there is SOMETHING, you're journaling.