Have you ever worked hard on a scrapbook page and when it's finally
done, say, "Oops! Where is the journaling?" Sometimes journaling is the
hardest part of putting the page together. We don't like our handwriting or just
don't know what to say!! However, journaling is one of the most important parts of a
scrapbook page. Pictures speak a thousand words, but sometimes it's just not enough
without the history behind the photos! If it's so important and yet so hard, what's a
scrapbooker to do? Hopefully after reading this article, you can tame the journaling
monster! No more fear about journaling! Here are some fun easy ways to journal in your
scrapbooks without any stress!
List
It! That's right...just make a list! List personality qualities of the
person in the picture, reasons why you and a friend are buddies, your personal top 10
lists, or anything you can think of! Jen C. from Seattle listed all the words her daughter
could say on this layout shown here. I'm working on a layout of my son eating his
first solid foods and I'm listing all of his favorite foods. Will he believe that
squash was his favorite when he is 16? I don't think so and the memory will be
priceless!
Write a Letter. Sometimes the words flow easier if you
think of journaling as writing a letter. Just pretend you are writing a letter to a close
family member or friend about the event. Sometimes, I admit that I have actually
"cut" portions of emails to Grandma about an event and printed it out to include
on a scrapbook page. Presto! My journaling was done! You can even keep the
entire letter format in your journaling, including the "Dear...." I've
written letters to my children or spouse and included them on layouts. It's so easy
to do.
Make a Recipe! Include all of the
"ingredients" or important details that were part of the occasion in a recipe
format. Here's one for example: "Put all cousins together in a backyard. Mix in
sprinklers, water balloons, and lots of sunshine. Set temperature to 95 degrees. Let play
until sunburned!" It's a fun and creative way to tell all of the details about
the day!
Say
it with a Song. Music has a great power to it and words to songs often
conjure up a lot of emotion and memories. So, why not include the words to a song on your
page? This is a great journaling technique to include on School Prom pages, Baby
lullaby pages, Anniversary pages etc! On this page I included my favorite song that I sing
to my son with these pictures of him sleeping.
Question, Question! Be a reporter! Simply ask a
question like, "What was your favorite thing about Disneyland?" or "What do
you like to do best when you are at Grandma's?" And then include the person's answer.
I love using this question technique because then I don't have to think of what to write!
Another bonus is that it gets someone else's perspective into your journaling.
So, there are a few quick ideas to help you tame the journaling monster.
Once you try a few of these techniques you'll find that he's really just a pussy
cat!
Happy Scrapbooking!
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