Lets Start The Story

It so difficult sometimes to start to tell the story of your layout. We can get blocked and just move on thinking that I will figure it out later. If you are like me, later is not good. I have forgotten dates and those on the pictures are either cropped off or nicely adhered to the back of the photo. I have started to use my stick notes to remind me of date and years, which is extremely necessary if you crop those dates off your photos.
There are a few ways that I can get my creative journaling juices flowing.
One I look at some books. I look at only the titles. Sometimes this works wonders for trying to come up with a title or even a beginning sentence for your journaling. Magazines are another great source for journaling, and no they don't have to be craft ones. Look through them for lots of different ideas, after all they have writers creating all the articles and sometimes a title or a first sentence might pop out at you to get you moving on your journaling dilemma. Another great idea is not to forget about songs! Love songs, poems etc. Use one phrase or part of it. You got to admit there are millions out there to chose from and one just might fit the feel of your layout.
Remember that its not what you write but that you write about your layouts. Believe me you will be happy later when you look back at a completly finished layout and it looks MARVELOUS.

Article by

Debbie Ruggles

Save some room

I know that its difficult to sit and write down everything about a layout when your pressed for time, or you just can't seem to put it into words. I have done a couple things to help myself when I can't get it right. If I am blocked or pressed with time, I use sticky notes to jot down a few things about the layout, like date and where etc. Then I put it aside. I will eventually come back to the layout and do the journaling. Those sticky notes come in handy. Last year I was putting together my sons scrapbook for his Open house and found a page that I had totally let the journaling go. What I should say is I never took the time to finish the journaling. On top was my yellow sticky note with all the details. I just sat down and typed it up. Done and I didn't even have to research a date or what the event was. For me sticky notes do a lot for the busy person who has some time but not enough to finish the job all at once.
Another thought that I have about journaling is to just save space for it. Sometimes you just can't get the words or title for the layout. It does no good to sit in front of it and stare at it until something comes to you. It truly is better just to set it aside and come back to it another day. The layout will be there and I will be you will have a better perspective on what it should say by then. Sometimes just walking away will do a lot for writers block. Its been my case that if I get to where I am having trouble thinking about what the layout should say then its time I just put the thing away and come back to it another day.

If you have any comments, we love to hear them, so just pass them along to us and we will be sure to share them with our readers!
Mail your ideas, comments etc to debbie@accents2scrapbooking.com

Article by
Debbie Ruggles

Creative Jounaling

We tell you that its important to journal on your layouts, add poems, quotes etc to make your pages more interesting. There are many ways to incorporated journaling into your layouts without the traditional white space with writing on it. I thought that I would give you a few ideas to get you started on getting creative with new ways to add your journaling.

Lets start with journaling around the edges of the layout page. Dark paper is no excuse a good white writing pen will solve that problem. I like to repeat a quote around the edges of the page or if the name of a person or even the event. A poem is great, but make sure you have enough to finish around the edges or can repeat it if you are looking to put it all the way around the edge. Use a edge when you are writing to ensure straightness and also be neat! Its a cool decorative edge to your pages and you can make it part of your journaling as well.

How about High lighting part of your journaling. Use a photo square or do the first word of your journaling with a decorative die cut letter. I like to sometimes use a altered stencil for my first letter of my journaling just to add a little interest.

Just a couple of ideas to think about when your trying to make your journaling interesting. If you are like me the more glitz the better!

Article by
Debbie Ruggles