This time of year can be dizzying for a scrapbooker. Product choices are abundant and every industry site has a class or project approach to share. It can be all-too-easy to follow the herd, making it important look inward and make the best choices for your unique needs.
In this post I’ll share a simple exercise for helping you pin-point the best approach for your unique needs. Whether you’re keen to keep it simple with a photo album or go whole-hog with daily documentation, use these questions to finalize your plans.
4 Steps to Selecting a Holiday Project
Step 1. Take it all in. Spend 30 minutes (use a timer if needed) to browse Pinterest or your favorite blogs to gain a lay of the land. What types of projects are other scrapbookers planning? Take specific note of how some approaches may differ from what is most common.
Step 2. Make a list. Off the top of your head, write down project approaches that appeal you to. List four to five different options that sound interesting or exciting to you. Try not to discriminate and mentally focus on the thrill of starting a new project.
Step 3. Use a red pen. Look at your list and start crossing off any project that is totally not feasible. Cross off any project that you don’t have time for or couldn’t finish in a reasonable time. Be realistic and honest with yourself as you evaluate the list.
Step 4. Commit and simplify. Once you’ve narrowed down your options to your best choice, make the commitment. Share your plan in public and set yourself up for success. Also, keep an eye on not making it any more complicated than needed.
I’d love to know the results of your exercise! What approach will you take for scrapbooking the holidays?
When I saw the Project Life “Merry and Bright” 8×8 album kit, I knew I could handle that. It came with color-coordinated 3×4 and 4×6 journaling cards. All I have to do is slip them in with my photos and jot down some journaling. I’m excited and not at all intimidated by this way of documenting our December this year!
I started making cute Christmas tags this year and liked them even better when I added recent photos of my grandson to them. They’d look fabulous hanging on our tree, too. (Plus they are unbreakable when I rummage in the presents under the tree and tend to knock it over now and then). So I’m continuing with tags.
I am doing a December Daily Album but very very simply. I have cards for each day and will journal a bit and then the focus will be on the pictures. I want to take one and many more pictures each day until the first of January as we have two New Year’s Eve birthdays to celebrate, my husbands and our DIL. This is about it for me other than a few cards and gifts.
Ironically, I found a “too good to miss” deal on Basic Grey’s new 25th and Pine Christmas line and then saw the guest post using the same line for a December Daily! That was confirmation that I can, indeed, do a Christmas album of some sort this holiday season.
I’m still in search of an album. Leaning toward a 6×8 SNAP album or a Project Life mini album. Whichever one I snag first, I am just excited to be creating a holiday album!
Thanks to Rhonda H above, I might just snag a few of the Project Life, Merry and Bright 8×8 kits to give my daughters and DIL to document their holiday season!*
Happy scrapping everyone – XO