LOM 2010 {lesson 1}

well...it's over a month into the library of memories class at big picture scrapbooking. i knew i haven't had the time or energy to devote to it so instead of doing it *halfway*, i've intentionally ignored it all together. my attempt at balance. today, i decided to start diving in. i read through and reviewed the pre-class information and i'm working my way through lesson 1.

since this isn't my first time at the rodeo, i am skimming through parts. supposedly a lot has changed this year, so i plan to focus on the new stuff and the areas where i know i need help. i am particularly excited about the expanded digital information and hope to learn a lot!

here's my progress on lesson one's task list:
i'm not done, but keep in mind that i only started TODAY...

**begin personal page assessment**

1) what are your scrapbooking strengths? in other words, what would you say you are very good at when it comes to creatively capturing your memories?

i believe my strength has always been in scrapbooking events. my mind functions in a very chronological manner and therefore scrapbooking events, in order, is what came naturally to me. i have always taken a lot of photos (even more, after going digital) and, as a result, i became good at scrapbooking a LOT of photos. i was not the "one photo per page" kind of gal!

2) what are your scrapbooking weaknesses? where do you feel you most often fall short in creatively capturing your memories?

my weaknesses, as expected, are the opposite of my strengths. even though i used to do a ton of scrapbooking - and there was even a time when i was "caught up" (a long, long time ago) - but there were so many memories and stories that were not being captured...things that were so much more important than some of the things i was spending hours documenting. it was a true *lightbulb* moment for me when i first started to understand stacy julian's ideas on scrapbooking.

**flag completed scrapbook pages with sticky notes**
and
**label sticky notes with 5Ws**
last year, i completed this portion of the assignment in many of my albums - very thorough. so, this year i opted to just go through the (depressingly small) collection of layouts that i've completed in the year since the last class.

**print and complete the tally sheet**
THINGS = 12

PEOPLE = 4
PLACES = 2
US = 2
        and
WHO = 16
WHAT = 17
WHEN = 16
WHERE = 12
WHY = 12


oddly enough, there was a tie for last place in both categories. so, i guess that means i either have options for my layout assignment, or i need to create two :)

**create layout assignment**
i need to create a scrapbook layout (or two) that combine PLACES, US, WHERE, and WHY.
 
**post layout to lesson one gallery**
obviously need to create a layout before i can do this :)

**finish personal page assessment**

1) describe the type of scrapbook pages you want to create?

i want to create layouts that will tell the real story of my life and my family's lives. i want to capture everything from the special events to the everyday nuances. i want people to look back on my pages one day and know that i loved and adored my family, that i enjoyed every moment with them. i want them to know what i did with my time, but also where my heart was.

2) based on your answer above, list three qualifiers/requirements for pages you will create from here on out. my pages will...

 - tell a story. no more "we went to the park and it was fun". why did we go to the park? why on that day? why to that park? who was there and why those people? what happened at the park to make that day worth capturing? why should someone generations from now care about those pictures?

- capture personality: birthdays are great, but would 11 layouts of spencer's birthdays tell me anything about him? about the fact that he has a kind soul? that he is incredibly intelligent? that he's a daddy's boy through and through? that he loves all sports? that he's a kick butt big brother? NOPE. it needs to be about what's behind the cheesy smile and decorations.

 - radiate emotion: i don't want to get too mushy, mushy...but ultimately, when i'm gone, i want my layouts to reflect to spencer, coleman, whoever, how much they were loved by me. i want them to know that creating those pages was more than just using pretty papers and fun accents.

3) what is it i most want to accomplish with my passion for scrapbooking?

a creative release that captures memories and tells stories for our family and future generations.

i have no idea when i'm going to get around to completing the layout assignment, but at least i've finally started the class!!