Motivate Me!

[PollyannaMom]

I LOVE scrapbooking, but I've gotten waaaaaay behind. It just seems there is always something that needs to get done during the day, and I'm rarely at my most creative in the evenings.

Where do all of you fit scrapping into your routines??

Any tips to get back on track when feeling overwhelmed by sheer volume of pictures? (Some are printed, but most are still in the computer. - Uggh!)

 

[TammyNC]

Just take one event at a time. Don't look at the total number of pictures that need to be scrapbooked. One project at a time.

Luckily I have a place that I leave my stuff out so when I find I have 15 min. I'll at least try to start on a page.

Don't get overwhelmed. If you ever have a chance to do a scrapbooking weekend trip with some friends, that will help you get your creative juices flowing too.

 

[pjlla]

Okay.... this is my third time trying to type this response..... I get several paragraphs typed and it disappears on me! (Not on my home computer). Anyhow.... one more time!

Wow.... your post could have been written by me! I totally understand... I am not a night owl and any scrapping done after 10pm would be terrible (since my eyes would be closed!).

Try just a few things.... number one is keep up with the housework that "accumulates" such as dishes, laundry, picking up. But don't worry so much about the stuff that won't take any longer even if you ignore it for a day or two (like dusting and vacumming). Your kids will be enjoying their scrapbooks when they grow up rather than be thinking about how dusty the living room always was.

But if the housework is really making you feel like you can't scrap, try this technique I use sometimes. Challenge yourself to do as much as possible in each room within just 10 or 15 minutes per room. In that amount of time I can usually have my bathroom looking presentable or my living room sufficiently clean for company. After an hour of doing this I can usually sit down to scrap feeling pretty guilt-free.

As far as the getting caught up goes....good luck. I am currently working on mid-year 2002 for each of my kids "life" books and am pages away from finishing each of their 2004 WDW trip books. (Each child gets a separate vacation book and separate life books.) I am trying to limit what I work on to just the bigger events (holidays, first day of school, major sporting events, etc). I figure I can go back and finish the smaller day to day things when I am feeling more caught up (or when my kids are grown and gone!!)

I am about to get started on our 2005 California/Disneyland books and I am considering making one original and one 12 x 12 color copy of each layout. Then I will have two albums, each with some original pages and some copies. If it seems to look okay I will probably do that. It is getting tiring doing a totally separate book with different layouts for each child for each major vacation. And I tend to scrapbook LOTS of pictures. I need to start being more selective about what pictures I use. For example, my kids completed 2004 WDW books are probably about 100 pages each. That just takes too much time!

Anyhow.... just keep plugging along. You may never get totally caught up. Most of the "experts" advise to start current and work backwards. I just am too anal about working chronologically to do that. But I have done a few current day pages that I thought were best to do when the feelings/memories were freshest (like when our cat died last year). I am definitely feeling more caught up lately than I have in the past. But I realize I am still many years behind. I'll just keep plugging along, doing the best I can, as long as I am still enjoying the journey of scrapping............P

 

[MazdaUK]

I scrap best in daylight! I did do some last night but I find working with anything shiny/metallic really tiring by artificial light. I have one weekday off when I try to do a couple of hours - but every other week I host my scrap circle so do a bit more chatting than scrapping I can't leave my stuff out so I need to have a clear hour to actually scrap, but if I only have a little time I maybe sort or crop a few photos, look through paper and embellishments or even do stuff on here - check for quotes, prepare anything I want to print out and even print stuff so it can dry by the time I'm ready to use it.

I really want to make some serendipity squares, but I think at least if I start gathering bits into a ziplock bag then I will be ready when I do have time

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

Start with the most current event were the memories are freshest. Grab a notebook and jut down ideas and memories. When I don't have a lot of time I take 10 minutes and sort my photos and put them in individual ziploc bags. Next time, grab a baggie of pics and find some paper to go with it and some embellishments. Put all of that in a 2.5 gallon bag, the paper fits perfectly.
I put a bunch of these kits together so when I go to a crop or have time to sit down to scrap it goes faster and I feel like I'm getting something done.

BTW I am the Queen of being behind. I am currently doing our 2004 WDW trip, I have 4 trips in 2005 to scrap, no albums for the kids yet, and 2 years behind on our Xmas album. I have a CM power sorter box with well over 3000 pics in it and somewhere between 10,000 - 15,000 pics on 3 computers. SO.... I know how you feel! LOL 1 page at a time...

 

[Stephres]

My husband thinks I am nuts: I am almost way behind and then I will go on a tear and doing nothing but scrap until I am caught up. Maybe you can negotiate with your husband to take your son for a few hours on the weekend and you can have a block of time to scrapbook. I always feel better when I have a few hours to myself and feel like I really accomplished something. You might use the time to organize and write notes about your pictures so you ready to scrap them when you can grab some time. Good luck!

 

[Fran98765]

Making notes is a wonderful help for remembering what happened with those pics! Sorting them and keeping them separate will help also. Anything that can make it easier down the line will help you get more done!

 

[Honeybehr1]

I am one that scraps at night. Its quiet and I dont feel guilty. I can leave my things out since I have my own area in the office. I tend to jump around a bit. I have been wanting to do my wedding album and I finished it last month. I am working on the bridal shower now and then I will be doing the honeymoon next. I was married June 1995

I am always way behind because I take alot of pictures.

Just keep pluggin away and take any block of time to crop

 

[laura&fam]

Try to go to a monthly crop at a LSS, a long one if possible. The dirty house doesn't bother me if I'm not in it. I haven't found any way to scrapbook in the day otherwise. You do alot, asking for a few hours one day a month isn't too much. Besides the scrapbook is for the whole family.

Like others have said though you will get more out of it if you are organized when you go. Also going by yourself won't be as fun as going with friends, but it might be more productive.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Thanks for the advice, everyone! I think working on recent stuff / big events and filling in the gaps later might be a good plan for me. I also like the baggies ready to go idea.

I'm in the process of moving my supplies to another, less hidden, area in the house, hoping it will encourage me to use smaller amounts of time, and not wait until I have a great big block of it.

It's good just to know being behind is normal!

 

[MazdaUK]

I'm nearly up to DS(13)'s 5th birthday party DS(7) keeps asking when I'm going to scrap his book

 

[Lisa]

I, too, scrap a little at a time. I find it keeps my layouts fresh. If I scrap for a long time at one sitting the pages tend to look the same and start getting dull.

Having an area where I can leave out my current projects, helps me. Instead of using valuable time setting up and putting away, I use that time scrapping.