It's a record for me. Six scrapbook pages in two very busy days.
This weekend, my theatre company, The Milk Can Theatre Company, held our annual retreat. We spent three days hanging out, hammering things out, and eating a lot! As part of the retreat, I always give each of the company members a gift. Usually it's something that I've made. Last year, everyone got these cute little bottle cap necklaces:
This year, I gave everybody a 12×12 shadow box with a layout inside it. I used photos spanning their time with the company – a mixture of production shots and candids. I wish I had taken better photos of the layouts, but I was in a big rush, so c'est la vie.
I'm a slow scrapper, so I've been thinking about how the heck I managed to get them done that quickly!
- I had already spent a day searching through my photos, editing, and printing them. I don't know if I've ever mentioned this, but it is the choosing, printing, resizing and editing photos that takes up an enormous amount of my scrapbooking time. Having the photos pre-printed made designing and putting together the layouts that much easier.
- I kept the layouts fairly simple. Very photo heavy with only a few embellishments. And you'll note that there isn't any journaling on any of them.
- I didn't try to re-invent the wheel. I often spend a lot of time pushing photos and paper around in an attempt to do something really different. With these layouts, I didn't sweat it. If you look through them, you'll see that they are variations of each other (1 and 4, 2 and 5, 3 and 6).
- Limited Supplies = Easier Choices. I made all six of them while I was at my Mom's house. It was a challenge to work without my usual stash of supplies and under such a time crunch. But, it did make the choices easier and quicker.
I'm not sure if I can scrapbook like this all time. I really enjoy some of the painstaking parts of scrapbooking, like hand stitching, hand cutting titles, making your own embellishments, etc. I like to fuss over the little details. I often "finish" a page and put it aside and come back an hour or a day later to really finish it. But, I was thrilled to get the six gifts done.
And best of all, the recipients *loved* them.
For me, that's the whole point.
Thanks for stopping by!
great gift layouts – I love that they are already ready to hang up since you made them in the shadow boxes
great gift layouts – I love that they are already ready to hang up since you made them in the shadow boxes
great gift layouts – I love that they are already ready to hang up since you made them in the shadow boxes
great gift layouts – I love that they are already ready to hang up since you made them in the shadow boxes
These shadow boxes are sooo cool -I really like them!! You always do so many things and all of them so well. What an exciting life you lead – going to CHA, designing for Prima, in a theater company…wow!
These shadow boxes are sooo cool -I really like them!! You always do so many things and all of them so well. What an exciting life you lead – going to CHA, designing for Prima, in a theater company…wow!
These shadow boxes are sooo cool -I really like them!! You always do so many things and all of them so well. What an exciting life you lead – going to CHA, designing for Prima, in a theater company…wow!
These shadow boxes are sooo cool -I really like them!! You always do so many things and all of them so well. What an exciting life you lead – going to CHA, designing for Prima, in a theater company…wow!
oh my gosh- what amazing gifts! They must have been so stoked!!!! (is that the right word – anyway- should be a word that means they were totally excited and happy!)
oh my gosh- what amazing gifts! They must have been so stoked!!!! (is that the right word – anyway- should be a word that means they were totally excited and happy!)
oh my gosh- what amazing gifts! They must have been so stoked!!!! (is that the right word – anyway- should be a word that means they were totally excited and happy!)
oh my gosh- what amazing gifts! They must have been so stoked!!!! (is that the right word – anyway- should be a word that means they were totally excited and happy!)
wow they look fantastic Julie. What lucky people they are.
wow they look fantastic Julie. What lucky people they are.
wow they look fantastic Julie. What lucky people they are.
wow they look fantastic Julie. What lucky people they are.
I think they’re all beautiful (but my fave is the last one, with starts)! What a great gift!I wonder, did you decide who gets which? or did they choose? or were they giftwrapped and handed out? 🙂
I think they’re all beautiful (but my fave is the last one, with starts)! What a great gift!I wonder, did you decide who gets which? or did they choose? or were they giftwrapped and handed out? 🙂
I think they’re all beautiful (but my fave is the last one, with starts)! What a great gift!I wonder, did you decide who gets which? or did they choose? or were they giftwrapped and handed out? 🙂
I think they’re all beautiful (but my fave is the last one, with starts)! What a great gift!I wonder, did you decide who gets which? or did they choose? or were they giftwrapped and handed out? 🙂
Oh my word – those are beautiful, meaningful gifts – both the bracelets and the shadow boxes! I bet they were so touched! Julie you are such an inspiration!
Oh my word – those are beautiful, meaningful gifts – both the bracelets and the shadow boxes! I bet they were so touched! Julie you are such an inspiration!
Oh my word – those are beautiful, meaningful gifts – both the bracelets and the shadow boxes! I bet they were so touched! Julie you are such an inspiration!
Oh my word – those are beautiful, meaningful gifts – both the bracelets and the shadow boxes! I bet they were so touched! Julie you are such an inspiration!
Happy “another year” retreat to you and Milk Can! Those shadow boxes are great gifts!
Happy “another year” retreat to you and Milk Can! Those shadow boxes are great gifts!
Happy “another year” retreat to you and Milk Can! Those shadow boxes are great gifts!
Happy “another year” retreat to you and Milk Can! Those shadow boxes are great gifts!
beautiful gifts!
you are amazing!
beautiful gifts!
you are amazing!
beautiful gifts!
you are amazing!
beautiful gifts!
you are amazing!
love the gifts
love the gifts
love the gifts
love the gifts
These are so cool…I am just in love with those bottle cap necklaces.
These are so cool…I am just in love with those bottle cap necklaces.
These are so cool…I am just in love with those bottle cap necklaces.
These are so cool…I am just in love with those bottle cap necklaces.