craftymom101
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by craftymom101 on Apr 24, 2025 17:30:30 GMT
I have been a traditional 12x12 scrapbooker for well over 20 years (I think it's close to 25 years!). I have taken breaks here and there (from 2010 - 2015ish I focused on cardmaking), but I always find my way back to traditional 12x12 pages.
For the first time in years, I created a December Daily album for December 2023, and I LOVE how it turned out. I have the supplies and journaling for my 2024 album, and I hope to tackle that project this spring. I also purchased Ali's WITL supplies yesterday with the intention of creating a WITL project this year. I have two previous WITL albums that are unfinished, and I really want to start completing projects I start. That is one of my 2025 goals.
I also have YEARS of Ali Edwards Story Kits. I have a few stamps sets, but probably 50+ story kits that are mostly unused. I have tried incorporating the kits into 12x12 pages, but a lot of the Story Kit products are not conducive to larger pages and a large portion of the kits are 3x4 and 4x6 cards. I loved using pocket pages in my December Daily album and I recently created a 12x12 pocket page with 12 3x4 pockets using the AE Fun Quarterly Kit that turned out great.
Here the conundrum: Do I start creating a 6x8 album using Ali's Story kits and really get use out of them? Do I break up all my AE kits and use them in my everyday 12x12 pages? I'm drawn to the idea of using her kits in a 6x8 album, but do I want to give myself another project to work on that may not ever be finished?
Ali's creativity and excitement about her kits has sparked a new desire to use the AE products that I have purchased and to be more intentional with my journaling, but I don't want to end up with another half-finished project.
What do you think is a good path forward?
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Post by Linda on Apr 24, 2025 17:43:54 GMT
I think it's okay to have unfinished projects regardless of whether you intend to go back and finish or not. So from that perspective - go for it. Another option is to include smaller pages and/or pocket pages in your 12x12 and use the kits that way. Also - IRC your children are grown or close to it? So you may find yourself making less 12 x12 pages in the future and the smaller journalling focused pages might be a good fill-in creative wise. fwiw - I'm in favour of using them  |
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
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Post by scrapnnana on Apr 24, 2025 19:21:50 GMT
I’m a 12x12 scrapbooker, but I occasionally do mini and other sized albums. They can be a lot of fun. If you want to do a different sized album than what you usually do, go for it.
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Post by mikklynn on Apr 24, 2025 20:08:46 GMT
Go for it! You can do both. I have some 6x8 and 8x8 albums for my personal scrapbooks. One is about home, the other about my favorite things.
My last trip I did 8.5x11, not 12x12. I also slip smaller pages into my 12x12 albums. It's easy enough to punch new holes to make them fit.
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Post by ScrapbookMyLife on Apr 24, 2025 20:16:52 GMT
I think you should do whatever makes YOU happy. If different sizes makes you happy, then that is what you should do. Personally, I prefer all the same size, because I am extremely matchy-match. Must ALL be the same. I am crazy like that.  |
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FuzzyMutt
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by FuzzyMutt on Apr 24, 2025 20:21:14 GMT
I quit 12x12 when 9x12 came out. I just like it better.
It allows me to do full page 9x12 (same as 3x4 or 6x8) or pocket pages using those 3x4’s and 4x6’s. I mix it up in the albums and do inserts of different sizes, too.
Of course, you can also buy pocket page inserts for 12x12 and keep doing your 12x12’s and adding the pocket pages into those albums…
I will say it got harder for me once Ali’s story kits started including the “outside the page protector” sizes. So maybe start pre that stuff lol
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Post by justlisa7 on Apr 24, 2025 20:28:14 GMT
I am the same - always scrapbooked 12x12 and then switched to 6x8 and love it. I too have so many AE story kits and I find the 6x8 albums work best for them. I embraced 6x8 for travel years ago and now only scrapbook that size and love it. I store my 6x8 albums on separate shelves then my 12x12. I have also done 9x12 for travel to Hawaii and Alaska and loved that size. They look fine next to the 12x12 albums because you can't tell.
Ali's excitement in the new storyteller kits has gotten me excited also, and I enjoying scrapbooking so much more. I am also using 10x8 like she is for those kits for the year. I love what she did. Plus, 10x8 for some DD.
I hope you find what works for you best.
Also, I can't seem to break up kits unless I have used most of it. But that is just me. I want to make two layouts each with story kits since they are small and then break them up.......maybe. lol
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FuzzyMutt
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by FuzzyMutt on Apr 24, 2025 20:46:56 GMT
I can’t break up kits either. I really really wish I could and I know that would make organizing my scrap room way easier. But it’s like chopping into a paper, I feel like it just can’t be undone if I change my mind.
I have been doing trip albums in 6x8 and it got crazy. Two and even three albums for a trip. Recently, we took a 3 plus week trip packed full of bucket list experiences. I prepped sooooo many photos mentally defaulted to 6x8… but then it occurred to me, it’s going to be at least 4 albums. That’s just ridiculous.
I’ve done Dec Daily in 10x8 the last 2 years- and I hate working in that format- but the supplies seemed better suited (especially this year) and it allowed me to keep it to one album… Usually DD is 2 6x8’s.
Back on topic.. lol I’m considering doing that trip in a 9x12… because I know I like that size and I prepped most of the photos mentally for 6x8. Often, I use the 9x12 page protector with the bottom third being a 4x6 and a 3x4. The 4x6 pocket is slightly larger than the 6”, so I usually cut a 6.2x8.2 pattern paper and put it in the pocket. Sometimes I adhere a 6x8 photo to it, sometimes I just drop the photo in the pocket. It covers up two 3x4 spaces in the middle row, but I actually like the look mixed in..
I find 9x12 to be super versatile.
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Elsabelle
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Post by Elsabelle on Apr 24, 2025 21:51:29 GMT
I have a hard time breaking up kits. In my mind they should stay together if they were designed to work together. Recently I got down to the final few bits and pieces of a Cocoa Vanilla collection but I had quite a few foam title stickers left. I thought they had a better chance of being used if I put them on my desk. It took over a week for me to stop feeling like I needed to put them away with their friends.
Anyway, you have a lot of options. You could switch over to the smaller size for a themed album or maybe a summer season album or something like that. A cute little summer '25 album would be fun. But you could choose any theme and have fun with it.
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cbscrapper
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by cbscrapper on Apr 25, 2025 3:38:09 GMT
Don’t consider it an unfinished project, but rather an ongoing project, just like the everyday 12x12 albums. Whatever you get done, you get done!
I’m in a similar circumstance. I subscribed and have a LOT of Story Kits (and stamps) and have not used them. I scrap 12x12, but do DD and vacation albums as 6x8. My plan is to use the Story kits for both - do some 12x12 pages, some 12x12 PL pages, and then start a 6x8 stories album to create in that as well. Once I create several things, then I would consider breaking up the rest of the kit. I like how Krystal Idunate did her Story Kit Crush series and planned out a pocket page, LOs, and 6x8. That’s my plan, anyway, when I get around to it!
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PaperAngel
Prolific Pea
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Jun 27, 2014 23:04:06 GMT
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Post by PaperAngel on Apr 25, 2025 20:26:06 GMT
IMHO only you can define what is a "good path forward" for you. Consider adopting both sizes - perhaps an ongoing 6x8 album for a pet, garden, child's sport/activity, or annual (repetitive - e.g. beach, mountain, theme park, couple) vacation, & 12x12 for everything else. Another option is to incorporate various sized page protectors or faux pocket pages (i.e. pocket page style using a sheet of cardstock/patterned paper without having to mimic the same configuration on the reverse as necessary with divided page protectors) into your existing 12x12 albums. HTH & you determine the ideal approach for you!
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craftymom101
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by craftymom101 on Apr 29, 2025 13:29:33 GMT
Thanks everyone for your responses! I pulled out a new AE 6x8 album from years ago (maybe when Ali was selling WITL products on HSN?) and I'm going to use that album to start collecting 6x8 layouts using my AE kits. I'm excited to try something new!
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cbscrapper
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by cbscrapper on Apr 29, 2025 14:28:14 GMT
Thanks everyone for your responses! I pulled out a new AE 6x8 album from years ago (maybe when Ali was selling WITL products on HSN?) and I'm going to use that album to start collecting 6x8 layouts using my AE kits. I'm excited to try something new! That’s great! I hope you’ll share those pages here - your LOs always inspire me! |
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Post by scrapcat on Apr 29, 2025 15:50:07 GMT
You've received good advice and glad to see you will try/start. Just another thought...
You can always add 6x8 layouts to a 12x12 album, if you end up only having a few. It's probably not made anymore, but I know there was a 12x12 page protector configuration that included a 6x8 slot. Or you could punch holes to align the 12x12 or just mount on neutral or coordinating cardstock?
I'm very free with the rules, I do what I want. There are no scrapbooking police who are going to come check that you've filled an album or finished or whatever expectation you've set for yourself!
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FuzzyMutt
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Post by FuzzyMutt on Apr 29, 2025 16:51:53 GMT
You've received good advice and glad to see you will try/start. Just another thought... You can always add 6x8 layouts to a 12x12 album, if you end up only having a few. It's probably not made anymore, but I know there was a 12x12 page protector configuration that included a 6x8 slot. Or you could punch holes to align the 12x12 or just mount on neutral or coordinating cardstock? I'm very free with the rules, I do what I want. There are no scrapbooking police who are going to come check that you've filled an album or finished or whatever expectation you've set for yourself! I just drop a 6x8 into a lower 4x6 pocket in a 9x12 (would work in 12x12 too.) Half of it isn’t covered by page protector, but it fits lol |
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Post by caspad on Apr 29, 2025 17:03:02 GMT
You could also use some 9x12 and 6x8 page protectors in your 12x12 album in between your regular 12x12 layouts. Ali used 6x8 inserts a lot in her Project Life 9x12 album like here and here. Enjoy using those story kits! It is so fun to start a new project. |
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craftymom101
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by craftymom101 on May 6, 2025 21:32:58 GMT
  I started working on a 6x8 album last week and so far, it’s a lot of fun! I’ve created these two pages plus a third page using pockets. The third page has some pretty specific details about my work/job so I’m choosing not to post that one. 😊 |
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Post by Linda on May 6, 2025 21:56:54 GMT
those look great craftymom101 - I love the big photos and the focus on journalling |
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cbscrapper
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by cbscrapper on May 8, 2025 3:20:09 GMT
Great job!
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