If you haven't a clue what I'm talking about, *pocket memorykeeping in its most basic form is a style of scrapbooking or documenting that utilizes plastic page protectors divided into various pockets. You can add strictly photographs to those pocket much like a traditional photo album...but we memorykeepers like to include journaling, ephemera, embellishments and sometimes quite a bit more. The degree to which each book is embellished remains completely in the hands of the creator.
I myself prefer a decidedly simple approach. You can see my September 2013 pages here. Shortly after September I fell a couple months behind and in the interest of time discarded all the extras. What remained were the basics: pictures, stories and little else. I would now describe that as my style.
Today I thought I'd share my slightly longer list of essentials since it seems to vary from person to person. This is not necessarily what you need to get started, but what I find useful to my own process.
An Album: I use the 6x8 Snap Album by Simple Stories...it's really very basic chipboard. I am considering upgrading...but not quite yet.
Page Protectors: I use a combination of the protectors made for the Snap system as well as some others that I cut apart and manipulate to suit my needs.
Photo Supplies: My IPhone, an older HP Photosmart printer with coordinating paper, and a small notebook.
Tools: A Tonic Guillotine paper trimmer, a Sharpie Fine black pen, a Therm O Web tape runner, a tiny attacher, my sewing machine, a pair of fine tip scissors, rubber stamps (this could be considered an embellishment, but since they are not disposable I consider them a tool)...mostly date stamps and very small bits of text...I like roller stamps.
Extras: Washi tape, patterned paper, wood veneer, flair, alpha stickers/labels and printables. I really like the value of printables. Journal Cards...some are my own, some are digital that I print out...and I just started getting the Studio Calico Project Life® kit.
Yeah, that about covers it. The Extras are things I use sparingly. I never design around an embellishment rather I complete everything and if there's a space for a little something, I add it. I reserve creative play for layouts and minis. Could you get away with a fraction of these items? YES, absolutely. My short list would include: album, page protectors, photos, trimmer and a pen.
My next post in this series will be my process beginning with how I prepare my photos.
*Many of you refer to this style of scrapbooking as Project Life® but since so many other companies have produced their own pocket systems and I don't currently use any PL branded items, besides the Studio Calico kit, I hesitate to call it that. Becky Higgins was the first person to introduce an all encompassing system and philosophy to this pocket based form of scrapbooking. Read more about it here.
3 comments:
my essentials are your short list! i am very 'plain' with my pl albums though when i first started making them, i was too into embellishments and they look far too busy now when i look back at them. i love, love, love labels and some of my banana fish stash that i use ever so sparingly just to make sure i don't run out too soon!
Love my tiny attacher by Tim Holtz, WASHI TAPE, corner rounder...but debating skipping this step...Wood veneer anything and almost any kind of letter sticker.
Right now my go to essentials are my stamps, mist/spray paint, wood veneer,labels/tags esp. Bananfish(my favorite),tiny attacher and i recently found a liking for doilies and enamel dots. I love adding some of these items to projects, I like alot of detailing to projects. Gotta start using my stash!
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