"Me Time" = productivity

I enjoyed some precious "me time" this weekend and actually produced a few layouts as a result.

In my Library of Memories system, I have four albums (that can be seen here): All About Us, People We Love, Places We Go, and Things That Matter. This weekend, I finally made title pages.

I also made a layout connecting two pictures I found of me eating Italian ices, one taken at the age of 8 and the other taken just last year.

(patterned paper: Rob & Bob Studio; lettering: Heidi Swapp Rhyme Lowercase Icee Ghost Alphabet; chipboard: Making Memories)

Journaling reads: Growing up in New Hampshire, we lived for summer. As a little girl, this favored season (which was way too short) meant several things to me: playing in the sprinklers, roller-skating, and ices. While the days of running through water and rolling down the street are mostly over, I haven’t outgrown my love of scraping fruit-flavored ice as a summer treat. Sure, a few things have changed: the ices are lemon instead of blueberry (my favorite flavor went wherever Jello pudding pops are hiding), they come in a plastic container instead of paper, and they no longer come with a wooden spoon. But they’re just as enjoyable as they were 20 years ago. And they still taste like summer.

I can't say enough about this non-chronological approach to scrapbooking. Creating layouts based on what inspires you at the time, as opposed to "where you are" in your stack of picture, is completely freeing. There's no need for this hobby to make people feel "behind."If you want to know more about Stacy Julian's non-chronological approach to scrapbooking, check out her book Photo Freedom and/or sign up for her Library of Memories class at Big Picture Scrapbooking next year.

Here's hoping there's more productive "me time" in the very near future.