Friday, April 10, 2009

So Many Stories

I've had intentions to tell for months now.

This week I was inspired into action by questions that have come to the Coaches Board in the Library of Memories class taught by Stacy Julian at Big Picture Scrapbooking. A component of the system is looking at your pictures & contemplating which story is begging to be told.

Essentially your story will find its way to one of four places: All About Us, People We Love, Things We Love, or Places We Go. I think most scrappers are event based scrappers and so to redefine how we categorize the moments of our lives is HUGE. Naturally, it takes a bit to wrap ones mind around that.

The way I grasp new concepts is by seeing examples. So, I decided to take one set of pictures from a trip to the Zoo in 2006 and see what stories screamed at me. It was interesting when I went to work with this set of pictures and realized I had already worked with the set twice before!

The first story I saw this week was about the event; a trip to the Zoo in the Spring of 2006 with Garrett, Grace Ann, Aunt Pam & Mommy. Since I wanted to use a good number of pictures that were too many for a 2 page spread but not enough for a mini album I decided to borrow a concept taught by Tami while she was a guest instructor in Have More Fun. (This was a Big Picture Class I took in the Summer of 2008.)

The original concept was using a breath mint tin to hold a teeny tiny mini album. You can see my first project with this concept by revisiting the post Crafting Goodness. This time I used a gift card holder from Hobby Lobby and chained together two pieces of 12x12 patterned paper to add more photos of a larger size.




The second story I wanted to tell today was one of raising a child; this will live in All About Us.


Journaling: I daydream about who you will become as you grow into a man. I have no doubt you will have a beautiful spirit, you already do. I wonder what will drive you? Where will your passion lie? How much of what we do together influences that? All these questions but only time will tell. Perhaps you will be a Zoologist. You adore going to the Zoo & never tire of watching the animals. Only time will tell. 2006

The third story I told back in November 2008 was one of my friendship with my best friend; this lives in People We Love.


Journaling: The face of true friendship. Pam & Grace with Garrett.


The fourth story I told back in September 2008 was one of the interaction between our children; this lives in People We Love.


Journaling: Garrett & Grace Ann on their first trip to the zoo together. We tried to get you guys to sit for a photo op but Garrett decided to give Grace Ann a flower instead.

Each story is uniquely its own and tells you something about our life. I LOVE that by stepping out of the "Spring 2006 Trip to the Zoo" box I am able to share 3 additional tidbits.

Recently I spent time with my Grandmother and I took my Post Library of Memories 2008 layouts to share. My Cousin, whom I have not seen in years & do not keep in touch regulary with, said something to the fact of she was able to really see our life by looking at my layouts. Her comment verified to me that I am now my families journalist and anyone who picks up these albums after I'm gone will know our story.

Before I embraced the Library of Memories concept I would stand over people's shoulders while they looked at my layouts; constantly interjecting and telling them the "other" story.

There is no longer a need to do that anymore. My memories speak for themselves.

lovemon

6 comments:

Lee said...

Really, really wonderful. Your explanation was so perfect, especially the last paragraph:

Before I embraced the Library of Memories concept I would stand over people's shoulders while they looked at my layouts; constantly interjecting and telling them the "other" story.

There is no longer a need to do that anymore. My memories speak for themselves.

BRILLIANT!

Anonymous said...

I have just been introduced to this concept myself. I'm in the process of organizing my photos into storage binders --hopefully this will help me look at my pictures in a different way and tell the real story behind them.

Jenna said...

I have taken the LOM class a few times (2-3) and loved it. But somewhere along the way I missed a few really big concepts - like looking at an event & seeing what other stories are begging to be told. It may sound over-dramatic but ... Thank you a million times over for helping me understand. :) I will see my pictures in a whole new way!

Ruth Ayres said...

what a perfect last line to this post. :)

love the papers for your mini album.

hope this weekend finds you lots of crafting time.

Anonymous said...

Love that line: "My layouts speak for themselves."

I feel that way about my favourite layouts too and am so excited that LOM will help more of my layouts "speak" to others!

saner4 said...

This whole concept of using photos in different ways really clicked for me this year in LOM, (my 2nd time around), and you explained it beautifully. I am excited to get scrapping "the other stories"; prior to LOM I've mostly been an event scrapper.
Really love your mini book in the tin; So cute! Love the paper too. What line is that?