Fourteen Pages!!
I got out of my creative funk and completed fourteen pages in my scrapbook! Whooo, hooo.

It took all of Sunday afternoon to sort them, determine which photos I still needed, order missing photos online from Walmart, decide what type of book and layouts to use and then get my creative juices going.

At one point Joshua walked in and asked what I was doing since my photos were still laying on the table in the same places he saw them hours before. I told him I was overwhelmed and asked him to pray for me.

Nancy felt bad for my anguish, so she came over to my table, gave me a few suggestions and voila! I started. I just needed someone to tell me what to do. (Thanks Nancy!!!) I had forgotten how to do it, which was strange and frustrating since I used to LOVE to scrapbook. It is a huge creative outlet for me. Well, that night I got these two pages done before going to bed at midnight.


I picked up more photos at WalMart Monday and started working on my pages again after lunch. I got another 12 done yesterday!!! Fourteen all-together!!! I am so excited.

Thanks so much for your suggestions and encouragement. I decided to stick with a traditional scrapbook since I needed as many pages as possible to do an album with of the trips we took this year as a part of ministry. We would never travel like we dd if God had not called us to a speaking ministry. It can be a very hard calling at times, but these trips have been sweet blessings that allowed us to see places we'd never see and spend time together that makes the perfect recipe for family bonding!

It feels so good to have these photos on pages where we can enjoy them and where I can write the story they tell. Just in case you want to see them, here are the two I did, the blank areas will be filled with journaling:


Left page: Our first day on the slopes. Here we are in the ski shop ready to go (notice what I am holding :->), then there's the Gondola (enclosed heated ski lift!), Joshua and I riding on the Gondola and taking a photos of ourselves after a long run on the slopes, and then the view we could see from the Gondola.

Right page: A map of the slopes (it took us the whole first day to figure out how to get around. So many slopes!), then there's a list of the rules and how many people broke them in the past week/month, and then three shots from the top of the mountain. It was breathtaking. My family got a bit frustrated at one point because I kept taking photos and they wanted to ski. But I wanted to capture this amazing moment that was like being in Heaven for me. Truly the mountains declared HIS GLORY!!!

Just in case you are trying to make a decision about the type of album to use in the future, one factor for me was that vacation photos are easier to be creative with since they have themes like snow skiing, beach, pool, camping, amusement park, family reunions, etc. I love the Picfolio, and it does allow for creativity and journaling. It's just limited in pages and doesn't have as much room for design. I may use one to catch up on everyday family photos.

Well, we just got back home from our New Years road-trip. The laundry is going, dinner is on the stove and I am headed upstairs to clean out my scrapbooking area that has become a catch-all for junk in our bonus room. Then I am going to get back on my creative band waggon. I gotta stay on it, or I might not get going again.

If you'd like to hear the God-story behind our trip to Vail, visit our family blog later this week. I'll be posting photos and my journaling there on Friday. This was an event that I declined initially because my schedule was so full. I had no idea where it was located but I just didn't want to leave my family again after being gone that same week. Weeks later I felt God prompting me to reconsider and see how He wanted to bless us. And boy did He!!

PS. Our Proverbs 31 radio show on Monday is about "Capturing This Year" - click on the title to read the transcript, listen to the show and get some great verses for faithbooking.


8 Comments:

Blogger Lysa TerKeurst said...

I am so proud of you, your rediscovered creativity, and your 14 pages!!! Okay, seriously, let's get together and do a crop soon!
I did not get 14 pages done. But I did finally get a little direction for my next book. I posted it tonight if you want to take a quick peek.
Love you friend!

Anonymous Anonymous said...

14 pages??? You go, girl!

Blogger MaryLu said...

I'm offering a standing ovation for your accomplishments!!
Yay, clap, clap, clap!
I'm also a CMC, and I feel proud that you are doing your memories the right way.
Keep up the good work, gal!

Blogger Heather said...

Go girl!

Blogger Charlene Kidd said...

I am impressed. One of the many things I found cleaning our the storage areas was photos. I may need to come to you for help. Mine are currently in a box waiting for direction!!
Thanks for the encouragement.

Blogger kris said...

I, too, hauled out my scrapbooking stuff after Christmas, and I am determined to get caught up in my cabin book. I have several ongoing scrapbooks - one of which chronicles our adventures, projects, and guests at our cabin up north. I do like the 12x12 books for most things. However, last summer I was feeling overwhelmed- especially now that I have pictures of my grandchildren - so I bought the playful picfolio album and filled it with their pictures. I figure that I can take the pictures out when I am ready to make a permanent scrapbook, and use the picfolio again. I also love the 5x7 picfolios. I have one standing on my desk at work, and made two for gifts. I put calendars on one side of each page and pictures on the other. I love it as a gift because the pictures can be changed again and again.
I don't think I've ever completed 12 pages in one day - congrats!

Blogger Amy Carroll said...

OK, Renee, I finally did a power sort class to get all my photos out of the moving box that has moved with us twice! Poor Nolan wanted to know where all of the pitures are of him. That's just pitiful. I usually don't make New Year's resolutions, but I think you've inspired me to commit to one evening a month working backwards!

Blogger Renee Swope said...

Okay, I didn't get any more pages done as planned but I did get my scrapbooking area cleaned and organized so I am all set up and am ready to crop. Your encouragement helped me make a commitment to crop at least two pages each week- and hopefully much more. I'll keep you posted!

Blessings,
Renee

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