I'm considering giving up SB - I'm so Behind!!!

[LZbeth]

I hope you don't give up on it! I just read everyone's post and they all have such great advice and encouragement. I feel better now too! I have often felt like quiting it too. About 4 years ago, our family was going through some tough issues and I stopped scrapbooking for about 2 years and I really missed it, but when I started to do it again, I felt so overwhelmed and didn't know where to start and didn't know if it was worth it...the time it takes, the money, the lastest supplies that I didn't have a clue how to use! I just slowly got back into it and I realized it didn't matter where I started! I don't do it in chronilogical order anymore, I just scrap whatever I feel like doing and I don't think there is such a thing as being "caught up"! I don't even use that phrase anymore! I thought when I switched to a digital camera I wouldn't take as many pictures, no....I take a ton!!! I just realized you don't have to do every picture and it is a hobby or a way of life. I hope you can find the Joy in it again! Take a break if you need to. I wish you the best!

[ali_bl]

This is exactly why I don't scrap chronologically.

I just scrap whatever I feel like it. One day I might do Christmas, the next a summer project or one of my kids birthdays from 1999.

So, don't stress. Just do it for fun. Just play. Don't make it like a job... we all know how we feel about jobs when we "have" to do stuff. It's no fun.

Just have fun. Life is too short to stress out. Whatever you don't scrap, just put in pretty albums until you get a chance. Heck, I have doubles of everything, so I have albums and scrap pages. (notice how I don't have "scrap" albums yet?!)

Good luck.

AMEN SISTER! this is a hobbie, an art, you can´t force that, just work with what you feel like working with (from last year or from yesterday) it is not about documenting EVERY single event on your life, but the ones that are really meaninful.
I say don´t give up, it is worth it, your children and grandchildren will appreciate it, but I would recommend you to rethink your method to make it enjoyable again and not some kind of self impose chinese torture, Meg´s advice sounds pretty reasonable and smart to me.

[Miss*Onigur]

Do you have a digital photo? If so, load all those suckers up to Shutterfly and make yourself a few photobooks. It will take the pressure off, you'll have your stuff organized/in an album with journaling, and you are caught up. That way, you can get back to having fun with the hobby. It's my strategy and let me tell ya, it REALLY REALLY REALLY works.

ABSOLUTELY LOVE Shutterfly! Great Work. I did my dd dance recital 2 yrs ago and printed a great "Brag Book" for her. Simple process too! I just put simple captions under each photo and since the Theme of the Night was "Vacation" I used the vacation book option they had!

[heidi1063]

Don't worry, you are probably just in a funk. I went through a horrible period where I had scrapper's block and just stopped for a couple of months.

During the time "off" from scrapping, I looked around me for ideas. Came to the MB, went to LSS, anywhere for ideas. Then I started out small and worked on some cards. Soon enough I was back to scrapping my 12x12's again!

I think the biggest problem I run into is I have done SO many albums and I don't want my LO to look the same so I try to create a new LO each time. I want them to all be so unique so I find different directions to make my pictures go... I think so hard into it and then realize that this doesn't matter because I am creating memories for my children and my family! My family won't notice the small stuff that I do... they are too busy looking at that trip we took to the zoo when a bird went to the bathroom on my son's head! And so forth...

Good luck to you. Mr. Mojo will come back real soon!!

Heidi

[Scrap Addict 13]

What I would do to get caught up is go to some longer crops about twice a month, but some of thos Creative Memories albums that you can do in one day and load them up. I bet over a couple months you could scrap about 60 pages or more. I'd even do some pages for you if I could. DOn't give it up though. Just think of those great pages you still have ideas for.

Let me know what you decide. We may need to stage and intervention.

[Bodegalee]

I DO understand and pretty much hadnt scrapped (for our family) in several years til just recently. I think I was feeling so behind that I began focusing my efforts on altered items, gifts for friends. That was a lot of fun, but knew I also wanted to get "caught " up with family pics (and I've got many years - to catch up on!)... Here are some suggestions that have helped me a bit...

as others have said, only scrap your favorite photos or sets of photos. Seems like for every 50 photos I take, there are only probably a handful that are worth scrapping - yet they do capture the essence of that time period in our lives usually....

If you're very much WANTING to get albums put together quickly, consider something like Creative Memories - think someone else mentioned. My friend is a consultant and often helps folks go thru and organize things and get pages "ready" to be scrapped. Her system allows much faster scrapping and the albums are VERY nice.....

GREAT book, kind of changed the way I looked at things - Stacy Julien's The Big Picture - if you havent already read - I highly recommend (just dont get too hung up on all the categories of "albums" she does :) ) But her suggestions on going about scrapping the important things in life - I think are sooo great - truly helped me re-think my scrapping and picture taking...

Finally, not to give you anything else to do, but if you dont know digi-scrapping you might want to consider learning. I've found it to be sooo much faster than paper scrapping and in just a few months I've done about 40 layouts (which for me would be unheard of).... AND I am actually caught up with my youngest thusfar which has been nice....It's different than paper scrapping and initially I was so impressed with my productivity I didnt ever think I'd return to paper, BUT I was wrong..... just something about playing with all the stuff that draws me back! BUT I will continue doing a lot of my layouts in digi just for the speed and convenience

Oh, for the pics I've printed, I do put them in albums, in the sleeve but not laid out.. so they're ready for a layout when I get to it. That way the pics are grouped and organized for when I need them....I know some who take time initially to even pick out paper and embellis and put in the sleeve as well, to really minimize the time scrapping later....

I recently went to find some pics of my dd's first pair of glasses - I wanted to scrap her each year she got lenses and show the transition, but was sooo frustrated to learn that I had lost my large pic file of some of her pics. Fortunately I had a smaller resolution but was so mad at myself for "waiting til I had time to do something really creative and beautiful, " sooo I threw together this layout (below) in about 10 minutes. It felt GREAT cause it's down on paper and it's printed and in her album (digi). I've always said I'll go back and redo cause yes.. did it in 10 minutes and it's SUPER basic.. but now I dont know that I will... I'm just so glad it's there and the memory preserved...

I wish you the very best... Set small goals and before you know it I bet you'll be "more caught up " than you ever expected! :) Good luck!

Leigh

[heatherrunion]

Don't give up, just modify your strategy! Don't scrap all your pictures. Scrap some that you really love or that really inspire you! Scrap what makes you happy! Forget chronology! Forget trying to keep up! Concentrate on enjoying the process and the creative outlet! Enjoy taking some time doing something you love! Trust me, someone will value and appreciate the time you took to scrap...they will probably be awed and amazed! Let the pressure fall away, and I guarantee you will feel free...and inspired!

[threetimesblessed]

I felt like you did for a really long time. I just started working three months ago after staying home for most of my children's lives thus far. I always had plenty of time to scrap. When I started working, I stopped having time to do anything but work and sleep. I began to feel very discouraged and very behind. I realized I hadn't even developed any pictures since Easter 2007. I hadn't even scrapped my youngest child's first Christmas and we just celebrated her 3rd. I thought about quitting. I actually told my husband I was thinking about selling all of my stuff.

A revelation came to me.

If I catch up on all my scrapping, I won't have a hobby anymore. Who wants to be done? I don't. Then what will I do for fun?

I'm thankful I have a zillion photos to scrap. It gives me something to do, for me, that I truly enjoy. Bring on the backlog!

[ScrapMyKids]

Wow. I really mean it. Wow! I never expected to get so many great ideas, support and words from others who have been there. I was just kind of saying out loud what I was thinking. I didnt' really expect so many friendly, helpful responses. I think I'll print and highlight and post it somewhere near my scrapbook area.

Thanks so much to all of you. I think this many kicks in the behind and some great advice have actually made me change my plans for Sunday and take it for myself. That is a big problem of mine too is putting everyone else first almost ALL of the time and feeling guilty when I do something for myself. I ted to wait until everything else is caught up. Hmmm, I see a pattern. Or maybe just retentitive tendencies!!

First step - get organized. Second step - make a few Snapfish albums. GREAT idea Erin! I do have a few "big" things that would be perfect for books like that. I can even mark off a present for my parents by making a duplicate!

Again, all of you will be printed, posted, highlighted, and notes made from your words to me. Maybe a few others in my situation were helped too.

Gosh, is this what it feels like to go to counseling?? This was probably so much more productive. Unfortunately, this may make me post more and take more time away from actually scrapbooking!!

Now I'm off to bed and will think about some of my projects in a bit of a brighter light. Thanks!

[journeyfan]

This quote I found on Ali Edwards' blog encourages me when I'm feeling overwhelmed...puts it all back in perspective:


"Above all else, it is about leaving a mark that I existed: I was here. I was hungry. I was defeated. I was happy. I was sad. I was in love. I was afraid. I was hopeful. I had an idea and I had a good purpose and that's why I made works of art." - Felix Gonzalez-Torres