How to motivate yourself to start when you are behind two years of books

gethane

gethane

New member
I started doing books for my family in 2009. I missed 2011 due to graduating from law school, studying for the bar, and starting a new job. I also missed last year, 2014, because I was on a case headed for trial and working so much. My youngest daughter has expressed her disappointment several times and would really like books. She looks through the four books I have every couple of months.

In the past I have always done matching double layouts for facing pages. So that's probably around 20 double layouts PER BOOK that I need to get caught up on. I just keep putting it off because it seems overwhelming!

How do you get yourself to start in the face of such a task?
 
I need to get many more of my LO's printed.
I've been trying to get some books completed by the event if it's a big one [cruise vacation for example].

I also need to get caught up on the ones for my youngest grandson, by year...printed is birth to 6 mo. He turns 3 soon.
m
 
I think you can approach it a couple of ways...

I don't scrap chronologically, but I do understand about big overwhelming projects. They stress me out too much and I've given myself permission to never ever do a project album again- only individual pages as the mood strikes me. It's like a weight was lifted off. This is just my way, and I know not everyone likes to do it this way, but it's an option.

One thing I've started doing with my stepson is to just look through photos together. I can tell by his level of excitement he has for some of them, and I make a mental note to scrap those sooner. I've also discovered some new stories from looking at photos with him, since he has different memories of certain events than I do. It's neat to hear his version of things. Maybe that's something you can do with your daughter. Just take an afternoon and sit with her and scroll through photos. Ask her about her memories and which are her favorite photos. That might give you inspiration to get started.

Another option is to do the challenges here at GS and apply them to the pages you want to make. I've done that a lot when I was in the mood to scrap a vacation or catch up on my Project Life. It can help you focus, and if you do 10 challenges, you'll get a free kit :)

There are tons of 2-page templates in the store that can help inspire you. Dear Friends, Connie Prince, and Aprilsa all have great templates.
 
I try and not look at the big picture and just take it a layout at a time! lol

That seems to make it so much easier for me. When I started thinking about how far I have to go, that seems to be when my scrapping motivation goes out the window!

I love Jen's idea of looking through photos with your daughter and hearing her memories of them for using for journaling on your pages.

Really and truly - take it one layout at a time and scrap the photos that catch your eye first.

Another thing to do could be to set a goal. I want to scrap one layout a week. I want to scrap 2-3 layouts a month.

Set aside time to sort photos and plop them in the layouts. Then go back at a later time and "decorate" the layouts. I've done that before, and it can be fun. I feel like I'm getting more done that way even though I'm really not. ;)
 
I totally hear you! Being on the CT here has helped me catch up a little bit, but I am way behind in my scrapping. I have so many older photos that I would love to scrap from before my digital camera days.... slowly I am working those photos in, but it's a long process.

I love the idea of sitting down with your daughter. I also love the idea of setting a goal and working on it a little bit at a time. I personally have done the "sticking pictures in folders" to scrap later idea, and that works for me, too. I am behind on PL pages for this year, but at least I have many photos already set aside that I can come back to when I find the "perfect" kit. :)

I love that your daughters looks through the scrapbooks so often. Like Michi, I am way behind in my printing too.....
 
Thanks so much for your replies! I forgot to turn on notifications so I "lost" this post. I was doing so well after posting this question. I got three double layouts done last weekend. I thought "I could surely get one done every day of the week." HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Maybe I'll get a couple more done this weekend :). Part of the problem is I get them printed at Artscow and for 2011 I have too many "event" layouts for a 39 page book and not enough for a 60 page book! Maybe letting my daughter give some a try will work to fill up the extra pages :). She's shown "some" interest in scrapbooking.
 
What awesome accomplishments, Gethane! It sounds like life might be settling into a new normal for you.
Maybe switching from bound books to printing individual pages? That way you can print as you go & she can enjoy looking at them.
I was a chronological scrapper & I found that I ended up not scrapping at all. I do much better at scrapping what strikes my fancy. At some point I'll catch up the "boring" photos. LOL!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top