SYW329 – Use What You Have with Alissa Williams

Alissa Williams: [00:00:00] I'm not buying those kits anymore. So I'm using them up to complete projects. Like I could have said, oh, I'm gonna do this 2026 stories album. I need new product for that. And I'm like, no, you don't. You have all the product you need to make that project work. And so it's fine that I have these things. But I'm consciously trying to use them to tell my stories and turn to those first versus new stuff.

Jennifer Wilson: 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 329. In this episode, I'm chatting with Alissa Williams about stash management. We explore how she acquires, organizes, and uses her supplies, and what intentional scrapbooking looks like when you've decided to stop buying and start creating.

Hey Alissa, welcome back to Scrapbook Your Way.

Alissa Williams: Hi, Jennifer. Always great to talk to you.

Jennifer Wilson: I [00:01:00] am so looking forward to our conversation today, as always. Uh, we are not in the same location, unfortunately. We are in our respective homes. Um, but both jetting off for the weekend, uh, to different things. Can you remind our listeners a little bit about who you are and where you live, who's in your family, all that.

Alissa Williams: Sure. Um, I am the director of a small public library in central Illinois. I have two teenage daughters now. My youngest just, well, she was 13, I don't know. She's 14 now. Yeah, it's an even year. I can't remember. I have two teenage daughters. And, um, I feel like I need to start this whole introduction over again.

Jennifer Wilson: Well, one just turned 14 and the other one's about to turn 16 in April.

Alissa Williams: So yeah, we're six weeks away from driving. Um, without an adult in the car, so that's crazy. But yes. Um, and then, so my husband and I, we live here in central Illinois, um, with our [00:02:00] family and we're very busy with all the girls activities and whatnot.

Jennifer Wilson: I bet. I bet. So do you have a favorite recent layout or project and why do you love it?

Alissa Williams: Um, this was a tough one for me because I haven't really been doing a whole lot of crafting this year because of volleyball. But my volleyball season has ended. So, um, but I did participate in a virtual crop. And I created a layout. I love scrapbooking with summer collections. And so I created a layout that was inspired by a challenge in this virtual crop.

And so I used a technique I hadn't tried before, so that was fun. Like folding these circles into like quilt squares. And it was, it's, it, I, I really am happy with the way it came out and it was exciting to use like really old stash on it.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah, that came together really well. I, I really like that page.

Alissa Williams: Thank you.

Jennifer Wilson: Now, is there something new you're excited to do, use or try in scrapbooking or in your life?

Alissa Williams: So, uh, I am really excited [00:03:00] at the beginning of the year, uh, Jana Eubank and Becki Adams launched their Let's Gather and Glue platform. And so they hosted a virtual crop at the end of January. And they'll, they're hosting another one at the end of April, I believe. And I. really enjoy their teaching and it's at a very reasonable price point, and they're encouraging you to use your stash, which ties in perfectly with our topic of conversation today.

Uh, and so I, I have another layout I wanna create from that, virtual crop that we did. Uh, so I've been inspired by that and it's been really fun.

Jennifer Wilson: Wonderful. Yeah, I would love to check that out at some point. I'd love to, to see how people are bringing folks together and getting them to create, and as you said, use more of our stash. I think that's a topic of interest to a lot of us these days.

Alissa Williams: Yes, it was really, you know, I'm always like, oh, what's it gonna be like an online platform, but. Like [00:04:00] it was so well designed. Um, the, the lessons were great. The classes, everything. They fortunately didn't really have a whole lot of tech issues. You know, that's always dicey when you're doing streaming stuff, but it was.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah.

Alissa Williams: It was almost like a Crop and Create without the boxes, supplies being sent to you. It was very high quality.

Jennifer Wilson: Nice. Nice. Well and you know, they've both participated in those events, so I'm sure that influence, you know, their ability to put on a good production for their participants.

Alissa Williams: Yeah, and they're just great teachers. Like they were 90 minute classes that they taught and it was, I got just super inspired and, and it's evergreen content too. So that's really nice too. 'Cause they were, were talking about more about. not like, let's do this. Which sometimes it's nice to like, this is how you stamp or how you make a border or whatever.

Um, but it, there was bigger inspiration, so I really liked that.

Jennifer Wilson: Cool, [00:05:00] cool. So yeah, we are definitely gonna talk a lot about stash today. Right now we are in the organization journey. So here at Simple Scrapper, we divide the year into six creative journeys. The second one of the year for March and April is organization. And it's a theme to, to, to be a lens for further discussion for exploration. And to have special events. So when this goes live, we'll have just wrapped our first Stash Bash retreat of the year. So it's a four day long, uh, uh, virtual retreat. And I really just wanted to focus on how we acquire, manage and use our stash. We're gonna focus mostly on you, but I'm sure I will share a little bit as we go along. Because we are definitely not the same. Even though we do share a lot of similarities in life. Um. we also, um, diverge quite a bit on many things, including our stashes. Let's start with the realm of shopping. Tell me [00:06:00] how products typically come into your life.

Alissa Williams: Well, I will tell you that they are, it has drastically slowed down. Um, so in preparation for this, I sort of looked at what my shopping habits had been in 2024 and 2025. I have, I have done no shopping in 2026. I do not subscribe to any kits currently. Except for, um, the one big kit that I subscribe to is the, uh, Let's Create Together kit that Scrapbook and Cards Today does.

And that arrives four times per year. In fact, my, my spring kit just shipped today. Um, and so that comes with class content and product, but that is the only thing I am subscribed to, right now in 2026. Um, my last scrapbook dot com order was on December 1st. but um, in 2025 [00:07:00] I only did six orders at Scrapbook dot com versus like 12 in 2024. And like the majority of my, I did, let's see, one, two, I did four orders that were, of those six I did four orders that were Best of Both Worlds Kits. I did one order that was the, um, Bow Wow and Meow collection from Doodlebug, which I think I talked about on a previous episode.

That was a, a class that Virginia Neville did at Scrapbook And Cards Today. Um, that was really great. And then I did, I ordered some basics stuff and then I ordered. So it was four Best of Both Worlds. The Bow Wow Meow and the basics, um, like adhesives and twine. And then the only new product I bought really was, I bought the Book Fair Collection last June. Because I like literally will buy everything that's like book related. I have [00:08:00] so many book related things. But I've actually used that collection. Um, so that's good. In 2025, I was subscribing from July to December to Elle's Studio kits for my Project Life. But I am not doing, I'm doing my Project Life in a different format this year. So I stopped subscribing to that. And then I, in 2025, I didn't subscribe to Ali Edwards.

I bought nothing from Ali Edwards in 2025 except for an, uh, stamps, Alphas Are Awesome stamps class. So I am really, yeah, I'm not. Like there is not a lot. I think there is too much friction for impulse purchasing these days. And with the demise of the local scrapbook stores. Like, I was getting new products through, you know, um, the Crop And Creates, you know, 'cause they would include newer product in that.

But, and of course there is less product on the market these days with all the [00:09:00] conglomerations. But, um, yeah, I am not, I am not acquiring as much. I'm really, I wanted to in 2025, focus on using more of my stash, and I really am trying to double down on that in 2026 this year.

Jennifer Wilson: All right, so I have a bunch of follow up questions. So first off, when you said, um, friction to impulse purchases, did you mean like higher free shipping thresholds?

Alissa Williams: Yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: What is some of that friction for you?

Alissa Williams: I think it's, I have to go like, okay, I'll see it, like I'll see simple stories as releasing new stuff on Instagram. Like I'll see that and I'll be like, oh, that's so cute. But then I have to like go to scrapbook.com or go to A Cherry On Top. And I don't pre-order things from A Cherry On Top. I know you do that. I don't do that. Um.

Jennifer Wilson: Why don't you do that?

Alissa Williams: Because I don't, maybe I don't want it when it comes, maybe it's never gonna, I don't trust the pre-ordering system. Um.

Jennifer Wilson: Okay.

Alissa Williams: But so I, then I have to go to [00:10:00] scrapbook.com and then I have to see if they really have what I want and what am I gonna use this for. And then I'm not gonna get free shipping, so then I have to find other stuff to buy or, well, scrapbook.com, you don't ever get free shipping.

You need to make sure you have a coupon when you shop there. And I have various sources for coupons, or sometimes they're offering coupons. But, like, is it worth the shipping? You know, is it okay, this collection kit is 14.99. It, and then it's gonna be, you know, because it's 12 by 12, it's gonna ship for $8.

So now it's, $22 is that, I just want this one. Like with online shipping, I just don't feel like you just buy one of something these days. Whereas when I went to the scrapbook store, I could see it in person, know I really liked it, get excited to use it, you know, buy it right then take it home and make a page with it. Whereas now I have to wait for it to come and it is just, I just, there's a lot of friction I feel like.

Jennifer Wilson: And you could like literally go in and buy three sheets of paper and [00:11:00] walk out and for something that you need.

Alissa Williams: Right.

Jennifer Wilson: Whereas it's, it's certainly a lot different.

Alissa Williams: Yes.

Jennifer Wilson: Okay. Now, you mentioned that you are doing Project Life a little bit differently this year, so that's why you're not subscribed to any, uh, Project Life type kits. So how, what, what does that look like for you?

Alissa Williams: Um, well, honestly, it looks like nothing 'cause I haven't actually started it. But.

Jennifer Wilson: What is your vision for this?

Alissa Williams: Um, my vision is that it is a it's a six, six by eight. Yeah, that's the right size. Six by eight album, pocket album. That is, so I have gone through, like for January, and I've looked at my photos or the stories from that month and I've identified, okay, these are two stories that I wanna make a layout about.

But these themes, like I have, I have pictures, in January of myself, and both of my daughters with groups of friends. And I thought, oh, that would be a fun little six by eight spread [00:12:00] about us hanging out with our friends and what friendship means to us, and something using either my Story kits or just cards from my past Elle's Studios. Or I had subscribed in 2024, I subscribed to Stories by the Month by Ali Edwards. So I'm trying to identify stories that are just smaller things that aren't necessarily page worthy, but, but either connections through relationships or, you know, here's this cute little,

here's what I was eating this month. And I've got some, like I've got a food story kit from Ali Edwards to use of that stuff. So just little currently kind of pieces of our life stuff in this little six by eight album that will hopefully then just be little snapshots of our year. For those smaller stories that used to go in Project Life.

But I just don't feel like I have enough, even though I was doing Project Life monthly in a nine by 12 last year. I just, I didn't feel like I had [00:13:00] enough. Or there's too much repetition, like how many volleyball pictures do I need to put in my Project Life? Well, you know, I put like one in every month, but you know, I don't necessarily need that all the time.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah, that makes sense. No, I like that evolution. I've talked to, uh, a number of different folks this year about how they have shifted their mindset and their approach for Project Life. And it's been so interesting just to see how much that has evolved over the past, you know, like decade and a half or so. Um, and how we can personalize it for what we really, really need.

Alissa Williams: Well, yeah, and I think also, as I mentioned, my girls are teenagers. They don't really like me to take their pictures. You know, like, so I just have less content. And um, but you know, like also you and I have talked about like where do I put these funny memes or this funny text thread. And I kind of want do a little bit more of that, or maybe even a little bit more of my ephemera.

There's so little paper ephemera these days, but I think it could be fun [00:14:00] to maybe incorporate that in, in my album in a way that I didn't use to in my full Project Life albums. Um, so I'm considering that as well. But like I was thinking this morning, I really just need to do, I think I still have like one or two cards left from the Morning story kit or a AM/PM Story kit, and I just need to, I need to print off that, you know, grumpy cat picture that I sometimes send you in the morning. And just tell a story about like how like the last two nights or last two mornings, I've woken up at 4:30 against my will and it makes me a grumpy cat.

Jennifer Wilson: Yes, yes. Now, okay, so in terms of your stash of Project Life cards.

Alissa Williams: Mm,

Jennifer Wilson: What does that look like?

Alissa Williams: It's pretty thin. I have one of those, um, boxes from scrapbook.com that I organized all of, all of them into. Um, so I have like, those are leftover kits. Well, I [00:15:00] guess I say it's pretty thin, but now I'm like, oh, that's kind of a lot. I have a box of cards that.

Jennifer Wilson: Can you estimate a number of inches, like of depth?

Alissa Williams: No. 'Cause I don't know. Uh, no I can't. But I have because it's, well, because it's not like I don't have 'em all together. So then I have, like for my leftover Story Kit stuff or anything that has like a month, I have those little four by six plastic boxes for each month. So I have leftovers in there that I'm trying to use up. From, like my Stories By The Month.

And then what I've been doing with like my Elle's Studios kits is not everything I'm putting in those boxes. 'Cause some of their stuff isn't, is not month specific. Um, so I just, I have another box of cards that I sort them into. Just by color and like journaling cards, filler cards, and then I sort them by colors. Because a lot of their [00:16:00] color schemes through Elle's Studios, you know, they work together.

So then I can just pull stuff when I'm looking for, like for this, this album like this, that idea of this layout about my girls, and our friends. You know, like I don't think I have a friendship Story kit. Maybe I have a, like, maybe the good Story kit would work for that, but like, if I can't find a story kit that I wanna use, I can dig through these cards and be like, okay, here's a journaling card.

Here's the colors. Like a rainbow could be fun, you know, like with happy bright colors or something. So, yeah, so I kind in three places.

Jennifer Wilson: Well, and I think that's, that's one of the things that kind of has raised this conversation point for me. 'Cause I've been really thinking about, both, you know, using more of my stash, improving my organization. And It's not as simple as, okay, if I buy stuff, products. I put it in a way where it belongs. And if I have a kit, I use it until a certain point and then I put that away. That's, it's not that [00:17:00] simple. It's, it's not like we just have this perfectly organized stash, and I think that happens for a lot of folks. Because we have things that maybe are color coordinated and some things that are not. We have some things that are themed and some things that are not. And so even though we might know, you know, I look for shapes over colors. I still have a drawer over here of Story kits, and then I have another drawer of, you know, larger kits. And, um, then I have some things that have made their way to what I consider stash. But it seems like it takes a long time to even get there at this point.

Alissa Williams: Oh. So, I mean, I feel like I can find what I'm looking for and I feel like I'm organized in the sense of like, here are, you know, like, okay, I want something that says the month on it. I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go to, he, I'm gonna go to this place here with these month boxes. I just want something, I [00:18:00] just need a journaling card.

You know, I, I know I can look here and find it here. So I, I mean, I don't, I think you had a question further down about like, when does it, when does like new product make its way into your stash? And, and I can talk about that process too if, when you want to, whenever you want to.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah, I think. I guess I have a transition question here.

Alissa Williams: Okay.

Jennifer Wilson: Um, me about the state of all of your Crop and Create leftovers.

Alissa Williams: Well, basically once I am done, once I have done. Used what I wanted to use outta that. Then I put it into my system. So like, I'm leaving today to go, uh, on a scrapbook weekend. So I, in preparation for that, I looked at, um, the kits, I ha, so I keep my kits in envelopes, 12 by 12 envelopes in a tote that I got from Scrapbook And Cards Today.

And that's like my active kit projects that I'm working on. So I went [00:19:00] through and was like, okay, what.

Jennifer Wilson: So those could be kits that were delivered to you as kits. Or like as the Best of Both Worlds Kits that you.

Alissa Williams: Yes.

Jennifer Wilson: Well Shimelle designed, but then you picked what you were going to buy?

Alissa Williams: I buy everything. If she tells me to buy it, I buy it. I am a pawn in her scheme. Um, um, if she, if she, if it's on her shopping list, I will buy it. Now, I have not transitioned, although that is a topic because I have not bought any best of, I have a December and a January Best of Both Worlds kits to use. But I am not, I'm trying not to buy.

Any Best of Both Worlds Kits. If I'm going to do a Best of Both Worlds Kits or I wanna do a layout, my goal would be to use my stash for that. What happened, what was great in 2025 was some of the product that came in my Crop and Crate boxes I didn't wanna use and they showed up in her Best of Both Worlds kits so that I didn't have to buy as much stuff.

Jennifer Wilson: [00:20:00] How often would you say, like, if you're making a layout, like, let's not talk about Project Life here. If you're making a layout, um, I know you love to, to scrap lift, to follow instructions. How often are you using the same product as the instructions?

Alissa Williams: Uh, 98% of the time.

Jennifer Wilson: Okay. Okay.

Alissa Williams: So like the, this, um, Let's Gather and Glue Virtual Crop that I did at the beginning of the month. It was really, it was, it stretched my creative muscles to pick a collection, pick product. And try to copycat quote her design with my own stuff. I, I find that, I mean, I can do it, but it takes me a lot longer as opposed to in a Crop and Create, or in a Best of Both Worlds, where I'm just like, oh, she has this, I have this.

Boom, boom, boom. Um. Now sometimes, you know, Shimelle on [00:21:00] her Best of Both Worlds will go a little, what I call rogue. And she'll use something from either an old kit I didn't have or something that is old product and I am able, I am much better these days at, finding a substitute for that. I used to really struggle with that. But, um, but like for my

for my Crop and Create kits. I mean, I am, I I am working. I'm trying to finish the last one I did. Um, the last box I got, which was, was that spring of 25? Yeah. So, I go through those. And then basically, once I've used up what I can use up, I file it into my system. So like I have, I have, um, scraps are organized by color. And then if it's a full sheet of 12 by 12, I put it in my, I I just have two holders. So, and I actually measured, I think it's like, I actually, this, I did measure, I think it's only like four inches. Because at that virtual crop re or virtual crop, they did, they [00:22:00] had a question as we were waiting for the video to start, um, the live to start of like, how many inches of paper do you own? And like a lot of people said they owned more than 12 inches of paper. And I was like, uh. Wow. And that made me get my ruler and be like, how many inches? Like I don't have tons and tons of paper floating around.

Jennifer Wilson: Okay. So yeah, I think this, this point that like 98% of what you do is very much like a following along. And you know, you did try something new and it stretched you and it sounds like you are interested in doing it again. 'Cause you want to use more of your stash.

Alissa Williams: Yes.

Jennifer Wilson: Um. What are some of the barriers to doing that?

Like is it design confidence? Um, what Like, like color coordination.

Alissa Williams: Yes. Yes.

Jennifer Wilson: What can we do to get you from A to B?

Alissa Williams: Well it’s just I guess, it's, I think part of it is decision fatigue, [00:23:00] right. Like I don’t want to make those decisions. I just want to have someone tell me what to use. I mean, I will say like, it takes me longer, but I, I can do it. And if I have a sketch, you know, for me, if I have a, a sketch, I need to start with a sketch.

So like, for example, with the, the Let's Create Together kits that we got in the fall. Uh, there were these squares. Paper, you know, like with squares on 'em, and designs. And I had, and I had a design that Shimelle had used that I really liked, and I was like, oh, I could use, I could recreate this design with, with what I have here for leftovers.

So what I did was, but the whole thing was, is I didn't really have the right fall picture story that I wanted. So what I've done is I've made a kit with that, with the [00:24:00] layout, you know, with the sketch and the papers, and then I know that, you know, this fall, I will likely come up with some type of story for that, but I've kept those.

Instead of putting those into my stash, I'm like, I know I can make a layout with this sketch when the right story appears. So I have that tucked away to do at some point.

Jennifer Wilson: Well and yeah. I, I love talking about, uh, different starting points. Because we all have different points of inspiration. Sometimes it's a photo, sometimes it's a story, a piece of memorabilia. Um, and I, I think sometimes we need permission to have those, but then it does create an organization. You know, uh, not, not quite a challenge, but, uh, something that's going to impact how you are storing things. Because now you have this specific kind of like page kit that you want to use in the future.

Alissa Williams: And it just goes in my page kit bucket, and I just keep it [00:25:00] there till, you know, like in the fall when I go to another retreat, I'll be like, oh, I bet I can use this this time. You know.

Jennifer Wilson: Mm-hmm.

Alissa Williams: I've kept a couple things, like, there have been a few Shimelle layouts that, um, I haven't had the right story for at that time.

So. So like for a Best of Both Worlds Kit, I've kept that stuff together and I'm just waiting for the right story to appear. And I regularly go through my kit box and kind of think and look at where I am. And by regularly, I mean probably more like quarterly when I'm getting ready to go to a in-person crop.

Jennifer Wilson: Do you ever decide like, Hey, I'm just not gonna use this anymore.

Alissa Williams: Like the kit?

Jennifer Wilson: End up, yeah. Like, are you like, oh, you know, I'm, I'm, I'm gonna keep it here and I'm going to, you're, you're like a, I'm gonna commit and I must follow through, um, if, or, or I shall perish from the earth. Um, so it seems like that might not be what you would do. But I would eventually probably, uh, just say [00:26:00] like, oh, I don't want these anymore, and like, put them back in my stash.

Alissa Williams: I'm gonna commit. That is awesome. Thank you for that description of me. Uh, I.

Jennifer Wilson: I was like, you must have influenced me. Because me, with my, my, I don't even know how to describe this on the podcast, but I've had this crazy, uh, Fitbit conundrum. I

Alissa Williams: Oh my gosh, yes.

Jennifer Wilson: Lost one I had to use one that was 14 years old. That couldn't stand a charge for a whole day. In order to complete my step bet because I didn't wanna lose my $25.

It wasn't even a full $40 step bet It was a $25 one. But I was committed. So.

Alissa Williams: If you had told me it was only $25, I'd been like, give this up. You are going crazy. Um.

Jennifer Wilson: I finished it today and now I'm happy.

Alissa Williams: Well, I'm glad you're happy, but I, I mean, and I guess I also don't wanna give listeners like, we're talking like, I have like four or five of these. It's not like I have 20. Okay. It's not [00:27:00] like, can I just share my biggest pet peeve at all these events that I do?

Jennifer Wilson: Sure.

Alissa Williams: Uh, okay. I, it really irritates me. So like I'll do, like I'll do these, Let's Create Together Kits, or I will do a Crop and Create, or I did this virtual crop. And you know, they will have galleries in their Facebook groups. So you can upload your finished things and I will get inspiration from that, like on how to use up my scraps and leftovers. And I'll copy those designs, right? Um, but it really irritates me when people upload their quote, finished page and there are no pictures on it. I am sorry that is not a finished page. You did not understand the assignment. The assignment was to create a scrapbook page with your pictures on them.

Like, no, no, I'm sorry, that is not finished. Please show me what pictures you're using on this. Because I do not have, and I know there are people who do have, and I'm not trying to judge those people, but I guess I am. [00:28:00] Stacks of layouts that they may have created at crops or like back in the Creative Memories days when they gave you this stuff to do that are.

Or if you go to a class like back in the live teaching days and they have photo placeholders for them, I'm like, no. Like that's not done. You need to finish the page. I don't have layouts like that.

Jennifer Wilson: Well. If we could talk about it from, um, like kind of a psychology perspective. If you go to the extent of taking a photo of it and uploading it, that gives a signal to your brain, I'm done with this.

Alissa Williams: Oh yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: So there's less of that like that that nagging like, oh, you know, I'm not quite finished with this page yet.

You've given it a sense of completion. And so I think that is not necessarily a productive approach to, um, to working with those projects,

Alissa Williams: Yeah. Okay. Thanks. I just had to get that, that off my chest. That may be controversial. Controversial, but [00:29:00] I've said it and I, I stand by my belief.

Jennifer Wilson: And you are allowed to have your own beliefs, so I will support you in that.

So tell me what happens when you have new supplies that arrive. So let's just say like you do place an order at scrapbook.com you know, maybe it's a combination of Best of Both Worlds, things for, um, Shimelle's layouts that she's creating. Some other things that you just liked. What happens?

Alissa Williams: Well, it goes, I have a paper, I have an old paper sorter on my desk. Um, and so I will keep my current kits that I'm working with in that, in that paper holder. And so if it's a Best of Both Worlds Kit, it all goes in that, in that slot for that kit until I'm ready to start using it. And also then when I'm in process, 'cause you know, I don't complete all the pages at once. It is, it gives me a place, a [00:30:00] home for those things.

And then, I mean, okay, so the, the only real example I have is like, I bought this Book Fair collection and I didn't really have a set plan for what I was gonna do with it. And I also have a, um, upright, so my, my paper holder on my desk is like, I don't know how you, like, it's a, it's got slots in it, like a mailbox, right?

Like it's flats storage. Um, whereas my, I have a, another container on my desk that ha that can hold 12 by 12 paper that is upright. And so I will put it in that container because then I can, I will, it's on my desk and I see it and don't forget that I have it. Um, and so stuff, so that's where the, that, and that is where when I was buying stuff at like the scrapbook store or when I was more impulsively buying stuff, maybe on Scrapbook dot com that I didn't have a clear plan for, um, that's where stuff would go.

Or like JoAnn's [00:31:00] like before JoAnn's closed, I went and bought like, um, like I had bought Shimelle's last line and Paige Evans and stuff, so I, I liked that paper and I didn't really have a plan for it. Except for I knew Shimelle would use her stuff in her videos, so I sort of bought it, thinking of that, or that. I'd copycat other layouts from the one. Like she had made some layouts with those papers and so I bought more of the papers so I could make more of those types of layouts.

So those all live in that upright holder. Until I use them or get tired of them and put them in my stash.

Jennifer Wilson: Okay. Okay. what's in there right now?

Alissa Williams: Just some, um, Live The Dream stuff from Shimelle that I got at JoAnn's when they were closing.

Jennifer Wilson: Okay. Okay. So do you feel like that that, does that inspire you and give you a sense of direction or is it just convenient?

Okay. And you don't, it sounds like you don't necessarily have, don't know, [00:32:00] rules on when a kit gets broken up. It's more of, you know, an intuitive decision or when you get tired of something or.

Alissa Williams: Well, like.

Jennifer Wilson: Gradually bringing stuff into your stash.

Alissa Williams: Yeah, so I mean basically, I mean I do have rules 'cause I like rules. Um, so like with the Best of Both Worlds Kit, when I've made the layouts that I'm gonna make with that kit. I put the leftovers in my stash. Like I'm much better about throwing away smaller sheets of leftover paper. And so that all goes in my stash and you know, the embellishments go in my embellishment stash and the paper goes in my paper stash. And I put I, when I've made the layouts from that, I put all that into the stash. Um, then with a Let's Create Together kit when I've made the layouts and if there's, um, so I'll make all the layouts that are for [00:33:00] that kit. And then sometimes there's a bonus layout, so I'll make that. And then I'll, if there's, if there are full sheets of paper left, I will look on scrapbook.com to see if anyone's made something that I like that I could scrap lift with that paper.

And if there's not, then I will put that in my stash. Same kind of thing for, um. The Crop and Create kits. You know, I will make the layouts. I will look at the leftovers, see if, and sometimes I have been known to do this from scrapbook.com. I'll be like, I really liked this layout, so I'm gonna buy, like, I need two more sheets of this paper, and then I can use the rest of these kits to make two more of this type of layout with this paper that I have left. So I will like buy more of something so that I can maybe make the same layout or similar layout again to finish it, if that makes sense.

Jennifer Wilson: Why do you choose to go buy more rather [00:34:00] than, uh, digging into your stash to find something that might coordinate?

Alissa Williams: Well, 'cause like typically I don't have stuff that coordinates. I, I mean, I kind of sometimes will look, but I maybe don't have stuff to coordinate and it's just easier.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah. Yeah.

Alissa Williams: I know it already, like I'm not confident in color coordination sometimes. So if it's like, if it's the, you know, super summer collection and I'm like, well, I know all these colors go together.

I'll just buy this super summer. I'll just buy another sheet from the super summer collection, you know? But I have occasionally gone in and been like, oh, I have this, this'll work to create a similar look. It depends on kind of what the paper is. Like, if it's a, like, if it's a backgroundy neutral thing, I can, I can lift, you know, I can pull that from my stash.

Jennifer Wilson: So, kind of stepping back, big picture, how are you feeling about your stash overall right now? Because you mentioned you wanna use more of it, so how are you feeling? Like does that, are you feeling excited? Um, are you feeling, you know, blah. You [00:35:00] know what, what's what? What's your status?

Alissa Williams: Um, I, I guess I'm more interested in using like, my story kits up. I, my paper, paper is paper. Like I'll always have paper. And so I'm not as like really into trying to use up all this paper. Like that doesn't, I'm not really interested in that. I'm interested more in using up some of these kit type things that I feel are more specialized or themed.

Jennifer Wilson: Mm-hmm.

Alissa Williams: You know, the paper is paper. And I like, I don't feel like I have gobs of gobs of paper that it's unmanageable and whatever. So I'm not as concerned. I am a little more interested in, like I said, not buying a Best of Both Worlds Kit and maybe if there are a few layouts I like trying to, to replicate that from what I have in my stash. 'Cause that I do have more time.

See, part of it too is, like the last, in [00:36:00] 2025, I was traveling a lot and I wasn't home a lot to do a lot of crafting. And so I want my scrapbooking to be more like quick wins and easy. But now I feel like I have a little more time. I also am more caught up, like I don't have, you know, I don't have as many stories every month that I wanna tell.

I don't have gobs and gobs of quote catching up to do. So I feel like I have more time to spend time on a layout. Even though it it, 'cause I know that the more I do the color matching and deciding and the more that I ponder, well, should I pick this paper for my stash or this paper for my stash? Which one will look better?

Do these all work together? The more I, I feel like I have more time to piddle a little bit and make those decisions. Because I have more time overall in my schedule. Versus I only have, you know, a shorter amount of time and I wanna get a layout [00:37:00] done. So I just want those design decisions made for me.

Jennifer Wilson: Are there any aspects of your stash, that you consider like, totally disorganized or maybe super cluttered? Um, like, 'cause you know, there's lots of stuff you wanna get rid of or, yeah. Like, is there, are there any secret corners?

Alissa Williams: Not really. So I, in 2024, I'm a librarian. I am supposed to be organized, Jennifer. Um, in 2024 I did Ali's Stash class, um, which is awesome. And I had also gone to, um, Stamp Joy and thought I was gonna be a card maker, but that didn't happen. We've talked about that. But, um. At Stamp Joy, I learned about this, um, the Color My Life app, and that was the missing piece for me to finish organizing my stamps and my dies.

And so that has really helped me. I do, the one thing that I would say is moderately quote [00:38:00] disorganized, but I kind of shudder to say that it is disorganized. Because they're all together. Is I just need to finish cataloging my dies and putting them in the system. Like I have the pieces for the system. I just haven't finished putting the system together and putting them into Color My Life.

Jennifer Wilson: Okay. That's fair. Yeah. I think that's sometimes a challenge when you do sit down to start putting together a system. And then maybe you have to stop, or maybe you have everything cataloged, but then you get new stuff and they're like, oh, well now I have to, like, take the time of, you know, taking outta the packaging and putting on magnetic sheets or whatever you need to do to, to, to make it part of your system.

And that's, a whole nother, you know, endeavor. That takes time.

Alissa Williams: Yeah, and I, I should, I actually should put that on my list to finish up like in April, May, June. I'm gonna make myself a note about that.

Jennifer Wilson: That sounds good. So what is your plan for using more of your stash this year? You already mentioned that you're gonna, like, if you see some Shimelle layouts that you [00:39:00] like, you're gonna try to, to grab more things. How are you going to your stash to guide your plans for what stories you're gonna tell and what layouts you're gonna make, and maybe even put some in your Project Life.

Alissa Williams: So I, I think the virtual crops that they're doing at Let's Gather and Glue, I think that helps me use my stash. Because even though they're showing you the product they're using, I want to use my stash for that. And so, you know, that is inspiration to do those challenges with my stash. Um, and to see how other people are interpreting the challenges with their stash.

So that is one method. My Story kits, I have this 2026 story I album idea thing that I'm trying to do. And then I also, there are newer. I say newer because, you know, there are kits. I haven't un unbroken kits. I'll say. That I, that I wanna just go through the full, like, I wanna watch the class [00:40:00] content and do a full, like, okay, these are the stories I wanna tell with this kit.

Okay, I'm done. Break it up, put it in the stash. So I, I that I'm planning to do a little more towards the end of the year with the Story kits. I'm trying to get a few more page projects off my list before I focus on those a little bit. But, yeah, I mean, I'm not, like I wanna use it. I'm, like I said, I'm more interested in trying to use these Story kits and some of my Elle's Studio kits up.

I'm more interested in using that stuff up than I am in like my paper necessarily or anything. Um, I'm not buying a lot of paper. I mean, the old paper I'm buying comes in these kits that I buy, so, you know, that's fine. Um. Maybe I'll be, and I, I guess I will say I was inspired with some of my, Let's Create Together.

Like there was one layout I particularly liked, and I did actually, I made it three different times with three different collection kits that I had in my stash. And like used up [00:41:00] pieces of my stash in putting those stories together. So I have used like the Let's create together layouts and stuff as inspiration.

Jennifer Wilson: Mm-hmm.

Alissa Williams: And used up some of my stash with that.

Jennifer Wilson: So, okay. Tell me if this is accurate. It sounds like having kits that you've purchased in whatever form, lay on you more than just having a stash of supplies that are, you know, organized.

Alissa Williams: Yeah.

Jennifer Wilson: Okay. Do you want that to impact your future's purchasing or, um, does that influence that at all or do you, are you getting where I'm heading here?

Alissa Williams: I mean, maybe I, I guess the point is I'm not.

Jennifer Wilson: Do you wanna become a stash based scrapbooker?

Alissa Williams: Well, yeah, because I'm not buying those kits anymore. So I'm using them up to complete projects. Like I could have said, oh, I'm gonna do this 2026 stories album. I need new product for that. And I'm like, no, you don't. You have all the product you need to make that [00:42:00] project work. And so, It's fine that I have these things. But I'm consciously trying to use them to tell my stories and turn to those first versus new stuff. And then, I mean, like I said, the only kits I'm getting this year, like I'm not doing Crop and Create anymore. The only kits I'm getting is I'll get four kits this year from Let's Create Together.

And typically she uses. So like in Crop and Create, you might get an entire collection kit and you would have half that collection kit left over.

Jennifer Wilson: Yes,

Alissa Williams: Whereas with Let's Create Together, you maybe have one sheet like you do not have the excess leftover supplies that you have with Crop and Create. So like, and I am, I have

stopped in the last two years, I have stopped saving so much scraps. Like I, if I'm like, eh, this [00:43:00] pattern's nice, but I don't love it. I it into the recycle it goes. I recycle way more of my paper scraps than I save.

Jennifer Wilson: I, I feel like you have a sense of clarity. Would you have like the, I don't know, the motivation and momentum to go along with that?

Alissa Williams: Um, well, I'm sort of a little meh about scrapbooking right now because I don't have a whole lot of stories. And I need to kind of, I, there are some stories I definitely wanna tell. Like I know I have some stash for these stories that are waiting for me to tell. So I'm ready to, to kind of figure that out and kind of figure out a plan.

And I, like, I want to, at my crop this weekend get a good start on this 2026 Stories album. 'Cause I haven't done anything for that this year, except for think about a few of the stories. So I'd like to start putting that together so I feel a little more engaged with that. And [00:44:00] then, you know, we'll just kind of see.

But I feel like my purchasing right now in the fact that I have made literally zero purchases this year. Like, okay, my, my spring kit shipped. Well, I'm excited to see what the layouts look like and I'm excited to see what stories I can tell with that. And that feels like the right pace. Whereas like, I'm not trying to do all the Shimelle stuff because that was too much.

It's too much volume. Is that what you were asking?

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah. I mean, do you, have you been in a place where you were meh about scrapbooking before?

Alissa Williams: 2018.

Jennifer Wilson: Oh, what was 2018?

Alissa Williams: 2018 was like, I hadn't scrapbooked in, I hadn't scrapbooked all year. And I, I came to the first, um, Simple Scrapper retreat and I felt like an imposter. And like that, that was when I got really reinvigorated with my hobby in end of 2018, early 2019.

Jennifer Wilson: So there is a real potential that going to this, the scrapbook weekend is going to give you that boost that you need.

Alissa Williams: Yes, but it's also like, I don't [00:45:00] have a lot of, you know, like I, like I said, I just, I, I'm not, I'm the. One, the volume of stories is lower. And so I can be more selective I guess. And two, like I'm not doing crop and like I used to come to this crop weekend with a Crop and Create box to do. Well, I've got like three layouts from Crop and Create to finish.

Because I went rogue on most of it. 'cause I didn't like the stuff they were doing, which is another reason I quit. I don't have my, it kind of annoys me that I don't have my Let's Create Together kit yet to do the timing didn't work for that one. And that's fine. I'll, I'll be able to do that, you know, in April.

'Cause the class isn't actually till the end of March. Um, so like I just don't have a lot of unfinished projects that I'm working on. Like, I just, I don't have this sense of urgency. I feel like I'm able to keep up and, yeah, so I need to kind of get back in the flow. I'm not in a flow right now, and maybe now is a time where I do pull out these Story kits and get reinvigorated by.

Telling these different types of stories and [00:46:00] whatnot. And I have like some childhood stories I wanna tell, and I definitely know I'll use my stash for that. I don't know, I mean, it's just, I'm in a lull right now and that's okay. Um, I just, I don't, like, even when I was making my plan and my goals for 2026, it's like, okay, well I know I'm gonna do birthday layouts for each of my kids.

I have these couple ongoing things, but like, I don't have, typically I have like two to three album projects. Well, I don't, I have like two album projects I wanted, or maybe only one. I have an album project I wanna do an extended story I wanna do. But like, I just, there's just, the volume just isn't there.

The way it's been in the past, I guess is, and that's just is a weird place to be in. And so trying to figure that out.

Jennifer Wilson: Well, and yeah, we all go through different seasons and I think that's just a, a natural part of the ebb and flow of both life and then being a documenter of life. And, you know, I think, uh, we always talk about, um the shifts that happen when you do have [00:47:00] teenagers and eventually you'll be an empty nester.

And, you know, how does that reflect on kind of turning more inward into your own stories and the way that you want to live, you know, in the decades to come? So, I think you're, you're in a place of, of unfolding, I guess if we're gonna make it, you know, abstract.

Alissa Williams: Oh, that's unfolding. That's interesting. Well, and I mean, yeah, it's like my cousin has these young boys and she's been sending me some pictures. And I was like, well, you know, I haven't actually, there's like a story I wanna tell about them, that family anyway. So I was like, oh, I'll use these pictures that she sent me for this page.

And it's like, oh my gosh, I have reached the place of where I'm scrapbooking other people's children. Like, okay. Um, and that's okay. And like I said, I wanna, I have a few childhood stories I wanna get documented. I feel like I have space to tell like what Stacy, Julian calls, like those connected stories or,

you [00:48:00] know, um, stories through the, like, we, like this is our first year not selling Girl Scout cookies in a decade. And so now it's time to do like a two page spread or an extended story about our cookie selling through the years and the different things we did and whatnot. So like, I'm also, I've, I've need to make a list of some of those.

Um. I don't wanna call 'em more important, but like bigger stories that have taken time over the years to unfold. So, you know, I've got, I've got those types of stories to tell versus the, you know, here's the dance recital from last week. My kids never did dance. No, I've never been to a dance recital that's like, here's last week's archery tournament.

You know, that's more like us. Um, so it's a different type of scrapbooking I feel like. If that makes sense. And I wanna, like, I made a whole list of people pages, like there's a bunch of people that I wanna make sure are reflected in our scrapbooks.

Jennifer Wilson: I, I'm excited for you.[00:49:00]

Alissa Williams: Thanks and like, well, and like all these other projects are coming to an end too, because like for the last 10 years I have done layouts. So my girls have gone to a private school, K8 eight, private school. And so they've often had the same teachers at this, you know, like when they were in fourth grade.

They both have the same teacher. And so I have waited then with my daughter being two years behind. My youngest being two years behind, I've waited until she hit that grade. And then I do like, here's both of them with the fourth grade teacher. Here's both of them with the fifth grade teacher and.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah.

Alissa Williams: Yeah.

But like this is the last year in May when I take that picture of my youngest with the eighth grade homeroom teacher this, and I do that layout, like I'm done with those stories. You know, like it's a weird feeling to to, to kind of close, close that chapter of these teacher layouts that I've been doing.

Jennifer Wilson: Yeah, but I mean, also a sense of satisfaction too when you've, you know, followed something through. Um, particularly like we, I know I've created [00:50:00] things where I'm like, okay, I have this vision. I'm gonna work on this over the next 10 years. Like, here's the foundation. I just have to keep adding stuff to it. And sometimes that happens and sometimes it just doesn't. Um, maybe 'cause you don't even like the products anymore. But, so I, I just wanna applaud you for, for that, that sense of, of follow through and commitment to it as well.

Alissa Williams: Oh, well, it's more of the.

Jennifer Wilson: End up being some of the most meaningful stories though when you, when you can, capture those things over time.

Alissa Williams: Yes. And I mean, I have a whole section in my Library of Memories album that is called Teachers. And it's, you know, it's the girls teachers. And actually it's the girls I have, I went back like they were, I went back. I didn't start this like when they were in preschool, but I have done each of the girls preschool teachers.

Then all of their K through eight teachers. I've done pages for each of those. Because they've been important. Um, it's a little different when you go to a private school, a religious, private school, you know, we go to church with them, we see them, we have a little, we have a different type [00:51:00] of relationship with them.

And of course, you know, so many of them have been there through the years and they've watched the girls grow up. And, my daughter, my oldest daughter's kindergarten teacher, ended up being our piano teacher. And like, just these special relationships. And so, um, but I definitely wanna do more people layouts, um, this year.

And I, and that will likely be in part of stash busting. And I wanna do, um, like I said, some of these more connected or longer stories over time.

Jennifer Wilson: Well, yeah, I can't wait to see what you create and to find out, you know, the, in the new inspiration that you have after you come back from this weekend. And, uh, yeah, I'm, I'm excited to see what's next for you.

Alissa Williams: Well, thanks. I am too.

Jennifer Wilson: Alissa, can you share where we can find you online? Um, and if our listeners want to follow you.

Alissa Williams: Sure. I am on Instagram as Alissa recommends. I primarily post about my books, um, that I'm reading, book [00:52:00] recommendations. And I sometimes do Thursday three. And sometimes in my stories I'll post about a layout, but I don't post a ton of scrapbooking stuff. But I, you can request a follow me on Instagram if you want to.

At Alissa recommends

Jennifer Wilson: Awesome. Thanks so much for spending time with me. I always love our conversations.

Alissa Williams: I enjoy them as well. Thank you.

Jennifer Wilson: And to all of our listeners, please remember that you have permission to Scrapbook Your Way.