Journaling - The Heart Of Scrapbooking

by Caroline Lensbower

The world of scrapbooking has really grown over the past few years. There are now many wonderful tools and supplies available to the ever-growing number of scrapbookers. While the many new supplies available help us make really creative and beautiful pages in time-saving ways, many scrapbookers continue to struggle with journaling on their scrapbook pages.

In the scrapbook classes I teach, many of my students have expressed their hesitation (and in some cases dread) of journaling. I consistently hear, "I never know what to write". Journaling is so dear to my heart. It is what sets a scrapbook apart from a photo album in my mind. It is the heart of scrapbooking - the written record of those memories we want to cherish forever. I hope this article will help you to feel more comfortable journaling on your scrapbook pages and provide you with ideas to get those journaling juices flowing.

My first piece of advice is to approach journaling by being prepared. We all lead very busy lives. Often we don't get the time to scrap the pages for an event until much time has passed. It is easy to forget the little details you want to remember. I recommend you purchase a few tiny spiral-bound notebooks. Keep one in your car, one in your purse, and one handy in your house - maybe by your bedside. Use these notebooks to record the details of events as they happen - just brief notes that will ensure you don't forget anything that you might want to add to a scrapbook page. Recording in a notebook kept by your bedside can easily become a bedtime ritual - just noting anything special from the day that you would like to record.

Once you develop the pictures from an event or date, place your notes from your notebook with the pictures (along with any other memorabilia you would want to include on your scrapbook page). That way it will all be together when you finally find the time to scrap your pictures. Your journaling notes should make it easy to add the journaling to your page.

You may still be asking, "But what should I record in my journaling notebook?". Here are some ideas…

The details from the event. Think about the 5 W's - who, what, when, where, & why.

Include the time before and after the event - did anything interesting happen there that you would like to include?

Interview other family members for their favorite memory of the event. Note these in your journaling, ie. David says his favorite part of our trip was catching frogs by the lake.

Tell it as a story using a "Once upon a time…" format.

Include not just the facts, but how you felt about it.

I would also encourage you to add your thoughts about your loved ones to your journaling notebook. They don't have to be tied to any specific event. I often find I have some wonderful pics of my loved ones that I want to include in my scrapbooks that aren't tied to any special event or theme. Often pages with pictures like this just get labeled with name and date. Why not use this as an opportunity to record for posterity what you feel is so special about the person, what you admire most about them, or why you love them so much. We all like and need to hear positives about ourselves - your scrapbook is a wonderful means of expressing your love and appreciation. Sometimes it is easier for some people to express these type thoughts in writing than in person, just make sure your loved ones see what you wrote.

Hopefully these ideas will help you to feel more comfortable and prepared to add journaling to your scrapbook pages. So, get those those little notebooks started and have a wonderful time recording your memories!