The Basics: My "Working" Scrapbooks (#1 in Series)

My scrapbooks:  No they are not all one color and uniform, but I am highly considering that idea.  (I store my stickers in a binder...I find that the easiest way to deal with them.  I have general stickers like borders, accents, etc.  I also have letters and holidays in another binder.)  

How they're organized.  At this point, I am working on 5 albums.  Yes, 5 is correct.  I have one album for each boy.  Each boy's album includes some of the same layouts and pictures, and some that are individual to them and their life.  When I talk about layouts for each boy that are the same, I mean I make three copies of one layout, or variations of the same idea.  These albums are arranged in exact chronological order.  Whether the layouts are the "same" or individual to each boy.  I'm sure some of you may disagree with this idea.  And that is quite fine.  Yes, each of my children are special, but I'm sure when they get older they will be glad to have an album even if it has a few of the same pages.


Here is an example of what I'm talking about.  These layouts are a few years old, but it shows how I work my scrapbooks.

The next kind of album I am working on is our family album.  This album is NOT arranged in chronological order, and is more for my own creativity.  When I find a photo or photos that I love and inspire me, I scrapbook them and put them in there.  Later, the boys can fight over this one, I guess.  There are no rules for this scrapbook.  And, I think that is really helpful to break up the monotony of getting pages done.  This is my play album, that I get to put whatever I want in.  In fact, most of the pages I've been sharing lately go into this album.  Here is one of my favorite layouts that is in my family album:

My last and final album is our Project Life Album.  You guys know what that one looks like as I have recently shared my first spread for January.  This album, may eventually just become a continuation of our family album.  I haven't decided yet.  For now, it is separate.  I may turn into a Project Life album of however many years will fit into the book.

So, there you have it.  That is what I am working on and how my boy's/family albums are divided.  I will be back with how I plan the actual pages that go into the albums.  Let me know if you have any questions/comments, either in the comment section or via email.

How about a little series?

I thought it might be fun to do a small little series on how I organize and prepare my scrapbooks.  I think I've talked about it before, but that was ages ago...as in actual several years.  So, I thought I might update it a bit.  I'm going to do a few posts on several different ideas such as:
*organizing and printing photos
*sketches and scrapbook layouts
*organizing pages in my scrapbooks
* turning your sketches into layouts
*getting ideas for sketches
*and any other ideas that come up along the way.


Please keep in mind that while my craft room looks like an actual bomb went off in it, I am very anal about organization and the order of my scrapbooks.  And really my craft room doesn't look that bad as I can actually see the floor and my desk.  That is a small victory.


If you have any questions or suggestions for this, please let me know.  You can email me or leave a comment in the comment section.  Let's have some fun with this, and feel free to share with your friends.

Weekend Round Up

Maddie's new pet...A Venus Fly Trap.  He is obsessed with it.

 Blooms on our plum trees.

My herb garden

JoJo's wardrobe malfunctions.

The weather this weekend has been beautiful.  I have been waiting and wishing for warm weather and it finally came.  We spent most of our time outside getting the garden and yard ready.  We got a composter as well.  So we will be composting fools around here.  

I hope you all had a great weekend too.

New Simple Stories AVAILABLE!!!!

Beautiful new Simple Stories can now be ordered.  Go here to find the products.  Just click on the Simple Stories section.  

On another note, I'm getting everything ready for my February Project Life spread.  It may be a little late, because I have to order a few pics online and have them delivered in the mail.  But I will share as soon as possible.  Have a wonderful and blessed weekend!

JoJo You...

JoJo You Are:

•A "Mota" boy...that is short for Kabota.  You want your very own Mota for our house.  Every time we drive by the Kabota Dealership you actually get upset that you can't have one.

•You want to be a backhoe, or an excavator operator when you grow up.

•You also want to be a Police Officer when you grow up.  You asked me yesterday if you get turn into one and I told you when you grow up.  Then you asked if you could grow up now.  I told you No, and you got upset that you couldn't grow up right that instant.  But you want to be a police officer so you can have a taser, a gun, and handcuffs, and a police car.

•You love to eat blueberries and salad.  

•You are so helpful.  You always want to help me do stuff around the house.

•You are my forklift.  When I do laundry and need towels put away, I yell, "Forklift."  You come running down the hall making tractor noises with your arms extended and get the towels and take them to the closet.

March Memory Works Sneak Peek

Go here to order, or you can email me too.  I hope you all had a great three day weekend.  We did, except for we were lazy with a capital L.  I know I'm going to hate myself tomorrow for it, but oh well.  At least I made it to the store so we have food.

Ripped in 30

I've been doing this DVD for the past week, and I have to tell you that I am DYING!  My legs, and butt are so stiff and sore it is a miracle I'm not traveling in a wheelchair.  

But despite that, I really like this DVD.  It's a circut:  Strength, Abs, and Cardio.  Jillian is a little annoying in the video.  Sorry, Jillian, you are my favorite Biggest Loser Trainer, but I had to say it.  What I love about this DVD is that it is only about 25 minutes give or take, a workout.  25 minutes, that is so easy to fit into a schedule.  I do it when I get home from school.  Then I have the rest of the evening to do what I need...at half speed due to the soreness.  But, it does feel so good to be sore.  And I already feel so much better.  I really needed to start working out again, and I'm really, really glad that I have.  

My workout schedule goes like this:

Saturday:  Week One

Sunday, Monday: Week One

Tuesday:  Rest

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday:  Week One

Saturday:  Rest

Sunday:  Week 2

And so on and so forth for week 3 and 4. 

Just thought I'd share.  

Love You (12x12 Layout)

All Supplies are from Memory Works Express January 2012 Kit 

As promised, a Valentine's Day Themed Layout.  I don't know why, but this is one of my favorite pictures of Erik.  I just love it for some strange reason.  

Happy Valentine's Day!

Holiday Sale/And The Wall is Not Your Friend...Ouch!

 Save Save Save!

Out with the old...in with the new! 

 

It's time to say good-bye to some of our old favorites to make way for some all new product

 **Starting today Monday February 12, 2012 all Halloween, Fall and Christmas products will be discounted 25% off. As seasonal products sell out they will not be reordered so be sure to take advantage of these sale prices now!  

**We will also be slashing prices further is our clearance area so be sure to check out these great prices 

To order go to my website:  

http://livetoscrap.memory-works.com

And Check this poor little boy out:

This is what happens when you run into a wall at full speed.   The boys were running around chasing each other last night and all of the sudden we hear a big bang, and Wolfie yell, "Are you okay?"  Then he came running into the bedroom to tell us that Maddie was bleeding.  The poor thing...he sat on the couch with me for 40 minutes, and his mouth was still bleeding.  His gums above his teeth are really bruised, and he almost bit through his bottom lip.  The poor kid hasn't eaten much today because his mouth hurts.  I feel so bad for him.

I'll be back tomorrow to post a layout...a Valentine's Day one.  Can you believe it?  I can't.  I'm usually not up with the holidays until ten months later.  

And, I guess I'll wait on our family photo until Maddie's lip returns to normal size.  I wanted to do something cute this month.  

February Self Portrait

Disclaimer:  No I am not drunk, nor was I drunk at the time this photo was taken.  And no I was not on my way to rob a bank.  

These are just some of the comments I got on my Facebook post when I put it on there.  I  took the photo at 9 am before parent-teacher conferences.  I thought I'd mix up these self portraits a bit.  And, I also want to try printing my Mariphone photos from Postal Pix.  It's an app that I can use to upload photos and have them printed directly from my phone!  That sounds like the best idea ever...and I don't see how the picture quality could possibly be worse than Walgreens.  So basically, it's a win-win situation.  

I am coming up with a few fun photo ideas for our February Family Portrait...I'm hoping procrastination will not set in.  The only other problem is that Erik's schedule makes it difficult to take photos in the morning when the best light is available.  So everyone keep their fingers crossed.

So Sweet (8.5x11 Layout)

Supplies are from Memory Works Express Kit (don't know the month)

This layout goes in the January Section of our Project Life Album.  It was fun to do an 8.5x11 layout.  I really like that size.  It's not as intimidating to fill the entire page.  On the other hand, you can't put as many pictures on it either. 

That is my friend, Val.  We've been friends since Kindergarten.  We went to her parents house for her birthday.  It was the first time I was back there in ages.  I spent so much time with her and her family growing up.  It was surreal to take my own children there.  And it makes me think about how different their childhood is from mine.  And that makes me a little bit sad.  I don't want city life for my kids.  The kids had a great time, and I will definitely be taking them back.  

Here's where I stuck the layout in the album.  I like the different sized pages together.  

Cute Valentine's Products

Echo Park:  Yours Truly

I will post my other layouts later.  I have been busy this week.  Thursday, I got home late from parent teacher conferences.  Yesterday I went to happy hour with some girlfriends.  It was a lot of fun!  I really needed a little break.  I also have pink eye!  It's loads of fun!  I'm using Wolfie's medicine...as he had it last week.  But my eyes are driving me NUTS!!!  Well, that was a bit of random information.  Have a good Saturday!

Project Life: January (plus a real gem!)

Let's just start with this Gem of a photo....

 I know that you all wish you could have a family photo like this.  It is called last minute procrastination.  I decided that we were completely screwed for the best light, nice family photo.  Therefore, I made the best of a bad situation.  Since we were all sick, I decided let's put the medication out front and center as well as the box of Kleenex.  We actually took some serious photos....but none were as funny as this one.  Because who doesn't love a 4 year old holding a serious looking toy gun and bunny ears behind their very own head?  Nobody...that's right!  All kidding aside, this picture will at least be recorded and we will be able to see how we've all grown and changed during the year.

And now to the Project Life spread for January...I am just showing you the basic layout.  I will add an 8.5x11 layout in the middle, but it is not done yet.  Erik picked up the photos for me this afternoon and I haven't had time to complete the layout.  I will share tomorrow.  Please excuse the poor photos...I had to use my lights and my flash...they don't make for the best color.  I do know that I LOVE this project and I LOVE this layout!  I know that we are all going to appreciate this so much in the years ahead.

I have learned so many things this month about life and friendship.  I wish you all a good evening.