| Late in life, I set out on a quest to discover the secrets | | | | memory, narrated in your unique voice. Don't forget the |
| of scrapbooking. Many before had tried to convince | | | | magic of laughter or the power of an evocative |
| me of their wisdom and experience, but it all sounded | | | | heading. |
| like veiled sales pitches: "Buy kits. Buy stickers. Go | | | | Fifth Step: Map it out. It may be a single page. It may |
| digital." But what was the true, pure path to | | | | be an entire album. Sketch your visual ideas, always |
| enlightenment? | | | | considering the focus of each page; the connections |
| At last I found her. Wizened with adhesives. Anointed | | | | between the photos and your journaling; leading the |
| with paper cuts. Peaceful in spirit and rich with | | | | reader's eye; creating emphasis through size, color or |
| memories. I asked; "What is your secret to making | | | | technique; headlines; embellishments. Trust your design |
| scrapbooks filled with the essence of life?" She smiled, | | | | preferences. Like white space? Use it. Wild colors |
| flicked some glitter from her nose, and replied: "My | | | | excite you? Get wild. Be influenced by what others |
| child, you must embrace the Eight Steps to | | | | have done, the techniques and products you want to |
| Scrapbooking Nirvana..." And she began... | | | | try, but don't lose sight of the story you want to tell. |
| First step: Organize your memories. Start with your | | | | Use copies of photos and scraps of actual materials if |
| photos. It may be just you, but even better with family | | | | it helps you. Always remember: Coloring, resizing, |
| or friends. Label acid-free sorting boxes for each | | | | cropping and silhouetting can be the ultimate |
| theme in your life; family, friends, babies, vacations, | | | | makeovers for the average photo. |
| birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, achievements and | | | | Sixth Step: Gather ye stuff. Make copies of your |
| other precious events. Focus on the moments you | | | | photos and protect your originals - mistakes happen. |
| want to remember, share and preserve. As you sort, | | | | Select your papers, adhesives (archival, of course), |
| mark the dates and names on the backs of the | | | | cutting implements, and decorative elements. If you |
| photos with a photo-safe pen. Abhor the ballpoint. | | | | must, put what you have in a zip-lock bag and hasten |
| Along with the photos, capture the ephemera of life; | | | | to the craft store to choose the right details. Have |
| the cards and notes, drawings, documents, certificates, | | | | everything close at hand. Do not run with scissors. |
| awards, newspaper clippings, tickets - even jewelry or | | | | Seventh Step: Bring your page together. Cut your |
| locks of hair. Remember - anything you can hold in | | | | papers and materials. Lay out your elements according |
| your hand can be scanned into a computer. | | | | to your sketch. Leave space for hand-writing your |
| Second step: Organize your space. Find a table where | | | | journaling, or print or rubber-stamp your words. Keep |
| half-finished pages can be left undisturbed. Create a | | | | your hands off the glue until you have staged your |
| simple, accessible storage system for your tools, your | | | | page, closed your eyes for 10 seconds while repeating |
| glues and tapes, your paper materials, your | | | | "I've never seen this before," and then viewing it again |
| embellishments. Categorize your rubber stamps and | | | | with new eyes. You'll probably move some things |
| ink pads. Store markers and blender pens horizontally. | | | | around. |
| Invest in good lighting. | | | | Eigth Step: Finishing touches. If your project was a |
| Third Step: Envision a single memory. Jot down your | | | | single page, add the final embellishments: embossing; |
| top-of-mind reactions in terms of colors and textures, | | | | antiquing; buttons, bows, grommets, lace, stitching or |
| meaningful items, elements from nature. Think about | | | | anything that adds a touch of whimsy or nostalgia. |
| the sounds and smells and feelings. Examine the | | | | Always ask: Is everything here a part of my story? |
| photos from that event - who is there? What are they | | | | and, Just how heavy and busy should this page be? |
| wearing? What is in the background? What happened | | | | Your final reckoning will come with your cover binding, |
| before and after? How can my page be an extension | | | | so keep your ambitions practical as well as meaningful. |
| of not just what the event looked like, but what it | | | | With those words, this wise, wise woman picked up a |
| meant to be there? Remember: This can be a family | | | | photo of a tiny, newborn baby. With a glistening eye |
| activity. | | | | and a tremble in her hand she said, "Someday he will |
| Fourth Step: Journal from your heart. A scrapbook is a | | | | be a man and begin to contemplate his past and how |
| diary of life, and your story is told in pictures and | | | | he came to be. Let him find his answers in a |
| words. Journaling is the difference between a | | | | scrapbooked story lovingly told and masterfully |
| scrapbook and a photo album. Think about your | | | | presented, and he too may choose to follow the Eight |
| great-great-grandchild finding this in the attic someday. | | | | Steps to Scrapbooking Nirvana for his child." She |
| What would you want your scrapbook to say? Write | | | | closed her eyes. Her voice became a murmur. "Unless, |
| the who, what, when, where and why of each | | | | of course... acid..." And she began to snore. |