Non-Traditional Journaling with Lucy Edson & CP Giveaway!

I often struggle with adding journaling to my layouts, but I still desire to tell the story or the feeling behind my photos. Sometimes, it's hard to find a place to add journaling where it compliments the overall design but doesn't overwhelm it. Another issue I deal with is keeping my handwriting straight..lol. So, the school lined paper {Study Hall} from the School Day collection was the perfect solution in this layout! I simply filled the background with free flowing thoughts about my daughter's smile and thereafter, realized it served multiple roles - handwritten journaling, straight lines, and a great design element! 

In this layout, I combined papers from Snow Day, School Spirit and Paper Doll. I then added in embellishments from these same collections and also, Restoration and Brook. Lastly, I further embellished my layout with fabric, crochet pieces and buttons from my stash. 

You could do this with any kind of ledger paper, including those that are formated via grid! Another idea is to create your own by following a paper's design or sketching in lines using a pencil and ruler! Be sure to erase away the lines after you are finished! 

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So, we're wondering what sort of inventive ways you've come up with when integrating journaling into your work? Have you ever resorted to sneaking it behind something such as a photo or large section of pattern paper? Are you one whom enjoys using journal stickers or journal cards? What's you're ideal solution for fitting in journaling on an otherwise busy, "not-a-lot-of-room" kind of layout? In responding to this question, we're offering up a mish-mash of Crate Paper delightfulness to one person, so leave us your answer below! We highly encourage you to "think outside the box" in answering the question as we'll determine our winner solely on creative merit..the name to be announced this Friday!! Good luck & we can't way to read your responses!!

Comments

[Lacey Igo]

Journaling is not my strong point...so I often do hidden journaling. On tags that hide behind page elements or photos. I'm often short on words (only in scrapbooking) and if I do exposed journaling I keep it short. So I'm usually able to sneak it in on a page element.

[{vicki}]

I NEVER do hidden journaling.
I LOVE to use journaling spots, tags, etc.
SOMETIMES I use the computer but USUALLY use my own handwriting.
I ALSO like to journal around the page or around a photo.

[LG Belarmino]

If the design is so cluttered I usually do a hidden journaling. One cool idea is to create a mini scroll, tie a ribbon around it and put your journaling there. That would also look great as an additional embellishment

[Heather V]

I've been known to use the white space in photos, journal around the edge of a page, create a "hinged" photo with journaling underneath, and journal on tags that pull out from beneath photos and other elements.

Also, when I have really personal journaling that I want included but don't want everyone to see, I journal on the back of the page. Then it is effectively hidden in my album unless I show someone.

I think that shaped journaling - swirls, circles, etc. can also lend a great design element to your pages, while allowing you to include the story behind the photos. Thanks so much for the chance to win!

[Suz]

I've hidden it behind pictures, used journaling stamps and much more, but really enjoy just using my own handwriting and journaling around the perimeter of a collaged group of pictures best. (It's the best and fastest way I know to make sure the journaling/documenting gets done! Plus, future generations will enjoy seeing my handwriting-messy as it may be at times! (Or, at least I hope they will appreciate it!-lol)

[Glynis]

I always include journaling on my layouts, but for longer stories have resorted to using hinges on my photo matt and write my journaling on the page behind :O)

[Romy]

Wow, Lucy your layout is soooo pretty! I just love how you put the journaling on this layout.

Right, I have to admit I'm not using journaling on my pages that often, but I should definitely use it a little more. Cause journaling is the best way to capture the moment and the story forever. I've been thinking of this journaling idea a lot, but haven't ever used it before. I'd like to combine titlework and journaling. There are some great large alphas and maybe it would be an idea to journal 'inbetween' those letters. For example you can put some text in the 'O' or between two alphas. I think that would look pretty awesome.

Thanks so much for the chance to win! Crate Paper is great paper and it would be great (or Crate, LOL!) to win a bit of it:)

[Heather Hopkins]

Telling the stories is such an important part of scrapbooking. I know when I look back on older photos I always want to know who, what, when, where.... When my kids look back on scrapbook layouts they always read the journaling and discuss what they remember from that time. If I don't have room on a layout for all the journaling I will flip the page over and write on the back. I can get a lot of journaling on a 12x12 page :)

[ruth tacoma]

I love hidden journaling when I suddenly realize I ran out of room, but I love to journal ON the photos even more! :)

[Colleen B.]

Gorgeous LO!!! I too, battle at times to incorporate journalling in all my LO's with my layers & embellies. So I don't always want tags sticking out from behind the photo's or visible journaling blocks and if envelopes don't work with my design, I attach my journalling to the back of my LO!
It might not be the most creative but I still have the design I am happy with and the inportant journalling for family in the future to see.

[Trine]

I really want journaling on my pages, and always design the page with that in mind!
Unfortunately I have some sort of mental blockage towards actually filling those empty spots with words. This year I started posting layouts online and noticed that I had few finished layouts to share - Most were missing journaling and therefore did not make sense to anyone but me! It encouraged me to add journaling to my old pages and I started adding it right away to my new pages.

I add a journaling sticker, stamp/sew/draw lines to fill with the story or leave room for strips of computer written words. I mostly use handwriting (it's so fast) and have grown to like my pages with that personal touch. I like to write around the perimeter of the page or around pictures. But mostly I just try to use different techniques on different pages. Guess you could say I haven't found my 'signiture' way of journaling, yet.

[Jennifer D]

I've found this new product (well new to me anyways) called Flip Flaps by Close to My Heart. They are really cool 12X(3,4,or 5) sheet protectors that attach to the edge of traditional page protectors. I love them because I use a lot of pictures on my layouts which leaves little room for journalling but with the Flip Flaps I can do a full 12x12(or24) layout, attach the flip flap to the left or right side of the layout, and then I have both the front and back of the Flip Flap to do more photos and journalling. They are truly awesome and I guarantee you once you try them you will love them too! (And no I am not a Close To My Heart consultant ... I just really love flip flaps)

[Carly Gannon]

For the longest time I would NEVER use my own handwriting and always had little journal blocks. As of late though, I love to sneak my own writing in wherever I can. Sometimes I plan for it if I've got a great journal spot or something, but I'll often put it around the edge of photos or the whole layout.

[lucy edson]

Wow!! So many great ideas for adding journaling to your pages!! Thanks for sharing your ideas!!

[Audra]

i love thinking of creative ways to add journaling to my layouts... not journaling isn't an option for me... i have to have jouraling on my layouts!! :) one of my favorite places to add journaling is around the page, or around the photo, it creates a border and doesn't distract away from the design. One of the more "out of the box" places that i've done in the past is journaling on a tree that i fussy cut out of patterned paper, it have a very light striped pattern so i was able to keep my writing straight!! :)

[Cheyne Fanke]

Put a brad through the corner of the journalling sheet & attach it to the back of the layout so it swivels out to read from behind the page - that way you can write A LOT as I always have too much to say...

[Tina Phillips]

I like to journal directly on photos if the background is plain enough....somtimes I will paint away part of the photo so I can use it to journal on. I also like to journal around the layout, add tags behind photos, and I ahve been known to type a full page of jounraling and add it to a sweet little envelope and use it in the layout.

[Sandy]

I love using ledger paper to journal - Lucy's layout using journaling as background paper is terrific - I'm always trying to find new ways of including journaling. My favorite techniques: 1. using the white space on the actual photo to include journaling; 2. incorporating journaling on border/banner stickers (especially love the "Family" banner from Restoration - I've written short phrases/sentences on the banner and even printed mini stories in tiny print for our family mini-album); 3. printing on twill ribbon and including it right across the page; and my newest discovery 4. journaling on the bottom edge of the side A paper from Restoration. I love that there's a little peek of patterned paper there just ready to jot down some ideas (shows up best on Ruffles and Heirloom). Can you tell I'm in love with the Restoration line? Thanks for this great blog post and making such great products! Love it!

[nitasha]

My most creative use of journaling was when I used large naked chipboard letters for my title and actually wrote my journaling on the letters. Of course, I don't always use huge letters for journaling, so another thing I like to do is journal directly on my photo using photoshop (I know that's thinking inside the box, but it works for me) : )

[nitasha]

Ooops...not trying to gain another entry, but forget to tell you another one of my favorite journaling solutions...adding a clear transparency overlay on top of my layout is alos another way to add journaling to a busy layout.