If you’re looking for examples of great journaling, beautiful design and lots of “real life” scrapbooking, you’re in the right place! Check out these inspiring and clever pages spotted in neighboring galleries this week …

"First Job" by willow885

“First Job” by willow885 provides a nice glance back at the world of retail before the arrival of Big Box stores, complete with a few price comparisons and other little details which will only become more interesting as time presses forward. Love that the photo puts it all in context, complete with the lineup of station wagons.

"The Big 3-0" by rainydays

Having just passed a “milestone” birthday myself, I was quickly drawn to “The Big 3-0″ by rainydays. No birthday cake & candles here, but rather reflections on how she feels about reaching this life stage. Even more interesting would be a followup when she hits the big 4-0 to see if those perceptions have changed.

"Guardian Angel" by coco

The interesting composition of “Guardian Angel” by coco quickly caught my eye, but I also like how she used a quote about guardian angels to help tell her story. It’s one of those pages you can just look at and continue to find new details you hadn’t noticed before.

"Little Baby" by iciclelady

The title of this one by iciclelady says it all … “The little baby days are so fleeting.” Though the first months with this little one will soon be history, mom has done a wonderful job of documenting the experience to help the memories last a lifetime. Love the softness of this page, as well as the choice of photos.

"My Yellow Dream Room" by lunafaerie

“My Yellow Dream Room” by lunafaerie is a nice reminder that we don’t have to always scrapbook about what has already happened … or even with photos of what is. Instead, she shares her goal of what she hopes will be, complete with an image to guide her way. Love the simplicity and the fun titlework. (Wouldn’t mind crawling into that bed, either!)

"Be Happy" by gracielou

I’m always on the lookout for pages that tell a familiar story in a new way. “Be Happy” by gracielou is one of those pages. I especially like her use of a quote to set the stage, particularly when it’s presented with such great design, and the closeup photos of this little bathing beauty are just darling. Definitely an improvement over all the bath time photos I’ve taken over the years…

"My Bucket List" by Ace's Wild

Long lists can be tough to present without overwhelming the page with text, but not so with “My Bucket List” by Ace’s Wild. The fun combination of shapes, plus the use of both words and photos to convey this list makes this fun to look at. Of course, I also got a chuckle out of some of the items on her list, like #9. LOL

"He" by Valgal

There’s nothing like playing it BIG to highlight a great photo. Love how this captivating photo takes center stage in “He” by Valgal. Sounds like a cool kid, too, once you tear your eyes away from his face and check out the list. A definite case of less is more.

"8,322 Photos" by mymalloryboys

“8,322 Photos” by mymalloryboys is another example of taking a unique angle to tell a story. In this case, it’s how the number of photos taken of this little cutie is a representation of how enamored mom is with watching him grow, not to mention that she’s shattering the old saying about the youngest kid having the fewest photos. Cool design, too… love the roughed up look and all the little details tucked in.

"Baby It's Cold" by marnie

Figuring out how to incorporate newspaper clippings and other memorabilia into a page can be tricky sometimes. I really like how marnie did it here in “Baby It’s Cold.” The clipping retains its vintage feel, yet the overall page doesn’t feel dated. Clever title, too, considering there are actually two stories here …

That wraps up this week’s Story Board! Hope you’re feeling inspired to scrap your real life … and if not, take a peek in our own gallery here at LYM. I am continually amazed at the collection of pages that grows more impressive by the day. Better yet, add a few of your own!

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Please share your thoughts in a comment below …

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 …

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.

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It’s Valentine’s Day weekend … the perfect time to share your love for scrapping through the Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge!

Now that we’ve covered lists, ABCs, conversations, fairy tales, compare/contrast and show & tell journaling, we’re going to try an approach using a skill learned long ago, but sometimes forgotten in today’s age of cell phones, Twitter, emailing and texting.

Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge #7

For this challenge, we are going to go back to the basics and quite simply, tell your story by writing a letter. This could be a letter to a spouse, your children, your parents …even to yourself. In light of Valentine’s Day, this might be the perfect excuse to write out all of those loving thoughts to your beloved. Or if you’re not in the mood, maybe you just have something to get off your chest. You might even have a letter someone has written to YOU that you’d like to remember in a scrapbook page.

By the way, if you like this style of journaling, you might want to check out this cool blog. There you’ll find a new prompt every Friday to inspire you to do more personal letter-writing, particularly if you have children.

To get yourself in the letter-writing mode, check out these bits of inspiration …

"Baby Love Letters" by nikkiARNGwife @ Sweet Shoppe Designs

"Dear Sam..." by nun69 @ Sweet Shoppe Designs

"Love Letter" by taracotta7 @ My Scrapbook Art

"A's Love Letter No. 17" by dana @ My Scrapbook Art

The Rules:

1. Pick a topic and create a new scrapbook page that shares your story through a letter.
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!

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{Pssst… You don’t want to miss this weekend’s edition of the INSIDER! There you’ll find news about our first round of 2010 Yearbook winners, a sneak peek at what’s coming up next week and an extra special coupon in honor of Valentine’s Day.}

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’re approaching the half-way mark in our Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge and our challenge gallery is just bursting with fantastic examples of scrapbook journaling methods in action! If you haven’t done so already, be sure to check it out … it will definitely inspire you to jump in and join in the fun.

We’ve tackled five types of journaling so far – lists, ABCs, conversations, fairy tales, and compare/contrast. Next we’re going to go back to our elementary school days with a little show & tell.

Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge #6

For this challenge, we are going to combine several slightly different yet very similar approaches under the umbrella of “show & tell“. This includes how-to instructions, directions, recipes and similar approaches that aim to explain how something is done.

This could be serious or sarcastic, fact or fiction, even just plain silly. You could include lots of detail, such as step-by-step instructions, or keep it simple, maybe even just using a series of photos to guide us along. As long as you use some form of “show & tell” to share your story, you’re following along with this challenge.

Here are a few examples to get you started…

"How to Be {almost} 3" by Kristin Rutten @ Log Your Memory

"Washers" by sarahbhb @ My Scrapbook Art

"Recipe for Love" by MommaTrish @ Sweet Shoppe Designs

The Rules:

1. Pick a topic and create a new scrapbook page that shares your story by telling us how .
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 …

Our neighboring galleries were full of “real life” inspiration this week. Check out these fun finds…

"My Daily Chocolate" by suladesign

If I didn’t want chocolate before (LOL), I definitely wanted it after finding “My Daily Chocolate” by suladesign. Love everything about this – the curvy design, the cute embellishments, the clever photo framing and of course, the yummy descriptions.

"My Favorite Color" by amystoffel

“My Favorite Color” by amystoffel is either a little scrap-therapy or a very clever way to get a message to a mother. Either way, I love that she documented this aspect of her life and enjoyed all the examples of pink’s infiltration into her life.

"Snow Cone" by mrs jb

With snowy weather dominating so much of the news lately, “Snow Cone” by mrs jb seemed like an appropriate choice this week. I love the combination of bright colors and the cool blue background and you can’t go wrong with those adorable photos. It’s a variation on the standard page with tons of outdoor shots, yet the snow story still comes through.

"Partial Portraits" by Sue Setiadji

I’m always fascinated by layouts highlighting teen behavior, probably because I have a teen of my own that I am still trying to figure out! “Partial Portraits” by Sue Setiadji provides a glimpse into that crazy world. Love the simplicity and the cropping on the photos, too.

"Because I'm Worth It" by sevenupps

“Because I’m Worth It” by sevenupps jumped out at me from the galleries because of it’s playful design and bright colors. The journaling makes it a keeper though. Love the honesty and bit of positive self-talk expressed in this work of art. The whole thing just radiates positive energy.

"ME" by breakingbrie

“ME” by breakingbrie is another page that caught my attention because of the clever design. The journaling is great too, though. Love that this mom is breaking her habit of putting herself last by creating a page focused so much on herself and her own feelings.

"5 Best Things About You" by sahlink

Everything about “5 Best Things About You” by sahlink screamed “lift me!” when I found it in the gallery. Love the fun photos and the clever cropping and framing. Love the combination of artsy brushwork and embellishments. Love the great list of all the ways this daughter is special to her mom. Lucky girl, lucky mom.

"Time Stops" by AngelaPowers

I normally favor more of a focus on journaling in my search for pages to share, but the photo in “Time Stops” by AngelaPowers really spoke to me. With little ones of my own, this photo immediately takes me to that snuggly place that is so special and yet so fleeting. Combined with the journaling, though brief, the page says all that needs to be said.

"Young Me" by KerryMac

KerryMac shares a ton of photos and information in “Young Me,” yet the page does not feel crowded or overwhelming. Love the combination of black and white and color photos, the photo as background and the various ways she added tags and labels to the page.

"A Boy Can Dream" by partsofme

Living in snowy Montana, the expression on this this guy’s face is one I’ve seen before! I like this take on scrapping about the heavy snowfall, from the extracted photo and artsy blended background to the clipped photos to the humorous title. I’m guessing mom had more fun putting this page together than the pair had dealing with the snow!

That’s it for another week! Check back every Wednesday for another set of inspiring “real life” scrapbook pages found throughout the Web.

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 …

Once upon a time, there was a month full of opportunities to brush up on scrapbook journaling known as the Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge. Scrapbookers came from far and wide to try their hand at telling their stories, first using lists, then attempting the alphabet, later sharing conversations, until finally, one day, the perfect solution presented itself.

In case you hadn’t guessed, fairy tales are the name of the game today …

Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge #4

For this challenge, tell your story through the use of a fairy tale. The traditional method would be “Once upon a time…”, but any third-person storytelling will do. The story can be funny or serious, sweet or sarcastic. There can be a happy ending and a moral to the story … or not. Anything goes, as long as your page is inspired in some way by the fairy tale genre.

To get your imagination fired up, check out these fun examples of fairy tale journaling at its best…

"Two Fairies" by eryn @ Log Your Memory

"Once Upon a Time" by Dawneephay @ Designer Digitals

"Fairy Tale" by Elena @ Designer Digitals

"The Emergency Band-Aid" by quilter422 @ Designer Digitals

The Rules:

1. Pick a topic and create a new scrapbook page that tells your story through the use of a fairy tale.
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!

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Please share your comments through our community forum…

It’s time for our third installment in our month-long Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge. We’ve already tried our hand at list journaling and using the alphabet. Now it’s time to do a little talking … literally.

Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge #3

For this challenge, tell your story through the use of a conversation. It could be the dialogue between you and another person, a discussion you overheard, or even an exchange between your kids and their imaginary playmates.

If you’ve been using your Memory Logbook to keep track of little tidbits like this, you may have something written down that could be developed into a great scrapbook page. And if you don’t already have something in mind, spend a day or two paying extra attention to what’s going on around you. Chances are good you’ll pick up on at least one conversation that could help tell a story about your real life. You could even make up a conversation to help illustrate what might be a typical situation in your world.

To help get the creative juices flowing, take a peek at these great examples of the “conversation” style of journaling in practice …

"You Make Me Laugh" by aneal @ My Scrapbook Art

"Grandma, flamingos can!" by digigrandma @ Designer Digitals

"I Wonder if There Really is a Santa?" by mymalloryboys @ Designer Digitals

"Ice Cream and Bananas" by Aino @ Designer Digitals

The Rules:

1. Pick a topic and create a new scrapbook page that incorporates a conversation to tell 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
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Please share your comments through our community forum…

Some weeks, it seems our neighboring galleries are full of “real life” inspiration. Other weeks, it takes a little more digging to find what I’m looking for.

This was one of those weeks … while there were many, many beautiful layouts to be found, it was a bit more challenging to find those that also shared the kind of depth I like to highlight in our weekly Story Board. But dig I did and found these gems to inspire you to document your favorite everyday moments…

"Sweet Tea" by rebecca h

It doesn’t get much sweeter than “Sweet Tea” by rebecca h, which highlights the memory of a tea party between a child and her furry friends. Love the close-ups and the soft, feminine feel to the page.

"Apple Junkie" by talktoheather

I’m a Mac-girl myself, so I appreciated “Apple Junkie” by talktoheather. Technology changes so quickly, so taking time to document how it impacts you today is sure to be interesting down the road.

"Meeting Dustin Petroia" by Kat Stokes

Every town has its local heroes, so it’s fun to see the story of how one such hero impacted this little guy in “Meeting Dustin Petroia” by Kat Stokes. Very clever design, too … love the incorporation of the baseball details.

"Go the Distance" by Britgirl

It’s always interesting to me to see what details our kids remember as they get older. I enjoyed how Britgirl documented a detail of her everyday life in “Go the Distance.” I’m even more curious to see if her child remembers it the same way several years from now. Great titlework, too!

"me right now" by shhbabymine

I’m a big fan of “right here, right now” type pages, so I was immediately drawn to “me right now” by shhbabymine. I like the way she used repetition in her journaling style (I love…, I wish…, I laugh…) and especially love the cool, serene design.

"Beginning of the Olympics" by avalon4

I’m not normally one drawn to event or location pages. But “Beginning of the Olympics” by avalon4 jumped out at me as a little different. I like the angle taken here – the page shares the “behind-the-scenes” look at something most of the world has an interest in but will probably never experience – living so near an Olympics competition site. Plus it’s just a very eye-catching page! I’d love to see more as the Games get rolling…

"Favorite Haunts" by lingovise

I like the creative approach taken by lingovise in “Favorite Haunts.” We share a lot of the same interests & favorite sites – I love her use of all of the logos and icons, plus her clever comparison to a night at the movies.

"Finding Your Way" by SuzanneB

If you’ve ever thought about putting together a little book on what it’s really like to be a parent, “Finding Your Way” by SuzanneB offers a great example of where to start. I like how she combined a recap of her conversation with her son with her own thoughts on the subject.

"Mr. Puzzle Man" by Karen_

I’m all about the “everyday” memories and “Mr. Puzzle Man” by Karen_ is exactly that. Though a simple story about naptime struggles and a clever child’s response, the journaling shares a lot of the little details that really help to paint the picture of life in this household at this moment in time. Plus I just really like the sketchy style and splashes of color.

That’s it for another week! Check back next Wednesday for more real life scrapbooking inspiration! And if you really want to get inspired, take a peek in our own gallery. It is just packed with fantastic pages full of real life stories … and the collection is growing more quickly by the day!

Today’s Story Board brought to you by …

Interested in seeing YOUR business, store, Web site or favorite designer promoted here? Sponsorship opportunities are available … to find out more, inquire through the Contact Us page.

Comments regarding this post are welcome via the Log Your Memory forum.

Taking the lead as our Calendar Girl of the Month is the lovely & talented Jen DeLorenzo (jend). Jen sets the stage for a month full of sweetness with her “real life” guest post below. Jen will also assist with choosing the Layout of the Week later in the month, plus compile a special edition of our weekly Story Board.

February has arrived and love is in the air.

As the song goes, all you need is love… … and within a family there is an abundance to capture. There are so many little glimpses into the power love holds.  When my children look back through my scrapbooks as adults I want them to feel the overwhelming love I have for them.  I want them to see my heart on each and every page.

There are so many little stories that would get missed and lost in the progress of time if they weren’t written down.  The sweet little everyday tidbits disappear and we are just left with a warm glow and fond memories, but none of them distinct.  It is so important to capture that love and get it down before it slips through your hands.

A human memory is so fleeting.  It is so easy to go about our normal day and think “oh that was such a cute/sweet/special moment” and do nothing about it. Love has no limits.  You can love people, animals and things.  I think recording it all is important.

If you just try to steal those moments back from time, I guarantee you won’t regret it.  Those pages will quickly become your favorites. I have posted some examples of pages that to me speak the language of love.  I hope you take this and go scrap your love story!

Introducing February Guest Designer Misty Cato

I am excited to introduce this month’s Guest Designer … the fabulous Misty Cato. Right in keeping with this month’s theme, Misty has created a beautiful kit especially for us, which one lucky Log Your Memory reader will win for free in a special giveaway later this month. For everyone following along with the Logbook Weekly Challenges, you’ll find that Misty’s creation … “Adoration” … is a perfect complement to Weekly Challenge #7: Who is your most favorite person in the world?

To give you a little taste of the goods, Misty has provided this wonderful freebie mini-kit just for you! Click on the image to download this little goodie … and be sure to leave a note in our comment section to let Misty know how much you appreciate her generosity!

Also be sure to check out Misty’s store at Sweet Shoppe Designs. To sweeten the deal, Misty’s even offered a special coupon just for Log Your Memory readers.

Note: Offer excludes scoops/dips and coupon must be used on a single purchase of Misty’s products. Fans are also invited to subscribe to Misty’s newsletter here.

Please share your comments through our community forum…