Memory keeping on the move 1 – capturing everyone’s visual memory

 

I enjoy travelling and exploring new places and I’ve had plenty of opportunities to visit some interesting places for work and on holiday. Since I started scrapbooking in 2006 I have used several different methods to create special holiday albums and to scrap while travelling. I thought others might be interested in what I have done and what worked for me. So each week I’m going to showcase one of the projects that I have used to record my travels.

Memory keeping on the move 1 – capturing everyone’s visual memory

In 2007 I went on a safari holiday in Malawi, Africa with my parents, sister and nephews. We took over 3,000 photos over two weeks, on 4 cameras. I have made a big album with double pages for elephants, where we stayed etc and my Dad created a photobook.

But I also made a small accordion album the week that I got back with is more of a snapshot of each of our visuals memories of the trip

Here’s how I did it -

On the second last night of our trip I asked each person to make a list of the 5 images that for them were strongest or summed up the trip. We shared the lists at dinner and I wrote them all down. When I got home I created a collage for each person with their 5 images and a picture of that person.  I made a copy of the collage for each person and also a set for me which I put together in a simple accordion album. On the page facing the collage for each person I listed the images. On the second night at dinner I had asked everyone for their first impressions and recorded them too on this page. 

Here is my collage

[birds flying overhead; mud hut villages, multiple animals grazing together; markets; hippo]

In our vast collection of photos I was able to find an image for everything on the list. I think it helped that there were 4 of us taking photos as we each had a different approach to what to snap. We all took the wildlife but after that - if it was a detail of birds or plants it was Dad, if it was lovely light or a landscape view it was my sister and if it was narrative or something quirky then it was me. And I knew what my teenage nephews were like so I had taken a picture of elephant poo – and yes one of them included that on his list of images and it is in his collage.

One item was in 5 of the 6 lists – hippos

I think this set of collages adds another dimension to our albums of the trip because it is so immediate. The images we remember several years later are not all the same as the ones we listed at the end of the trip.

I would definitely do this again for a group trip where there were several people taking photos and there was a big visual focus of the trip.

Next week – a daily journal on the move.

inspired by Stacy's 'All About Me'

Welcome to my section of the blog hop Mel has organised, inspired by Stacy Julian's free class on Big Picture Scrapbooking called 'All about Me'.  If you have just come over from Elizabeth at Hooting of an owl then you know what this is all about.  If you have come here some other way and want the background then head over to Mel's fab blog - she also has the full list of people on the hop.

I made a mini that is tall and thin (2x4).  This is the front page, using a tag, some stickers and a rub-on letter, all attached with a brad.

The project has a list of questions so the mini contains a series of photos that provide evidence of the answers.  I decided to focus my answers on my life over the last 12 months because it has been unusual - I have been a nomad - no fixed address; most of my possessions packed away; living in a range of different places.  That's why I used the balloon sticker on the cover.

I typed onto the full size photos and for the smaller ones I hand wrote on that page.  These show:

1. coloured pens - something I packed in bulk
2. a quote 'often the main skill I bring is a positive attitude'
3. something that inspired me - with very basic materials people still incorporate beauty in practical ways
4. Internet was something I used daily and would have sorely missed
5. my travel coffee plunger was another daily necessity
6. What next? was my 'word for 2009' indicating curiosity and flexibility
7. markets were a 'must see' in every place I visited
8. lizards are a symbol I use a lot and I stencilled them on all of my luggage

Stacy specified only one self-portrait because the rest are evidence.  I used the photo of me as a canvas for the three words that describe me - independent, versatile and curious.  The other pages are:

1. a note on the project - my record keeping and narrative self couldn't complete the mini without these!
2. strawberries as a symbol of my favourite season - summer
3. taking local buses was something I was proud of achieving in each country
4. I collected photos of my feet (an ongoing tradition)
5. my nature love is beaches
6. and the colours I loved were all the bright ones that I saw everywhere

This wee album really does say a lot 'about me' and it was quick and fun to do.  I plan to repeat it next year to reflect the next 12 months.

Thanks for stopping by.  Now head over to the fabulous Deb at PaperTurtle - her album is sure to be a delight to see.

preparation for a week in the life project

I’ve decided to play along with Ali Edwards’  a week in the life project this year.  As far as I can tell from reading her posts and looking at some examples, the idea is to record details of daily life for a week.  Doing the project in the same week that she does it means lots of prompts and ideas from her and the online community who are also playing along.  She has chosen April 19-25.

Over the long weekend, one of my projects was to put together the basis for the album that I’m going to use.  I decided to have use plastic page protectors and to do a lot of the writing digitally ontop of the photos.

The cover is purple card and bound with black ribbon

For each day I will lave 4 pages.  1st an A4 photo, printed on card.  Then 4 normal size photos in pockets, perhaps journaling or something else in one of the pockets, perhaps all on a theme.

Then another 4 in the pockets and an A4 photocopy of emails or receipts or lists or other such things from the day.

To decorate it all, give me space to add bits of writing etc I bought a set of black and white stickers – because they will go with everything whatever the colours.  These came from Kikiki the Swedish stationary store.

Looking forward to the start of the project now.  All those empty pockets to fill!

Are you planning on doing a week in the life?  have you done it before?

simple pleasures

One of the books in our Boxing Day bookpile was “The Book of Idle Pleasures” – descried on the back as “The book lists and reflects on 75 simple pastimes and proves that the best things in life really are free: lighting fires, skimming stones, catching falling leaves, whittling, staring out of the window, dreaming, doodling or taking a nap. "The Book of Idle Pleasures" is a celebration of pleasure for its own sake in a world of consumer overload.”

Each idea has a double spread with a lovely drawn illustration.

As soon as I saw it I thought “minialbum”. No specific ideas or format but I like the idea of focusing on those simple things that make me happy and don't cost much. I was dipping into it again at the weekend and thinking about which I agree with (dancing; slippers; popping bubblewrap) and which others I would add (laughing; paddling in the sea; markets; rainbows, cutting and gluing coloured card).

A mini-album with a photo on each page and short handwritten journaling would work well I think, probably no more than 20 items. I will keep the idea percolating.

What would you have on your list?

2010 year long album

I have admired the December daily mixed album process for the last 2 years but I don’t ‘do’ Christmas all December and don’t feel the urge to record each day of the month so the project would not work for me. 

But I really wanted the challenge and fun of putting together a mix of page starters and later having to make them work.  I’ve done a themed year long album every year since 2006 and I like each to be different.

So I decided to put together 12 folders, each with 7 things inside which I will then use as the basis for that month.  The photo above is the January set: a business card holder page; a set of circle stickers; a frame with an oval hole; two printed out journaling blocks, a foldout album behind the picture card and a velum sheet with New Year on it.

My only rule is that I have to use all 7 things that month.  I will post  on how I approach this project as I do it.

Really enjoyed collecting an eclectic mix and putting the 12 packs together.  Photos of the other 11 are below if you want to see them all.

Are you planning a year long album project for 2010?

 

What inspired me today?

In this wee notebook every evening I record one think that gave me a creative buzz and one happy moment. Each evening’s note takes no more than two lines.

I am not imposing any rules on myself about what I can write or what kind of creativity I mean. So far creative buzzes have referred to projects I am working on and those I’m planning; food combinations; quotes and ideas I’ve read and heard.

There are 31 doublespreads so one for each day of the month and I stenciled the date in the corner for each. Once I’ve done a month of entries I will get the added boost each evening of being reminded of what inspired me and made me happy the month before. I think there is space for eight months.


Inspiration
My sister told me that one of the successful approaches to being positive about life was an on-going daily note of one thing that made you happy that day. The idea is to use the same notebook for several years so that you read earlier entries from that day as an added boost. I was too impatient to wait a year for the boost so decided to try a monthly notebook. I added the creative inspiration because creativity is such an important part of what makes me happy.

Supplies
· The notebook was a birthday gift from my folks this year – waiting in my ‘small books box’ for a good use.
· I love this stencil sheet for providing a consistent look. I thought about using stickers but it would use too many ‘1s’ and ‘2s’.
· The pen is STAEDLER triples fineliner. I use them a lot because they come in lots of great colours and the fine tip doesn’t splurge with use.