I don't scrap, yet I have a paper addiction. (aka divided page protector idea thread)

[Silent1CB]

10+ yrs ago, I started scrapping. I tried for a few years, but it never came easily to me. It was frustrating, not enjoyable to match colors or try to make pleasing layouts.

Yet, I continued to shop through those years hoping to find pretty things to inspire me. Luckily, I haven't shopped in years though.

Meanwhile, the years of photos just sit. They don't even make it into a regular photo album now.

I've decided to pass a lot of my stash to a friend. Yet, tonight, as I try to go through supplies to pass to her, I find it very hard to pass any of my paper to her. Lots of pretty patterned paper. And I hardly ever used patterned paper in my layouts. Its just so pretty, I can't give it away. Because, well, you know, maybe I'll make some cards out of it or something.

Yeah, like THAT's gonna happen.

I need help. Serious help.

 

[vanyel]

It's definitely an addiction Maybe we need a what to do with pretty paper that you "save" thread - something like "101 uses for pretty paper besides scrapbooking" I totally sympathize even though I use my paper from scrapping, cardmaking, and now decopauging things (like picture frames). I've also used paper to make picture mats. So hang on to some of your paper if it makes you happy.

Oops - I think I just enabled you!

 

[LindaBabe]

I LOVE paper. I was addicted to paper before I started scrapbooking. But, I use some of it besides scrapping - to line drawers, cover boxes, cover the notebooks I use - because it gives me pleasure to look at it, handle it, play with it. If it's not costing you to keep it - then keep it and enjoy your stash. It's a harmless addiction.

 

[pjlla]

First of all... we all like pretty stuff. Before I started "modern" scrapping, I used to like to buy pretty fabrics (but I hate sewing... go figure!).

From my POV, there are a few things that you could do. The first, as mentioned by others, is to keep the paper and use it for other things.... craft projects, cards, drawer liners, etc.

The second thought is to do an "alternative" type of scrapbooking. Buy the page protectors that are divided up into individual 4 x 6 photo pockets. Print your photos and fill these pockets... but leave one or two for a journaling block or something decorative. It would solve two problems.... it would get your photos printed and into books...and it would give you an excuse to keep your pretty papers. I've done books like this for my Mom and it worked out really well. I did a pocket for the start of each "event" in the book. In that pocket I did a decorative dated journaling block listing the who/what/where/when. Plus I did other blocks where I needed to, either to fill the page or to add more journaling detail. (Sorry I can't explain better.)

The last thought I have is to ditch the scrapbooking papers and supplies and move on to another hobby that you will get more enjoyment from. Scrapbooking papers are like fashion items... they will get more dated looking as time goes by... eventually no one will want them, including you.

Find a hobby you can really sink your teeth into and enjoy. I am not a fabulous scrapper.... I am in awe of some of the creations I see here by these folks. But I LOVE scrapping. I LOVE having a project that has a beginning, middle, and end (unlike the rest of my life of housework and kid-taxi-ing). I LOVE having a creative outlet (other than redecorating the house, which gets really expensive!). Find yourself a hobby you can LOVE and you will feel less need to hold onto those pretty papers.

HTH....................P

 

[MazdaUK]

I have a big bag of "useful" fabric - and I can't even get my sewing machine to go in a straight line I had ideas about making cushions for the garden etc. - I did make some for the conservatry, but they're funny shapes and the fastenings are crooked

You never know when pretty paper will be useful - you could even frame a piece as wall art!

 

[JandJ]

you could even frame a piece as wall art!

I did that! I found the most gorgeous piece of paper with bright colored little tiny squares, and drawings of animals in each square, some with glitter. I framed it and it will go in our future nursery. I couldn't resist it and I didn't want to cover it up with pictures. It's a work of art!

I find myself "saving" beautiful paper. As if something will happen in my life and that piece of paper will be the perfect background for the scrapbook page. I'm getting over that, and using what I like for all sorts of pages now, and enjoying it, too.

 

[Silent1CB]

The second thought is to do an "alternative" type of scrapbooking. Buy the page protectors that are divided up into individual 4 x 6 photo pockets. Print your photos and fill these pockets... but leave one or two for a journaling block or something decorative. It would solve two problems.... it would get your photos printed and into books...and it would give you an excuse to keep your pretty papers. I've done books like this for my Mom and it worked out really well. I did a pocket for the start of each "event" in the book. In that pocket I did a decorative dated journaling block listing the who/what/where/when. Plus I did other blocks where I needed to, either to fill the page or to add more journaling detail. (Sorry I can't explain better.)

The last thought I have is to ditch the scrapbooking papers and supplies and move on to another hobby that you will get more enjoyment from. Scrapbooking papers are like fashion items... they will get more dated looking as time goes by... eventually no one will want them, including you.

Find a hobby you can really sink your teeth into and enjoy. I am not a fabulous scrapper.... I am in awe of some of the creations I see here by these folks. But I LOVE scrapping. I LOVE having a project that has a beginning, middle, and end (unlike the rest of my life of housework and kid-taxi-ing). I LOVE having a creative outlet (other than redecorating the house, which gets really expensive!). Find yourself a hobby you can LOVE and you will feel less need to hold onto those pretty papers.

HTH....................P

Thanks. When we came home from our vacation that we were on when 9/11 happened, I just needed to get that album done & quickly. And simply. I just wanted it done, but didn't feel up to it but there were feelings I didn't want to forget. So I did a regular photo album with journaling in place of one of the photos spaces on some pages like you described. It was fast & easy. And accomplished exactly what I needed it to do. It was done fresh & full of emotion. I wasn't focused on the artsy stuff. Just memories.

When I tried switching to 12x12, they didn't have 4x6 photo sleeves in 12x12 yet. I just googled & found them. So doing that same photo album method of adding in some journaling in places would also allow me to slip in a scrapbook page here or there if I'm so inclined. Or even to slip in some digital scrapping or even brochures I've collected.

Thanks for pointing out they have 4x6 photo sleeves in 12x12 now. I think that could be the perfect solution. To just go back to photo album style but in 12x12 & add layouts if I feel like it.

I'm actually feeling a creative spark to just get the last decade into albums now.

Thanks.

Oh, and I have other hobbies that I'm VERY into & have been for 7+ yrs. Scrapping just wasn't for me. I used to be VERY crafty at one point in my live though. Just not so much anymore.

 

[LindaBabe]

Here's a link to my 'blended' scrapbook. http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/gallery/member/120429-lindababe54/1512628-blended-scrapbook-spring-trip-2009/

 

[Lisa]

Many of my scrapping friends use the sleeves for their albums. It keeps them up to date and gives them time to do swaps and other projects.

 

[lovingthemouse]

Lisa- your mailbox is full!!

 

[Silent1CB]

Here's a link to my 'blended' scrapbook. http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/gallery/member/120429-lindababe54/1512628-blended-scrapbook-spring-trip-2009/

Thanks. I think I got TOOOOO sucked in by the "artistic" part of scrapbooking when it became all the rage in the late 1990's. That was my downfall.

Should have just stuck with the K.I.S.S. method. Keep It Simple Stupid. thanks for bringing me back to reality. Maybe I can do this & get caught up after all.

We don't have kids, so the pictures end up being a lot of the same pics over & over every year. Cats, boating, geocaching, and holidays. Not much more than that. There were a few WDW trips in the past decade, put maybe I could just make one book out of all of them.

And there was 1 large trip to the West Coast that I would just love to get photos printed & into a book.

Having no kids, its not like they need to be heirlooms. No one except us is going to be interested in them, or want to keep them when we are gone.

I've learned that about old vacation videos too. No one wants to see them really after so many years if they didn't go on the trip. lol

My DH's military career is the only album I'm interested in making special. We've worked on it, but it needs to be worked on more.

 

[Silent1CB]

Here was another idea I had come across years ago & saved.

http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/cg_display.asp?cmd=display&seed_id=23747

I think my albums will now become a mixture of everything. Just pictures & different sizes of what ever I save or create.

Thanks everyone for helping me start to get a spark of organization back. Its the start I needed. Organization sometimes is better than artwork. Its what I need at this point.

 

[LindaBabe]

My DH's military career is the only album I'm interested in making special. We've worked on it, but it needs to be worked on more.

When you get this done, please post it.

My husband is retired Air Force. I've been collecting product for 10 years, but thus far have been unable to extract the required information from him to make a coherent album. Maybe if he sees yours, he'll loosen up a little!

 

[wdwmickey]

OMG!! I'm working on DH's Navy album and he isn't being much help either. Maybe we should get all of our ex-military men together and just eavesdrop on their conversation and extract the info we need that way

 

[LindaBabe]

OMG!! I'm working on DH's Navy album and he isn't being much help either. Maybe we should get all of our ex-military men together and just eavesdrop on their conversation and extract the info we need that way

Brilliant! (I actually think dh secretly wishes he went Navy instead.)

We went to a squadron reunion last summer, and I learned a lot, but most of it was totally irrelevant Might go ahead and order his record from the government which would at least give me a time line of when he was where. Then I could extract some general info from the internet on the bases.

I guess another factor is - I don't have much energy around the topic because it's not *my* career, it's his. So I probably don't push him as hard as I could, given that I have plenty to scrap that I *AM* interested in.

 

[lynner]

I had a paper addiction too before I started scrapbooking. I used to collect pretty stationery and cards, and never write letter or send out a card because they were all too pretty. I still have a small drawer of this stuff in the basement. They are not half as pretty now as when I bought them, especially considering how beautiful some scrapbook paper is. I may now be able to part with them....we'll see.

 

[Silent1CB]

So I went ahead & ordered 4x6 photo sleeve pages in 12x12. And some with different formats to mix it up a bit. You've all done it now.

It was real hard staying off the scrapping sites & not looking around at all the new stuff. Like I said, its been a few years since I've even shopped let alone scrapped.

I did end up giving my friend all my stickers, letters & die cuts. They just aren't me anyway.

I think this "blended" method might be more me. Is there an actual term for this? I don't seem to find much online. I saw Bazzill put out a line of albums called Perfect Bound which is this idea. But you don't need to buy their special album to do it. Its just different page protectors.

 

[LindaBabe]

I think this "blended" method might be more me. Is there an actual term for this? I don't seem to find much online. I saw Bazzill put out a line of albums called Perfect Bound which is this idea. But you don't need to buy their special album to do it. Its just different page protectors.

"Hybrid" would have been the obvious choice, but that's already in use as a digital / paper combo. I coined "blended" when I posted that album, for lack of another word

 

[Silent1CB]

"Hybrid" would have been the obvious choice, but that's already in use as a digital / paper combo. I coined "blended" when I posted that album, for lack of another word

I'm planning on making it a hybrid blended album actually. LOL

 

[labdogs42]

Here's a link to my 'blended' scrapbook. http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/gallery/member/120429-lindababe54/1512628-blended-scrapbook-spring-trip-2009/

I love your book and I love that concept! What brand of protectors are those? Great book!