[Sandiemcr]

Do you ever do a layout with no journalling at all? How do you justify it? Do you think that some pictures require no journalling? How important is the story to you?

[Betsy]

Sometimes I do no/very little journaling. I don't have kids yet, so I scrap alot of nature and my cats. The cats can't read, so they don't seem to mind, hee hee!

It's all about whatever you are comfortable with. Some of my favorite layouts have no journaling except a title and a date, maybe a location.

[DeeZee]

Often I only put only a title, but that's usually a design issue with me. Date seems to me to be another element in itself, and I'm not always happy with where I put it...... I put it here and put it there but end up taking it off entirely sometimes.

[Sandiemcr]

See! I think sometimes the page LOOKS better without the journalling, but I know that later on not knowing the details will kill me... and my son. So.. I'm trying to find new and unique ways of hiding the journalling, when I don't want it out there in the design.

[DeeZee]

some of my layouts I plan to do a second page with "the story" rather than schmutz up the layout on which I worked so hard to get the look I want. That way I can have both ... now just to get around to doing that second page!

[Wxchic]

I do MANY pages without journaling...especially digital ones because the photos can be so large...it just seems to take away from the visual of the layout...Besides, I'm not a very good writer...

[Pixel Lady]

wxchic, on Apr 30 2005, 09:43 AM, said:

I do MANY pages without journaling...especially digital ones because the photos can be so large...it just seems to take away from the visual of the layout...Besides, I'm not a very good writer...
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ditto!

[gauchogirl]

I do many where the only "journaling" is the date of the photo. Think of it like matting and framing a picture though...sometimes the LO is the frosting that just supports the beauty of the pic.
tonya

[heisiam]

If the story behind the photos is important to preserve but you don't want to display journaling on the layout here's a couple suggestions-

If you do paper layouts, or you scrap digitally and then print your layout to stick in an album you can type and print or hand write your journaing out on separate paper and then attach it to the *back* of your layout.

If you are a digiscrapper and keep your layouts on CD, DVD or some other digital media you can journal in Word or notepad etc. and then save the file with the name of the layout- example, layout file is saved as Ryan_2_bday.jpg and the journaling file is saved as Ryan_2_bday.txt or you could save the journaling as a .jpg file if you want to view it in an image viewer with the layout. In that case name it something like Ryan_2_bday_journ.jpg

I'm sure there are lot's of other ways this could be done

[jaxscraps]

I hate to journal, I have a hard time opening up on my pages with words. I prefer the look of the photos and display. I guess I'm a little self conscious.

I do agree that sometimes the details are important, I don't mind relaying a story, as opposed to noting down my opinion or feelings or message, etc.

I have seen some paper layouts where designers journaled underneath the photo or accent, such as a tag. Then made that item with hinges to lift up to read, or the tag covered more writing space or was made into a tag book with the story or journaling inside. I was always a little unsure how you did that when the page was in a page protector. I would hate to take it out every time I wanted to read some details! One of my scrapfriends told me that if she did a tag layout w/journaling on it, she made a small slice in the page protector just large enough to remove/replace the tag over its pocket.

Jackie

[lesliefavela]

I really like the idea of fun titles that can describe some of what is happening, the name, and the date. If I have a big story to write and I don't want it on that page, I might put it on a matching page opposite of the first. Or, if it's too personal, I like the idea of placing a sheet behind the page in the protector. It's so important to let your loved ones know how you feel about them.

[momentousangel]

On paper, I do alot of LO with "hidden" journaling, and some just don't have any journaling at all minus the date and/or title. It's all about how you want it to be. Somepages are better I think without the journaling visible, but I do find myself at times going back and adding hidden jounraling that can be pulled oropened. It doesn't affect the layouts "at a glance" appearance, yet it is still there for future generations to learn and treasure. Go with your own feeling, as it's more often than not the best answer.

[wings]

I journal at least a little on all my pages. I have a degree in writing, so the journaling is often the first thing I do, and then I fit the rest of the page around it. That said, I agree that there are some layouts that don't require a lot of words. In this case, I would ask myself this: If I put this layout away for 5 years and then come back to look at it, what questions will come to my mind? (Where did I take this, why did I take this, when did I take this, what was I thinking, etc.) and then I would answer that question, maybe in as few words as possible. Those words might become a title rather than a separate journaling block.

Never underestimate the ability to forget why/where/what you were trying to show in your layout!!!

[lesliefavela]

Great suggestions, Pam.

[momi23girls]

This is a interesting topic. Journaling to me is very important. I have a little something on just about every page, unless it was like my kids 3 month portraits, and the title says three months. I think I have a little something under almost every phot, if nothing more, telling who is in the photo. This may come from my scrapping started with Creative memories. I have since strayed, but still have some of the same beliefs. I scrapbook to "tell the story" and preserve the past. That is first and formost to me. My focus is on the pictures and what they mean, the decor is just a little somthing extra, that I use to try to bring out somethins in the photo. This is where my style has not followed the current day scrapping trends. I dont want my grandkids to look at my pictures when Im old and wonder who is this person, like I am doing now with my grandmas photos.

Ok Ill step down now.

[darklighter]

I have some. I do agree journalling is important. That is one of the main reasons I love to scrapbook! To remember the moments. But sometimes I just have a picture that I just love. If they come from a special event, then other pages have the journaling. But sometimes you have so many pics (i.e. once you have children....) you just put a date on them. I have found I do more without much journaling with digi since I sometimes scrap the same pics in several LO And sometimes I just want to show my creative side.

[Brodies_Mommie]

I'm so new to scrapin(3.5wks), I haven't journal any of my page I only put titles.

[Diane]

It depends on what kind of layout I'm doing. I tend to scrap in a way that is just embellishing photos. An artistic impression, if you will, of my photos. I also find that quotes and different types of word art is very good for journalling and adding to the feel of what I'm trying to achieve.

I would like to do a lot more journalling and I've been thinking of doing a whole separate album for those kind of layouts.

[Doris R]

I too usually use at least some journalling on each page. Sometimes it may only be a quotation I found that supports the feeling of the photo, sometimes it may only be the date.

One thing I've started doing on "family albums" is identifying the people in the picture, and my future grandchildren may wonder who this is. I often use a blank white shape under my digi-photos as a mat, then directly on the mat I "write" something using the person's name. I don't do it on all photos, but on enough in the album to identy who's who. Sometime's I use just a block font, other times I use script. It just adds a little bit of information, and doesn't really interfere with the layout.

[MN_Scrapper]

I always journal at least a little, although sometimes the journaling is more graphic than text. To me, it's the journaling that makes the difference between scrapbooking and just putting pictures in an album. I think about my unknow descendent 50 years from now looking at a page. What would they ask about the pictures? So I try to answer that question.

[mom2one+two]

I've done tons of LOs with little to no journaling. It really depends on the picture and what I want the LO to say. Sometimes a simple title is all that is needed. There are times when there really isn't a story behind the picture. It's just a great shot and I want to showcase it and nothing more. I actually write for a living and yet journaling doesn't always come naturally for me. Writers block can hit anytime, anywhere. And when I feel a photo needs journaling and the words just don't come, I complete the LO and set it aside until I can feel the creative juices flowing.

[bao]

I never make journaling. I don't know why but even if photos remember me specific event, I am not able to journaling.

Even in my website photos talk for all ! I want to try but no inspiration coming each time

[lisaedson]

I've used journalling on all of my paper LOs so far, and think I will on my digital ones too, although if I find that it doesn't fit it them I may actually just journal on the backs (once I have them printed off) like someone suggested in this thread.

I think journalling is very important and it's part of the reason I started to scrap as I started shortly after the death of my Mum in June and my main aim is to create a scrapbook about her and preserve those important memories of her, although most of my layouts at the moment are of my son and baby sister. I'm working my way around and learning new techniques before I go gung-ho on my Mum's photos

[obsessedfae]

good topic to discuss. I almost always put journaling on my LOs though because I have such a bad memory and I want Charlie to know details about each page. But really..to each his own.

[saddeyezz]

I love using quotes and word art, I use them on most of my pages. But I always include a little something that tells about the pictures or the event. I want my daughter to someday look at my layouts and know the stories behind the pictures.

[Cropnpix]

Bao (and others).... there are some great books out there from ladies in the scrapbook industry to help with journaling inspiration. I think you have lots to tell. Just pretend you are writing to us on this board! Have someone look at your layout who doesn't know you very well and have them ask questions about what they see? The questions they ask is the kind of information you need to journal. You can do it!

[tigerfan]

I've developed a way to add journaling to my pages that's hidden, but I don't have to cut my page protector, because that was a disaster when I tried it.

I use scraps of paper to form a pocket and adhere to the back of the LO and then add my journaling to a piece of paper, tag or whatever (sometimes, i'll even throw in stuff like tickets, brochures, etc) and slip it inside the pocket. You can add a little pull tab out of scrap cardstock, ribbon. I like to use the patterned tape because it sticks to the journaling and doesn't require additional adhesives (or time).

[gritstoner]

I find myself very self conscious when I try to journal. It doesn't come naturally at all but its something I will be working on. I remember looking at boxes of photos taken by my Grandparents showing friends and family back in the 40's & 50's and no one having a clue who they were after my Grandmother had passed away. I definitely want my son to know what was going on when the photos were taken. I think the notes on the back or on another page is a great idea until I'm more comfortable with it though. Will definitely be trying this out.

[LacyT]

wings, on Jul 27 2005, 03:26 PM, said:

I journal at least a little on all my pages. I have a degree in writing, so the journaling is often the first thing I do, and then I fit the rest of the page around it. That said, I agree that there are some layouts that don't require a lot of words. In this case, I would ask myself this: If I put this layout away for 5 years and then come back to look at it, what questions will come to my mind? (Where did I take this, why did I take this, when did I take this, what was I thinking, etc.) and then I would answer that question, maybe in as few words as possible. Those words might become a title rather than a separate journaling block.

Never underestimate the ability to forget why/where/what you were trying to show in your layout!!!

This subject caught my attention becasuse I never used to journal at all. After I did a regular photo album for the family, using old photos from past albums, I was so thankful when the person who did the album had made notations, date, age, who is in the photo, where it was taken. When it concerns a loved one and that person is no longer with you to ask, it is difficult.

It made me realize that I never journal, even make small notes on photos. So, trying to the photo albums for the family was a nightmare! I had to guestimate dates, I had forgotten names of people within the photo with us, things like that. I was made painfully aware that my memory was not what I thought it was, nor was anyone elses when I asked them, when did we do this? Why were we taking this photo (hidden event?). Now I am journaling, but agree, that at times I wish it weren't in the layout. Really like some of the ideas given earlier by others. Will make notes and include them with my SB items! Thanks all!

[brandiev]

The stories are extremely important to me, but I often do layouts without much journaling (although I do consider dates, even just the persons name to be journaling). Personally to me, I take SO many photos, and do SO many with great journaling, that having layouts without any -- with just a focus on an awesome photo -- are wonderful, and serve a purpose as well.