::ANNA::

The Holiday Album 2011

The finished book arrived and Luke was willing, if not a little animated, in helping showcase some of the pages.

I had this particular book printed by Picaboo having purchased a voucher via Groupon.  After Shutterfly moved toward a more complex custom path I have been exploring other photo book printing options.

I have so far had books printed by Picaboo and Blurb and have been happy with both.  I like the quality of the Blurb book the best but I think they are expensive for books with fewer pages.  My books are prone to sticky fingers and I'm uncertain about their longevity with such rapid technological advancement in today's world.  

Affordability is a big factor for me, so much so, I'm likely to compromise a little on quality for a better price. Having created well over 30 photo books this has become my personal preference and I'm looking forward to trying out other photo book printing services.

I printed my photo books with Shutterfly for so many years that most of my photo book album templates are designed according to the Shutterfly specifications.  So far I have found these to work with both Blurb and Picaboo.  I ran into a small issue with the spine on the Picaboo book which was not diffcult to adjust.

My best advice when using Shutterfly-ready templates with other printing companies is to check the website for any custom specifications.  If you can't find this information on the company website, pursue the customer service route to ensure you get the right information before you book goes to print.  Mistakes in photo books are costly and can be avoided.

I just purchased another Groupon for Picaboo so I will definitely be using them again for future books.  

All in all...Very happy with my Holiday Album 2011 and thank you for following my process.

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Stay tuned for details on my next series.

The Holiday Album | Pages 18 through 20 and Page 1

Digital Supplies: ArtPlay Palette Santa Nicholas Add-On,

Digital Supplies:  ArtPlay Palette Santa's Elf, LoopDaLoop ArtStrokes No. 1, MagicFlares No. 1, MultiMedia Santas No. 1

Digital Supplies: ArtPlay Palette Retro Holiday, MultiMedia Christmas Trees No. 1

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New to the Holiday Album Project?  Please see previous posts here.

I finished up my album this weekend and it went to print today.  I'm hoping I might have it in hand for the final post of this series next week.

In this post, I am showcasing the last pages of my project which include a spread about the presents as well as two single pages to begin and end the album.

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Presents | Page 18 and 19

1.  Repetition.  This spread showcases the highlights of our Christmas morning and you will notice that many of techniques shared in this series are once again employed in this page.  I establish patterns and the techniques I will use throughout the album in the first pages of my albums. These techniques are repeated with slight variation to quickly and efficiently achieve a frsh but cohesive album.  

Each of my pages feature consistency in terms of both the photos and the supplies.

• Photos are showcased in both color and black/white
• Supplies come from a handful of product sets and some are used more than once on multiple pages
• Each page features LoopDaLoop ArtStrokes and/or paint
• Fonts are consistent throughout the album
• Flares appear on most if not all pages

I often find myself adopting techniques and adapting my process during the creative flow of album.  A lot of this is experimental.  When a technique sticks and appears on multiple pages, I ensure consistency throughout the entire album by assessing all pages together at the end of the process.  It's not unusual for me to revisit and make adjustments to the first pages in the album after the project is complete.

2.  Text.  Repeated use of the same fonts keep the album looking cohesive but I also adapt text in templates to work with my photos and what I want to say without compromising on quality.  I not only move text boxes but will also change the shape of text boxes to make them better accommodate my journaling.

In this album, I had a lot of photos to work with which meant photos often assume the spaces designated on my layout for text, forcing me to find a new home for my journaling:

• Move the text over a photo featuring "white space" or a solid background.  If none of your photos have this white space, you can easily create your own by using a MagicFlare, transfer, paint or label placed over an image where the details are not vital to the story-telling.
• Add a Layer Style to the text such as a Drop Shadow or an Outer Glow to emphasize your journaling.
• Duplicate a single text box to create multiple text boxes to house your journaling.

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Details | Page 20

The last page of my album is always a round-up page that either concludes my album and/or provides a place for a random collection of photos not already included in subsequent pages.  This technique is a tidy way to tie up loose ends and make sure I have not excluded any important details or imagery.

Memories | Page 1

I always complete the first page of my album last.  The first page is an introduction to the album and I always have better clarity as to the main themes and the over-riding message I want to convey to the reader.

In this particular album,  the smile and joy of the season was the main focus of my project and so the photo seemed of Luke biting the head of a gingerbread cookie seemed fitting.  Not only does the photo make me smile but the headless gingerbread man in front of his lips could be construed as a smile.  

Selecting the right photo to introduce an album is as important as a good introduction to a book but you may have to compromise on occasion.  White this photo portrays the right message it features Luke only, and as a Mom, I'm always mindful about representing my children equally in my scrapbooking.  Introduction either include both or neither one of them.  I aimed to balance this out by including a large photo of Ella on the last page.

Do what you can with what you have and let the rest go. 

The Holiday Album | Pages 14 through 17

Digital Supplies:  ArtPlay Palette Sophistica, Christmas WordART  No. 6, LoopDaLoop ArtStrokes No. 6, Silver SnowFlakes No. 1 (recolored to gold)

Digital Supplies: ArtPlay Palette Retro Holiday, MagicSprinklez No. 2,  LoopDaLoop ArtStrokes No. 6, MagicFlares No. 1

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New to the Holiday Album Project?  Please see previous posts here.

I'm quickly heading towards the completion of my Holiday album and I'm electing to showcase 2 double-page spreads in this post. This is partly because I had a little extra time this weekend and am keen to complete the album, but also at this point I'm repeating many of the techniques explained in previous posts to this series in order to complete the remaining pages.

In this post, I will continue to focus on my process for completing each page drawing attention to those techniques of interest and/or not yet explained.

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Lights | Pages 14 and 15

I confess that we didn't quite get around to putting up the outdoor Christmas lights this year.  I nevertheless had plenty to play with inside and had some fun practising some of the techniques taught by Katrina Kennedy in Capture Your Holidays through the Lens. 

1.  Subject Matter.  When your title doesn't fit your photos in the conventional sense, either think outside a box and get creative with a play on words, or simply change the title.

2.  Merge Masks.  In this template, there are two adjoining masks which can be used independently to showcase 2 photos, one on each page, or merged to create a single mask.  Move the layers from page 14 and 15 to one 12 X 24 inch canvas as outlined in the first pages of this series.  Move the mask layers so that one is above the other in the Layers palette.  Select the top layer of the 2 layers and go to Layer> Merge Down to create a single layer combining both the masks.

3.  Recolor Papers.  If the colors of your chose papers are not coordinating with your photos, make them work by making color adjustments.  Recoloring saves time by eliminating the need to try out numerous other paper that may not work either.  I applied a yellow tint to the ArtPlay Palette Sophistica papers by checking the Colorize box in the Hue and Saturation palette and adjusting the Hue slider to change the color hue.

4.  Over-sized Titles.  Consider placing a large decorative complementary title over one of the large masks.

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People | Pages 16 and 17

1.  Balance Elements.  When you add one or more elements to a page, place a complementary element or group of element on the opposing page to tie the two pages together.  This approach works particularly well when the elements are positioned diagonally from one another.

2.  Stroked Frames.  Each of the templates includes one or more fine-lined frames.  You have a few options with these frames.

• Invert the color of these frames from black to white, or color of your choice.  
• Move them around within a template and from one template to another.  
• Create your own frames.

The Holiday Album | Pages 12 and 13

Digital Supplies: ArtPlay Palette Santa's Elf, PaintedHearts No. 2, LoopDaLoop Arrows No. 2, MagicFlares No. 1, DifferentStrokes No. 8

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New to the Holiday Album Project?  Please see previous posts here.

Pages 12 and 13 of The Holiday Album document the joy during Christmas 2011.  I could have selected photos from multiple events as I have done n previous pages but I elected instead to focus on the details of one event.  In this post I want to expand on some of the previous techniques in this series, share a merged mask technique, element placement and matting papers.

1.  Merged Masks.  In pages 4 and 5 I explained my technique for adding/subtracting masks from a template.  This allows you modify your templates to better accommodate your preferences as well as the number and orientation of your photos.  I replaced 2 square masks with one large landscape-orientated mask in 3 places in my layout to better accommodate my photos.

You can also merge 2 or more masks to create a single mask.  When a photo is clipped to this merged mask the photo will be clipped to both the masks.  I performed this technique with 2 masks but you can merge as many mask as you like.  For example, merge all the masks on page 12 to create an interesting mask suitable for one large photo.

2.  Element Placement.  Place a your element in a visual triangle. I also like to place a duo or trio of similar elements,such as brads or buttons, in a horizontal or vertical line.

3.  Matting Papers.  Frame papers and create visual separation from a similar colored-background by placing transfers behind papers clipped to masks.  Bold-colored transfers were placed behind the clipped paper pieces to create visual interest and provide contrast.

How are your pages coming along?

The Holiday Album | Pages 10 and 11

Digital Supplies: ArtPlay Palette Santa Nicholas Add-On No. 1, MagicFlares No. 1, LoopDaLoop ArtStrokes No. 1, DifferentStrokes No. 8

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New to the Holiday Album Project?  Please see previous posts here.

Pages 10 and 11 of The Holiday Album showcase my favorite Holiday decor photos for Christmas 2011.  In this post I want to expand on some of the previous techniques in this series and talk about the use of brushes in this layout.

1. Adjust the template.  Subtract and replace masks in the template to meet the needs of your photos as explained this post.  I deleted the first mask on the first pages of the template, and shifted the one beneath it downwards so that I  could create a larger mask.  I used the Rounded Rectangle tool from the Tools palette to create a new mask with a corner radius of 150 pixels.

2. Attention to color.  Create a visual triangle or similar pleasing arrangement of colors as you would dimensional embellishments as outlined in ArtsyTraditional | Adding Dimensional Embellishments. Arrangements that oppose the linear nature of a scrapbook page and draw the eye diagonally across the page work really well.

Yellow.

Green.

Red.

Note.  My selection of artsy papers coordinate with the colors in my images and help tie the different pieces of the layout together. Notice how they diagonally lead the eye across the page.  This is one of the first pages in a few weeks where I have had masks available after clipping my photos.

3.  Brushwork.  The papers clipped to the mask negate the need to add multicolor transfers behind my photos.  Remember, the aim of embellishing layouts with papers and elements is to support and showcase the photos without overwhelming them.  Papers + Transfers = Overkill.

In place of transfers, I have used simple black brushwork.  The black paint gives a clean layout an artsy look and feel.  The LoopDaLoop ArtStrokes are a great way to create visual motion and either lead the eye to specific area on a layout or emphasize an area on a page by encompassing it.  I often use LoopDaLoops to frame or *point to* a favorite photo, or visually connect 2 adjoining pages.

Note.  Again the diagonal brush placement juxtaposed against the linear arrangement of the photos and papers.

It's a matter of connecting invisible dots.  What shapes are you creating on your layouts?

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We're officially half way through our album.

The Holiday Album | Pages 8 and 9

Digital Supplies: ArtPlay Palette Sophistica, Happiness WordTransers No. 1, MagicFlares No. 1,

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New to the Holiday Album Project?  Please see previous posts here.

Pages 8 and 9 of The Holiday Album are entitled Festivities, and I'm pressing on with the album in the order it was designed.  In this post I want to revisit some of the techniques for selecting the right photos for the masks available in any given template and talk about the different ways you can use transfers in your pages.

1. The masks.  The square masks in the first page of this spread are easy to work with.  Most photos can easily accomodate the square shape format.  Note how I have created a checkerboard effect with the black/white and color photos.

The masks on the second page, however, are long and thin and can be more challenging to work with if you have a lot of photos.  

• Clip digital papers to them to provide maximum focus to the small square photo.
• Adjust the masks as I have done.  The options for making changes to the masks in templates are outlined in this post.
• Select photos that will best accomodate these long thin masks.  Look for images in which the important details are located in a narrow vertical line, such as landscapes, tall and thin objects or subject such as a tree or a standing person.  I also like to use portraits.  The long thin masks obscure some of the features providing focus to others.  Work with what you have.

2.  The transfers.  I have more photos than I need for this album necessitating the use of all my masks for photos so I have had to get a little more inventive to include some artsy components on each of the pages. Transfers are a quick and easy way to jazz up any layout.  I like to think of them as multi-color rub-ons with blended edges that have multiple purposes.

• Place them behind your photos to create a custom arsty background.  Notice how the placement of the transfers on my page draws the eye from the bottom left corner diagonally to the top righthand corner.
• Mix artsy transfers and/or wordtransfers with other elements such as brushes or more dimensional embellishements.
• Clip transfers to papers already clipped to a mask.
• Clip a transfer to a photo clipped to a mask.  This can be particularly functional if your photo does not completely cover the mask as might be the case with some of the masks in the second page of the template.
• Replace a mask with a transfer and use as an embellishment, a journaling block, are you could get really artsy and blend an image onto the transfer.

Would love to hear how you're getting along with your pages/labums?  What aspects of this album are you struggling with?  What are you enjoying most about this process?

The Holiday Album | Pages 6 and 7

Digital Supplies:  ArtPlay Palette Santa's Elf, MagicFlares No. 1, DifferentStrokes No. 8

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New to the Holiday Album Project?  Please see previous posts here.

Pages 6 and 7 of The Holiday Album are entitled Magic.  I decided to adopt the *Magic* title of this double page spread and made just a few slight adjustments to the second pages as explained previously in this series.  I always think of *magic* as being synonymous with flares and sparkles and so it's a great opportunity to explain 5 techniques that can be used using any of the MagicSparkles products. 

I have used the MagicFlares No. 1 in my layout but the following techniques can be used interchangeably with the other MagicSparkle products in the series. These include, but are not limited to, Sparkles, FotoGlows and Flares.  

1.  Mask. Use the MagicSparkle to hide an area of a photo you would like to make less visible.  In this case, I took the photo with a wide aperture.  The result is that Santa is in focus but Ella and Luke are not. I have subtly masked their silhouettes with a flare, choosing a fiery red to complement the presence of that color on the opposing page.  

It's always a good idea to create a new layer for each brush stroke to ensure maximum flexibility for future edits to your pages.  It's also rewarding to make a point of experimenting with blending modes.  The more you use them the more familiar you will become with how they perform. In this layout, the Hard Light blending mode was applied to the MagicFlare layer by making the appropriate selection from the drop-down menu in the Layers palette.

Note:  You can improve the effect of any blending mode by adjusting the sliders under the Levels controls in Photoshop or Elements.  This will alter the brightness, contrast, hue and saturation of the element on the layer to yield more pleasing results.

2.  Fill.  Position a MagicSparkle to fill a void in an image and create interest. This photo exhibits a large area of carpet.  In placing the MagicFlare over this area of the image I'm able redirect the eye to the subject matter of the image.  

I stamped the MagicFlare on a new layer in a complementary bright yellow and set the blending mode of the layer to again set the blending mode to Hard Light to increase he intensity.  Notice that I have placed the brightest part of the flair over one of my subject's arm.  This lends the impression that the light is being reflected resulting in a magical glow.

3.  Multiply.  Use one or more MagicFlares with differing colors and blending modes to achieve multiple effects.  The white and yellow MagicFlares were each stamped on separate layers.  The Screen blending mode was applied to the yellow layer to create a softer and more subtle light source. This layer was then duplicated which enhances the *glow* effect.   The blending mode of the white MagicFlares remains unchanged at the default Normal blending mode.

4.  Unify.  Use one or more MagicSparkles to unify two opposing pages The white and yellow MagicFlares create the perfect bridge, leading the eye from the black and white photo on the first side of the spread to the color image on the next page.

5.  Edit.  Use brushes to customize and erase areas of the MagicFlares.  This is best achieved with a large soft round brush or a gradient mask. The MagicFlares were added in the same colors and with the same blending modes as described in technique 3.   I applied a layer mask to the MagicFlare layer and used a gradient mask to partially erase the layer.  You could also use the AnnaBlendz Basics No. 1.

Have fun with these MagicSparkle Techniques and post your pages here.

The Holiday Album | Pages 4 and 5

Digital Supplies:  Holiday Album No. 1, ArtPlay Palette Sweet Christmas, Celebrate WordTransfers No. 1 (share), Descriptives WordTransfers No. 1 (perfect), MagicFlares No. 1, DifferentStrokes No. 8

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New to the Holiday Album?  Please see the previous posts to this series here.

I'm continuing to progress through the album in order and this week I tackled pages 4 and 5 of the The Holiday Album entitled *Deliciousness*.

I took on the most obvious meaning of this title but feel free to get creative, think laterally or change the editable title text as you see fit.  Note that you are also not bound by the font, size or color of text in each template and can make adjustments as desired.  I recommend you pick a font, size and color for your titles and stick with it throughout the album in order to establish a sense of continuity.

The techniques.  The following techniques are employed in addition to the repetition of the suggestions provided in The Holiday Album | Page 1 and 2.

Photo placement.  How do you decide which photo should be clipped to which mask?  There is no right or wrong answer ans is largely dependent on your preference, as well as much trial and error.  I like a mix of black and white photos, as explained in last weeks post, but heere are a few more techniques to try:

1. Attention to color. Consider the complexity of colors in each photo as you place your photos.  Does your photo have a few colors or many competing colors?  Use this information to place your photos. Ideally you want to mix the color-complex photos, with black and white, or images with fewer colors.  This prevents visually overstimulating the eye.

My first attempt at the second page of this layout had 2 very *busy* photos together which visually does not work.  The large size of each photo, the competing bright colors and the sheer amount of visual information in each image creates an obvious design conflict.

I switched the cookie photo above with an image sporting fewer colors which, with the support of the black and image, returns to the focus to the complexities of the gingerbread house.

2.  Resize your photos.   Try varying the size or scale of your images so you have masks that sport macro-style shots as well as those images that tell a much bigger story.  Creating a mix between close-ups which focus on a small part of an image, as well as a complete photo, creates visual interest and works in your favor to build a more complete story.  

Macro-images also make a great substitute for digital patterned paper.  Notice that I have used all my masks in these templates for photos only.

I moved the cookie image to the first page of the spread where it still proves to conflict with the neighboring photos.  This is in part due to the colors being completely different from those in the other photos but it is also placed right next to another complex photo in terms of color and pictoral information.

I could have moved the photos around but chose instead to change the scale of the photo.

One if the advantages of using clipping masks is that you can move your image around after it has been clipped to the mask to find your best fit.  I finally settled on the area of the image that shows just one cookie in the photo.  This minimizes the color misfit while still allowing me to include the photo.  I also know I have more photos of these cookie in a different setting with a differing story intended to appear on other pages in this album. The beauty of pre-planning! 

3.  Adjust the template.  Sometimes your photos will not fit the template and you will need to make adjustments to meet your photo requirements.  I make adjustments when I'm not willing to compromise in terms of the color, size or orientation of a specific photo.  For example, clip a portrait photo to a square mask and you are going to lose information.

This problem can be fixed by adding or substracting masks from a template.  In this case I replaced 2 square masks and created one portrait style mask to better accommodate the image.

Use the Rounded Rectangle tool located in the Tools Palette in Photoshop and Elements to create a portrait style mask with a radius of 150 pixels.  I recommend you use your rulers and/or guides to ensure maximum accuracy.  You can also use a mask of the same size from one of the other Holiday Album templates and rotate accordingly to position as needed.  Make sure the drop shadow on the new mask is the same as the others to provide continuity.

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Digital supplies.  The colors in my photos and the number of photos I want to use in a page determine the selection of digital supplies.

1. Color Selection.  Choose supplies that support the colors in your images and use these colors to create balance or guide the eye from one area of the layout to another.

Two examples:

• Notice how the yellow spraypaint on the edge of the first page and the button on the second page coordinate and support the color of the roast potatoes and the candy on the gingerbread house allowing the eye to be guided from one page to the next.
• The red stripes and button work in a similar fashion to create continuity between the red candy on the gingerbread house and further incorporates the *problem* cookie photo.

Photo-Supply Ratio.  Generally the more photos you have, the fewer supplies you need.  If you find you have no remaining masks after adding your images, consider adding transfers, masks and/or overlays behind or on top of your images to add a little arsty flair.

Memory keeping is a matter of working with what you have and preserving it in a way that is functional and pleasing to you.  I often think of photos as puzzle pieces. You would never dream of altering the pieces to make them fit the puzzle. There is always a way to put them together.  You just have to use a little trial and error combined with a few tricks to figure out how.

Please post your pages in the AnnaGallery.

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Next Tuesday: The Magic (Pages 6 and 7)

The Holiday Album | Pages 2 and 3

Digital Supplies:  The Holiday Album No. 1, MagicSprinklez No. 2, ArtPlay Palette Retro Holiday

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Hello Holiday Album 2011.  

This is the first double page spread in my album.

Note.  I always create the first page last when I have completed all pages in my album.  This allows me to select the most fitting photos and create an introductory page that better reflects the contents of the finished book.

The aim.   To create a quick simple album that provides focus on the photos and support them with notable details and a little art.

The process. I have chosen to create my pages in the order that they appear in the album.  You have the choice to approach the album in a way that best suits your preference:

• Follow the order of the templates exactly as they appear in the album.
• Work on the themes as they inspire you.
• Select templates that best suit the orientation of your photos and mix/match/edit the title labels accordingly.
• Adopt a different process that works best for you.

The techniques.  Repetition of basic techniques with slight variations creates a cohesive but interesting album or photobook.

1.  Create a new layout. This layout should be able to accommodate 2 pages. If you are creating a 12 X 12 project your new canvas will be 24 X 12 inches at 300 DPI.  If you prefer a smaller book, you will need to re-size each template from 12 X 12 inches to 8 X 8 inches and create a 16 X 8 inch canvas at 300 DPI.  I like the larger size when working with a larger number of photos and reserve smaller sized albums for 1-3 photo layouts.

Open the 2 coordinating templates you want to work with and move the layers for each template onto the appropriate side of the new canvas.  Both templates are now side-by-side as they would appear in the album.  You may also wish to consult this tutorial.

2.  Clip the photos you have organized by theme to the masks in the template. Notice that I have not edited my photos.  This gives me more flexibility when I'm working with a photo on a layout.  I also find batch editing both monotonous and time-consuming, and decided a long time ago I would rather use that time to create more pages.

When selecting a photo for each mask, consider the orientation of the photo in relation to the mask.  For example, a portrait photo is better suited to a portrait style mask.  I also prefer favorite or more meaningful photos to take center stage on layouts and therefore occupy the larger masks in the template.  

3.  Edit the photos using your preferred method.  I usually run the NeatImage plugin from within Photoshop to reduce the noise in photos taken in low light.  I also adjust the Curves (Image>Adjustments> Curves) to add light to my photos and improve contrast in color.

I am also a big fan of using a combination of color, and black and white photos.  I like the contrast this creates in a photo collage and it's a great way improve the look of images with either a strong yellow cast or reduce the number of colors in a layout.  Less is more.

4. Add embellishment and text.  Introduce digital papers and clip them to any remaining masks in your layout and add a limited number of elements and/or transfers.  You are aiming to strike the balance in adding enough to support your photos, but not so much that you end up overwhelming them.

I go-to formula looks a little like this:  a couple of transfers behind the photos, 1-3 dimensional elements and a little bit of sparkle.

Next Tuesday.  The Deliciousness (Page 4 and 5)

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After-Christmas SALE

By request I'm having an After-Christmas Sale on all my Christmas digital products to that you can stock up on all the products you might need for this project.  

I'm offering a 30% discount on all my Christmas digital products beginning January 9, 2012 at Midnight EST through Januray 16, 2012 at Midnight EST.  

This sale will run a little differently than previous sales.  You will notice that all products on sale have been placed in a special Christmas Sale category.  Please note that the discount on these products will only be visible after the item has been placed in the cart and you view cart.  

Let me know if you have any questions.

The Holiday Album | More Organization

Christmas has come and gone.  It was a good one.  Simple and informal.  Just the way we like it.

I also loved that I was able to live in the moment and capture them intuitively.  I didn't take too many photos running up to Christmas but certainley made up for it with about 1000 photos between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  I also had quite a bit of fun with some of the techniques shared in Katrina Kennedy's Capture Your Holidays class.

I now want to document it how I remember it.

This week I have continued the process of photo organization and preparation to ensure that I have been through all of my photos.  It's worth looking at them at least twice.  I have also moved the ones I want to use into the album folders I created before Christmas. 

A few observations noted during this process:

1. Quantity of photos.  If you took as many photos as I did, you'll have to accept you won't be able to use all the photos you want to use in this one album.  Pick your best, favorite and/or most meaningful shots, whichever one applies most to you, leaving the remainder to make their way onto pages for your yearly album or other projects.  

I selected a variety of favorites based how how meaningful they were to me.  Most are moments from the season that I want to preserve to remember in future years but there are also quite a few selected as a result of the assignements received during Katrina's class.  I anticpate that there will be a good mix of photography styles, and levels, represented in my own album. Not every photo has to, or should be, technically perfect.  The photos we take are a reflection of our lives and I believe the most realistic approach is to embrace the imperfection.

2. Categories.  The categories in The Holiday Album have been designed to help rather than hinder you. Each page title should guide your photo selections.  That said, if the page titles are not working for the photos you have, the text is editable and can be easily changed.

I also found that many of my photos could have gone into more than one category.  It's up to you whether you create pages with random snapshots from differing time periods, as I intend to do, or follow a more chronological approach by keeping sequences of photos together.  Make a decision, categorize the photo and move onto the next one, otherwise you'll never actually get around to starting the fun part of this project.

3. Digital Supplies.  The goal of this album is to provide a simple visual representation of your Holiday 2011 with a few supporting words.  The amount of digital product you use will depend on the number of photos you have and your personal preference/style.  As a general rule of thumb, the more photos I have, the less digital product I use.  This allows me to maintain a level of visual balance in my pages.  For this particular project I anticipate a LOT of photos so I intend on adding a few elements and brushes only. Papers will be used to fill a mask only when there is a lack of photos.

I usually create a temporary supplies folder in the same location in which I'm also saving the page .psd files for a project.  I copy pre-selected supplies into this folder to limit my choices and allow a much faster pace of page creation.  I intend to use ArtPlay Palettes Sophistica, Retro Holiday and Santa's Elf.

4. Decisions.  Much if the photo organization process involves making decisions.  The inability, delay or complete avoidance of making such decisions is both a waste of valuable creating time and is crippling to the end desired result of a completed album.  In the face of no definitive right or wrong answer, pick the one you like best at that given time, and move forward to the next step. If you look at the big picture, it's not really going to matter which photo goes on what page or what supplies you settle on, but it will matter if this album project never makes it onto your coffee table.

I will be ready to begin sharing my pages next week with blog posts every Tuesday until the album is complete.  Also keep your eye out next week for a SALE on all Christmas products to help you complete your album.