I was asked how I keep track of my "sparks" or notes for my personal scrapbooking and ideas. This is at least one of my answers on how I do. My Scrapbook Sparks Booklet!
YES, a story! And how do your stories start? With a memory. Well, if you are like me, an hour later you will forget that cute quote, or the idea you had for an awesome page. Or worse yet, a month later you come across a photo and you know there was a good story behind it, but you can't jog that memory for the life of you. I file all my photos by dates, so it's easy for me to go back and open my little booklet to find the story. This is how I connect the dots between photos, stories and awesome pages.
I started doing this when I found a little video on YouTube about 2 years ago to make this hand made little planner Booklet, my mind immediately went into overload on all the ideas I had to make this my own and really make it work for me.
So what's my Scrapbook Sparks planner booklet?
Well it's this little notebook I keep always and when I get an idea for a scrap page I jot it down. I also use the pages for color inspiration and splash watercolors or use my colored pencils for new color themes. I file these each week in a box (One of those cute thin pressboard boxes you can find at any craft store, that I put a book plate and tag onto the front, see mine to the right here.) These site near my desk where I scrap.
Well it's this little notebook I keep always and when I get an idea for a scrap page I jot it down. I also use the pages for color inspiration and splash watercolors or use my colored pencils for new color themes. I file these each week in a box (One of those cute thin pressboard boxes you can find at any craft store, that I put a book plate and tag onto the front, see mine to the right here.) These site near my desk where I scrap.
When I find the time to scrap, I just pull out one of these and it instantly inspires me to scrap. Or when I find a photo I love and want to scrap, I go here to that date to find my story spark.
It's very simple and basic but works like a charm. I also use my journal for more in-depth stories, but you can't always journal on the spot and that's where this comes in handy. It's small enough to carry anywhere, but big enough to jot a few ideas down quickly.
I even use mine to put a color scheme I have an idea for. I know, I'm a little different… but in good kind of way. :)
So here's a scan of my current booklet I have this week. You see how I noted Miss Bailey's story from our P word on the ABC post? I also had my watercolors out and had a nice soothing color scheme inspired from a ad I saw on TV. Yes, I paused the TV right there, grabbed my watercolors and splashed a little paint here so I remembered the color scheme for later.
Told you I was a little different!
Kara has a little Homework and Chore planner too. She carries this with her through her school day and puts a star next to her class if she has homework to do and a heart next to it if it's done.She also uses to remind herself of items like here, to remember to bring her Jazz Dance class pants the next day.
Don't worry, I took off her classes and chores here so you could use this for your child and customize it.
This is wonderful for smaller children too!
They could have a list of say:
Brush Teeth, Made bed, put clothes in hamper, fed their fish… anything really. They learn to keep track, they learn responsibility, and they have such great pride in finishing!
They could scribble what color they feel like today. I have Miss Bailey doing that and it's amazing how the colors really do relate to how she feels. Red is usually very excited, black is sad, blue and purples are just happy.
So how do you make? Simply download the sheets I made for you from the shop here in our Freebie section. Add your own lists in photo shop, print out on an 8.5x11 paper. Then follow the instructions of this video to make it fold like a little booklet! Do a bunch at a time like I do, or one every week. Carry one with you everywhere. You never know when those cute words will come out or that idea just pops into your head for a page.
Here's the video I found that shows how to make them. It's by Julie Schneider. She makes the cutest little hand made books on yoursecretadmiral.etsy.com.
Now remember to save them each week so you have them to refer to. :) Hint, I have been known to scan mine in too and file with that week's photos in the folder.
The Freebie from the shop has 4 pages in it. A blank one to customize as you like. A Chore and Homework planner decorated Kara's way, My Daily Gratitudes that I use to write at least one gratitude a day, and my Scrapbook Sparks page. Hope you enjoy!
Have another idea for these? Share it with us! We could all use a little 'spark' of an idea to help keep better track of our days and memories.
To all my American friends, have a Wonderful Thanksgiving! And to all my other friends, use the day to remember all that you are thankful for right now, this minute, and don't forget to journal it.
would work great a food diary too!