When you have no photo - part two...

I am back to share another way I document our stories when I don't have any photos.

Using scrapbooking supplies that compliment your story is such an easy way to add interest and a focal point when you don't have a photo.  For my page above (left hand side) I wanted to tell the story of my daughter and her feelings about moving out.  The day before, when she came home to tell us that she had been offered a place to rent for free, she was so excited.  But, after sleeping on it she was not so sure.  She had so many mixed feelings and emotions.  I obviously didn't have a photo to go with this story but I really wanted to capture her mood and how she was feeling.  

I used the "house" digital stamp from one of Ali Edwards Story Kits "Home" and enlarged it so that I could turn in into a pocket to hold the story.  I added a few small embellishments and my page was done.  I was so happy how it turned out and the house really represents the story well.

(Patterned paper from Felicity Jane)

Ideas to help you get started:-

1.   Think about the story you want to tell and then go through your supplies and see if you can find something that will compliment your story.

2.   Think outside the box and don't be afraid to use things differently to how they were intended to be used.

3.   I used a digital stamp here but I could easily have hand cut out a house  or used my silhouette cameo.

4.   If I particularly wanted a photo, I could have taken a photo of our home, the one she will be moving out of and used that to help tell my story.

I hope this  helps you to get more stories told.  Please let me know if you have any other great ideas.  I also want to say a big thank you to those of your who shared your ideas both here and on my IG feed.  I loved hearing all your ideas.

xox  Tracey

Cruise Photobook...

If you have been following my blog or my instagram you will know that I have been de-cluttering the heck out of my house.  I still have lots more to do but the progress so far as been wonderful.  While going through some stuff I came across two old photo albums of a cruise I did way back in 1985.  It was my first overseas holiday without my parents and my first big holiday on my own.  I have so many wonderful memories of this holiday, and, it's still by far my most favourite one.

I had so much fun going through the photos and thinking back to a time that was different from now.  As I looked at each photo the smiles on my face got bigger and bigger.  But, as with all things old they start to deteriorate especially when they were stored in those old sticky type albums.  My intention was always to scrapbook them but obviously I haven't, and, lets me real here, I'm probably not going to right.

But then I had this thought, thanks to The Minimalists, why don't I scan the photos and that way they will be with me forever.  So I did just that.  It only took about an hour which surprised me.  While I was scanning I got a notification that I had received an email.  It was from a company called Snapfish letting me know about a sale they were having on photobooks.  At that very moment I decided to make a photobook using the Snapshops No 3 12x12 album templates from Paislee Press.  These templates were perfect for old photos and in just under two hours I had created my pages (in photoshop) and uploaded them to Snapfish and ordered my photobook.  

Note:  when creating a photobook with snapfish you do not need to create the pages first in photoshop.  They have templates that are super easy.  But I just like to create my pages in photoshop first.  I just like the freedom of using what templates I like.  It's just a personal thing.

Here are just some of the pages from photobook -  

I even scanned in parts of the cruise newspaper outlining the tours that did.  I was so happy how they turned out.

I know what you are wondering...

What did I do with the albums and photos? Right?

I threw them out.  It felt a little weird at first but then I realised that the photos had been scanned so now I have them forever and I had them printed into a photobook which was way better than the album.  Plus the photobook takes up way less space.

This project was so much fun, so much fun.

xox Tracey

When you have no photo - part one...

One of the most frustrating things in memory keeping, for me anyway, is having a story that I want to tell but don't have a photo to go with the story.  If you have teenage children you will know exactly what I mean, they hate having their photo taken.  There are also times when you got so caught up in the moment that you simply didn't get a photo. But sometimes there just isn't a thing to photograph to represent your story.  Over this next month I am going to share different things that I use when I don't have a photo to go along with my story.

A few weeks back my daughter came home from work to inform us that she had been offered extra duties at work that also included free accommodation.  Yep, she was going to be moving out of home.  As a Mum I was both excited for her but sad for me.

I really wanted to document this phase in her life and in my life, but, no photo.  I could have asked if I could take a photo of her right then and there, obviously she would have said no but it was also at night so the photo wouldn't have been that great anyway.  I have been playing around in ProCreate lately and I can say that it's definitely my absolute favourite app at the moment and decided that I would have a go at drawing a picture to match my story.  When my daughter does move out, she won't have a lot to move, her clothes, her bed and maybe a few bits and pieces.  So I drew three boxes, plus her pillow and her teddy bear (which she never leaves home without) and added it to my words.  I love how well it compliments the story but it also adds my own personal drawings.  Although I did this in the ProCreate app you could have just as easily done a simple drawing on paper to be adhered in your journal/travellers notebooks or straight onto a journal card.  If drawing is not your thing maybe search to internet for some clipart or other pictures that you can download and print.

The important thing though is to get the story told.

If you have any other ideas I would love to hear about them.

xox Tracey