Pages In Progress

IMG_0597
[ yep, she closes her eyes just like her mama when she smiles ]

Right now I've got three pages in progress (and of course many others on my list of stories I want to tell) on my desktop. Most of the time when I showcase layouts here they are completed and ready to go into an album or uploaded to the printer. Today I wanted to share a couple that are in different stages and talk a bit about where I am going with each one.

Sometimes when I scrapbook my layouts come together quickly and easily.
Other times it takes quite a bit longer with significantly more effort. When I first started
scrapbooking things seemed to come together a lot faster. Today I find
that I have at least a few pages going at all times in various stages
of completion that can be there for weeks before being finished.

Why take a look at pages in progress?

(1) It's cool to see that things have a way of working themselves out just by leaving them alone for awhile.
(2) It's always great to remember that there are so many different ways a layout can come together (that whole "no right or wrong" thing).

When I am putting a layout together and I start getting bored or dissatisfied with the process I often just set it to the side and work on something else. There is something about setting the whole thing aside, letting it marinate a bit more, that allows the elements to come together to tell a more complete story.

Sometimes the whole thing ends up coming together in a completely different manner then I initially envisioned. I'm cool with that. It's part of the process of being open and flexible while still making sure that I am really communicating what matters most.

I try not to mess around with the elements too much. The more I mess around (moving things around, debating between this paper or that one, etc) the longer things take, the less confident I am in my choices, and the less satisfied I feel with the entire experience. I don't have a specific limit on the number of changes I make during any given project, but I can tell when I am stalling rather than just sticking it down (or placing it digitally) and moving on. When I feel myself stalling I either force myself to move forward or that's when I will set the page aside for awhile.

This image of Anna above is one I worked on last night. The layout began with the photo. I saw it. I loved it. I had to use it for something (most likely it will also be printed and framed to hang in the house). For the layout it's going to be printed big and added to a traditional paper page. In my head right now I see this photo either set flush at the top or bottom of a 12x12 page with a patterned paper that has a bit of light green either below or above. Additional journaling will likely be in strips.  

Here's a couple other digital pages that I am working on right now:

Motherchildren

This one started off as this template from Katie Pertiet. What's left of it now is the stitched frame and the concept of the three photos placed side by side (a good reminder that templates and sketches are excellent jumping off points). The word art is also Katie's and can be found here.

What's missing for me on this one is some journaling. I am also thinking about adding a bit of separation between the photos (just a thin dividing line between each one - maybe white). Most likely the journaling will go around the edges of the photo gathering in the spots not already occupied by the word art. I might change the blue patterned paper but most likely I will leave it. It's working just fine.

AE_BabyCirclesLayout 

Here's another one I started working on yesterday. It could still change quite a bit before I send it off to be printed. I wanted to experiment with my new half-circle number embellishments and get of some of these everyday shots of Anna included in a project.

I am considering adding in a larger photo for contrast (maybe inside that big text circle) and will make sure I get some journaling added in there somewhere. My initial vision for the journaling is a long narrow text box that would be aligned between the second and third circles (closer to the third). This page currently includes pink paper from this pack and my baby text circles.

So when is a layout done? For me it's when I feel like I have told the story I want to tell. Sometimes those stories have a ton of words and other times just a few.

Do you have pages in progress marinating too? Don't forget to go back to them. Fresh eyes are often all they need to reach completion. 

Once I finish these three above I will post them again.

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68 thoughts

  1. Ali Edwards says…
    07/09/2009

    Hi Jenny - I have not really given this a lot of thought yet. Right now I am just doing it as the stories come up...

    Reply 0 Replies
  2. Heather says…
    07/09/2009

    She looks exactly like you!!

    Reply 0 Replies
  3. Rhonda P says…
    07/09/2009

    Ahh, I'm in such great company. I have the whole squinty eye thing going on when I smile or laugh. Love the whole concept here of pages in process. I find myself walking away from a layout quite often while every once in awhile it just flows together. Thanks for the inspiration, Ali.

    Reply 0 Replies
  4. Jennifer says…
    07/09/2009

    Anna sure looks like you in that first photo! Her smile is contagious. I smiled right when I saw hers. Another great post too, Ali.

    Reply 0 Replies
  5. Grace M says…
    07/09/2009

    This is so lovely! May I know how you print your pages? Does your printer take 12 x 12 size paper?

    Reply 0 Replies
  6. alisonm says…
    07/09/2009

    Ali, thanks for the "permission" to let things marinate for awhile! Your post really hit home as to the frustration with some of my LOs; I need to allow myself to let go for awhile- not to force the creativity process, not to fret about adding the perfect embellishment, not to obsess. (The later is hard, as a mom to a 23 year old with Asperger's- obsession is a way of life here!!! Star Wars was last week, now it's Japanese animation):)

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  7. Aseel says…
    07/10/2009

    Hi Ali,
    Thanks for sharing your pages! A "dumb" question for the digi-scrappers, when you have finished your page, what do you print it on regular card-stock?
    Thanks for a fabulous blog!

    Reply 0 Replies
  8. Maureen says…
    07/10/2009

    I love reading about how you process the final layout. When it's flowing, it's flowing but when it's not, those breaks are really important. I always like to do something "mindless" when I take a break. Folding laundry, swiffering, or filing papers (when I was still working). Two handed work re-centers the brain and refreshes it. I learned that in a Stress Reduction class I once took.

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  9. Jenny says…
    07/10/2009

    Thanks for the response. That was what my gut feeling was as well. I figured eventually things would end up fairly even. And it's less about the number than the quality. :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  10. Shanie says…
    07/10/2009

    Thanks so much for your answer Ali! Loves...

    Reply 0 Replies
  11. paolo says…
    07/10/2009

    Anna's face reminds me of Jessica in the picture above... and the photos of your grandparents and family are simply awesome....

    Reply 0 Replies
  12. Kris says…
    07/10/2009

    oh my gosh, Anna looks so much like you!!!!

    Reply 0 Replies
  13. MariaM says…
    07/11/2009

    coming in a little late on this post ...
    I love how you are sharing your thinking process with the pages. Funny how you said you were still thinking about the blue patterned paper. The second I saw the first digital page with the blue patterned paper I thought "hmm, Ali doesn't use that color that often -- but it looks so nice"
    Sometimes when I love the photos so much and don't leave myself enough room to journal I like to tuck the journaling behind one of the bigger photos. On digi layouts that's not possible -- I like the journaling around the photo block idea.

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  14. Carrie says…
    07/11/2009

    That picture of Anna just grabs my heart. :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  15. Kristi says…
    07/12/2009

    Love this! I think it's so neat how Simon looks so much like Chris, and Anna looks so much like you. So neat to see how God puts together these little ones! :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  16. Heidi says…
    07/14/2009

    Hey Ali ...
    I feel like I've been lost in space for the past decade!
    For various IT reasons, it's been YONKS since I was able to log into your blog ...
    AND YOU HAVE A LITTLE GIRL!!!
    I'm absolutely stunned, blown away, ecstatic for you!
    She's totally totally gorgeous (obviously with 2 such beautiful parents!)
    Well done!!!! So happy for you guys that Simon has a little playmate now!
    Awesome stuff! Hope you're loving every sweet moment of her - she's beautiful!

    Reply 0 Replies
  17. Andrea L says…
    07/14/2009

    Oh my gosh Ali could Anna look anymore like you, so sweet.

    Reply 0 Replies
  18. Tracey says…
    07/15/2009

    TOO FUNNY....I catch up on my favorite blogs in google reader, saw Anna's sweet face and thought "she looks just like her mama"....and then saw your comment that she closes her eyes "just like" her mom!!! SO SWEET and I'm SO THRILLED for you!
    Been an admirer since you first posted on two peas...THANK YOU for the constant inspiration!!!!

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