Last Disney Pages

I got Aaron's Disney pages done, so his album is officially finished for 2011. These will likely be the last Disney pages you'll see from me, as I don't plan to do my own album from this trip. Someday, I'll get around to making a photo book. That may take me just as long as a traditional album, though. I've only done a few of the smaller ones, and even they have seemed overwhelming.

Next up is trying to get the boys' albums caught up. Hopefully I can stay semi-motivated and this can be accomplished this year. I already have photos printed for them up through Thanksgiving (I told you I haven't taken as many pictures). We're through January, though, which is when I always have gotten the most pages done. This year's page count for January was 17, less than half of last year's total. That doesn't bode well for the rest of the year, I'm afraid. It doesn't help matters that I've started a new knitting project that will likely take several months.

Before I get too discouraged, I should take a moment and bask in the knowledge that, as of today, the boys' albums are technically less than a year behind.

Here are Aaron's Disney pages. Most of the photos are the same as the last batch, and most of the layout designs are similar. I've tried to include links to the sketches I used this time.

 Sketch: Amy Alvis

 Sketch: Amy Alvis (I flipped it)

Sketch: Amy Alvis

Slow January

I am finally posting a bunch of new pages today, but at the same time, I'm saying that this has been a slow month, scrapping-wise. As far as scrapbooking goes, January is typically my most productive month of the year. Last January, I did about 40 pages, the year before around 35. We are at the end of January already, and my page count stands at 13. The good news is, Caleb's album is finished through the end of 2011. It's kind of sad when being a year behind in one album feels almost like being caught up.

I've been doing some thinking about my future in this hobby, which has consumed me at times for over thirteen years. I know I don't have the same passion for it that I once had, and sometimes it almost feels like a chore to get some pages done. I do still love sharing the memories, between my photos and my journaling. I never have been a technique scrapper, always having to try the latest and greatest. It's always been about the pictures and the stories. I admit that I probably took on too much, trying to maintain albums for each of my boys as well as myself, which oftentimes meant scrapping the same photos three times. This is the compromise I'm thinking of (compromise being in my head, because honestly, who really cares?): I will continue to work on traditional scrapbooks for the boys, but transition to photo books (i.e. Shutterfly) for the family albums. 

I'm at a good place to make this transition, too. The family album is only finished through 2010. I am not really close to starting 2011, so that would be a good place to make the switch. I think I will still do a traditional album for our 2011 Disney Cruise, partly because I already have the album and some supplies. I was planning to do that album before I started on the rest of 2011 anyway.

I still have some time to mull it over. I haven't finished Aaron's 2011 album yet, and have some of the boys' 2012 photos already printed. I'm trying to convince myself that it won't take as long to get their books caught up, because my picture-taking dramatically decreased in 2012. Caleb's 2012 pages actually start in April (don't worry, he does have some pictures, they just went in his Cub Scout album instead). I can't totally figure out why I have so many fewer pictures for 2012. Yes, there was no big vacation (or 3...) that we went on, so that cut down on the numbers. And yes, I've gotten too lazy to lug my aging DSLR around with me. But I always have my phone with me, its camera at my fingertips. Granted, its pictures aren't nearly as good as my Nikon's (even though it has an 8MP camera as opposed to the Nikon's 6MP), but you'd think I'd be taking more pictures with it. Whatever the reason, getting their scrapbooks caught up should be easier.

Here are the pages I've gotten done so far this year. In my ever-increasing laziness, I won't even bother with descriptions. It's safe to say that most of my papers are DCWV. Some are from Disney. I may have used some sketches on a few, but I can't remember which ones. There should be a link to the sketch blog on the right side here now.

With any luck, it won't be two months before I post again.