I'm struggling... what would you do?

Discussion in 'Project Life/365/52' started by Nixenkind, Mar 12, 2014.

  1. Nixenkind

    Nixenkind Dreaming of boiling in Brisbane.

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    I started PL in January 2013 as a DAILY diary... I made a layout every night, until June, when I decided to switch to the weekly two-page spread.
    Lately, I've been looking at my daily layouts, and realized that I like them a lot more than the weekly ones. Because I have more room on the daily layouts and less pictures, there's more space for journaling, personal stuff, crazy little snippets, visual games. When I looked through the layouts with my eldest daughter (11) recently, she agreed: the daily layouts are quirkier, more lively, have "more to see". She loved that I included cartoon characters my kids liked at the time and lots of pictures to describe my emotions... something my weekly layouts lacked because there was never enough room.
    So, at the end of February, it happened: I started doing the daily diary again. And honestly: I can't remember ever having so much fun scrapping in my life. Finally I get to use all the gorgeous stuff I have collected over the months, the emo stuff, the sweet little crazy things I gather everywhere on the net. I get to write about my thoughts and feelings a lot, and I NEVER have any problems choosing pictures.
    But: of course these layouts are a lot more personal than the weekly spreads, and it's nothing I would show to strangers (that The Lilypad gallery is the only one I'm posting them to shows you how much at home I actually feel here :heartslub). My family can look at them, of course, they know how crazy I am :whistle, but it's really more like a diary and not so much a "neutral" recounting of what happened in our family.
    So originally, I wanted to continue doing both: the daily layout AND the weekly spreads.
    Problem: I have about a gazillion times more fun doing my diary than I have putting together my weekly layouts, and it's showing. The weekly ones are only about putting down some pictures and rather listlessly adding some journaling now, but I have a hard time abandoning it, because it is a lot more neutral and... harmless. No "Mentalist". No "my daily nervous breakdown". No "What made Mom scream inside today". Just the clean, cool family facts everybody could look at without thinking that I've finally lost it.
    It's just... no fun doing it. My husband said I should switch to the daily layouts completely now and maybe change back when the every day scrapping becomes too much work, but I'm struggling with the decision to do this, although I guess I secretly want it... meh.
    What would you do? Abandon the weekly spread for now and concentrate on the super-fun daily version? Or force myself to do the weekly layouts for documentation's sake?
    Sorry, that was so long, thanks for reading... take a virtual cookie, baked with love:
    [​IMG]
    And thank you so much for your input!
     
  2. AnneofAlamo

    AnneofAlamo Slippers IN sunshine? Even better!

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    I have no idea...but enjoyed the cookie!
     
  3. AnneofAlamo

    AnneofAlamo Slippers IN sunshine? Even better!

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    well, I love the diary pages the bestest! YOUr very being is all over them..they are quirkly and fun...the weekly ones, have more info about everyone else, and will be read...but I would read every jot and title to the daily, and probably skim the weekly...I vote daily's
     
  4. sarahbhb

    sarahbhb Happy Anniversary babe! Now, pack up!

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    I personally love your daily diaries, and I say if you are enjoying them and struggling to complete the weekly spreads, I'd let the weekly spreads go for now. Since it's just basic documentation and not necessarily about moods or such you could always come back to it if the mood strikes.
     
  5. sushimommy

    sushimommy Could you point me to the helipad?

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    I love your dailies! I think let the weeklies go, and if there is ever a week that the dailies just don't happen, you could do one then to fill the gap - but scrap how you are happiest - it is always more fun to see & do!
     
    Last edited: Mar 12, 2014
  6. Ink and Pixels

    Ink and Pixels Active Member

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    This says it all! Stick to the dailies it's what you enjoy.. Do the weeklies when you are feeling it. You don't want to feel forced. I'm going to check out your gallery now because a daily take sounds fun! I've switched from monthly to weekly spreads for similar reasons as you - I can get more of life in the pages. Your dailies sound really fun too!
     
  7. lauracw

    lauracw Gets a funky high on yellow sun

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    There aren't any rules for how you scrap. If you're doing a yearly book, it won't matter if some of your pages are daily and some span a whole week. It does seem kind of silly to have a weekly spread and daily pages for the same week though. Just extra work. I say scrap what makes you happy and don't worry about it so much, lol!
     
  8. Heather Prins

    Heather Prins Heather Prins

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    why would you do anything you don't enjoy? Its your scrapbook, do it your way. You will regret it in the end I think if you don't. I actually kind of love the daily idea, hmmmmm you may be onto something!
     
    Last edited: Mar 12, 2014
  9. Heather Prins

    Heather Prins Heather Prins

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    Ok i just went to peek through your gallery and now i REALLY love the daily stuff. Keep doing those!!! Going back to look at more!
     
  10. RebeccaH

    RebeccaH Life is exciting, yes it is!

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    my personal belief is that you should love whatever you give your free time to... otherwise it's just wasted time. if the daily is what you love, then that's what you should do! truthfully, it's what both you and your family will probably cherish most down the road anyway - the genuine stuff that really makes up real life. i say go for it. you are under NO obligation to document the blah facts of weekly life. you've signed no contract. if you choose to abandon it mid-stream, i say GO FOR IT!! abandon away! whatever you do should be enjoyable and meaningful and fulfilling.
     
  11. bestcee

    bestcee In love with places I've never been to

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    When I read your post, this comes across as your biggest concern: what will strangers (or non immediate family) think?
    My response: Who gives a hoot?!?! Scrapbooking is a more personal hobby, and I think everyone has at least one page they don't share online or in person. Or they have journaling that is blurred because it's personal. Personally, I scrapbook for me. It's a creative outlet I enjoy. There are pages I don't share with anyone else. There are pages only my husband and I will see.
    It sounds like the dailies make you happy, and your kids enjoy them more. Keep doing them. And don't worry about neutrality.

    My P52 has some neutral journaling, and some not neutral. Some of the non neutral isn't shared online. Sometimes I reserve my more personal journaling for a full page layout. Actually, quite often I do. Mostly because I'm wordy :)
     
  12. Karen

    Karen Wiggle it, just a little bit!

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    Seriously, go re-read your own post and you have your answer... you enjoy daily pages and dread the weekly pages... do what you love and let the rest go without guilt! :) Scrapping is supposed to be fun, not a chore. :)
     
  13. Happy Mama

    Happy Mama Well-Known Member

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    I agree with everyone else, especially what Courtney said about not worrying about what others think. Seriously, your daily pages are art and some people won't get it, so what!? Some people don't get Picasso either, ya know? :) When you say,

    "And honestly: I can't remember ever having so much fun scrapping in my life."

    that's your soul speaking woman! You gotta listen to that. :)At least that's what I think....I'll take that cookie now. (love the virtual ones, no dairy or gluten worries! ha!)
     
  14. Kate

    Kate The Doctor's new companion

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    I'm with everyone else, do what makes you and your family happy!
     
  15. sarahbhb

    sarahbhb Happy Anniversary babe! Now, pack up!

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    I just wanted to let everyone know after reading this you've inspired to let my own hangups go and scrap the way I want to scrap at least for this year. I've been struggling with monthly spreads and have set all these rules for myself that just about caused a meltdown on my part yesterday. I was going to change up my method of doing things but not until 2015 since I've already started on my 2014 album. After reading this and struggling so much yesterday you have really inspired me to let go what's not working for me and just scrap the way I want to. Starting now. :)
     
  16. dailydwelling

    dailydwelling Confidently cooking and creating

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    I say do what you love and what makes you happy! Your daily pages are doing that and it shows...they are amazing pages!!! I love how you are inspiring others, like Sarah, too. :)
     
  17. Nixenkind

    Nixenkind Dreaming of boiling in Brisbane.

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    Thank you so, so much for your answers! I feel much better now, and will just let the weekly spreads go for now. You're absolutely right: it's supposed to be fun. THANK YOU, YOU WONDERFUL PEOPLE!!!

    I love this place...
     

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