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Why Every Scrapper Should Scrap a Faves Page

POSTED ON IN 5th Scrapiversary, the Faves

As I mentioned in my last post, April 7th 2011, was officially five years to the day from when I created my first digital scrapbooking layout. Boy how time flies.

This week, in celebration of my 5th Scrap-i-versary, we’ll be continuing our trip down digiscrappy memory lane by revisiting some of my favorite digital scrapbooking hits and misses over the past five years, beginning with one of my absolute favorite scrapbooking projects ever: the Faves layouts. Or as I like to lovingly refer to it: the little scrapbooking project that would forever shape my future scrapbooking layouts. (Oh yeah, it’s that awesome.)

It’s All About the Faves

All you gallery stalkers out there have most likely seen my Faves layouts floating around in the digi galleries before, but for any of you newbies out there, here’s a quick refresher of what my Faves layouts are all about.

Back in January 2009, I decided that every month for that year, I would create a digital scrapbooking layout documenting my top ten favorite things from that month. My faves could be anything I wanted: people, places, things, experiences – anything and everything I was loving at that moment was fair game.

But I did set myself a few loose guidelines:

  1. My list had to include exactly ten items – no more, no less.
  2. Journaling had to be in list form but numbers were optional.
  3. The title for the layout had to include the month followed by the word FAVES.
  4. Each layout had to include a NEW self-portrait taken during that specific month. (I know some of you camera-shy peeps out there are cringing at the very thought of this, haha.)

Everything else was entirely up to me – color, design, kit, etc. (Well technically it was ALL up to me, but, uh, you get the idea, haha.)

The one thing I didn’t do was set myself a specific timeline for completing the layouts. No layout must be finish by the 8th minute of the 15th hour on the 1st day of the new month requirements here. If I scrapped my April faves on April 28th but didn’t scrap my May faves until July, I was totally ok with that. As much as I believe in the power of a deadline, I knew setting deadline for myself might quickly make this project a chore which I definitely wanted to avoid.

The Faves: the 2009 Edition

By the end of the 2009 Faves project I had scrapped these 12 layouts which I absolutely love:

Faves 2009

Uh…December?…December?…Come in, December…

Or uh, these 12 11 layouts.

Confession time…

Yes, I discovered as I was writing this post thatapparently I never actually scrapped a December 2009 Faves page. Oops. Looks like I have a little bit more scrapbooking to do, haha. (Guess it’s a good thing I didn’t set a deadline to complete these, huh? LOL)

Anyway, *clears throat* moving on…

By the time December 2009 rolled around, I was ready to be done with the Faves layouts. Don’t get me wrong. I loved loved loved creating these layouts. They were most definitely one of my favorite scrapbooking projects I had ever done. Just looking at them makes me smile a big goofy grin.

But by the end of 2009, Adam had been deployed for a total of six months and the stress of him being gone had slowly taken it’s toll on my scrapbooking mojo. (Which is to say my digi mojo pool was at the bare minimum.) So I decided to take a break from the structure of the Faves for awhile and see where I ended up.

The Faves: the 2011 Edition

As 2010 progressed, I found myself more and more really missing scrapping my Faves layouts.

  • I missed the simplicity of the list journaling. Seriously, easiest journaling ever.
  • I missed having new monthly photos on hand for All About Me layouts. I know, I’m weird. Haha.
  • I missed the challenge of coming up with fun, creative ways to scrap each month’s list in a new way.
  • And I really missed having that monthly snapshot of my life to look back on. Having a moment captured in time like that is so cool to me.

So when January 2011 rolled around, I decided to begin my monthly Faves layouts again.

Same rules. New faves. Two years later.

This is the lovely layout I scrapped back in February to document my January 2011 Faves:

January Faves 2011

And for reference purposes, here’s a larger version of the layout I scrapped documenting my January 2009 Faves:

Seeing these two layouts – ten faves, two years apart – reminds why I LOVE these Faves layouts oh-so-very-much. (And not just because my drop shadowing has clearly improved, haha.)

In the two years between when I scrapped these two layouts, I’ve:

  • been through a year-long deployment
  • sold a car
  • sold our first house
  • moved to a new city and state
  • bought another car
  • made three trips to Disneyworld, trips to Chicago and Hawaii and numerous trips to California

To say my life is different today from how it was in January 2009 would be an understatement.

And yet when I look at these two layouts, I’m reminded again that while my world around me may have changed (such is life as a military wife), so much about me has remained the same.

Like my love for driving my Nissan Murano. Oh how I love that car.

And my obsession for home decor blogs. Young House Love is my newest fave.

This Is Why I Love the Faves

If I were to ask you today what your top-ten favorite things were back in January 2009, would you be able to tell me? Lord knows I wouldn’t be able to remember. But the beauty of these Faves layouts is I don’t have to.

Because my Faves? They are right there. On.these.layouts. Documented for all time.

And that right there is why I love scrapbooking.

Because it allows me to document all those little bits and pieces of life that would otherwise be forgotten. Those little bits that truly make up who we are. And that is oh-so-very-cool.

Why Every Scrapbooker Should Scrap a Faves Layout

Pardom me for a moment while I step up onto my little digi soapbox to say this:

I truly believe that every scrapbooker should take the time to scrap their very own Faves layout.

Why?

  • Because a top ten list is one of the easiest forms of journaling you can possibly do. For real.
  • Because a list of your personal faves will say more about you than a travel/event/birthday layout ever will
  • Because it’s an awesome way to make sure YOU are featured in your scrapbooks too

And if that wasn’t reason enough for you, I’m about to make creating your own very Faves layouts mind-blowingly easy.

Introducing FAVE-O-RITES Vol. 1 – The January Faves Edition

One advantage of my being one of the slowest digiscrappers ever? Despite it being now uh, April, haha (seriously, HOW did that happen??), I have only scrapbooked one 2011 Faves layouts – my January 2011 Faves. Which means, good news for you, there is still plenty of time for you to join me in scrapbooking your 2011 Monthly Faves! Woohoo! Go Team Slow Scrapper!

Today I am releasing the first in a series of digital scrapbooking templates based on my Faves layouts: FAVE-O-RITES Vol. 1 – The January Faves Edition.

Today’s release includes two templates: The January Faves No. 1 and The January Faves No. 2.

Each template can be purchased individually or you can purchase the template two-pack to save a little cash. These templates are not only perfect for documenting your own Faves layouts but they’re a great way to scrapbook any kind of top ten list for yourself, your spouse or your kids.

Here they are in all their digiscrappy goodness…

FAVE-O-RITES Vol. 1 – The January Faves Edition

FAVE-O-RITES Vol. 1 Jan Bundle

FAVE-O-RITES Vol. 1 – The January Faves No. 1

January Faves No. 1

FAVE-O-RITES Vol. 1 – The January Faves No. 2

January Faves No. 2

Now It’s Your Turn

And with that my 5th Scrap-i-versary tribute to my most favorite project in the past five years comes to an end. But now I want to hear from you.

Have you scrapped your own Faves layout? Did you love the end result? Have you thought about it but just never taken the plunge? If so what are you waiting for?

Hit reply and let me know in the comments and if you’ve scrapped your Faves, be sure to link me up to your page so I can check it out! And if you use one of my brand-spanking new templates, be sure to link me up here in the comments too so I leave ya some love. I can’t wait to see what you create!

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This Day in Scrap History

POSTED ON IN 5th Scrapiversary

Today folks, we are going to take a delightful trip down memory lane using only our imaginations. (If only the Tardis were here to take us for real. Or the DeLorean would work too. Haha.)

***cue wavy lines signaling a trip back in time***

The date is April 7th, 2006.

Adam and I have been living in Seoul, South Korea for just under four months. Not only was this our first military duty station, but I was also a brand new Army wife on her first ever even trip overseas. To say it had been a challenging few months would be an understatement.

A few months earlier, during one of my many I’m-so-bored-I-want-to-cry trips to the magazine section at the PX (that’s an on-base Wal-Mart-esque store for you non-military peeps), I had stumbled across a special issue of Simple Scrapbooks magazine featuring digital scrapbooking.

“You mean I can use a computer for scrapbooking?” I thought at the time. I’m pretty sure a heavenly chorus of angels started singing “Hallelujah right then and there.

The next several months were a flurry of activity as I tried to learn anything and everything I could about digital scrapbooking. Many a day were spent browsing the galleries and forums at places like The Digi Chick, Scrapbook-bytes and Two Peas soaking it all in. Watching as many lynda.com video tutorials as possible in an effort to learn Photoshop as well as I knew InDesign, because I knew having a solid foundation in Photoshop would make everything that much easier when I was ready to get started.

April 7th, 2006 was much like any other day. Adam was hard at work at the military hospital on post and I was home alone once again, hanging out on our un-comfy military issued dorm-style couch in our 7th-story Korean apartment in the heart of Seoul.

It might have seemed like a normal day, but in reality, this day was special. Because it was this day that scrap history was made.

You see, on April 7th, 2006 I created this gem of a layout:

Carmel LO

That’s right. That is my very first digital scrapbooking layout.

Take a photo now before it gets locked up in the vault for good, never to be seen again. Haha.

When I look at this layout now, I see many mistakes.

  • A photo in desperate need of some fill light.
  • Some sketchy beveling in an effort to make the alpha look like a sticker.
  • And the biggest crime of all – the use of the dreaded Papyrus font. To my knowledge I had never before nor ever again used that font. I have no idea what came over me that day. Temporary design insanity? I blame the Yellow Dust!

And yet at the same time, I can’t help but feel a bit of fondness toward this little first layout of mine. Sure it’s not a layout I would create today but when I look at it, I do see glimpses of the scrapbooker I have become. The paper blocking, the little wordstrips, a moment captured in time. Those are all elements I still love and use today.

More than anything, this little layout represents the start of my digital scrapbooking adventure. An adventure that over the last five years has seen me through multiple military moves, two deployments and numerous other life experiences. I have met so many amazing people and have captured so many life moments that would have otherwise been forgotten.

If you had asked me five years ago if I thought I would still be at this hobby today, I probably would have said no. But I am oh so glad that digital scrapbooking and the amazing community of people have become such an integral part of my life. I truly can’t imagine by life without it.

It’s Time to Party

Today, April 7, 2011, is officially my 5th Scrapiversary. That’s right. Today is exactly five years from when I created that first little layout of mine.

And it’s time to celebrate. You can’t see me, but I am donning a party hat and throwing confetti in the air. Woohoo!

Today begins the official 5th Scrapiversary celebration here at NettioDesigns. That means a slew of fun Scrapiversary themed posts as well as some awesome new products in the Shoppe. I am so excited!

So with that, let the celebrating begin! And since every good celebration needs music…

Let’s get this party started.

What about you? Anyone else ever celebrated a Scrapiversary? Were you excited to reach that milestone or did it make you wonder how in the world that many years slipped by in the blink of an eye? Any chance you were able to finagle a present out of it? I’ve been trying to convince Adam to buy me a gift (perhaps a camera upgrade?) but he doesn’t seem sold so far, haha.

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An Update on my 28 at 28 List

POSTED ON IN Life Adventures, the 28 at 28 List


One of my big goals for this year is to complete my 28 at 28 list. I heard about this project a few years ago after seeing it on both Elise and Kelly Purkey‘s blogs.

For those that haven’t heard about this before, it’s really simple. Around your birthday, you make a list of goals equal to the age you are turning that year. You then have until your next birthday the following year to complete your list.

I chose to make my list full of fun things that I’ve been wanting to do for awhile but you could easily make a list of crafty projects, scrapbooking layouts, etc. It’s totally up to you and it’s an awesome way to get yourself into your scrapbooks a bit more too.

My original plan had been to create a list in 2009 for my 27 birthday. But as Adam deployed to Afghanistan just a week after my birthday, I had other things on my mind at the time and just never got around to writing out a list. So when my 28th birthday rolled around last May, I was determined that this year would be the year.

I’ll be turning 29 (eek!) on May 24th, so with just under three months to go, now seemed like a good time to share an update on my progress and what my plans are for the rest of the unfinished items. So without further ado, my 28 at 28 list as it stands right now:

  1. Go on a picnic

    Done. Adam and I took advantage of the gorgeous weather last weekend to knock this one off the list.

  2. Bake something from scratch

    Not yet, but I love to bake so this one should be fairly easy.

  3. Start a blog

    Done. Obviously, haha.

  4. Visit a state I’ve never been to

    Done. Not only did I visit one new-to-me state but I knocked this one out of the park by visiting THREE new states in ONE day: Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Take that item number 4.

  5. Complete 3 mini-albums

    No, but I do have plans for this one. We’ll see how it goes.

  6. Go on a dressy, romantic date night once a month

    Once a month sadly didn’t happen. So unless someone invents a time machine in the next 3 months, I think I’m out of luck, haha.

  7. Keep a positive attitude during our move

    Done. Military moves are always stressful but I’m going to give myself an A+ on this one because I think I actually handled everything really really well. Certainly a lot better than our last few moves which was my goal.

  8. Sew something pretty

    Technically I completed two projects that would count for this but I’m not ready to call this one done just yet. I’m going to see if I can fit in the project I really meant when I added this to my list.

  9. Start my own business

    Done. A little something called NettioDesigns.

  10. Complete a December Daily 2010 album

    Sadly, not done. I honestly don’t know how Ali Edwards does it. Maybe she has scrapbooking elves who come in the dark of night and create her pages for her? I managed to get through about day 16 so it is more than half done. Maybe if I get a second-wind of Christmas-yness in the next three months, I’ll try to finish mine up.

  11. Take a weekend trip to a new city

    Done. Adam and I took a weekend trip to Houston last October to see the Houston Texas play the New York Giants.

  12. Visit a new National Park

    Done. We stopped at Carlsbad Caverns National Park on our way from Colorado to Texas. If you’ve never been there you should go. It is AMAZING.

  13. Go on a bike ride

    Not yet, but I’m thinking it needs to happen soon – preferably before it gets super ridiculously hot here in Texas.

  14. Make three new friends

    I largely put this on the list because I knew it would be a big challenge for me. But I’m going to try to make this more of a priority over the next few months and see what happens.

  15. Learn to shoot in Manual mode

    I’m kind of undecided about this one but we’ll see.

  16. Read five non-fiction books

    I’ve read 4 so far: The Happiness Project, Craft Inc., The Art of Nonconformity and Eat, Pray, Love. With just one book to go, I’m thinking this one should get done fairly easily.

  17. Do something that scares me

    Done. Adam and I went ziplining in Hawaii and even up to the morning of I was tempted to back out. But I went and I LOVED it. It was a highlight of our trip for sure.

  18. Complete at least one themed scrapbook album

    Definitely a no. I’m kind of scared at the idea of tackling this large of a scrapbook project. So we’ll see how it goes. If I do, you can be sure I’ll share it here.

  19. Go on a romantic vacation for our 5th anniversary

    Done. We went to Hawaii for 14 days. It was awesome.

  20. Expand my jewelry collection

    Well if going from zero to two counts then yes, haha, but I’d still like to work on this one a bit more.

  21. Create a system for my photos & scrap supplies

    Not yet, but this is on my list to work on this month and I will be sharing my progress here on the blog.

  22. Go local more often

    Done. And we’ve found some really great places that we love.

  23. Go to a professional football game

    Done. This one goes hand in hand with Number 11 when we went to Houston and watched the Texans play the Giants. It’s definitely a difference experience from watching on TV!

  24. Watch 5 classic movies

    1 of 5. We watched The Wizard of Oz a few weeks ago because Adam had never seen it. Crazy, right?

  25. Create an art/scrap canvas

    I actually forgot this one was on the list, haha. Oops.

  26. Go on a train ride

    Done. Adam and I rode on the Royal Gorge Railroad just before we left Colorado Springs.

  27. Start a new tradition

    Done. Although next year will really be the test to see if we keep them up.

  28. Document this list

    Technically done. As evidenced by the layout above, I have documented my list. But I would like to put together some kind of album documenting more of what I did for each item so for now I’m going to call this one 50% done.

So that brings my grand total to 13 items completed – 15 to go. So about half-way done? I think that’s good-ish considering how busy we’ve been since my birthday. I do find it kind of funny that pretty much all the travel/adventure type items are done and pretty much all the crafty ones remain. Not sure what that says about me, haha.

So what about you…anyone ever tackled a list project like this before? Were you able to actually complete your list? And is anyone thinking it would be fun to make a list for their next birthday? Adam’s birthday is on Friday so I’m trying to convince him he should make a list in honor of his 28th birthday too – we’ll see what happens!

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