Progress towards Getting Back to It: Scrapbooking, that is

My focus word is: LIMITS.

When I establish limits on the number of steps, photos, keywords, kits, etc. I am more motivated to get started.

I figured something out about my work habits. Recently I was listening to somebody talk about how overwhelming stuff can be and how it will totally block creative flow if allowed. I have come to realize that my habit of consumption has been a major block in my scrapbooking life. I want to scrapbook again. I want to share my pictures, fill my Project Life album, and document this wonderful life. I realize that I have allowed the bazillion choices that I have to take over and inhibit my creativity. Today I took a step forward.

I have been working on getting my photo system - computer, external hard drives, iphones, ipads - all feeding their pictures into Lightroom. I think I have that figured out by using Dropbox. I have not figured out the dSLR. That is a separate endeavor trying to figure out my EyeFi card. Hmmm . . . can I move my EyeFi directly into Lightroom's Watched Folder? I think Lightroom can only watch one folder though, so I have to think about this for now. I am fine just sticking my card in my computer once a month and uploading that way. That was a great relief to get that going. I still have to figure out the backup of my hard drives. I have all photos and digistuff on one ehd now, but I have to set up my second local copy back up using SyncBack. That's another story altogether.

Another thing that I have set up is my digi-download flow. I have been a member of the DigiFiles for years. Each month I receive at least 7 kits. Some I like, some I don't. I have developed a workflow for those using ExtractNow, a free unzipper that puts the unzipped files where I need them and the zip files where I need them and all out of my Downloads folder. Pretty nifty.

Today I fixed Keywords in Lightroom. I have been really bugged by the disarray of keywords that appear in LR after an import. I have also been dissatisfied that LR doesn't have facial recognition. I figured out that I can set up Picasa to scan only the folder of the month I am working on and as long as I use the exact same keyword tag, the tag will be read by LR. In my current system, I am always working on last month's photos. If I have all the photos in LR then I can view them in Picasa, face tag them, then synchronize the files in LR. It's working pretty good so far!

What I haven't figured out is where to start telling my stories. I have to get rating my photos now.

Off to listen to Kayla Lamoreaux in the "Finding Photo Flow" class at Jessica Sprague. I find that when I hear it again, it reminds me of how I used to love this hobby.

Responses to Sustainable Scrapbooking Webinar

From Sustainable Scrapbooking Webinar found at SimpleScrapper.

Step 1:  UNDERSTAND

1. What do I feel guilty about? Buying and buying and not using. I have so much and I get excited but then I do nothing. I feel guilty that I take pictures then do nothing with them. My family and friends want to see their photos. Why do I do this?
2. Where do you get stuck? I get overwhelmed with too many photos and too many steps to get from photo to layout. I want it easy and not so mind-numbingly boring to get from after the picture to making the layout.
3. What are your hang ups? I can't work in clutter. I get hung up coming down to the basement. I get caught up in downloading and sorting and labeling into Lightroom. Now I want to take everything out of Lightroom and start fresh with only my pictures and my newer kits. I also have a fear of committing, although I don't understand why.

Step 2: BRAINSTORM

Obstacle: I feel guilty that I take pictures then do nothing with them. My family and friends want to see their photos. 

Real objective: To share my best pictures with friends to feel that accomplished feeling - "You are so good at this." Can I just start with right now? Can I just start with one month's worth of photos? Do I have to have 9 million keywords.

"The first rule of sustainability is to align with natural forces, or at least not to try to defy them." Paul Hawken

"When you find your best compromise it takes the stress away but allows you to feel good about your photos and stories, you've found sustainable scrapbooking. The actual solution here considers your natural strengths and preferences and ignores the rest. This is what I call your sustainability fingerprint: The unique set of solutions that fill you up and fit your lifestyle." Jennifer Wilson

"You have to be realistic." Jennifer Wilson

Step 3: IMPLEMENT

You must get started. Implement, tweak, and perfect.

Focus (the key to implementation)

• centered
• intentional
• get up when you fall down
• simplicity goals at the forefront

Schedule routine checkins (monthly assessments). See where simplifying can help and keep moving forward.

Find a friend.

Make small, incremental changes.

GETTING STARTED - put all your obstacles through this process
Understand your challenges and chances to simplify.
Brainstorm good enough options for getting there.
Focus and implement the change.

Sustainable Approaches

• Photo books - no frills scrapbooking
• Reducing your decisions
• automate import of photos
• automate delivery of supplies
• Pocket Pages by Category: LOM-People, places, things
• Digital & Paper Baby Book - use simple approaches
• Re-assess and re-dedicate
• Recognize your workflow and motivation will wax and wane
• Support and accountability

MY GOAL:

 GET MY FAVORITE PICTURES

 OFF THE HARD DRIVE AND INTO AN ALBUM

1. Upload from DSLR - each month, or after a large event
2. Upload from phone - automatically through Dropbox
3. Star rate photos for the previous month (1's are Keepers; 2's are StoryTellers; 3's are Irreplaceables)
4. Identify Stories I want to tell (photos with 2's and 3's)
5. Create Smart Collection
6. Identify Project Life pics (when I don't have a long story, or I want to document that there's more to this story to come)

The rest is about Scrapbooking and that's for another post.

Can't Even . . .

get started. I am here on iNSD and I am downloading like crazy. I am refraining from buying as I spent any money (probably more than I should) on 8x8 prints from Persnickety. I thought that might be motivation to get going!!

I recently quit the Yearbook. I felt that I was spending hours and hours putting together memories for other people's kids who didn't even really appreciate all that went into it. It was a thankless job and I realized I want to spend my wintery weekend afternoons scrapping my own yearbooks.

That brings me to my issues. I am so sick of stuff!! Yet . . .I keep buying and downloading and blah, blah, blah. My digifiles membership is more than enough to keep my mojo going so I really don't have to be enticed by any more stuff. I have a few standout artists that I adore-Anna Aspnes, Amber Shaw, Sabrina's Creations, and Designs by Anita. Why can't I just use their stuff and create beautiful layouts!

Besides stuff, I am frustrated with my camera and, although I have taken courses and downloaded books on the subject, I still struggle to get sharp photos. Everyday photos with eyes in focus - is that too much to ask! I shoot more with my iphone5s and, somehow, I can forgive it when it blurs because it doesn't have enough light. Some of my favorite photos are those kind.

Lightroom overwhelms me. My camera overwhelms me. My stuff overwhelms me. Then I do nothing but read about how other people are scrapping their lives. Ugh!

I want to paint and draw and I want to scrapbook. I don't want to have to choose. I want it to be effortless to a point, uncomplicated. Can I just get to it? What is it going to take?

I need an action plan. Yep, that's what I need. I will start with recapping my recent efforts, then move into actionable steps with tangible outcomes to get my mojo moving. That's it. Stay tuned, me!