It's a new year so that means time to reflect on what we did last year and figure out what we'll do different this year. I know at the top of my list are always some scrappy goals to get more done, stay organized, and do more fun activities with my family so I can get more and better photos.

Here are some challenges to get you started on meeting your scrappy goals in 2009!

A Photo A Day or a A Page A Day
Set a goal to take a photo every day. This makes you get your camera out and make memories from the “everday”. You can adapt to the be less than a photo a day if you want. For example, I am setting a goal to make one day trip to a fun touristy place in So Cal every month. So as part of that I want to try to get better pics on those trips so I have something to scrap. Also, Xaver and I each have cameras now so I want to try to “tell the story” from two different perspectives when I scrap this year as well.

For the last few years I've set a goal to create 365 pages a year. This is part of an on-going chalenge in WhoGAS and most years I am succesful but last year I was not. The idea is if you have alot of photos to catch up on or are scrapping for multiple people besides your own kids (like me) then it is a good way to try to get caught up. You don't literally have to scrap every day but set a goal to get 365 pages done.

Use an Idea Book
There are lots of idea books with challenges:

  • Elsie's 52 Scrapbooking Challenges…
  • 40 Moments to Scrapbook…
  • The book from the Effer Dares girls…
  • And TONS more…

Take the number of ideas in the book and divide it by the month or weeks in a year to figure out how many challenges to do and how often. Then schedule some time each week to get a page done. WhoGAS, the group I am in, is doing the Elsie 52 Challenges. That is a challenge a week and it is 52 more pages that will get done this year!

Join an Online Challenge
Lots of online scrapbooking stores have forums and people on those forums host challenges. Scrapbook.com , SO Cal Scrap, and 2Peas both have LOTS of challenges going on all year long. You can even join a Yahoo Group for challenges. Set a goal to join one or more challenges every month, then when you scrap use the guidelines from the challenge like an assignment to get your pages done. Many challnges challenge you to try new products and techniques or even to use 100% scraps so there is something for everyone!

Enter Contests
I go to PubCalls every few weeks to check out what contests are being offered by various manufacturers and websites. Then I go to the contest and either see if I have a page that already fits the requirements or I use the requirements as an assignment to get a page done. Worst case scenario is that you get another page done. Best case, you win the prize! And with everyone being on a tight budget, this is a great way to get more supplies!! For free!

Stay Organized
There are lots of ways to do this but the biggest one is to clean up regularly. If you bring in something new, something old has to go out. That means either you use up some supplies before you buy new ones to put in their place, give them away, or sell them in a yard sale or online. And when putting away supplies after working on a layout, put them away completely. I tend to leave stuff in bags piled up or just throw things in drawers without putting them away properly. Taking that additional one second to “do it right” makes all the difference, preventing you from spending HOURS later on reorganizing every thing. And isn't is inspiring to work in a clean, organized space?

Here's to Happy Creating in 2009!!

Author: Jennifer Priest

It started with jewelry, beading, sewing, home decor, painting, basket weaving, pottery, and cross-stitch. Marry that to an entrepreneurial spirit & at 9 years old a girl is selling her wares at craft fairs as far as her parents and grandparents would drive her. These days, Jennifer enjoys crafts of all genres from sewing to scrapbooking to jewelry with a little dabbling in the mixed media world. Her style is approachable and she wants everyone who sees her work to feel that they too can embrace creativity and make their home and life beautiful.

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2 thoughts on “Five Fridays #19 – Five Challenges To Get More Out of 2009

  1. Great ideas!!

    Posted on January 2, 2009 at 11:42 pm
  2. Lovely ideas Jennifer, I have signed up fo Learn Something New everyday now Journal my Christmas is finished… so should make a dent in the stash mountain!!

    Posted on January 3, 2009 at 3:25 am