Let Go of  Your Journalling Demons

As you would already know, I'm a BIG journalling fan. I just don't see the point of having pages which sure look pretty but will have the viewer stumped in 20 years time. What the hell's it meant to be about?

 I know some people have difficulty journalling. Luckily, I've never had that problem, I like writing, and it's my job. But for those of you who do, here are some points to consider next time you're procrastinating and hyper-ventilating at the thought of putting pen to paper on your layouts.



1. If all else fails, just remember the golden who + what + when + where + how. If you answer all these, you're laughing.

2. Start writing it down from the beginning, the middle or the end. Doesn't matter. Just get it down. You can rearrange it after it's all out of your head. Just do it on a scrap piece of paper before committing it to the layout.

3. You know how you mentioned this story/event to your friend the other day? You should write it down as if you're telling it to another friend, verbally. Say it out loud if you have to, then write down what you said after. Informal journalling speaks volumes, and puts the reader at ease. And it is, after all, a photo memory album, not a textbook.

4. Be in the mood to tell the story. Just like people can tell if you're smiling over the phone, readers can tell if you're bored sh**l*ss as you write.

5. Don't be put off by perfectionism. Nobody writes perfectly all of the time. This page is about you, and how you feel about the person you're journalling about. The words will come to you as you go. Don't go back and try to change it back into something staid and perfect. Be personnal.

So if you've been holding back from journalling on your layouts, why not give it another go? And if you're an expert, post your tips in my comments. Share and grow.

Here are some of my layouts which utilise journalling. It can sometimes be easier to make the journalling a bit part of your design, if you're like me and take a bit too long to tell your story...

Sweet Icypole Bandit uses a Jessica Sprague text semi-circle text path, Andrea Victoria cardstock, Katie Pertiet and Ivy's Inspirations patterned paper and Ivy's Inspirations elements.

This is a really old layout, I think it uses a tutorial by Cassie Jones, which included all the elements and papers in it.

Church uses Lindsay Jane Designs postage frame, Anna Aspnes stitching and Jesse Edwards cloud patterned paper.

This layout has Jessica sprague written all over it, lol! I think I got the idea of 3 jaggered journalling columns from an article she had in Creating Keepsakes. I know that flower is from Shabby Princess, the tag is Katie Pertiet's, but the epoxy brad I'm not surte about, sorry. The flourish brush is the FIRST digital scrapping supply I ever got, it's from Rhonna Farrer.