Yesterday & Today: Revisiting Old Layouts


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One of my last Studio A columns for Creating Keepsakes focused on using older pages as inspiration for new pages. I looked back at pages I had done when Simon was an infant and used those as jumping off points for similar pages for Anna.


When I was looking through my photos from January the other day I came across this one of Anna looking at a book while sitting on my lap. It reminded me of this page I put together many years ago:


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Simon was almost exactly the same age as Anna is now in these photos (this was actually my first published layout - it appeared in Becky Higgins Sketch Column in 2003). Some of the books she reads now are the very same ones he did back in January 2003.


This is one of the reasons I love scrapbooking: I can go back and literally see the parallels of life. Connections are made right in front of my eyes. My story becomes richer as one layer is placed on top of another. 


I was listening to Paperclipping Roundtable this morning and they were talking about the reasons people don't scrapbook/the reasons why they don't get anything done. Overwhelmed by choice was number one on Lain's list.


Here's my message to you today after listening to the podcast and reflecting back on this old layout: JUST GET THE STORY TOLD.


Get it told in whatever way works for you. Maybe it's in a scrapbook or on your computer or in a notebook or on combined with the photos you are uploading to Flickr. Tell it in a way that you will be able to find it again (yes, this little bit of organization is key) so that in the years to come you can look back and make your own connections between the stories of yesterday & today. 


What stories have you told in the past that you can revisit today?


Here's a close-up look at the journaling area/combination of elements from the new layout:


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SUPPLIES
PATTERN PAPER :
Prima Canvas Text
CHIPBOARD LETTERS : American Crafts Ash Text
FABRIC STRIP : Studio Calico Home Front
YELLOW EDGE POSTAGE STICKER : Studio Calico Label Stickers Home Front
SILVER RUB ONS : Jenni Bowlin Butterfly Book Page & Silver Receipt 4x6
MEMORIES STAMP & INK : Technique Tuesday Ali Edwards Favorite Memories
PINK "HAPPY" CIRCLE ACCENT : K&Company "Bauble"
CREAM METAL CIRCLE TURN AROUND : 7gypsies

NOTE : I will be teaching my 3-month long Yesterday & Today class again next year at Big Picture Scrapbooking. When I know what months for sure I will post it here.

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48 thoughts

  1. stephanie says…
    02/03/2010

    I think this is good! And its nice to have a similar cohesion between these two pages featuring your children at a similar time in their lives.

    Reply 0 Replies
  2. Amy Tan says…
    02/03/2010

    thanks for sharing this- i love how you made the point about just getting it done, whichever way works. i think this is so important.

    Reply 0 Replies
  3. ShellyJ says…
    02/03/2010

    I was just doing the same thing the other day... it is so much fun looking back and seeing the similarities as well as the differences with kids! thanks for sharing!

    Reply 0 Replies
  4. LInda says…
    02/03/2010

    One thing to say...WHOA! You used to be a burnette? Who'd have thought? :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  5. Ali Edwards says…
    02/03/2010

    Indeed :). My hair is naturally much darker (was really light as a kid).

    Reply 0 Replies
  6. Icecat62 says…
    02/03/2010

    I've only been scrappin' for a little over three years, but I bet I can find similar layouts in my books simply because I like things lined up (too many years in sale tax accounting). :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  7. ginny says…
    02/03/2010

    So glad you will be teaching Y&T again! I'm still sad it's over!

    Reply 0 Replies
  8. amyellen says…
    02/03/2010

    What a great idea! My children are 6 1/2 years apart (similar to Simon and Anna) and I had never thought to revisit my daughters layouts to see what is relative to my son now. Thank you for the great idea :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  9. Molly says…
    02/03/2010

    If you get the chance to take Yesterday & Today, take it! I'm still finding myself building on what we covred in Ali's class. It was very liberating to think of stories in new ways.

    Reply 0 Replies
  10. Krista says…
    02/03/2010

    Love this demo of new and old....such a big difference in how scrapbooking evolves in trends with layouts.
    Any news on your PDFs from creating keepsakes?...there are so many issues I missed since the magazine is $8.99 in Canada!!

    Reply 0 Replies
  11. Ali Edwards says…
    02/03/2010

    I did hear back from them and they will not be turning over the PDF files to me at this time. It sounds like they might have plans for using them in some way or another (they own the copyright).

    Reply 0 Replies
  12. Robyn says…
    02/03/2010

    beautiful scrapbook page, Ali. Great shot and it looks so nice enlarged like that!

    Reply 0 Replies
  13. Katie says…
    02/03/2010

    I love this particular set of stories...and I love the connections between them.

    Reply 0 Replies
  14. MelanieJ says…
    02/03/2010

    Ali, I love your simple style. And your emphasis on telling the story. Thanks for the reminders :)

    Reply 0 Replies
  15. Cynthia H says…
    02/03/2010

    So excited to hear you'll be teaching Yesterday & Today again! Will the layouts be the same as last time?

    Reply 0 Replies
  16. Ali Edwards says…
    02/03/2010

    Yes - it will be a re-run of the first class.

    Reply 0 Replies
  17. Julie H says…
    02/03/2010

    Is there any chance you are planning to teach any new classes/workshops at BPS as well? Or somewhere else? I'm always excited to get new content and ideas from you!

    Reply 0 Replies
  18. Cynthia Friese-Hassanein says…
    02/03/2010

    Awesome Ali:) this class should be mandatory for every memory keeper:) I adore the focus on getting the story told:) Once I stepped away from being overwhelmed by products and scrapbooked for me and my loved ones. Things changed. Keeping it simple is key:) I am glad you offering this course again for others to have the chance to take it!!!!!!! Seriously it was worth every penny and beyond!!!!!!!

    Reply 0 Replies
  19. Ali Edwards says…
    02/03/2010

    I was just chatting with Stacy Julian about this today. We've got some ideas...

    Reply 0 Replies
  20. Jen Day~sugaredsongbird says…
    02/03/2010

    I just started taking classes at BPS recently, I will have to watch for the Y&T! I'm also going to go listen to the roundtable discussion- I have a problem with choice overload, too.

    Reply 0 Replies
  21. Jill says…
    02/03/2010

    I'm going to stray from the main subject of layouts and say what I love most of all is the joy on Anna's face as she is reading. That is worth a million.

    Reply 0 Replies
  22. Judith says…
    02/03/2010

    Hi Ali,
    It is so true what you say about just tell the story. I get tangled up in trying to produce a star layout everytime instead of playing and doing and allowing my style to develop as I go. I am also very pleased you are running the course again. I couldn't do it last year because of the timing, but hope it will fit in this year.
    Judith

    Reply 0 Replies
  23. Judith says…
    02/03/2010

    PS your blog still looks funny from internet explorer. I think I will try and upgrade...

    Reply 0 Replies
  24. Ali Edwards says…
    02/03/2010

    Let me know Judith. I contacted Typepad and they seem to think it has to do with how the comments are set up (I am using something called Typepad Connect). They recommend upgrading to the newest version of Explorer.

    Reply 0 Replies
  25. Kimberly L.C. says…
    02/03/2010

    I love how you used a similar color palette for both layouts. I'm assuming it was intentional, but even if it wasn't, I love that additional touch of connection there!

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