Aaack! The time is zipping by as I am getting ready for the arrival of far away family. I am so excited for my cousin from England to visit and I've been planning and prepping for meals and fun things to do. I've also been working feverishly on finishing my scrapbooking and getting up to date. I completed the Disney album (hubby was away and I powered through!) and then started on the backlog of family pictures. It has been going so well and it feels good to get current again - SO much easier to journal! The summer photos are in the album (one I had sitting on my shelf, I don't even remember the name of it!) and I've added extra pages to maximize the capacity, using up some strays I had lying around. It also feels good to use up what I have! Now that scrapbook is filled too and I'm starting on Fall memories.
Fortunately, I just placed an order with Creative Memories and should have a new book to continue on with tomorrow. I knew I couldn't miss out on the beautiful, new Sunset Orange Gather Together album. The coverset is gorgeous and 'features brilliant sunset orange bookcloth and is adorned with a stunning leaf design that shines in shades of oriental gold, copper and deep-orange foil'. I added the coordinating Gather Together Fast2Fab refill pages, mat pack, and paper packs. I find getting the whole set makes the process really quick without too much thinking! Hey, I get it done right?! I also added another album collection, Gallivant. It has amazing artwork and the colour scheme is perfect for me. Creative Memories has added so many fantastic albums and sets since I last placed an order. So tempting to buy them all but these two kits should last me a while. I find I use an album a year for 'regular' family photos and then add one or two for vacation albums. I adore the Fast2Fab concept and it has allowed me to keep on scrapbooking for all these years.
I noticed with this last album that at this stage of life, and in this era, my albums have changed quite a bit. Not only are there fewer photos from events and holidays, I have many more page spreads with singular pictures lifted from my kids' social media and taken from screenshots of silly snapchats they send. I am very thankful to be able to include these and they are often very quirky and funny. I know they appreciate them too since none of their snapshots actually ever end up printed. It's such a shame so I am certain they will all love having these completed scrapbooks in the future. It is so worth my time, effort, and money!
To end on an extremely satisfying and happy note, my son's girlfriend added a bunch of albums to my order. She is working on gathering her pictures and told my son that after checking out the retail brick-and-mortar stores, Creative Memories albums are what she wants and are the best. That just warmed my heart and I'm pretty sure looking at all my albums influenced and inspired her. When I pulled out all my punches and supplies her eyes lit up and she was super excited to get started! Yay!