Three Things : Lines (and a Designer Digitals giveaway)

I love it when I can say I have FINISHED a layout and I never consider a layout finished if the journaling is not complete:)

I've been using the Making Memories journal books to get journaling onto my pages.

I like to add words and journaling to my photos before I print them. If I need to add some to the body of my layout I usually just eyeball it!

I make myself add jounaling before I put the page away as "done". This way it is there from the start...

Heidi Swapp or Jenni Bowlin journaling spots or one of the stamps with just lines on it. I also love to journal around my photo blocks a la Ali.

I would have to say my new favorite item to use is file folder labels. You can use one if you have a little journaling or stack them up is you have alot to say.
Thanks!
Jen G.

I'm always writing things, since I started journaling in high school. I love words. I love how they can add to a photo's story - which is probably why I love taking photos too. I try to at least document something about the photo - and if the layout allows, tell the deeper story about the event.

I have just started blogging, so I tend to refer to the blog for a particular day. Other times I journal and when I scrap the page, I look at the journal to jog my memory. Thanks for the great opportunity for the Designer Digitals Templates and Brushes! :)

A couple of things I have found that help me with getting the journaling on paper is to have alot of little notebooks where I jot memories or funny sayings in while they are still fresh on my mind and then just pull them out when I am scrapping. Another thing that has really lifted the pressure off of perfect journaling is list type journaling, the 5 W's or just lists of words, thoughts, favorites etc., they are all things I want to remember and don't have to be thoughtfully expounded on.
thanks for the chance!

Journaling is where I start. Sometimes none of it makes it onto the page, but having written about it helps me know what exactly I'm trying to capture or express on that page.
Blogging helps. So does having a Word document that is titled Future Layouts and I'll put notes there on ideas or what I want to write when the inspiration first hits (since by the time I get to scrap it is easily gone).
Excited to see your offerings at DD. 2 questions for you---how do you apply Stacy Julian's Library of Memories to your photo organization on your computer? Do you tag photos? I'm thinking tagging might save me from storing so many photos and fulfill the same purpose as the drawers. Do you know of any good examples of how someone has utilized PSE or other software tagging possibilities?
And, as you incorporate more digi tools, how are you keeping those organized on your computer? Right now I have them organized by artist or the kit name, which isn't really conducive when wanting to see all the brushes or pp I have. Would love to know how you access your digi supplies.
Thanks!

For journaling, I typically will use emails either ones that I send to people documenting our kid's adventures or even better, my mom watches my kids sometimes and she'll email me updates on what they do. It's great to just print it out and put on a scrapbook page!

I have a system that works for me now. When I'm inspired, I will fully complete my layouts with journaling and put them in my file box as DONE!
Whenever I feel only, creative, I complete my layout without journaling but I leave room for journaling so it's quick and easy and leave it in my ALMOST DONE file box. Then, I find that there are times when I just feel sentimental and I feel like writing and go to my ALMOST DONE file box and just start writing away. I can complete up to 10 layouts in a sitting when I'm feeling sentimental. Then they are DONE!
The best moment for me is when I can file the DONE pages into my library of memories.
This so works for me because I find that I have my moments and I'm working with what I feel like doing at the moment. Makes me happy.
Linda

In order to ensure that I add my thoughts to a layout, I often write my journaling on a post-it, and stick it to the back of my photo. I usually do this while I write date on the back of my photos, as I tend to select which pictures I want to work with.

I'm terrified of my handwriting- I always worry that I'll mess up on the paper, so I use journaling stamps that I stamp on cardstock and then adhere, or I will use something like your ideas from this post. I also always carry a little notebook with me to jot down ideas and I have a running file on my computers at home and work to keep things in my memory. Journaling is becoming more and more important to me and I won't start a page/mini book/project unless I'm confident in the story I want to tell.

I keep a notebook (actually several!) handy to jot down notes in for when I open up Photoshop to scrap. I also try to blog regularly about the everyday things that are happening in our life and then I refer back to my posts when I go to do my journaling!

Trying to journal as often as I can in a $1 notebook, along with other notes when inspiration hits... Love your blog!!

When I get my photos printed, I pull together what I want to use in a layout or mini-album. I do some "loose" journaling right then so I can remember what I was feeling or doing in the photo. I put all of that (plus any scrapbook supplies I know I want to use) in a page planner from Cropper Hopper. Then, when I'm ready to actually make the layout I've got everything. Journaling isn't so tough then, maybe just a little editing required.

I jot down my ideas on a index card. I write down details I want to remember, lists, and which photos to use. I pull out the index cards to get my layout ideas and my journaling ideas. Ever since I started this, I'm never at a loss of what to scrapbook next!
Jennifer

I love all the little journaling 'spots' on the market these days-(maya road office sheers are my current fave, and multitudes of stamping co's are making the perfect little stamps now- just stamp and away you go- a couple of the Kelli Panacci ones are my favorite right now) These products make it way too easy to at the very minimum get the 5 W's down. Even after my layout is completed, I've gone back and added an additional journaling spot if I have thought of more I wanted to say.
I still love hidden journaling (library pockets, glassine or string envelopes, etc.)
Journaling is so important- sometimes the photos speak for themselves- but the favorite layouts in my albums are the ones that have journaling on them.
Have a lovely day Ali

I like to journal on the computer, especially if it is a big block of journaling. Since we are a family of 5, and our computer us used for homeschooling as well, is seems like one of us is on the computer all the time. So if I don't want handwritten journaling, I will write out the jounaling on a scrap of paper and keep it with the page until I can get it on the computer.
For small blocks, I like to use journal boxes and strips of paper. Those are easy to write one and just pop them on the page.
I also have several stamps that will make journal boxes for me (autumn leaves, inque boutique) that help.