[scrapbooking wisdom according to Ali Edwards]

For those of you that dont know, Ali Edwards is a pretty big name in scrapping in the USA.

Recently i bought the new Creating Keepsakes magazine in which she features as a regular artist.

Now i have seen this mag in the newsagency before. I have flicked through it before and have been less than impressed. In the past i have felt that i much much prefer Aussie magazines which showcase AUSSIE scrappers.

Piper started kindy on Wednesday just gone, and in my loneliness after i dropped her off i decided to grab a magazine and a coffee at the bakery.

The only mag that caught my eye at the newsagency was the Creating Keepsakes. I bought it was was TOTALLY blown away by the stuff inside. I am not sure why but it seemed much fresher and up to date than the styles shown in Australian magazines i have bought in the past.

One thing i read while sipping my capacchino (and was nodding my head at as i was reading it) was Ali Edwards' article 'a letter to a new scrapbooker'

It included 'ten lessons every scrapbooker should know' and i will quote some of them here.

Remember this is her words NOT mine. (white writing is my comments)

"1. THERE IS NO RIGHT WAY TO SCRAPBOOK.
Regardless of anything else, there's no right or wrong way to approach scrapbooking. It's the creative expression of your memories - the personal documentation of you and your family's life experience. If you feel like scrapbooking only one photo on a page, go for it. If you want to include 12 photos on a page, go for it. If you want to make an entire book with no photos, go for it.
(here is the thing that struck me that i think everyone needs to hear)

Don't get caught up in comparisons with your friends and their pages. These are YOUR memories and YOU get to choose how to create with them.

2. PRINT YOUR PHOTOS
Digital photography has changed scrapbooking - and the way we take photos - forever. Rather than having rolls of film lying around, we have files on our computer just waiting to be printed.

3. DONT BUY EVERYTHING IN SIGHT.
you dont need to have all the latest and greatest products to record your memories. As you get going, take a bit of time to assess what you really need to make pages you'll love. Look around on your desk - what elements have you already purchased that you could use right now on a layout? As you scrapbook each page, use your supplies to emphasise the two most important aspects: WORDS + PHOTOS
(love that last sentance!!)

4. SCHEDULE TIME TO CREATE
Go to a crop at a local store, gather up a group of friends and literally make time to scrapbook. Get up a bit earlier or stay up a bit later if it's tough to find time during the day.
(Tiff, Meredith, Sue and myself know all about the 'staying up later' bit)

5. DONT THINK YOU HAVE TO SCRAPBOOK IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
Record teh stories that inspire you thee most - this could be a story from yesterday or from 10 years ago. It could be in the order that events occured, or it could be random everyday moments. I hear people talk about being 'years behind'. Remember there will always be another story to tell, and that's awesome. Look at this aspect as a positive rather than a negative.
(i have never scrapped in chronological order, so this thought process is hard for me to understand, but i do know people really get caught up in it. Rather than making rules for yourself - break free from that. Who cares if you are 'out of order' - scrap what is inspiring you right this minute. There must be nothing worse than feeling like you HAVE to scrap a particular photo because it is next in line - set yourself free and just create because you want to)

6. USE YOUR HANDWRITING
(uh oh!)
It is part of you. Regardless of what you think of your handwriting, your family will LOVE that they have this little peice of you when you are gone. If you absolutely hate it, dont feel like you have to use it on everything you create, but make sure it's there somewhere. Your family will thank you.
(now i have handwritten on ONE layout in my life. I know i should do it more because i totally agree with Ali here. Mum has a cookbook which i really really want to inherit because in it she has handwritten all her recipies. That simple thing makes it so special. Sooooooooo in saying that i really should embrace my scrawl and use it more or at least one more time - eeek!)


7. DONT FORGET THE DATE.
In looking back on my work, i've noticed pages where the date is missing. What??? This totally defeats one of my main purposes in creative documentation : identifying when and event occured. Now I often use a simple office supply date stamp to make sure i can quickly add teh date to projects i create.
(Meredith dates EVERY page she creates and i love her for it. Probably something i didn't always do a lot of but she had definately inspired me to do it to most of my pages. In years to come that date, be it simply a year and month will be so valuable)

8. BECOME A TRANSLATOR
(Amanda starts cheering)
I love looking at the scrapbooking magazines and idea books for design ideas. A translator is someone who can look beyone the page theme and see the cool design or a cool accent and be able to adopt that for his or her own layouts. Can you look at a baby page and see elements you could adopt for a sports page? Dont just look at a great layout - rather take a look and then take a closer look. What pieces and ideas can you pull out and use in your scrapbooks?
(just taking it a bit further - what design ideas can you see in your everyday life? A T-shirt design? A magazine advert? Particular colour combinations? Look at how elements are placed and translate them over onto paper. Use paper and embellishments as well as your ever important photos and journalling to make that design work for scrapping)

9. LEARN BY DOING.
This magazine is here to inspire you, educate you and empower you to tell the stories of your family. Take our ideas and run with them! Translate them and make them your own.
(i have noticed many new scrappers scared to try different techniques - often i hear "ooh i am scared to tear/ink/scrunch/sand the paper" I am at the point of thinking WHY??? it's only paper!!!! HAVE A GO! learn by doing. The same goes with off the page projects. Those that have never done mini-books, or other exciting projects have no idea on the creativity and inspiration AND FUN that they are missing out on.....come on and have a go!!)

10. GET YOURSELF ON YOUR PAGES
(more cheering from Amanda)
hand your camera to your spouse, partner, friend or kids and make sure that you are present and represented in the story of your family.

(i must say that i underestimated the importance of this. Imagine you had in your hands your Great Grandmother's scrapbook album. How precious to look at a page with a photo of her and some journalling about HER feelings, HER hopes and dreams, HER fears. A little snapshot of what her life was like. Now imagine holding her album and finding it full of her family, but nothing - not one page on her. The person who created these beautiful pages was missing. How sad that the person that was the main storyteller never told one story, or took one photo of herself. Get your camera out, set the self timer and take some self portraits today!!!! The first 50 will feel silly, but after that you may take some of the most precious photos you have ever had )



so there. There it is! Well done Ali on a great article in which i cheered through most of your points with a cappachino moustache in a bakery full of people !