a bit of a solution for my lost mojo.

I was reading the incidentals thread when I read about Lou and Bobs being mojoless right now, I thought I'd post here so we could discuss it more.

I Scrapped for 7 years and filled a fair few albums. It always bugged me that I still had photos in boxes and I wanted to see them in an album. Being a slow scrapper I knew I'd always be playing catchup.
What also bugged me was the albums being 12x12 are so bulky and heavy, I kind of regretted not scrapping 8.5x11 throughout as I could see that over the years the albums would take over my house as it's a lot smaller than I used to have, but then I liked the square 12x12. Standard furniture and shelving cater more for A4 that 12 inches imho, the bigger shelving you can now buy Ikea etc, are just too big for my house.
I think too I'd put myself under too much pressure as I started off with the intention of scrapping every photo! I'd emptied all of my photo albums when I started Scrapping as they were those with the sticky back plastic and were showing yellowing around the edges.
I know I could've just stuck with the odd photos and scrapped those but I wanted the albums to be chronological and all have their story if you know what I mean, not having different photos of the same timeframe in different albums, except my wedding.
Anyway, doing the cj made me think. I want to be able to do different things like mini books, CJs and fun things and not always worrying about catching up, I was still in the 80s-90s.

I came across 12x12 photo pockets first and was going to buy a load of them to just put in alongside layouts but that didn't solve my too many albums problem, and them being big and bulky, so I found Arrowfile photo albums on the internet which are ring bound. They do 12x12 but I went for A4 and you buy the album and refills come in various ways, like slip in photopockets in different sizes as well as the plain A4 so you can Scrap some photos and put the rest in the photo pocket pages which is so much quicker, my solution!
I see there is a show and tell album or something like that and it's along the same lines only I've yet to see one in a smaller size that 12x12, not to say there isn't one though.


I've been busy these past few months cutting down my layouts to A4, it really didn't hurt like I thought it would as they still look nice and most importantly, it all tells the story as well as adding photos I haven't scrapped into the pockets. I've still a way to go as I keep putting it down for a while but I'm nearly up to 2005 so that is progress.

Now to the point, I've got most of my photos scrapped, and because of the ease of slipping photos in the album with notes of who what and where I now have the time to pick up new projects with no guilt and frustration of backlog.

I've started a 6x6 album for DD which I'm enjoying, I hope to do albums for Christmas presents this year for neices and nephews too as they're grown up and I know they'll love them, for me too I'm still keen on doing a Book of Me album.

Not that I'm a scrapper, Gillian, but that sounds like a great idea. I know what you mean about feeling under pressure and not being able to craft things you'd like to do, so if you've found a way round all that, then I say well done!

Lynda

yes, I felt like that when I started, and then Dh said he didnt want to keep coming across white blanks int eh old photo albums where I had had all the best ones away. He had a point, so apart from soem essentials where I ordered doubles, i decided just to start from now on. I still have a backlog, but its manageable. Just abotu hald a shoebox to choose from. I print the best one or 2 shots of any event and then jsut scrap those - I find that tells the story just as well. I also make mini books if there is a special event with lots of photos, to be scrapped - for example I did one of mums 70th and Kens 80th birthdays, of my trip to Paris with my sick friend etc.

if it turns into a chore, then all the fun is gone, so I just pick out what i want to scrap from that shoe box. My albums are 12x12 and they do take up a fair bit of room but I love them. i dont worry about what order they are going in, I have the books in loose categories 'leigh' 'flowers' 'mum and ken' etc and I jsut pop the pages in in any order. I tell myself I will re-order them all properly one day but I bet I dont.

If I lose my mojo, well, kits seem to get me back going again. I know the work isnt MY ideas, but its my photos and I end up with a decent page.

I always respond well to a challenge when I draw a blank.

I'm the opposite, Gillian. I love 12 x 12, but like you, I do have a backlog. The problem is though, when your mojo goes you get even further backlogged. I have photo's in my hand, sometimes for days, but can't get any further.

I'm thinking that maybe a change of subject might help me. Perhaps I'm all Mia'd out and need to do some for my BOM or Nic or something. That way, I wouldn't be stuck in a pink and pastel rut. In fact, now I've just written that, it sounds like it might be a plan. We shall see, lol.

Mini albums aren't my thing though. I'm so stuck liking the 12 x 12 that I know won't get lost 'cause of the size, that a mini album holds no thrills for me at all. I love to see and get them, but don't want to make one.

Thanks Lynda.

Maria I like using sketches sometimes it takes a lot of the guess work out, or using ideas from others with their layouts.
I love kits too, although I haven't subscribed to any for a while.

Lou I must admit to liking the space of the 12x12.
I'm doing a small album for Becky to keep, she takes lots of photos but doesn't get any printed.
I'd do mini albums for CJs and themes, I keep them seperately on a shelf.
I've also enjoyed making the birthday mini albums I've made this past couple of years for family.
I've mainly done for the older family members so now I'm moving onto the younger ones.

Gillian, what a great idea. I to have loads of photo's that I dont really want in the main albums but dont want to get rid of them just because the old and not great photo's. I have loads of when my cousins and myself were young and on the beach. Photo's taken by the old kodak box brownie. Yes I am that old. I have a scrapbook and cardmaking program that I bought yonks ago and think I will see what I can do with these photos. Thanks for your inspiration.

Like everone else, I have a huge backlog of photos. I think in some ways
I have compounded the problem as I sorted all my photos into date order
so now I have 1970s in a box, 1980s in another etc etc, and I have loads
to do. I love 12 x 12 but as already stated, they are so heavy, but I do like
the space of that large page. I have some 8 x 8 albums and am going to
do one for the grandchildren each. The idea is to put in a photo each year
until they are 18 or 21 or whatever.