Don't Let Journaling Scare You Away From Scrapbooking!
Just mentioning the “J” word around some scrapbookers is enough to cause groans of despair, sweat to break out on their brows, and tremors to set in. But honestly, if you can talk you can journal in your scrapbooks.
Do you email? Then you can write. I don’t recommend the abbreviations often used in email, but you can journal just as if you were describing something in an email.
There is no need to pontificate prolifically in poetic prose. Blah! Just write like you talk. For example, under a picture of my 9 month old asleep in the middle of his toys, I journaled:
“Jared is a very busy little boy…and very hard to get to sleep. I noticed things were too quiet and found he had fallen asleep right in the middle of his toys! He was just too pooped to play!”
Create a Scrapbook Journal Box
Instead of trying to come up with something to write under every picture, create a little journal box and write the story of the event or series of pictures all in one place. It flows much more smoothly than when the journaling is scattered all over the scrapbook page.
If you are having trouble remembering details, ask your family. What do they remember about the event? Your husband, kids or other family members will often have a completely different perspective. Ask them to each write or dictate a sentence or two about the event, then put them together into a little story. Don't tell them they are sharpening their writing skills - that will be our little secret!
Who, What, Where, When, Why?
Ask yourself some questions (not just who, what, when or where):
*What is my favorite memory of this event?
*Did something funny happen?
*Is there something special about the setting?
*What was the mood of the person in the picture?
*Why did I take this picture?
*What happened right before or after this picture was taken?
*What does this picture make me feel?
*Was there special sights, sounds or smells that this picture reminds me of?
My Favorite Things
Try making a list of favorites:
*Favorite vacation memories
*Child's favorite foods, toys, etc.
*Favorite holiday food
*Favorite family traditions
*Favorite music
*Favorite season of the year
*etc., etc., etc.
I save my scrabook journaling for when my kids are tucked in bed, I'm all by myself and it is finally quiet. I find I can concentrate best that way. But hey, if you can concentrate with the TV blaring, the kids yelling and the dog barking, go for it!
Now you can stop groaning, sweating and shaking. Go pull your pencil back out of the wall and fear no more!
Happy Scrappin!
