What I learned by doing MOC 6

I have liked the technique and design challenges...kick me out of my comfort zone a little bit!

 

I love this so much!

 

I've been reflecting a lot on what I've learned! My biggest aha moment is that I don't need to spend huge chunks of time to create. That I can make a little time each day to record some memories for my family and me. I was hoping to use MOC as a chance to jump start my memory keeping again. I think I've got the kick in the pants that I've needed!

 

Being so new I have learned so much

I have learned a LOT about PS and how to do things, Change the shape of a journal box, dispersion, using opacity to your advantage and a few other tricks I cant think off the top of my head.

I also learned that although I love the minimal pages I CANT DO IT, I love adding and adding and adding.

I have also learned that some of the kits I bought because I love I find hard to use, some of the kits I have used NONSTOP

I think I am really finding my style and what I do and don't like.

 

I always learn with the MOC and also refocus on the things I know to do but neglect from time to time..

You are so correct re the journaling.. I need to do more pages with family stories, so my nephew will have family history. My brother and I (he is older) were talking during his visit this weekend and we were looking at old family photos.. he was like how do you know this? I am older and I don't know... I think as a girl we tend to listen more and because of nurturing these things stick... he was amazed at some of the things, like my Great Grandfather that I did the heritage page of on the 26th .. he never saw that photo, nor the story... these are why we scrap.. I really need to do more of this for my nephew for when he has a family he can carry the stories.

I learned a new technique re dispersion which can be fun. Also never look at things with a closed mind. You are only inhibited by yourself. Embrace challenges and overcome

As always I love the MOC. Sad there are only 2 days left, but if we can do MOC for 31 days, we can also do the monthly challenges.

One of my goals last year after doing the MOC was to complete the challenges every month. I believe I did that, even the 2 months that I guested, i did all 8 challenges each month.

Scrap, learn, have fun.. that is what it is all about!

 

I love how you worded all that @bonnenuit LOVE that I see so many trying styles that "aren't in their comfort zone" and they are growing & loving what they make! It's definitely a month to PLAY with scrap styles and perhaps get out of ruts or just cement the fact that your style is your style. It's all good to me! LOVE this month & all you guys! I get such a surge of creativity in January here. Last year I carried that through the whole year & this year I hope I can too!

I'm INFINITELY thankful for that first MOC because it kick started something in me to just CREATE in all styles & love it. MOC is a time for growth!

 

YES! This is my #1 take-away from MOC! I generally don't even try to scrap during the workweek - this month, it happened every single day, just because I found a little free time here and there. (And because I quit cleaning my house, but hey, sacrifices must be made!)

I usually shy away from challenges unless I can think of a practical way for how the page will "fit" into one of my ongoing projects. I was really worried that MOC would leave me with a lot of "just because" pages - which are fun to do, don't misunderstand me, but not how I want to spend my limited scrapping time. I should not have worried at all. I've finished off one of my kid's yearbooks, made a big dent in the others and in our family album and a trip album, started a second trip album that I'd been putting off for years for emotional reasons (somehow, using a new technique distracted me from the mixed feelings I had about the trip and let me capture the memory in a positive way), and started a brand new "family history/stories" project that I want to share with my whole extended family. I cannot wait to sit down on February 1st and make a list of all the companion pages and new pages I want to do that were spurred by this month's creations. And, even the handful of "just because" pages that I do have, I love and am glad that I did.

Just super grateful to TLP for putting this on - already looking forward to next year.

 

I've learned a lot of things this month like the fact that I'm too hard on myself. I started this year off thinking I wasn't any good and that I was scrapping the same old, same old, you know stuck in a rut of the same scrapping style. But throughout the month I've scrapped different styles and didn't realize it until a few days ago when it occurred to me the differences in each layout. I did each challenge, completed within the rules and my scrapping style varied from page to page. So while I thought I was scrapping the same style, I learned that I not really doing what I think as shown by looking through my layouts this month. I need to trust myself instead of doubting myself.

This MoC, I faced it differently---if I didn't finish, it wasn't the end of the world. If I finished, that would be awesome. But it wasn't something that I mandated myself to do like I did last year and that was stressful! Last year I stopped scrapping for most of Feb and March because I was burnt out from the stress of the month (it didn't help my son was hospitalized for almost a week during MoC). In April, when I was ready to scrap again, our life turned upside down and just recently it became rightside up! I don't want to do that again--go months without scrapping. Scrapping is therapeutic for me. It's a way to preserve this short life we have for many generations. So my approach this year (for MoC and in general) was completely different. Instead of mandating I MUST do this, I'm enjoying it and if I don't finish/meet the goal, it's not that important in the grand scheme of things. And I can honestly say, while not anticipating to do the MoC, I've had A LOT of fun and could keep going another 20-30 more layouts!

Another thing I learned is that I need to organize my photos. That is/was my goal for the new year, but with the MoC I didn't want to get too sidetracked organizing photos and not scrapping. So once the MoC is over, I will spend probably a few weeks in February dating/organizing my photos to get me caught up. Last year I took photos and dumped them in a folder with photos all over the place because we were so caught up with life. Now I need to go back and organize them so I can scrap the ups and downs of last year without searching for a photo for ten, sometimes longer, minutes!

One thing that I am working on this year is my shadowing and clustering. With this month I've been focusing on the shadowing of all of my layouts--the details. I've been learning the dodge/burn tool a little greater to give more of the realistic look. I think some layouts I did a really good job with, while others I need to improve. But it was/is neat to see how much I've grown this month with the shadowing--not so much the clustering as that's not changed very much!

For me, simple-style is hard to scrap. I did two layouts for that challenge. The first one, I didn't like. It made me upset to see it. It wasn't my best. So then I went to the gallery, studied the simple-style layouts and while I may not "get it", I "got it" and actually am pleased with the layout that I created. It's so beautiful even though I only used 4 elements! I don't know if it's because of the photo and what it means to me and the subject, or the simplicity. I don't know. I like it. I don't know if I can scrap like that all the time, but it was fun to try that style.

Last thing and then I'll end it, even if it's not the last thing that I learned this month. I learned to have fun with my layouts. Before this month, it was the same old, same old...I turn the computer on, scrap a page, post it to the gallery and that was that. This year, this month, it's throwing everything but the kitchen sink on my layout, moving it around and having fun with the layout. I'm enjoying each layout that I made and am truly sad when I finally call it finished!

I've learned a lot of about myself this month. I had fun and will be sad when February rolls around, but I am excited to see what the rest of the year brings! <3

 

For my first MOC, I had a lot of fun and learned a ton of things, too! Especially that I can scrap clean and simple and still love my page, if not more than my "fuller pages." I loved that some challenges felt like freebies while others were really challenging, like the Routine page. I never really thought about scrapping my daily routine and thought that one was going to be the end of my MOC days. LOL. I'm glad I stuck with it though.

I never journal or date things, with these challenges I learned that a simple date can really add the finishing touch to the story. I think I'll be adding more of these in the future.

To be honest, the doll one freaked me out. I love artsy but I have never gone that route of artsy, and I ended up really loving it. Listening to the music and just letting my self create was quite freeing.

Jenn's Mosaic challenge was so different and fun. I've already found myself creating another artsy page with it.

Overall, I learned that my style and taste of kits used to record memories has changed some. While some were just pure fun, most gave me a new sense of memory keeping, where the focus is on the photo, the story it tells, and the best way to preserve it versus the focus on the kit.

Thank you so much TLP! I will definitely play again next year.

 

I learned more about how I like to scrap.
I felt creative about making just about every challenge work for me so that I love all my pages.
I can go on vacation, away from my digiscrap tools and supplies, for 8 days and still complete MOC.
Mosaic is pretty cool and I might do it again.
I really don't care for paper dolls and probably never will use one of them again (unless it's for a future challenge).
Scrapping inside a shape, while sort of wasteful to print, looks neat.

I'm about to finish my 3rd MOC and I look forward to the next one already.
I think I'll be scrapping more than ever this year.

 

I think I've learned that scrapping is more than just something I love. Being creative is a true passion of mine. I love all of the challenges and I love that many are so different from year to year. Everyone who has posted in the gallery has shared a little bit of their creative soul and it's a privilege to be a part of that.

 

I don't even know where to begin, I've learned so much. The very first thing that popped into my head is that I've had so much confidence boosting.

MOC and the daily deep wonderful dive into the gallery and forum threads, seeing all the very diverse pages, reading other's woes/joys/proccess/etc has really really boosted my confidence! It has also shown me that the gallery is an even more priceless treasure than I'd realized!

 

I just have to echo what Julie said, I love this so much!!

Seriously, this whole thread made me smile!!

I learned that you can throw a hard challenge out there to you all and you tackle it with determination and persistence. I already knew this was the most amazing community around, but you all have reinforced that through each and every challenge. The way you have helped each other and cheered each other on is simply amazing! New members and old came together to help any and everywhere they could. Every sentence and every word here is why there is an MOC! Much love, hugs, and my deepest admiration to you all!

 

That's what I love most about MOC- 'you learn something new everyday' is SO true! I've been 'around the block' but find that not only do I learn new things, but that I'm inspired & encouraged more during MOC than any other time of the year!

 

@bonnenuit I have learned again how amazing the people that hang around here are, this thread makes me all happy inside, and just full of joy. Thank you for starting it, and your words touched me so much! I am wowed!

 

i learned about "content aware" fill in photoshop..#gamechanger

 

I love learning all of the new techniques!! I used pieces of the instructions from Jan's dispersion post and combined them with the mosaic technique just to see if I could do it, it's not the best page but I was happy with it.

I love the BINGO challenge b/c I like having options! Lots and lots of options!

I need to take more photos, even if the background doesn't look like a Better Home and Garden magazine house! And not just landscapes...but photos of MY people! Or even get out and do more street photography, but that can be hard with a little one in tow.

I still don't know what or if I even have a style or scrapping?? Probably busy LOL!

That if trips down memory lane are just too much one day, skip it and go back to it on a future date...it's not the end of the world.

Don't let the DH force me into using photos because I really don't care for that page at all...feels and looks forced! Not a good look.

 

I learned a ton about Photoshop Elements.
I learned that my photos need organizing.
I learned that a clean/minimal style is much harder that it looks.
I learned how to use styles, brushes and templates.
I learned that I should pay more attention when I take photos and try different angles.
I learned how awesome it is to click Close All when done and have nothing to clean up or put away.
I learned that this is a wonderfully talented and supportive group of people!