Scrapbook Saturday: Telling My Story

I have a passion for understanding the stories of people's lives, especially the stories of my ancestors. My great-great grandparents immigrated to New York from Ireland during, at least I think, the 1840s. As I have followed their movements through census records and directories, I have asked myself lots of questions about them. What took them to Cayuga county in New York? Why were they living with David and Sophronia Taylor? When did they move to Pennsylvania? When did their daughter die? Why did they move to Pennsylvania? Were they a happy family? What were the kids like--were they happy together?

I doubt I will ever find the answers to the majority of those questions. As far as I know, neither of them left behind a diary describing their lives. So I have to make guesses.

Sometimes the stories disappear shockingly fast--within a generation. My mother moved a lot during her childhood. I know and understand why those moves were made, but will my children or grandchildren?

Those questions haunt me and press me to record my own life and the facts and stories about my own little family. We live a rich and complicated life that deserves to be recorded and shared. I want my children to understand what drove me to leave my small hometown in Wyoming. I want my grandchildren to understand their parents adventures as kids. I want my children to understand that despite the challenges of being a mother, it was work that I found (mostly) joyful and meaningful.

Do you know that if you don't share the stories you know about your family or stories about your past, they will die with you? The only way those stories will have any lasting power if they are written down, in hard copy form--on a piece of paper, in a journal, in a letter written on paper, or in a scrapbook.

Do you know that all those pictures you take will die with you if you don't print them? They will just go away if you don't print and curate them.

What's holding you back from sharing your story? Start telling it. You have meaning and your stories are important.


© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Scrapbook Saturday: Just a Peek

This is a page for my "The First Four Years" album. This picture sparked a memory of how Walter and I used to play with this puzzle set all the time. I taught him his letters and numbers with the set. Sadly, I haven't spent equivalent time with the rest of my children playing games and working on literacy. Some were really resistant and then I got tired and lowered my standards.

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Scrapbook Saturday: Pic Tap Go

Since I don't take pictures with a point and shoot camera or DSLR, I use my camera phone exclusively; I am always on the hunt for a good photo editing app. The Iphone picture app has a basic decent photo editing feature. Snapseed is a free photo editing app that offers more options with color saturation, brightness, shadows, highlights, etc.

I have heard about the Pic Tap Go app from a lot of scrapbookers, but because it cost $1.99, I was reluctant to get it. The most recent update to the Becky Higgins Project Life app allows you to edit photos in your layouts with the Pic Tap Go app, so I decided to get it. I am really glad I did, because I am BLOWN away by how easy it is to use.

Here are a few examples:

This is an ok photo as it is, but we have shadows on our faces and the color of the temple isn't very true.

In contrast, here is the edited photo. I brightened up the photo quite a bit and played with a few different filters.

Here is another photo I took of my six children. They were all in the shadow and the lighting was hard to get right.

And here is the edited photo. I lightened it and added a cool grungy filter to it.

I don't think editing and filters will turn a bad picture into a good picture, but I do think that editing can enhance a photo. I have a long way to go in improving my photography so I am grateful for this app that gives me some help with lighting.

Here are a few YouTube tutorials you can check out about this app.

Happy Editing!


© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Scrapbook Saturday: The First Four Years

In the book, The First Four Years, novelist Laura Ingalls Wilder recounts the first four years of her marriage to Almonzo Wilder, a farmer and homesteader. Together, they try to make a go of it homesteading in South Dakota. Those years are harrowing as they face debt, a fire that destroys their home, serious illness that permanently disables Almonzo, the birth of two children, and the death of one as an infant, Throughout the book, it obvious how much the couple love another and how they face their challenges with courage and hope.

The first four years of marriage are often a proving ground for any couple and frequently determine the future for a marriage. My husband and I are halfway upon our 19th wedding anniversary. Our eldest child is two years from graduating high school and our youngest is leaving her babyhood behind. As I face all these transitions, I find myself pondering what the past 19 years have meant and what things our future holds. For some reason, I haven't felt a desire to scrapbook the present photos I have taken. Instead my heart keeps going back to those early years. Today, I pulled out photos from every little cranny and compiled photos from the first four years of my marriage--from 1998-2002.  I want to tell our stories from that period in terms of the ways that we changed and grew, since that period was like an introduction to the rest of our lives. I also want to use Stacy Julian's categories to tell stories so it isn't entirely chronological. I want to find meaningful connections that go behind describing events.

As I pondered how much I learned during that period and the changes my husband and I made, I couldn't help by think of Wilder's book about the first years of her marriage. It really was an introductory period where we lived in Utah and started our family. I feel all kinds of excitement to go over these pictures and record stories and thoughts about those years. I decided to first concentrate on our engagement and wedding and tell our love story.

Here are some stories I want to tell:

• Our dating story
• The location of our wedding and we chose it
• Brent's proposal
• Our lives before we got married
• Our honeymoon
• The wedding day
• My dress 
• Friends who attended
• Why we chose our wedding date
• Joining our two families together
• Things that attracted me to Brent
• How we fell in love

I'm so excited to work on this album!

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Scrapbooking Saturday: Youtubers I Follow

Youtube is filled with awesome scrapbooking videos. Here are a few scrapbooking Youtubers I enjoy watching:

Inkie Quill is a fun scrapbooker from Australia. She has lots of energy and is really fun to watch and listen to.

I like watching Mercy Tiara's process videos. Her videos really help me think about design and how to put together a beautiful page.

Another favorite is Crafty Jen Schow. She has some incredible youtube series that are almost like taking classes.

Do you follow any scrappy youtubers? If so, who do you like?

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Scrapbook Saturday: Goals and Projects

Nothing profound here today; just a big ol' list of projects and tasks I need to work on.

1) I want to create a mini-album explaining the moves I have made. At first I was going to try and put it in one 12x12 layout, but as I considered how much I needed to share, I realized a mini-album makes more sense. I am in love with the colors and patterns of Shimelle's Starshine collection. I like the happy vibe and how the globe motif is incorporated into the collection.
       a) collect the pictures
       b) decide on the format
       c) purchase the product
       d) outline the stories I want to tell
       e) make the album

2) Finish scrapbooking 2015.
       a) review photos
       b) find the gaps in the stories
       c) print the pages I already made
       d) make a spreadsheet
       e) sort, edit, and print photos

3) Organize, edit, and sort photos on my phone. Upload to computer. I realized that the format I have right now, isn't working for me. I also just discovered that the way I used to upload phone photos to my computer doesn't work anymore with the Windows 10. I still need to figure that out.

4) Start scrapbooking 2016.
        a) review photos
        b) find the gaps in the stories
        c) print the pages
        d) make a spreadsheet
        e) sort, edit, and print photos

5) Create 2007 Israel album.My biggest problem is that I can't figure out the format. I have been wavering between 8x8 Project Life pages made with the app or using the printed photos I already have. If I use the photos I have, I am pretty sure I will just do Project Life pages, but I don't have a core kit that really feels right to me. I could also just do a few Shutterfly albums. I think my indecision about the format, more than anything, is why I haven't been able to finish this album. It is really bugging me.

6) Sort and organize family photos--especially the old ones.


© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
     
     

Scrapbook Saturday: An Evolution in Style

Recently on a Scrapbook Facebook group I am a part of called The Scrap Gals, a newer scrapbooker asked a question about redoing old pages. She had started scrapbooking a year ago and disliked many of the first pages she made especially now that her style is completely different. She wondered what she should do about those pages and if she should redo them to fit her current style.

Before I respond to her question with thoughts of my own, I want to say, first and foremost, "You are the boss of your own scrapbooking. There are no rules. You can do what you want, how you want, and when you want when it comes to scrapbooking." My thoughts, comments, and opinions relate to me personally and if you disagree with me, that is ok. You can do whatever you want with your crafting.

Now that we got that out of the way....

I have been scrapbooking now for 17 years. I am not a designer and will never be a professional. I scrap for the pleasure of creating and the importance of recording my story and my family's history. I have made lots of really ugly pages over the years. I'm not a natural designer because I am not a visual person. I often break all the design rules because I don't even know what they are.

I don't have any intentions of redoing old pages because my style has changed so many times, and will likely change in the future. What has remained the same is that I always try to include photos and I always journal about the story.

When I look at my old pages, I don't cringe (much) because instead of focusing on the hokey sticker placement, the boring paper, and the cutout photo shapes (why did we do that?), I am so glad that my memories were recorded so soon and that I get to revisit the past in my albums. Back then, I created albums just as I saw they were being done. I was so proud of myself for recording my experiences and thoughts. So much has happened to me in the past 17 years and I'm grateful that I took the time to make these (not-so-great) pages so that I would remember my years as a first-time mother and the early days of my marriage.

Many of my pages that I created in those early years were just me trying to do my best with the materials and .supplies I had. At that time, I lived in Sweden and my husband and I were very poor with an extremely limited budget I was fortunate that I had a few supplies. I didn't agonize over getting the perfect patterned paper, I was just happy to have paper and adhesive.

I also didn't know about the online scrapbook communities. I never read any magazines. I just scrapped with my friends who were much in the same boat. We got together once a month and shared memories and laughter.

Over the years, my style has changed. I have improved and I have learned from magazines, books, blog articles, and instagram. What hasn't changed is that I still enjoy being creative and sharing my stories.

I prefer to look at the changes of styles within my scrapbook as an opportunity to see an evolution of style. Just as most of us have changed our hairstyles many times in the past 17 years, so have our scrapbook pages changed and evolved. We may cringe a little, but I also hope we laugh and remember how things were back then. What seems fresh and beautiful to me now, may very well look dated and ugly to me in the future.

If scrapbooking were only about the creative aspect, then perhaps it would make sense to redo older pages, but I already accomplished my goal with my older scrapbooks. I was creative and I told stories, lots of stories that wouldn't be remembered without my work. When I go through my old albums, I feel that same rush of pride of accomplishment, as well as happiness in reviewing old memories.

Have you ever redone old layouts because you disliked the old style so much? Did you feel happy about your decision? Does it bother you to have different styles of scrapbooking over the years? Do you have a different perspective than what I shared here?

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Scrapbook Saturday: I'm Stuck

I have over 1000 pictures on my phone from my trip to Wyoming. I'm tired and overwhelmed. I also brought back a box of old family pictures to scan, sort, and put into albums.

Usually, I am organized and clear about what I want to do, but right now, I feel tired, disorganized, and stuck.

What do you do when you are overwhelmed with photos and stuff?

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Saturday Scrapbook: Scrapping on the Go with the Project Life App

Our vacation has been non-stop with activities and meeting family and friends. I haven't had a spare moment to even breathe.

On the drive home, I worked on scrapbook pages using the Project Life App. Super easy and very fun.

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Scrapbook Saturday: Fighting Perfectionism

This is the seventh piece in a series about overcoming creativity killers. You can read about creative roadblocks, stories to tell, using a kit, creative energy, organizing supplies, and planning all on my blog.

Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Big Magic, a book about creativity, writes that "done is better than perfect." She recounts a story about her novel, The Signature of All Things. When she finished the book, she realized that it was a pretty good book (in her opinion--I haven't read it so I can't confirm or deny that) but there was a flaw with one of her minor characters. In order to fix the flaw, she would have to do some serious re-writing and add a substantial number of pages to the already large novel. She considered and considered it and then opted to leave it at as it was.

This story has stayed with me for a long time and her statement that, "DONE IS BETTER THAN PERFECT" has become my mantra in relating to creative work-especially my scrapbooking. I have been paralyzed by perfectionism when trying to scrapbook. Sometimes there are photos you want to get just right and you never end up scrapping them because you are so afraid you will do it wrong.

Do you ever feel like that? I'm sure we all do. I had a serious epiphany in my life that I have been working really hard to apply to all aspects of my life. I want to live life as fully as possible and I don't want to allow perfectionism to rob me of the joy I can glean from a variety of experiences, scrapbooking included. 

In my experience, perfectionism frequently robs me of joy with my projects, family, home, and experiences. I lose joy when I insist on my home being absolutely perfectly clean and organized because I have six children. (That isn't to suggest that we don't keep it mostly clean and mostly organized. ) When I focus on perfectionism in my writing, I stress over every word, instead of allowing the words to flow over me. When I focus on trying to get my layouts perfect, the pleasure of creation dwindles for me.

Ok, I'm sure you are about to contradict me. Perhaps, for you, perfectionism does add to your joy. If that's the case, just ignore me. But if perfectionism is keeping you from starting or completing projects, enjoying your life as it is, or from being creative in any way, its time to lose it--perfectionism, that is. Drop it like a hot potato and throw it in the trash. You don't need that negativity in your life.

So dump the perfectionism and take risks in your work. Do your best. Enjoy the process. Revel in the completion. Enjoy your flaws and imperfections because they make your work human, interesting, and unique.

What do you think about perfectionism? Has it robbed you of joy while creating? Does it stop you from creating or doing meaningful things? Have you been able to overcome perfectionism? 

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Scrapbook Saturday: Plan on It: Finishing Your Project Albums

This post is part six of my series about overcoming creativity killers. You can read about creative roadblocks, stories to tell, using a kit, creative energy, and organizing supplies all on my blog.

One thing I have found that kills creativity, especially when working on a theme or vacation album is not knowing where to start. In this case, I think that a little pre-planning goes a long way. 

The steps I find helpful to finishing a project in a timely matter are as follows: 

1.  Set the intention or goal. 
2. Break down the steps into manageable pieces. 
3. Set time aside regularly to work on the project. 

It seems pretty simple, but I know it can sometimes feel overwhelming. To illustrate, here is how I finished a two-volume vacation album about a family trip in a few months.

In 2012, our family spent a week in Egypt exploring the ancient sites. 

It was a landmark trip that I had always dreamed of taking. I took so many pictures and collected memorabilia along the way. Right after the trip, I did the following:

• Edited, sorted, and organized the digital photos

• Wrote lists of the things we saw and did

• Made a list of funny stories I wanted to tell

• Wrote a few blog entries about the trip

• Sorted the photos I wanted to print in a separate folder

• Uploaded them to my favorite printing site

• Printed the pictures.

• Sorted the pictures and memorabilia into categories and stories.

• Put the pictures and memorabilia into page protectors in the order I wanted them to appear in the album.

• Found a kit collection of papers and embellishments to use for the album. I went with a Jillibeen soup collection because the papers reminded me of patterns and colors I saw in Egypt.

Then I let the project marinate for awhile. To be honest, I did nothing for three years. A year after the trip, we were super busy enjoying and exploring Saudi Arabia. Then we moved back to New York, bought a home, and had our sixth baby. Life was too busy for me to take on a project that size at the time. But I wasn't worried, because I had done some prep work already.This year, it was time to get serious about finishing the album. 

With everything in place, I began my project. Each day, I would pull out my binder of pictures and make one page. I didn't focus on the big picture or worry about how many pages I had to make because I had already done the work. 

Halfway through my project, I got really bored. I had finished the portion of our trip that was in Cairo and was about to work on pictures about Luxor. I was tired of the papers I was using and burnt out on making layouts. As luck would have it, I stopped at A.C. Moore and discovered there were some discounted Project Life albums and core kits. I bought two albums and a core kit that coordinated, more or less, with the papers I had used on the first half. I decided that I would split the album into two parts, so that it wouldn't jar the viewer with a different style of scrapbooking. I opted to do pocket pages for the rest of the trip. 

I also discovered a hidden stash of memorabilia that included postcards I purchased at the Valley of Kings. Cameras are not allowed in the tombs or even in the valley, so I bought postcards and a book to try and remember the amazing colors and scenes we saw in the tombs. I trimmed the postcards just a smidge and then loaded them up in the pocket pages. The second album was astoundingly easy and fast to complete.  

Because I used two different types of papers to complete the album, I did a few things to maintain a cohesive feel.

• I broke down the project into two albums covering two different places we saw. The first album covered our visit in Cairo. The second album covered our visit to Luxor. 
• I used a similar color scheme. Both collections included blues, oranges, reds, yellows, greens, and blacks. The Core kit contained cards that had similar patterns on a smaller scale. 
• I alternated using black or white for backgrounds in both volumes. 
• I used a variety of page sizes in both albums.
• The first page of the first volume coordinates with the final page in the second album. 
• The last page in volume 1 says, "Goodbye Cairo". The first page in the volume 2 says, "Hello Luxor".
• I included ephemera throughout both albums. 
• I used matching Project Life albums for both volumes. They are a matched set and signals to the reader they should be taken out together to look at.
• I used the same letter stickers in both albums. 

I am so proud of my albums because are completed. They are easy to access and my family can enjoy looking at them to remember our wonderful adventure. 

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Scrapbook Saturday: Organizing Scrap Supplies

This is the fifth piece in a series about overcoming creativity killers. You can read about creativity killers, story prompts, making kits, and creative energy by clicking on the links.

When your scrapping supplies are scattered and disorganized it can be totally overwhelming. Disorganization wastes precious time and drains creative energy leading to little productivity and a lot of frustration.

I'm not an expert at organization so I can't give you an hard and fast tips. I generally tailor my scrap organization to the space I have available. I think that organizing also depends on your personality and how you think and the process you go through to create.

Kits are an excellent way to store product as you group it together in a way that it gets used and seen.

I organize in a couple of different ways:

1) I organize by kit. Kits are stored together so I can flip through them when working on a project to find something that suits my story.

2) Sort by type. I store paper together. Cardstock goes in its own holder. Collection paper gets stored together so I can use it as it generally matches, taking out the guess work. I store scrap paper together in a box. Letter stickers, different types of embellishments, punches, washi tape, mist, etc. all get stored with like items. I know where everything is so I can quickly grab and craft.



I know there are a ton of blog posts and YouTube videos about this topic. What are your favorite posts or tips about organizing? Do you rely on help or you can you figure out a method on your own?

Scrapbook Saturday: Creative Energy

This post is part of my series about overcoming creativity killers. You can read part 1, part 2,  and part 3 before checking out this post. Or not. 

I apologize that this post doesn't have any pictures but this topic didn't exactly inspire pictures for me!

Twelve years ago, I was diagnosed with lupus. Ever since then I have been keenly aware of what parts of life, decision-making, child-raising, outdoor activities, etc. generate or drain energy. I also learned that to create, you must have energy. It is very hard to create out of a place of exhaustion. While creating requires energy, it also produces energy. Have you ever experienced a crafter's high? I have. It's that zing you feel when you have created a page that you love. It gives you a boost of energy and happiness.

Because I prioritize creating and consider it a form of self-care, I carefully assess my schedule and energy to determine the best time for creating. I can't craft in the evening anymore because I'm much too tired to make pages I'm happy with. Five of my six children are at school during the day. My baby/toddler takes a nap in the afternoon. In the mornings, we work on cleaning and any errands I have. Then I put her down to bed. Her naptime is my work time. I scrapbook, blog, or do other creative activities. Because that time is short, I have learned to work quickly and efficiently.

When she wakes up, I am done. I usually have a page completed and feel a welcome burst of energy to get through the rest of the day.

I usually don't scrap on Saturdays because that is our family day when we do projects like work on our garden, fix the deck, or household repairs. My husband likes me to be with him so we work together.

Things for you to consider:

1) Why should you make time to scrapbook? Why is it important to you? I think knowing the answer why will help you give yourself to put that time in your schedule.

2) When is your energy highest? What could you move around in your schedule to make time for creating when you are your peak?

3) What things are you wasting your time with that you could put to better use crafting? My time-suck is Facebook. I'm working hard to limit that so I make time for things that really matter to me.

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Scrapbook Saturday: Using a Kit as a Shortcut to Overcome Product Overload

This is the third piece in a series about overcoming creativity killers. You can read about creativity killers and story prompts by clicking on the links.

One challenge I face that inhibits my creativity is product overload. Like most scrapbookers, I have a respectable (read, overwhelming) scrap stash. There are many times when I waste time looking for paper, the perfect sticker sheet, or the right embellishment. This drains my creative energy as well when I have to make endless choices about what paper or embellishment to use.  My scrapping time is precious so I must maximize my time while reducing the decisions I have to make. 

When I lived in Sweden, I had only the most basic of supplies. I discovered that limiting my supplies sparked my creativity. Too many options overwhelm us and drain our decision making energy. (Don't believe me? Consider this. While living in Sweden, we had about five different cereals total to choose from. Grocery shopping was actually pretty simple and quick for me. When we returned to the United States, I literally could not shop at stores for a long time because I was so overwhelmed by the choices available, especially in the cereal aisle.) 

Even experts agree that too much stuff and too many choices is overwhelming and paralyzing. Barry Schwartz discusses this concept in his TED talk, "Are We Happier When We Have More Options?"  I highly encourage you to listen to his talk and consider how too many choices paralyzes you when you scrap. 

I think the simplest way to deal with this problem is to subscribe to a kit club such as The Hip Kit Club, Gossamer Blue, Felicity Jane, Studio Calico, Paper Issues, etc. or make your own kits from your stash. Then once you have a kit, just scrap from the kit. Let go of your desire for perfection. Stop sorting through all your supplies when getting ready to create. Just grab your kits and start.

I used to subscribe to a kit club. I loved getting happy mail every month. I used those kits well and ended up with wonderful layouts I loved. However, my budget has changed and I can no longer afford to buy kits. 

I also wanted to use my supplies more efficiently so I learned how to make kits my own kits from my stash. A kit can be really quite simple to put together. First, what goes in a kit? Cardstock, patterned paper, stickers, and stickers. If you stamp, you can also add stamping and multi-media supplies to your kit. 

First, look through your stash for an inspiration piece. I found my inspiration from the yellow and turquoise flowers and some Basic Grey stickers. I noticed that the basic grey stickers had a pops of navy in the color pattern. So I pulled embellishments and stickers with similar colors to the two inspiration pieces. I also grabbed some Project Life cards for journaling spots. I found a bag of leftover fibers and added those to the kit.   

I have had some of these stickers and border strips for a long time. I love them and now it is time to use them.

The navy blue reminded me of some new papers I purchased of Shimelle's Starshine line. I liked how Shimelle combines orange, pink, and navy. I looked for coordinating papers in assorted pattern sizes and colors. It's not too matchy-matchy but it does coordinate.

Then I packaged everything up in a plastic project envelope. It looks pretty-almost like a real kit from a kit club, right?

I think the best part about this is that everything is ready to go when I want to create. I can just grab it and start.

So to recap... To make your own kit you can do the following (add or delete steps to your taste)

1) Find an inspiration piece that determines color scheme or a theme.
2) Find coordinating patterned paper that works with your inspiration piece.
3) Find matching cardstock.
4) Look for letter stickers and other stickers that work.
5) Find embellishments that look good with your inspiration piece.
6) Add bits and pieces that match your style of scrapbooking.
7) Combine and store in an envelope.
8) Pull out your kit and start making stuff!
9) Feel accomplished because you are busting your stash.

Do you subscribe to a kit club? If so, do you use your kits? What prevents you from using your kits? Do you make your own kits? How does that work for you? How has your scrapbooking changed from using kits?


Edited to add: Today, I listen to the Scrap Gals Podcast with Nicole Mackin about making kits and scraplifting. She says many of the same things I talk about in this blog. It was interesting to me because I had never listened to her before or seen her videos and yet we are clearly on the same wavelength--she is just cooler than me! She has a YouTube channel and it seems that she really has a handle on kit-making. I highly recommend her!

Scrapbook Saturday: Stories to Tell

Per last week's post where I detail my creativity killers, it only seems fair to post the solutions I have found. I will tackle each of the six creativity blockers in individual posts.

One challenge I often have is trying to figure out a story to scrap. For me, scrapbooking is ALL about the memory keeping. I enjoy making a pretty page just for the sake of it, but for the hobby to be most meaningful, I think each page should have a story attached to it. Sometimes generating those stories is hard. I have a few solutions that always seem to work for me.

1) Start with the photos.  I think this is probably the easiest solution because you can get started right away. Find a stack of photos, flip through it and pull out photos that catch your eye or trigger a memory. An important caution: When sorting through your photos, don't stop and label every picture. Just pull a few pictures that spark something in your head. Start small or you will get overwhelmed. When you have pulled 10 or so photos, divide them into groups and then label them with a sticky note. Sometimes I use an index card and attach it with a paper clip to the picture. This method works best when you have big stack of printed photos waiting to be scrapped.

2) Look for gaps or holes in an album. I will pull out an incomplete album and flip through, looking for gaps in the album that need to be filled. I keep a list of things that should be added. Then I go to the computer and find the necessary photos and either print or send them out for printing. Keep your list with the album as a reference. I think this is a good method when working chronologically. It also would work well if you used a story-based album approach. If you use the Library of Memories System, perhaps you could look for gaps in stories that haven't been told. For instance, I noticed that my albums right now feature layout after layout of my youngest daughter, who is two. I haven't been taking pictures of my teenagers right now, but the changes they are experiencing are significant. 

This picture only happened because the boys were so focused on laughing and I was very sneaky.

I can't help it. She is so cute and is always willing to smile for me when I take her picture.

3) Make a list of categories and try and come up with story ideas. I wrote down a few categories and then wrote down ideas that came into my head. It doesn't have to be fancy. I just used lined paper and just started writing down. You could brainstorm or mind map for ideas.

4) Think of the past for the future. I am endlessly curious about the lives of my grandparents and their parents. My grandfather's grandfather was 30 years old when the Civil War broke out. He is only separated from me by about 150 years. So much has changed since then and there is so much I wish I knew. It is pretty simple to apply this approach to your own personal storytelling. Think of questions you wish you could ask of your grandparents and then answer them for yourself. You could do this from the perspective of trying to understand their lives or as a chance to share with your posterity about your life. 

My great-uncle was an army engineer in WWII. I asked him questions about his service and he shared some fascinating stories, including mundane details about KP duty for thousands of men on a ship. 

If trying to make a page about yourself, you could ask: "Have I witnessed any important historical events, and if so, how was I involved? How did I feel?" For many Americans, we can remember vividly the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 9, 2011. My parents remember the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated. While they weren't present at the event, they still remember what they thought and felt when the news was delivered. 

Some further questions you could ask that can be applied to the past and present are: 

What economic challenges have you faced?

What were your parents like?  

What kind of food do you make? 

What did your bathroom look like as a child? 

What was your education like?
What was your childhood like?
Did you have pets?
How has technology changed in your lifetime? 

Sadly, my grandparents aren't around to answer questions for me. But I can do my children and grandchildren a favor by answering questions for them in my scrapbooking. 

5) Use story prompts. There are great websites filled with story prompts to get your thoughts going. Here are a few of my story prompts based on categories.

Personal History

• How did you get your name?
• Where you born? 
• Did you stay in your hometown or did you move?
• Did/do you move around lot? Why?
• What is a big challenge you have overcome?
• What are 5 life lessons you have learned?
• What activities were you involved in high school?
• What are your dreams?
• Where do you work and why?
• Who are your friends and what do those friendships mean to you?
• What are your hobbies? 
• Who do you like spending time with?
• What are five unique things about you?
• What are your strengths?
• What are your weaknesses?
• What are your favorite books?
• What is your favorite song?
• What is your motto?



Someone on Facebook posted a professional picture of the High School Marching Band I was in. I saved it and told the story of being in band for 6 years. 

Family/Relationships

• How did you meet your spouse/friend/partner?
• What is your child like right at this moment? What are their likes and dislikes?
• What are your before and after school routines?
• What talents and interests are your children developing?
• What are you children's favorite games?
• What is your relationship with your siblings or parents?
• What are your family traditions?
• Which holiday do you like best?

• 

  One of my top 10 favorite layouts because of what I shared about being a mother during a specific time. 

Things

• What kitchen appliances do you use everyday? What can't you live without? (I can't live without my 12-inch cast iron skillet. I use it every single day.) 
• What are your favorite things right now? (This is also a great question to ask every family member. Give them a journaling card with the prompts and then use it for your layout.
• What are your favorite flowers? 
• What is your morning routine and what things do you use during that time to get ready?
• Share your cookbook collection! What is important about each cookbook?

(This page documents all my Swedish cookbooks. It is one of my favorite pages because it shows a really important part of my life and my cooking!)

Places

• Where do you feel happiest?
• What place sparks the most memories for you?
• What is your favorite vacation spot? 
• Do you have unfulfilled travel dreams? 
• What is your home like?
• How many homes have you lived in?
• Do you have a favorite park that you like to visit?

For me, the beach is the place where I am happiest during the summer. I love documenting every trip because of how peaceful I feel there.

What triggers stories for you? How do you find your stories? 

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