Mission Organization: Tackle the Albums & Pages

I've come to a realization... my scrap world is in chaos. I have supplies all over the place. Completed pages in an assortment of albums. Memorabilia scattered here and there.

It's time to reign it all in!

So I'm starting with my albums.

I've finally found albums that I like (and that match) so I've been pulling all of my layouts out of an assortment of albums collected in the last 9-10 years. As I've been tediously pulling out layouts and putting them into their new homes, I've noticed a few things...

1. 2004 seems to be my most "complete" year. Coincidentally, this is the last time that my stash was of a manageable size, and it's the year prior to the year I started working at my LSS.
2. I was really good at placing photos on the pages, but I never told the story. Heck, I was lucky if I even labeled the people in the photo or put the date on the layout.
3. I really want to go back and "redo" a few layouts, but I'm promising myself that I will resist the urge. (I did, however, allow myself to "enhance" a few layouts with some additional pen work or journaling.)
4. I'm actually kind of glad that I didn't get much scrapbooking done. The supplies available to me today are going to make it much easier to create pages that are much more my "style."
5. Above all else, when I scrapbook I need to TELL THE STORY! Pictures aren't actually enough.
6. Simplify. The clean, graphic layouts are by far my favorite. Will I win any design awards for these simple pages? Probably not, but more importantly they appeal to my biggest critic -me!
7. I am an event scrapbooker. Not one single layout is the "everyday."
8. Even without kids, I have plenty to document in my scrapbooks. *wink*
9. It's OK to use different background papers. They don't all have to match!
10. I need to get organized so I can get back to the fun part, creating.

Detailing Your Diecuts...

Have a die cutting machine, but feel like your die cuts are boring? Don't know what to do with your diecuts? Make them uniquely yours with the tips below.

1. Age with distress inks.
2. Use your fingers or a paper distresser to rough up the edges. Add a little more distress ink to highlight the roughed up areas.
3. Add stamped details. (If your stamp is too big, stamp off the edges over another sheet of paper, or use sticky notes to mask the area you don't want stamped.
4. Layer or group multiple diecuts.
5. Add glitter or flock.
6. Draw doodle borders ...solid lines, dotted lines, faux stitching marks, daisy chains and more.
7. Add texture by embossing or running through a paper crimper.
8. Highlight your embossed pattern by inking the embossing die before you run it through. You'll emboss and ink all in one pass.
9. Make them shine by embossing with embossing powder
10. Make them fuzzy with flock.
11. Stitch by hand or with a machine.
12. Decorate with bling.