... Big Picture Scrapbooking ...

Welcome to lesson nine of Library of Memories. If you've peaked at our syllabus recently, you might know that there are just ten lessons. Yikes! This means we are unbelievably close to the end of our adventure together. With the end in mind, I declare this week "Don't Forget" week.

I feel a bit like your LOM mother and as we turn our focus to scrapbooking and I prepare to (figuratively) send you out the door into the big scrapbooking world, there are some things I don't want you to forget.

These are photos from a 2005 storage binder, but I'm not behind!

Please, please don't forget that it is never too late to scrapbook a memory. As women we are prone to guilt. With an LOM system in place you have pictures in storage binders and highlights folders that are 4 or 5 years old. You are intentionally aging other pictures in your category drawers. You are FREE to scrapbook anything you want, whenever you want. As you respond to inspiration and scrapbook what feels urgent and exciting, you will be skipping over other pictures and memories. That's ok. When it comes time to move pictures out of the active environment in your storage binders and you discover a group of pictures that you have skipped over (again and again) and that you just can't let go of, find a sketch or a template and scrapbook or "scraplift" a quick page. Leverage your current perspective and journal how you feel about this moment or event now, but don't allow yourself to feel bad, guilty or behind for not prioritizing these pictures sooner. You must champion a guilt-free spirit in yourself to fully embrace the freedom that Library of Memories affords.

Don't forget: It's never too late to honor a memory with a scrapbook page. Watch for more "don't forget" messages in the handout!

You have invested dozens of hours and lots of money and effort into this system. If as you've plugged along you've wondered, "Are we having fun yet?" then this week is for YOU.

It's time to SCRAPBOOK!

Your assignment this week is to create and post at least four scrapbook pages. One that you will put in an All About US album, one for People We Love, one for Places We Go and finally, one for Things We Do. There is more information in the handout, but before downloading anything I want you to think of three things you have done today that contribute to your uniqueness. What are you wearing: what kinds of clothes, make-up, perfume or other personal expressions have you already put on? Have you had something to eat or drink? What have you read or listened to? What phone call have you answered or made? These everyday things are a part of you and a part of your story. Stop right now and take three pictures of everyday things and post them to our gallery. See if you can incorporate one or more of these pictures in your scrapbooking this week.

p.s. Our final Library of Memories audio message will consist of a Q&A where I answer your questions. You can ask me anything (remotely related to LOM) and I will put together an answer session. Please email questions to me (stacy@bigpicturescrapbooking.com) and put "LOM Answers" in the subject line. The deadline for questions is Sunday, May 2nd.

p.s.s. There is so much to absorb and so much to do in lesson 9, that I've decided to extend it one additional week. Lesson 10 will be posted on Thursday, May 6th. Our 2010 classroom will remain open until Wednesday, June 2nd at 10:00pm pacific time, and...don't forget, you'll have forever access to this classroom once it does close!

Audio: People