Using bullet points or numbered lists is a fast and easy way to add journaling to any scrapbook layout. You might have noticed that I (Katie) use this technique in a lot of my posts here because it is a great way to present information in a logical and easily digestible format. The best thing about this kind of journaling is that ANYONE can do it! You don’t have to fill a big empty space with flowing verse, just jot down a few thoughts and tie them all together by using a list format.

WHY BULLET JOURNALING IS YOUR FRIEND:

• It’s a great way to include several random thoughts all in one place.
• While journaling a story can seem overwhelming, you can easily add important details one line at a time.
• The journaling is easy to read for the page viewer.
• Lists are fun!

Layout by Katie. Template by Kitty Designs, Cottage Garden by Kaye Winiecki. Traveling Typewriter font.

I used a bullet point list to tie together the various photos and memories from a recent visit with my family. Here’s the journaling:

When my family came to visit in June of 2010, I realized that there are several things we ALWAYS do when we get together:

• Go shopping
• Play board games
• Cook and eat a lot!
• Go sightseeing
• Take pictures
• Act silly!

List style journaling can be very minimal and simple, or it can be a great format to discuss topics in greater detail. I used a prompt found on facebook to list “15 Books That Will Always Stay With You”, but I wanted to explain the reason I chose each book. I ended up with so much journaling, that it took me two pages to fit it all in!

Layout by Katie. Template by Janet Phillips. Back To School by Mari Kogelberg & The Hybrid Kid. Century Schoolbook font.

Here’s my list journaling:

Fifteen Books That Will Always Stay With Me (for better or for worse):

1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I read it when I was quite young (maybe 12?) and I can still remember the details vividly. Strong characters and tough subject matter.

2. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown. I read this when I was about 14 and I honestly felt ashamed to be white after I read this.

3. The Secret Garden by by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I was probably about 10 when I read this book. I loved it! I was going to grow up and have a garden hidden by walls. I read this book to my kids last year and fell in love with it again all over. Still wish I could have my own secret garden.

4. The Firm by John Grisham. Shortly after graduating from college with a degree in English Literature, I was longing for a “beach read” type of book. I devoured The Firm and all of Grisham’s other books for years. They were a fun escape. Sadly, I think his newer books are extremely boring.

5. Harry Potter – ALL of them! I think Book 4 might have been my favorite one to read but I honestly love every one of these books. I think JK Rowling is brilliant and I love her for creating books that people lined up for. I LOVE the cds of the books, Jim Dale does such an amazing job. The movies are just ok for me, nothing compared to the books. I feel sad that the series is over. I’m not sure there will ever be another Harry Potter.

6. When Fish Fly: Lessons For Creating a Vital and Energized Workplace From the World Famous Pike Place Fish Market by John Yokoyama and Joseph Michelli. This might seem like an odd choice and it is just a short little book, but it had a real impact on me. It was the first time I realized that people have “stories” that color their interactions with others. I love the way he overcame his challenges.

7. Emma by Jane Austen. Jane Austen was the author I chose to focus on when I went on a literature-based study abroad to England. I gave my presentation on the book Emma right on the lawn of Jane Austen’s house. That was back in 1989. What an experience!

8. Activity Schedules for Children With Autism: Teaching Independent Behavior (Topics in Autism) by Lynn E. McClannahan; Patricia J. Krantz. I have read A LOT of books about autism, but I think this one was the most useful from a practical standpoint. I probably read it in 1999. I used the ideas in this book and made actual schedules for Alex that I know helped him in many ways. I even taught 2 parent training classes at the autism school based on what I learned from this book.

9. Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv. I read this book a few years ago after hearing a speaker at a science awards dinner talk about it. It’s not like this one is a real “page turner” but it made me think hard about how our world has changed. Every time I see this one on my shelf I want to be better about giving my children the experience of growing up with an appreciation of nature. This is a real challenge for us.

10. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. How could this not be on my list? I majored in English Literature for Pete’s sake! I especially love British Literature and the Bronte sisters are a big part of that passion for me. One of the highlights of my life was actually visiting the moors that inspired this book. Yes, I ran on the moors! Loved that college study-abroad trip.

11. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. I read all the Anne series books when I was young (maybe 9 or 10?). I was an avid reader and thankfully, my Mom kept me well stocked with books. I couldn’t remember much about these books except for the fact that I loved them so much. I re-read these with my daughter last year and enjoyed them so much.

12. I read a book about the Donner Party in 7th grade – it was required reading. I don’t remember the title of the book, but I know I was horrified that people actually ate other people. It stuck with me for a long time.

13. Native Son by Richard Wright. I read this in college when I took an African American literature course. It is one of those books that stays with you forever. Very disturbing in many ways, but an important work in African American literature. It deals with so much racial hatred and sadness.

14. The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown (and most of his other books). I know people get all worked up over this one, but I really loved it. Even if it was all true, it doesn’t really bother me, in fact it would make sense to me in many ways. It was a wonderful book to get lost in, one of those you can’t put down. I really like his other books also, especially Deception Point. I did not care for Angels and Demons though, and I have no desire to see that movie or the movie of the DaVinci Code.

15. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. One of those books that just stays with you. I must have been about 12 when I read this and I still remember it so well. I love the episode of Friends where Rachel makes Joey read it and he has to put it in the freezer when it gets too sad.

…

Can you believe all of that just came from making a list? I had no idea that would happen until I started explaining my choices. Long or short, Just writing about something one line at a time can add up to great documentation!

Here are a few other examples I found in our flickr group and the galleries: (all images are linked for credits)

Journaling is so important and even adding a few simple thoughts can make your page a lot much more meaningful for you, and anyone you share it with. ANYONE can journal! If you are one of those who says “But I’m Not a Writer!” – I challenge you to give bullet journaling a try!

We here at The Daily Digi are big fans of journaled pages and we love to share tips and ideas with you to help you record the memories you want to preserve. We have an entire category called “The Write Way’” full of posts on this topic, but all the information and resources in the world won’t help if you believe that you just can’t write. If I (Katie) could share just one secret with you that will change how you look at journaling it would be this – You ARE a writer! You CAN do this!

Some of you are saying to yourselves “But I’m not a writer”!” It’s true that some people enjoy writing more than others. It’s also true that like any other skill or talent, you will improve with practice. You might think I just don’t understand how hard it is since I am a writer. Guess what? It’s still hard for me also! I’m not going to lie to you and tell you that journaling on your pages is a super easy thing to do. I will tell you that it is worthwhile and it will give your scrapbooks a depth and lasting importance that simply cannot be achieved any other way.

I didn’t start out as a writer. I’m not one of those people that has 20 journals filled with stories and memoirs from childhood. I got my college degree in English Literature (because I love to read) and it still amazes me that I made it through the program because I remember how much I hated writing each and every one of the papers that was assigned to me. So how did I end up here? Scrapbooking! It turns out it is so much more fun to write when it’s about something you care about. Journaling on a scrapbook page is  much different (and better!) than any other writing assignment.  So start off by letting go of the idea that “the Write Way” to document your memories is not the same as the “right way” to write.

How am I so sure you ARE a writer?

1. You can talk (or communicate in some way)
2. You have had experiences and memories
3. You are alive

I really believe that if you meet those 3 criteria (and you do!) you have something unique and valuable to say, and you are capable of journaling on your scrapbook pages. The trick is simply getting what you have inside of you into a written form.

I’m going to illustrate some different journaling approaches using one photo:

NAME AND DATE:

At the very least, you should always include a name and a date with your photos and scrapbook pages. I’m not saying you have to do this on every page, but it’s important to make it clear who is in the picture and when it was taken. This might not seem like a big deal right now, but in 10, 20, or 50 years it will be. Also, what if you were gone? Would the people looking at this picture know who it is?

If I were to create a scrapbook page about this photo using the name and date journaling approach, I would simply include a line that said something like “Riley December 2008”.

If this is all you can muster to put on a page, at least it’s a start. Make sure you are including names of those pictured several times within an album or each time someone new is introduced.  I know you can do more though!

STANDING OVER THE SHOULDER:

Someone is sitting down and looking at a scrapbook page you made and you are right there with them (or even standing over their shoulder). They say “how cute!” or “I love that photo!” or something to that effect. What do you say in return? Do you just say “thanks” and then turn the page? Probably not. Most likely you tell them something about the photo, the page, or a funny story that is related to what you are looking at. That is what you should write down!

If I were to create a scrapbook page about this photo using the standing over the shoulder journaling approach, I would write something like “Riley just loves stuffed animals and thinks it’s really fun when she has several of the same type so they can be part of a family.” Or I might include “She loves to sleep with a few stuffed animals tucked under her arm each night.”

With just a tiny bit more effort you can turn the page into something much more meaningful! You might not always be there to explain what was happening in a photo or why you chose to scrapbook that particular memory. You put the work into creating the page, don’t you want the viewer to understand the meaning of it? This approach works for almost any type of page. It’s not tricky and it requires no formal writing skills. Just write (or type) what you would say. If your worried about spelling or grammar just use a word processing program that will give you those corrections by using features that come with the program.

BET YOU DIDN’T KNOW:

This is when you really get into the details. Pretend you are still standing over someone’s shoulder to tell them about a page but take it just a bit further. Do you have a piece of information that will really surprise them? How about something interesting that only those who took or are in the photo would know? Does this moment bring back other memories? Are you the only one that has key information about this event?

When you add extra details your layout becomes something that could never be duplicated by anyone else. With a little training any digital scrapbooker could replicate a page of fantastic design, but NOBODY else can share the story that you have inside of you!

If I were to create a scrapbook page about this photo using the bet you didn’t know journaling approach, I would tell the viewer some fun details that would change the way they look at this photo such as “Riley wasn’t really asleep in this photo. She was faking it for my sake because I needed this picture. As a Christmas present for my twin nieces, I decided to create a digital scrapbook album based on the alphabet. Each page featured a letter of the alphabet and a picture of someone or something that they loved. I came up short on a few letters so Riley helped me out by staging a few fun little scenes to photograph. It was her idea to get out her stuffed animal zebra collection for the page about the letter Z. I told her to cozy up with them for a photo and she insisted that she should be asleep. The first few shots I took, I could tell she was holding back a smile. I told her it wouldn’t work if it looked like she was faking it. Incredibly, she pulled it off and everyone who saw the finished picture thought I took it when she was really asleep!”

Which page do you think will mean the most to my daughter right now? How about in 50 years? Don’t you feel much more interested in the photo now that you know the story behind it?

Cardstock by Suzy Q Scraps, zebra from Kate Hadfield, alpha by Lisa Whitney, template from Funky Playground blog

Remember that there is no one “right way” to document your memories. Just focus on the
Write Way” of including the information that will make your scrapbook creations lasting and meaningful.

P.S. We would love to see pages with your journaling on them so feel free to leave us a link in the comments section and/or upload them to our flickr group.

P.S.S Melissa was the random winner seleted from the comments in yesterday’s post!  She won $10 in product from Meredith’s store.  Here’s what she said: “I love her Bliss kit…I’m going to be scrapping my parent’s wedding pictures and this kit is PERFECT!!!”  Check your email!

Many of our readers have asked for help with page titles so I (Katie) am excited to share some of my favorite ideas with you today. I actually enjoy thinking up titles for my layouts and it usually isn’t too difficult for me to do so. For those of you who fear this task, I want to assure you that it will get easier with a few simple tricks and a little practice.

I have to admit that I haven’t always included a title on every page, but in looking back through my own gallery I have come to realize that it does put an important finishing touch on a layout. Ideally, the job of the title is to draw the viewer in to make them want to learn more about what you are showing them.

Van photos from istockphoto High Fidelity kit by Cori Gammon,
Title-ography Graphic Titles by Shawna Clingerman,

I love big bold titles as an attention getter. Don’t you want to know why these vans are “rockin”? The title is a good introduction to the story told through photographs and journaling. You can read my full journaling here if you are interested.

The title doesn’t have to be a huge focal point of the page. Sometimes, it is more like a finishing touch.

Shabby Princess Giggle Box, Bree Clarkson template, LD elementary font

The title is what pulls this layout together. The embellishment buttons describe fun and silliness. The picture is a goofy one, and the journaling is about my silly daughter. The title helps the viewer center in on the theme of the page. The page would look unfinished without it.

The real challenge for many scrappers is coming up with a title, especially for event pages like birthdays or vacations. It is easy to just slap the word “birthday” on a page and call it done. With a little extra thought, you can make the page more interesting. Instead of going for the obvious title, use a little creativity to catch the viewer’s attention.

Darcy Baldwin Template, Anne DeJong Ribbon, Papers by Katie the Scrapbook Lady, fonts are Textura Traced by Fontologie and Century Gothic

I could have easily titled this layout “Jazz Game”, but I tried to convey the excitement of a really unusual Jazz game experience. We actually got to meet coaches and players and had our pictures taken with them. It was a once in a lifetime experience! (You can read my journaling here if you are interested. I brainstormed about the uses of the word “Jazz” and once I thought of being “jazzed”, it all just clicked!

Ali Edwards layered template,”Treemendous” from After Five Designs. Fonts are Hootie and CK Good Day.

This photo just makes me giggle, and I love the memory behind it. We were doing some Christmas shopping at IKEA and we arrived before the store was officially open so we had to wait for them to drop the rope. My husband had the idea to pose as if waiting for the start of a race and our kids were completely willing to play along! Instead of counting down to a race with “Ready, Set, Go!” I used the title “Ready, Set, Shop!” to introduce the scene.

There are times when your title can and should be straightforward. I personally like to title at least the introductory layout of a vacation (if there are more pages than a 2 page spread) with the name of the location visited. After all, that is the subject of the layout!

Template by Janet Phillips, Papery flowers by Anne DeJong, Papers by Katie the Scrapbook Lady,Animal Kingdom graphic from internet.

There really is no reason to title this layout about our trip to the Animal Kingdom with any other witty phrase. The page is simply about the Animal Kingdom park and that is enough to engage the audience.

School pages are another topic where titles can be fairly basic. If you are doing a layout about your son’s 1st grade school experience, it’s perfectly ok to title it “First Grade”.

Back 2 School by Mari Koegelenberg and Melissa Wilson. Template by Ali Edwards. Font is CK journaling.

If you are doing several pages about 1st grade though, you will want to get a little more creative. Think about what the individual page (or 2 page spread) is about and use that as inspiration for your title.

Back 2 School by Mari Koegelenberg and Melissa Wilson. Template by Janet Phillips. Fonts are Fontologie Printing Primer and CK journaling.

When you are scrapping multiple layouts for one event or topic, it’s helpful to think of your beginning page title as the title of a book, and the subsequent pages as chapter titles within that book.

There are many ways to add titles to a scrapbook page to make it more meaningful and interesting. I have developed a few tips and tricks that help me when I need to

Katie’s list of Ten Terrific Title Tips:

1. Start simple. If your page is about an event, a vacation, or a special occasion, consider using the built in title that is already inherent in the page. Tell the “where” or the “what” of the layout.
2. Write your journaling first, or at least think about what you plan to say. Often the title comes to me after I write down the thoughts I want to share. Sometimes you can simply repeat one of the sentences of your journaling or take a few key words from what you have written to use as a page title.
3. Explain the page as if you weren’t going to give any other explanation. Even if you weren’t going to add any other journaling, would it be clear what your page is about? Can you add a title that would make the subject obvious?
4. Imagine your page hanging in an art gallery. What would it be titled? Would it make sense to the viewer?
5. Imagine your page as a book, or a chapter in a book. What would the title be? Would you want to read more based on that title?
6. Hand the page to someone else. Give your layout to a spouse, a child, or a friend and ask them for title ideas. You might be surprised at what they come up with!
7. Give it some time. Sometimes, I just have to put the page away for awhile if I’m stumped for ideas. When I come back to it with a fresh start, I often think of something I missed before.
8. Borrow an idea. Look through online galleries. Browse title ideas at sites like scrapbook.com or two peas.
9. Use catch-phrases, song titles, or quotes to inspire a title. Be careful to explain the meaning through your journaling though, as future generations might not catch the reference to a song popular in our time.
10. Have fun! It’s a scrapbook page, so don’t make yourself miserable trying to come up with the world’s most amazing title. Just be yourself and say what you would tell a friend who was looking at the page with you.

P.S. THANKS to Amy for taking time to comment in Janet’s post yesterday!  She just won a $10 GC to Janet’s store at SSD!

Journaling is an important part of documenting memories and there are several different ways to include your written words on a scrapbook layout. There’s an entire category here on The Daily Digi site all about journaling. If you find yourself struggling to find ways to tell the stories that you want to share, be sure to check out this wonderful journaling how-to post by Janet.

Personally, I (Katie) love the process of journaling on my scrapbook pages. It’s not always easy, but it is very satisfying to know that I took the time to share my thoughts and feelings. I love that these words can live on in a format that can be enjoyed by my family and friends.

I always enjoy reading other people’s journaled pages. It is one of the ways I get inspiration to do my own story telling. I appreciate it when someone takes the time to include their journaled words in the credits of a layout. The experiences of others will often spark a memory that I would like to share. I feel motivated to document our lives in words when I see how other scrappers are doing the same thing.

I realize that it isn’t always possible to share the journaling details online due to space constraints (it would be impossible for us to do that here in our posts or they would go on for pages!). I also am aware that it isn’t always wise to share some personal writings on the internet. There are times that I choose not to share my journaling on the web for personal reasons, but I try to include it whenever it is safe and appropriate to do so. It is my hope that others will see that it is easy to take a casual approach to sharing the full experience of a memory through both pictures and words.

So instead of TELLING you how to journal, today I would like to SHOW you how I do it. I have several pages to share as examples and I will include the journaling for each one.

Template by CSchneider. Kit is “Brrrr” by Shabby Princess.

journaling reads:

Ginger is an old dog and she has a hard time walking down stairs now. Yet, somehow when it snows outside, she finds her inner puppy. She loves to play in the snow! Often she will come back inside with her whole face covered in snowflakes because she has been burying her head in the snowy drifts. Sometimes she just sits right down in it and makes herself comfortable. It must feel good to her with her thick & furry coat. It is fun to see her enjoy it so much.

…

Template by Janet Philipps, Amanda Rockwell Crazy Beautiful kit, Catherine Designs Pele Mele Memory Keeper kit, Tekton font

journaling reads:

My laptop is one of my favorite things right now. I don’t really think of myself as a materialistic person, but this computer is more than just an object. When I open up the laptop, I have my own personal gateway to the outside world. I can visit blogs, forums, galleries, and online shops with a few clicks of the mouse and bring the world right to me. This has become especially important now that we use an online academy for our homeschooling. The computer is a part of our everyday life in many ways so having my very own laptop is a lifesaver!
I saved up the money to buy my first laptop back in 2006 and it was a wonderful computer. Because I use my laptop to do so many things (including designing digital scrapbooking supplies), I needed a bit of an upgrade. I’m very lucky that Jeff wanted to “spoil me” by doing something really nice for a Christmas gift for me. He let me pick out a fantastic Dell XPS laptop that really meets my needs. Every day when I sit down to log on, I feel so blessed to have this little machine that brings me so much joy!

…

Template No. 6 by Ali Edwards, Aaron Solid Papers by Michelle Martin, Basic Paper Alpha Beige Caps by Katie Pertiet, journaling font is Calibri

Journaling reads:

Once when we were staying in a vacation home with our family, Jeff made the bed. It was thrown together and nothing was lined up or tucked in properly. Now, I know I should have just kept my mouth shut (since he really hates to make beds), but for some reason I told him that he did it wrong. He told me to show him how I would do it and I proceeded to whip that bed into shape. I informed him that it looked so good that it could be in a magazine. He said “I didn’t know we lived in a magazine!” He has teased me about that ever since. I admit that it’s an unrealistic standard. Our home is rarely “magazine-ready” and I guess I really wouldn’t want to live that way all the time. I could probably handle living in the Pottery Barn Catalog though. I love everything in there! But no one else would ever be able to make the beds, so I will settle for real life living instead!

…

Weeds n Wildflowers Life 365, Scrap System Solids by Katie the Scrapbook Lady, Template by Tiffany Tillman, Font is Myriad Pro

Journaling reads:

The years are different and so are the styles, but both of these girls are on their way to a church basketball game. Even the backdrops are quite different. The house I grew up in was filled with wallpaper and after years of enduring wallpaper removal duty, I have made a pact to never have wallpaper on the walls of our home. My home at this age was old, the house we live in now is nice and new. I think the biggest contrast though is in the girls themselves. I was unsure of myself as an athlete and never felt very confident in my skills. You, on the other hand, are a good basketball player and you love to play. It doesn’t matter that the clothes have changed over the years, I’m just glad the attitude and skills are better!

2009 Riley age 12
no uniform, they wear team vests
long shorts, short socks, adidas shoes

1981 Katie age 12
team uniform required
short shorts, long socks, nike shoes

…

As you can see, I vary the styles and methods I use for journaling. I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about if I’m doing it “right” or not, it’s more important to me that I’m sharing the details that I know about the memory.

Next time your browsing the galleries for some “eye candy” take some time to look for journaling “gems” instead. Take notice of the layouts that do a good job sharing the story and think about what made you want to continue reading the details of that page. As you bookmark favorite journaled layouts, you will gain a better appreciation and understanding of what really makes a scrapbook page memorable.

Make a commitment to dig a little deeper within yourself to bring the stories you have inside of you to life. You will find that your layouts will become more than pages, they will be masterpieces!

P.S. Hannah K is today’s GIFTaway winner and was randomly selected from the comments on yesterday’s post (we are so glad that you are so excited to learn this stuff )Here’s what Hannah said: “yippee ~ looking forward to the lessons and improving my layouts”/  Thanks to everyone for giving Rachael such a warm reception on her first post!  Hannah won a $10 GC to Paislee Press!

P.S.S  There are only a few more days to grab THE DIGI FILES 11 and qualify yourself to win a BUNCH-O-GIFTS including one lucky person that will win $120 of gift certificates to past sponsors stores!!

It is no secret that I love journaling.  I think that journaling is such an important part of the scrapbooking process.  Most of us would say that we are scrapbooking in order to leave a story for our families.  We want our kids and grandkids to know something about themselves, about us, and about the lives we led.  It’s the story that we care about most.  The pretty papers and elements are just for fun — a way to help tell the story.  But in the end, the words and photos are what matter.  Journaling doesn’t have to be a scary thing, though.  I wrote an entire post on different ways you can journal. Today I want to show you a trick to add more of the story into your journaling…by burying little treasures of information.

A good author doesn’t tell you the facts, they bury you the facts.  Take this “story” for example.

“Alone in the quiet of the early morning hours, Janet sipped her first cup of coffee for the day.  The kids, still nestled in bed, would be awake soon.  Working quickly to finish her post, she smiled slightly as she thought of the four little kids and the hugs and kisses and endless requests that would soon be hers.”

Buried within this story is a lot of information about this Janet character: she gets up early, she drinks numerous cups of coffee a day, she has lots of kids who get up fairly early too.  Janet has work to do — a post of some sort.  She is a busy mom but she enjoys it.

Just like an author gives information without “telling” it, we can do the same on our scrapbook pages.  There are so many little bits and piece of information that make up our whole story.  While they may not be worthy of entire page, we can bury them inside other stories and allow the readers to uncover them.  Piece by piece, the treasures are unearthed and the entire story of our lives takes shape.  Take these examples:

The journaling says, “Whenever I think about my Granddaddy, the thing that always comes to mind is his love of books. As an English professor at NC State University, his love of the written word was passed down to my mother and to us.  The memories I have of him usually involve him reading to me and my little sister Sharron. He would read and read, and although in this picture I don’t look too thrilled, I have very fond memories of these times.  It is who he was.”

In that journaling, more information is shared than just that fact that my grandpa read to us.  I was able to share more about him: 1) We called him Granddaddy and 2) He was an English professor at NC State University.  I may never make a page about that, but now those two little pieces of our story are preserved.

Here is a more recent example, coincidentally also entitled READ.

Here is the journaling: “I love seeing you love to read! It took me until I was in college to really appreciate reading.  It was crammed down my throat when I was little so I didn’t have the chance to realize how wonderful it is to be whisked away in a story! I won’t push you, but I hope that your love of reading continues and that you can always find an excuse to cuddle up in the perfect spot and read a great story!”

Although this page is about my daughter and her love to read, I was able to share a lot about myself in it too (after all, our stories are very intertwined).  In this small piece of journaling we learn that 1) I felt like reading was forced on me and so I didn’t like it and 2) When I got to college I realized how wonderful reading could be.

And finally,

“It’s 85 degrees outside and she says she wants cold.  She dresses in sweaters and socks and begs to live in a place with snow and cold (which convinces me that she is not my child since I’ve hated cold and snow for as long as I can remember). Sorry, babe.  So far it doesn’t look like a cold weather climate is in your near future.  You’ll have to settle for shorts, flip flops, and the pool. But you can still wear the sweaters. It’s so cute!”

Again, in this example I was able to give a piece of my story while sharing my daughter’s story. I haven’t made a page about my loathing of cold weather (though I really should!) but at least this little nugget of information is buried in my scrapbook somewhere.

So the next time you scrap a page, think about what little treasures you can bury in your journaling.  Think about how the full story will unfold as future generations gleam little nuggets of information from each page.  Your story is important…write it down!

P.S. THANKS to all of the scrappers that participated in the “From the Files” challenge!  Each of them have won  ALL of the items in the  “winter collection” section at Zig Zag Scrap, our sponsor store for this month! -Steph

Credits for above layouts:

1. READ (April 2007): background paper, notebook paper, and arrow by Catrine at Catscrap, alpha by Birgit at Catscrap brads and stitching by Shabby Princess, paper tear by Steph Krush.

2. READ (November 2009): Bookworm by Kristin CB at Sweet Shoppe Designs. Template by Janet Phillips (Collection 6).

3. SHE WANTS COLD (December 2009): Frostbite by Julie Billingsley at Sweet Shoppe Designs, template by Janet Phillips (Collection 31).

Every Life Has its Story from THE DIGI FILES 8, stitching by Syrin, template by Janet Phillips

• Right now…I am drinking coffee and waiting for the kiddos to get home from PE and music class
• Right now… I am trying to decide between french toast and chicken tacos for dinner.
• Right now…I am trying to find cheap flights for Christmas
• Right now…I soaking in all the beautiful sunshine, blue skies, green grass, and birds chirping.  I never want to take those things for granted
• Right now…I am excited and scared as there are some “news” and “unknowns” in my life
• Right now…I am wondering why Mac computers come with white keyboards.  Disgusting is being nice.
• Right now…I am avoiding cleaning out my office
• Right now…I am loving life

What about you?  What are you doing/feeling/thinking/praying about/worrying about/enjoying/avoiding/craving RIGHT NOW?

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“Hindsight is 20/20″ they say.  Looking back, we often see things that we didn’t see — maybe couldn’t see — when we were in the midst of an issue.  Looking back, everything makes more sense, the wheat can be separated from the chaff, and things don’t look the same.  Sometimes when you are too close to something you just can’t tell what it really is.  Sharing those lessons is important. Not only is it therapeutic to look back and see what we have learned but it also leaves a legacy behind. Perhaps those that come after us can learn from our mistakes.  After all, isn’t that why we study history — to learn what people have done, to see what worked and what didn’t work, and to know how to do it better the next time? As I scrapbook my story, I want it to include these “looking back” moments.

In early 2007 I did by first “to a younger me” layout. It was very therapeutic for me and I am glad that I had a chance to share my heart.

Credits: Wild Love by Shabby Princess, zig zag stitching by Lisa Whitney, stamped heart by Michelle Coleman

Two and half years have passed and I am sensing even more the need to share more of these “letters” to myself.  I want to save my story and the things I have learned from them for my children — especially my daughters.  My teenage and early adult years were so very hard.  If by sharing the mistakes I made I can spare my own girls just one moment of misery, then it will all be worth it. I want to start a collection of these layouts so that one day I can pass them to my daughters. I was looking through old pictures the other day and came across one that to an outsider, wouldn’t look like much. To me, it spoke volumes and will always remind me of many wasted years.  I feel a little vulnerable sharing this layout, but it is real and in my journaling, I always want to be real.  I’ve shared my story with a lot of people anyway, but I usually like to do it in a one-on-one setting. But hey, what’s a little vulnerability between me and a few thousand of my closest friends

Credits: Track of my Life by Lauren Reid for THE DIGI FILES 8. Staples by Shabby Princess

And here is a gorgeous layout by team member Karen — “If I’d Known Then What I Know Now”

CREDITS: Lauren Grier A Beautiful Glow kit, Borderline,  Jacked Up Kind of Love font with Darcy Baldwin; Janet Phillips template; Fonts are Pea Devon, Pea Devon Caps and Gimme Space by Lauren Reid and Darcy Baldwin

So what do YOU want to tell YOUR younger self?  Do you have some advice?  Do you have a funny story to tell?  Do you have a “you never will guess how this turns out” letter for her to read?  Whatever it is, go ahead and tell her.  You have no idea how much she needs to hear it!

Credits: Black paper from Snapping & Scrapping, stamped alpha by Nancie Rowe Janitz, staples by Shabby Princess, photo from web, font is Typewriter Scribbled

Eight years ago today I was in India, sitting in my school staff room, watching the World Trace Center towers come down.  It was a moment I will never forget.  I sat there in total disbelief, feeling all sorts of emotions — pride, fear, wonder, rage, uncertainty.  It was a day that changed my home country forever.  It was a day that changed me.

Rewind another 15 years to the Challenger space shuttle crash.  I was in third grade, I think.  I sat in the school lunch room, probably ignoring my food, as I watched the shuttle make its launch.  And then, just as soon as it began it was over.  Another day that will always be with me.

As scrapbookers, we record a lot of stories.  We tell stories of good days, bad days, and every day moments.  We tell of birthdays, vacations, milestones.  But what about the REALLY big days?  The days that have changed history.  The days that will end up in our children’s text books.  Have we told the story from where we stood?

For Americans, September 11, 2001 is a day we won’t soon forget. Today marks 8 years since our homeland was attacked.  I am sure it brings back a flood of emotions and memories that should be recorded.  I know someday my grandkids will wonder where I was and what I was doing.  And now they will know.

I encourage you, no matter what your nationality, to take some time to scrap some of the big days in history. Maybe it was an election day.  Maybe it was a day of national disaster.  Maybe it was day that seemed normal and yet changed everything. Whatever it is, tell the story.  Yours is unique and it is worth being preserved.

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

C.S. LEWIS

Dreaming dreams and having goals are important things.  They are what push us, what give us a destination, and help us filter experiences along the way.  Living life without dreaming dreams and having goals is like trudging along, having no idea where you are going.  And if you don’t know where you are going, how will you know when you have (or haven’t) gotten there?

In scrapbooking we have the opportunity to not only celebrate the milestones of life but also we have a chance to tell ourselves — and others — of our dreams.  It allows us a way to document our journey…both  where we are and where we want to go. Writing our dreams and goals down is like making  a declaration — “I WILL do this.”  And when we see those dreams written down we are more likely to remember what we want — to strive for it, to grasp for it, to give it all we have.  Scrapbooking our dreams can be a great motivation.

Over the years I have done a number of layouts that incorporate dreams and goals that I have at the moment.  I love being able to look back and see how I was feeling at a particular time, what was important, and what themes reoccur (like finding balance in my life!) Some of these layouts I can look at and say, “I did it!” and some, like the one below, will be a constant motivation throughout the rest of my life.

Journaling Reads: I dream so much for all of you.  I dream that you will grow up and know what love feels like.  I dream that you will love God with all your heart and understand His sovereignty.  I dream that you will continue to love each other the way you do now.  I dream that you will look back and say you had the happiest childhood.  I dream that your childhood will be filled with running and playing and exploring, not wasting away in front of a TV. I dream that you will grow to love the the world and its amazing diversity. I dream that you will have hearts of compassion for the lost and the poor. I dream that you will learn to love the Word of God and find it trustworthy.  I dream that you will learn that eternity it what matters and therefore sometimes we have to make decisions that aren’t easy or fun.  I dream that you will find the mate that God has planned for you and that you will learn to love as Christ loved the church.  I dream that you will one day have your own children and then finally be able to grasp the depth of love that I have for you. I dream with all that is in me.

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Here are some ideas for scrapbooking about your dreams and goals:

1. Pick one thing that you really want to change in your life.  Be specific. Print out the page and put it in a spot you will see often.

2. Journal about specific goals you want to complete this week. It will give you a record of where you are right now and what is going on in your life.

3. Create a layout (like mine above) that lists dreams you have for your children.  It will help you put words to thoughts and feelings and give you something to filter experiences through.  When we know what we really want for our children we can ask ourselves, “Will this opportunity or experience help me achieve what I am aiming for?“

4. Scrap a page about a goal you set and have already achieved.  It is a great way to record your success!  I did this a few years ago when I lost 25 pounds and I love seeing a goal set and achieved.  It also inspires me to do it again!

5. Have your kids tell you what kinds of goals they have and create a page together about it.  This will help “freeze in time” where their hearts and minds are right now and also give you a way to be involved in helping them realize their dreams.

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“The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going.”

RALPH WALDO EMERSON

It’s March 20 and for many people, this is a day they have been dreaming of.  The first day of spring.  The promise of warmer weather, flowering trees, and the chance to start fresh.  I may not get to experiences “spring” where I live, but I still love the idea of all things new and fresh.  Spring has a way of coming in and bringing with it a wave of fresh air and fresh ideas.  I just love it!

Our life is filled with times that are “new and fresh.”  Spring.  A new baby.  A new home.  A change in jobs.  A start of a healthier lifestyle. A fresh coat of paint.  Things that are new always mark the change  in our path of life.  Whether these changes are big and beautiful or hard and filled with trouble, they are part of our story.  And they need to be shared.

For today’s, “THE WRITE WAY” I encourage you to create a layout about something new and fresh in your life.  Maybe you have snapped a photo of the first flowers popping their head up.  Maybe you are welcoming a new child into your family.  Maybe your oldest is getting ready to graduate and move away from home.  Whatever it is, stop and share the story.

Here is a page I did talking about the newness of my oldest not being the only girl in the family anymore.  I wanted to remember the transition she made from being our only baby girl to being “the big sister” to two brothers AND a new sister.  It was a change in our life and I wanted to record it.

(credits: Vintage Linens by Shabby Miss Jenn, staples by Shabby Princess, Alpha from “Art Class’ by Shabby Miss Jenn, fonts are Porcelain, Century Gothic, and Mom’s Typewriter)

And here is a template to get you started on your page. You can download it HERE.

If you scrap a page this weekend documenting something “new and fresh,” leave a comment here.  I have some coupons from our participating designers to give away!