10 Scrapbooking Skills to Develop in the Coming Year

It’s that time of the year again, when we crave simplicity and renewal amidst the busy-busy of the season.

Fortunately the energy of the holidays comes with a side of quiet reflection on the days gone by. And as an avid scrapbooker, it’s likely that some of those thoughts are about your hobby.

What worked well in 2015? Where did I stumble? What do I really want for my memory keeping in the new year?

In this post I’m sharing ten areas in which you can further hone your skills in 2016. I’ll also offer simple ideas for getting started today.

1. Focus

If you only work on one thing in the next 12 months, focus is a sure bet. The ability to both choose one thing to work on and to follow through with concentration will serve you well, not only in your crafting but in all areas of life.

Where to start: Choose an unfinished project. Commit to seeing it through before doing any further shopping.

2. Curation

I often hear that you feel overwhelmed, by your projects, your ideas, and/or your stuff. The BFF of focus is intentional curation. By taking on a mindset of “less is more” and being very selective about everything, you can re-gain a sense of control and optimism.

Where to start: Create a new Pinterest board with 5 ideas you want to try. Then try them.

3. Systemization

While it make not sound as comforting as a hot chocolate, developing systems in your memory keeping can make the hard parts faster and easier. With more time and energy (not to mention less frustration), you’ll be able to enjoy yourself that much more. The best place to practice developing systems is photo management.

Where to start: Write down the steps you take to transfer photos from camera to computer. Looks for ways to streamline.

4. Planning

When ideas, lists, appointments, and more are swirling around in your head, it can feel difficult to take action. To stop feeling pulled in a million different directions, you can start capturing everything on paper (or on your favorite device) and get yourself on track.

Where to start: Add a scrapbooking date to your calendar.

5. Organization

You will never be perfectly organized, but consistent mindfulness can keep clutter at bay and help you stay focused on what matters most. This skill pairs well with #2 in terms of shopping. By bringing in only what you love and will use, there will be less to organize and store.

Where to start: Set a timer for 10 minutes and take one small step towards better organization.

6. Storytelling

The creative parts of scrapbooking are fun and fulfilling, but the meaning behind your pages is what you’ll treasure most in the decades to come. Often times it simply takes a pause to consider the “why” behind a story for the right words to come spilling out.

Where to start: Create a food-related layout for our November Story Starter Challenge.

7. Design

Everyone wants to feel pride in their pages, so it’s great that achieving great design is easy today. Instead of wishing you had an art degree to make prettier pages, you can lean on trusted techniques and done-for-you tools to make pages come together with more confidence.

Where to start: Create your next layout using a sketch or layered template from our huge library.

8. Flow

I’d argue that flow is the opposite of frustration. It’s a state of action where you feel so clear and confident that creating feels effortless. Understanding the conditions that prime you for flow can ensure that the magic can happen when you sit down to scrap.

Where to start: Identify one aspect of scrapbooking that comes naturally for you.

9. Accountability

You’re not alone if you have a difficult time following through with the plans you set. It’s a common challenge, but one that is readily resolved with sources of external accountability. A like-minded community can be a safe place to ask for the gentle nudges you need.

Where to start: Post in a public place about what you will accomplish and by when.

10. Repetition

It’s difficult for almost everyone to sustain focus for an entire year, not to mention all the ebb and flow of daily life. That’s why I recommend breaking the year into seasons or quarters, with scheduled times every three months to pause and evaluate what you’re doing and why.

Where to start: Give yourself permission to ask yourself good questions every season.

If you would like the support of a community as well as a collection of trusted tools for developing these skills, the membership may be a good fit for you.