Book Of Me

by Janelle

I can guess what you're thinking... I already can't keep up with all the pictures of my kids (or my vacations or my friends, etc.)... I am falling further behind every day! Why on earth would I want to start yet another album? And all about ME?? I just don't have the time for that.

Believe me, I can understand the feeling that you'll never catch up ~ I feel the same way every time I glance at my stacks of unscrapped photos! But I AM going to suggest that you start a Book of Me (BOM) anyway! Why on earth would you do such a thing? Well, first of all, go and take a good long look at yourself in the mirror. No matter what you feel about what you see there, keep this in mind: There is only one of YOU. You may look like your Great-aunt Bertha or sound just like your sister on the telephone. You may have tons in common with your very best friend... or even with the stranger down the street. Yet, you are unique. There is only one person in this world with your exact life experiences and memories and thoughts and dreams and hopes... you! And, if you are like the typical scrapbooker, you are the one person who is often missing from your albums.

Now, imagine for a moment that it is one hundred years in the future. Your great-great-great-grandchildren are looking through the scrapbooks that you have made. They love looking at all the old photos and reading about the "good old days". They can find out all sorts of information about your children in the books... but what do they know about you, the person who created those books? They can see that you were talented and creative, and that you loved your children... but that's about it. Wouldn't it be wonderful if there was another book they could look at, one that tells all about you? Wouldn't it be wonderful if you had a book like that to read, created by one of your ancestors or loved ones?

BOMs aren't just for future generations to enjoy. Even if you have no children, and don't plan to ever have any, a BOM can be enjoyed by friends, spouses, other family members, and even yourself! I kept a diary throughout my teenage years, and, boy ~ is it fun to read through that now! I think it will be just as fun to read journaling I've written as a thirty-something woman when I am forty-something or beyond. A BOM tells the story of you... and who better to tell that story than you, yourself?

It's easy to get overwhelmed when you want to start a BOM. I'm (insert your age here) years old... how can I make a book about all those years? All those pictures, all those memories... where and how do I START? Well, you CAN start with your birth, and then work your way up chronologically, if that's how you would prefer to do it. I think it's easier, though, and less overwhelming, to simply pick a topic that interests you and start with that. A BOM doesn't have to be chronological. Maybe you would rather start with a layout about your childhood friends, or a layout listing your favorite kinds of music, or a layout describing the things that are most important to you right now, today.

When you begin your BOM (or even before you begin), I highly recommend reading Angie Pedersen's The Book of Me. Also, if you get the chance to take a class taught by Angie Pedersen, I encourage you to take it! I was lucky enough to take one of her classes at the Iowa Scrapbook Extravaganza in Sept. 2003. Both the book and the class have provided me with tons of wonderful layout ideas and information, and, most importantly, the inspiration to create my own BOM.

I typically write much more journaling on my BOM pages than on my other layouts. That shouldn't really be a surprise... after all, it's a book about me, a topic I'm very familiar with! Also, I have several pages with no pictures... that means lots of journaling to help create pictures in the readers' minds! I've found it helpful to start with my BOM journaling before I even lay out the rest of the page. The photos are important, yes, and the embellishments will make the layout pleasing to the eye, but the most important thing is the STORY. I begin by jotting down a few notes, things I want to be sure to include. Then I start writing. I try not to edit the writing at first ~ just get it all out on paper. Once I've done that, I read through it, rearrange and edit it as needed, and then re-write (or re-type) it for the layout.

One important tip that I got from Angie Pedersen (which is good to remember with all of your scrapbooks, not just your BOM) is that, once when you've completed a page, try not to get discouraged and overwhelmed with all the layouts you have yet to do. Instead, pat yourself on the back and think, Congratulations! That's one layout done that didn't even exist before. It's one piece of information that others wouldn't have had otherwise, one special treasure for loved ones to enjoy someday.

Click here to get your own copy of Angie Pedersen's book.