Scrapbooking

Most people who know me well know that I am into scrapbooking. I think I sorta am-I have a whole room set up and more stuff than you can imagine. But mostly I think I am into sorting and buying scrapbook supplies. That is how it feels anyway, for something I am so "in to" I hardly ever do it. I really love getting into the design and I always feel like I need blocks of time to be creative. So I don't do it unless I am inspired or have a lot of time with no distractions. That's like 5 times a year.
But the real reason to scrapbook is not for me time, or creative time with pretty paper and glue, but to preserve the memories of my family. To write our history. To let everyone who touches my life in some way know how I feel about them. Put it in writing so it is there forever. Mostly, it's for Paige and Katie. They will always know how I feel about them. We will remember all the little special moments. Plus it's just plain good for them. I read somewhere (probably in a scrapbooking magazine-another hobby of mine) that looking at pictures of themselves is really good for a child's self esteem. I saw that first hand this weekend. Our mantle was bare so I framed a bunch of pictures and put them up on the mantle. Two of each kiddo, one of the four of us and one of the girls from the BBB in Disney. They loved it. Katie keeps staring at it. And then I asked the girls some questions about me from a survey on facebook. They talked a lot about scrapbooking.
So that sealed it. I need to do more for us. For them. It's a way for them to see my love for them, to hold it and feel it and see it anytime, anywhere. I know it's important. I always have. But now I need to make it a priority. Even if it's just bits of time here and there I can squeeze it in. That is why I keep this blog too-so I can get my thoughts down when they are fresh, then I can look stuff up when I need to scrap about it. My online scrapbook for the world to see.
It is also how I got into photography. I quickly learned that the best scrapbook pages have really great photos. So now I am fully into that and again scrapbooking is sliding. I have lots of images piled up waiting for their stories to be recorded!
I have my own style for recording these memories. I don't work in order. I don't like to catalog events. I like to convey emotions and use the images to bring about feelings. I try not to journal too much on the pages. I try to write about feelings, not just facts and dates. Most of my pages have one big picture on them. And a few accents. Some words. I rarely use big titles. There really is no wrong way to scrapbook. So however I want to do it is just fine.
Paige is really into it too. It is something we will be able to do moving forward. Katie just started. I love watching them glue pictures to paper and writing their thoughts and drawing their pictures. Such good creativity. Good stuff.
So here are a few of my most recent layouts-from this weekend. Sorry for the bad stitching job-I am working on that.
Create memories. Preserve them with art. And remember to get into a few pictures here and there yourself.....