If you give a mouse a cookie...

You know that kid's book right? That's how I felt today as I embarked on a little thing on my "to do" list..See, I had this huge pile of scrapbook layouts that have been moved several times around my room, and I was finally like "ENOUGH ALREADY, I've got to get these put into their correct albums"...

But first, I had to go to Hobby Lobby yesterday to buy more page protectors, especially since they are 50% off this week, and oh yeah, remember they just opened a brand new Hobby Lobby like 3 miles away..so, bought those on my way home from work yesterday...

and then I had to sort the layouts into piles depending on which album they would go in..there are more piles, I just couldn't get them all in the picture..

I use the American Crafts Modern Cloth Albums 12x12, but I do mix my page sizes, like this ( I need to add in some of the kid's artwork and blow up a few pictures with a label like Lisa did..love how that looks all added in)..and each subject has a certain color album..this is how I sort my albums..you're going to think I'm a little crazy but here goes (sort of based on the Stacy Julian way):

Chaz (Red)..any layouts with pretty much just Chaz or anything just about him

Bailey (Bright Pink)..same as Chaz's

Places We Go (Brown)..includes trips, local places like the park, the jumping place, camping, things like that

Friends and Family (Bright Green)...includes any layouts about friends or things we do with friends, any layouts with both kids together or with any of the rest of the family, pets

Holidays (Light Blue)...any layouts of holidays except Christmas

Christmas (Red)..any layouts about Christmas

Brad and I (Black)..any layouts about our anniversaries, he and I, layouts I've done about him, things like that..lovey dovey things

Me (an 8 1/2 by 11 black and taupe toile album I got from Exposures years ago)..layouts about me, growing up, quirks, hobbies, feelings, etc

Birthdays (right now the "Colorful" KI album, but since it's post bound, it's full, so I need to switch to one of the American Craft albums..can't decide which color..probably the bright green unless I can find a color I haven't used yet)..any laouts of birthdays including other family members like grandparents and aunts

School (will be red for Chaz and Pink? for Bailey)..will include about two layouts with collages of pictures from their school year for each grade and then have a memorbilia pocket with some of their "stuff" like artwork, worksheets, report cards, awards, in it like Becky HIggins did in her school album kit)..haven't started that yet, except for one layout for Chaz..

That's a lot isn't it? But it works for me..

Moving right along, next I found myself repairing layouts where the letters had fallen off or something and just reminiscing about old times and cracking up at the pictures..that's what scrapbooks are for, right?

and then I started making charts and lists..I made a page with each holiday listed that I scrap with a row for each year and checked off the ones I had..it totally helps me see what I need to go back and scrap..did the same for my Christmas album too...and I made a list of the albums I need to buy because most all of them are full and are ready for #2 of that subject...

For holidays, I like to scrap New Year's (Eve or day), Valentine's Day, Easter (morning with their baskets, dressed up for church, and the hunt), Mother's Day, Father's Day, July 4th, Halloween, and Thanksgiving..I really like scrapping holidays! and I've done a pretty good job getting a lot of those done..

and then I started pulling out 8 1/2 by 11 layouts that I want to add to a piece of 12x12 paper to make them 12x12..I used to mainly do the smaller size and still do occasionally, but I really like the bigger size now better..

and then Bailey came in and wanted to color, and was forced to go into the closet to do it because there was no room on the floor for her and definitely no room at my scrapbook desk either..lol

and as I was doing all of this, I was making notes of random observations that I had:

1. Our lives are pretty well documented.

2. I really like scrapping holidays and events.

3. I use a lot of bright colors.

4. I need better adhesive besides the 'ole glue stick.

5. I need to scrap more pictures of Brad and I before kids, even if most of my pictures do suck because I wasn't into taking pictures back then and it was pre-digital so I'll have to use what I got.

6. I'm glad that I am very present in all of my albums, and my kids will know I existed and didn't stay     behind the camera all the time. 

7. We do lots of fun things and have lots of love in our family. 

8. I still really like most of all of my old layouts because my style has pretty much stayed the       same..clean lines, bright colors, multi photo, a few embellishments here and there.

9. I need more albums, as stated above.

10. Where are all these albums going to go as they multiply over the years because I don't plan on not   scrapping in some form for the rest of my life. 

11. Love, Elsie letter stickers by KI Memories suck and DO NOT stick well...even if they are cute...grrr.

12. I need to do more layouts about Brad and I. 

13. The Picasa Collage function rules and will help me finally get those events where I had so many   pictures that I was paralyzed about how to scrap them done..

14. Dang it, I was skinny a few years ago and all that time I was obsessing about how fat I was..sister, once I lose weight this time,there will be no more of that..I wasted a lot of time doing that..and looking  back at pictures I realize I looked pretty dang good, and it motivates me to look that way   again..lol

15. It will be so fun to look back at these books years from now..and I love that there is journaling to   go along with the pictures to help me remember the details..

16. I REALLY need to make the kids a mini book about their adoption stories with the pictures I have before I forget everything..they love to hear their stories..!

17. I'm glad all I have to do is add the journaling and my Disney book will be DONE..and that I stink at mini albums..apparently I like the instant gratification of just a layout..mini books take me too long and I lose interest.

18. I never scrap beach or major trip pictures? Too many that's it overwhelming..however, I'm working on a plan for that.

And that has pretty much been my day..Brad and Chaz left out around noon to head to South Georgia to camp..Chaz has a state qualifier race in Albany tomorrow..and I decided "NOPE", I wasn't going to South Georgia in this heat and camp..so Bailey and I stayed home..we're going out with my friend Laura and her daughter Anna to eat tonight and hit the candy store for a "Mother/ Daughter Night Out"..we decided on Red Robin because Laura's requirements were the place had to have adult beverages and a game room..lol..not sure if it has a game room, but it's kid friendly and they have pizza, which makes Bailey a happy girl..she lives for pizza..and I hope to take some cute pictures.

Ok, whew, this turned into a LONG post..but I haven't posted for a few days..

Have a good weekend!

 

Comments

[elizabeth]

ahh. we love those books. but I am seeing a glimpse of ocd?? lol

we're off to HL tonight for albums, and pprotectors. I have 3 inches of dust on my pages that are stacked under my scraptable. I am anxious to get scrapping these itty bitties... so I need to have visual peace.
have fun tonight. don't get crazy!

[Ilona]

first, love all the mouse books, that is how I am when I am trying to clean the house, one thing leads to another and nothing is getting done! second, have you seen these page protectors from We r Memory Keepers?http://store.scrapbook.com/wermekealre.html before I discover the collage on picasa (thank you btw!) I would print out all 4x6's. Now I can scrap 1 or 2 12x12 layouts and put the extra photos in the 4x6 sleeves. I just discovered they have ones that go vertical as well as horizontal. HTH!

[~Kim]

Whew, what a post Heather! Thanks so much for sharing your system of albums. I have very few of my LOs in albums. They are just in stacks! :::gasp::: I really need to settle on what I'm going to do and this might just be my solution!

Question though...I can only find the AC protectors in 12 x 12. What do you use for the smaller sizes? I love having all of the different sizes in one place...great idea!

I need to make a list like yours too...very inspiring!

~Kim

[laura vegas]

this was a great post heather! this could have totally been me a few months ago. it can never be as simple as just putting some layouts in the albums, can it?!?! lol! your album set-up is a lot like mine. very similiar, in fact. although i recently got rid of the holiday albums and the birthday albums (mixed them right in the family ones). but i have all the other ones that you have listed.

and love all our observations. #8, i'm the same. #10, i wonder the same. #11, i totally agree. #14, so true and so frustrating. #15, love this and totally makes it worth while!