Dreaming... Again.

Anyone who 'knows me' (translate to 'been reading this blog awhile'), knows that I dream about scrapbooking.  It is not uncommon when I'm working on a lot of layouts - classes, vacation, whatever - to post them and then nights later make changes.  Literally, I wake up in the middle of the night and go to my desk, pull out the layout that's on my mind and either make changes right then and there or pull out whatever I want to add/change and lay it out for the next day.  This has happened more than once lately; for instance these changes have been made over the past few days:

 

 



As you may have noticed, sometimes the changes are bigger, sometimes just tiny.  You see, usually I do these blog posts just before going to bed.  So, when I upload the new photos, I go through the entire Picasa album.  I suppose it's looking at these images so close to falling asleep that causes me to dream about the things that just feel off to me.  (Note: I do the actually falling asleep watching television but never dream about movies, etc. - I'm so weird!).

 

 I only finished two layouts today, one that was photographed during the daylight.  But on the upside, I did get a load of laundry finished, swept the floors and cleaned the bedroom & bathroom - yea for me! First time I've actually done any real housework (kitchen doesn't count) since I starting scrapping the vacation pix!

 



 

 



I'm going to mention something that I have relearned about myself during this scrapaganza... I really love colored cardstock.  You know when you take a Shimelle class how that is always one of the exercises - go back and look at your old layouts and find something you really like about them to try again.  It's been a real problem for me during the classes.  However, when going back through my layouts on Picasa, it became very clear.  As evidenced by the change in the 'FAVE FOLIAGE' layout above, I really think it makes a dramatic difference in my layouts that I absolutely love.  Don't get me wrong, I still love those neutrals: kraft, white, black, gray; however, using colored cardstock, I suppose, has the same affect that using a patterned paper!  So this need I had to start to whittle down my stash has turned into a change in scrap concept for me as well.  I still love the variety of backgrounds in my albums that include patterned papers and neutrals, but I am so very pleased to rediscover my love of colored cardstock as well... whether 'on-trend' or not! 

 

Also, while there is no doubt that I prefer to scrap 4x6 photos, I have learned - through necessity - that scrapping a ton of smaller photos on a layout can be challenging and fun!  You see, my album is already almost full (and we were only gone one week!) ! And yes, there are some 'extraneous' layouts - like 'Two Kids One Monkey' but even those remind me of the fact that each day found new adventures and that many more lay undiscovered.  So, when I go back to finish the St Augustine album (which I have enough pictures from ONE day to do an entire album!), I will use the technique of putting as much on a layout as I feel I can get by with - sometimes one photo, sometimes eight. 

 

Okay, goodnight.  I hope everyone is having a good time and  being as creative as they possibly can.  Stay safe and scrap on!

 

And that's all she wrote.

 

"There's room for everybody on the planet to be creative and conscious if you are your own person. If you're trying to be like somebody else, then there is isn't." - Tori Amos