playful.productive.present

She So Gets It!!! (and finally, a Q&A)

You have GOT to read this post by Michelle, who so totally understands the "big picture" behind the Library of Memories (LOM) system.
Thank YOU Michelle for sharing your post with me!

and now, finally ... an answer to a really good question.
Q: I'm behind the times and just got a copy of Photo Freedom. I love it like I knew I would. I'm so ready to dive in. One easy question, I noticed in the book that you have albums in iPhoto w/ your 4 main categories. How exactly does that work? Do you organize pictures there directly after uploading them? Or are they triaged similar to the way you triage physical photos?

A: First of all, there is no such thing as "behind the times." I'm tickled you have a copy of Photo Freedom and that you are interested in my system. Here's how I use my photo software to support my Library of Memories storage binders (chronological storage) and category drawers (triaged photos) ...

Since I use and love all things Apple, my computer is a Mac and my photo software is iphoto, which is very user friendly and customizable. Regardless of which photo organizing software you use, you'll want to set up the following albums or folders so that you can tag or copy images from your main dumping ground (I'm mean uploaded collection) into more manageable groups:

1. Seasonal highlight folders. At the end of each season or quarter I set aside some time to review and copy/move my most scrappable images into pared down seasonal folders. As I noted in the book, I might have 700 to 1000 (or more) images from July/August/September (summer) and will end up moving half or less to a highlight folder, that I label 2008 Summer I can always go back to my BIG collection and search by date and see everything I decided not to delete, but for me it's critical to pare this collection down to just those images that I will upload and archive at Shutterfly for potential printing. I generally end up with somewhere between 300 and 700 photos in each seasonal highlight folder.

NOTE: I upload photos to my computer often (once or twice a week, or more.) After images are uploaded, I quickly review and delete the obviously BAD ones. At this point, I pretty much ignore them until it's time to create a seasonal highlight folder. I do occasionally print (at home) a pic here or there before printing an entire folder, but for the most part, when it's time to scrapbook, I go to my collection of printed photos. In other words, I do NOT spend time looking for images on my computer.

2. Triage folders. Once I have seasonal highlight folders created, I generally view them if I need to find a particular image. As I spend time with images in these folders, I may do some virtual triaging into my four main categories of All About Us (folders for each person in my family), People We Love, Places We Go, and Things We Do. I do NOT spend time duplicating my physical triage sub-categories on my computer, because I have found that I do NOT generally reference them. The only triaging I do consistantly is into the All About Us folders that I have for each person in my family. I DO use these folders, as I often want to reprint an image for a layout or a school project, etc.. For example: Just this morning Taft needed a photo of himself for school. I wanted a very current photo so I went to my Taft album inside my All About Us folder in iphoto to find a photo taken on the first day of school. These pictures are NOT yet printed, so this particular photo would not yet be filed in a storage binder or triaged from there into the All About Us category drawer.

As for the other three main categories, I don't really have many sub-albums on my computer. If I triage an image, it just goes into the main category. I do create a separate sub-album for all of my travel locations and I also have sub-albums for Everyday Life and Color in my iphoto Things We Do folder -- again, because I find I need and use them the most.

I hope this helps. Sometimes I write these answers and wonder if I've confused more than clarified.

BIG Tip: Keep in mind that if you are doing more digital scrapbooking these days, you will WANT to spend more time than I do setting up triage sub-albums on your computer. Your use of computer software to organize photos should reflect your approach to scrapbooking. Be careful NOT to invest time in processes that won't pay you back in increased efficiency. You will find the right balance between computer and  physical files as you start scrapbooking with your Library of Memories system. So PLEASE, PLEASE do allow yourself to start using your system before it is entirely "set up." (which, btw ... takes a long, long time to set up and fine tune and learn to use and love, and the longer you allow it to take, the better it will "stick" or work for you. Remember this OK?)

back in the saddle ...

only I'm really glad it's not a saddle.

We got home on Saturday at 9:30 pm and I got up early Sunday to finish preparing my Relief Society lesson. Needless to say, I to took full advantage of Sabbath restfulness after church (nice long nap) and then hung out with my little ones.

The very dirty laundry is almost done. Groceries are purchased and put away, dinner is prepped and I'm now in my studio trying to remember what it is I do. NOTE: I haven't yet mustered the courage to open my email. There is no doubt that the hardest part of unplugging is plugging back in. I've got a day and a half before Geoff and I leave again and much to do, so I'm thinking I will be far more productive if my space is tidied up. 

Quickie Q&A

I had a recent email question about my favorite square punch.

Here it is. It is an EK Success Paper Shaper 2" square and I LOVE it. I also have the 1 3/8" square and find the combination of both just about perfect for "loving" older photos and photos that I've relegated to cold storage and would like to reintroduce into my Library of Memories system via my Square-punch Picture Drawers (extra no.9 in the book Photo Freedom)

Dinner btw, is my first attempt Crock-Pot ribs. Trey loves ribs and has been asking me to learn how to make them at home. After witnessing firsthand my 19 year-old crock pot, several friends got together and purchased me a brand new one and I'm rather excited. Good smells are beginning to waft downstairs. Click on the word "Crock-Pot" to visit the site where I got the recipe (love the Internet.)

Hope you're having a good Monday.

Q + A: Where do I start?

Hello Stacy.

I’m not sure why I’m writing but I’ve finally gotten on to your website and blog after watching your part on Scrapbooking Memories. First, I want to tell you that I just love to watch your part on this show. I love how down-to-earth you are and how you are so encouraging for those of us who are “stuck”.

I’m a mom of two-step boys (24 & 19) and two smaller kids girl-10 and boy-8 and I have a great husband (fireman) and two sweet doggies and one very independent cat.  So needless to say I have tons of stuff to scrapbook about.  At least you would think so!  I watched you the other day and you were talking about how it is so easy to get too much stuff to scrapbook with and then not be able to do anything….that would be me!  I have enough stuff to open my own scrapbooking store and unfortunately most of it has never been used!  I could be the poster child for Scrapbooking…Where Do I Start?

I hope to look through the website and read your blog and hopefully get some ideas.  In the meantime, I’ll keep watching you make it look so easy!

Shauna in Wyoming

Dear Shauna,

We all have a life that we appreciate enough to want to scrapbook and in an effort to "get started" we generally start buying and eventually collecting stuff. You are NOT alone!

Here's the deal. It doesn't matter where you start. Just start. Start with two photos or 10 photos and put them on a big 'ole piece of cardstock surrounded by your thoughts and feelings and some pretty paper and then do it again and again. Each time you do it, you'll learn something and each time you do it, you get better at doing it.

Now, I realize this is NOT very specific, so here are three additional assignments for you:

1. Register at Big Picture Scrapbooking.

2. Sign up for my FREE class, called Start Here, with Stacy

3. Join in our annual August Promotion. It is very fun and also FREE.

I feel confident that after you have taken advantage of these resources, you'll have a much better idea of where to start.

Thanks for the email!

Stacy

Anyone relate? Grab your timer, set it for 15 minutes and come check it out. Then come back often throughout  August. There are so many wonderful ideas to soak in and try. We have AMAZING teachers who are dedicated to your scrapbooking success and they've generously donated their time and talents this month, so you can get to know them better.

Bingo Q+A and Scrapbook & Cards Today

So, we started playing Summer BINGO Monday morning and Taft had eaten breakfast, met the prerequisites and built a blanket fort in our living room by 8:30 am. He was asking me question after question and I was rushing around trying to get Trey out the door, to his theater camp. Needless to say, I had to sit down with Taft and explain that BINGO is not a race. You don't really want to have five BINGO squares filled in before lunch. That sort of defeats the purpose ... yada yada.

It's already Thursday. I cannot believe how time flies (and I am having FUN btw) we've made a few adjustments and I'm hearing all kinds of good ideas from other BINGO players. My friend Heather actually set up a Facebook group for Summer BINGO, so if you are interested, please join.

I've received several questions too, so here are some answers. Keep in mind though that when it comes to something like this, you can make up the answers. See the Mom Handbook, page 1 -- I'm joking, but YOU are in charge and can adjust, alter or completely change the "rules" at any time.

Q: Do your kids do chores?

A: Oh yeah -- however, we don't really have a job chart or specifics assignments in the summer. I just make sure I give them all something to do each day to help around the house. Before they can begin playing BINGO they have to make their bed, pick up their clothes, play the piano and complete their "dad" assignment, which is some kind of math, reading or writing assigned by Geoff.

Q: What do the "J21" and "TT" mean at the top of your BINGO cards?

A: Great question (sorry) the "J21" refers to the week (ie, June 21st) and the "TT" stands for Trey and Taft. My younger boys' cards are the same, but I am making a different version of BINGO for Chase, so his card has a "CJ" at the top. These designations are to help me keep things straight. My plan is to change up a few of the squares each week. Next week when we go to my parent's house there are several "blue" squares. These are the activities that are only available at grandma's house. Hope that makes sense.

Q: Where did you get the all yellow stickers?

A: I got the stickers and the tickets at my local Staples.

Q: Just curious. When do you think Addie will get her own BINGO card.

A: I think you could do BINGO with a very young child, but I really wanted to focus on my school-aged children. Addie has Lauren to play with and Lauren has Addie and all the boys to keep track of. For me, I just figured Lauren didn't need one more BINGO card to worry about. I do have some tickets in my desk drawer, so if I'm downstairs in my studio, my boys can come to me to "sign off" on a BINGO.

There are some REALLY FUN ideas being shared over at Facebook, in the Summer BINGO group, so if you have time and want to get or share ideas, join in. NOTE: I think I got the link right, but if I didn't, just go to Facebook and search "Summer Bingo."

When I participated in a retail event this past April in Ontario, Canada, I met up with the editor, Catherine of Scrapbook &  Cards Today. I am SO impressed with this magazine and I'm just really curious if you have seen it, read it, love it ...  It is obviously published in Canada, but it is distributed through local scrapbook stores and is FREE (with purchase) to consumers. It is also available online for FREE.
I have an idea of how Big Picture Scrapbooking might be able to work with this publication and so I'd love to know how many of my blog readers are aware and/or familiar with it. If you have an opinion to share with me about this magazine, I hope you will leave a comment.