The purpose of a scrapbook is not only to display and preserve your photographs; it’s also a place to tell your story.
Journaling can take several forms. It could be a quote, a poem, or song lyrics that express a sentiment; a list of words that sums up an event or captions that describe what happened before, during, and after each picture was taken. Here are a few things you may want to include. The five Ws. Anyone picking up your scrapbook should be able to tell what’s happening on your pages without having to ask. That’s why you need to include the five Ws: who, what, when, where, and why. Feelings and emotions.
Express your true emotions about your loved ones. Let them know how you feel by describing your thoughts about the events and people you are recording.
Anecdotes. Everyone loves a good story, so give the behind-the-scenes scoop on what was going on when the photos were taken. Include interesting and humorous tidbits in your anecdotes.
Stand-alone words. If you’re struggling to write, try a word association. Reflect for a few minutes on the event you’re scrapping and then jot down the first 10 words that come to mind. Use those words on your page. The five senses. Think about what you saw, heard, touched, tasted, and smelled at the event. Maybe you saw a shooting star streaking across the sky, noticed your son or daughter giggling in a distinct way, swallowed a mouthful of salt water from the ocean, or felt the soft touch of sand between your toes when you walked on the beach. Write about it.
If I remember these tips, it helps. I struggle with putting everybody’s name in the layout or the journaling because most of my books have family in them, and names are scattered throughout the scrapbook.
When I am scrapbooking for my heritage album, If I knew the person personally, I include how I felt toward the person. I stay as positive as I can because no one needs to be colored by any negative opinions. I will post some examples on my Facebook page in the coming days.
Creatively,
Carol
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