be AUDacious

guest blogger: Debbie Hodge

I first "met" Debbie when we were both selected to be part of the Scrapbook Answers Magazine creative team; we worked together on a number of assignments and found that we both shared a passion for writing. Unfortunately, Scrapbook Answers ceased publication, but I'm so excited that Debbie has carved out a niche for herself in the online scrapbooking education arena. Her layouts get to the true heart of what scrapbooking -- in my eyes, at least -- is all about, and I'm thrilled that she's sharing this knowledge with all of you today.

USE PROVEN STORY FORMS FOR TELLING STORIES ON YOUR SCRAPBOOK PAGES

When are you at your storytelling best? Is it when you’re recounting recent events at coffee with friends? On the phone? At the dinner table with family? And what makes that your best? What are you doing at that point? Are you entertaining, informing, presenting your life the way you’d like it to be understood? Maybe all of the above? There are common story forms that have been used through the ages, and you can use them to tell your stories on your scrapbook pages.

Tell a “bear at the door” story.
The beginning of your story is your hook, the element that you use to draw your listener in. One of the easiest kinds of stories to “hook” a reader with is the “bear-at-the-door” story. This is a story in which there’s an immediate and pressing problem -- like, say, if there really were a bear at your door. 

When telling a bear-at-the-door story:
1) Make your reader immediately aware: a) of the problem; and b) of the urgency of the problem.
2) Be aware of (and share) how the personalities of your main characters impact the events you’re recounting. (Adding these aspects to the story takes it beyond an action-filled recount to a story that tells a longer-lasting lesson.)
3) Be sure to include how the problem was resolved, and, if it’s relevant, any longer-lasting impact. 

The opening lines of the journaling on “Heroes of the Day” tell just what the problem is and why it’s pressing: we’re leaving for the airport and our keys are locked in the house. The story proceeds with character complications, and stress, and, then, finally a happy resolution.

Tell an “aha” story
In this kind of story a character comes to a new realization (aka epiphany). This could be a realization about other people or about self. It could be a realization about the past or a new understanding of current life. Tell this story from the point of view of the person who arrives at the new understanding—which would most likely be you (and, thus, first person).

When telling an “aha” story:
1) Establish your main character’s current view on the relevant subject.
2) Describe an incident that brings about a change in this view. This part should be in scene (i.e., in a place with people who do and say things).
3) Tell what the new insight is.

In “See Why” I write about what “we’ve all said about rather than to” my father, thus establishing my view. The journaling describes a bumpy tractor ride with lots of sensory details. By the end of the journaling my new understanding of why he has been a farmer all of his life is revealed.  

Tell of a journey—small or large, figurative or real.
The “journey” is the oldest story form known. It’s in the bible, children’s storybooks, and Greek myths. It’s a story in which your subject leaves home on a “journey” and returns transformed. The journey can be a true trip or a more figurative journey of the spirit. Examples of real life incidents that are “journey” stories include pursuing a weight-loss program, getting through a year with an intimidating boss, or doing something new that’s out of your comfort zone. In journey stories, there are often unexpected meetings and events along the way that all contribute to the effect of the journey.

When writing a journey story:
1) Begin by conveying how the journey came about.
2) Tell of the events along the way.
3) By the end, be sure you’ve told about the impact of the journey on your subject. 

The journey described in “Been There” begins with my own greatly desired departure from a small-town farm. The journaling is written in letter form to my nieces. My pursuits are encapsulated—college, early failed marriage, successful business career,  and, then, finally a stay-at-home mom living a life closer to that I left than I ever imagined I’d have. The final paragraph describes the resulting impact: that I now appreciate the land I left in a way I never did as a child.

Tell the story of when a stranger came to town.
If the journey story is the oldest story form in existence, the “visitation” story is the next oldest. This is the story of an unexpected visitor—or demand or event—showing up at your door and the subsequent detour from everyday life as you know it. The detour you take because of the “stranger in town” may be brief or long-lasting, but it is caused by the intruder. Your visitor might be a new neighbor, an influential teacher, even a new family member.

When writing a visitation story:
1) Begin with the introduction of your visitor.
2) Proceed to make clear what disruption to life as you’ve known it the visitor makes.
3) Continue the story to an ending that shows and/or tells of the changes that have come about as a result of this visitor entering your life.  

The journaling in “Campaigning with Victoria” opens by revealing how Victoria came into my life and how important she became to me for a short time. The middle elaborates on the time we spent together, and the end tells of her exit from town and my feelings about that as well as all that I gained from our brief work together.

While you may not use these story forms exactly as I’ve described, I believe that knowing about them and seeing how your own stories fit with them, gets you thinking about what the incidents in your life mean in a way that goes beyond the obvious, in a way that yields stories with complexity and multiple layers of meaning. I share many more journaling writing approaches and strategies in my online, self-paced class “Be Real.”


Debbie Hodge is the owner of Get It Scrapped!, a website offering online classes for scrapbookers and art journalers. She’s the author of the book Get It Scrapped! from Memory Makers Books as well as Embellishing with Alphas and Every Little Thing from DesignerDigitals.

 

Photo 365: Week 9

February 26:

I love that we make time for a sit-down-together family dinner every night, even when we have so many different things going on. It's our way to connect and find out how everyone's day went. Plus, I think we laugh more at dinner than at any other time of the day.


February 27:

I love this face -- that rosebud mouth, those grey eyes, that button nose. And her hair -- it's so long again. Lately I am struck by just how mature she is starting to look. It's so cliche to say that she's growing up before my very eyes, but it is absolutely true as well.


February 28:

Out with the old, in with the new. Toothbrushes, that is. Hopefully this is one more step closer to kicking this nasty recurring case of strep that has lodged itself in Cami's tonsils.


March 1:

Her friends -- they tag along sometimes. In this instance, they needed their own beds on our bed, so Dad's shirts and pants -- folded just so -- played the part beautifully. A bedtime story finished things off nicely.


March 2:

Track practice happens at the same time soccer practice does, which means there's a lot of swapping dates and spreading time between the two. I'm so thankful for flexible coaches and more so for a kiddo that loves both sports equally.


March 3:

There are days when this machine is at the center of my existence, days when it feels like copy after copy after copy is all that I do. Today was one of those days.


March 4:

Seeing their words and faces up on this large screen -- hearing them speak so candidly about their struggles, their dreams, their achievements and obstacles -- bring tears to my eyes. And I know, this is one more bit of proof (in case I needed more) that the work I do fulfills me.

10 on Tuesday: camera bags

I have soooo much I need to catch up on, so I plan on posting multiple times during the next couple of days until I'm back on track; look for posts about can't-miss-photo-ops in March, my Photo 365 Week 9 review, a book review or two, info about DHD's ongoing March promotion, a response to a recent post by Cathy Zielske, and the first in a series of posts about using digital templates. Lots of great info coming your way, plus more chances to win free product and coupon codes!

For now, though, I want to share a collection of camera bags that have caught my eye. There have been some fantastic new bags to come onto the market recently; regardless of your needs, there's a bag out there to fit your style. Here are some of my favorites.

1. Jill-e's small yellow camera bag

This one is so cute -- love the color and the detailing.

2. this red beauty from Epiphanie

I've got a purse similar to this one; I love that it has the two simple handles or the longer carrying strap.

3. National Geographic Earth Explorer messenger-style bag

I love the rugged look and extra pockets -- this would be perfect for camping or other outdoor traveling excursions.

4. Lomography Standard Sidekick bag (in charcoal)

Great shape -- and extra pockets are always a plus. Wouldn't hold a large dSLR, but for kicking around with a smaller fun camera, this would be a great choice.

5. Acme's Bowler camera bag

This one just screams CUTE, doesn't it? LOVE the clever design and how well everything fits.

6. Kelly Moore bags

This gray is just perfect, and it's got a nice professional look to it.

7. Custom bag from Etsy

There are a variety of sellers who will create a custom bag for you. I have one, and it has worked well for my camera.

 

8. Lowepro Compudaypack (I like the gray version)

When I travel, I try to travel lightly. That's why I'm on the lookout for a laptop/camera bag combo that will really help me maximize my space. This is the bag I'm thinking about purchasing.

9. Kata Digital Rucksack

Another option like the one shown above -- I prefer the yellow and white version.

10. Donna Downey customizable canvas bag

I hadn't seen these before -- love the option of adding iron-ons to really personalize it. And there's something about the look and texture of canvas that I really love.

Feel free to share your own camera bag choices in the comments below!

blueprints: tools for organizational styles

Welcome to the second post in our blueprints: conversations in album design series. Last week, Liz kicked off the series by addressing a scrapper's question that we hear quite frequently when it comes to album planning: "Where do I begin?" Today, I'd like to build on Liz's post by offering up a few tools for organizing your content. As always, Liz and I welcome your questions and comments via our Formspring accounts or the comments section of our blogs:

ask Audrey  |  ask Liz

As Liz noted in her post, once you've decided on a theme for your album, you'll want to also choose an organizational style to help you present your photos, words, and other memorabilia in a way that builds on and enhances the theme of your album. Graphic organizers provide you with a way to visually sort this content; I've developed three organizers for your use.

CHRONOLOGICAL ORGANIZATION
Organizing your album chronologically means putting your content into the order in which it occurs. This could cover a short or long period of time -- the choice is up to you. Let's look at a few options:

• by AGE: An album covering a baby's first year could be organized chronologically, with content divided according to month. The same could apply to a school album, divided by age or grade.
• by DATE: Organizing an album by date gives you a number of possibilities, including years (perfect for content that spans a long period of time, such as a heritage album), months, weeks, or even days. Vacation albums can easily be organized by date (day 1, day 2... or Monday, Tuesday...)
• by TIME: Chronological organization means more than dates on a calendar. You can organize your content according to when an event occurred; this would be especially effective if you are telling a birth story, for example, or something else that strongly relates to when something happened.

Download Chronological graphic organizer
The graphic organizer above allows you to choose a chronological format and record your main information on the page. This gives you a visual picture of your album's content and helps you keep up with all the necessary information. To use it, first decide what chronological framework you want to use (years, days, hours, months, etc); place these labels along the bottom of the timeline. You'll need to determine how you want to space this sequence of labels; perhaps your timeline progresses in 5-year increments or 30-minute intervals -- that format is up to you. Sometimes using a pattern works effectively, but most of the time, your content will determine this sequence and the subsequent timing. The top section of the timeline is for you to include your key events. There's space along the bottom of the graphic organizer for you to include notes and additional details.

CATEGORICAL ORGANIZATION
Organizing your album categorically means choosing categories or topics and breaking your content into "chunks" of information that fits into these categories. Choosing these categories is really an "anything goes" process; because there's an almost limitless variety of options, you may want to do some additional brainstorming to help you come up with your list of categories. Basically, there are two approaches:

• WORDS FIRST: With this approach, you start with the words. The easiest way is to gather this information is to start with a list. Lists are quick and easy to use, and they help you get information down without stressing over style or grammar. Put your topic or theme at the top of the page and then start writing down everything you can think of that you associate with this topic and want to include in your album. Once you've finished your list, you can go back and look for any items that obviously should be grouped together; these groups will help you to determine your categories.
• PHOTOS FIRST: With a photos-first approach, you let themes and topics in your photos suggest the order in which you put your album content. If you are working with physical photos, the easiest way to accomplish this is to find somewhere to spread out your photos (your dining room table, for example) and start arranging them into piles. As you look through the photos, go by what feels natural -- group them according to subject or location. If some piles are really large, go back through them and sort them a second time. Look for common images or expressions, and always be aware of the memories that are triggered while looking through these photos. If your photos are located on your computer, you might want to jot down this information on paper as you browse your files, or you may want to move your photos to other folders and create subfolders for the process.

Download Categorical graphic organizer
The graphic organizer available above allows you to take the information you've brainstormed (either with words or photos) and begin creating your album's categories. Use the graphic organizer to create labels for your photos or to jot notes about stories and journaling to include in your album -- it's a flexible tool that can be used a number of ways.


GEOGRAPHIC ORGANIZATION
Organizing your album content according to geographic location extends beyond the concept of place as a location on a map. While you can easily create an album based on the places you've lived or the towns you visited on your last vacation, you could also broaden your idea of "geography" and use one of these ideas:

• IMPORTANT PLACES: Use key places -- landmarks in your hometown or places that are important to the story of your marriage -- to help you create an interesting album.
• FLOORPLANS: Your home is full of memories, so why not use the floorplan to frame your album content? This applies to other buildings, such as schools, dorms, churches, and more.
• ANATOMY: Why not think of geography in terms of the human body? A map of your brain or your heart could create a compelling album structure.

Download Geographic graphic organizer
Regardless of your definition of "geography," it's best in this instance to start with an image or drawing. The graphic organizer above provides you with space to sketch and label your image, while the column on the right size provides room for additional details and notes.

These tools are a great way to begin wrangling your album content into an order that is meaningful, creative, and focused. Not only does this help you create a cohesive concept, but it can also help keep you on track, which makes finishing your album an easier process. Next week, Liz will share a number of chronologically-organized albums with you, so make sure to check back for the third post in our series.

afk

a little break in blogging action -- I'm in Louisville for a work conference, so my regular blog content is a bit delayed. I'll see you all on Saturday; make sure you stop by for another giveaway, a Photo 365 post, and a new addition to our Album Planning post on Sunday.

new #digiscrap release: Add It Up + brush sets

Thanks so much to all of you for the fabulous comments yesterday! There are so many terrific ideas for getting over a journaling hump; I'm definitely going to come back to it again and again. Congrats to Wendy -- she's the winner of my new releases today:

I like to tell a story...who? what? where? when? and why? That way when people look at my layouts later on they know the story behind the layout. Sometimes I get inspiration from quotes or songs to get the wheels rolling.

Posted by: Wendy | March 03, 2010 at 12:38 PM

Wendy, email me at audneal at gmail dot com and I'll get those files sent out to you when I return from my work conference on Friday night.

Now, on to the new releases. First up, I have a freebie available in the shop, so make sure you stop by and grab it:

I've also reworked an older kit and related elements and brushes; the collection is called Add It Up, and it's one of my favorites:

guest blogger: Jennifer S. Wilson

I've been fortunate enough to team with Jennifer Wilson at Simple Scrapper for a number of projects: Capture the Season, guest posts, and several giveaways. I think the content she provides at Simple Scrapper is so invaluable; while scrapbooking is a hobby that I love dearly, I know that it's also something that can be a huge time- and money-sink for me if I'm not careful. Jennifer's tips on simplifying and managing the process have truly helped me to think seriously about what I do and why I'm doing things the way I do them. Plus, Jennifer has what I think of as a teacher's eye -- she can spot a teachable moment immediately, and I learn something new from her every.single.day.

 

Storytelling shouldn't feel like a chore. It's OK for the documentation process to tug at your heartstrings (and even your nerves), but the feeling of "I hate writing" isn't a necessity. Journaling on your scrapbook layouts can be easy and fun if you keep a positive mindset. These tips will help you feel more love for this part of scrapping. (Audrey's note: All images are linked to their respective galleries, so please stop by and share your praise with these scrappers!)

Lists are easy

When you think "but I don't know what to write", just start with a list. It can even be a list you already have, like your bucket list or even a grocery list.

Sometimes a title is enough

With every story you tell, consider what kind of words and how many are truly necessary. Think quality over quantity.

It's OK to be selfish

Our scrapbook pages are one place where its OK to be totally self-centered and self-indulgent. Write in the first person and make it all about you. Be thrilled that you're the center of attention!

Do you remember snail mail?

Remember when you wrote 6 pages in one fell swoop to your best friend? Recapture the lost art of letter writing on your next layout.

Begin with real words

In digital, we can get so wrapped up in our online lives that it can become harder to cherish each moment in the IRL world. Focus on the little things important people say and use those as launch points for your writing.

Cheaper than therapy

The root of journaling is journal, as in diary. If you're comfortable, your next layout can be the perfect vehicle for a gush, rant, whine or letting go of the past. Catharsis is possible via scrapping.

Play pretend

Are you a poet who didn't know it? With clever placement, your words can be poetry. Explore the more creative side of your writing with no judgment.

Re-gifting is cool

Scrap a page celebrating a few important people in your life and gush in black and white about what they mean to you. Print multiple copies and you've got gifts at the ready.

Just do it

Not every page needs to be though-provoking or touchy-feeling. Documentation in its purest form is still journaling. Don't beat yourself up when you only have a little to say.

We all get stuck at times, languishing in that feeling of writer's block. Jump out of it free and clear by just writing. One. word. at. a. time. Don't forget about delete and undo -- isn't that why we all love digital anyway?

Jennifer S. Wilson writes daily at simplescrapper.com where she provides tips to make scrapbooking easier and more fun for busy people.

Jennifer's post is a great way to get your journaling mojo jumpstarted, but it's really just the tip of the iceberg. I'd love for you to add your ideas to hers -- and as extra incentive, I'll give one reader all my new releases tomorrow (that's a minimum of 8 products). Here's how you can win:

• Leave a comment with your favorite way to jumpstart your journaling.
• Retweet this post (make sure you let me know you retweeted) for a second chance to win.
• Blog about this post and contest for a third chance to win (leave a link to your blog post in the comments!)

The contest closes at 12:00 pm EST; I'll use a random number generator to select the winner. Keep your eyes peeled (on Facebook, Formspring, Twitter, and here) for more chances to win free product and coupons very soon!

10 on Tuesday: digiscrap basics edition

Last week I posted about my status as a one-kit scrapper, and I mentioned that I have a "go-to" stash of basic products that I use to supplement any kit I'm scrapping with. I thought I'd share some of those products with you today -- everyone needs a good enabling post every now and then. I welcome your own "basic supply lists." Feel free to share them in the comments.

1. CD's Teeny Type Alpha -- I love the handstamped painted feel of this typewriter alpha. It's small and flexible, but lets me add a quirky touch to my layouts while still retaining a graphic feel.

2. Gimme Space font by Lauren Reid and Darcy Baldwin: Okay, most of the time I use my own fonts, created from my own handwriting, because I like the authentic touch it provides. But a fun and flexible font is always something I'm on the lookout for, and this has become one of my new favorites.

3. Mailing Label Frames by paislee press: These are one of Liz's oldest products, but they remain some of my favorites. The frames are so flexible, and they add just the right touch of "something extra" to a page.

4. Mark That Date by Emily Powers: I think that including the date is a necessity on all pages, and the more creatively I can do it, the better.

5. Block It vol. 2 by Valorie Wibbens: a great way to fit a number of photos on a page but still keep the design simple.


6. any of Emily Merritt's Messy Machine Stitches (straight stitches shown below): I love the dimension that stitches add to a page, and these have such a realistic touch. Plus, a little bit of messiness adds a touch of fun to my mostly graphic layouts.

7. Alphabet Soup stamps by Emily Powers: another super-versatile alpha -- I love to recolor this one and use it on my pages for really large titles.

8. A Year to Remember basics by Leora Sanford -- great for marking the date on any page.

9. Signature Series alphas by TaylorMade Designs: These work beautifully for titles and come in a variety of styles. I especially like the metal style, though covering the regular style with paper adds a nice touch too.

10. Wonky Templates by Lauren Reid: Obviously the more flexible a product is, the more I'm going to use it on a variety of pages and projects. Love these template-style clipping masks for the fun shapes and the doodled outlines. Another little bit of whimsy to add to my pages.

Customer Appreciation Month

Since coming back to digital designing at the first of the year, I've really been having a great time -- and it's all because of the wonderful people who use my designs. I love hearing how much you enjoy using my kits and seeing the wonderful pages you make, and as a way to show my appreciation, March is going to be Customer Appreciation Month! All month long, I'm going to be giving out free kits and other products, as well as coupons to use in my shop. Here's all you have to do to make sure you can be part of the fun:

1. Make sure you stop by the blog at least a couple times a week. I've got great content lined up for you this month, including the Album Planning series that Liz and I are doing, guest bloggers each Wednesday, plus lots more.

2. Become a fan of Audacious Designs on Facebook! You can get a free kit just by becoming a fan, and I'll be posting coupon codes and other giveaway fun on my fan page, too.

3. Follow me on Twitter! You never know when I'll post a coupon code for you to use or a free kit for retweeting something.

4. While you're at it, check out my new Formspring account. Ask a question -- about any topic, not just scrapbooking -- but make sure you are logged in when you do so. I'll choose random questions to earn coupon codes and free product.

5. Finally, post the layouts you make with Audacious Designs products in the Design House Digital gallery -- and add them to Audacious Designs fanpage too! I'll select random layouts to earn coupon codes and free product -- plus, it's just so much fun to see your work!

And finally, a little eye candy for you -- a peek at the new collab by Emily Powers and paislee press releasing later today at Oscraps: 

blueprints: conversations in album design

 Liz (of paislee press design) and I co-wrote an article for The Daily Digi a couple of weeks ago. In it, we outlined 8 key steps to creating an album, from start to finish. As we worked through the process of putting the post together, we found that there was a lot more to be said -- not just things that we wanted to share with our readers, but questions that our readers continued to have about the process. As a result, "blueprints: conversations in album design" was born. Each Sunday, we'll share a post with you about the process of album planning. The first post is up on Liz's blog today. In addition, we want your help in defining future topics for the series, so we've each established a Formspring account where you can ask your questions and we'll answer.

Ask Audrey
Ask Liz