Poll: Do you journal on layouts?

It’s my favourite part

Sometimes I do, if there is a story to be told. Often it's just the date, location and who is in the photo. I don't like to journal just for the sake of it. If I'm scrapping the 50th photo of me and the dog at the lake, then I'm not going to journal. Sometimes it's just a nice photo of my daughter, with nothing else to say about it. There has to be a half interesting story for me to want to journal.

I almost always do. Part of the appeal of scrapping for me is recording the stories so it is rare for me to not have at least something to say. Sometimes I'll do a cute photo of the cat just because, but more often than not if I've taken the time to make the page I've got a story to tell with it.

I voted always. Even if it is just a short note I like context.

I checked always b/c at least a date, place, names of the people in the photos will go on each LO. Most have more of a story, including more detail about what was going on, my feelings about the event or people, something someone said about what was going on. When younger dgk's look through the scrapbooks, they look mainly at the photos, but the older ones read every word of the journaling. That is incentive enough to keep me doing it.

I said usually. If it’s the lengthy, in depth journaling you’re talking about, it’d be rarely. I had beautiful, heart-felt, meaningful words that will make my daughter cry happy tears when I’m dead and gone…but I hate to write. The physical act of putting pen to paper isn’t something I enjoy. Most layouts get a few sentences. About half the time it goes beyond basic facts and includes a couple deeper sentences.

I do try to journal though. Back when I started, I didn’t journal. When I look back at those layouts, I wonder why I took the photos. At this point, portraits and all the Disney photos are the only ones that don’t usually have journaling.

Always. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but a picture without words is a thousand questions ... somebody kinda said.

Always, one because I like telling the stories that go with the photos and 2, I use it as a design element and depending on the page I will choose the style or method that helps to balance the layout.

If you are having a problem knowing what to say in your journal, here is my way:
Make a list of standard questions; mine are 1. who is/are in the photo(s). 2. where was the photo taken? 3. why was the photo taken? special occasion? 4. what is this a photo of? 5. how were you able to take this photo.

With this list of questions before you, sit down with an imaginary friend and explain your pages, referring to the list, into a recording device. You can then play back the recording and create your journal.

I had a very difficult time in the beginning of my scrapbook journey. I had learned in my career to use a mini recorder to take notes and to record ideas that popped into my head as I was driving, and/or daydreaming.

So I can see that maybe we differ a bit with what we consider journaling to be. I don't really consider who/where/when to be journaling.

Take my example of the 50 photos I have of me and the dog at the lake. For starters, I wouldn't scrap all of them. But those I do scrap, I will add the bare minimum of who/where/when. 

But as for actual journalling? Not so much. There are only so many times I want to write - and read! - "I took Boris for a walk to the lake at lunchtime today. It was a [enter weather conditions] day." There is literally nothing else to say about those photos!! In spring I might add something about the new ducklings, or the blossoms blooming. But other than that..... boring!

I consider journaling to be any information that I add to a layout. To me, it doesn't always have to be narrative. Facts are journaling too. That's why I voted Always.

I agree with you both. Journaling to me is information - facts/feelings/thoughts about the pictures/event beyond who/when/where. . Like WHY is this photo special or worth including? What’s going on behind the scenes or happened before/after the photo? Those are the things I want to remember.

I also said always. For me, if there isn’t a story, I don’t need to scrap it. Or it goes into my PL pages.

I look at my photos, if there is a story that people wouldn’t know from the picture, that’s what I write. The story I would tell to someone else looking at the photo.

I guess I am very gabby, as I’d never run out of stories to tell!

Oh I agree! That's why I said that at the bare minimum I will add who (Megan and Boris) where (Yarrunga Lake) and when (30th July 2022). But I don't really consider that to be journaling. 

Or maybe it is. 🤷‍♀️