What's Your Style? Your approach to scrapbooking

[amyjaz]

What's Your Style? Your approach to scrapbooking

So as we head into 2012, I've been doing a lot of pondering about how I want to document my life in the new year. Do I want to give Project Life another go? Do I want to just do a Photobook of random digi pages? Do I want to try Project Life digitally? All of these questions have been running through my mind, and none of them quite "fit" for me.

I've also been doing a lot of reflecting on my style as a scrapper, and as the years go on, one thing becomes abundantly clear- I am a simple scrapper. I like classic, clean design. Don't get me wrong- those realistic pages or the clusters of elements- look amazing! It's just not me. When I sit down to scrap, that style does not come out of me.

I had sort of an epiphany yesterday, and I *think* I may have figured out my approach for 2012. I'm not quite ready to share what that approach will be just yet because I'm still figuring out how I'm going to tackle a few components, but I'm almost there and I promise to share.

So how about you? What approach are you taking for scrapping in the new year? Have you found your style and the method that works best for you, or are you still searching for the one method that really feels like an old pair of comfy jeans?

 

[judet]

I don't think I've really found my 'style' yet and I'm going through the same sort of questions at the moment. I took Stacy Julian's Finding Photo Freedom course earlier this year which is an approach I really like - but I'm obviously not free yet because I still stress about the 'other' photos and the little stories that I want to tell but don't have the time/enthusiasm to scrap as individual layouts. So, at the moment, my plan is to go for a digital project life - except not with the digi PL products and using grid style templates.

It may change, though

 

[scrapsandsass]

I'm kind of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of girl. I'm still trying to figure out my style... and I just know that I can't keep up with a commitment to do a structured daily/weekly project (unfortunately). I really wish I was different, but I'm coming to the realization that I have too many other competing interests at the moment.

I am excited to see what you have figured out so maybe I can steal your ideas.

 

[Angie4b1g]

I did P365 in 2010, but then I fell off the wagon this year. I want to do it again next year, but I need to simplify it and make it less stressful. It will probably be more like a P12. I will still aim for a picture a day, but if I only end up with 20 at the end of the month, that's ok too!

 

[amyjaz]

So, at the moment, my plan is to go for a digital project life - except not with the digi PL products and using grid style templates.

One thing I know for sure- I will be using grid/photo collage templates to document my photos each week. And the great thing about what I'm planning- my templates will conform to what I need that week- not the other way around. I can't tell you how frustrated I get when I don't have enough 4x6 photos to fill the entire week of PL. I know it's not supposed to be like that, but I'm a total Type A Personality and I feel like I've failed if my week doesn't have the right amount of photos to fill the divider pages.

I am excited to see what you have figured out so maybe I can steal your ideas.

I'd be honored!

I will still aim for a picture a day, but if I only end up with 20 at the end of the month, that's ok too!

THAT'S what I'm talking about! The key to my new approach- flexibility! No more stressing that I don't have a picture from last Tuesday.

 

[Karen]

Here my style... I do what a like and switch it up whenever I feel like it.

I do find that lately my favorite pages are mostly all photos and a spot for journaling. Here's my latest favorite... is this even scrapbooking? You betcha!

 

[Angie4b1g]

Mine will look about like Karen's, with some of the squares being paper and a flower strewn here or there. Then I can adjust the sizes/orientation of the squares depending on my photos to make it work each week. (Although I might just aim for 4 pages per month, rather than a strict one per week)

 

[Patti]

'white space' with lots of clusters and layering! Tis my style

 

[itsmeamanda]

My style has varied over this past year of digi-scrapping, and I think I'm still finding my way. But generally, my style is very "photo centric."

 

[crystalbella77]

Well I don't think I have a "style" necessarily, but I am one that doesn't fret over it or my pages. I do what feels right with the products and photos I have and sometimes I could have a massively clustery page and then next up I will do some kind of basic blockage. IDK..I just do whatever feels right at the moment.

As for PL or P365...I really hate to commit to anything totally because I am the queen of not following through with anything. I just have the best intentions and then it never pans out...*sigh* HOWEVER...I am gonna try to do PL Paper style, but I am going to approach it the same way as I do everything else...real laid back like. I figure at this point in time just getting some photos and stories into something tangible is more than I have done thus far so I will be happy with that.

I would very much like to complete an album or two of some kind in 2012 or one of each of the kids or something....Not sure exactly! I am just gonna keep on doing what I have been and hopefully add in a bit of printing and some PL!

 

[amyjaz]

Love your style Karen! That is very similar to where I'm headed for 2012.

And Patti- I adore white space- it makes me happy.

I'm jealous of you girls that can "just go with it". That doesn't exist for me. I need a plan or I'm stressed out. Yeah- I so wish I wasn't one of "those people."

 

[amandajane]

I don't really know if I have a "style". But I have thought about the way I scrap a lot lately. And while I love digi and being creative, I think I am missing the journalling on my pages and I am not scrapping the things we do as a family enough because I like to make "pretty" pages, So next year I plan to scrap digital pages that are mostly pictures of my kids and do some kind of project life, even though I have tried the past two years and failed.

 

[sahlink]

I find I really like having a variety of pages. Not that I can't figure out my style... it's just that creatively... one day I feel like playing around, and other days, clean-lines and simplicity is right. Once I print my books, I'm always so pleased how having the variety looks. But the one thing that I HAVE to have is photos. I am majorly photo-centric, I must have lots of photos and I tend to keep them on the larger side.

 

[LeeAndra]

I don't have any plans for any major changes in my scrapping or its style. I scrap enough pages that I get almost everything covered, and I think I would burn out if I added P365/PL to my plate. Since it's just DD most of the time (with SS thrown in every once in awhile), it's pretty easy to keep up. I'm sure if I added a job and/or more kids, I might be more behind.

I do plan on attempting to finish the DD 2008 and DD 2009 albums that I started and gave up on. I'm really enjoying my DD this year now that I've found a plan that works for me, and even if I have to 'scrap' (ha ha) my old pages and start again, it would be worth it to me to have several DD albums since I love Christmas so much.

I've also failed a couple times at Ali's AWITL. I think that's as P365/PL-y I can get without being overwhelmed. Maybe I will pick a week this year and do that, too.

 

[rmcabana]

I did project 365 a few years ago, and I've never been able to keep up again! I admire people who can stick too it! My big goal for the next year will just be finishing up some projects. I want to finish a Disney album and some others that are in progress. I'd really like to catch up on my printing and organizing - a goal I never got around to this year.

I think if I look back at my galleries over the years, my style hasn't varied much and that's why I still like a lot of my old pages! I'm a pretty simple scrapper. I like clean lines, titles, big photos and/or lots of them, not too many elements. I think that has to do with the fact that I design pages for newspapers, but it works for me. I like to focus on stories, not trends. Don't I sound like the crotchety old lady of scrapbookers?

 

[melrio]

I'm still trying to figure out my style. I like the traditional paper layouts but I'm all about the digi. I love paper strips and pieces and I love patterned paper. I just can't pin-point what I want my pages to look like so I just go with whatever until I'm satisfied.

 

[mrsski07]

My style is a mish mash. Sometimes it's really clean and simple, other times I have a lot of clusters. I always (or almost always) have clean lines and lots of white space. And always, always journaling. It's pretty photo-centric but I have been scrapping a lot of no-photo pages lately...especially when I have a story I want to tell but no photo to support it (like how my oldest daughter is still scared of Santa. I want to document it, but I don't want to scar her by making her sit on Santa's lap so I can get a picture ;-) ).

In regards to PL/P365....I think I'm going to do P365 this year. I hosted a chat here over this past weekend and got a lot of great tips. If I can drill it into my head that I need to be flexible in order for the project to work, then I know I can be successful at it. I plan to use these templates by Val: Block It! V. P365. I'm going to keep either a white or kraft background and do no embellishing. Just photos & words. A simple, minimalistic approach.

 

[snaggletooth]

there are no words that can describe my kinda style LOL i have my own. I cant stop till i use all the elements in a kit or all the stitches in a stitch pack LOL