pantsonfire
Drama Llama
Take a step back, evaluate what is important, and enjoy your life with those who you love.
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Post by pantsonfire on Jul 17, 2024 15:53:16 GMT
I hope she explains what "robust story" means to her.
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Post by lasteve1 on Jul 17, 2024 16:07:26 GMT
I don't follow VM, but I somewhat get where's she's coming from. I would never completely redo anything, but I originally started my daughter's albums in 2005 and then took a break from scrapbooking from like 2007 - 2010 and when I came back to the hobby I worked on different projects. When finally decided to start up albums for her again in 2019 I only saved a few pages from the original baby album and instead decided to redo pages to match my new aesthetic. I typically wouldn't throw away old pages/albums, but I decided to redo these for a few reasons: my style is SO different now that it would look very disjointed because of the long gap I took in working on her albums, I only had about 20 pages in her original album all from her first couple of years, I had printed my photos back then on a 2005 home photo printer and the quality is NOT good but I do still have the digitals of all the photos, the older layouts are mostly product + poor quality photo prints--I want to redo them with higher quality prints + add more journaling. That said, I kept the old album on a shelf in my craft closet and sometimes use it for reference when creating a new page about the same time frame.
For me, storing old albums isn't an issue because I have plenty of space but, if space was at a premium, it's probably that old album that would be the first to go. For me, worst case, I could box albums up in plastic bins and put them in the basement, so I'm thankful it doesn't have to come to downsizing my collection. I do get how some people struggle with space and enjoy the process of creating the albums more than the albums themselves and need a way to make this hobby sustainable. I believe a few years ago Laura Wonsik took photos (or scans?) of some of her older albums and then tossed them.
I like looking at my older projects as evidence of my style + the scrapbook trends of the time, but the ones from those first few years really only tell that story, rather than the story of the subject I scrapbooked due to the lack of journaling, poor quality images, and products that haven't all withstood the test of time, so I feel the need to redocument those stories. I did throw away some of my very first scrapbook layouts that I made in High School (just downsizing through a move when I was in a break from scrapbooking and didn't know I'd come back to the hobby) and I regret it, so I won't make that mistake again. For me, I like keeping these relics for what they are and really only keep layouts from 2011ish and beyond in my "current" scrapbooks on the shelf because I feel like that's when I really started documenting in a meaningful way.
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Post by joblackford on Jul 17, 2024 16:07:54 GMT
It just sounds like so much wasted time when new pages can be made. I understand the need to downsize but cutting all of them down? I have no idea how that would work- it would ruin the whole balance of the design so you'd have to rip it apart and start over. Too much work and stuff is bound to get ruined in the process. She is only doing it to layouts that are centered and can be cut down. All others will be thrown out or redone. Yes, it sounds like only a small number will actually be trimmed, and others will be redone from scratch. And she's very clear that she's got all the photos safely backed up and shared. It will be interesting to see her process and maybe some people will understand it more once they see how she's doing it. Especially what she means by core stories or highlights. I know what people mean about the joy in finding small details that may have seemed unimportant, the same way we love seeing the "messy" backgrounds of our childhood homes in old photos. But I think about how some people here despise Project Life type pages and only document big events. Some people find the minutiae dull and never take photos of their lunch or their work desk. That's just their preference. Her daughter will still have 1000x more photos and layouts/stories about her childhood than any of us pre-digital folks have!! And we're fine. |
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Post by joblackford on Jul 17, 2024 16:10:58 GMT
I hope she explains what "robust story" means to her. I'm certain she will discuss that in great detail  I think for a start she's going to jettison the pages that are just a cute photo and a "love you, kid" sentiment. That's probably a lot! But some of it is probably how she gut-feels about the page when she looks at it and reads it, which is something we can all judge for our own pages/albums in our own ways. |
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Post by 950nancy on Jul 17, 2024 16:19:28 GMT
I wouldn't do it. I'd go back and pull the 12 x 12s I loved and keep them in albums. I don't love all of my layouts from 20+ years ago, but I love the pictures. I have good sturdy ladder shelves that hold about 30+ albums each. I have a hallway by my scrap room that jutts out and have three of these shelves there. I would rather reconfigure somewhere to hold my albums. It sounds like it is more aesthetic for VM. I don't know.
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blemon
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by blemon on Jul 17, 2024 17:18:24 GMT
Such a good conversation!
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pantsonfire
Drama Llama
Take a step back, evaluate what is important, and enjoy your life with those who you love.
Posts: 6,264
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Post by pantsonfire on Jul 17, 2024 17:32:49 GMT
I wouldn't do it. I'd go back and pull the 12 x 12s I loved and keep them in albums. I don't love all of my layouts from 20+ years ago, but I love the pictures. I have good sturdy ladder shelves that hold about 30+ albums each. I have a hallway by my scrap room that jutts out and have three of these shelves there. I would rather reconfigure somewhere to hold my albums. It sounds like it is more aesthetic for VM. I don't know. I kind of got a feeling that she may be over scrapbooking and is trying to hold on to it since it has consumed her life for over 20 years. (I believe that is how long it has been for her) I see what your thoughts are though. A lot of social media influencers change things and redo spaces and crafts a lot to fit a niche and to garner new views and follows. And to see if they can start a new trend. So yeah, maybe it could be a need to want to be aesthetically pleasing. Or even a firm control over her life and stories now that she doesn't create for any business. |
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cycworker
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by cycworker on Jul 17, 2024 17:38:15 GMT
I follow Victoria Marie on Instagram, and I love her pages. I hadn't seen her posts about this, as I really only look at posts showing layouts. So have any peas done this? Does this appeal to you? Have you redone layouts because they don't your current style? Absolutely I have done this! I cannot stand to even look at my early layouts, and I sure as hell wouldn't want anyone else to see them. They're awful. I have re-scrapped some of them, and when I eventually find the negatives for my daughter's baby/toddler photos (pre-digital), I will re-scrap every single layout. The only reason that I haven't already re-scrapped all of my early layouts is because I cut all the photos into stupid shapes, and I can't find the negatives to get the photos reprinted. Very grateful I know where my neatives are and that I have so many photos also on cd/dvd. I have the same problem re: cutting photos into shapes. |
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Post by wordyphotogbabe on Jul 17, 2024 17:38:50 GMT
I feel like starting over/big changes is something VM really enjoys and does regularly so I'm not surprised she has decided to completely overhaul her scrapping system. If I'm remembering correctly, she was working outside the home, then she worked for herself and ran VM Designs, then started working PT (at her daughter's school, maybe?), and then started working full-time outside the home again. She's "reset" her scrapping YT channel a few times, too, with new series or lives or what-have-you that last for awhile and then are taken over by her next big idea. None of that is bad; it just seems to be the way she enjoys operating.
While this isn't something I would do, I could see how it would be appealing to other scrappers. I got my mom into paper scrapping about 15 years ago & while she still does it, I wonder how much is out of "obligation" and how much is out of actual want and joy? My sister has a very large age gap between her children so while one is all grown up, the second one is still a toddler. I know my sister would be upset if her second child was not scrapped the same way her first child was but my mom just doesn't seem like she enjoys it. The pages themselves are from page kits where she meticulously follows the sketch or sample that comes with it but the photos she chooses don't necessarily go with the kit theme, there is no journaling, and the embellishments are usually few & far between. I think my mom would really appreciate being "allowed" to decide not to scrap anymore or at least as much as she has in the past and moving towards yearly highlights for the three grandkids that are still at home.
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cycworker
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by cycworker on Jul 17, 2024 17:42:43 GMT
I wouldn't do it. I'd go back and pull the 12 x 12s I loved and keep them in albums. I don't love all of my layouts from 20+ years ago, but I love the pictures. I have good sturdy ladder shelves that hold about 30+ albums each. I have a hallway by my scrap room that jutts out and have three of these shelves there. I would rather reconfigure somewhere to hold my albums. It sounds like it is more aesthetic for VM. I don't know. I kind of got a feeling that she may be over scrapbooking and is trying to hold on to it since it has consumed her life for over 20 years. (I believe that is how long it has been for her) I see what your thoughts are though. A lot of social media influencers change things and redo spaces and crafts a lot to fit a niche and to garner new views and follows. And to see if they can start a new trend. So yeah, maybe it could be a need to want to be aesthetically pleasing. Or even a firm control over her life and stories now that she doesn't create for any business. My sense in talkin to her is taht it is less about bein over scrapbooking & more that she has the freedom now to do it her way since it's no longer her business. |
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Post by Linda on Jul 17, 2024 17:49:01 GMT
It will be interesting to see her process and maybe some people will understand it more once they see how she's doing it. Especially what she means by core stories or highlights. I know what people mean about the joy in finding small details that may have seemed unimportant, the same way we love seeing the "messy" backgrounds of our childhood homes in old photos. But I think about how some people here despise Project Life type pages and only document big events. Some people find the minutiae dull and never take photos of their lunch or their work desk. That's just their preference. Her daughter will still have 1000x more photos and layouts/stories about her childhood than any of us pre-digital folks have!! And we're fine. I think that's important to remember when we're discussing this - we all make choices and have preferences with our scrapbooks - are we picking one representative photos or including many? are we making a pretty page or are including loads of journalling? are we documenting all the nitty gritty or are focused on the big events? Are the photos key? or the story? or the art? There isn't a wrong way to scrapbook. No matter what we choose to do, it's okay. And it's okay if some people don't want to keep every layout or if some want to redo or edit layouts. It's also okay to decide that's not right for you. I think it's so interesting to see everyone's different perspectives - I know I get good ideas and different ways to look at stuff from threads like this even when I don't think they apply to ME, lol |
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cycworker
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by cycworker on Jul 17, 2024 17:58:24 GMT
I hope she explai ns what "robust story" means to her. I'm certain she will discuss that in great detail I think for a start she's going to jettison the pages that are just a cute photo and a "love you, kid" sentiment. That's probably a lot! But some of it is probably how she gut-feels about the page when she looks at it and reads it, which is something we can all judge for our own pages/albums in our own ways. You've nailed it, imo both with this post this post & the previous one. When you think about it, just as my nieces/nephew don't need multiple bowling pages, they also don't need multiple 'random photos because I love you, kid' layouts. They know. When my aunt asked me to make an album for my cousin, I didn't do separate layouts by year. Unless I could tell it was a specific event like a camping, I just took the random mom/daughter pics & did a double page (maybe two double pages?) layout |
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pantsonfire
Drama Llama
Take a step back, evaluate what is important, and enjoy your life with those who you love.
Posts: 6,264
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Post by pantsonfire on Jul 17, 2024 17:58:45 GMT
Please don't take the start of this thread as anything but for conversation. I have enjoyed reading everyone's posts and where they are or how they changed.
I find VM easy to follow because I enjoy her voice and she has always been good about sharing what is in her mind. I have certainly walked away with new ideas and thoughts for sure.
While certainly not for me, I will follow on YT as I find this idea very intriguing.
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Post by joblackford on Jul 17, 2024 19:58:10 GMT
Please don't take the start of this thread as anything but or conversation. I have enjoyed reading everyone's tours and where they are or how they changed. I find VM easy to follow because I her voice and she has always been good about sharing what is in her mind. I have certainly walked away with new ideas and thoughts for sure. While certainly not for me, I will follow on YT as I find this idea very intriguing. I'm definitely glad you started this thread I find it fascinating how divisive this idea is! I think Victoria is going to have a lot of content come out of this because if we're having this discussion you can bet she's getting all kinds of DMs 😬 Lots to talk about! And yeah, like someone said, she's not giving up scrapbooking, she's probably just enjoying some creative freedom. And her daughter is getting to the age where she probably doesn't want her mom scrapping her every move, so this gives her a way to keep working on pages and looking back at the younger years as her kiddo starts moving towards being her own adult self. |
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Post by joblackford on Jul 17, 2024 20:02:54 GMT
I feel like starting over/big changes is something VM really enjoys and does regularly so I'm not surprised she has decided to completely overhaul her scrapping system. If I'm remembering correctly, she was working outside the home, then she worked for herself and ran VM Designs, then started working PT (at her daughter's school, maybe?), and then started working full-time outside the home again. She's "reset" her scrapping YT channel a few times, too, with new series or lives or what-have-you that last for awhile and then are taken over by her next big idea. None of that is bad; it just seems to be the way she enjoys operating. Yes, I think she is energized by these resets! |
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cycworker
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by cycworker on Jul 18, 2024 4:56:33 GMT
joblackford she is definitely getting a lot of DMs Going back to my example of the albums I made for my cousins... I didn't even do separate layouts for different birthdays or separate Christmas photos, or the random school events Each of the broad topics school, Christms, and birthday got a double page layout. School may actually have gotten 3 double page layouts. One for the random shots of events, one for prom/grad and one for each year's individual photo by grade.
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Post by lanena on Jul 18, 2024 12:03:21 GMT
My adult daughter decided she wanted to start scrapbooking a few years ago and asked for my advice I told her I regret not sticking with 8 1/2 X 11 years ago. It is a size that is easily scannable, and you can use ordinary office supply binders and page protectors. She is on a budget, so this is what she does. She creates her layouts on the free version of Canva and then prints the pages through Office Depot. Her layouts are basic collages with no journaling. Different from mine, to be sure, but she keeps an online diary, so she is memory keeping from that aspect. She is also able to share her pages via Google Drive. I find it interesting that Victoria's daughter wants her albums to be 8 1/2 X 11. It is a much more universal size (at least in the U.S.) than typical album pages. |
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Post by breakfastattiffanys on Jul 18, 2024 13:04:34 GMT
Storage wise, I totally get why 8x11 works better. Much more shelving options than for 12x12. I just added shelving for my 12x12binders that I pre measured and it’s still a tight fit, probably because I have the faux leather, padded albums.
I can see myself moving to linen albums but I love 12x12 still. My first scrapbooks, back in 2001, were either 6x6 or 8x8. It was an easy size and required less supplies.
I’ll definitely be watching VM’s process to see how it’s going though. I came to her late, but I find her very watchable, if that’s a word.
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Post by hoopsfn on Jul 18, 2024 13:54:14 GMT
In the past I always enjoyed watching VM's youtube videos. She is talented and it seemed like she genuinely enjoyed sb-ing. Life can get in the way of so many of our projects and it can get overwhelming so I can understand her wanting to "reset". While I can't see myself re-doing my old l/o-s (I can't keep up as is) I do sometimes wish I'd never switched to the 12x12 format. I remember switching because the 8.5x11 pps were getting harder to find and I got tired of trimming down the 12x12 pp. And some of the patterns didn't lend themselves to the trim. But 8.5x11 is a much more manageable size overall although I do like the look of the 12x12.
Interesting conversation everyone.
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vexedangel
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Nov 4, 2018 20:14:04 GMT
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Post by vexedangel on Jul 18, 2024 16:24:35 GMT
I tried to switch my 12 x 12 layouts to 8 1/2 by 11, but after effectively ruining 2, I stopped. I have switched to doing 8 1/2 x 11 going forward. I am also very slowly working through my albums to remove layouts I don't like or don't think are important or necessary stories. I just don't want to leave an overwhelming amount for my kids to have to deal with.
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vexedangel
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Nov 4, 2018 20:14:04 GMT
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Post by vexedangel on Jul 18, 2024 16:40:32 GMT
And her daughter is getting to the age where she probably doesn't want her mom scrapping her every move, so this gives her a way to keep working on pages and looking back at the younger years as her kiddo starts moving towards being her own adult self. YES, I feeel this. I have a tween and a teen, and they are officially over me sharing things online. I started to feel weird about it and had a conversation with them, and it led to me deleting every layout or video or ig post I'd ever made (that I could find anyway) with their faces in it a year or two ago. And they have both shared how they appreciate knowing now that I won't be sharing their faces online anymore. I mostly share cards online anymore, and find I am scrapping more of my own stories, so it feels like an evolution, not a negative change, ya know? |
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MerryMom
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Post by MerryMom on Jul 18, 2024 19:37:56 GMT
I wonder how much of it is that in the past, she has done so much brand specific layouts --- that maybe weren't her style, but she had obligations to create with as a designer. I know when I was actively on DT's, I had to use whatever they sent me even if it wasnt what *I* wanted to use. Looking back, I hate those layouts. I am guessing that ^^^^^ |
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Post by Texas Scrap on Jul 19, 2024 19:03:10 GMT
Just catching up on this thread and, like others, really enjoying the discussion and thinking and reflecting on my own history. I saw a few of her Insta posts, but they were more about room reset. Now I want to check out her YT channel and see how this all goes.
I started in a few random sizes, then 12x12 albums traditional, then 12x12 PL pocket style. Then I kind of dropped both and did less chronological SBing, but mostly in 6x8 or mini albums for Dec Daily or themed topics. Then I went to 9x12 for PL in 2022 and picked that up again this year + for my son's Senior year album. I definitely like the freedom to use the pocket pages to streamline if I want, and then add in any other size that fits in a 9x12 and feel like that size is more manageable, for me. I don't think I will ever go back to 12x12 even though I love how they look.
Right now, I cannot imagine going back and redoing albums, BUT, there are several years of trips and my kids growing up that I have not scrapped, or left in progress. Some are partially done in 12x12 and others not done at all. So, at some point, I will need to decide how to finish those out that are IP and how I want to scrap trips and timeframes I never got around to. So from that POV, looking at what she is doing might help. I think I will stick with any "new" albums being either 9x12 or 6x8 or minis just because those are where my head is at right now.
I do love that all of my Dec Daily are all 6x8 with a few years early on in 4x6. I like the symmetry of all mostly being the same size.
I am curious if anyone on here has gone back to years and trips left undone or partially done and finished those out. If so, how did you go about doing that? How did you decide on sizes or aesthetic?
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Post by breakfastattiffanys on Jul 19, 2024 19:33:30 GMT
I made it a goal to go back and finish/fill in gaps of my dd’s first year baby book, it’s a 12x12. It was 20ish years ago but I had saved the extra paper and scraps from the collection. I followed the aesthetic I had started, which was fairly simple, clean lines.
I added some smaller pages, some PL page protectors and called it good. The album itself has a “dated” print and is post bound, so I used extenders to get everything to fit better.
I’m happy with it and will only move to a D ring if necessary.
Edited to say…there are pages I could do better, for sure. But I resisted! I was a new mom, new to scrapbooking and my dd already knows those pages. I think she would dislike for me to change it now.
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