GON Reader Question
Creating a Scrapbook of My Life
I love all the ideas you share each day! I love getting my life organized! I know you are a
scrapbooker, so maybe you could help me get started on my next project. For my 70th birthday, I would like to create a scrapbook of my life, but am feeling overwhelmed.
What to include, where to begin, how to arrange it all? Any ideas you have would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
A faithful reader, Dianne Phillips
Maria's
Response
Hi Dianne,
What a lovely note...thank you!
Creating a scrapbook of your life is such a wonderful idea. I'm so happy to hear you want to take this project on.
This should be a fun, relaxing, meaningful
project that is meant to be enjoyed and savored...and done over a period of time. So take a deep breath and commit to enjoying the process, regardless of how long it may take.
1.
Choose the topics and photos. The very first thing I would do is start choosing the photos you want to include in your compilation. I'm assuming you want to do a chronological account, so you'd be separating into categories like baby photos, early grade school, maybe a sport you were in (like swimming, etc.), teen years, marriage, favorite vacations, and so on.
Typically, four to five photos can fit on a 12" X 12" page (if that's the size scrapbook you're working on), so choose the photos that best represent each topic.
2. Don't adhere anything just yet. Personally, I would not adhere anything into the scrapbook until you have a good idea of what photos are going to go on each page.
3. Plan the number of topics/pages and buy your scrapbook. Determine the number of pages you wish to do. Many scrapbooks come with 20 pages, but you can add or subtract as needed. You'll also have to determine if you're going to do single or double-page layouts.
I generally prefer double-page layouts, but that's totally up to you. The first and last page in your scrapbook will be a single page layout no matter what.
4. Sketch it out. If I were tackling this, I would start by quick-sketching out each page, on scrap paper:
Layout 1: Baby
Photos (and then put the photos that pertain to that page in an acid-free envelope marked Layout 1: Baby Photos)
Layout 2: Early Grade School (and then put the photos that
pertain to that in an acid-free envelope marked Layout 2: Early Grade School Photos)
And so on.
5. Focus on the skeleton first. Decorate second. Don't worry about any journaling, embellishments, paper colors, etc. until you have the "skeleton" of your project thought out and the photos chosen.
6. Work on one layout at a time. After that, I would then just focus on one layout at a time. Bring the photos for that layout to the scrapbooking store or have them in front of you if you're shopping online.
Find paper that matches the photos (color and "the feel you're trying to capture), and a few embellishments. I like to incorporate buttons, brads ribbon, etc. all the time for
"dimension."
7. Don't forget to journal. You'll also want journaling on each layout that describes your life at that time. You can either do this short and sweet in a
paragraph or two (or even in a bulleted list), or you can write up an entire letter or account, fold it, and stick that journaling in an envelope that you attach to the layout. You can do this in your own handwriting, or in a computer font that you simply print on scrapbooking paper and adhere to the page.
I'm very excited for you and hope these tips help you get this project off and running. Keep me posted.
