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Friday, April 27, 2007

It Will Change Your Life...


My husband is always re-inventing my life...for the better...with gifts.
Several years back, he got me this scrapbooking software.
I used to scrapbook by hand.
It was fun. But it was messy. We couldn't eat off of our table for weekends at a time, because there were papers, glues, scissors, and pictures spread everywhere. I would cut, stick, and create every free moment on certain Saturdays, and would literally be sore the next day.
I was headed for a terrible chronic scrapbookers disease, that has yet to have been diagnosed in the medical community, but just wait...it's coming. It will be known as CSD. It will consist of crippled hands, necks, and backs. Not good.
The software is still fun, creative, and best of all, sticker and glue-free. I can sit in bed at night with my laptop and scrapbook. I never pay for scrapbooking materials anymore. (Ch-ching. money saved.) I only pay for photo paper and page protectors. And ink cartridges of course. (You have to have a decent printer to pull this off.)
I do less pages, because you can fit more pictures on a page. Instead of 6 pages on a trip to the zoo, it's more like 2-3. You can make your pictures as big or as small as you want, change their shapes, coloring, add effects, crop, etc. I usually just pick a background or border, add my text, and I'm done. Voila. No chronic scrapbookers disease. Easy.
So this begs the question, why was I nearly two years behind on scrapbooking?
There is an answer.
We were cruising along, totally up-to-date each month in my books, chronicling our lives. Then a few years ago, my in-laws got us a SUPER COOL digital camera. We love it!!! It's awesome. But it was not compatible with my scrapbooking software. So I stopped. I didn't know what to do. I refused to go back to the old way. I refused to get pictures printed and payed for. So I just stopped. I became a delinquent scrapbooker. That wasn't me!!! I was so on top of things! I was so proud of my books! How did this happen to ME?
I would lay in bed at night and worry about how I would ever catch up. Almost a year and a half passed. What could I do? Rusty had bought me a different software to try to remedy the problem, but it was no good. My motherly self-esteem plummetted. You all know, we Moms don't need extra cause for the "mother guilt," as I call it.
Well this week, all has been set right. The 'lost years' have been restored. I have been a woman CRAZED! On a mission! Ask anyone who's been in my home this week. I have been eating, drinking, sleeping, and breathing scrapbooking. First, Rusty and I went and got the NEW Scrapbook Factory...but not the old program I had. No...it's DELUXE. They're not kidding about the Deluxe. It's so much better! Then, I just gave in and took all my CD's of pictures and stood at the machine at Target until it practically exploded. I printed out all the pictures over the lost years, and slid them into books. Not creative. Not fun. But done.
Then I scrapbooked starting with November 06, almost to the day we got the call about Treston, for our family book, and started Treston's life book. I'm in February now. I'm getting there! It feels so good!
I will sleep better at night. My inner Mom rating, which will always find a reason to be low, is on the rise. I think this is God's gift to the over-weary scrapbooker. Especially those with many children. And cute children! Come on, who can resist pictures of these kiddos!
So come over anytime and look at my books. I don't know if you'll think they're as cute as books done by hand, but you have to factor in the time, money, and energy saved.
My husband is a genius.
Mother's Day is coming up. Seriously, this will change your life!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Holy Cow! I so need this. I am about to finish our 2005 book, so I have to do 2006, 2007 and a baby book for daughter born last September.

Thanks for the tip!
Aimee Landreneau

Jennifer Bacak said...

Yes, Aimee, you need this!
There is hope for catching up!
Also, I forgot to mention that it only cost $40.
Should I get paid for this kind of endorsement, or what?
jenn

Anonymous said...

I passed the hint to my hubby. And I just saw it at Sam's for $30!

Aimee

Lisa Smith said...

You should totally get paid. I need an estimate. How many hours will it take me to catch up on five years, seven months and three births? (I have Julia's first year scrapped.)

I need to know there's still hope!

Jon and Sally said...

Oh my goodness. I thought I was brilliant! I had this whole invention in my head and had already projected millions in profit. Stink.
I must say I'm a little disappointed. But surely it was foolish of me to think I was the only one so bright to think of this amazing invention!
I want it!!
-Sally

Wait, tell me this: Do they have any pre-made scrapbooks like you can buy at hallmark (all you do is add the pics) but on your computer? Maybe I can keep the profit on this invention...

Anonymous said...

I have that & it is great!!!!! While I still scrap the old fashioned way, I love it & use it for other projects. Nicole

Jennifer Bacak said...

Lisa, maybe you should breakdown and do the print them out and slide them in to catch up, and then start your quick and easy scrapping with 2007. Otherwise, I feel too stressed for you!
I'm amazed at how much time Jax has spent looking at the books now! He loves this! He spent hours today studying all these pictures of him "in diapers."
So great!
jenn

Kendra said...

Okay, I have an idea. We don't have room for anymore scrapbooks. What about digital? I downloaded iScrapbook (for Mac) and I can save each image as a jpeg and then add it to an iMovie (slideshow) and then save as a DVD. I think my kids will just have to watch their scrapbooks on the TV. Although it would be easier if I could just design a program that allowed me to do it. Sally, wanna make millions with me???

Jennifer Bacak said...

Kendra, I've considered the digital books. That seems so easy! The only thing is my kids love to look at the books. I like that. But I would still consider the digital books a good option.
Who's making millions?
jenn