Saturday, August 2, 2008

Lessons Learned

I purchased, at 50% off from Memorable Seasons, a new AC Album. It arrived on Saturday, and I spent Sat. evening sorting J's pages and putting them into page protectors. It was a humbling experience in so many ways.

Here is what I learned:

1. I should have bought an album a long time ago. Then I would have known all this stuff months ago. I'll chalk that up to learning the hard way. Plus, we could have enjoyed the pages by flipping through them, instead of them collecting dust on my shelf.

2. I'm a fairly "flat" scrapper, thank goodness. Only time in my life I've ever been grateful to be flat.

3. I have 55 pages from J's first year, only 35 from his second. Hmm?

4. Even as much as I scrap, I don't feel like I have all the memories down I want to get down. I want to do some pages where I show the progression of time, compare months. Really show the ages. I wish I had documented the date/age more on my first pages.

5. I didn't regret anything I actually scrapbooked, only the things I didn't. But I didn't know what those things were until I saw the pages in the album and realized that's all I had.

6. Looking at the finished pages in the album, sorted by month for J's age, I didn't notice the "product" at all. I only noticed the journaling/photo. I guess in the end it doesn't matter what paper/products you use, so long as you love them. And when you see just how much scrapbooking stuff you have compared to how few finished pages you have, ouch.

7. I didn't really notice the design of the pages much either. It's something I'm not going to stress about quite so much in the future.

8. I want even more photos! It's not that I want to put 10 photos on a page just for the sake of it, I just want more of the story, any way I can get it. I'll try to add more photos in the future. J wants more photos of me and dh, those are his favorite pages.

9. I thought I was a pretty good journaler, but I could do better.

10. I have 90 layouts total, mostly 8.5 x 11. Even though I did a bunch of layouts for CHA, they aren't returned so they don't count. Otherwise we would be real close to celebrating 100 pages here in the next few weeks.

I have another album coming for J's second year. And I'm thinking that once I hit 100 pages, a RAK might be in order. So stay tuned for that. I'll leave you with a page I did for a challenge at SC, a bow challenge by Steph H. I wasn't going to do it, but then I saw that Susan Beth blew my excuse out of the water ( I only have boys to scrap darn it!). So, being the punk that I am, I had to make good even though it is like a week late. Cosmo Cricket Mr. Campy everything except cardstock and AC thickers. Do you love that ribbon or what? Regardless of whether you feel these papers are your style, the ribbon is just awesome.



So dh says to me as I finished this page last week, what are those? (pointing to the butterflies).
Me: Oh, those are moths.
Dh: Moths?
Me: Yep, hottest thing at CHA. Moths, mustaches and marshmallows.
Dh: (Gives me a look like what kind of adhesive are you sniffing in there?)
Me: Smiling weakly, knowing I am busted with ribbon and butterflies on a boy page.

Oh well, 10 more pages to go!

16 comments:

Sweet Peripety said...

You really really gave me some thing to mull over about scrapbooking. That's amazing, the lessons you pulled out there....you should share this on the SC board.

Love the page, too. GREAT design!

janel said...

And, as the years pass you will really feel more of those same thoughts..More pictures and more words and thoughts from your hearts. Love the bow, and your comment that it was a "moth".
Have a great day.

Jen Martakis said...

MOTHS!! That is hilarious!! And, yep, that ribbon is gorgeous!

You are so right about scrapping. I have noticed myself "slipping" from my original reason for scrapping. I seem to sometimes scrap in a hurry just to meet a deadline and don't concentrate on the journaling like I used to. You have convinced me to slow down and take that time, even if I decide to do the "big" journaling on the backside, I will get it done. Thanks Danielle.

Susan Beth said...

Love the bow on the boy page! Love the butterfly too! Thanks for sharing the lessons learned! I'll take those things to heart!

Claude said...

Hee, hee, I chuckled when I read your conversation with your DH!

MandeeM said...

Oh I love it! I can't wait to see mr. campy in my hands... and the ribbon is to die for!

Anonymous said...

you seriously need to market this moth thing. i predict great sales to moms of boys :)

Cath said...

The moths thing made me LOL. I really enjoyed reading your lessons learned. Very very interesting reading.

Sugar Spice Cabinet said...

I love love your pages. Thanks for pointing out the lessons, I will be sure to jot down notes for the future.

I have a hard time with photos and scrapping because I like lots of photos. So if you figure out a way to show off more photos let me know!

Kate said...

I learn a valuable lesson in buying the album after you've done the layouts. The pages just might not fit! Boy does that suck when that happens...

I see nothing wrong with flowers, bows, or butterflies on boy pages unless they are pink and purple...LOL!

Rita said...

I'm so behind in putting layouts in albums, so I can totally relate. I don't scrap chronologically so when I do get around to putting things in albums is when I realize what I'm missing too. Love the layout - the ribbon is gorgeous, and the moth comment is priceless!

laverneboese said...

I enjoyed reading your list. It really got me thinking about why I scrapbook and the pages that I create. My poor boys and husband. They know that I love flowers and I think I've put them on every page that I've ever done--and yes, on all my boy pages, hee hee!

Jennifer Davis said...

Thanks for sharing...I've had similar thoughts and it's a good reminder for me to stay grounded and true to what this truly is to me.

Love the layout (and that bit of Mr. Campy!)...take care and have a great week!

Vee said...

love your layout!! ;)I love AC Modern albums!

Helsbells said...

I don't feel as though I record a fraction of what I want to remember about our everyday life together.

Really enjoyed reading your thoughts :)

Anonymous said...

I know what you mean about wishing you'd pictured/scrapped more events. For me, it's the smaller things that I look back on and realize I don't have pictures of, live and learn I guess.