Search This Blog

Monday 6 May 2013

Epiphany


Well - actually, I've had a couple over the past few weeks -

Firstly - yes, I really am emigrating to Australia- or going home - and things will be sitting in storage for quite a while.  There is a difference between knowing it intellectually, and having the realisation of what this change means in practical life terms.  In reality, I won't have access to most of my craft tools and bulk supplies for ages and ages - certainly not at Mum and Dad's, maybe not in rented accommodation - and maybe not until we buy a house, however long away that might be. 

So therefore it really didn't make sense to hang on to certain things.  My philosophy up until now has been "hang on to it - it will always come in useful, and I could always use it here or there .... " Well, I haven't done a bad job - but I will have moved on again in a couple of years, so time to let most of it go. 

I have been destashing and decluttering a good while now.  I freecycled my fibres and other bits of wool and materials.  I gave away my lovely stash of antique buttons and other vintage clunky bits.  I have pulled useful bits out of magazines and filed them - haven't quite finished that process, but nearly there.  A solid week at that, and it will done. 

Now for the bigger stuff!  I've now sold my Cricut and most of the cartridges.  This has been firstly inspired by this epiphany, but secondly - we need the money.  Thirdly - I need to downsize.  Fourthly - I will aspire to a Silhouette Cameo at some point.  I've been wondering how people have done stuff lately, and all of a sudden it just dawned on me.  That is what I need!

So the selling will continue, and I will just keep going through things and thin them out. 

Secondly - I am changing the way I scrapbook the everyday stuff.  You could call it "Project Life" - but I've been scrapbooking my holiday projects like this for a few years now.  I called it "functional scrapbooking" - and really it is just using divided page protectors.  I suppose I am moving back to a decorated photo album - but more importantly - which also tells the stories in more detail than a normal scrapbook page. 

I will still continue to do showcase layouts - but really only for very special photos, or if I feel like being arty.  I need to fit in more photos, and more stories - but where I will differ from Project Life (or maybe not the theory, but how most people do it) is that I won't be restricted to a page per week.  It will be in chronological order, but most importantly, it will celebrate my boys' milestones as they happen.  Just as well I've been semi-up to date with my blog posts about the boys! I've also written the seminal stuff on our calendar, so that week to week, I can easily scoop it up to go into that scrapbook page.  I don't need so many supplies - I can use office stuff if I have to - but I can just print out the photos, slot them into a few slots, and even scribble some journalling onto a scrap piece of paper, and come back and fill it in properly later. 

That way, I won't get too behind with their chronology, no matter what other madness life decides to throw at us concurrently.  At least, that's my plan - at the moment, it seems as clear as a bell as to how it will work - we will have to wait and see. 

In the meantime, this is my first double page:

 
Left:
 
 Right:




I've already noticed quite a few pros and cons in this new process:

Pros
  • I can go through and slot in photos as and when
  • I use a LOT of stash! and from a load of different manufacturers
  • Cheaper for photo developing in the longer term
  • I was already using a lot of old stash, but I've managed to use somethings from very very early on in my scrapbooking life!
Cons
  • Maybe it is this page, but I wanted to make it special - so still very time consuming
  • I will need to go back to editing a bunch of photos at a time, to upload them to a digital processor
  • You need to have a vision of how your pages will come together over the divided page protectors - I can really see the beauty of buying "Project Life" kits, which are already coordinated and cut to size.  That would save HEAPS of time, but then I wouldn't be using up my own stash!
It is my first double page with this new process, after all.  So I am sure it will get quicker!  But it also means a new way of working too - organisation by theme, rather than what I had before.  I've also started to go through and refine my organisation of stash - alphas into big chipboard, and now smaller letters.  A Cropper Hopper for quotes and journalling labels, stickers etc.  Then if I decide I want a quote on one section, I can go to that Cropper Hopper to file through.

So - a whole new way of looking at almost everything scrapbooking related, that's for sure!

Supplies:
Bazzill Basics Cardstock
Patterned papers: First Edition "Up Up and Away" paper stack, Kaisercraft Hey Birdie collection "Hightail", plus unknown scrap from a stack I was given nearly 9 years ago
Cricut Home Accents cartridge "Family" (my last use!)
Basic Grey White Chocolate Chip "Beckham" micro chip stickers
Pink Paislee "Captivating" sticker book - blue alphas
MM Star and Tiny Alphas on White
Artemio Felt "Baby and Bears"
PSX Designs "Fairy Tales" stickers
Autumn Leaves "Romance of Spring" clear stamps by Sande Kreiger
MAMBI rhinestone words "Beautiful"

If you've made it this far, phew! well done. Thanks for joining me in my journey.  :)

8 comments:

  1. beautiful layouts, must be hard knowing all your bits will be in storage for so long but sure it will be worth it in the end!

    ReplyDelete
  2. hard things to take on board Ali, but what a positive idea and I love the end result

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's probably a better way to keep up to date and there will be lot to journal and take photos of won't there

    ReplyDelete
  4. I fully understand your reasons and need to declutter. It's hard being ruthless, but it will make a big difference in the end. I actually bought my Silhoutte when I shut the shop, and I've not looked back.

    I will say that this year I've been doing PL and I will say that it's a fabulous way of using up stash :) but it isn't quick (sorry to burst your bubble lol) but it is without a doubt fabulous ... I love it to bits and I know you will too x

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lovely layout Ali and a really thought provoking post. I can appreciate your need to declutter and not just store things and I apologise if I have contributed in any way to your desire to have a Silhouette.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sounds like a fab approach to things and I am thinking of using the divided page protectors more - I have so many photos that I want in my albums but I just don't have the time to do that many layouts. I am thinking in future for holidays to just do 3 or 4 layouts with my favourite photos that I feel deserve to be given the full layout treatment and then use the divided page protectors for the rest with some journalling cards.

    At least with your system you can keep on top of where the photos will be in your albums and then can go back to embellish and add the journalling once you get your mitts on all your supplies again.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I think that's a great approach. I've started using divide protectors more to showcase extra pics from a day out or a busy month and I'm loving it. I guess this one would always have taken ages as it's such a special subject, I'm sure others will come together much more quickly. Hope you're not without your supplies for too long!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Fabulous pages Ali! What gorgeous boys - your most beautiful craft project so far!!

    ReplyDelete