2012....what to do about you...?

Hi....hope you are enjoying my much needed updates here.
At the start of 2012 I made the decision NOT to print any photos during the year, and instead focus on scrapping photos that were sitting in my drawer waiting to be dealt with.  I have been going on a scrapping retreat with some wonderful ladies twice a year, so I knew I could get a lot done (except on both occassions last year we did less scrapping and more just relaxing and spending time together).
Of course, during the year I discovered Project Life and I also did a major purge of my photos so things could be tackled differently.
So, on the 27th December I decided to order all the photos from 2012 from Snapfish, and create a 2012 album using PL.  Not a week by week or month by month album, but an album of events in order as they happened.
While I waited for the photos to come back, I ordered more 4x6 cardstock from Crafthouse (cause I put my Selphy photos onto backing board this is the easiest way to do it) and decided on the kit I would use....Cobalt.  I have to admit at this point that I had a number of kits already so I didnt have to wait for this.
When the photos came back I tackled the album as follows:
1.  Sorted photos into event groups, with the different size photos in each group also.
2.  Worked out which page protectors to use (i was amazed at how many were vertical not horizontal) and which order photos would go in.
3.  Cut photos and rounded corners to fit in the page protectors as needed.
4.  Put photos onto backing cardstock and straight into the pockets.
5.  Filled in the remaining pockets with journalling cards and filler cards.
6.  Start journalling.
And this is where I am up to.  I have done some pages and these are at the bottom of the post.

I have learnt a few things during this process.......
Firstly.....it works....you really can catch up if you have a plan and all materials at hand
Secondly......the album, all done with Cobalt and with backings to each photo is kind of dark...I need to find some embellishments and things to lighten things up
Thirdly...I feel really motivated to do more

So, don't look at all you have to do and decide it is too big a task.....look at it and work out a way to break it into chunks you can deal with and deal with those chunks as time allows.
I don't know how long it will take me to finish the journalling but it will get finished.  I can pull the album out, get a journalling pen and do a few pages after dinner while watching tv....how easy is that?

Have a great day and happy scrapping....Amanda

Dealing with Hubby's photos

How many of us have 'stuff' that we hold onto for sentimental reasons? I'd say most of us do.  How many of us have 'stuff' that our parents kept for us, thinking one day we'd want it?  A lot of us.
So what do you do when all that 'stuff' gets delivered to you (cause the in-laws don't want it taking up their space any more)?
When this happened to hubby a few months ago I asked him to consider whether he really needed it all.....trophies and medals from sports that he hadn't looked at in over 15 years and photos he hadn't looked at in just as long.
So....we photographed the trophies and medals, sorted the photos (blurry ones, people he couldn't remember who they were and duplicates were all thrown away) and I have made an album for him using the SNAP range from Simple Stories and a few BH cards too.
Hubby still has to do the journalling, but the two massive tubs have been reduced to one, and his memories are now sorted and are being looked after.

Here are a few pages....minus journalling of course.

Thanks for looking and happy scrapping....Amanda

End of 2012................

Well, the end of 2012 just flew by didn't it?  I changed roles (again) at work and am no doing something a little different....but the change has meant I have had to learn a lot and focus a fair bit more than I usually have to.
In terms of scrapbooking..........I did a few traditional layouts but October and November were more about re-organising my craft space (still a work in progress....just can't get it how I want, making Xmas cards and donig a lot of sorting.
I was reading some older posts on Becky Higgins blog and one really struck a chord with me.....that we are not other people's memory keepers.  I had a large drawer of old photos....me at different people's birthdays, weddings, and lots of other people at other people's events.  I asked myself why did I have all these photos sitting in a drawer?  Well, because they weren't important enough for me to scrap or do anything else with.
So I spent an entire afternoon with all the photos on the floor and sorted them.....photos I definitely wanted to scrap were put into individual 12x12 page protectors in their groups, photos that were other people I didn't know were tossed, blurry photos were tossed, duplicates were either sent to parents/grandparents or tossed. It was a big job, but at the end of it I ended up with 224 photos tossed, about 160 photos kept to scrap and about 30 photos sent to people.
I know some people would think how could you destroy photos......once I got started and had a goal in mind it was pretty easy.....and I feel a LOT better for doing it.

But on to projects.....I thought I would give December Daily a go...but that I would use PL for it. I used the Echo Park Photo Freedom "Dear Santa" range, as well as some great flair buttons from an etsy store called Greatest View and the Elf on the Shelf stamps from the delightful Kellie Winnell.....Give a Girl a Blog!

We had a lot of fun with our elves on the shelf...as you can see below....

 

 

I did the final week of December using 'normal' (ie not Xmas themed) papers but havent taken photos yet.

I have a few blog posts to do today, just to catch up on things, including things I am catching up on while I am on holidays from work and how I am approaching 2013.

Be back soon,

Amanda

Wedding Day Happiness

Here in Melbourne it was Grand Final Day yesterday and, regardless of who is playing, we always watch it.  We took the boys to the Royal Melbourne Show in the morning to keep them happy, so they didnt complain too much at us watching the footy.
I'm not a fan of just sitting watching so I got some more pages done for My Story.....pages of my wedding. Such a happy and fun day that I couldn't fit this day into just one layout.......so here's what I ended up with.  Still fairly simple....the 12x12 pages of my wedding day are much more detailed!

 

Lead up the the ceremony.......we got ready upstairs at the hotel, so just had to take the lift down and through the lobby out onto the deck.....Novotel Wollongong...

And here are snaps from the ceremony itself...

We had photos taken on Wollongong beach......shoes off everyone!

And then the reception started....

.....the partying was great!

Still love looking at the memories!

A Productive 2 weeks

Last weekend I scrapped instead of adding to the blog...so I got a few of the more difficult pages done.  Not difficult in terms of subject matter, just difficult in that there were odd photos, they didn't match etc.  Solution was to concentrate on putting them in, and using bright multi coloured papers to go with them.
First up......the NAB Bank Staff Ball 1997....good night, great friends!

Followed by random photos...of things that were significant in 1997 and 1998 (aside from those with the ex in them)

And then came.....my fist big trip to Europe (which I have 2 very full photo albums for already)

and the NAB Bank Ball 1999....

End of 1999 spent visiting good friends before I moved to the UK....

The start of my big adventure.....training in Boston, winters day in London (again...another 2 full albums for that time away)

And the Cambridge Xmas Party 2000....those were the days....

Top right is me and my now hubby.....so the last 12 years we have lots of photos of our time together.....pages from here in will just be snippets of the really big moments!

Scrapping Exes

While scrappying 'My Story' I kept the photos of my ex-husband to a minimum......not really good memories to look back on.
But this week I was up to a couple of years in my life that included an ex-boyfriend. Apart from the break-up, the time together was very important to me and I have lots of good memories.
So, I selected photos that represented the really good memories. And rather than use lots of different papers and things, I used the Teresa Collins 'Tell Your Story' range......perfectly suited to PL style layouts as it has 6x4 Title Cards and 3x4 journal cards (although all the titles are horizontal and all the journal cards are vertical...fine for some pages but not for others. As well as the cards I used the 6x6 paper pads, and the co-ordinating layered butterfly stickers, washi tape, cardstock stickers and cardstock die cuts and flashcards (what didn't I use???)
Here's what I ended up with after a very productive week.....just journalling to go.....

And after that busy week I doubt that this week will be as productive......I got one page done this morning but have been taking some time out to read a book the rest of the day....bliss.

Approaching 30.......

Last weekend my hubby and eldest son went to Gladstone for 4 days, leaving Samuel (5) and I home alone.  Thursday I worked from home and got caught up on all the housework....leaving Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning free for scrapbooking.
Luckily Samuel is happy to sit and do his own art work with me, or sit and watch kids shows while I scrap.
So, I did some traditional layouts, and some more pages for "The Story of Me".....
First up....friends from NAB, my dog "Mouse" and me being bridesmaid at my sisters wedding...and a road trip across the Nullaboor...There wasnt a lot to see!

Then a trip to NZ to be bridesmaid at my best friend Rachel's wedding...

Next up....photos from my return to Melbourne after separating from my husband and Perth....catching up with friends on the first page, then my housewarming party on the second. (and first use of non 12x12 pages to fit the photos I had)

And finally.....photos from my 30th.....and doesn't that seem like a 1/3 of a lifetime ago....probably cause it is.  That year was the start of lots of good new beginnings.

 

This weekend I will tackle photos from the my 30s.  And this is where SO MUCH happened.  So I'll just be adding selected photos (or I'll be here forever lol).