Ah, freshly sharpened pencil: is there anything more satisfying than lifting you to a clean new page in my notebook and beginning another list? I'm not a to-do list-er (very often), nor a carrier of shopping lists or a creator of a list "to pack". I like to tell stories with my lists.
Sometimes a scrapbooker will say to me But you always write on your pages and I never know what to say. I have one answer: make a list. Because sometimes I don't know what to say either. I find a photo I like and I get into a paper cutting frenzy and get all excited about making a new page an' all, and at the end of it I think...but...story...
When this happens, I go back to the picture, I forget about the pretty stuff I've stuck round it, and I try to write down the first five things I think about when I look at that photo. I don't try to tell the whole story - because maybe there is no big story there - and I don't aim for an essay with a beginning, a middle and an end. No: it's more of a word association game: that was the holiday we met the nice lady who made the miniatures; and we swam in the hotel pool and the lifeguard offered to take our photo; and....you can see what's happening: I start remembering little details which aren't directly related to that photo, but which help make up the bigger story of two weeks of my life. And that gives me choices! Suddenly, out of no words at all, I now have more than enough. And I can add that list - just the way it is, a stream of consciousness about summer 1992 - to my layout; or I can think about whether I want to make new pages. I can ask myself if I want o go back to my pictures of that holiday and find more. Should I flesh out the details? See? More than enough.
It's easy to use the same method for "just now" pages.In fact I've always thought that a nice way of doing a Life Pages album would be to sit quietly for a couple of minutes every day - not even at the same time or in the same place - and list five thoughts which come as I look at what's around me. Like this:
I'm glad I bought him that jigsaw for Valentines Day, though it's taking up quite a bit of the carpet...but he hooked that green rug himself so I guess he can jigsaw on it whenever he likes...especially if he shares the rest of that box of holiday liquorice he's been saving since the holidays...oh, wait: I'm off sugar...so who's going to eat the hot cross buns I've just brought back from the shops?
A little ramble of a list like that, every day, all year, would build up quite the revealing story. And all it will have come from is a list. Nothing complicated.
I've been writing about lists over on the Gossamer Blue blog too, and with a slightly different slant. You can find it here if you'd like to see my list of journaling list prompts. Don't forget your pencil!
18 comments:
Oh I do love a list!! Great post!!
A fantastic post today - I like your ideas about journaling. I like lists a lot, I like the order they bring to my worries. We have been asked to stay off the roads today (horrible freezing ice/snow) SO what is a lady to do but stay home & scrap. I think I will make some pages today with lists. Yesterday I created some pages with 3D embellishments - oh my. Who knows where today's example will take me.
PS I deleted my earlier comment, so filled with grammar & spelling mistakes - I WILL blame auto correct (col).
BRILLIANT! Loved reading this....REALLY like the 'Each Day' idea....but maybe for me it would be Random Days when I get the chance or Remember! Still, brill....& your LO....adore the Pile of Papers under the photo & the big wide edges on your white cardstock with that yellow in the midst. Really cool page:):)
I am more fond of a good ramble (especially in a blog post) than I am of a good list - since I usually think of lists as very practical things to be avoided if possible. But I may have to try my hand at lists on layouts.
Such a good and thought-provoking read, Sian. I like random too. Though I suspect your lovely page has had quite a bit of thought devoted to its lovely design.
I think this may just help me with the journaling I'm stuck with for a page I started to put together tonight! Xx
I make lists for EVERYTHING---Project Life included! Loved this post, and pinned your list from Gossamer Blue.
What a great post Sian!
I think all scrapbookers like lists ;)
You give me lots of new ideas, thank You!
What an inspiring post today - makes me want to write a list right now!
This is exactly how I start a story!! I use free association, stream of consciousness type thinking. I just jot down anything that comes to mind. It's easy to then---do as you say---list journaling or to even create a story with all the bits. These kinds of thoughts always lead to something good!
some great ideas - I often get stuck with my journalling and get fed up with writing the same old thing especially when I am scrapping photos that are similar to others and I feel like I have already the obvious story.
That little bit of rambling about everyday things would be a very interesting peek into the mind of the writer - I think you could learn a lot!
Lists are always a fun way of capturing snippets. I like the piling of patterned papers under the photo, looks so haphazard and fun.
Oh I am a list maker extreme! I get through loads of notebooks making lists, but doing lists on scrapbook pages is something I haven't done!
I love this idea.
I make to-do lists all the time. It really helps me keep on track.
Rinda
I'm a list girl through and through ... I write lists on what list to write lol. So I've really enjoyed this post
Great post. I always use bullet point journalling in my Project Life album, if anyone reads it then they will find out just enough but when I read it I get a whole story :)
Some really neat ideas Sian. I'm definitely going to try and just sit and jot down whatever I'm thinking plus I like the idea of looking at a picture and coming up with 5 memories about it. Off to check Gossamer Blue blog once I jot down where I am in reading yours. :)
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