To journal or not to journal?

[rach3975]

I'm a huge journaler. The whole reason that I started scrapping was to record the stories along with the photos. Normally the words are the easiest part of a page for me. But right now I'm trying to scrap some photos of myself with DD that I really like. So they're special photos, because I hate 99% of photos of myself. I feel like the journaling should be equally special, and I must have started over 10 times by now. Nothing seems good enough. Should I keep trying? Decide maybe it makes the photos stand out more if I don't try to journal them at all? Ack--what would you do?

[suze]

I'm a huge journaler. The whole reason that I started scrapping was to record the stories along with the photos. Normally the words are the easiest part of a page for me. But right now I'm trying to scrap some photos of myself with DD that I really like. So they're special photos, because I hate 99% of photos of myself. I feel like the journaling should be equally special, and I must have started over 10 times by now. Nothing seems good enough. Should I keep trying? Decide maybe it makes the photos stand out more if I don't try to journal them at all? Ack--what would you do?

ugh that's tough. I'm not a journaling person. I've been trying to more, but I'm more of "let the photos speak... so I don't have too"

I would say don't give up too quick! Maybe set it aside for a bit and come back? I do that when I'm not quite happy with a layout.

[Teresa]

I love to journal too, so I think I'd try to say something, but use those photos to tell her a special story, not necessarily a 'who/what/when' of when that photo was taken. Maybe search for a poem that speaks to you? I'm sure she would appreciate your words or a poem that expresses how you feel about her/your relationship. :) If the photo is so special, I guess I'd use it to make sure she knows how much it (and her) mean to you. Good luck! Those are some of the hardest photos to scrap!

[Darcy Baldwin]

If the journaling isn't coming to you, don't journal. Make it a photo focused page for you. Every single page does not have to have journaling (ACK - Did I just say that?!). Sometimes, you can have a page that is just about the photo! Take notes of the things you want to say, sit on the layout for a few days and see if the journaling comes to you. If not let it go, enjoy your page, and save the journaling thoughts for another day!

[Stacey42]

I love to journal but lately I have been in a 'keep it short' mood so I haven't been adding much. I figure I'll scrap it how it comes to me now and in a few months I'll probably scrap it again differently and with more journaling.

[lauren grier]

I'm a major journaler ... I think it's super important .. however, if you look @ my gallery, I have bunches of pages without my never ending babbling too :] sometimes it just doesn't happen.

[emmasmommy]

I'm with Darcy....sometimes it's just not that important to journal. I would take the pages that the journaling comes easily and go with that. For the pages that it's not really working for you, don't journal on them. Sometimes a layout with little journaling is more powerful than a layout with! ;)

[ColleenSwerb]

If it's not coming, don't force it.

Plus, if later on you figure out something you want to say, there's no rule that says you can't rescrap these photos again later :)

[MelissaL88]

Every single page does not have to have journaling (ACK - Did I just say that?!).

SACRILEGE!!!!!

Seriously, if you can't find the right words, maybe find some beautiful word art that expresses your feelings. Or, maybe just a really great title. If it's really stumping you, just set the LO aside and move on to something else.

[newfiemountiewife]

I don't journal often because I'm not very clever at it, and everything I write sounds cheesy and lame.

I say, just do whatever feels good for you, and if you want to add it sometime, no reason why you can't! Another bonus to digi!

[kscwgirl]

I usually don't journal a whole lot. I almost always do some, but there are pages that have nothing on them but the date. Don't force it. :)

[sczos911]

First, I would journal in Word or in a notepad and NOT look at the layout or the photos.

I would start with WHY are they important to you. What do you want to tell her 5, 10, 15 years from now? What do you want to say to her? If words are not coming, then I would use some of Manda's Word Art in the store or find a title that speaks to you and journal about that.

I'm a HUGE journaler, but there are some photos that don't have very much journaling besides, I love you or you are my everything.

[LeeAndra]

Don't be so hard on yourself. If you like journaling that much and practice writing regularly, I'm sure it's not nearly as bad as you think it is. Writers are always their own worst critics.

Write from your heart. Let it sit for a couple days. Go back to it. I bet it will be just perfect for your page once you're not in 'the heat of the moment.'

[maryinaz]

Find a meaningful quote and use that.

[rach3975]

Thanks, everyone. I'm going to try again tonight, but if nothing comes I may go the quote/wordart route. It's more that I can't decide what I want to say, not that I'm saying it badly. Maybe I can find a quote that makes me say "Aha, that's what I want to say to DD!" I usually print right after I finish a LO. but I think I'll give this one a few days first in case I want to make changes.