Documenting Older Stories: My Daughter's Albums

I get a ton of questions about how I organize my daughter's albums + stories. In this video, I share a look at her childhood albums as they are right now + my top tips to go back and "catch up" on your older stories. This process definitely applies if you want to go back and document your children's lives (my daughter is currently 19) or start when your children are little. This also works for older stories that are not about your children. Whether it's your own childhood or just stories from an older point in time, I hope my tips can help you go back and tell your stories!
12x12 albums: shrsl.com/4l3bl
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Most common products:
Ali Edwards Story Kits, Quarterly Scrapbook Kits & Stories by the Month Kits: aliedwards.com
Cocoa Daisy: cocoadaisy.com... (coupon code: LINDA10)
Paper Person: paperperson.shop (formerly, Kelly Purkey)
Studio Calico: www.studiocali...
Favorite pens:
tombow fudensuke: amzn.to/3SgG2zl
zebra mildliner: amzn.to/3MHRnqZ
muji 0.5: amzn.to/3X9JApr
sarasa markon 0.5: amzn.to/3HtzaeA
writech brush pens (I have the vintage set): amzn.to/3jzDbWC
sarasa clip: amzn.to/3Xa93yM
Zig dot marker: amzn.to/3laAfAq
Other basics:
wood alpha stamps: amzn.to/3I24NNF
Black ink: amzn.to/3JjVIgs
1.5 inch rolling date stamp: amzn.to/3TvA1D0
Check out my Amazon storefront for additional product recommendations: www.amazon.com...
Photos:
I print at home using a Canon iP8720 large format paper on Canon Luster Photo Paper. Get the photo paper here: amzn.to/3q3aAsM
For detailed photos of this completed project & my other projects, check out my instagram @lindalovescreating. / lindalovescreating
#processvideo #projectlife #scrapbook

[@RebeccaPruitt-or4ms]

Having 6 kids, I felt like I would never get anything done, but this made me feel a lot better, thank you!

[@LindaLovesCreating]

That’s great to hear! You can definitely do it, just take a little time to set up albums and you’ll be on your way. ❤️

[@amyalbers6145]

Oh. my. goodness. I couldn't love this any more! I feel like you've just given me permission for all the things...working out of order, leaving gaps, not having a timeline to "get finished," etc. THANK YOU! I have four children, and when they were little, I chose to spend my time WITH them, not scrapbooking ABOUT them. I don't regret that at all...but...now that they're getting older and I finally have some time to scrapbook, I'm so overwhelmed at the number of pictures/stories/memories I want to document. Being a perfectionist can be so paralyzing, but this video inspires me to just do SOMETHING, even if it's not "complete" or "in order." (I don't do individual albums for them, but surely I can use this method to fill in our family scrapbooks.) I feel like you've taken a huge weight off my shoulders. Can't thank you enough!

[@LindaLovesCreating]

Aww thank you!! So happy that my video was helpful for you. I totally agree this system works for any type of album, I hope that it helps you make progress on your family albums and feel good about it. ❤️

[@JulieLewis-zj3yf]

This is a huge help for me in just getting a framework for my own thinking/planning on how to set up so many years worth of albums for my sons. I am motivated after seeing this video. This week I will set up their albums in volumes like yours and will definitely be using my kits to document these albums! Feeling much less overwhelmed after seeing this video! Thanks!!

[@LindaLovesCreating]

That’s so great to hear!! Good luck setting up your sons’ albums and getting your stories told. ❤️

[@allisonhiggins1826]

Thank you for sharing! I like the idea of using monthly kits to go back and document a month in my kids' albums, especially this years SBTM kits I feel like they come with so much stuff. My boys are 10 and 5 and I think where I get hung up is feeling like I need to create a 12x12 spread for each thing...but seeing how you're using pocket pages is such a light bulb moment! Thank you!

[@LindaLovesCreating]

That’s so awesome! And totally agree about this year’s SBTM kits. I def should’ve done that for a year too, but I feel like working through one year at a time is a good pace for me. Good luck with your projects!

[@valm6292]

Thank you for this! Feeling overwhelmed with the getting my kids albums done. This helps so much. Love your process. 💖💖💖

[@LindaLovesCreating]

So happy to hear that! I hope this gives you the push you need to get them started. ❤️

[@mmcneil-smith2890]

Really enjoy your videos. You are incredibly inspirational. Like you I record my family's life in words into my HP Big Dashboard planner then marry those with my PL spreads (photos/cards/words). I combine them together into one binder. And like you I inset extra tidbits into my binder, mostly like at the end of that month's stories Some of my PL are blank but since I've inserted my HP planner pages of what happened; it makes documenting easier. This method, my method is because of you inspiring me of how you create your life's documentation. I do not hace individual books for my kids beyond their 1st years as for me it is easier to document as a family bringing together everyone into one place. Though really love what you've done for your daughter Summer ❤

[@LindaLovesCreating]

Thank you! So happy to hear how I've inspired you. For me, it works to keep separate albums for her partially because I only have one child so it's less to keep up with, but also because I see her wanting to take these with her once she's settled as an adult whereas I'll keep my project life albums. I also focus more on my story in those albums, but I definitely don't think separate albums are necessary! That's great you have found a system that works for you, thank you so much for your thoughtful comment.

[@scrappieannie]

I loved seeing this--super inspirational! Thank you.

[@LindaLovesCreating]

Thank you!!

[@scrapycoll]

Getting everything into albums is the key. It is a huge start! I started scrapbooking during my daughters senior year. Thank you for sharing!

[@LindaLovesCreating]

Thank you! I hope this helps you go back and fill in all those years of her childhood.

[@carolineHarris-yj3cj]

Thank you for everything you share, it’s very freeing to know you’re not worried about feeling behind. 🥰

[@LindaLovesCreating]

Thank you for your support on my channel!!

[@Linda-DeBrunner]

Thanks so much for sharing your strategy

[@LindaLovesCreating]

❤️❤️❤️

[@TeamStagnaro]

This is great. Thank you for sharing. I have so much stuff for my son and daughter and I love that you have created homes and a sort of structure and can go back and fill in. This makes it all so much less overwhelming.

[@LindaLovesCreating]

So happy this helped you! Hopefully you can set up your own system too so that you will be able to fill in your children’s stories.

[@Desireesnotes]

Love this! I have two girls, one in elementary and one going into middle school. I’ve been wanting to document them but wasn’t sure how to go back and tell their stories. Thank you for the inspiration 😊

[@LindaLovesCreating]

Thank you! I hope this gives you the inspiration you need to go back and start those albums for your girls.

[@gloriascraps2]

Thank you for sharing! This is so helpful.

[@LindaLovesCreating]

You’re welcome!! I’m happy you enjoyed it. ❤️

[@valeriemcgregor5252]

Such an inspiration to me to get back to my kids albums and scrapbooking in general! Love seeing your albums:)

[@LindaLovesCreating]

Thank you! Hopefully you can dive into creating your kids albums soon.

[@Sammy-fy6gw]

Amazing! Thank you for posting this. I'm definitely going to grab some pocket pages and start with some photos and memborilla that I have. I haven't decided yet if I just want to document or to make into like monthly spreads, with a few layouts thrown in for special days like birthdays etc. but your right, it's a working progress so I'm just going to start and see where I end up, thank you so much for this ❤

[@LindaLovesCreating]

That sounds like a great starting place! You can always start with just what you feel inspired to create and then create a framework as you start to fill in the albums. Have fun!

[@Sammy-fy6gw]

I do have another question I'm afraid.... I have started putting things into pockets and leaving spaces for filler cards and journal cards. Do you have any advice for building up supplies please? I am planning on signing up to a monthly subscription in the UK but I don't think there will be enough left over each month to back fill. We don't have scrap shops like you do, just wondered if you had any tips? Many thanks

[@LindaLovesCreating]

@@Sammy-fy6gw I'm happy to help if I can! For building up supplies, honestly my stash built up over time (I have been documenting in pocket pages since 2013). I would suggest getting a monthly kit and then picking up releases to supplement as you see ones you like or on sale. Some brands do grab bag card packs, especially for Black Friday, so you could get some extras that way (I think Studio Calico does this). Ali Edwards used to have a basics kit of pocket cards, but it looks like it is sold out. They do still have a basics kit (on sale) of stickers/embellishments if that interests you: aliedwards.com/shop/storytelling-basics-bundled-kit. You could also use some digital supplies to get started, there are lots of freebies online or you could purchase kits and then print the same cards a few times to have extras until you build up a stash. Becky Higgins used to put out core kits that came with more cards than you could ever use, they are harder to find these days, but if you don't mind the rounded corners they work as a good basic to have cards to pull from to add in with other supplies. I would recommend trying to find something like the midnight edition or seafoam edition for a more basic set, but they are harder to come by now that they're out of production. Here is one of the newer editions that is still available on Amazon to get an idea of what they are: a.co/d/01neKaii. These originally sold for about $30 each, but some of the resellers have them really marked up. I have also found them on clearance at places like Tuesday Morning if you have something like that near you. But, your stash will build up over time naturally as long as you pick up products that you love, so I wouldn't worry too much about it and just buy things as they fit with what you're working on. I hope this helps!

[@learhea]

Love seeing these albums!! Love your work. How does this compare to the other albums you do? Like everyday albums or family albums?

[@LindaLovesCreating]

My project life album is chronological and I typically create it in that order, although not always. My other ongoing albums are created in a similar style to this one. Currently I have a set of 9x12 stories albums that are primarily about me + annual 6x8 albums about me. The annual ones I add to enough to fill out one album per year, but I add to them out of order similar to my daughter’s albums. I have some other videos about these other albums in my full album flip through playlist.

[@irenemueller1259]

Great strategy for capturing the childhood years. Are you using AE 8x10 albums/binders?

[@LindaLovesCreating]

Thank you! No, these are 12x12 albums from WRMK that I purchased here: shrsl.com/4l3bl