new scrapbooking...

I was flipping through my new photo organization system last night (more on that in a minute), and discovered some fabulous photos that I had not yet scrapbooked.  So, I used the same title for the two of them (those small letter stickers say "thing not to forget").

I love the new freedom of scrapbooking non-chronologically and with different sized pages and photos.  These pages only have one photo, but the story is the part that really counts.

I just love that I got a photo of this stretch that Jane used to do when she was done eating.  It seems like forever ago that she had this habit - I would have forgotten had I not scrapped this photo/story.

So here is a photo of my new-ish bookcase (IKEA!! - duh) on the right side of the closet.  

What is on the other side of the closet, you ask?  An equally large gun safe.  Of, course.  This office is equal opportunity.

Back to MY side: I organized all my superfluous stuff (i.e: rarely used) into these compartments.  Leather drawers hold:

1. Stamps and ink (including foam stamps which are quite large and space-taking)

2. Cards, envelopes, mini-books, and my sewing threads/needles

3. paint

Then, there is a shelf for my cutting items: cricut/cartriges, slice/mat, and Creative Memories cutting shapes.

Lastly, there is a shelf to hold my miscellaneous albums, scrapbooking kits, and old paper that I guess I should just donate to someone.

The rest is for toys.

Now, here is a photo of my new photo organizing system.  I took all the photos since the day Jane was born and divided them - not chronologically!!! - into categories instead.  

For example, I have a bunch of photos spanning months of time of Jane climbing into baskets.  It is a really cute phenomenon that I am sure will not last into high school.  So, I want to scrapbook it.  I created a category for that so I can make a page about this cute little habit, rather than one Tuesday in march when she did something cute.

You follow?

Now, switching over from a chronological scrapbooker to this new system takes it's toll on my anal retentive side, but the stories I tell seem more meaningful and interesting this way.

I still store everything in chronological order in my scrapbooks.

So, there you go!  If you care - ha!