My scrapping dilemma...how to NOT be chronological

I have always done chronological albums for my kids, creating pretty much identical layouts for each of their albums. So far, I have been OK with this. After reading "Simple Scrapbooks" and "Scrapbooking Lifes Little Treasures" though, I think I am ready to finally make a change.

I have so many years of photos to get caught up on...not to mention my wedding photos to do. I really feel that doing theme albums will work out very well, but I am really struggling with this. I am having the hardest time NOT scrapping chronologically, NOT doing the same page for each of my kids. I'm not sure how to make the break from this style of scrapping.

This is totally silly, but I'm worried that my kids will be angry down the road because DS#2 has more albums than DS #1 & #3. And how do you decide what to put in which album.

Does any of this make sense? Anyone else know what I mean? Any suggestions?

Ugh!! Help me break out of this rut!! ROFLOL

Good for you! I, like you, have always scrapbooked chronologically and have been thinking about breaking out of it ever since I read Rebecca Sower's book on Life's Little Treasures and Angie Pedersen's "The Book About Me." The only time I've broken out of it is when I've done gift albums or a specific album on a particular trip. So, when you figure out (or someone else comments) on how to pull yourself out of this, I'd love to hear it, too!

I have decided to do a Book About Me after reading Pedersen's book. I think I'm just going to start writing some thoughts down related to specific time periods in my life (i.e., grade school, college, etc.) and worry about finding photos later. Like she said, I could always just use memorabilia. I guess that's how I'm going to start going about it.

I've wanted to do something special for my husband (he's such a great friend!) about us and what he's meant to me. So, I think I'll start with just writing what I think about him, us and then specific events or things that have happened in the course of our lives together.

So, I guess that's how I'll begin...by writing.

Have FUN!
Linda

I am glad someone brought up this subject, because the other day my mom asked me how I planned on doing this for my kids. Since I just have Jack now, it is not a problem, but hopefully we will be blessed with more children, and then what? My original thought was each child gets there only all - about - them first year album, and then after that there will be family albums, but of course, that means that there are two simultaneous albums going on (which isn't that big of a deal) but the big problem is WHO gets the family albums? Do they divy up the years when I die? Seems kind of harsh? Please, someone answer! Three of us so far need advice - someone out there must have a good idea!!!!!!!

------------------
Amy

"Honey, will you do that
again, I want a picture
of it to scrap......"

Luckily,I have never fallen into the chronological trap. I work on whatever strikes me at the moment that I want to work on.

I wouldn't get too many pages done, if I felt like I had to keep going in some kind of order. Good luck on conquering your dilemma!

I have been in this rut too for quite a while and I think I finally just got out of it!!! Always I would go chronologically and then get all mad at myself when I couldn't come up with a good layout for something...so then I sorted all my pics into different page protectors in my album and whenever I would come across a paper or an embellishment I would scrap the pics that I thought would go with it....
Now since I work graveyard twice a week and don't want to lug alllll of my stuff with me to work ...I just fill up my container full of cardstock and grab several different sets of pics and an assortment of embellishments...think of ways to do a layout and then choose the pics I think will look good ..and if I think of something that I don't have with me I write it on a post it note and attach it to the outside of my page protector...I don't know how long this will last for me...but I'm on a roll now..plus I have been on this serious spending spree and doing so many swaps and ignoring my pages...so I seem to be finally accomplishing something on my pages again...whew!!! Plus I have to admit I have came up with some good ideas just from all the swaps and RAK's...AT LAST!

I think I'm starting to break out of the chronological mode I've been in for so long. The key for me was to not work directly on my album pages. Since I do 12x15 albums, I always have to size another piece of 12x12 to cover the page. Rather than mounting my background paper directly on album page first, I just tape it together and then work on it.

I'm taking PomBerner's tack and starting to work on whatever inspires me at the moment. I'm so far behind, it doesn't matter what I work on next. I'm feeling rather free now...

Linda~ you will love the freedom inpiration gives you...lol...I such a scatter butt anyways that the chronilogical is EXTREMELY ridge for me...I've decided that scrapbooking is an ever evolving art form and that's my approach now...much more relaxing...
Have a great day~
it's warm and sunny here~
did my water yoga,
did my step aerobics and
did my pilates...
I'd say there is a God in Heaven...
wouldn't you?
(sorry...feeling a little sappy today! )
Bunny

Bunny - I think you're in Michigan and your southern neighbor (Indiana) had a heavenly day for October too. Isn't this wonderful? Stick around and it'll change I know but I sure enjoy each day like this we have.

Pat~ the fact that things can, do and will change in the blink of an eye here in Michigan is what made today special...it was somewhere near 80 today, sunshining, leaves starting to turn and then bam...thunderstorm...wind rain...no lights for about ummmmmmmmmm 10 minutes and tonight were back to hot and humid! GEEZ! Gonna head into northern MI this next week and take some pictures of the all the beautiful changing colors...my granddaughter in NM says it is fall there but only green....lol...I'll send her pictures soon...
Hope you enjoyed your day!
Bunny

Thank you all for your responses, and it is so nice to know I am not alone!

I have decided to just make the switch. Since I started using top loading albums over a year ago, I have bounced around chronologically....a little. But now is time to make the complete break.

Instead of a chrono album for each of my kids, I will do a sports album and a school album for each of them. I might even do a misc. album for them. Then I will do a vacations/camping album, a misc. family stuff album and a Christmas album for the family.....which the boys can fight over years from now!! (grin)

The guilt of doing this switcharoo is something I am totally putting on myself. My boys absolutely LOVE to look through any album I have done, and won't mind having to share them later. (What am I saying?!?! They can't even share legos now!!!!) I'm really hoping that the guilty feelings will subside with time, and I'm looking forward to my new plan. Wish me luck!

Take care~
Beth R.

Just a suggestion - Since top loading are so easy to move maybe as you do the "family" layouts with just a little thought you can make the multipage layouts so they can be divided for each boy down the road. Or at least when the time comes to share they can take every other year or one gets vacations and one gets Christmas...Enjoy! (Can you tell I have two boys and understand the sharing thing? My solution was to have a daughter who the boys say "just gets it all" LOL!) After rereading your original post and seeing you already have 3 sons just let the "baby" have it all - that was always the other thing they'd say "well of course she gets her way - she is the Baby". They have all turned into seemingly well adjusted adults who are doing a good job of being parents so I don't think I ruined them for life. The daughter, by the way, always hated being the baby and over protected and having "what ever is left".

[This message has been edited by Pat P (edited 10-02-2002).]

I am SO glad to see someone else who is in my situation! I am in desperate need of advice/help. I made chrono albums for family and each kid. The kids are designed for them and also have school stuff in them, but the pics and the jounaling is minimal and not complete. My husband divorced me and I tore out 1/2 the family album pics and gave them to him. (Someone told me yesterday that I should have just color photo copied them off for him. Duh.) Now, 2 years later, he is in a coma and it looks like he won't make it. I'm trying to get the pics, plus another album that he wouldn't give me, back from his parents (and gf), but it sounds like a lot are missing. Then, just when you thought it couldn't get worse; two days ago I went and ripped out the rest of my family album! We're talking 16 years worth of photos. I think I'm insane, but anyway...I'm not sure what to do now! I'm thinking that I will continue w/the chrono for the kids only and try to add to make their albums more complete. Then I will make a Christmas album. That's as far as I got. In a way I am releived that I can go to themes for my albums, but I will still be doing chrono for the kids. It's not like I can just stop doing their albums now, is it? One ends in 1999 and the other in 2001. Well, if you have any advice here, I will be ever grateful. I'm having anxiety over this whole thing!

I don't think you are insane, but I think you are dealing with a lot of pain, sorrow, and anger. Maybe you will be able to approach your past inlaws when the time is right and ask if you could make color copies of the pages they still have. Their son was an important part of your children's lives, and you would like to have the layouts for them in their future. No matter how bleak things seem to be, your children may one day bless you for preserving some of their childhood memories for them.

Nancy

Nancy is SO right! It sounds like there is just so many emotions and feelings and thoughts that you are dealing with right now. And I hope that when the time is right everyone will work together to share these photos for the sake of the children.

As far as that albums go, I'm still going to do chronological albums for each of my kids....just VERY scaled down. Instead of including every event, their albums will now just kind of be highlights from the year. The rest will go into theme albums--Christmas, sports, family trips, etc. While I haven't actually had much time to scrap lately, I am loving this new approach. And it has really freed up my scrapping thoughts!!

Thanks for your responses. Doing a scaled down chrono version for the kids is a great idea! That way you still have the option of doing themed albums, too. That's pretty much the same format I've decided on.

You're right about all the emotions...It's been a rollercoaster. I was feeling very overwhelmed with everything. I just want our kids to have a clear history of their lives and I was afraid I would never be able to accomplish that.

After much thought and research, I am glad that I have taken apart the family albums. The kids will not only have a personalized chrono album, but I will be able to do themed albums that will capture the true essence of our family (then and now). The chrono won't be perfectly detailed as the family ones were, but it will give the boys an overall view of our lives.

OK, Doc- how much do I owe you? HA!

The best thing about this neighborhood the only thing asked for compensation for a doc visit is that you help someone when you have an answer (or opinion) in the future. Glad you're finding some comfort in your decision and are joining in the discussions.