Initial Thoughts on Scrapbooking

This month, I'm focusing on scrapbooking, trying to figure out where it fits in my creative life. I really appreciate all the comments you left about how you are thinking about scrapbooking and memory keeping. I got out a note book and started to jot down some thoughts and to-do lists.

My thoughts drifted to three themes: the old Creative Memories Philosophy "Start Current, Stay Current"; the idea that "Done is better than perfect'"; and the need to get something completed while organizing and figuring out where I stand with my unscrapped photographs. So, I decided to start by scrapping the photographs I received in this year's Christmas cards. I kept the layouts simple. I took a couple 6x6 Christmas paper packs and used them on top of plain card stock to create my back ground pages. I used little cut aparts that were included in the paper packs as my embellishments. I have a sample above.

 I have been scrapping Christmas card photos every year since 2001, and I am up to four albums of photos. I love looking at them each Christmas. I had fallen behind in this project and scrapped about three years worth of photos at a crop earlier this year, so it was nice to get this year's photos done so quickly. 

I also did some clean-up and catch-up in my older Xmas card photo albums. Even though I scrapped three years worth of Xmas card photos earlier this year, I hadn't done the journaling on them. So, I needed to go back and do that. I also had to put some pages back in an earlier album and create the cover of my currrent album (above) because it was a naked cardboard album. I created a Christmassy background using patterned paper and cardstock and then added a variety of hand made Christmas cards and post cards that I have received. I do that sometimes - incorporate the artwork sent by my blog and scrapping friends into my Christmas layouts. I kindof wish I would have painted the album cover edges, but, hey, done is better than perfect!
The other thing I'm working on this weekend is making three very simple photo books at Shutterfly featuring Clara's track and cross country photos from the last three seasons. I'll probably print out some running photos and scrap them on paper, too, but I really want to get the bulk of her photographs printed in a format that she can keep.
I also ordered some photographs from Shutterfly off my iphone of recent events that I can work on scrapping once they arrive. It was a somewhat frustrating process and am looking for alternatives. I also worked (unsuccessfully) on figuring out how to order photos from a new photo lab because I really like higher quality prints of photographs from my big camera. I'd welcome ideas from people in the U.S. about which photo labs they use for higher quality prints and also where you print photos from your iphone.