[klmritchie]

I'm working on pages for my daughter's baby book (12x12 scrapbook) and have been struggling with her "birth story." After she was born I sat down and wrote out a detailed description of the day of her birth on my blog. When I started her baby book I decided I wanted to include her birth story. I did some editing but at 12pt font and one photo on each page, it's taking up four 12x12 pages! It just looks like so much text!

So I'm looking for suggestions on the best way to deal with large amounts of text on a page. My dad suggested formatting the text like a newspaper, with two columns to break up the page. Any other ideas?

Thanks!

[angelaNussbaum]

Hmm... not sure if this helps, but i did do a page recently that really told the story... Here is a link to it. Swap-El marco _ lots of journaling!

Maybe it can inspire you?

And if you have to use 4 pages to tell the story, then do it!!! A story is worth every word! You can always spread some photos across the pages of the story!

[AngRoCamp]

Oh gosh whatever you do don't abandon the idea of including the journaling!! Can you imagine how amazing it will be for her to read the story of her birth as she's preparing for the birth of her own daughter? *sigh* You've got a real treasure to work with!! How exciting.

Your dad is onto something by breaking up the format of the text to make it a little easier for reading.

Some fun products that might make it easier to include the journaling in a scrappy way with a photo or two added to each page would be things like these:

Journaling 1 Paper Biggie
Journaling 2 Paper Biggie
ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates: Just Write

[caprimom]

I think columns are a good way to go. Maybe try 10 or 11pt font. It should still be legible when printed.

[BarbaraC1977]

I'm with the others here--do not abandon your journaling! Sometimes you'll have to break it up, or use more layouts, but your first-hand memories are precious and worth preserving. There are great templates in the boutique for this, and if you peruse the galleries, you'll see a number of layouts featuring plenty of journaling. TheresaK is doing a fabulous pre-baby project that you can check out, with LOTS of journaling on some pages; it looks like she's doing pairs of 4x6 layouts.

[gophergirl]

You could insert a couple small photos into the text too to break it up as well, like a newsletter. Or put a larger photo at the top and then columns of text underneath like a newspaper.

[Jenna]

I am not sure if you plan to print these out (I assume you are) & if you are going to go with a bound book or a scrapbook album. IF you want to go with an album I will offer a few of the ways I have hidden journaling without leaving it out.

1. include a mini flip-book with the whole story - digitally you just decide how tall you want the "card" & then type out the story horizontally to fit within the parameters. If you plan for it you can add enough space to overlap & adhere the paper & continue the story - after printing cut the sections out, adhere to make a continuous strip, & accordion fold it down to make the card. Affix the card front & attatch it to the page. When you design the page just make sure you leave a spot blank for your card. As for page protectors, I have managed to find small side-load protectors that work well & you can just slide them on in succession or trim to fit. I have also been known to laminate items like this but it can make folding it a challenge

2. there are special page protectors that have an extra flap to hide journaling & add more room on a page

3. there are double spread page protectors (I think they are sold in packs of 6 - got mine on ebay) - you could use one & it would allow room for a sort of intro or cover page, then a page inside, & then it would fold out into a 2 page spread.

4. design a page with a window that you can mount a wheel behind - then put your journaling on a wheel so that it shows in sections as you turn the wheel - after printing you can laminate the story so it spins easier & mount it behind the main page with a brad - make sure you have a spot on the main page you can cut out to allow easy access for spinning the story wheel

5. a 2 page layout with a couple of hidden panels you can pull out with a tab, or a couple of cards you can open to reveal the story

You can always have the story showing & then lead into hidden or interactive sections - I just found these to be great ways to work in the whole story... or just lots of pictures I wasn't willing to toss or use a million layouts to include! LOL Feel free to ask me if you have questions about how to do any of this - I don't mind & sometimes it can sound confusing.

Don't be afriad to reduce the font to 10 or 11 - as was mentioned it should be legible down to about 8 - but I wouldn't go lower than that. Hope that helps!

[Smiles]

You could also go with more than 4 pages and include photos and embellishments to break it up.
There are no scrapping police, thankfully. At some point you just have to decide and go for an option.

[B&K Mom]

I'm with the others -- KEEP THE JOURNALING!!! You've gotten several great ideas already. Here's what I did with quite a bit of journaling from my mom's hospitalization a year and a half ago. Using the strips of paper helped with the flow and keeping things visually appealing. I could see doing this (or some variation) on a few pages and incorporating many pics.

Your Life is a Miracle

Good luck! I'm sure you'll work it out. Be sure to come back here and link us to your LOs when you're done (or if you get stuck)!

[klmritchie]

Thanks very much for all the suggestions, these are very helpful!! I can't wait to find some time to start playing with the layouts and changing things around!

[angelaNussbaum]

i would love to see your layouts when you are done with them! as im sure others would too!

If you would like, we can even offer suggestions and ideas, but for us to do that you would need to say in your credits that "cc is welcome" ... we are NEVER mean, always full of love!!! ive never been hurt by a CC here.

But even if you dont want cc, share the layouts with us so we can go oooh and ahh and give what we call "love" on them.

[AngRoCamp]

B&K Mom, on 18 June 2010 - 01:35 AM, said:

I'm with the others -- KEEP THE JOURNALING!!! You've gotten several great ideas already. Here's what I did with quite a bit of journaling from my mom's hospitalization a year and a half ago. Using the strips of paper helped with the flow and keeping things visually appealing. I could see doing this (or some variation) on a few pages and incorporating many pics.

Your Life is a Miracle

Good luck! I'm sure you'll work it out. Be sure to come back here and link us to your LOs when you're done (or if you get stuck)!

I can't leave a comment on that layout for some reason (?) but I wanted to tell you that is GORGEOUS!! Beautiful work