SYW309 – My Way with Caroline Stevens

Jennifer Wilson: [00:00:00] Welcome to Scrapbook Your Way, the show that explores the breadth of ways to be a memory keeper today. I'm your host, Jennifer Wilson, owner of Simple Scrapper and author of The New Rules of Scrapbooking. This is episode 309. In this episode, I'm interviewing Caroline Stevens for the My Way series. My way is all about celebrating the unique ways memory keepers get things done.

We're excited to have Caroline as the September featured artist at Simple Scrapper.

Hey, Caroline, welcome to Scrapbook Your Way.

Caroline Stevens: Hi there.[00:01:00]

Jennifer Wilson: I'm excited to chat with you today and learn more about your scrapbooking hobby. Could you share a little bit about yourself?

Caroline Stevens: Yeah, so my name is, uh, Caroline Stevens. I live in Worcestershire in the, uh, in the UK with my husband. Uh, I've also got a little, uh, kitty cat called Fred who lives with us. Uh, my, my mum lives with us as well, and also my daughter who is 19, although she's, um, just started her second year at uni. So she's actually moved away now and is in college halls, which is uh, which is very new. So we're in a little, little small, uh, bungalow here. So there's, uh, lots of us in a small space. So lots of stories to capture. Lots of memories to tell.

Jennifer Wilson: Oh, for sure. And I'm sure that poses kind of a a space issue for

Caroline Stevens: Yes.

Jennifer Wilson: times.

Caroline Stevens: It does. It does. Yeah, it does. I have, um, I actually have a dedicated scrap, um, space, uh, which I'm really lucky to have, but it's actually, um, in part of my kitchen. So I, um, the kitchen is on just, um. Um, in two halves and there's a little step down and I claimed [00:02:00] that section for myself. So, um, I have to share it with the fridge, the fridge, freezer.

But other than, other than that, it's uh, really pretty and it's got all of my, um, some lovely, um, Ikea furniture in there and baskets with scrapbook products and that kind of thing. And I'm really lucky 'cause um, it's actually got really good lighting as well, so I can see, look down my lovely garden. I've got really nice big garden, lots of trees and that kind of thing.

So it's really enjoyable space to be in a, yeah, really enjoyable.

Jennifer Wilson: And convenient to, to.

Caroline Stevens: Yes.

Jennifer Wilson: cup of coffee or

Caroline Stevens: Exactly.

Jennifer Wilson: like.

Caroline Stevens: And I can also means I can scrap it while I'm cooking and things. You know, when you sometimes, um, maybe put something in the oven and you can leave it for a little while, I can just go in over to my craft table and do a bit of something and then just leave it and go back. Yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: Nice, nice. So Caroline, do you have a favorite recent layout or project and why is it special to you?

Caroline Stevens: Um, yes, I would say my current favorite is my daughter's story album. Um, so that's a six, uh, six by eight binder. And I work kind of inside page protectors and [00:03:00] outside in there. Um, but it just holds stories for of her, um, for this year. Um, and I'd say why it's, um, my favorite, it's ongoing, but um, 'cause she's just gone back to uni as well.

It's really kind of brought it back into my head. 'Cause she's telling me lots of stories about her new, um, you know, her new flat and the new friends that she's already making. Um, and it's, it's lovely because it's a kind of collaborative thing now that she's older. So, um, I've set up a little shared album on, um, on the iCloud and she will put photos in there for me that she wants me to add to her book as she calls it.

So it's rather being an Chase is after stories, you know, have you got any photos? And this kind of thing. I, it feel, I'm kind of a, a part, I'm a a really honored witness to parts of her life, which is really, really lovely. So she'll put photos in there, it prompts me to ask her questions, uh, you know, who's this person?

Where's that place? That kind of thing. Um, and also because [00:04:00] she's doing performing arts, she, um, uploads videos as well. So what I do, I um, I put those onto my YouTube and. private little section so no one can see them. But she and I, and, and I like to create QR codes for them as well. So they put, print the little QR code out and put that on her, um, maybe on a, a project about her dance or something.

And then in years to come, she'll be able to scan that code and watch the videos, which I've, um, which I love to do. Yeah. So that's definitely my favorite at the moment.

Jennifer Wilson: Oh, that's very cool. And I love like the partnership you have in

Caroline Stevens: Yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: And, um, giving her like the autonomy around deciding which stories are, are going to

Caroline Stevens: Yes. That was really important. Um, quite early on really to make sure I did that rather than just being, you know, snapping stuff when she was going through those awkward years that she, and photos that she didn't like that maybe I thought she looked pretty in and she was kinda like, no, that's awful hair or whatever. Um, so yeah. Yeah, it really important that she gets involved with it for me.

Jennifer Wilson: So is there something in your hobby that you're excited to do, use or try? And it could be actually in your hobby or even in your everyday [00:05:00] life.

Caroline Stevens: Uh, yes, actually. So, um, my, as you said, my, um, my space here in the, in the Harris is quite limited. Um, but it's gonna be even more limited because my husband and I have bought, um, a camper van. Um, we are going to be, um, traveling around, first of all in the UK. Uh, we're gonna do it for kind of two weeks out of every month.

So we're gonna go away in the camper van for two weeks, explore a different area, and then come home for two weeks and then go away again. Um, so that's gonna be a part of life and, typically we've chosen, um, October to start it. Which is in the, in the UK is going to be potentially quite, um, cold and wet and a bit dreary.

So not necessarily the best time to travel. Um, but I'm really excited for that 'cause it's gonna give me lots of, um, new adventures, freedom, stories to tell. Um, but I've also bought myself a little, um, polar. uh, printer. Um, I've been using a Canon selfie for years. It prints at, um, six by four size, but this one is a tiny little one.

It prints at three by three. Um, so I'm going to trial, [00:06:00] um, scrapbooking on the road as well as when I get home. So, um, that'll be a new way of working for me. 'Cause it's in a really tiny space 'cause it being a camper van. Um, so I'm gonna have to be, I I, we've been away for a couple of weeks. I took far too many products, um, filled up a cupboard and then, um, didn't actually end up doing much scrapbooking at all. 'Cause I found it really overwhelming in a small space. So I learned a lot. So I'm excited for a little bit of a challenge. Um, but just kind of simplify and try something really different while I'm, while I'm out on the road. And then be able to come back and drop back into my normal, um, methods and techniques as well.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah, it sounds like such a, an awesome adventure.

Caroline Stevens: Yeah, it will be.

Jennifer Wilson: Really curious about the printer because I was recently investigating. Okay. Do I wanna buy one of these

Caroline Stevens: Mm.

Jennifer Wilson: me which one you chose and why?

Caroline Stevens: Yeah, so I bought, uh, I can't remember what exact name, but it's a Polaroid. Um, it's really, really small. So the printer itself, I'm just to kind of, it's probably six by four in size and then only under half an inch thick. So it's really [00:07:00] tiny. Um, and it's one of these zero ink ones. So you put in, it's not gonna be the best, definitely not the most cost effective way of printing.

Um, but it's just gonna be used for those times when I'm out on the road. But I really want to kind of cap, you know, I'm, I wanna do something I really want to craft. Um, so it has a cartridge that you put into it. Um, it charges on USB, so that'll be great for our power bank. It doesn't need, um, uh, a pin, a pin plug to go into the wall or anything.

So I'd be able to put it into the power bank. Um, and I've tested the quality and it's actually really, I'm really impressed. Yeah, really pleased with the color and the definition of the, of the images. So, um, I just have to be really mindful when I take a photo because of it cropping square. Uh, it did have two options for the really small printers.

There was the one that did, um, the square photos and there was one that did more of a portrait. Um, you know, the, um, I can't remember. I think it's three by less than three by four, but just under that. Um, but I, I went for the square one in the end, but I've just gotta be mindful when I crop the pictures, if you like, [00:08:00] that I don't chop something off that's important.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah. Yeah. cool, very cool. I love technology has come so far.

Caroline Stevens: Yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: of those, uh, zinc printers Oh gosh, 15 years ago

Caroline Stevens: Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Wilson: Like I'm sure they have come a long way.

Caroline Stevens: Yes, I had a HP and it was awful. I was so excited when it came and then I printed the first print and I thought, oh, this is dreadful.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah. Yeah.

Caroline Stevens: Um, so I gave that to Laura to, to play with when she did her scrapbooking when she was younger. Yeah. But this is much, much better. Yeah. Really, uh, really good. Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Wilson: So this is one of our My Way episodes because you're one of our featured artists this year. What would you say to a non scrapbooker about why you love this hobby?

Caroline Stevens: Okay. So I think first thing I would say, um, to the, to somebody who didn't do this was that for me personally, it's more than just a hobby. Most definitely. it's part, it's um, it's part of my life completely. Um, and for me, I think, I love how. I can document the now. So I work very much in, in, um, in my own [00:09:00] personal practices and the work that I do with others.

I'm really, um, passionate about presence and mindfulness. And so this as a, as a, as a. Crafting practice, if you like, as a hobby, uh, really allows me to kind of drop into the now and to celebrate my wins. Um, and also, um, a real passion for me is to reframe my challenges. And that's what I've done, particularly in the past when I was, um, struggling as a mum with a, with a teenager.

Um. Allowing me to reframe challenges in my life through the art of scrapbooking really. So to take a photograph, um, and to be able to, in my writing, in hidden journaling and all that kind of thing, to, to get things down on paper, um, that I could look back on in, in years to come, um, and share with a family.

Um, it's, it's. Such an honor to be able to document stories for, for the whole family. Um, and to now witness my daughter at 19 looking back on books from when she was much younger, um, is, is really wonderful. It's a real honor to be able to do that. Yeah,

Jennifer Wilson: Yes, yes, yes. [00:10:00] Certainly. Uh, yeah, there's such a deep meaning in it in addition to the, you know, the, in the now creative joy of it.

Caroline Stevens: yeah. Definitely, definitely, definitely. I would recommend it to anybody.

Jennifer Wilson: So how did you get start? Scrap? How did you get started? Scrapbooking.

Caroline Stevens: Ah, so I'm trying to remember this. So I think I'm fairly sure it was around 2008, which actually was really shocking to me when I worked that out. I thought, gosh, that's a long, long time ago. Um, and I remember that it was a mini book. I don't know what started me doing it. I think. All I can think of is I'd probably, um, actually read a magazine, maybe one of these moments where for some, because I'm not normally, or in the past, I didn't buy magazines in certainly in 2008.

Um, so something must have drawn me to a magazine on a shelf. And I think I documented my Christmas. So it was almost like a December Daily, but before I ever knew about December Daily, I created this mini book. Which I've still got, actually, it's up in the loft in a box. Uh, it's all, I, I didn't use our, um, uh, [00:11:00] archival glue or anything like that, or tape.

And so it's all fallen apart. It hasn't lasted very well, but I've kept it up in the box. Um, and it just kind of started from there. And I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed, um, taking kind of intentional photos if you like. You know, looking at the, uh, kind of ma um, not macro micro photos of things like the Christmas trees I'd never, ever thought about doing before.

So taking a photo of a ball ball that I'd had for years and telling the story of it and, and it was just from there. I think that it, it really inspired me. And, and at that time, um, life was very different because my, my daughter's actually, um, she's not my birth child, so she wasn't in my life at that time.

So it was just me, um, and my cat. Um, so I really was telling lots and lots of small stories, so about my, um, coffee cup, you know, my favorite mug, why was it my favorite mug, all that kind of thing. Um, so it just grew from there really. It was really just for myself at first. Um, and then grew to be for the family, um, as my family developed.

Jennifer Wilson: [00:12:00] Oh yeah. What a, what a beautiful story. I have a blended family myself, and so I can kind of, identify with your experience.

Caroline Stevens: Yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: So what sizes or formats are we typically going to find you creating in, and why do you like those?

Caroline Stevens: Yeah, I think at the moment I am definitely in what I would call my six by eight and notebook season. Um, but I started, um, once I've made that first mini book, I, I solidly scrapbook 12 by 12 size for years, years and years and years. And I absolutely loved it. Um, I really, really did. And I. I can't remember why I shifted, actually. I think if anything it was potentially because I subscribed to the, the very first Ali Edwards, um, Story Kits, which came with three by four and oh, it was probably Project Life. Um, yeah. You know, the cards, journal cards came out that had so much content in such a small canvas and that in, I tried to work with those on a 12 by 12 um, Formats on the layout. And I, I really struggled. Um, and so I stopped, I [00:13:00] think for about just under a year. I stopped scrapbooking because I'd got this kind of creative block. Trying to do things in the way I quote unquote thought they should be done. And once I'd had a little chat with myself about kind of stopping that mindset, I just gave myself creative freedom to play really.

And so at the moment I am enjoying working in the smaller formats because my house space is limited. So I found that the, um, 12 by 12 albums, they just take up so much space. I really enjoy that size. I really, really do. I, I love the, you know, bowl patterns and, and, and, and having that large canvas, but, um, I don't have the space.

So I've been working in the six by eight binders. Um, and the reason I said notebooks as well is because again, they take up a lot of space. Um, so I started, um, this year working at what I would call a five in the, in the UK. So there's still this kind of six by eight size, but creating notebooks for myself.

Um, so binding them with a Cinch, uh, just white copy paper as the pages inside. [00:14:00] And then, um, working on top of that, if you like. Um, so kind of sticking a earing, um, card stock in there, um, and having just creative freedom. So if I wanted to work in what I would class of as a pocket page style with maybe a really ease for, um, two, three by four cards and a six by four card, I can just adhere those onto the white paper.

You, you don't see the paper, you know that it's, it's quite thin. It, it ends up being nice and sturdy. Um, but if I wanted to work in a, um, more of a, what I would classify as a traditional way, but just in a smaller format with a, a nice piece of Cardstock background and patterns on the top. And then I can do that as well.

It's just a smaller format, so really enjoying that. Um, particularly, um, and travelers notebooks. Yeah, really enjoying those. And I'm gonna be working with those in the, um, in the camper van because of them being so small. Um, yeah, so lots of, lots of different formats actually. When I start Doubling about it.

Yeah. Lots of different formats. I enjoy them all. And I think that's, it's a good thing for me to not get stuck too much [00:15:00] on one format. It's not that I bore, but I like to push my creative play a little bit, sometimes. If I find that I'm always working in a six by eight binder, I like to maybe switch things out a little bit and work in the travel notebook for a little time as well.

Jennifer Wilson: Before we move on to the next question, I wanted to particularly highlight what you said about using just the thin copier paper in your Hmm.

Because if you are someone who is going to basically create a mini layout and then adhere it in your notebook doesn't have to have the, the best, most prestigious paper. In fact, it probably is going to be less bulky overall.

Caroline Stevens: Yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: Thin paper. And then just make sure you're adhering those well. And yeah, I, I think that's something that, uh, could be a common, maybe early mistake that someone makes. Because then you could end up with very, very bulky books.

Caroline Stevens: Yeah, most definitely. And it's actually when I first made, because I, I made my own travelers notebooks as well. And when I first made, um, my first couple, I did put cardstock in them. Um, and then I [00:16:00] thought, what on earth am I doing? Um, because most of the time I just completely covered the card stock, or if not, I'd just left the little white border.

Um, and they, they, I mean, I loved them. It was actually during the, the COVID years I did those. So I did, um, a page a day in this, in these, um, travelers notebooks. But they're so chunky and fat. I love them. I really, really love them, but they're really not practical and, and I, I started off with them stapled and then I had to stitch the binding and then I kind of just had to take the stitching out and I just had one big piece of twine that holds the whole thing together. So yeah, it's definitely just use super thin copy of paper and it works just as well. Yeah, just as well.

Jennifer Wilson: So when we're talking about these smaller formats that you're working in, uh, are you looking at these as projects? Are they individual stories? Um, how, what are you really focused on this year in terms of what's on your creative plate?

Caroline Stevens: Yeah, so I have three of the binders that I work in. Uh, one is for my daughters, one as I mentioned. And these are six by eight size. Um, I've got one that is just [00:17:00] stories about me. Um, so I just dedicate that to self-reflection. Um, that actually holds, um, my One Little Word project. So I, I do have a One Little Word, which,

this year, my one little word is love. Um, and so that holds reflections each month and projects to do with that. And also just stories about my own life. Um, things that are happening for me personally. And I think, um, not, I'm not sure how many people actually have a About Me book. But I think it is really important and it probably stems from when it was just me. And this was a hobby for just myself. But I love working in that book and capturing things about me that, if nobody ever reads them ever again, it doesn't matter. Because I enjoyed putting the words on paper and, and I read them back, you know, I do read them back. Um, and then the third binder is, um, just a family one.

So anything about my husband and I, um. Uh, maybe some, a story about the cat, a story about my mom, that kind of thing. They, they go in there, anything to do with friends. Um, and then at other projects, I'm really, um, I'm super [00:18:00] excited for October Daily. Um, I do do that every year. Um, and I've been doing that for, I think this will be my fourth year now.

Uh, I love Halloween and, and, and witchy vibes and that kind of thing. So I'm really excited to, um, to put together little, um, a little notebook, actually I'm going to do this year for that. Um, and then December Daily. I, I, because that, um, was my way into scrapbooking. I've, I've documented Christmas every year since 2008.

Um, so I, yeah, I really want to do that one again this year. Um. And really what I do with those is I, I like to try to scrapbook in what I would class of as real time. So, um, I am really, really lucky, um, in my life now. Um, I did have a corporate job that I worked, um, full-time up until, um, two or three years ago.

Um, but I left that in the end to become, um, a hypnotherapist and a, and a coach. So I'm self-employed so I can work when I want to. Um, and it means that I can also engage in my hobby as much as I want to. Um. And so I like to, [00:19:00] yeah, when something happens, I have time on an evening or a weekend to, um, to capture that story. Um, to capture the memory and particularly any deep reflections that might have happened.

Um, I find that if I'm, um, scrapbooking about an event that maybe happened two months ago, I tend to be a bit more factual. Um, just fact-based then saying, you know, here we were, we were here, um, we ate this. It cost us this. Um, I don't really, I've lost the deep reflections that come in the moment for me. Um, so that, yeah, so that's why it works for me to scrapbook as much as I can kind of in the present. Yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: So for someone who, um, hasn't looked at your Instagram, seen your work, uh, how would you describe your style?

Caroline Stevens: Ooh. I would say, well, intentional, definitely. So there's a, a big piece about intentionality for me. I, um, I created my, myself, the little hashtag on Instagram called mindful memory keeping. Um, and it's, that's what it is for me. It is all about presence, um, and being really [00:20:00] intentional. Even with the products that I choose, I always try to make sure that, um,

that any word, bits that I pick, you know, that they match or really enhance my story. Um, for example, if it, if it was a story about, um, oh, I don't know, um, a cat, I wouldn't wanna just put a, something with a, an apple on it, because if there was no story, if there was, if an apple wasn't in my story, I wouldn't want to use an embellishment with an apple in it just because it was pretty.

Um, I, I would want to save that for the, um, for the, story.

Oh, I,

Jennifer Wilson: story.

Caroline Stevens: Yeah, for the Apple story, I wanted to save it for that. So it's all very intentional, I would say. And with that, easeful with that intentionality for me becomes ease. Because it limits my choices. I like limited choices so that I don't spend hours and hours and hours looking for the, again, quote unquote perfect piece of chipboard, which I've done in the past.

Jennifer Wilson: Oh, certainly. I think all of us.

Caroline Stevens: Haven't we? Um, yeah, very [00:21:00] much that. And then eclectic. If I had to pick another one, it would just say eclectic. I like to, um, look on Instagram, look for inspiration from other people, scrap lift others, and, and tag them. If I, if I've done that, I think it's, um, it's such a fantastic community out there on, on Instagram.

You know, your, the, the magazine is, is amazing. So there's so much, um, inspiration out there too. Um. To, to follow in community. Um, yeah, so I like to think of myself as eclectic.

Jennifer Wilson: Are there any particular products, tools, or techniques you find yourself going back to again and again?

Caroline Stevens: Um, I would say, um, journal cards, so three by four or six by four cards. Um, only probably because I've got a, a very large stash of those, so I do keep turning back to those. Um, and I would say at the moment I am leaning more and more into hybrid scrapbooking, so digital products that I print. So I don't actually do digital scrapbooking, but I do like to purchase digital [00:22:00] products and then print them out at home. And I find that I'm far less precious with digital products because I can just print it out again. And so, because I'm not so precious about it, actually, I give myself more permission for creative play, if that makes sense. So it's enabled me to, um, so I was very, I've always been very wary of stamping, for example. Because, um, I don't want it to go wrong, you know, to kind of make, get the stamp down and half the words missing or something like that.

And then not being able to line it up again and on all of that. Um, and when I'm working with a, with a physical product that say I only have one of those journal cards, I feel very cautious about play in case it goes wrong. Whereas hybrid products have allowed me to play. So if it goes wrong, I can print it again. And having that kind of trial and error period, has now allowed me to be really brave and just do the stamping on the physical product as [00:23:00] well. Because it doesn't really matter if it goes wrong, I'll find a way around it, you know? Um, yeah. But I, I would say the hybrid, um, yeah, principles have been really, really, um, key for me for that. It took me a while to, to trial them.

I, I thought, um. Yeah, I wasn't sure 'cause they're, they're not quite, 'cause I'm home printing. They're not, the colors aren't as crisp, they're not quite as defined as, as a beautiful physical product. I've, I've had, for example, a, um, a physical kit and the digital version and there is always a, something, you know, it's, it's, it's different in quality and, and whatnot. But what it gives, what it lacks in the quality, it, it certainly makes it full with the, um, enabling me to play more. Yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: Well, and I think in my experience when you do have that, just go for it gusto stamping. It seems like it's, it works out way more than when you're nervous about

Caroline Stevens: Yes.

Jennifer Wilson: Actually working

Caroline Stevens: Yes, you are right. Because there's something to do with, I think it's the pressure, is it that we are worried or something? So we, you know, don't put the, don't put the pressure that we need, but you're [00:24:00] right. If we just kind of go for it, it's far more, it's much better. Just much better. Just embrace it and just get the income ink down.

Yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: Are there any particular trends you're seeing in products or um, or styles that you're attracted to or that you've already been playing with?

Caroline Stevens: Um, I would say because I'm in this notebook phase at the moment, I'm really keen to try, um, a Dash notebook. Have you seen those, um, where they're,

Jennifer Wilson: I, I

Caroline Stevens: Yeah, so they. Ah. Um, so they're, um, spiral bound, um, uh, different size format to it. They're slightly, they're larger than a traveler's notebook or say a six by eight.

Um, but they come with kind of grayed out areas, just blocks that are grayed out. Um.

Jennifer Wilson: Oh, this is, uh, Nancy

Caroline Stevens: Yes. Yeah. Um, yeah. Um, so I've, I haven't, I, I purchased again 'cause I'm in the UK I did purchase the digital version of it, so you can print that out yourself. So I have done that, um, and I've bound the pages [00:25:00] and I just, every time I get it out, I kind of go,

because it's so different. It's so different to my style, um, that I've done before because it's kind of limited to these little boxes that I put it back on the shelf. Um, so I am keen to give it a go. I'm keen to give it a go to maybe use ups and stash. I'm really, really, um, passionate now to, particularly to use what I've got. Um, and stop hoarding because I've hoarded for years. I've got stickers that are actually when I tried to get them off the stick sheet, they haven't got any sticky on the back.

Jennifer Wilson: Yes. Or they're permanently stuck

Caroline Stevens: Yes, exactly. So I thought, this is such a waste to actually have, you know, these beautiful things that I don't want to use because they're too beautiful. There is no such thing as too beautiful. So I want to get them into albums and all of that. So I thought this Dash notebook that I've, I'm gonna give it a go. I'm just gonna work in there with say, D cuts and all those sticker sheets. You know, I've got a, a whole basket full of sticker sheets. So I'm gonna work with those, I think. And yeah, the only thing that's limiting me at the moment is [00:26:00] the size of the photos because, um, in my mind I want to have my photos sized to fit exactly in these little boxes.

Um, but I'm gonna have to get over that because I'm gonna work with this, as I said, this three by three, um, printer. And so, um, again, just need to give myself that permission to, to just play and go outside, outside the lines.

Jennifer Wilson: I think that'll be a fun approach. I

Caroline Stevens: Yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: see it. So is there something in scrapbooking that you've tried but maybe decided that it wasn't for you at all?

Caroline Stevens: Yeah, I would say that that is digital. Yeah. So like I said, I am a, I really enjoy hybrid products. Um, but I've, I just can't, um, I can't get to grips with digital scrapbooking yet. Um, I've tried, I love the ethos of it, particularly somebody that hasn't got a lot of space. Um, so, and, and I, and I've dabbled with Canva, for example.

'Cause canva's gr really, really good that you can kind of do different layers and that kind of thing. [00:27:00] Um, but I just really like pretty paper. I like paper, I like my scissors, I like my adhesive. I love standing in my, 'cause I stand to scrapbook actually. So I love standing up in my craft space and scrapbooking. And I just, when every time I sat at my laptop to, to give it a go, it just felt a bit too much like work rather than play.

Jennifer Wilson: I get that. Yeah.

Caroline Stevens: Yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: So we know that you scrapbook in your kitchen.

Caroline Stevens: Yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: When are you, can we typically find you there and, um, have you always had this particular space?

Caroline Stevens: So, no, I haven't always had that, actually. I originally, um, would just, I had a very small amount of stash. And it just lived in, um, one of these trolleys, I, I think of 'em as a crop trolley. So it's um, on a little thing on wheels where you can fit 12 by 12 paper and it had, um, kind of pockets that you could put things in.

So originally that was my craft space. And I would drag that [00:28:00] out of, of a spare room and, um, just work on, on a tray on my lap, um, or on the dining room table. And then, um, I, this is gonna sound really strange, um, but I actually converted our garden shed into a craft room. So at the bottom of the garden I painted it.

Um. Took everything out and cleaned it all out. Um, I actually put a plasterboard on, on, on the inside, so it was nice and, and, and cozy, uh, painted it beautiful white. And that's when I bought, first, bought my Ikea furniture and I had, um, a scrap scrapbook shed uh, for years and years and years, and I really, really loved that.

Um, but the only problem with that was in the, in the UK in the winter it was so cold. And so I basically had to pack up, uh, my scrapbook space in say the November. Normally last any longer than that. And then December Daily would be done from a basket in the house and that kind of thing. Um, so having this craft room in, in the kitchen, um, is not ideal for some people, but for me it's wonderful because it means I can [00:29:00] scrap a gore through the year.

Um, and typically I prefer to scrapbook in there in the, in the afternoon when the light is best. Um, 'cause it's got a really nice south facing window. I light, natural light. Uh, the one thing I would say in there is that the, the lighting where my light is, it's not great. So I can't do any kind of recording or anything, or take photos, um, of an evening because of the, the shadows.

So, afternoons are my favorite and I'm also a bit of a, an early to bed person. So I know some people do their scrapbooking at kind of one, one in the morning and things, don't they? But it's not, not for me. Uh, afternoons.

Jennifer Wilson: Yes, yes. I definitely used to be that night owl, but.

Caroline Stevens: Did you?

Jennifer Wilson: I can't make it very late

Caroline Stevens: No.

Jennifer Wilson: Um, so are there any particular organization strategies, particularly being a small space scrapbooker, that has helped you manage your photos, your supplies, or tools?

Caroline Stevens: Yeah, so I would say my, is it cax units from, for, from Ikea, the, the typical ones, the, the lovely square ones. So I have just one of those with the six, with the six holes. [00:30:00] Um, and I've got baskets that fit. Because I, again, intentionality, I love everything to just to look it. I don't wanna be working out plastic tubs, although they're really, really practical. And I have bought, I've got some and I've got one for the, for the, um, for the camper van. I really like everything to just be, for the whole, um, thing to be a beautiful process. So even from selecting my, my suppliers when I'm creating, I like it all to be really aesthetically lovely. Um, and so I've got baskets where basically have all of my supplies in them. So I have one basket for just stickers, um, one basket for just dye cuts. Um, I have a, a plastic tub actually that's got all of my chipboard in. I snip them off all of the, um, the backing sheets. So they're individually in size, in shape. Uh, so I know if I want circles, I go in this little bit of the box.

Um, and then I have got quite a lot of 12 by 12 papers still, and I have those, um, stored by designer actually. 'Cause I, I like how very often, [00:31:00] um, for example, Simple Stories, um, the, the tones of red will pretty much, even from collection to collection, they'll blend together nicely. So it'll be easy to make myself a kind of page kit, um, from one designer,

um. Without having to worry too much about colors and, and shades, uh, clashing too much, that kind of thing. And then for my photos, I just, I store them on my, on my phone. And I pretty much print as I need. So I don't actually have a big batch I print at home. Um, and I, I, I didn't use to, I used to, um, print, uh, send them to print and have say, 200 photos turn up.

And that I was in a bit of a overwhelmed then with, uh, with what to do and, and finding that I actually wasn't getting stories told. Um, so that's why I switched to printing at home. Again, embracing if the quality of the print is not as good as a, say Photo Box, but, um, that it meant I could just easefully tell the stories. Yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: Nice. Nice, nice. Yeah. It sounds like you've got quite [00:32:00] a, an array of systems that are really

Caroline Stevens: Yeah. Yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: Um, the last two questions are kind of a little bit more big picture. Where would you like your scrapbooking to be in 10 years?

Caroline Stevens: Ooh. I would say lots and lots of albums and notebooks. So lots of those just filling up my shelves. Definitely. Um, I would, I, I would like to embrace more words. Um, I enjoy, and I think this is where the hybrid scrapbooking is probably gonna come in for me more. I think, um, I, I don't mind my handwriting, um, but I find that it's getting worse, um, the older I get because I seem to be in a rush to write.

I dunno if that's just me, but I kind of try and desperately trying to keep my hand to, to move as fast as my mind works. Um, so I think I'd like to type up a little bit more journaling than I do. Um, still have some handwriting on there because I think that's important, but I think, um, lots more words in, in my, um, notebooks and [00:33:00] albums would be lovely.

Um, and also community, I think community's really important. Um, so I'd like to offer some classes and that kind of thing. I, I'd have offered them in the past when, uh, Big Picture Classes was, was around, so I had classes there. Um, so I'd like to have some find my own website, I think just to kind of offer. future. That would be, that would be amazing.

Jennifer Wilson: Wonderful. Yeah, and I think the perspective you have in your professional life too, uh, in combining that with, you know, the therapeutic benefits of scrapbooking, I think you have a lot to offer.

Caroline Stevens: Thank you. Thank you.

Jennifer Wilson: What has being a scrapbooker taught you?

Caroline Stevens: Giving myself permission, I would say. So, giving myself permission to play, creative play. As we said earlier, you know, with the stamping, just giving it a go. It may feel like a really precious piece of paper, and it may be very, very pretty, and the only one that I've got. But it's much better for me to play and to work with that piece of paper and [00:34:00] have that in an album that people are gonna look at rather than keeping it in a box.

Um, so that it may be just fades or gets torn or just gets forgotten, never gets looked at ever again. So definitely that. Um, and like I said, the, the reframing, I think it's, I've really been able to put that into practice, you know, when I've had challenging times with my daughter particularly. Um, I've turned to her album, um, a photo of her and told a reframe story of, rather than her, um, defiance maybe more about the strong, independent woman that she was becoming at the time.

Jennifer Wilson: Yes. Yes. I love that. I love that, uh, shift in perspective there

Caroline Stevens: Yeah, yeah, definitely. Definitely.

Jennifer Wilson: Well, this has been just a delightful conversation. Thank you so much.

Caroline Stevens: No problem. Thank you for having me.

Jennifer Wilson: Yes. Can you share where our listeners can find you online? Anything else you might have new coming up this year that you haven't mentioned?

I. Yeah, so I mainly, um, I'm on Instagram, so that's, um, at Caroline's Creative [00:35:00] Healing. Um, and I chose that name years ago because that was why I, I engaged in scrapbooking really. And in, and in art and in creative practices. And that is for my own, um, growth and my own development. So that's why I, I picked that, that name.

Caroline Stevens: Um, and generally, um, other than that, I'm on my website. So, um, that's actually cs hypnotherapy.com. Um, so it's far more than hypnotherapy, so definitely people can head over there and if they want more than hypnotherapy. Um, I have hypnotherapy on there, but I've also, um, got some, um, my Big Picture Classes are just moving over onto there, so I have got some old workshops and things like that, um, that I do.

Um, so it's mainly in those two spaces. Um, and I am starting a new Instagram, uh, for my van life. So I haven't got the full, uh, the name of that yet, but, um, I'll be, I'll be sharing that on my, um, on my creative healing one as well, so that people can see parts of the life. And then on the, um, on the memory keeping pa um, profile, I'll be sharing the projects that, um, that come from the, the [00:36:00] photos.

Yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: Oh, I can't wait to see how that all unfolds for you. It's really exciting.

Caroline Stevens: Thank you.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah. Again, thanks for hanging out and chatting and to all of our listeners, please remember that you have permission to Scrapbook Your Way.