scrapbooking - my system

If you're like me, when you discover something wonderful that makes your life a little easier and your brain a little happier, you must share it.

That's what discovering this new style or system of scrapbooking has done for me.

I really enjoy all things scrapbooking - really enjoy it. For instance, did you know that today is National Scrapbooking Day? I did because I'm a huge nerd when it comes to this stuff. I enjoy it all - from the taking pictures...to the printing of those pictures...to the picking out paper...coming up with a design for the layout... journaling, and then finally to putting it away and patting myself on the back for documenting a little piece of our life. You see, in Mommy World, not many things get done and stay done. That is why I love scrapbooking and other projects. It stays done.

But I've been scrapbooking long before the children came - since 1996 to be exact. "Back then", you scrapbooked every picture you took. Which was fine because I only took 24 pictures at a time - that's all that came on a roll of film. (remember film?) But then I got a digital camera...and then I had babies...and then an even nicer digital camera...and now my picture taking is IN-SANE.

I don't have the time to do layouts for all. those. pictures nor do I want to (most pictures are great, but they ain't all gems worthy of my free time). That's where this blessed new system comes into play - I certainly didn't invent it, but I want to kiss who ever did.

It goes by other names with other people or manufacturers, but basically you stick your photos in the divided page protectors (like a photo album). If you want to spend time on a layout for a picture(s) you love - great. Just want to stick them in the divided slots and call it a day? Great as well. It's a combination photo album and scrapbook altogether in one place.

There's also a happy medium (one that I plan on using quite often): leave one of the divided slots empty of photos and add journaling/cuteness/whatever you want there. That way, you get credit for having recorded stuff and used the products you keep stockpiling, but without doing a whole layout.

You can pick that favorite picture or two from a Disney trip to make a layout, then stick the rest in the protectors. Easy. Why in the world did someone not come up with this before?

A couple of Saturdays ago - after stockpiling several sets of these divided protectors and the regular 12x12 whole ones, I went through a half year's worth of pictures and decided which were going in the divided slots and which I would do a layout (far more went into the divided page protectors I found!).

I seriously only want to do layouts for those pictures I love - I enjoy this hobby, but not enough to constantly feel guilty for not being 'caught up.' I don't like my pictures living on the computer - I want them printed, but without the stress of having to 'do' something with all of them.

If you notice, those pictures that I do intend to make a layout for are just sitting in the page protector until I get to them. Those are second in priority. First is getting the pictures in the album in the first place (I love the Classic Leather We R Memory Keepers 3-Ring). I'll add some paper, design ideas, and other stuff to that page protector until I get the time or mojo to complete it. Until then, it can wait patiently.

After all, I've got to spend time now obsessively researching and deciding which type of car seat to get for Grant now that Kyle has outgrown his and needs to move up.

It's between the Britax Frontier and the Graco Nautilus - I have a feeling that by the time I settle on one, he will have outgrown them anyway...