2011

Hi, how's your day going so far?  Mine has been pretty tame.  After cramming 20,000 activities into last weekend, I'm taking it easy. 

This is another layout I completed last weekend during my scrapbook marathon.  My friend Jennette sent a couple of family pictures in their 2011 Christmas card that I thought I'd add to my 'Friends' album.  I used 3 Bugs In A Rug's Deck the Halls patterned papers from the December 2011 Apron Strings kit.  Aren't those stocking on the background paper super cute? 

Speaking of albums, here's a question for ya.  How do you organize your layouts?  I currently have 4 series of scrapbook albums that each focus on a specific subject.  The series are:  Family, Friends, Myself and Places.  I used to fill albums in the order I completed layouts and it was just a jumbled mess!  I switched to the series concept last year and it's working much better. 

Except......

Now that I have the layouts organized, I've been reconsidering the scrapbooks themselves.  Right now I use post-bound albums.  Post-bound albums have three sets of metal cylinders spaced along the inside spine that hold the pages in place.  The cylinders are available in a variety of sizes ranging from 1 to 3 inch's.  The longer the cylinder, the thicker the book.

The other type of album is a 3-ring or D-ring binder just like you used in school .... just larger versions to fit 12 x 12 layouts.  For some reason, I just don't like the look of the 3-ring binders.  I think it's because, when they're open, there's a break between the two facing pages where the rings are visible.  It breaks the flow of the layout and it's just not pleasing to my eye. 

As I do not scrapbook in chronological order, I'm constantly taking the post bound albums apart and moving pages around and it's a pain in the hiney.  And while I don't buy expensive scrapbooks (I try to stock up when they're on sale at Michael's for $5 each), it adds up because you just can't fit that many pages into one album.  This is me trying to talk myself into switching to the ring binders ...... they're more expensive (generally $20 or more each), but they hold so much more I think the pricing would be pretty even in the end.  It all comes down to whether or not I can deal with the aesthetics of a 3-ring binder.  I know making the switch is the best decision for the long run .... I just have to convince the stubborn side of my brain that's holding out for more post binders!  Wish me luck.

Till next time
-Teddra