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For a timeless quality, choose a classic album for your Life Story scrapbook. To embellish to cover, add a vintage photo or a line or two of engraving.
It's fun to be the star in your own Life Story album! Let the pages reflect your spirit as your record the momentous (your were born!) and the mundane (you LOVED those cowboy boots you received on your fifth birthday).
Lucky you, if you're fortunate enough to find a birth announcement among your keepsakes. Mount the original in a transparent, acid-free envelope or have a photo-quality laser print made.
For intimacy and impact, record personal memories in your own handwriting. The journaling next to this sweet sibling photo reads, "After I was born, Ronnie's teacher asked him his new baby sister's name. 'Frankenstein,' he replied."
Big events, like the birth of a baby sister, MUST be included in a life story album. Big sister's peeved look is priceless, and it is authentic, reflecting the the feelings of every young princess who has even been dethroned.
A mix of photos -- black and white, color, posed and candid -- adds variety to a scrapbook page. Create picture titles on your computer and add personal handwritten notes.
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By Holly Christian
Craft designer and writer
Tips for Telling Your Life Story with a Scrapbook If the words "life story" stop you in your tracks, here are some tips that may make the task of telling your story, or that of a friend of family member, a bit less daunting. You may feel like you could never do it justice, never tell the story completely enough, but like the baby calendar with its jotted notes that is so precious years later, whatever you compile will be enough. It will be just right. Collect and Organize Information Gather memorabilia Gather all the photographs, keepsakes and other memorabilia you might possibly use, including: - letters, greeting cards, postcards
- birth announcements
- graduation cards
- wedding announcements
- newspaper and magazine clippings
- drawings
- journal entries
- ticket stubs and programs
- locks of hair
Divide Life Into Sections Break life into blocks of time marked by milestones -- learning to walk, starting school, moving to a new home, graduating from high school and so on. A traditional example: - family background
- birth and babyhood
- preschool years
- elementary years
- high school
- college
- first job
- marriage
- first home
- birth of child
- leaving home and sailing around the world
File Memorabilia Create a folder or box for each block of life and file memorabilia accordingly. Sort, Choose and Elaborate Look through all the memorabilia for each section of life and choose your favorite photographs and keepsakes to use in your album. Jot down notes or stories describing special memories. Choose an Album and Supplies A large album in a classic style is a good choice for a Life Story scrapbook. Choose all acid-free materials: cardstock, decorative papers, markers and adhesives. Photo stickers, mounting adhesive and double-stick tape are recommended for mounting archival photographs. An acid-free glue stick can be used for mounting paper and journaled notes. Assemble Album - Make titles on your computer. Keep them fairly uniform throughout the album.
- Add an intimate touch by recording personal memories in your own handwriting. These hand-journaled noted can stand alone or accompany a photograph that triggered the memory.
- Have color prints made of items that are too precious to include in your album or those that will disintegrate, like newspaper clippings. A digital color laser print, available at a copy center, is a good choice.
- Display items that can't be mounted traditionally, like a lock of hair, a coin or a pebble, in a transparent envelope called a memorabilia pocket.
Add Spice If your life story lacks personal punch, do a bit of autobiographical journaling in response to one or two of the following suggestions or questions: - What was your favorite song, stuffed animal, pet, hair-do or book?
- Describe a typical day, sunup to bedtime, of 8th grade (or any grade).
- What hobby were you most passionate about at age 10 (or 15 or 40)?
- What is the most hideous outfit you ever wore? And why?
- Recount a story that a family member likes to tell about you.
- List your best friends at age 7, 14 and 21.
- What is your proudest scholastic, professional or artistic achievement?
- What makes your blood boil?
- What chance did you miss?
- Where did you most love living?
- What's your favorite joke?
Holly Christian was a frequent contributor to HGTV Ideas magazine and has written for other national publications.
RESOURCES :
Holly Christian
Craft artist and writer
Holly Christian
Website: www.hollychristian.com
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