Today we bring you our final installment in our month-long Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge. I hope you’ve enjoyed doing these challenges as much as I’ve enjoyed sharing them with you…

To recap, this month we’ve tackled lists, ABC, conversations, fairy tales, compare & contrast, show & tell, letter, interview, stream of consciousness, by the numbers, diagram, play-by-play commentary, and repetition forms of journaling. In our final challenge, we have the chance to apply a bit of organization and structure to one or more of these methods.

Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge #14

Several of the journaling methods we’ve described lend themselves to a chart format. In essence, a chart is simply a way of organizing your information. It is especially helpful when you have multiple categories, such as the characteristics of several family members or a series of stories to share on a single page.

One of the most common uses of a chart format is to incorporate multiple lists into a page. Other options could include groupings of images, comments, descriptions or whatever else you need to tell your story.

The fun thing about scrapbooking with a chart (as opposed to creating a chart for your child’s science project) is the opportunity to be creative with your choice of category labels and style of presentation for each section of information.

Here are some wonderful examples of pages which incorporate a chart-like format to help organize their stories…

"What They Taught Me" by Amy L @ Designer Digitals

"Vancouver Olympic Favorites" by gchristyng @ Sweet Shoppe Designs

"Project 2010" by jend

The Rules:

1. Pick a topic and create a new scrapbook page that shares your story through the use of a chart.
2. Post that page in this album in our Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge Gallery. The deadline for all Sweet Talk Challenge Layouts is midnight (MTN) on Wednesday, March 31st, 2010.
3. Visit this thread in our Community Forum and link us up to your layout.
4. Once your link is verified, the above Sweet Talk award will appear in your profile and in your signature.
5. Keep an eye on this page to track our Log Your Memory Sweet Talkers!
6. You can also download and print this handy PDF to help track your challenge layouts and points earned.

Looking for a quick & easy way to find the links to all of the different Sweet Talk Journaling Challenges? It’s right here!

Get the inside scoop, be the first to know about new product releases & get special discounts by subscribing to our new weekly newsletter, the Log Your Memory INSIDER. Delivered directly to your INBOX every Sunday afternoon.

Please share your thoughts in a comment below …

If there’s ever been a journaling prompt likely to apply to nearly every active participant in an online community, it’s the one we tackled this week.

Weekly Challenge #8 poses the question: How has your daily life changed because of the Internet? And though no two layouts are exactly alike, it’s amazing how much we all have in common on this issue.

Take our Layout of the Week, for example. When was the last time you typed out LOL? Now… when was the last time you said it out loud? I don’t know about you, but this layout describes exactly how much this little acronym has become a way of my daily communication and thought process.

And it’s not even my layout … this is the creation of the talented Ericksoc. Here’s what she says…

LOL by Ericksoc

LOL… Funny how this phrase is so common that when I really laugh out loud, I have to say ‘It made me literally laugh out loud.”

Doesn’t that just make you want to LOL yourself?

Congratulations to Ericksoc on having today’s Layout of the Week! She will receive 10 bonus points through our Real Deal Book Club Rewards Program. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to check out the other layouts in the Week #8 challenge gallery … and be sure to tune in next week when we’ll begin a brand new Weekly Challenge Chat series especially for Book Club members. Details in this weekend’s INSIDER.

Get the inside scoop, be the first to know about new product releases & get special discounts by subscribing to our new weekly newsletter, the Log Your Memory INSIDER. Delivered directly to your INBOX every Sunday afternoon.

Please share your thoughts in a comment below …

We’ve nearly reached the end of February and that means we have just a couple more installments of our Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge. Today we’ll play around with a little technique that I think you’ll want to repeat once you get the hang of it…

Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge #13

They say there’s no sense re-inventing the wheel when someone before you has already created a great solution to your problem. The same holds true for today’s journaling technique … once you figure out a great way to start a sentence or phrase, you simply need to repeat yourself as many times as necessary to get your story told. The same concept could apply to a design element or the way you use photos, embellishments or other images.

For instance, check out the following layout I created last spring…

"Why I Scrapbook" by Kristin Rutten @ Log Your Memory

You’ll notice every line begins with the same phrase … “I scrapbook because…” This provides an easy jumping off point for the journaling that helps make this more than just a list, but far easier to compose and read than a full paragraph. The repeated words, particularly when they are set apart through the use of color, font, size, elements or other techniques, also help lead your eye through the page and pull it all together with a unifying theme.

Instead of starting every sentence with the same word or phrase, you could try repeating a single word throughout your story. Or perhaps you’d like to end every sentence with the same thought or phrase. You could even take a more abstract approach and simply use a repeating type of sentence, such as a string of questions, or a repeating design element, such as a particular color or embellishment.

Need some ideas for sentence starters? Try…

• It makes me {crazy, happy, furious, etc…} when …
• I wish …
• If only I could …
• Love is …
• How many times have I …
• I’ll never forget …
• I {love, hate, hope, etc…}
• What happened to …

Here’s one more example to help get your creative juices flowing…

"Me Right Now" by jesshunt @ Designer Digitals

The Rules:

1. Pick a topic and create a new scrapbook page that shares your story through repetition.
2. Post that page in this album in our Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge Gallery. The deadline for all Sweet Talk Challenge Layouts is midnight (MTN) on Wednesday, March 31st, 2010.
3. Visit this thread in our Community Forum and link us up to your layout.
4. Once your link is verified, the above Sweet Talk award will appear in your profile and in your signature.
5. Keep an eye on this page to track our Log Your Memory Sweet Talkers!
6. Watch for our final Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge topic … make sure you don’t miss a post by subscribing to our Blog!

Looking for a quick & easy way to find the links to all of the different Sweet Talk Journaling Challenges? It’s right here!

Get the inside scoop, be the first to know about new product releases & get special discounts by subscribing to our new weekly newsletter, the Log Your Memory INSIDER. Delivered directly to your INBOX every Sunday afternoon.

Please share your thoughts in a comment below …

This week’s Story Board is brought to you by February Calendar Girl Jen DeLorenzo. You’ll notice a theme to the pages she tracked down from our neighboring galleries… everyday things that make us happy!

"What Makes Me Smile" by Heidi2008

This layout by Heidi Glibota really stood out to me.  The design of the overly stuffed folders really gives it dimension.  I love the beautiful pops of purple and the great title work!

"These Make Me Smile" by muddygirl

This layout by muddygirl really made me smile.  I love the happy colors.  The collage of photos really works for her design and the tucked journaling is such a nice finishing touch.

"My Silly Girls" by colleenstearns

The theme of this silly layout by Colleen Stearns really made me giggle.  Capturing those goofy childlike moments is so important.  I really like how she was able to make the layout about all her daughters.  I love the additional journaling tidbits with the use of the conversation hearts.

"Just My Type" by readstoomuch

This layout by readstoomuch evoked childlike emotions.  I love the carefree spirit of the photos and the way she incorporated the title into the motion of the page.  The block design really leads your eye to those wonderful photos.

"Wheels of the Week" by thessh

This layout by thessh really stood out with its vibrant title work.  I love the documentation of such a everyday thing, but a fun memory to capture.  The pictures are great and again I loved the tucked in journaling.

"Every Moment" by champsarahjoy

This layout by champsarahjoy captures the shining personality of her daughter.  I love the colors that she pulled from the photo.  I also love that she included not only a silly picture but a more serious photo holding the things she loved.   The outlined stitching really pull it all together.

"First Taste" by Coila

This might be one of my favorite layouts I encountered by Coila.  I think the title work is outstanding.  The colors are so appealing.  The many different faces are darling and I love the sprinkled Cheerios among the yarn.  Too cute for words!!

"Confection Collection" by lltheo

I chose this layout by lltheo because of the fantastic colors.  This layout really draws you in. You can tell those items she photographed make her happy just by the happy theme.  I love the neutral background that makes everything pop.  It makes me happy just looking at it!

"Where's Waldo" by JanaMorton

This layout by Jana Morton brought me to all smiles.  I love the overall design – the use of the giant Waldo character really makes this layout pop.  The theme was such a clever way to capture the little occurrences with her little ones!

That’s it for this week’s Story Board! Thanks, Jen, for sharing these fun finds! And check back every Wednesday for a new batch of real life scrapbooking inspiration!

Get the inside scoop, be the first to know about new product releases & get special discounts by subscribing to our new weekly newsletter, the Log Your Memory INSIDER. Delivered directly to your INBOX every Sunday afternoon.

Please share your thoughts in a comment below …

Our Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge continues today with a journaling method that can really help you tell the behind-the-scenes details of the stories you scrapbook.

Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge #12

Your challenge today is to tell your story through play-by-play commentary. On the surface, this is simply telling the story of what is happening in whatever photos you choose. But done well, it can be so much more. A great play-by-play page will share details that aren’t obvious in the photos, such as what you were thinking or how you were feeling during a particular string of events, or perhaps the background information leading up to that particular scene.

Think about what makes a great sports commentary … if the announcer simply told you what was happening in front of your eyes, you’d quickly get bored. It’s the little extras added in to that monologue – the inside information - that make it worth listening to.

As you are planning your journaling, think about the photo, event or story you want to share. Ask yourself … if I were sharing this story with a good friend or close relative, what details would I include? What is it about this particular story that makes me want to both remember and share it? If someone looked at this photo or event through my eyes, what would they see and how would they feel? The answers to these questions should help you decide how to approach your writing.

Here are some examples of play-by-play commentary in action …

"TR{Y}ATHLON" by Kimbe @ Designer Digitals

"In An Instant" by Christy @ My Scrapbook Art

"My 3 Little Monkeys" by LolaLovesLife @ My Scrapbook Art

Remember, you now have until midnight (Mountain Time) on Wednesday, March 31st to complete & post your pages and qualify for our Sweet Talker prize.

The Rules:

1. Pick a topic and create a new scrapbook page that shares your story through play-by-play commentary.
2. Post that page in this album in our Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge Gallery. The deadline for all Sweet Talk Challenge Layouts is midnight (MTN) on Wednesday, March 31st, 2010.
3. Visit this thread in our Community Forum and link us up to your layout.
4. Once your link is verified, the above Sweet Talk award will appear in your profile and in your signature.
5. Keep an eye on this page to track our Log Your Memory Sweet Talkers!
6. Watch for the next Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge topic … make sure you don’t miss a post by subscribing to our Blog!

Get the inside scoop, be the first to know about new product releases & get special discounts by subscribing to our new weekly newsletter, the Log Your Memory INSIDER. Delivered directly to your INBOX every Sunday afternoon.

Please share your thoughts in a comment below …

Today marks the beginning of the last scheduled week in our Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge. When I started this series, I made a deal with myself … I would play along with the challenges and make sure that I wasn’t asking anyone to do something I couldn’t do myself in order to earn our special Sweet Talker prize.

Well, as I’m sure many of you can agree, it turns out that it’s a bit overwhelming to try to get 14 challenges done in just 28 days. A handful of participants are close, but I don’t think there is anyone – myself included – that is totally caught up right now.

So here’s the deal … I’m still going to do all 14 challenges myself.  And I’m going to save the prizes for others who do the same. But I’m going to extend the deadline for completing and posting your pages. Rather than the original March 3rd deadline, you now have until midnight (Mountain Time) on Wednesday, March 31st to complete & post your pages and qualify for our Sweet Talker prize.

I will stick to the original schedule for introducing the final handful of challenges, which means it’s time today to share our next journaling method to help you get your “real life” scrapbooked.

Are you ready?

Today’s journaling method is one of my absolute favorites, though I must admit – it wasn’t until I started working on my page for this challenge that I’ve ever actually completed one. I could probably fill an entire album, however, with the pages planned in my head. Anytime I catch my kids or my husband doing something that is just so characteristically THEM, I try to snap a photo so I can create one of these pages.

Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge #11

Your challenge today is to tell your story through the use of a diagram, reminiscent of the type of thing you’d see in a high school biology book. The basic format is fairly straightforward – an image with labels and pointers describing the features of that image. Though simplistic, this could apply to just about any object or scene that shares details you want to remember about that particular subject.

If the textbook approach doesn’t appeal to you, use your imagination … just about anything could serve as a pointer, there are all kinds of labels that would work, and there is no limit to the creativity you could apply to the actual wording or choice of subject.

To help get you started, here is one of my favorite examples of using a diagram to tell a story …

"Trey Deconstructed" by R. Steinbeck @ Designer Digitals

If you’d like to see another example before getting started, check out the page I posted in the challenge gallery.

The Rules:

1. Pick a topic and create a new scrapbook page uses uses a diagram to share your story.
2. Post that page in this album in our Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge Gallery. The deadline for all Sweet Talk Challenge Layouts is midnight (MTN) on Wednesday, March 31st, 2010.
3. Visit this thread in our Community Forum and link us up to your layout.
4. Once your link is verified, the above Sweet Talk award will appear in your profile and in your signature.
5. Keep an eye on this page to track our Log Your Memory Sweet Talkers!
6. Watch for the next Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge topic … make sure you don’t miss a post by subscribing to our Blog!

Subscribe in a Reader
Subscribe by Email
Subscribe by Kindle

Get the inside scoop, be the first to know about new product releases & get special discounts by subscribing to our new weekly newsletter, the Log Your Memory INSIDER. Delivered directly to your INBOX every Sunday afternoon.

Please share your thoughts in a comment below …

If there’s one thing I’ve discovered putting together our Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge, it’s how much fun it is to see how many different ways scrapbookers can interpret and use each one of the 14 journaling methods presented.

So far we’ve tackled nine different types of journaling … 1. lists, 2. ABC, 3. conversational, 4. fairy tale, 5. compare/contrast, 6. show & tell, 7. letter, 8. interview and 9. stream of consciousness methods. And in case you haven’t figured it out already, our 10th method is all about how our lives add up.

Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge #10

You don’t have to be a mathematician to notice just how often numbers play a role in our real life. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find a part of life where you could NOT apply numbers in some way. So today’s challenge is to share your story through the use of those numbers. The easy way out is to simply create a numbered list. That’s fine, if that’s what you’d like to do. But consider the many other ways you could use numbers to tell your story.

Just for starters, think about how much you spend on groceries in a month. Or how many days it’s been since you started that exercise program, quit smoking or gave up carbs. Do you have a lucky number? Are you counting down to a special occasion? How do all the little details of your life add up right now? Do you have someone you can count on? Do you ever have to count to 10 to regain composure? Can you name the last 5 books you read?

You get the idea. But in case you could use a little more inspiration, check out this page I put together last spring that uses numbers to paint the picture of one typical month in my life.

"Typical Month" by Kristin Rutten @ Log Your Memory

And here are a few other examples to help bring out the mathematician in you … (I know she’s in there!) …

"A Few Little Things" by JALong @ Designer Digitals

"27 Random Facts for my 27th Birthday" by renee82 @ My Scrapbook Art

"1+2" by t_a_l_i @ Oscraps

The Rules:

1. Pick a topic and create a new scrapbook page uses numbers to share your story.
2. Post that page in this album in our Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge Gallery. The deadline for all Sweet Talk Challenge Layouts is midnight (MTN) on Wednesday, March 3, 2010.
3. Visit this thread in our Community Forum and link us up to your layout.
4. Once your link is verified, the above Sweet Talk award will appear in your profile and in your signature.
5. Keep an eye on this page to track our Log Your Memory Sweet Talkers!
6. Watch for the next Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge topic … make sure you don’t miss a post by subscribing to our Blog!

Subscribe in a Reader
Subscribe by Email
Subscribe by Kindle

Get the inside scoop, be the first to know about new product releases & get special discounts by subscribing to our new weekly newsletter, the Log Your Memory INSIDER. Delivered directly to your INBOX every Sunday afternoon.

Please share your thoughts in a comment below …

Believe it or not, we’re already nearing the end of Week #7 in our Logbook Weekly Challenge series, this week responding to the prompt: “Who is your favorite person in the world?”

By design, the Memory Logbook caters to individual needs by providing a variety of variations on each week’s prompt. This week is no exception and our chosen Layout of the Week is a perfect example of adapting the weekly challenges to fit your needs.

"A Few of My Favorite Things" by flowersgal

“A Few of My Favorite Things” by flowersgal does not directly answer the challenge question, nor any of the variations, though it is easy to see how it could have been inspired by the challenges. That is exactly what the Memory Logbook is intended to do … get your creative juices flowing and lead you to scrap parts of your life you might not otherwise think to record.

Congratulations to flowersgal on having today’s Layout of the Week! She will receive 10 bonus points through our Real Deal Book Club Rewards Program. Be sure to check out the other layouts in the Week #7 challenge gallery and plan to join us next week as we begin Challenge #8 … the topic is one I am sure every one of us can relate to!

Just a little reminder … if you haven’t done so already, be sure to vote for your favorite January 2010 Yearbook Layout & Artist before midnight (Mountain Time) tonight! Details in the February 14th Log Your Memory INSIDER.

Get the inside scoop, be the first to know about new product releases & get special discounts by subscribing to our new weekly newsletter, the Log Your Memory INSIDER. Delivered directly to your INBOX every Sunday afternoon.

Please share your thoughts in a comment below …

With a goal of 14 challenges in 28 days, there’s no time to waste! So ready or not, today we move on with yet another Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge topic.

Today we’re going to tackle a method that’s a bit less commonly used, but when executed well, really gets to the heart of “real life” scrapbooking. It’s something I refer to as “stream of consciousness” journaling, or freewriting. In simpler terms, it’s just sharing what’s running through your mind at a particular time or place.

Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge #9

If your goal is authentic storytelling, stream of consciousness journaling can really fit the bill. In its most basic form, this type of journaling is simply sharing what you were really thinking during a given situation or time period. Probably the easiest way to start is to choose a photo of an event and journal about what you were thinking about at the time that event took place.

Sounds easy, but if you find yourself in the habit of always painting a rosy picture, this may be a bit more challenging for you – and probably a great exercise in creating a more accurate picture of your real life. Another challenge is truly capturing your thoughts, particularly if you’re like me and those thoughts tend to jump all over the place and come faster than would seem possible to accurately record.

To give you an idea of what I’m talking about, check out this page I created a while back after a long drive home from a meeting…

"What Was I Thinking?" by Kristin Rutten @ Log Your Memory

The stream of consciousness journaling method works especially well for special occasions and milestone achievements, such as gazing into your newborn’s eyes for the first time, watching your child graduate from high school or sitting on the sidelines during the championship game.

But it can also be a great way to document the more difficult parts of life, such as what you were thinking and feeling while sitting beside a hospital bed or dealing with a relationship gone awry.

Here are a few more examples to help get you thinking …

"Thankful" by beehive50 @ Designer Digitals

"Seven Dull Thoughts" by Bush Girl @ DigiShopTalk

"Art Journal 2 {thoughts}" by digigrandma @ Designer Digitals

The Rules:

1. Pick a topic and create a new scrapbook page that tells your story by sharing your thoughts.
2. Post that page in this album in our Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge Gallery. The deadline for all Sweet Talk Challenge Layouts is midnight (MTN) on Wednesday, March 3, 2010.
3. Visit this thread in our Community Forum and link us up to your layout.
4. Once your link is verified, the above Sweet Talk award will appear in your profile and in your signature.
5. Keep an eye on this page to track our Log Your Memory Sweet Talkers!
6. Watch for the next Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge topic … make sure you don’t miss a post by subscribing to our Blog!

Subscribe in a Reader
Subscribe by Email
Subscribe by Kindle

Get the inside scoop, be the first to know about new product releases & get special discounts by subscribing to our new weekly newsletter, the Log Your Memory INSIDER. Delivered directly to your INBOX every Sunday afternoon.

Please share your thoughts in a comment below …

This week’s Story Board includes a little bit of everything in the way of real life scrapbooking inspiration, ranging from the personal and poetic to just plain adorable. Check out our fun finds this week from our neighboring galleries…

"4 Eyes" by junebug

The captivating photo and cool titlework in “4 Eyes” by junebug caught my attention as soon as I saw it. Love the soft color scheme and fun little details, not to mention the shared history about this little slice of one scrapbooker’s life.

"Now and Then '09" by Darcy Baldwin

Price comparisons from different time periods always fascinate me, so I immediately fell in love with “Now and Then ‘09″ by Darcy Baldwin. In addition to all of the fun price differences (25 cents for a loaf of bread!), there are a ton of other little details packed into this journaling. Definitely among my favorite recent examples of “real life” scrapbooking and sure to be of even greater interest several years down the road!

"Crocodile Tears" by Aggie Aviso

My first thought upon finding “Crocodile Tears” by Aggie Aviso was “I have SO been there!” Love this little peek into the daily routine and those pathetically adorable teary-eyed photos. Have to chuckle at the final comment, too.

"Playing Telephone" by becca1976

“Playing Telephone” by becca1976 is just plain fun. Great photos, cute embellishments, playful colors and a fun memory of a very “everyday” type activity. My favorite kind of scrapbooking.

"February 11" by sigmakap95

If your goal is to document your real life, it’s hard NOT to scrapbook about the weather these days. It’s definitely been a season for the record books for many this year. I just loved the color scheme & playful design of “February 11″ by sigmakap95. The perfectly placed embellishments, highlighted words in the journaling, even the realistic looking snowballs all add up to a fantastic winter page.

"Blah" by dancingscrapper

The comment says it’s a “page about nothing” but I can definitely relate to having days like the one shared in “Blah” by dancingscrapper. Love the artsy feel to the whole layout, and the design with the journal and the paragraph about “nothing” are so reminiscent of diaries from my younger days.

"Imagination" by TrishB

It’s the quirky behaviors and little observations that I most want to remember about my kids’ early years, yet that is sometimes the toughest thing to capture on a scrapbook page. TrishB does this wonderfully in “Imagination.” Love the interesting palette and photo treatment, as well as the way she highlighted various pieces of her journaling.

"Blue Jean Baby" by rainydays

There is just something so completely adorable about a little tiny dude in jeans, which is exactly what rainydays highlights in “Blue Jean Baby.” Love the clustered embellishments, the splashes of red and of course, the cute patootie in these photos.

"Best Friends" by beckyandjames

The off-kilter orientation of the papers and the title caught my attention in “Best Friends” by beckyandjames … and then all the fun little details drew me in further. Interesting photo treatment, cool date cluster, scattered hearts, sweet memory … it all just comes together to make a page that’s very easy to appreciate.

"Tale of a Midnight Scrapper" by Maria W

I’ll bet I’m not alone in feeling like “Tale of a Midnight Scrapper” by Maria W was created especially for me. This clever poem describes my habit to perfection and the simple design is a perfect complement to the story. Love the artsy graphic, the jumbled title, the water-stained, heart-doodled paper and the very authentic-looking typesetting. So cute… I am very tempted to get this one printed for myself just to use as a wallhanging in my office!

That’s it for this week’s Story Board! Check back every Wednesday for more “real life” scrapbooking inspiration!

And the winner is …

A big thanks to everyone who shared their feelings of adoration in response to Monday’s post and interview with February Guest Designer Misty Cato.

"Adoration" Kit by Misty Cato

And now as promised, one lucky commenter will receive a free download of Misty’s brand new kit, Adoration. Selected by random number generator, that lucky winner is …

38.Jill says:

I’d say I really adore 3 boys in my life: my boyfriend, my little brother, and my evil little nephew. LOL They make my life more fun!

Congratulations to Jill! Please contact me with your full name & email address so I can hook you up with your free download! A big thanks to Misty, as well, for your wonderful kit and generous contribution!

Get the inside scoop, be the first to know about new product releases & get special discounts by subscribing to our new weekly newsletter, the Log Your Memory INSIDER. Delivered directly to your INBOX every Sunday afternoon.

Please share your thoughts in a comment below …