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Andrea here jumping in to share some inspiration from the CRD team. We’ve decided to include a new feature here “Tips from the Team” where we’ll take a particular subject and share some of our favorite tips with you on it. It’s only fitting to make this week’s tip focus on journaling since it’s the “subject” of the week here at the AA blog! I LOVE seeing layouts that are chock full of thoughts and ramblings…….some of those are my FAVORITE layouts just because of the journaling on them. I really do enjoy reading the stories behind the photos, it gives me a better understanding of the page and sometimes of the creator. We asked a few of our girls to share some of the tips they have to help us all improve the journaling on our pages and maybe one of these tips will have you look at journaling in a whole new light!

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One of our newest hybrid girls, Julie Ann, led a journaling workshop last year at one of her local spots and she has some INCREDIBLE tips for us!!

General writers tips:

**It is helpful to know that writing uses the other side of the brain than designing the layout so give yourself time to transition between designing and writing. Don’t be hard on yourself for having to make the transition.

**Write out a first-draft on a scrap piece of paper or in a notebook. You might have a notebook just for scrapbook layout journaling. This is a different sort of journal than a diary.

**When writing your first draft, set a timer for 15 minutes and challenge yourself to write for the full 15 minutes. Let this be part of your brainstorming, just write down anything and then you can weed out stuff in your second draft. Do not try to edit while writing your first draft. Editing is for the second draft.

**If you are stuck, try writing a list instead of a story. Here’s an excellent FREE software program to help you to produce lists, and to save them.

**When you finally show your writing to others, you discover the amazing truth that — no one cares. In her book “Writing To Save Your Life”, Michele Weldon advises: “Get over yourself”. No one is judging what you write. So write.

How to incorporate hand-written journaling, if you don’t like your handwriting.
Source: By Rebecca Ludens for About .com

Scrapbooking experts will tell you that you should always include your handwriting on your scrapbook pages. It adds a touch of yourself to the pages and leaves a lasting legacy for future generations. Many scrapbookers, however, do not like their own handwriting. Computer printed journaling has become a popular alternative to handwriting in many scrapbooker’s albums. Listed here are 5 ways to include your handwriting on your next scrapbook page, even if you your handwriting.

1) Hidden Journaling- Pockets, folded cards, matchbooks, etc. all are ways to hide your journaling on your scrapbook pages. You can write out your journaling by hand on a piece of coordinating cardstock and then simply slip it into a pocket on the page. This way your handwriting is on the page but it isn’t seen by anyone unless they pull out the journaling card.

2) Turn Your Handwriting Into a Font - You will be amazed at how much nicer your handwriting looks when it is consistent and evenly spaced. This also gives you the advantage of being able to re-size your handwriting to fit in the desired space on a page and also use your computer’s spell-check feature.

3) Work on Improving Your Handwriting - This is obviously the time-consuming suggestion. You can improve your handwriting with some tips from the pro’s.

Love Your Handwriting by Heidi Swapp- Heidi shares many reasons to include handwriting on your pages. She also includes a workbook section to help you relax and improve your handwriting skills.

Hand Lettering Made Easy by Debra Beagle - Debra has beautiful examples of hand lettered titles, designs, and more, that you can create with just a little practice. Her easy to follow style will help you become an expert at techniques you never thought you would even be willing to try.

4) Start With Little Things - You can add your handwriting to pages in little ways. Start by writing just the date on the page, maybe even in an inconspicuous place in your own handwriting. It is perfectly OK to combine computer journaling with handwritten text on a layout.

5) Try Just One Page - Create a dedication or a closing page for your album that is written by hand. This page can hold information like: Who made the album, the name of the person the album is dedicated to, and the dates the album was made. This is a simple but inspirational way to include your handwriting in a scrapbook.

For hybrid scrappers:

**I use Zig markers which I bought in a set of 50 - they have dual tips, acid-free, archival quality, lightfast, waterproof, fade-proof, non-bleeding. They have lasted me 4 years so far. You can get them with a coupon at a store like Jo-Ann’s.

**To write onto photo paper, I love the American Crafts Slick Writer. It’s not a photo pen but works terrific.

**For writing in white, I like the Sharpie Fine Point.

**Plan for your journaling to be on a tag or a piece of cardstock that is added to the layout. This way in case you make a mistake, you can start over on a new tag or a new piece of cardstock.

**If you have journaled directly onto your layout and make a spelling mistake, you can re-write the correctection on a little strip, and adhere it over the misspelled word. It just looks like you meant to highlight that particular word.

**If you need to have straight lines to journal onto, you can use a journaling stamp such as these that are my favorites from Art Warehouse.

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From Barb:

I love journaling! I personally like to write from first person, as if I’m carrying on a conversation. I personally feel that layouts without journaling are unfinished…at least mine are.

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From Kathi:

I kept a journal while I was on our trip to Europe. ….so afraid I would forget all the particulars and I am GLAD I DID! … What I try to get across about 90% of the time is what I’m feeling or felt at the time. I always want it to show emotion and feelings…that’s my main goal. Just sit still for a minute and get in touch with your feelings. I should do more journaling as I write a lot, but seldom include it in my layouts….and the thoughts and papers get lost. As far as how I do it, …well, just beginning digitally with my Wacom and before by hand. I’ve even printed things out to journal upon…i.e., Christina’s stuff…journaled by hand and then rescanned and incorporated digitally. I really should do that more often as it looks so much better (though both are near illegible!) than my Wacom writing!

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From Sherrie:

As you might have noticed, I do more altered books/journals than I really do scrapbook pages. What I haven’t really shown is that I do most of my journaling just in a sketch book. I include drawings then once I have a drawing (which has always been prompted by an emotion) I will start filling in blank areas with words.

Also, whenever I think of something that I want to remember, I will type up in word or write up in PS using wacom tablet. Then when I get ready to complete a scrapbook page, I will go back to my little typed up memories and use them to prompt my journaling.

For a page that I have messed up, I will put a little tag or some type of element over the messup and then write the corrected word on top of that.

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Thanks so much girls for all your journaling inspiration here today! I remember years ago when I first started scrapbooking how some CM rep told me that when you journal you should always do it as though you’re standing right there beside the person who’s looking at your page and telling them about the photos. I’ve always done that with my pages because years from now when my son or his family are looking at those pages they won’t have to sit and wonder what was happening at the moment those photos were taken. I want those funny little stories that he won’t remember to pass on to his family and the generations beyond. I wish that the generations before me had done that so that I would have their memories to look back on!

I hope you’ve enjoyed the tips today and that you’ll put them to use soon on your pages! Check back for the next “Tips from the Team” when some of the CRD team members give you some hints on how to create FABULOUS and realistic shadows on your layouts! Until then, go tell your story!