Benefits of ummm actually printing my pages

So I've finally gotten into the habit of printing the pages that I'm currently scrapping, as well as finally starting to print the enormous backlog of pages from over the years. This has always been a huge struggle for me, many years I printed no pages at all, some years only 2-4 pages. (And I scrapped many more than that, except for the years I didn't scrap at all!) I'm really trying not to "discriminate" and just print them all, though I do confess I've had to go back and redo shadows on some things that were just too harsh or exaggerated.

I don't really know how I managed to scrap all those years without regularly printing my pages. I mean, what was I thinking? I'm so excited that my girls can sit and look at the album I have now, that's nearly full. (Help: I'm printing 12x12's, what's the best place to buy a new album to slide prints into? The one I have was a gift!)

But printing them and looking at what works and doesn't work has really helped me figure out how I like to tell my family's stories, things that bug me (I want ribbons and bows and elements to be appropriately sized for being printed 12x12, something I haven't always been the best at), what my preferences are and what gets my girls excited. It's also helping me think about how I like to scrap- it's been hard to shop lately b/c I'm not sure what I "need" or what kits end up creating the pages that I love the most, long term. But I am figuring it out, finally!

This is not the most cost-efficient way, but I figured out that what really works best for me is to upload 2-4 pages to Costco and print them there, and pick them up when I go shop there, usually about 2-3 times/month. I know there are cheaper places I could do it (like buying Persnickety Prints credits or what have you) but this is the least overwhelming way for me.

For the record, I've been a digital scrapbooker for about 8 years now. Like I remember when this store first opened. So I'm glad I finally am getting to the point where my digital memories are becoming ones that my kids (and me) can really enjoy. And I'm even getting better at printing pictures in general, whether they are scrapped or not! (Just need an organization system for them now!)

I try and stay on top of my printing too. I print about every 3-4 months (with a photobook for my son once a year). For awhile, I was uploading things at the end of the month, but I kind-a got out of that habit! Yikes! I'm about 3 months behind on uploading!

I know what you mean about sizing of elements. I've printed some pages where everything looked so darn HUGE! (I belive though...that was a page I did several years ago...so I think the 'design' ideas have changed). I've wondered: when a designer puts together a kit are the elements the right 'real life' size when just plunked on a 12x12 page? Mostly I assume that, but I often make elements smaller (like buttons).

The two things I consider when I scrap are:

1. Is it going to be fun to do (design, template, kit)

2. Will I (or my son) enjoy looking at it afterwards? Many of my favorites printed are ones with large (cover the whole page) photos, or lots of white space so the focal point really jumps out. I also like 'designer' type pages with beautiful arrangements of clusters. When I look through my scrapbook, I want everypage to be special in it's own way, so I tend not to repeat a design or template too frequently, because I find it gets dull (both for viewing and creating! ). That's one reason, I personally, haven't been drawn to Project Life. I can't imagine looking through and reading an entire years album full of rectangles!

Last weekend, my parents were over at my house for a birthday party. They spent almost an hour looking through my two photo books from last year! It was so awesome.

I'm so glad you are getting those memories out where your girls can see them!

Your post makes my heart happy. I know that feeling! It's such a good one. Watching everyone touch and look at your albums... ah! It's so awesome, isn't it?!

People have made fun of me in the past for making "dainty little elements" but, like you said, I can't just give someone a BIG FAT BOW that's not sized to fit how it would look in real life. LOL! I know--I'm a control freak. But for a good reason, right?!

I also love looking through my albums. My son said something about when he was a baby the other day, so I pulled out the scrapbook albums and we started looking through them. It's so fun to go through them with him. I use leather 3 ring binders-either American Crafts or W R Memory Keeprs. I don't scrap in order, so it's easier for me to use the 3 ring binders because I do like my albums sorted chronologically.

I print 8x8, but I love the Doodlebug Storybook Albums. They come in 12x12 and 8x8, really fun colors. I've been really happy with mine. I have seven of them.

I have both American Crafts 12x12 and WRMK 12x12 in leather, several colors each. Watch the Joann's online for their sales. Get them and spend enough to get free shipping.

You can also find the WRMK albums at Target I am using those for my Project Life album and have an old Close to My Heart Album that I am filling up with my digital pages. I haven't printed any layouts in quite awhile...I need to get on top of that!

Congrats on getting your pages printed! It's so much fun to look through the albums, and getting new prints always motivates me to scrap.

I'm going to be the odd man out about albums. I've mostly used postbound 12x12s, primarily Pioneer or K & Co albums from AC Moore or Michaels. I'm using a 3ing binder album for the first time for Project Life, and I hate it! The binder is soooo much bigger than the post bound albums. It's easier to sit on the couch and hold one of the postbound 12x12 albums than the 3ing 12x12. The binder also takes up more room on my shelf than any of my other albums. It's more convenient to rearrange pages in the binder, but it's not worth the trade off for me. With postbound albums I can just open the posts once and put a bunch of empty page protectors in so I don't have to fuss with opening the posts too often.