Traditional vs Digital Scrapbooking

I have not traditionally scrapbooked in quite some time...a year at least?? (traditional = paper, stickers, scissors, adhesive, etc) because it's sooooo much easier to sign into my computer than it is to print the photos (after organizing and selecting the ones to print), look through the stack of papers and color coordinate them, see what stickers/embellishments I have to go with the theme, find a layout, cut the photos, adhere all the doo-dads to the pages and journal.  Journaling is the part I put off until forever.  I know what I want to say, but then I gotta type it out on the computer and print it and hope it's the right size...yeah, I could hand write, but I get so sloppy :(.  Ok, so my kids are going to know that once upon a time I could use pen and paper to write down my thoughts and see my typos or other mistakes.  My mom has great handwriting.  I do not.

Digital scrapbooking eliminates most of that "hassle".  No table to clear, no photos to print (though organizing them is still time consuming), no glue/stickers/embellishments to buy.

With Heritage Makers, I can crop and enlarge my photos or easily swap them.  No glue!  Darn Xyron machine always got stuck after I switched the glue cartridges anyway.  I can design my journaling around the layout, any size, any shape, any color.  There are kits with matching papers, ribbons, letters, stickers, etc.  I can use one piece from 40 different kits...or use that one piece 40 times.  And now I can take one part of a project and save it to another - woohoo!!

No running to the store to buy stacks of paper, 2-3 different adhesives (vellum, "pop-art"), ink for the stamps, cleaner for the stamps, stamp organizers, every color pen/ink, stickers for known projects.  My supply store is open 24 hours a day!!

If a project is damaged, I can order another.  If I need three sets of projects for each set of grandparents, I order 3 at once.  If I am sending a baby announcement to my cousin in Oregon, HM will slap the stamp on it and address it for me.

There are templates to let me drap and drop my own photos into pre-designed pages.  Change the journaling and it's done.  HM has a facebook page that issues challenges, I've only done a few, but its a great place to get ideas.


I have thought about all this many times, but I was reminded yet again when I attended a digi-crop.  I used to go to scrap-a-thons; packing up everything I own and using 2-3 trips.  Even several hours long craft days took some planning if I wanted to work on select projects without having to bring everything (and even then I always forgot something).  For digi-crops, I bring my computer.  One trip.  Maybe two if I am bringing show and tell projects (I am not carrying my 18X20 canvas with my 20 pound computer at the same time).

Having said all that, I still have my scrapbook supplies.  I do like to make cards, I do like to make pages.  I have mounds of printed photos.  I just don't like the set up and take down.

These are some of the reasons I do digital scrapbooking, the reasons why others do (or don't) are as varied as the ideas used to create.

What Can I Say..

...That hasn't been said. What can I do that hasn't been done. What can I sing that hasn't been sung.

I actually enjoy "writing", but it's hard to write about yourself and accomplishments without having a reason (like getting a job, answering a question). Thus, my blog has been ignored.

Much like my business, lol. I've done a few shows/events/digi-crops, but only one has really been worth the time. That hostess became a consultant after using HM for about a year - she's was a faithful paper crafter. (the down side, most of my income came from clients that are now hers!)

So, in the past 18+ months, here is what I've done:

7X 5 School Thank you notecards
7.5X 10 Wedding album (matte cover)
12X12 page for school tiles
Mom's planner, wire bound 6X9
Wyatt's swatch book
Wyatt's 8X8 board book
Girl Scouts 7X5 memory book
Beach canvas (LOVE!!) It's hanging in front of me...just above the sad face Wyatt drew on the wall a few days ago
12X12 calendar page with uv coating for dry-erase markers
2010 holiday card
2011 6X9 planner
12X12 post-bound album cover for Joey's paper pages
7X5 invitation card for new baby
2009 12X12 yearbook
2010 12X12 yearbook
Another 8X8 board book for Wyatt
7X5 love book for Joey
Another girl scout memory book
11.5X8.5 gift which I'll share after it's been received ;)

Phew!

I want to do another canvas, with wedding stuff. Maybe biz cards.

Club HM was introduced a few months ago and when Elizabeth did her party, all 3 attendees purchased it, including me!