I’m about two years behind with Tiny’s scrapbook. I have piles of photographs ready to be sorted and organised for page layouts. I also have a small collection of both 12×12 and 6×6 papers collected for no particular photographs or project in mind (because what self-respecting papercrafter doesn’t?).

So what do I do to catch up? I start Tiny 2’s scrapbook. And begin collecting for a third Family scrapbook (which, to be fair, M and I had already begun although I’m going to redo it), and plan for a fourth scrapbook project. That one, though, does have a deadline of later this year, and I do not anticipate filling the scrapbook, so I feel it hardly counts.

However, I’m feeling quite pleased with myself: I’m already up-to-date with Tiny 2’s scrapbook. I’ve used up most of a probably Beatrix Potter-inspired Workshop I bought about a year ago, and without following exactly the directions for the three double-page spreads given. There’s still a few stickers, die-cuts and papers left, but it’s mostly been used up, and I’m regretting not having got a spare pack of the papers and stickers, although I do have the stamps and dies which go with it. And, to be fair, there are all sorts of other lovely papers out there and I have no space to store papers just because they’re pretty or cute or otherwise bring me such joy I don’t really want to cut them up. Besides, they’ll continue to bring me joy whenever I look through the scrapbooks.

My pages are not, I will admit, complicated layouts, or very arty layouts. They are reasonably straightforward and the sort that can be arranged in spare minutes between demands for my attention. Sometimes I mat the photos; sometimes I don’t. Depends on the busyness of the main background paper. And whether I can be bothered.

Onwards with Tiny’s scrapbook!

I’ve sorted the waiting photos into 2024 and 2025 piles, and am working my way through the 2024 ones. It’s not really all that difficult, or very time-consuming really. One problem I do have, though, is finding suitable papers in my stash. Lots of wintry ones, and festive ones, and autumnal ones. Not so many for spring or summer, though.

I have, though, come to the conclusion that the way to stay up-to-date with these is to have a week where I do several months’ worth at a time. At least once I’ve got to the end of the ready-printed photos. That, and keep the scrapbook currently being worked upon open on my desk with the next page of photos ready for arranging on it.

And since I wrote the first sentence about a week ago, I’ve nearly managed to get through the 2024 photos, so I’m only about a year behind now.