SYW200 – The Snowball Effect

[00:00:00] Jennifer Wilson: Welcome to Scrapbook Your Way, the show that explores the breadth of ways to be a memory keeper today. I’m your host, Jennifer Wilson, owner of Simple Scrapper and author of The New Rules of Scrapbooking. This is episode 200. Today I'm joined by Kim Edsen to answer Scrapbook Your Way listener questions in celebration of this milestone episode.

[00:00:44] Jennifer Wilson: Hey Kim, how have you been?

[00:00:45] Kim Edsen: I am doing really well. Um, just busy, busy. When we're recording this, we are still, we are wrapping up marching band season. I know some people have like football season. We have marching band season. Um, yard stuff. I got myself a lawn tractor after many a year of resisting. Cuz I didn't wanna store all the attachments, but that's when like my yard just needed it.

[00:01:11] Kim Edsen: Like, so we live on, um, we have an acreage. And, some of it isn't like prairie and then obviously like the house and whatever. So I think, I don't know, maybe like three acres that we kind of deal with like yard wise. And um, like we, it's not like we're raking that by hand, you know? Um, and so after a while that tends to be hard on the, the old lawn. So that's been good. We had our house painted. Um, just busy. Just, you know, living life. How about yourself?

[00:01:44] Jennifer Wilson: I am well. And more focused inside the home. Though we did get a new garage door, by like force, you know, our old garage door completely broke. Um, but we have a very pretty new wood look garage door, and I think it kind of changed the way our house looks.

[00:02:00] Kim Edsen: Okay. So this interesting cuz we did the painting. Like this is a multi-stage process. And one of the things is when we built our house, like I grew up, my parents had, um, like windows in their garage door. And, so I remember like talking to our builder about that and he's like, Oh, like, no. Something about like, they're just like fragile and they'll get broken or whatever.

[00:02:19] Kim Edsen: But like my parents have lived in their house, what, 43 years? And you know, I don't think we've ever broken one of the windows, but whatever. We are just like, okay, just go with the basics. And, um, I think that a garage door makes a big difference on the house exterior.

[00:02:37] Jennifer Wilson: Oh, I totally agree. I mean, it's, it's totally different cuz our garage before was like cream colored, like our trim. It was fine. But this being a dark brown, it matches our shutters and our roof and it has the windows and I don't even know that they're real glass. I'm assuming there's some sort of, you know, reinforced plastic these days. I don't know. Even if they are, it's like it's tempered glass. It's designed to not break.

[00:03:04] Kim Edsen: Or if it does break, it doesn't, it's not like shards.

[00:03:08] Jennifer Wilson: Yes. Yes.

[00:03:09] Kim Edsen: So that's like another project cuz continuing with the outside. Um, when we built our house, we, when they did the grading around the house with the dirt and whatnot, we had them kind of level off a spot for potentially doing like a garage. Like a standalone garage. Cuz we, we have a two car garage and it's always, it's, I mean, still fine. But like now I have two mowers and you know, so it's got two cars, two mowers, snowblower, tiller, like all the things. Um, and now the girls are driving and I would think just for future resale, like people who live in acreages tend to like to have like animals and horses and workshops and things like that. So, um, so that is the thought is like when we build that if slash when, hopefully. Um, we'll replace the garage door on that house to match. So yes.

[00:04:02] Jennifer Wilson: Okay. Yeah. So would this be like a full on Morton building or more like a regular garage?

[00:04:09] Kim Edsen: More like a garage. Like we'll side it to like match the house.

[00:04:12] Jennifer Wilson: Okay. Okay, cool. Yeah. And then the only other thing for me on the indoors is I just bought my first five gallon bucket of paint. I feel like a grown up now. Um, it is an accessible beige, apparently is a really nice color that a lot of people like.

[00:04:27] Kim Edsen: I feel like that is my bedroom.

[00:04:30] Jennifer Wilson: It might be, it's Sherwin Williams, so.

[00:04:32] Kim Edsen: I think that is.

[00:04:33] Jennifer Wilson: And they were having a 40% off sale, and I'm like, Okay, the paint I like is kind of pricey, so 40% off is huge. And so I went ahead and got the five gallon because it's gonna be our, you know, entryway, hallways, you know, closets. Like all the extra things that we're not painting a specific other color. So.

[00:04:54] Kim Edsen: And Sherwin Williams, I've noticed over the years they have lots of sales. So it's like I'm sure that it was like the Columbus Day sale and the Labor Day Sale and the Veterans Day Sale. And so I kind of always figure whatever project I have, like there'll be a sale coming up. So just time it appropriately.

[00:05:14] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah, just be patient. I mean, and me, this is a many year project, it's taken me a long time, but we are just slowly, you know, tiptoeing forward and, and doing these things. And um, yeah, it always just feels good to be continuing to make home feel more like home.

[00:05:33] Kim Edsen: Yeah, like our house exterior, that was like a two year thing because I wanted to do this trim thing. And then they said it wouldn't work, or if it would work, then it would like put us at risk for like leaking around the windows. And so like that wasn't a good thing. And then I wanted to go lighter and Dan wanted to go darker and Grace wanted to stay the same.

[00:05:50] Kim Edsen: And I think Caroline just wanted to move. So it was just kind of like. So finally I was like, my friend had painted her house this spring and I was like, Did you like your guy? Yes. Like, what's his name, his number. And I was like, Well, let's just get a quote. We'll figure out before I'm looking at colors anyways, like what brand does he use? Which was Sherwin Williams. Um, because like I'll just look at those colors. And so no, I hear you on the slow but steady progress. So.

[00:06:22] Jennifer Wilson: All my neighbors actually have new siding because they had hail damage. And we only had like one, like one piece of siding that was damaged. And I'm like, I'm not gonna go to the trouble of like filing a claim and getting estimates and all that for this one little thing. And like, yes, it would be really nice to have all new siding, but it just seemed like a huge ordeal to get it done as well.

[00:06:46] Kim Edsen: And your insurance company will probably thank you. So.

[00:06:50] Jennifer Wilson: I'm sure. Yes. So shifting gears to memory keeping, what's exciting you right now?

[00:06:56] Kim Edsen: So I have been kind of light on scrapbooking lately. Um, I feel like this summer I was just like, I took myself on vacation. Like as far as like, hence like the yard renovation project this fall. Um, I've been doing a lot of like stitching and knitting and reading. So not as much scrapbooking, but I will say, I'm still loving my monthly favorites and this year I went to a square shape.

[00:07:25] Kim Edsen: So whether I end up printing that 12 by 12 or 10 by 10 is yet to be determined. But, um, just that Project Life style of like dropping in the cards. Because when I was ready to like pick that back up, I could, I whipped through those things in no time. So I'm loving that. And then I did get, um, Melissa Shanhun from Digital Scrapbook HQ has a supply organization class using Photoshop Elements. And I had looked at Photoshop Elements before for supplies and I did not feel like it was very intuitive to use. And so I got the class and I got everything imported in there, and now I just need to kind of master her. She has a lot of like tips and tricks for easy searching. So I think what I've been doing up until now for my supplies, I did for a while when I was using Lightroom, I imported all the previews and I would kinda scroll through those. Um, And I think as I've just gotten more supplies, as I've gotten more into digital, like it's been more cumbersome to look into folders and things. And.

[00:08:27] Jennifer Wilson: Of course, yes.

[00:08:30] Kim Edsen: She has ways to set it up, so it's like all automated. It's almost like it watches this folder and you add something and it gets imported in. So I've gotten that process started and now I just need to like fine tune it. You know, once like we get past the exterior. So I think that's the other thing I need to recognize too, as far as like when I, if I ever feel like bummed, like, Oh, I haven't been scrapbooking. Well, I think it's very much like one season of life and two, just like season, season. Like it's will soon be winter and so I can't be doing all the outside things.

[00:08:59] Kim Edsen: So that is the time for that. And then this winter I can hunker down, but um, like I said, marching bands wrapping up here and so I will once again have my Friday nights and my weekends back a little bit. So, um, but yes, so, just general, like easy peasy, Project Life scrapbooking and organizing supplies with Melissa.

[00:09:21] Jennifer Wilson: I'm curious if you kind of felt the desire to get your digital supplies more organized now that you've been doing that as your primary scrapbooking format for a couple of years. And you're like, Oh yeah, I'm accumulating a lot of things. I'd really like to find them easier.

[00:09:37] Kim Edsen: Yes, and I think part of it is, so I historically was not necessarily like a collection scrapbooker or like a lot of digital scrapbookers will say like, I'm a kit scrapbooker, and I can see why. Because when you go to build a page, rather than like digging into like all these files, you're like, okay, these, this is the kit and I'm gonna use these supplies. So I feel like that is a way to simplify things. But, a lot of times I don't start with a kit necessarily that matches my story. Or that's what I'll start with, I'll think like, okay, so what are my colors? And I'll find a kit that kinda matches that. But, and especially with digital, you can just customize so many things that um, well one, I should probably just simplify my project process and just stick with like a kit.

[00:10:25] Kim Edsen: But, um, so I think part of it was just accumulation of supplies for sure, but then also just kind of recognizing how I look for things. It kind of goes back to that organization when we talk about physical supplies, like how do you look things like, I usually think of like color and then and pattern and so forth.

[00:10:44] Kim Edsen: And so that's like the big advantage with like the Photoshop Elements organizer. You can like search for things by color and it will pull up like all the yellow things and all the green things or, um, so yes, I don't know if that answers your question. Kind of does roundabout.

[00:11:02] Jennifer Wilson: It, totally does, and it's been really fascinating to see of what, um, ways that you think about things related to your previous paper scrapbooking have translated and maybe which ones that like don't quite fit anymore. Um, were always evolving and the types of scrapbooking that we're doing and I just, Yeah. I find that that always super fascinating.

[00:11:22] Kim Edsen: Yeah, well, and then you have like your one off things that, right? Like if I have some old Ali word art, like that's not in a kit, but I maybe still wanna use that. So yeah, I don't know. There's, I think that kind of ties back too even like when I was physically scrapbooking, when I would use like digital overlays and things like that.

[00:11:44] Kim Edsen: Like I think if there's a product that you wanna use, there's probably, it be, it's helps me to find a way to make it more visible or to think about it and within your process. Otherwise, um, it just doesn't happen.

[00:11:59] Jennifer Wilson: Well, and I think there's just an inherent, um, cumbersomeness, that's not quite a word, but to as you said, looking through folders and they're often nested folders, like also multiple layers of nesting. And so it's hard to see things. So anything that you can do, whether it's Photoshop Elements, Lightroom, Bridge, you know, there's other tools out there to be able to visually see things easier, makes the process just that much easier.

[00:12:25] Kim Edsen: How about yourself?

[00:12:27] Jennifer Wilson: Um, it's, it's more of a concept. I'm as we kind of are, know, right now we're in mid-October, but when this comes out it will be mid-December. I'm definitely keeping an open mind. I, I'm feeling a little, not quite bored, but like I'm, I'm good with the things that I've been doing recently in the past few years, and I'm excited about creating more layouts and creating more photo books, but I'm also just kind of pausing and not pre-committing to projects and plans. I just wanna see what maybe organically bubbles up for me as this is a big priority or what other external things I encounter that I wanna participate in. So I'm, I'm kind of keeping more of an open plate for next year than I have in the past.

[00:13:14] Kim Edsen: That reminds me how within the Planning Party we, you've always said to make sure to like leave room for those things that bubble Cuz there's always going to be something.

[00:13:24] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah. So I'm definitely like, not even leaving just like one space, I'm really leaving like multiple spaces and really only having a, I have a couple things that I, that I think I wanna work on next year. But really just, I've enjoyed being responsive. I've enjoyed taking classes, participating in things, and, you know, it's, it's always a fun twist to, to learn from someone else and be told what to do, particularly as someone who often creates the things that are telling others what to do. Um, so yeah, it just, it just feels good and I'm, I'm excited and looking forward right now.

[00:14:00] Kim Edsen: Do you think part of it I saw, I feel like it was over the weekend with the, like the Finishing Days that we've had this year. Like you wrapped up, are you like all cut up on your December albums?

[00:14:10] Jennifer Wilson: I I am.

[00:14:11] Kim Edsen: So like do you feel like getting some of those things off of your plate is freeing you up to be more receptive?

[00:14:19] Jennifer Wilson: Oh, a hundred percent. Like I've gotten to the point where looking at my list and I'm like, Oh my gosh, I have, I'm effectively caught up. Are there some of these things that have been on there for a long time? Do I still wanna start these projects? And then there's some that are kind of just still in progress. Like my transition from chronological layout storage to Library Of Memories.

[00:14:43] Jennifer Wilson: But I really consider that just, it's just an evolution. It's gonna take time. Um, and at some point I'll be like, it's time to, you know, rip off the bandaid in and dive in a little bit more. But it also doesn't feel urgent to me. So, but yeah, definitely a more of like a freedom of like, there's just like, there's possibility. I feel that sense of lightness from having my December Dailies from 2010 to 2021, completely done.

[00:15:13] Kim Edsen: For sure.

[00:15:14] Jennifer Wilson: Yep. So this is episode 200, and I thought it'd be really special to have you on. I've had so many comments about those who have missed your voice and they've loved our conversations, and so I thought we would answer some listener questions today.

[00:15:28] Kim Edsen: All right. Bring 'em on.

[00:15:30] Jennifer Wilson: Alrighty. Number one, and I'll be honest, this is a question that I made up because I think it's a really juicy one, and I'm curious what you would say. So what great decisions have you made in scrapbooking what bad decisions have you made in scrapbooking?

[00:15:48] Kim Edsen: Okay So I will say if all the questions are on the list, this was probably the one I, I don't know that I have an answer for. I would say going, I think cuz there's, as far as like the good, there's good and bad with everything, right? So like going digital has been good. I like not feeling like I'm accumulating just these giant albums left and right.

[00:16:11] Kim Edsen: But at the same time I do miss that tactile sense of, you know, playing with product, which is I think why I've done a lot more like knitting and embroidery and some card making, things like that. So I still have that part of it. But, so I think that's been a good decision. Probably hybrid scrapbooking back in the day is probably the best thing I ever did because I feel like that was my sweet spot. And as far as bad ones, I don't know that I feel.

[00:16:39] Jennifer Wilson: They don't have to be major. I have some examples.

[00:16:41] Kim Edsen: So I would say if anything. I wanted, I thought it would get super into card making cause I thought it would just be so much fun and you'd see all this inspiration. And so, I don't know if it was a bad decision, but like right accumulating like all the colors of ink and all, you know, that I just maybe didn't, I did use, but probably not to the extent that I thought I would.

[00:17:05] Jennifer Wilson: I think that's a pretty common thing that we do and that we may have some like guilt or regret over of thinking we're really gonna get into something and then you know we were a little optimistic about you know our time or interest in doing that.

[00:17:18] Kim Edsen: And then maybe the effort. Because I will cards when they're like pre-done embellishments. But I think the ones that I, I was following Paper Tray Inc. If anybody remembers them, I think they're, they're still out there, but they went more like wholesale, I think. But they had just the most amazing creative team and blog.

[00:17:37] Kim Edsen: And they would just make the most gorgeous cards. But they were so, right, you were stamping like your background and you're stamping and coloring in like all of your, and die cutting your embellishments and like the sentiment. Like, I mean, it was like every step along the way. And it was very inspiring. But I kind of felt like I don't wanna spend this time, effort, and money for something that I'm gonna like just mail off.

[00:17:59] Kim Edsen: Like if I'm gonna that, I'd rather spend it on my scrapbook pages.

[00:18:04] Jennifer Wilson: That's like that's a totally like fair you know way to think about it, so. Um, the great decision that I've made I think was, I mean first the first thing that came to mind was switching to paper, starting paper scrapbooking. Just because uh how much that tactile experience meant to me as as a kid. And and being able to bring that back um led me to do more painting outside of scrapbooking as well. And so that's just been very uh nurturing and soul fillling for me. But but on a smaller scale I'm really glad that I took the time way back then as one of my first couple projects is I did these little mini books for my college years and my grad school years. And you know this was this was quite a long time ago now and it seems like I was able to capture more of those memories while they were still like slightly fresh. Whereas now I can barely remember anything and you know they're not the most you know ornate projects at all but I'm so glad that I have them.

[00:19:11] Kim Edsen: Who would you also say, I thought you would say something about, um, using Lightroom for your annual albums. Because I feel like that was a culmination of like a lot of years of kind of trial and error. And paying attention to what was working and what wasn't working and why. So I feel like that would be a greatest hit for you.

[00:19:35] Jennifer Wilson: I agree. But I guess I have I have some complicated feelings because it's a really big project. Just like regular Project Life is a really big project. And so um I, I guess while I love it I'm not a hundred percent sure I wanna do that project every single year.

[00:19:56] Kim Edsen: Yeah.

[00:19:58] Jennifer Wilson: So and that's just kind of an honest feeling about it. Um as I finish up this year's book. We'll see. Like I'm when I get another one on the shelf I might uh change my mind. But it is kind of quite an undertaking. So yeah I I I like I I agree but I also can see some other perspectives on it

[00:20:19] Kim Edsen: Tools. Any tools? I would say my one thing that I probably didn't, Crop-A-Diles. Like the giant honking Crop-A-Dile. That I was never a big eyelet person. I could never, even with the Crop-A-Dile. They were always just like wonky and, but everybody had one, so I had one too.

[00:20:37] Jennifer Wilson: I have that Big Bite one and it's come in handy. Every time I've tried to get rid of it, somehow I changed my mind and I'm always glad that I didn't because I need it for one thing. But I do prefer the more like handheld ones nowadays. Even my like I have that We Are Memory Keepers multi hole punch and even that is kind of a beast. But I use it all the time. Because it can do like five different sizes of holes. Um yeah. A bad decision I guess it's actually related to what you mentioned about the Lightroom photo book and that I'd tried so many different ways over the years and the I would say the worst year was the one I tried to do pocket pages in eight and a half by 11.

[00:21:24] Kim Edsen: I remember that.

[00:21:27] Jennifer Wilson: It lasted like three months and then I was just so frustrated at having to like either adjust the page protectors or adjust the cards. It was just way too fussy. Especially for that time when I wasn't as maybe oh as slick in hybrid. Like now I feel like it'd be more doable. But back then it was just It was challenging.

[00:21:51] Kim Edsen: Yeah. Well, and it's hard when, if you had all these physical products, then none of them fit like, Yeah.

[00:22:02] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah I just think it wasn't It was they weren't made for each other.

[00:22:05] Kim Edsen: No.

[00:22:08] Jennifer Wilson: All right second question here. How do you stay motivated when you know you need it. You need that creative outlet, the recharge but it feels hard?

[00:22:20] Kim Edsen: So I think this is where, for me, different hobbies come in. So it's like if I am feeling kind of like tapped out with scrapbooking, then I'll start a different project. And then while I'm working on that, then all of a sudden I'll be getting like excited about choosing colors for an embroidery project and then that makes me start thinking about colors for scrapbooking.

[00:22:40] Kim Edsen: And so I think for me, taking like a little side route for a while is helpful, but also just in general, um, as far as scrapbooking, I would say public accountability. If there's something I really wanna work on, I will like throw it out to the group and say, Hey, I'm going to be doing this, and then I will report back. And that is hugely motivating. Also, I love a good checklist, right? So if I make an assessment, okay, where am I at? It's like the whole brain dump, like where am I at? What needs to be done next? And then I just can motor through task by task, by task. So I either, I guess I either avoid it or I like dig real deep.

[00:23:24] Jennifer Wilson: I think I only need to, cuz I definitely have an ebb and flow but if I print my photos or even just select them, I, that tends to get the ball rolling for me. So I will often just focus on that and say Okay figure out what you're gonna scrapbook. Pick some photos, you know, pick a size, any size and then build your layout around that. And if I have a couple prints on my desk I will tend to keep thinking about it and then all of a sudden there's a pile of supplies and then all of a sudden there's a a finished layout. So that's, that's what I try to do is definitely think baby steps to start the snowball.

[00:24:01] Kim Edsen: Well, and I think for me with really most anything, you know, 99% of the time if I get started, it's the getting started.

[00:24:14] Jennifer Wilson: Mm-hmm.

[00:24:15] Kim Edsen: Really anything, from cleaning in my bathrooms to making dinner, to making a scrapbook layout. So that would be another thing too. It kind of comes along with that accountability. For a lot, I know at least for like a lot of members, it's the crops, right? It's on their, it's scheduled, it's on their calendar, and so they almost build a ritual or routine around it.

[00:24:37] Jennifer Wilson: Well even just the the simple act of stating that you need to do something. Not even committing that you're going to do it but just stating that you need to do it. Can help you realize like maybe take some of that, the makes it a little bit smaller. Like you know even yesterday I was texting a friend like ah I need to like reboot the dishes. And it was like really bad. And she's like, well just do it. And by the time she replied I was already doing it. So just saying I need to do this realized well it won't take that long and it won't be as bad as you think and.

[00:25:13] Kim Edsen: I think that comes down to clarity. I always, here's, okay, everyone who missed it, your Gretchen Rubin moment of today. So Gretchen Rubin will have different kind of tips or tricks that you can lean on depending on which tendency. And so for my tendency, which is upholder, they'll talk a lot about clarity. So just having an idea of like, well, why do I wanna do this thing?

[00:25:38] Kim Edsen: Um, and she has all sorts of tips. Basically, my answer to this would just be, listen to Gretchen Rubin. Cuz there's always like, you know, think about your future self, or if it's like the one minute rule or just all of those little things. I think they come down to the getting started too. But yeah. Clarity.

[00:25:57] Jennifer Wilson: Yes I love that. Well and I think it's um also helpful to recognize that I think we all feel this to a certain degree, even upholders like yourself. Um you know have to find ways to to jump into the task even if it's something that we really want the results of.

[00:26:15] Kim Edsen: And for me, where I struggle, is that she talks about, I think she calls it like tightening. Where I will get on a path and I will just make things more and more and more elaborate and rigid, and I'll know I'm doing it. But sometimes it's hard break, to loosen that. So I think being able to like, recognize what is happening and then from that aspect for me is like, okay, like pause everything.

[00:26:42] Kim Edsen: Like what is like the absolute, not like bare minimum, but like, like what is like take the easy route? Cause I tend, I always joke like, there's a way to make something more difficult. Like I'm there. Um, so that, so the other thing is far as like, if you're not motivated, it's like, well, okay, like who used to always say like, like, what's your very next step?

[00:27:04] Kim Edsen: Like what's the, and like the baby step. So like you're not, your very next step isn't, like for me, I have like a layout on the works right now and my very next step isn't make the layout. It's, you know draft journaling. And then the very next step is, you know, maybe I choose papers and once I have the papers I'll choose the embellishment. I think also breaking it down into very achievable tasks is a way to help motivate me as well. Because it's like, oh, I can't make a lay out, but you know, I can, you know, I can browse some papers cuz now they're all organized. Um, so I think that would be another tip that works for me if I'm resistant to something.

[00:27:46] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah it's much easier to procrastinate on something that has multiple steps than it is to procrastinate on that one small step. So this next question is a little bit different. Shifting gears to more of the social aspect of scrapbooking. Um, what are some of the different ways you've maybe met new, discovered new people and connected more personally with scrapbookers?

[00:28:10] Kim Edsen: Well, I would just, Simple Scrapper. Like, obviously. Um, and even like scrapbookers that I've met in real life, I've, you know, there was a group of ladies I used to go to, um, weekend crops with at a spot, like locally. But, um, I met them through Simple Scrapper. Like one lady said something about Des Moines. I was like, Wait a minute, are you in Des Moines? I'm like, We met for coffee. I'm like, Okay, well she doesn't seem like she's gonna kill me, so, right. And then these other people are from Iowa. And then they're like, Well, we go to this place. And so it just kind of evolved from there. Um, I think social media for, you know, for better or for worse is like a great way to find new people as far as inspiration, people to follow.

[00:28:54] Kim Edsen: Um, and again, it comes back to the membership because with like Spark Magazine and featured artists, like, that's a great way to, for me, that I have found people. Because I'm not like a heavy social media user. And so, it's not always, I don't tend to like kind of get out of my box as easily. So this is a way it just like you do the work and it, you just present it to me and I was like, Excellent, I will now follow So I think it, for me, it just comes back to the membership.

[00:29:22] Jennifer Wilson: Yes, yes. I mean the community has been so amazing even just for me personally and developing you know real friendships with other scrapbookers. And just really feeling that sense of comradery and um feeling I don't know, included. I've always been you know a crafty, math nerd. And so to have people who like really feel like you're they're part of your you know, they tribe, your tribe as they say. Or um that have like minds just has felt so amazing.

[00:29:56] Kim Edsen: Well it's nice to be able to talk to somebody who knows who Stacy Julian is and Ali Edwards. And,

[00:30:01] Jennifer Wilson: Yes.

[00:30:02] Kim Edsen: Um, because I would go back in the day. Not so much, I don't anymore as much. But like my sister-in-law was scrapper. And so, I mean, everyone that I would scrap with in real life, like nobody's like scrapping anymore. Or they've moved away. So, um, but like I would go to a crop, like there would be one, you know, at like my sister-in-law's church had one, and you go. And I remember working on Project Life and these people were just amazed. And I mean, and this wasn't like early Project Life days, right? This is like 2015. But if they weren't active in this Scrapbook world online then you know, they wouldn't have known about it. But, um, so that's what's kind of nice about the membership. I think, you know, obviously by nature of the membership, they are in the online scrapbooking community, um, to some extent. And so if they don't already know about Ali Edwards, they will still learn about Ali Edwards.

[00:30:56] Jennifer Wilson: Yes.

[00:30:57] Kim Edsen: So it is nice to be able to have that shared experience. About the things that you're excited about, like Week In The Life and you know, all of those.

[00:31:09] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah I was at a football tailgate locally a couple weekends ago. And this friend who I knew was a scrapbooker but I didn't quite know she'd really jumped into the online community and said you know So how much should you spend on your uh December Daily this year. And cuz you know we were just the cart period had just opened and we were uh all trying to figure out what we were gonna buy from Ali this year. And it was just uh it was cool to have that also that in-person experience too because the shared language um and shared experiences makes a difference.

[00:31:43] Kim Edsen: Yes. It's kind of what you said about like, these are, it's like find your tribe.

[00:31:48] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah, yeah. So how do you keep scrapbooking fresh and interesting if you've been doing it a really long time? So how how long have you been scrapbooking, formally?

[00:32:01] Kim Edsen: In like, so 2008 really would be when I would say I really went all in. Like I would make captioned, like photo album type things, but not to the extent of like embellishing and things. So since 2008, So what is that, 14 years?

[00:32:24] Jennifer Wilson: It is cuz that's the same for me and how long I've been married as well. So.

[00:32:29] Kim Edsen: So I think for me, and like, like I, I just get bored with things pretty easily.

[00:32:36] Kim Edsen: I feel like I, I like novelty. And so I will, take like classes, and to some extent, challenges can be helpful. Um, that's why I have always loved Refresh. Because it was just like this built in opportunity to kind like refresh my hobby. Um, so within the membership that was always big for me. Like was it last year when Stacy Julian had the cards? Um, gosh, what were those called?

[00:33:04] Jennifer Wilson: Oh was that last year or the year before? I wanna say that was in 2020.

[00:33:08] Kim Edsen: So like that was something like, I was kinda like, Oh, I'm not really into this. But then a ton of our, um, members were doing them and like they're just making these amazing layouts. And so then she had a sale. And so like I got that and then for a while.

[00:33:20] Kim Edsen: So I think you just ride the wave. So if I'm feeling kind of like out of sorts sometimes a class or challenge, sometimes different starting points will help. So a lot of times I'll start with a story or a photo, but then maybe, um, We'll find like, Oh, I really like this person's layout. I'm gonna scrap lift it.

[00:33:45] Kim Edsen: Or so I start with the design, or sometimes maybe I'll start with a product. Um, so I think there's a lot of ways to approach creating a layout. And so changing up my starting point will also help. And then just for, I think, well between, like my favorites layout, the only other kind of regular project that I've done for the past several years is um, a December album.

[00:34:11] Kim Edsen: So that's always kind of exciting when that come time comes around. Um, cuz I always enjoy particular project. So, right. So maybe you're an October daily person or a Week In The Life person, and so that could get you jazzed up. Photography. Like a lot of times with the Refresh we'd have like photo walks or um, like I pulled out my DSLR with my like zoom lens this last weekend for a marching band competition.

[00:34:39] Kim Edsen: So then I was like, Wow, I haven't like used this camera for a while. Like, so then all of a sudden I was feeling motivated to take pictures and pictures can lead scrapbook layouts. So I think just sha shaking things up. I think that's how I keep it interesting is I do something different.

[00:34:59] Jennifer Wilson: Well and I guess I will look at it as like accepting permission to do that. Because I think some scrapbookers with being open to that or feeling like they need to stay consistent and that there's, they might see scrapbooking with like a more narrow lens. And I think broadening your horizons um and knowing there's lots of ways to tell your story these days and lots of ways to enjoy crafting. And it doesn't have to be all one way. You can kind of mix and match I think that's what makes it really fun. Because there's always like a new way to to look at a project.

[00:35:38] Kim Edsen: And I think along those lines is maybe looking at like why you're getting kind of fatigued of your process. So I mean, clearly like I'm all about the membership. But, through the years of, you know, multiple times a year looking at your reason why. Like you said, the permission to do something different.

[00:36:01] Kim Edsen: So it could just be like you said, you're in like two narrow of a box or like, maybe like the projects you're working on, maybe you just really are not a fan of a December album. And you wish you did cuz it's very exciting and you hop on the bandwagon. And so maybe it's just having an honest conversation with yourself, like, you know what, this isn't gonna happen. And so like letting that go too. So I think you nailed it with kind of people's expectations that they have for themselves and their hobby too.

[00:36:29] Jennifer Wilson: Yes, yes a hundred percent. So this is more a broader question. Are there any trends you've noticed recently? Maybe as you're kind of looking for that new fresh and fun thing.

[00:36:44] Kim Edsen: I don't know that, like I said, I've been very light in the scrapbooking in the recent months. So, um, so I am very much still kind of like doing what I do. Um, rather than at a point where I'm, you know, changing things up. I think the biggest thing, and it's probably just what my social media feeds are, but just it's Ali Edwards all the time.

[00:37:06] Kim Edsen: Like, I feel like she's everywhere. Um, but beyond that, I don't know that I, I feel like everything is so diverse. I feel like we had like the grungy brown period and then there was like, you know, your lamas and your gnomes and all the little, don't know that I have followed enough like new releases or diversified my social media following enough to be able to like nail some other new trend. What have you seen?

[00:37:39] Jennifer Wilson: This is more of a trend that I have noticed in kind of home decor, fashion. And and I think that those things tend to predate the trends that we see in scrapbooking. Cuz there's I think a longer timeline. Um, like the smaller florals, a little bit more like vintagy. Um I think we definitely had gone through like a very modern slash mid-century modern period. A little bit of boho. And now I feel like it's going back a little more traditional. I don't know like that that's what I'm seeing in um elsewhere in design. And so I'm curious as we see like the spring collections come out and and next year things are gonna look like. Um, but that would be my my prediction based on o observations outside of scrapbooking.

[00:38:33] Kim Edsen: Do you think some of that is related to, cause I feel like the whole farmhouse movement, Joanna Gaines started back in the day, feel like that's still pretty strong.

[00:38:48] Jennifer Wilson: I do. But that was also very like clean lines, a lot of white and shiplap and stuff. But now I'm just seeing like wallpaper and more molding and you know things specifically to design. But I'm curious to see how that will be translated. Like I don't know I'm thinking of like some of like the My Mind's Eye florals from a long time ago Some of the Basic Grey which Basic Grey had a kind of a huge variety.

[00:39:19] Kim Edsen: They did. I loved their Christmas collections, but I never really got into their other ones. But Christmas for me, like that was my go-to. Um, and I think some of it, I'm trying to think, if there's any like new movers and shakers, kind of like on the scene. Because I feel like Maggie Holmes is still doing Maggie Holmes.

[00:39:40] Kim Edsen: And Paige Evans still does like the Paige Evans. Like they definitely have a look. Which I can appreciate. But as far as variety.

[00:39:50] Jennifer Wilson: Well there is um Layered Life which is Christine Middlecamp. And her episode would've gone live before this one that you're listening to now. And her style is very like retro modern, like clean lines but bold and graphic at the same time. And so kind of the opposite of what I'm describing. So that's, that's one of the things that I'm you know that's coming out right now. Um in terms of others, oh uh is it 49 and Market or 39 and Market? That definitely

[00:40:28] Kim Edsen: Helen talked about them.

[00:40:30] Jennifer Wilson: Yes, yes.

[00:40:31] Kim Edsen: They are kind very botanical, vintagey for sure.

[00:40:35] Jennifer Wilson: Yes and I'm a big fan. I just bought a whole bunch of their rub ons. And A like yay for more rub ons. I am celebrating the return of rub ons Um but it's just so fun to kind of create more of that like textured layered look to my pages too.

[00:40:53] Kim Edsen: Yeah. And that probably goes along with that style too, as opposed to the super clean, modern, contemporary look.

[00:41:01] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah, yeah. So yeah I don't I don't think either of us have our our thumbs closely on the pulse of uh the scrapbooking industry. But um that was one of the questions that uh was submitted for us. And uh it would it'd be fun to always see kind of what's what's next and to also choose whether or not that new trend fits your style or your interests or not. Sometimes I'm curious about new trends and sometimes I'm happy to pass them up.

[00:41:31] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah All right so the next few questions are a little bit more about process and some of them are really specifically for you. But the first one is what process do you use to choose what you wanna scrapbook next?

[00:41:46] Kim Edsen: So I do have a Trello board, called Stories to Tell. So very original. Um, so I will sometimes look there. Um, but a lot of times it's just like whatever I'm excited about. So if there's like a story that's come to mind that I wanna tell, or if I, I tend to have a lot of success when I have projects. So because it kind of think comes back to that whole checklist mindset of I know what needs to be done next. Cause I'm just working through the steps. And so, um, like back in the day when I would like send out for my photos, I would like batch process. So I would kind of design like, you know, five to seven layouts and get all the photos in and then it was just one after the other. So I would say a combination of, um, my Trello list, what I'm excited about, and like what is just in the works. Sometimes product but not as often.

[00:42:38] Jennifer Wilson: Well and I think having that variety is part of what keeps it fresh and interesting too. Um, if you're like consistently kind of going to the same thing then that also can make it feel a little stale.

[00:42:53] Kim Edsen: Well, and I think if, right, I have that Trello list, if there's like a story I pass over again and again, well at some point, like maybe I'm just not gonna tell that story and just to be okay with that. Or, it morphs into something different. Which is what the layout I have in the works right now is. Like, it started out as one thing and then in the process of like making a layout, it has shifted to kind of the same story, but like, it just, even like a wider net got cast.

[00:43:20] Kim Edsen: So, um, and again, I think it goes back to that permission of being able to just follow that creativity. Because at one point I was thinking like, Oh, do I, you know, like I already kind of had like this plan in mind, like, do I just stick with it? And I was like, Well, no. I think it would be a richer story for like casting that wider net. So, yes.

[00:43:46] Jennifer Wilson: Yes, yes. I love you know often I'll note down something and then as I explore it more it goes a certain direction and then sometimes it means Oh well I still need to make another page about this other direction But.

[00:44:00] Kim Edsen: So that's like the trick cause it's like, okay, so this could be like two layouts or, okay. So the, what it is, it was like way back when I actually chose it for like a, like a bucket list story to tell what's, it was the concept of um, being an optimistic garden. Because our, um, blueberries just would die repeatedly and I would just like replant them. And my daughter's like, Why do you not just give up? Um, so part of that is I always wanted to tell the story, but I, I didn't necessarily have a photo in mind. And so like the summer I was like, Okay, I'm just gonna like take a photo of, it's got like, you know, like the one dead blueberry bush and know the background. There's like my Japanese beetle ravaged raspberries and apple trees, just like all the things. Um, and so that was the story and I drafted journaling for it. And then when I went to make the layout. I was inspired by this Cathy Zielske design, and I think she ended up just taking like a quote from her journaling. But I wanted, I love quotes, like I collect quotes, so I wanted to find a quote that I felt like that went with it. And so the quote, I don't remember who it's from, but it was kind of the idea of like, show me your garden and I'll tell you who you are. And so.

[00:45:13] Jennifer Wilson: Hmm

[00:45:14] Kim Edsen: And I've kind of had a change of part at this point because I'm just like, Where is it not persistence? Where is it just like plain stubbornness? So I'm feeling like I can fight this fight and be frustrated, or maybe I can just accept that. And I had also listened to this like horticulture podcast where they're saying how, yeah, um, blueberries just are not well suited to our soil and our location here. I mean, yes, like there is a berry patch, you know, an hour away, but I'm sure like they actually amend the soil and do other things. Anyways, so.

[00:45:48] Kim Edsen: So that story just kind of evolved cuz then I was like, okay, so if I take this aspect of it beyond just persistence and stubbornness. I think my gardens also talk about like nostalgia because I have, you know, irises from my great Aunt Mary and I have daisies from Dan's Grandma, and all these, like, these different aspects of my personality that I think, um, can be seen just by those choices that I make.

[00:46:11] Kim Edsen: So, um, so I think being open to that evolution of the story makes it more exciting for me.

[00:46:22] Jennifer Wilson: Well and I think that um that one story was fine but to tell show all the different facets of who you are as a gardener. You're not just optimistic slash stubborn. You know you have all these other things that you value and that make it something that's important to you. So I think that's just that's a much more like comprehensive story as well.

[00:46:44] Kim Edsen: And then I think my other resistance to not ever doing it was like, well, I didn't have a photo. Well, at some point, like the photo I took is not a great photo, but to me, like the layout isn't about the photo, the layout's about the story. And so recognizing that. So it also could come back to when you're choosing stories to think about whatever, like this particular story where you're creating layouts.

[00:47:06] Kim Edsen: So like what is this particular layout's focus? I mean, obviously you can have multiple focuses, but like, you know, I'm super excited about this design, so I'm gonna like go a whole hog, right? Like you always say with like December Daily, it's all like the shiny things, right? like, this really is about the story.

[00:47:22] Kim Edsen: And so, you know, maybe I have like a small photo that kind of illustrates it, but it's very journal heavy. So I think paying attention to those aspects also, can make it a more rewarding hobby, and it's always that snowball effect, right? If it's an enjoyable process and you're happy with what you made, you just keep going.

[00:47:43] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah it's like I don't know like there's a certain degree of looseness, openness that I think we, has kept coming up through our conversation today. About that's how you become a resilient and productive scrapbooker. Because things were always gonna be shifting in your life, in your hobby, in your interests. And that's yeah that's what's gonna keep you going. My process is I think I have two primary ways. One is either I know that I'm working on a specific project and so I keep coming back to that project. Like, whether it's a a big photo book or a big album. Like something that this needs to be done. Um, or I kind of create a project. And I think this is similar to what you said too. Where I know I wanna scrapbook these photos or scrapbook the story. And so I pick maybe a a collection or a kit that I've purchased or a kit that I've made to go with that. And then once that is out on my desk I use the that color story, that mood, the motifs, to help guide me to additional stories to tell. So it's like story, product, more stories.

[00:48:58] Kim Edsen: Yeah, it's all intertwined.

[00:49:00] Jennifer Wilson: Uh yeah a hundred percent. But then I kind of try to make it a project where it's like okay I want to use use up or or try to make at least as many pages with this particular collection. Cuz it helps me feel good to use use product well and to use it up as I can.

[00:49:16] Kim Edsen: And I imagine it brings a sense of ease because you, the more you're working with those products, the more you know, you know, if there's like a phrase that maybe inspires your story or like particular embellishment. Or, I think it eliminates kind of a roadblock because you don't have to go searching as much because you already are familiar with what's there.

[00:49:42] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah. You know that's something I that's not something I'd really thought about before is that the kind of it's not the right word but the intimacy you get with your products. Um you become really familiar with what the sentiments are and that just naturally gets your mind going with other stories that are related.

[00:49:59] Kim Edsen: And they feel like Shimelle will, I don't know, she still does this. But back in the day she would talk about the idea of like, even if she's not scrapbooking, like most days, she'll like just pick up her paper or just like look through her supplies. To have a familiarity with what she has.

[00:50:16] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah. And I think particularly then since so many products these days are a little bit more sentiment driven than pattern like you know motif driven. That definitely can inform what stories you're gonna choose from it which is helpful.

[00:50:34] Jennifer Wilson: All right next two questions are all about digital. So what software do you use to create your digital pages?

[00:50:42] Kim Edsen: I use Photoshop Elements.

[00:50:45] Jennifer Wilson: And so I'm assuming that kind of made it natural to use that for your organizing aswell.

[00:50:49] Kim Edsen: Cause I figure I'm already in there.

[00:50:51] Jennifer Wilson: Yes.

[00:50:53] Kim Edsen: So, Yes, for sure. And then I just bought it back in the day, like she, I think I got like a free, had like Photoshop Element six came with like a scanner I purchased. Cuz I was doing the Yesterday and Today class with Ali and I was scanning my, my childhood photos to use for that.

[00:51:12] Kim Edsen: Um, and then, I don't know, I've never taken like a formal digital scrapbooking class. But just through taking like Ali's classes and Cathy's classes and just lots of like Googling, um, I, it was just this very like slow evolution into being able to just deal with like the layers. And even now, like we have members and there's scrapbookers out there that do all sorts of like blending and like all these custom shadows and I am very much basic entry level skills. But, I'm happy with that at this point.

[00:51:50] Kim Edsen: Like I'm not evolve that, cuz for me, like really comes down to just enjoying the photos and the stories more so, And I like to do it in like a pretty way cuz I do like the product, but I think for me it would just be more frustrating to like really dig in. So for me, I've never really had a desire to go to like full Photoshop.

[00:52:07] Kim Edsen: Um, and I like, like the standalone Photoshop Elements and I can just upgrade every so many years of I feel like there's an upgrade that is worthwhile. And, um, so yeah, I've just always done Elements.

[00:52:22] Jennifer Wilson: Well and I think that's a really smart solution for a lot and to use that that level of desire you have like some people are really into doing like understanding all the different features and really like um creating digital art with it. And some just wanna get their photo scrapbooked and um in a as easy way as possible.

[00:52:42] Kim Edsen: It's like with knitting, like I can like knit and purl and like, like I'm, I'm good with that. Like, I'm not looking to like, cable and things like.

[00:52:51] Jennifer Wilson: You know cabeling's actually kind of fun.

[00:52:53] Kim Edsen: Is it? Okay, so maybe I wanna go there. But I, I did some knitting in the round this fall. Like that was, I know. But, um, so I think in general it's probably a personality thing too. I, Julie Fei-Fan Balzer back in the day talked about the idea of being like a. puddle, kind of like shallow and wide.

[00:53:12] Kim Edsen: So like I just have like a lot of little interests and I don't necessarily feel the need to like be a master Because I think that would feel like it would close me in and I'd rather just be able to like, dabble in a bunch of different things. So. Um, rather.

[00:53:26] Jennifer Wilson: I love that idea.

[00:53:27] Kim Edsen: In on one hobby and getting to be like an amazing master level of it, um, I'm happy to be that puddle.

[00:53:36] Jennifer Wilson: That's uh a wonderful analogy. Like related to the first question how much time does it take you to a layout these days?

[00:53:46] Kim Edsen: Anywhere from like an hour to some weeks. Because I will just like, I'm usually pretty quick at like picking a design and then I can get out like my journaling, like that's like the most fun for me. I sometimes struggle with like the final embellishments, like I will like fiddle and fiddle and fiddle. Um, so for the longest time I very regularly would average like one to two layouts a week and that was a paper thing.

[00:54:17] Kim Edsen: And then I kind of transitioned to digital and I've kind of fallen off that bandwagon. And I, I don't know if it's just like a seasonal thing or if it's just like the switch to digital or, or what. But um, it is, it varies widely and it probably depends on like what I'm doing. So if it's like, uh, something that has like lots of photos or um, whatever the design is, cuz sometimes I'll do something that's very like streamlined, Cathy Zielske, it's like one pattern paper and some word art and like boom.

[00:54:53] Kim Edsen: You can have that done easy peasy. Or like, my favorites this year I'm doing like Project Life style like grids. So those are very, very fast to create. But um, if I'm doing more of like a story driven, heavily layered layout, that can take me longer.

[00:55:16] Jennifer Wilson: I'm curious, like Is there a certain degree of like enjoyment of the process or is it more of a function of it just takes that much time. Cause I had this conversation with Helen recently. We had an opportunity to scrapbook in person. And she really relishes just the the details of deciding where everything's going to go. And that's part of why she creates such amazing layouts. But it takes her a good amount of time and she really enjoys the time.

[00:55:45] Kim Edsen: That will again, vary from day to day. So like, like, there'll be times like, you know, we'll have like a Refresh weekend or whatever and I'll just like hole up in my little space. Or I remember there was saturday morning in the summer, like we had somewhere to go in the afternoon. But like, I like, you know, it's like 11:00 AM 1130.

[00:56:04] Kim Edsen: I'm like in my pajamas, in my robe, like all curled up on the couch, like scrapping away. And it was just like so fun. And then sometimes, like when I was catching up with like my favorites, I'm like, Okay, I've got like four months. Let's like whip these suckers out. Um, you can almost like batch them. So again, I think it just depends on what I need in the moment.

[00:56:22] Kim Edsen: So sometimes it's just like maybe that weight lifting of this project's back on track and I'm feeling good about that. And then sometimes it is just savoring the process.

[00:56:35] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah, yeah. I mean as I was finishing my one of the last December Dailes like the 2019, 2021 that I put together in one album. It was definitely the satisfaction was in the completion of every page. Uh more so than the design of each page. Cause I was I just I really wanted to get it done and like I'm happy with what I did It was good enough and the catching up part was what was most important to me. So that I can feel more secure and like relishing in all the time that I want this holiday season.

[00:57:08] Kim Edsen: So, very specific to project slash layout.

[00:57:15] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah, yeah. So what about printing your layouts? Um do you have any advice for ensuring a good result? The person who asked this question felt nervous about it, worried about bleed and just making sure that the quality was gonna be good. There's no typos and it just seemed to like be causing some anxiety about know I feel nervous to print because I want it to look good.

[00:57:38] Kim Edsen: So I have typos. I mean, I, I would have typos when I did hybrid scraping and I printed stuff out and like that just doesn't bother me. I kinda like roll my eyes when people point 'em out, like, Yeah, whatever. Well, why don't you go make a scrapbook layout then? Okay. Like, we'll see how you do.

[00:57:51] Kim Edsen: So that really does not bother me. As far as, so I, when I would, obviously I'd done hybrid for a long time, so I had to feel over that. But like full digital, I would do like the occasional, like one off page and I was never like super like loving it and like, I don't know, I think it was just trial and error. Because I would, you know, I've made ones where like the journaling's kind of like right up to the edge before you kinda know to give a little wiggle room there.

[00:58:22] Kim Edsen: Um, so as far as like bleeds and gutters and things like that, some of it's going to depend on your photo developer and a lot of times they'll have like a frequently asked question spot where you could review that. Um, I think it feels more intimidating to me when I was making like a photo book as opposed to like printing an individual page because like the investment was bigger.

[00:58:46] Jennifer Wilson: Oh yeah.

[00:58:48] Kim Edsen: And the, even then though, like I started off when I was printing like photo books with smaller like finite projects. So like my first like full photo book project was like a five day trip my husband and I took, and someone in the membership loved this particular developer. And so I started there. And again, that was a very simplistic design. Like I, it was photos, it was text, and I did like, I imported some Ali Edwards word art. And that was that. And actually I think I built that within the photo book developer software. I didn't do that in Photoshop Elements. So I got that and then I was like, Okay, well you know, these are things I liked about it.

[00:59:33] Kim Edsen: These are things I didn't. So then my next one was, I think I did a December Daily album. And so then like I set that up. I did Photoshop Elements, but I used like a template pack and I just like repeated the template. So I brought in some more things and then I tried a different developer. Okay. So I think before I jumped into like a bigger annual type photo book, I learned along the way by doing these like, smaller projects that felt less, I guess intimidating. Like if it was messed up, it wasn't, you know, $150, it was maybe, I don't know, $50 or something. And then also like the beginning was just asking like the community too, or paying attention to like what people liked to use.

[01:00:16] Kim Edsen: So if there's like, um, a digital scrapbooker that you, like, a lot of times they'll share like, this is my favorite developer or my favorite printer. Um, and I think that's a pretty trustworthy way to go about deciding who you want to use.

[01:00:32] Jennifer Wilson: Or even like, what's the smallest size font that you like to use?

[01:00:36] Kim Edsen: Yes.

[01:00:37] Kim Edsen: That's smart too. Because that is something that if I am uncertain, cuz that is, I'm very like aware of that too. Because that whole concept I always hear people say about how like, well, like, you know, when I was in my thirties it was sure easy to read that 9 point font. But now I'm 60 and it's a lot more difficult. Um, but so even from that aspect, like I would shut off all the layers on something and then just do a test print of like the, the journaling to see like, okay, does this seem readable?

[01:01:10] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah, that's a good strategy.

[01:01:11] Kim Edsen: Too sometimes people will create in like a 12 by 12, but then they'll print in like a 10 by 10.

[01:01:15] Kim Edsen: So, um, that has, that has gotten me before, not like badly, but it was like, oh, like either that seems a little big or that seems a little small. And I think once you kind of, that's where I just like use the same fonts over and over again. Because it's just like, well I know how this is going to print. So that's part of it too.

[01:01:32] Kim Edsen: Um, and again, like I'm not, like that design aspect isn't as important to me as like the story. So, or I will, like, if I wanna use a different font, I will like do like my preferred font in size and then I will switch the font and make sure like the spacing is similar. Depending on right, like Times New Roman 12 versus, I don't know, um, some other, Courier or something.

[01:02:02] Kim Edsen: Um, or Typewriter is different. So then I can kind of get a feel for stuff that way.

[01:02:08] Jennifer Wilson: That's, that's a good trick too of like having what standard that you know is gonna work well then trying to kind of visually match just the, the sizing of it.

[01:02:19] Jennifer Wilson: I look back to some of my first digital pages and some of those font are very, very small . Cause I've printed them eight by eight.

[01:02:26] Kim Edsen: Oh yeah. So even smaller.

[01:02:28] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah.

[01:02:29] Kim Edsen: And then I think just like the, if you're sending them out to be printed, you know, like. I don't know, like, I don't think you're always gonna get the best results with like the very cheapest option. So think you necessarily need to be printing, you know, like heirloom quality. But, so just being mindful that, you know, maybe somewhere in the middle is realistic to get, um, the quality that you might want and that's gonna be different for everybody, so.

[01:03:01] Jennifer Wilson: That's true. It is a matter of preference, um, with, you know, budget as a lens in that too.

[01:03:08] Kim Edsen: And, right. And even like within, like, okay, so like, I, I like MPix is kind of like my favorite go-to printer for my photo books. But you know, they'll have different like page, like there's like the mats or like there's a semi glasss or whatever. So, um, and that's just a matter of like trying it. Though, they will have also, you can send away for samples, like of the paper. So you can kind of get a feel for like what it might look like. And some of that's just knowing what your preferences are in general. Like I always liked matte photos versus like a high gloss photo, so that kind of still translates to me for my photo books.

[01:03:48] Jennifer Wilson: Well, and also there's a difference between like a matte photo paper and then say like a matte, uh, like cardstock slash fine art paper that like Artifact Uprising uses. I love their books. They're beautiful, they don't think they really allow the photos to shine as much.

[01:04:03] Kim Edsen: Mm-hmm

[01:04:04] Jennifer Wilson: Because it is so like matte, matte.

[01:04:08] Kim Edsen: Yes. Not as vibrant.

[01:04:10] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah. Yeah. All right. So the next two questions are a little more related to albums. Um, if you don't scrapbook chronologically, and I think this person was speaking specifically of we're not scrapbooking stories in order, how do you organize your albums?

[01:04:26] Kim Edsen: So I have a bit of a mis-match of some themes and then annual albums. And I have, organized and reorganized and Library of Memories and just whatever, multiple times over the years. So this is what has kind of stuck for me. So I have some theme albums. I have, um, a birthday album for my girls that is like a page or multiple pages of their birthday through the years.

[01:04:46] Kim Edsen: I have a Halloween album. I will do individual like travel albums. Um, I do Christmas albums. I have like a my childhood album, like I did my Before Your Story and my, Yesterday. Today, all of those are in there. And then I'll do like in like Week In The Life will have their own albums and then anything else just gets put into a year.

[01:05:06] Kim Edsen: And when I'm filing them, to some extent, I do try to think about like, when was the story, like the photo taken or the story told. And sometimes things get moved about depending on whether it's like a double page or a single page or whatever. But um, then after I've created them and I'm either building the photo book or I was just like filing them. into the album. I kind of put them in some sort of like semi chronological order for that year.

[01:05:36] Jennifer Wilson: I think that's a, a, a pretty common strategy these days. Definitely, having to, no one system really works for anyone, I think. We have to, to figure out what's important to us, what types of albums do we really wanna have. And then what makes sense? I think stepping back, bigger picture, switching to uh, D-Ring albums, three-ring albums, uh, made a huge difference in organization.

[01:06:02] Jennifer Wilson: When I started, I was doing post bound, like a lot of people, and I found it quickly very frustrating to rearrange. Um, and so being able to change things up as your preferences change as you tell more stories, um, is really helpful as well.

[01:06:18] Kim Edsen: I will. So I went on this tangent like several years ago where I felt like it was hard to locate story. Like if I was looking for a specific story or to think like, okay, I know I scrapbooked that, but like, what did I exactly like, how did I approach it? So I actually made a Google spreadsheet and I went through my albums and I basically typed up like an index of all the layouts and like what album they were in.

[01:06:41] Kim Edsen: And my grand idea was almost to create kinda not like a card catalog, but basically like an index or like a table of contents. And then have like, like a six by eight album that I would have out like easily accessible, like on a coffee table or whatever. And then you could like look through, okay, this, you know, the 2017 album has these stories in it or whatever.

[01:07:05] Kim Edsen: Um, and then at that time, I wanna say Ali's I wanted an Ali Edward album because I wanted like the wider spine. Um they were. I think they were having some sort of like manufacturer difficulties or whatever, or you could only get like those one color and I didn't want that, or whatever. So then, but then I never did.

[01:07:22] Kim Edsen: I never followed through and finished it. But I do think that that very much appeals to me, that concept of kind of having this table of contents of what all of these.

[01:07:37] Jennifer Wilson: I think that can be really helpful in reassuring that, um, your pages are organized, how they're organized, and if we can do a top layer to help, uh, direct others or even yourself towards where the things are, that's helpful.

[01:07:53] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah. I think, you know, I've seen of course, um, index pages like at the front of an album, but even having a big picture one I think could be really helpful. Also with cross-referencing with your stories to scrap list too, to know which things you've done and which ones you haven't. Because sometimes, you know, I tend to know if I've scrapbook a photo. But not if I've scrapbooked a story. Cause you can use multiple photos from across time to tell a particular story. And so I think that would be helpful for like identifying gaps and things like that.

[01:08:25] Kim Edsen: And I think for me, I don't spend a ton of time usually, like with my finished products. Like I will like look at them, but um.

[01:08:34] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah.

[01:08:34] Kim Edsen: I'm not in there like regularly. Maybe I would enjoy that if I did that more, but, um, so yes, it is kind of like, Oh, I forgot I did do that. So yes.

[01:08:44] Jennifer Wilson: And I think the older I get, the more I'm forgetting things that I've done.

[01:08:47] Kim Edsen: Well, plus you've just done more layouts, right? As time goes on, you do more and more yeah.

[01:08:54] Jennifer Wilson: Well, on that note, um, how do you show people your completed layouts you do it all? I often, mean, if I'm sharing them at all, it's usually I'm taking a photo and sharing it online with other scrapbookers. It's pretty rare that my family looks at things. My daughter, a little bit Steve, I left him my One Little Word project on his desk for a while and then I took it back cuz I was worried it was gonna get dusty. So.

[01:09:23] Kim Edsen: Um, so my, all of my albums live on like built-ins that are in kind of like my family room, living room area. My mom loves to like zero in and see like what's new. So she will look at them like, I mean, anyone's welcome to. I probably the biggest thing for display, I will, I don't share all my layouts in the community, but like on occasion, I will.

[01:09:50] Kim Edsen: Um, and then probably the, the, what I do look at is, so my mom was a teacher and my dad had built her a wooden podium that she used when she was instructing. And so when she retired, didn't really have a use for it anymore. And they asked like, would the girls want it cuz like back in the day, like they would play school.

[01:10:08] Kim Edsen: And then as they've kind of phased out of that, it occurred to me that I could have that out. So that is out in like, my kind of entry room, kinda living room area. And I will rotate out the albums that are on the podium. And so they'll just be open or like every so often I'll like, I'll go through and I'll like flip a few pages. So, so like something different.

[01:10:26] Jennifer Wilson: Sure.

[01:10:28] Kim Edsen: On occasion my family I think will like, wander by and like it'll catch their eye. Um, and then that's also fun cuz I'll pull out different ones seasonally. Like I can pull like my Halloween album or like the girls' birthday album and like their birthday month or, um, like the zillion like Christmas albums or like in the summer I'll bring out like travel albums.

[01:10:44] Kim Edsen: So, um, I will switch that up. Just, and there's no like schedule, it's very random, but I think that's like a super fun way to have an interaction with your completed projects.

[01:10:57] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah, I have this desire, I mean, I have lots of desires for things I wanna hang on my wall. But one is to do like one of those big grids of 12 by 12 frames, to be able to pop in pages that I've done. And then try to rotate them. But knowing me, I would put it up there and not rotate it for like five years.

[01:11:17] Kim Edsen: That would be my fear. Like, I think it sounds super exciting to like be able to do like the um, like right seasonal, like it's it's October up you're like Halloweeny layouts, but yeah.

[01:11:28] Jennifer Wilson: No way I would do that though.

[01:11:30] Kim Edsen: I wouldn't either. Or you need those ones that are like the, like there used to be called like little Picasso and it was meant to be like kids artwork ones. They need those for like scrapbookers.

[01:11:44] Kim Edsen: We Are Memory Keepers should get on that.

[01:11:46] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah. Um, and maybe even little Picasso these days has ones that are the right size.

[01:11:52] Kim Edsen: They could or if you're an eight and a half by 11 scrapbooker, boom.

[01:11:55] Jennifer Wilson: Well and I would also be a little concerned with it not being, like, with fading. Like, you know, I'm not super protective of my pages, but I want them to last. And so if I'm putting something on the wall, I would be concerned that I would leave it up too long and then it would fade and, and of course, fade in a weird way because of how the sun was reflecting on it.

[01:12:14] Kim Edsen: Sun fading is crazy.

[01:12:16] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah.

[01:12:16] Kim Edsen: So that would, you'd almost need to put it in a location with that in mind. Like hallway or something.

[01:12:23] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah, a very dark hallway.

[01:12:25] Kim Edsen: Yes.

[01:12:26] Jennifer Wilson: So something to think about. So we have one last question today. Thank you so much for spending time with me. It's been so fun. So what planners will you each be using in 2023?

[01:12:38] Kim Edsen: So I have long used Panda Planners. And I think, so this summer when I took myself on my self-imposed vacation, um, I had, what did I have, like the Daily 2.0 Planner or whatever. So they're undated, so it didn't really matter. So I wasn't using like them regularly. And so I had a bunch of pages, but then I did have like, there's only like a certain amount of like monthly pages in there. So those I had filled out. And so, but I still wanted to like use the planner to finish it out. So my girls had gotten interested in like bullet journaling and so of course like that was my excuse to do of a deep dive into that. So I basically have retrofitted my current Panda Planner into a kind of custom approach that I am liking.

[01:13:29] Kim Edsen: It's like my vertical, my vertical weeks. It's like a two page spread for a week. And then, um, I still have like my to-dos, a spot for my schedule, a spot for gratitude and then like meal planning. So, but I think I would want to do, my plan is to use this one. I can get it through like the end of the year, but is to, um, do a Plum Paper Planner that I customize.

[01:13:52] Jennifer Wilson: Oh, okay. Okay. How do you feel about it being now the, Okay, let's step back here. The Panda Planner 2.0 actually has rings. Doesn't it, spiral? Because the previous ones were, you know, flush bound or whatever. Yeah. So is the, I'm assuming the rings are okay with

[01:14:11] Kim Edsen: Yes. I like the rings.

[01:14:14] Jennifer Wilson: Okay. Yeah. I mean the Plum Paper Planner I've heard is like really good quality. Like, it's like it's thick because it's good paper quality and having to be able to customize the sections I think is pretty cool.

[01:14:25] Kim Edsen: Cause I think even with the Panda Planners, like there's definitely bits that like I don't use. Or even when I did use them, like I didn't use them to their full capacity, nor was I interested in starting to use them. It wasn't like an aspirational thing. And so it was just like, well, I can just make one to be what I want. And I think, that is my plan. For my new year 2023.

[01:14:50] Jennifer Wilson: That sounds fun.

[01:14:51] Kim Edsen: I'm excited.

[01:14:53] Jennifer Wilson: I am using, I don't know if I will have mentioned this on the podcast yet, but as of right now, I am using a Scribbles That Matter, B5. Which is bigger than A5, dot cross planner. So it is an undated planner that has months, weeks, and a dot grid in between each of those. Then a bunch of dot grid at the end.

[01:15:18] Jennifer Wilson: I absolutely love it for a couple reasons. One is I couldn't do just a plain grid notebook because I hated drawing the lines every week. I was just so like, annoyed by it. I love my stickers. I've even learned to love stamping in a bound book. Um, cause I love the final result. And so it was just enough structure to begin invitation to, to create on it. The size has been amazing. I did not realize that it was the size of my planner that was hindering me so much.

[01:15:52] Jennifer Wilson: Going to the B5 size, which is like eight, almost eight by 10, I think, um, has just been perfect. And I want to figure out how best to kind of better utilize the dot grid pages in the back more for, um, of a DIY goal setting approach.

[01:16:13] Kim Edsen: Mm.

[01:16:15] Jennifer Wilson: Um, I'm, I'm not a hundred percent sure what I wanna do yet. I'm just kind of keeping an open mind to, you know, frameworks and approaches for doing that. So I'm, I'm really excited about it. It's completely undated. I started with September and so when it's full, I'll buy a new one. You can get 'em on Amazon, which is really nice. Um, so it was really fast shipping and I'm happy with it.

[01:16:41] Kim Edsen: So how are the weeks presented?

[01:16:44] Jennifer Wilson: They are vertical weeks. There are eight columns and so I, you know, set up seven columns for the days. And then the last one I usually just end up kind of embellishing or putting some additional like reminders for the week. Um I tried horizontal for a few weeks and realized I don't like it. My brain doesn't think that way.

[01:17:08] Jennifer Wilson: My like, I often am remembering when I have appointments by where they are on that vertical planner. Like, Oh yeah, there's like something in like the afternoon that day. I shouldn't schedule something over that or whatever.

[01:17:22] Kim Edsen: I like vertical because if I don't get something done, I just like draw an arrow over. I just can just shift everything in my mind I feel like with horizontal.

[01:17:31] Jennifer Wilson: Yes.

[01:17:31] Kim Edsen: I don't know,

[01:17:31] Jennifer Wilson: It doesn't quite work.

[01:17:33] Jennifer Wilson: Because if you're gonna shift something that's not at the bottom, you have to like draw an arrow with like a bend in it. Yeah.

[01:17:40] Kim Edsen: I'm big fan of the vertical weeks and is shocking how many planners do not have vertical weeks.

[01:17:47] Jennifer Wilson: Well, in some of them, I think one of my frustrations is there's so many planners that have too much structure. And I'm like, I don't need a list for bills to pay, or I don't wanna put my shopping list in here. Um, I want a lot of flexibility for the way I like to organize information. And so I think that's what's kind of turned me off of a lot of options that are otherwise, like, you know, they're beautiful. They may have really good paper quality, they're, you know, companies I wanna support, but I'm like, you put too many details on the page for me.

[01:18:21] Kim Edsen: Um, so I also have something that I've been using a lot this summer that is like shockingly effective. So a friend of mine for my birthday gave me a list or, a list. Several of these, they're kind of sassy, um, list making type supplies that you can get them at Barnes and Noble. So, but my very favorite one is, um, it's called Get Your Stuff, there's another expletive word, Together. And on like one side, it's like easy stuff and then tough stuff. And then, you know, it's all, it's all stuff. Um, which sounds super silly, but I sometimes if I was feeling overwhelmed and wanted to do like a big brain dump, I would like, make lists. I would just dump everything by like, okay, like what can I get done in like five minutes or less, or 15 minutes or less?

[01:19:10] Kim Edsen: Or what's like, longer term? Or I would make a list. I would divide it by like, okay, house stuff, yard stuff, you know, animal stuff, whatever. Um, so dividing things out like that is very, I don't know, it's like, I dunno if it's comforting, but it's like a way for me to like get an assessment of like, okay, like what is going on and like, what am I gonna do next?

[01:19:31] Kim Edsen: And so even with still using kind of my modified like Panda Planner, um, I will still make the, my big like, um, easy stuff and tough stuff list. And honestly, it's been, um, it's just like adds like a bit of little humor to the, to the process as well. So.

[01:19:49] Jennifer Wilson: Well, and yeah, like sometimes I think there's two perspectives. One is that it's helpful to know are you spending all your time on the easy stuff. So you never get to the, the tough stuff. Which I've been guilty of in the past. I'm like, Oh, I had such a great day. I did all the easy things. And then realizing, yeah, you're not moving the big things forward.

[01:20:10] Jennifer Wilson: But then also.

[01:20:12] Kim Edsen: Yep.

[01:20:13] Jennifer Wilson: If you can, uh, recognize that this maybe requires a little more like physical, mental, emotional energy. Like to me, I, I don't like making phone calls to strangers where I don't have the information. Cuz I have to pick up Emily early today from school, from a brand new school where I don't know the procedures and I had to admit to them, I don't even know what door to go in. I don't know where their office is to be able to sign her out.

[01:20:39] Jennifer Wilson: And I was like, dreading that phone call. But I'm like, you know what, it's, I have to do it. It's, that would definitely be on my tough stuff list. And you know, now I know what to do an hour from now when I have to go pick her up early.

[01:20:50] Kim Edsen: Well, and some of it's not even like things that are necessarily tough, it's just things maybe you don't wanna do, like out my car.

[01:20:58] Kim Edsen: And then other realization is I'm looking at the things that are currently on my tough stuff list and like one of them's been there for a long time. And it's because I think I'm, again, it comes back to like I did like make a scrapbook layout as opposed to like, what's the first step?

[01:21:10] Kim Edsen: Like that's easy, it's just the overall project that seems overwhelming. So

[01:21:14] Jennifer Wilson: Yeah.

[01:21:16] Kim Edsen: All sorts of ways to get your stuff done.

[01:21:21] Jennifer Wilson: What a fun way to end it. Kim, I have so enjoyed catching up with you. Thank you much.

[01:21:26] Kim Edsen: Yeah, thanks for having me back. It was fun. And congratulations on episode 200.

[01:21:31] Jennifer Wilson: Thank you so much. Can you share where we can find you online?

[01:21:35] Kim Edsen: Um, in the Simple Scrapper membership, pretty much. I mean, I have Instagram, but I just, I have like a love hate relationship with social media, so I took hiatus. From that. So, um, yeah, you have to be a member, I guess. That's where I am on occasion.

[01:21:52] Jennifer Wilson: Well, and I've been so, um, glad to see you pop in here and there and to connect with you as you continue your own creative journey.

[01:21:59] Kim Edsen: Yeah. Thank you.

[01:22:00] Jennifer Wilson: And so all of our listeners, please remember that you have permission to Scrapbook Your Way.