Three Things : Lines (and a Designer Digitals giveaway)

For short journaling I use lined paper and punch out circles or squares with my punches - for longer stories I often go for digital writing, making a hybrid layout or write on the photo before I print it out. Simple, fast and focusing on the words, the story!

I always think about who will look at the pictures down the road. Isn't that why we scrap? I want whoever that is to know what was going on when those pics were taken and who everyone is in them. Then my words flow freely. I love that part. Nothing frustrates me more than to look at old family photos that no one knows anything about.How sad. I don't want that to happen to my family 50 or more years down the road. I love clean empty lines just ready to be filled with words.

I keep a little 3x5 spiral notebook in my bag at all times. Then I can tear out the pages and tape them into a larger notebook I keep on my desk.

I usually journal as I make the LO. I Digi scrap, so I don't print the LO until it has the jounaling I want on it.

I usually do short and sweet journaling on the spot, it often includes little arrows pointing to what I am referring to. OR, just a numeric date. To me, better something short than nothing!

My idea is to keep a journaling basket handy with everything I need in it. Ok, not so inspired, but I wanted to enter your drawing (shameless of me). Thx for your blog.

I love my clear ruler and my vanishing ink pen from American Crafts! It's the best purchase I've ever made.
Also, if I'm doing a page that journaling doesn't work, but there is a great story to go with the page, I flip the page over and journal on the back. It will give someone a nice surprise one day...

I love to add journaling! I use a lot of 7gypsies journaling cards, I stamp journaling cards using different stamps and then write on it, or I type out something on the computer and print out on the paper of my choice. I love having a story on my layouts...and just a hint - learn to LOVE YOUR OWN HANDWRITING. :-)

My girls love to help scrapbook, especially when it's their pictures. So to get words as part of the layout I have them tell me what they remember or liked most about the event portrayed in the photos. It makes the scrapbook a part of them.

I have a hard time journaling but will try to say a lot in the title. I find myself using tag stickers for journaling because the space is usually limited and I do not have to say a lot. Finding the right words for journaling is hard for me but I have been working on it.

I use 3 x 5 index cards. I keep them in my purse etc and when I am in a meeting (or an orientation like last night for the Olympic Trials) I just start writing down ideas and sketching. Sometimes I take the bound index cards and make a journal out of it for a week or two. Its all ready to go, and very portable. And the cards are lined and inexpensive.

I use either HS journaling stamps, or post notes a lot or just a lined piece of paper, inked and cut to size for my journaling! Or sometimes I'll just write onto the page around the pic :)

I find it hard to journal but I am getting better. Because I don't have large blocks of time, I generally work on a layout over several days. As I am working, I think about what I want to say. Everytime I work on the layout, I refine the journaling in my head as I work until I'm finally ready to type or write in out when the rest of the layout is done.

I always start my journaling before I begin the page. Then I just keep adding to it as I work on my page... looking at the pictures always bring back more memories!

I'm a little self-conscious about my journaling but if I make a hidden pocket, I'm more likely to put down all my impressions about the day. Love your site and the 3 things posts especially. Scrapping sites are usually about the latest & greatest - I love recommendations on the things that you've used over & over. Thanks & keep up the great work!

depends on the project. sometimes i have a notebook that i jot down the photo #s and journaling or comments.
sometimes i just do the page then do the journaling afterwards.
i love the idea of the journal jotters, either the sticky note pad or the cards. as you think of the journaling, jot them down and then add to the finshed page. simple!!
thanks for the great giveaway {and as ALWAYS~your inspiration!!}

I usually type the journaling first, but if I'm feeling stuck or not inspired, I at least do some sort of list or just words to tell the story.

Since I don't scrap...I make little mini albums...sort of scrapping. I don't like my handwriting so I type it up and then play with font and size until it will fit into my space!! Sometimes it's tiny...I have a lot to say! but always readable.
Congrats on your new partnership!

i like to do my layouts first...and while i'm in the process i think of things that happened that day and write them down on paper...then i'll proofread what i wrote then type it up on vellum or cardstock...i have to admit, there are times i forget to journal (a no-no) but i'm getting better at it...i want my grandson to know exactly what he did when the picture was taken and then when he's older he can laugh about it...LOL

That Karen Russell paper is one of my favorite scrapbooking products...one of those I've bought again and again (and every time I buy it I buy more than the last time!).
As for the journaling tip...
My favorite thing to do is incorporate my journaling as a part of the design of the layout. Maybe it's a line of journaling that also serves as an important design line, for example. The layout wouldn't look complete without the journaling.
One thing that I do for just about every layout, though, is scratch out my journaling on a scrap from my recycle bin before I start my layout. This way I know exactly what it is I want my layout to say (not just the journaling, but the entire layout) and I'm able to tell a complete story with the visuals as well as the journaling.