pocket scrapping tips!

[adi&co.]

So I've finally started my pocket scrapping project! It's a book for my mom of all her kids and grandkids. there are a lot of us, so I'm doing 1-2 pics a month per family for each month of 2014 and putting them in 2 page spreads of pocket styles. I just started january's two pages and I'm SO incredibly overwhelmed. Does anybody have any time saving tips or really anything they like to do to their pages that they could tip me on?? thanks in advance!!

[Traci Reed]

I have a ton of Pocket Scrapping articles on my site, but here's one about batch processing:

http://tracireed.com/news/2013/07/st...-project-life/

[adi&co.]

thanks Traci! I read through a few of your articles. Hopefully I can get these pages done without stressing and become zen, heehee

[misfitinmn]

I think, personally, if scrapping a huge period of time that's super overwhelming, I'd keep it pretty simple. Decide on a recurring theme maybe to tie the whole album together - like using a white or kraft background, or using the same style card to denote which month it is (like I use the same style week card for every week of my album).

Maybe put together a few months worth (or even the whole album!) and then go back and embellish as you wish later, or just leave them simple? I'm not sure how helpful I've been here....

[LeeAndra]

How are you overwhelmed? By the number of photos you have to choose from (how many families are there?) or by the design?

If you are only doing one 2 page spread per month, that's only 24 pages to do. That's not so bad.

I would choose the photo(s) where the people in the family looked the best. Grandmothers don't care abt the artsy photos us scrappers like of landscapes, silhouettes, etc. They want happy smiley looking-straight-at-the-camera shots of their babies.

I would use the same background paper (kraft/white/black/grey) for each spread and, ideally, one monthly PL-friendly kit. I would not embellish the photos or add any artsy filters to them (but would do touchups, blemish removal etc.) and use the 3x4 pockets to either put the names/ages of the kids or a quick 2-3 sentence blurb if the photos are showing a particular event like a birthday party or vacation.

The traditional Design A would be easiest unless you have a lot of Instagram photos to use up.

HTH! Hope this is what you were asking!

[rach3975]

If you can pinpoint what about it is stressing you out, I bet you could get some good suggestions. Is it hard to narrow down the photos? Is it overwhelming to choose templates or product? Is it taking more time per page than you want to devote to it? Something else? Good luck!

LOL-LeeAndra posted while I was typing. So yeah, what she said! If you're overwhelmed by photos and getting everyone in, here's what I do for our family calendars. Give each family (or person, depending how many people you're including) their own page to be featured. For me that means that on the assigned page, the photos of that family take center stage though others will be included, too. So the featured family might get 2 4x6's on their page, and other familes get either a 4x6 or a 3x4.

[adi&co.]

I'm not sure what exactly it is that's stressing me out. I have all the photos put together in folders per month. I think it's just that it's so different from what I'm use to doing. Maybe I should get some templates to help me figure out some photo placements too.

[jak]

Templates are a great help, especially with photo placement which for me is the hardest part. I'm currently using Traci's plastic stitched grids for my monthly PL pages - only the stitching is plastic-like - they're not actually plastic pockets.

I chop and change them up to suit myself as the 'pockets' might not always be the right size or in the right place. It's pretty easy - just make or copy an existing photo spot template and copy and paste a section of the stitching and move it to where you want it. I fit way more photos on a page that way (if I need too). Other times I like fewer, larger photos + other fillers and bits and pieces.

Traci has a heap of other pocket style pages if you want a different look to the plastic stitching (e.g. actual stitched grids, slip ins if you want the plastic pocket). Kristin also has her Stories: Templates which are simpler still - I use these alot for scrapping photos from a single event/outing and don't add very much in the way of elements or fillers.

Good luck! Once you get started you'll find it super easy and you won't be able to stop! (that's what happened to me anyway!).

[adi&co.]

I finished these earlier today and wanted to see what you ladies thought. My mom is really into decorating each month for the season and holiday, so I'm going to go with that sort of theme throughout the book.

[adi&co.]

wow those images ended up being huge, sorry! I'm afraid to upload them anywhere else because my mom will see them.

[Nixenkind]

Wow, they are super gorgeous! Love that you put some pictures in frames or only made them fill half the pocket, it gives a very fresh and unique look! That's an amazing approach altogether!

[scrap2day]

Those look perfect to me!

One year when I tried to do Project 365 I worked with a template and used a themed kit and embellies for each month. The good thing was making up the pages ahead of time with the papers/embellies so all I had to do was insert photos and small journaling. Maybe you could do something similar? Set up your pages ahead of time and then just go through your photos and drop them in?

[Jjriward]

I think those are great!!!

[kristijoy]

Your pages are wonderful!! I like the 'themed' idea. If your mom loves to decorate and relate to the season, she will love it!

I scrap a couple different ways and sometimes I:

• Pick the photos first
  
  or
  
• Make the LO first

For pocket scrapping I think either definitely will work. So for example (like someone else suggested) you could create your pages with your holiday/seasonal themes (and then add the pictures later). OR you could pick out your photos and then find your themes.

The main thing I would try and avoid is mixing those two approaches up. And I would also let go of any 'color' perfection in people's clothing. So if your DH likes to wear orange and you are doing a red themed valentine page just plunk it on the page anyway! It's your family! They are wonderful however they are!