Although we wish all stories could be happy and perfect, the truth is that some of them aren’t. But, the imperfect stories are still important ones that are apart of us and have helped shaped who we are. These imperfect stories shouldn’t be over looked.

As scrapbookers, we tend to dismiss these stories and ignore them, when in fact, scrapbooking them and expressing our feelings on paper is actual very therapeutic and can be helpful in these situations!

I know for me, most of the time I avoid the imperfect stories is because I don’t really want people to read what I have journaled – the journaling is more of a personal story, for my eyes only. I don’t want anyone to be able to just pick up my scrapbook and open to a page and then start asking questions like “why didn’t you tell me about this? When did this happen? I didn’t know you felt like this or where going through this!”

It’s taken some time for me to realize that these imperfect stories are still apart of me and something that is okay and important to scrapbook about. I’ve learned some of these stories I should share and maybe sharing it can help others who might be going through the same thing.

Here are some tips that I’ve used, so instead of feeling like I can’t scrapbook these moments in life because I don’t want others reading the story, I now feel like I CAN! And, most of the time, I’ve found it helpful to get these emotions out, and leave them behind on a page.

Just scrapbook it: Like I said above, you never know how much your story will help someone else, or just feel good to get out and express in writing! Don’t worry about how others will look at you after they read your story – everyone has something imperfect about their lives.

Hidden journaling: You can turn any photo into a secret pocket that holds your thoughts! Instead of gluing the entire photo down, just glue on the edges of three sides. The side where you didn’t glue becomes the opening to your “pocket”. Leave the journaling tag popped out of the top just enough so you know it’s there. Most people won’t take the time to pull the layout out of a page protector to be able to reach the journaling tag – and more than likely they won’t even know it’s there!

Journal on the back: This is a great way to really hide your journaling. No one looks at the back of layouts and only you will know it’s there. This method can really give you piece-of-mind and allow you to be more open and honest with yourself about your feelings.

Keep a separate book: My friend keeps a separate book, tucked away in a special spot, that is just for her. That way, her other books can be on display and she doesn’t have to think twice about someone stumbling upon something that maybe she doesn’t want them to see or she isn’t ready for them to read.

We hope these tips about capturing the imperfect story will help you realize that it is okay to scrapbook and journal them!

We have another amazing giveaway for you today from Apron Strings!
Summertime. Laid back (or less crazy anyway) schedules. Time relaxing by the water source of your choice. Plenty of photo opportunities and stories to be told. The August Bigger than a Breadbox Kit from Apron Strings will help you document everything from cool ice cream celebrations to picnics in the park or anything in between. A no-commitment membership in Apron Strings’ Autoship ensures you’ll get new papers to play with each and every month. You’ll enjoy unlimited, penalty-free skips, flips or substitutions so that your Autoship works for you. You’ll also have access to the monthly newsletters which have plenty of inspiration from the design team and plenty of challenges and contests on the blog to inspire you to use your kits.

“I used to think a kit club was limiting, I mean I wanted to shop for my papers. Then I bought an Apron Strings kit and my mind was changed. I’m getting papers I can’t find at my local stores and some of my favorites are from companies I didn’t know about. The kits keep me on budget and I’m having a ball, and actually creating layouts. I love the thrill of getting a line I may have passed over if I was shopping on my own – those sometimes become some of my favorite layouts. Thanks for the inspiration.”

COUPON CODE: During this 3-week class Apron Strings is also offering the Elle’s Studio participants a 20% savings on purchases. Drop by, check Apron Strings out, sign-up and then stock up and save. Enter: ELLES during checkout. Coupon expires August 28th and is not applicable towards autoship memberships.

GIVEAWAY: Apron Strings is giving away one August Bigger than a Breadbox kit! To enter, just leave a comment below! We will draw two winners (one per kit) on Tuesday, August 24th. *One entry per person!

Also, if you have not entered our other big giveaway here, hop on over there and enter that one, too!

Why is journaling on your layouts important to you? I want my girls to have a unique piece of me after I’m gone. This is why I hand write my journaling. I want them to know the feelings, fears, thoughts i had. What was hard about being a mother. Amazing about being a mother. Why and how I fell in love with their daddy. What I love about each of them. These things will be invaluable one day.
Do you try to include all the details in your journaling? I always include the date (month and year). Beyond that, I make sure to talk about the emotions, thoughts, and/or feelings that the photos evoke in me. I don’t write down every single thing that was happening in that photo. I don’t write “event” type journaling.
How do you decide how much or little of the story to tell? This sounds silly, but I write from my heart. Very stream-of-consciousness type journaling. I look at the photo or photos on my layout, and then write what I’m feeling, what I want my family to know. I never pre-plan my journaling or practice it. I just write until I feel like I need to stop. Sometimes this means paragraphs of journaling, sometimes just a sentence.
Does every layout you create contain journaling? Absolutely. I completely value those who do layouts to be artistic, but that isn’t me. I do layouts to share photos and words.
Any tips or techniques you’d like to share with us? Be authentic. Don’t be scared to tell a funny, even irreverent story. Write like you speak. Imagine you are telling the story to a loved one…how would you phrase it? Don’t force yourself to write a big, long, journaling block if the photo(s) doesn’t need it. Write what you feel.
Supply List: cardstock: we R Memory Keepers; patterned paper: sassafras; punches ; EK Success (star), Martha Stewart (butterfly); journaling cards: below layout, above layout Elle’s Studio; stamps: Elle’s Studio; butterflies and stars: punched from elle’s studio packaging; ink: colorbox; pen: american crafts; doilies: martha stewart; jewels: prima

Growing up with a ridiculously artistic mother, Stephanie tried and abandoned many crafts in frustration before she finally stumbled onto scrapbooking and fell in love. She made a few scrapbooks (in the loosest sense of the term) when she was in college, but truly became obsessed when she was pregnant with her first daughter. Scrapbooking is her therapy and has gotten her through six of her husband’s overseas deployments.

Stephanie has been published in Creating Keepsakes, Simple Scrapbooks, Scrapbook and Cards Today, Scrapbooks Etc., Memory Makers and Scrapbook Trends magazines. She designs for Studio Calico and Jenni Bowlin Studio and has guest designed for a multitude of wonderful companies.

Stephanie lives in Georgia and is married to Jimmy, who is a Major in the army. She is also a stay-at-home mom to Harper Elizabeth, who is four, and Sadie Caroline, who is two. In the fall, the Howell family will welcome identical twin girs.

In her spare time, she loves antiquing, reading, and watching reality tv (her dirty little secret). She dreams of learning to sew, embroider, knit, quilt, and cook (well). But most of all, she loves just being together as a family, and she relishes those moments…as they are few and far between.

You can find Stephanie at her blog.

Why is journaling on your layouts important to you? Journaling is important to me because I want my boys to have no doubt about what I think and feel about them. Lately I’ve been scrapping older photos, and I can’t remember every detail about what was going on at the time. But I do remember how I felt about them then, and of course how I feel about them now…so I include that.
Do you try to include all the details in your journaling? No, I don’t try to include every detail, but I do include what stands out to me. I especially try to record my feelings on the page, so there’s a record of my thoughts & emotions, too. I also love to give advice in my journaling. I’m not sure if my boys will appreciate that, but it makes me feel better when I write it!

How do you decide how much or little of the story to tell? Well, this is bad, but sometimes how much of the story I tell depends on my page design. I love to capture humorous things, personality quirks, and everyday life.
What do you find the most difficult about journaling? Telling a comprehensive story. That’s not my strength at all–I’m more of a “moments” journaler. I keep a journal (both regular journal and an art journal) where I do a lot of writing, so the journaling on my pages tends to be fairly short.

Take us through your journaling process: My process is very organic and not well thought out. I always journal last, and I never ever practice first or write it out first. I write from the heart and just let what comes out be enough. Often I have glued or sewed down my journaling block, so I have one shot to write and make it fit. It usually works out fine! Of course, there have been a few times when what I have written hasn’t made sense, or I’ve made a writing error. In that case, I just shrug my shoulders & start over.
Supply List: Patterned Paper: Basic Grey, vintage music sheet, Bazzill strips; cardstock: Bazzill; tape: 7Gypsies; alphabet: American Crafts Thickers; embellishments: vintage buttons, Prima felt vine shape; journaling tag: Elle’s Studio; Ink: Maya Mist; Paint: Liquitex Soft Body Acrylic

I’m Dina Wakley, and I live in the hot Arizona desert with my husband and 3 boys. I love everything about the paper arts, including stamping, scrapping, and art journaling. My style is messy and grungy and imperfect. My favorite supply is spray ink–I have about 100 bottles! I love to travel, eat good food, and hang out with good friends. Teaching is another passion of mine. I love to spread the love of art and scrapping! I teach both online and in-person classes. I’m a docent (tour guide) at the Phoenix Art Museum. I love to give tours to school groups. It’s so fun to introduce kids to art and to see it take root in their souls. Let me know if you’re ever in Phoenix, I’ll give you a tour!

You can find Dina at her blog, Facebook, and on Twitter.

I feel like one of the most important times to jot down little notes that you might want to use for journaling later is as they are happening. Things people say or do are easily forgotten days later, or further down the road, when you are ready to scrapbook them.

After finding myself always searching for a piece of paper and pen to jot down things people said or what happened, I decided that it was time to create little notes that I could keep in my purse, and that way, they would always be there when I needed them! And, sometimes, I’ve even just used the notes I’ve jotted down as the journaling portion for my layout.
We created these little jotters called: “In The Moment Journaling“, and today only they are featured for One Buck Wednesday at www.jessicasprague.com – that’s right! Today only, you can download them for only $1!!
They come with png files so you can use them on your digital layouts and regular layouts, but best of all, they also come with a pdf file so you can print out as many as you need, keep them stashed here and there, and use them when you need to jot something down! You’ll never have to search for a piece of paper again!

Another fun digital we recently released are these Journaling Hour-By-Hour lists for $2.99! They also come with a pdf file so you can print them out and use them that way, too!
When my sister was getting ready to have her first child, I thought it be for her to have a little timeline of what happened, who came to the hospital and when, etc. So I jotted down little notes as everything happened and then journaled it on one of these Hour-By-Hour lists!
This is an awesome and super easy way to tell any story and capture the entire day in one layout! All you have to do is tell what happened and when! You could use these for a special holiday or birthday, vacations, trips to the zoo or park, etc.
I’ve found that the more I record the little details as they happen, the easier and more relaxing it is to go back and write about the story, later. There’s no pressure to remember things! And, the more easy I make it on myself, the more I find myself wanting to write!

We have two winners to announce from the Grove’s giveaway! The two winners are:

Kit #1: Aphra said I love to journal about those things not evident in the photo. Those things my kids say that I might forget. How I felt when my baby turned one. Dreams for my children’s future. Thanks for the chance at a prize! On August 15, 2010 2:05 PM

Kit #2: Jennifer said My fave thing to journal is just to write from the heart … to start writing until I run out of room. 🙂 On August 16, 2010 7:41 PM

Congrats! Please email me as soon as possible!

If you didn’t win, don’t forget that they are still offering a fun gift for orders over $30! Check out all the details here.

Our journaling class will continue today, with another post, very soon!

Why is journaling on your layouts important to you? Since I rarely remember to scrapbook about myself, I think it’s a fun way of giving a little insight into who I am, with out having to scrapbook actual photos of myself. I love writing about how I felt, or about something that the photos reminds me of. Just something simple and light, and that the kids can read!

Do you try to include all the details in your journaling? I tend to tell just a little part of the story on my layouts, but I also hide the journaling behind elements on my page. I make little pockets behind the photo or in between pieces of papers, and add a tag or two that contains more journaling. This way, I can share more of a story that maybe I don’t always want to share with everyone else, but I’ll know that it’s there!
Does every layout you create contain journaling? No, not all of my layouts will include journaling. I think that’s what I love so much about scrapbooking, that I don’t have to always follow ‘the rules’ of traditional scrapbooking. Sometimes I feel like focusing on the creative aspect of making a layout, instead of the story behind the photo. I really believe that what you choose to create with, can tell a story as much as the actual writing/journaling can.
What do you find the most difficult about journaling? I’m sure I have the same problem most of us have, “where do I start the story & how much of it should share?” I decided that I like to journal about how I felt when I took the photo I’m using to create with, or if I’m scrapbooking with one of my kids’ photos, something cute that they said. If I’m really stuck on the journaling, for a particular page, sometimes that’s the perfect excuse to include quotes or song lyrics into my layout!

Take us through your journaling process: I usually have some idea of what I want to journal as soon as I find a new photo to scrapbook with! I always write out what I’m thinking of journaling on a piece of paper, prior to actually writing on my layout. I like to make sure everything is spelled correctly and to see if my journaling will fit!
Supplies: Elle’s Studio Moment to Remember tags, and Vintage Cut Outs.

Hello there!! I’m Tara, an island girl at heart, now living in the sunny desert, in a tiny touristy town called Cave Creek in Arizona. I’m a wife to my best friend Peter, and a mommy to 2 incredibly cute little kids, Alaina and Chase. They are always willing to have their photos taken… every scrapbookers dream come true! Most days, you can find me with a vintage camera in hand, looking for that next photo to take and scrapbook with!

I love creating pretty messy layouts! I’ve really enjoyed spending time searching for vintage items to incorporate into my work, as I think there is something so charming about mixing the old with the new. Vintage ledger paper, postage stamps and sewing notions are some of my favorites! Scrapbooking is truly the best of both worlds for me, I get to create art, while documenting the everyday little things that make life wonderful!

Why is journaling on your layouts important to you? I recently learned a very important lesson in life about memories and the pace at which we lose them with the passage of time. The truth is, memories aren’t permanent. Life experiences come and go, and as such, so do friends, family members and other people we hold dear in our lives. Though we take great pride in remembering certain life experiences and loved ones, it’s not always so easy to hang on to the details that define these things. Because our memory has limited storage capacity, we’re prone to forgetfulness. Two years after losing a spouse, I’m no longer able to fully illustrate some of the shared experiences I formed with husband while he was alive. My memories of “us” are fading and as more time goes by, it’s dawning on me how truly thankful I am for having scrapbooked while he was in good health. I’ve been able to look back on many of the albums I created years before and they’ve helped me tremendously in reconnecting with a history that is now very different from my current circumstances. Reading stories of yesterday helps to rekindle misplaced memories that would have otherwise gone missing if they’d not been written down. It’s why I consider journaling to be an important component of scrapbooking. Even if it’s of the smallest details, stories matter. Journaling serves to preserve our most cherished memories and keeps us at pace with the past.

What is the most important thing about capturing the story? I’m not one to be deliberately selective about what it is I journal on a scrapbook layout. Much of what I share is conveyed through small, to-the-point sentences that are directly reflective of the topic/story I’m trying to tell. I further support the story via design and material selections. There’s no one particular avenue I choose to focus on for relaying a story on a layout/project. It’s essentially a combination of the whole. If I feel something is missing, I’ll add it to the back of the layout/project. I always try to cover the basics though; names, location, time, and points of interest.
Do you try to include all the details in your journaling? Not always. Actually, very rarely do I include “all the details”. Most of my journaling bits hone in on specifics. I’m easily overwhelmed by too much information.

How do you decide how much or little of the story to tell? It depends on the kind of story being told and the availability of space on a layout/project. It also depends on the relevancy of the story. If there’s an onslaught of details I feel will help benefit the person reading the story later on, then I’ll consider writing more. For example, during the final year of my husband’s life, I took great effort in documenting more about him and our small family. It felt absolutely essential to do so because the moments we had spent together seemed fleeting…at any point, things could dramatically change within a moment’s notice. I wanted to remember it all – bad & good. Journaling became a means of remembering, surviving, healing and moving forward during an otherwise emotionally difficult time. It was extremely cathartic to write things down.

Does every layout you create contain journaling? Not every layout I create has journaling on it. On occasion, a picture will speak for itself. Though, I will still list specifics on the back of the layout; names, location, time, etc.
What do you find the most difficult about journaling? Finding the right words to convey what it is I want to write. I struggle with words when confronted by a blank piece of paper. The empty space is intimidating. I’ve also always been a tad bit insecure about my writing abilities because I’ve never been much of a writer in my life. Even after multiple Russian literature courses and a large bout of philosophy, a pen and paper are my least favorite instruments to use. I opted for multiple-choice exams over Essays. I’ve just never been one to relish the likes of writing…not even in college.

Take us through your journaling process: My process of journaling is fairly simple. It’s usually the last item I work on when building a layout. I find it’s a challenge to locate a spot on one of my busy layouts for journaling a story. When I finally eye upon an ideal location for storytelling, I usually trim a small piece of vanilla cardstock, adhere it to my layout and jot down relating tidbits. Any tidbits I’m not able to fit on the front, I put on the back. It’s par for the course that my layouts house hidden info on their backsides.
Supply List: Pattern Paper: Sassafras, Crate Paper, SEI, American Crafts, Bazzill; Stickers: Sassafras, American Crafts; Die-Cuts: Elle’s Studio Summer Scallops and Vintage Circle Journaling Tags, Sassafras; Brads: Sassafras & Pink Paislee; Chipboard: Sassafras

ABOUT CHRISTINE: Christine lives in South Saint Paul, Minnesota with her young son Ethan. She’s been scrapbooking for over four years and has played multiple roles in the scrapbook industry as a designer, teacher, project kit connoisseur and most currently, design team coordinator for Crate Paper. She hosts a well-established blog, “Retrospection”, where she shares her latest work and routinely writes small tutorials for ongoing projects. Christine’s work is very detail oriented. She has a passion for embellishments and texture. By combining funky unique scrapbook items, Christine creates beautifully layered scrapbook layouts that keep the eye moving around the page. Her work is highly ornate, though with an edge of playfulness and vintage grunge. No detail is ever left behind.

How do you make your journaling fit on to the tag you’ve picked out or space you have left?

Out of all the questions we get asked, this one has to be on the top of the list. And, I completely understand why. This is the part I struggled with, too. I’d start writing on the tag I had saved for the journaling portion of the layout and either end up with a huge white space at the bottom or run out of room and still have things that need to be written!

The simplest solution to this is to grab a piece of scrap paper and trace your journaling tag or space you have reserved on your layout.
Now you can practice in this area and if you mess up, just trace it again! Adjust your writing, larger or smaller, depending on the space you have to fill, and the amount of words you have to fill it.
After I’ve got the journaling laid out how I want on the practice sheet, I then write in pencil on the actual tag. Try to write as light as possible, so it will be easy to erase later!
All that’s left to do is to go over it in pen and erase the pencil markings! I’ve been using the BIC Mark-It pens and LOVE them! They are perfect!!
Now you won’t have any left over white space or find yourself running out of room on your tags! I use this method a lot because it takes all the pressure off when you have that “one perfect tag, and cannot mess it up!”

We have another amazing giveaway for you today from Grove’s!
Visit us at our 5,000 sq. ft retail storefront in historic downtown Huntington. We specialize in VARIETY and offer a full line of Scrapbooking, Stamping and Art supplies, Office products, Vera Bradley and Chamilia beads as well as other gift items! We are an old fashioned, friendly small town business affectionately referred to as “The Grove” and will again be hosts creative artists Donna Downey and Stephanie Ackerman this fall! You’ll find a nice product selection, including our favorites from Elle’s Studio and Helmar, on our growing online store. Don’t hesitate to check us out for the best deal on office products and furniture…we can drop ship over night right to your door! Call for a quote!

Visit their online store at www.grovesoffice.com. You can also visit their facebook (search for Grove’s) and blog!

SPECIAL PROMO – For each online purchase, made at Grove’s, of $30 or more made during the Elle’s Studio Journaling class, customer’s will receive one pair of Vera Bradley flip flops free – they choose pattern and size! *While supplies last, expires August 28th.

GIVEAWAY: Grove’s is giving away the two kits featured in the above photo!

First kit: This kit includes 6 sheets of matching Bazzill and BoBunny cardstock with 2 sheets each of Cosmo Cricket’s Garden Variety Elements, Sweet Pea, Sunshine, Borders and 1 each of the matching sticker accent sheets. Also included are a Composition book (great for creating a recipe book!), 18 shipping tags, Unity Stamp Kitchen Logic and Helmar Scrapdots, Gemstone Glue and 450 Quick Dry Adhesive.

Second kit: This kit includes a Teresa Collin’s Mr. and Mrs. page kit plus an additional pack of ribbon, chipboard diecuts, acrylic stamp set and 2 sheets of each of the papers and transparencies.

To enter, just leave a comment below about your favorite thing to write/journal about is! We will draw two winners (one per kit) on Wednesday, August 18th. *One entry per person!

Also, if you have not entered our other big giveaway here, hop on over there and enter that one, too!

We have a winner to announce from the Maggie Holmes Studio giveaway from the post below!

The winner is:
Christina C. who said… I love to take photographs that help capture a story or an emotion. That includes taking photos of myself, weird as that may sound, on August 12, 2010 11:25 AM

Congrats! Please email me as soon as possible!

Our journaling class will continue today, with another post and another giveaway, in just a couple hours – hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!

Why is journaling on your layouts important to you? I want to remember. I want to sit down on my couch in 30 years, open up an album and be transported back to the moment. I never want to forget the moments of my life… at any stage. I want to freeze time… and this is the only way I know how.

What is the most important thing about capturing the story? Well, being a photographer I’ll say a great photo! 😉 But honestly, that doesn’t matter. It’s about being real. Writing down what you’re thinking… in all it’s truth. I’m not about sugarcoating. If it was a rough day it was a rough day. Tomorrow will be better. It’s what you make of it. So I take that same approach with my journaling. It is what it is.
How do you decide how much or little of the story to tell? A lot of how much I decide to include has to do with the page design. If I can fit a lot in and still have the page looking how I want it, then I will. More often than not it’s a couple of sentences.

What do you find the most difficult about journaling? I struggle with journaling. I don’t usually scrapbook events. It’s moments. Sometimes it’s just writing down what’s happening in the photo. Sometimes it’s just repeating a version of “I love you. You rock”. So I struggle with keeping that interesting and different from page to page.
Take us through your journaling process: I used to scrapbook totally different. Back in the day I used the computer for journaling. Or I would measure out lines, pencil everything in and then go over with a pen. I had perfect printing. (I was the girl who recopied all her school work). Then I had a couple more kids and time got precious. I learned to let go and just create. So now I create my page and keep in mind the place where I’d like to journal. When it comes to adding the journaling I try not to think about it too much. I just write what I’m feeling.

Any tips or techniques you’d like to share with us? Lately I’ve enjoyed splitting my journaling up on the page. Not that it changes my style of journaling much. It just keeps all my pages from looking the same! 😉 I also keep all my journaling tags in a basket. That way I don’t have to dig around for them or forget that I have them.
Supply List: Paper – Sassafras, Making Memories, We R Memory Keepers, My Mind’s Eye, SEI, Crate, Scenic Route; journaling tag – Elle’s Studio; ticket – Jenni bowlin; pin – Little Yellow bicycle; stickers – American Crafts, KI Memories, Scenic Route; flower button – Making Memories; brads – Making Memories, Doodlebug; rub-on – Basic Grey

ABOUT MARCY: I’m a 4th generation artist and started scrapbooking about 7 years ago. I haven’t looked back since! It’s just the perfect blend of my three greatest passions… art, photography and my family!

In my everyday life I’m a photographer and mama. I also have a little scrapbook shop in our neighboring city, that I also design for. And, I just joined the design team at Cartwheels On My Mind! I live with my little family of five in a 100 year old farmhouse on 22 acres in Manitoba,Canada. It’s a work in progress, but really… what isn’t. 😉 When I have the spare time (ha!) I love some good tv, hanging out with the kiddos, sewing, crafting and decorating.

Find Marcy at her blog, store, etsy, twitter, flickr and tumblr!