To Scrapbook or Not?
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Years ago, I was a scrapbooking queen. I spent every spare dollar on supplies. I drove miles to visit scrapbooking shops and to attend scrapbooking conferences.
This was all pre-internet, too!
As our family grew, I determined that I would make sure that every milestone of my children’s lives would be carefully documented within the pages of color coordinated scrapbooks. I was a dreamer.
Yes, yes, I was.
Fast forward ten years or so. The boys, ages 13, 10, 8, and 6, each have at least one album. The girls? None. Other things have taken precedence over my scrapbooking hobby.
However, I don’t want my girls to follow the typical pattern of “the baby doesn’t have a baby book.” So, I’m turning to you for advice and input.
What would you do?
As it’s been four years since I last cropped a photo, I’m a little “behind the times” in terms of products that are available and techniques that are being used.
One of my goals this year is to do something with our photos. I figure this project is a good one to figure out.
I don’t have time for cute or elaborate layouts. I have four years of photos stored digitally. The choices, as I see them, are
- do nothing
- do my best to physically cut and paste simple designs and get my girls’ albums complete
- create my albums online via Kodak Gallery or Shutterfly
- or ?????
Any suggestions?
If you had four years and two albums to document, what is the quickest and simplest way that you would approach it?
The photobooks from shutterfly and snapfish are fine but, when the children get older they will want their scrapbook the same. It’s only fair you do them a nice one too! Keep it even, no regrets!!!! Go buy two scrapbook already ready for photos (keeping it simple) and retrieve two photos from Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, 4th July,summer vacation and some school pictures. That will cover a years worth. Do this on walgreens.com or wherever. When you get 4 years worth, paste them in the ready to go album and your done!!!!!!
I say make each girl one beautiful book of your favorite photos with Shutterfly or wherever you already have your photos stored, as this will save you tons of time! They will each have great pictures and a sweet momento, and I don’t think they will question the different format or lack of huge books. Most of our kids get technology more than we do!
I really think because the youngest(s) often feel left out later in life when they come to appreciate those albums, I would make sure each child had at least one “real” made by your hands. Then, I think the rest from a snapfish/kodak would be ok.
At this point, I too, would go for digital. One thing that led me to aim for switching over from traditional to digital was this blog post comparing the physical difference between 200 pages of digital vs traditional. http://scrapbooklady.typepad.com/katie_the_scrapbook_lady/2010/01/this-photo-might-just-convince-you-to-go-digi.html
There is a learning curve that has inhibited me from really getting going, but I’ve heard great things about Creative Memories software, and there are tons and tons of tips and tutorials available, both free and for purchase, for Photoshop Elements.
Also, about 3 years ago, I started using this system; http://www.aboutmemoriesandmore.com/were_so_much_more_than_a_/scrapbook-project/ (If you page down to September 11, 2008, there are pictures of what it looks like inside the album.) All the pictures are together in one place, but I can scrap the ones I want (or have time to) and leave extras in the sleeves. If you’re sticking with traditional, I highly recommend a system like this, and believe several companies have similar options.
Interesting discussion!
I like shutterfly to do little quick books. But I LOVE Studio J to make pages to go in albums with my traditional pages.
I started as a paper scrapbooker. Loved it, found it relaxing and enjoyable. But, it took a lot of time and I felt like I handled things too many times. Last year I went digital with MixBook and loved it. Simple, quick and efficient. I did a annual book and printed a copy for each child.
I see several people who have mentioned Becky Higgins’s Project Life. I agree with that! One way to use them is do a photo a day and journal about it. BUT, in your case, you can just start pulling out meaningful photos, slip the photo into the protector and journal on the tag and slip the tag in. No adhesive, no cutting – everything is done. But they girls will have a “scrapbook-y” book like the boys have. I love it!
I also saw a few different references to Stacy Julian – her books and her Library of Memories class. Both awesome recources too! I really love Stacy’s way of thinking about photos and memory keeping. You are not behind – you are going to choose to tell the meaningful stories!
I love to scrapbook, and have not jumped to digital. Here is what I’ve adapted and what I recommend to my friends who are overwhelmed that they are too far behind. Don’t scrapbook every photo you have! I only scrapbook the photos that have special meaning (child’s birth, but only at the hospital; first day of school; losing first tooth, etc.) AND that have a story you want to tell. A special memory that you want to remember and you want your child to remember. I then put the rest of my photos in a standard photo album. I also embellish the standard photo album with appropriate stickers, and even do short journaling with scrapbook paper inserted into the photo sleeves. It still has the feel of a scrapbook, but with much less work. The third thing I do is have separate “travel” albums, where our trips and vacations go – if I feel like scrapbooking them. And finally, when I just want to scrap and have a short amount of time, I LOVE to make mini albums (6×6 is my most favorite because it is so easy to make – just slice a 12×12 sheet in half twice, and there you go). The mini albums give me my scrapbook fix, while actually being able to complete something. I keep them in a basket and my kids love to look through them. The minis are whatever strikes me – one year’s summer vacation; my baby meeting his family for the first time; 5 things I loved about my son when he was 5; christmas through the years – you get the idea. So that’s my scrapbooking approach – good luck in your scrappin adventures!
I am so glad you asked this question. It is nice to have others’ opinions on this matter as it is something affecting me, too. Please let us know what you decide to do. Personally, I like playing with paper and photos too much to give it up. I’ll have time to get caught up when the kids are grown and gone. Until then, I play in my scrapbook room whenever I can, which is not very often.
I definitely gravitate to photo books (we use our mac to make ours!). We do one every time we travel (which is often!). However, I think for your girls I’d make it an “even playing field” with the brothers so they don’t complain in years to come. But for the future, photo books are the way to go!!