When I'm trying to make a decision, I talk to everyone, get tons of opinions, hem and haw, make a list of pros and cons, sit on it, pray about it, ask people their opinions again, etc. This process drives. JJ. crazy. Now, this decision I am pondering is NOT a matter of life or death by any means, but I'm still struggling with it.
Should I go digital with my scrapbooking or not?? Here's my list of pros and cons:
Pros:
*Convenience/storage -- everything in one place, taking up much less space. Scrapbooking night? I can just pack up our laptop. Get a creative bug on a Tuesday evening? I just need to head over to the computer. Right now it takes me so much time to organize my pictures, take out my stuff, lay it out, and get going that I basically never do it. Plus, our bedroom would be happy and less cluttered with a big corner of space open instead of stuffed to the gills with scrapbooking paraphernalia.
*Cost -- I'm not EXACTLY sure how cost efficient it would be, BUT I do know that I have lots of supplies (mostly paper, stickers, that sort of thing) that I have bought but not used. So, if you factor in the album, pages, page protectors, supplies (paper, stickers, pens, tape runners, and even the reusable things like punches and cutters), photos, etc., I feel like the one time cost of software plus a few digital packs here and there (at a cheaper cost than their traditional counterparts that can be used over and over again) would make it cost effective even with having to order the digital books to be made.
*Photos -- Not having to upload my pictures to Sam's Club, choose the ones I want, buy them, and end up not using many of them would be fabulous.
*Shelf space -- photo books take up way less room than the stuffed traditional ones I currently have
*Digital features -- being able to use as many J's as I need, not having to worry about using a fabulous sticker or page of paper only once, being able to resize stickers and other embellishments, "pens" never wearing out, etc.
Cons:
*I have SO MUCH STUFF -- It would be so sad to switch and not get good use out of all of this stuff I have accumulated over the years. I have new paper packs, tons of tools, a few storage bags, etc.
*That personal touch -- when I was pondering this the LAST time I thought about it, the thing that sealed the deal was my BFF TAF saying how special it would be for my kiddos/grandkiddos/etc. to be able to see my handwriting, see exactly how I wanted things placed, the size I chose, the hand placement, etc.
*Start-up cost -- let's face it, right now isn't the best time in my life to invest in something new for just a hobby.
*Ability to customize/personalize/economize -- I don't know how easy it would be to add memorabilia-type stuff (though truthfully I don't do too much of that in the first place), plus I STUFF my albums full -- we're talking AT LEAST two packs of pages but usually three. This would not be as easy with digital (or would for sure drive up the cost).
*Showing off unfinished products -- Even if I have only a few pages done, I can easily show them off to friends and family when I see them, which wouldn't be quite as easy with digital.
*Hands-on projects with MVJ -- MVJ already likes to punch out paper and play around with some of my supplies. This wonderful crafty interaction would not be as possible with digital.
*Crossing over into other crafts -- If I were to stop traditional THIS SECOND, I would still keep a fair amount of tools because I use them with my card making hobby as well.
My thoughts: I'd love to do it but there is this nagging feeling of my investment in the traditional supplies. If both money and space were not an issue whatsoever, I would do BOTH digital and traditional hands-down. I would probably do the kids' baby albums in traditional and do digital for everything else.
Soooo... what should I do?? : )
1 comment:
I totally hear you!
Here's my two cents just since you asked! :)
I would probably move to digital just because of the whole time/space/cost thing. I love making "real" scrapbooks but it takes up SO much space and unless you have a dedicated room it takes up so much time with set up and tear down. However, I do like the idea of doing the first baby book with "real" stuff.
As far as all of your extra "stuff" that you already have goes, you could always use that for things like making cards. Or, you could do what my girlfriend did for me and put together the scrapbooks without the pictures and give them as gifts. Then you don't have to worry about pictures or layout (since whomever gets it as a gift will just have to make it work with what they've got). My girlfriend gave me one for Lydia that had a page for every letter of the alphabet with some word that went with the letter and the first year. It was so fun! I got a great baby book that was personalized and all I had to do was add the pictures and a few handwritten notes(which is helpful for the frazzled new moms)!
Sorry for the super long comment!
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