Me, Me, It’s All About Me (I Mean YOU)!

Take a minute and look in your library of scrapbooks.  What did you find?  Let me guess…ummm, albums of your kids?  Special trips?  Your wedding?  Did you happen to find a scrapbook about you, and only you?  Yes, that’s what I said…you.  I know what you’re thinking, “who gives a scrap” (sorry, stupid scrapbook pun).  Well, I’d like to start out by telling you who would give a “scrap”… your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, you get the picture.  Wouldn’t it be nice to know who exactly was behind all that great historical information about their family?  I know what else you’re thinking…who has time.  Don’t try to weasel yourself out of this one.  You can make it a small book.  Collect a few photographs of yourself starting at birth.  Your book “About You” can be a work in progress.  Add a picture every few years.  Incorporate some journaling around your photos.  Start with your birth statistics…date, time, weight, length, hospital, doctor (your birth certificate should contain this information).  Write a little about your childhood, and add on from there.  Interests, first love, favorite food, schools you attended, all the places you have lived, your favorite type of music and movies, cool facts and any other information you would like to share.  Wouldn’t it be fun to document what the #1 song was on the day you were born, the president and how much a gallon of gas cost?  It can be simple, it can be elaborate.  Whatever tickles your fancy, just have fun and go for it!  I’m going to get started on mine right now!  Ok, maybe not now, but soon, I promise!  I’ll keep you posted.

So, You Want To Be a Scrapbooker

You’re thinking about starting up a new hobby some call scrapbooking and some might call, oh I don’t know… hook, line and sinker?  Did you wake up one day and decide after seeing your best friend’s albums, “hey, I think I want to do that?”  So, your next step, you think, is to walk through the scrapbook isle of your local craft store.  Tell me, how did you feel?  Confused with a side of overwhelmed?  Did you leave feeling like maybe you have lost your mind?  Don’t get frustrated, you can start your scrapbooking hobby quite easily WITHOUT all the “stuff” and you don’t necessarily need to break the bank.  Some simple supplies and simple ideas are all you need.

First things first…get organized.  It’s very important to be and stay organized.  Sit yourself down in front of an episode of “Gray’s Anatomy” and go through all of your photos.  Make sure you get yourself a couple of good photo storage boxes.  In one box, you might want to store doubles and any photos you don’t want to throw away but don’t feel need to be archived.  In the other box, separate them by year, holiday, event, child, etc.  Whatever works for you.

Now that you’re nice and organized, you will need the following list of supplies to get started (acid-free is the way to be, it’ll make your photos feel so… free?  Sorry, I never claimed to be a poet):

1. Photo album
2. Scissors
3. Adhesives
4. Paper trimmer
5. Paper
6. Journaling pens
7. Stickers or die cuts for decorating (optional)

Remember, there are no rules, but here are some tips to get started:  have a focal point (i.e. close-up photo of your adorable toddler).  Add interest by placing this photo off-centered or at an angle, just make sure it is pleasing to the eye.  You can also mat this photo.  Choose a color in your photograph and use the same color paper for a mat.  Check out our 50+ list of ideas to “Scrapbook Easy” at http://www.thescrapbookpeople.com/Scrap-Easy-s/455.htm.

Now your photographs are down, that’s great!  The next step is to journal a little.  You don’t have to be Ernest Hemingway.  The important thing is that you jot down the subject and date.  Maybe even event, if there is one.  Do you write like a 5 year-old?  Use the printer as a journaling tool; just use acid-free paper.

Not very creative?  That’s ok; your layout can be very simple.  We at http://www.TheScrapbookPeople.com only show you the nice and easy.  But if you like all those frou-frou pages, the internet is a great place to borrow an idea.  You can also find some video’s on the subject of layout creativity.

Now, stand back and gaze at the work you have done.  It’s your piece of art and you love it!  Congratulations, you are now addicted.  Do they have an OSA (Over-Scrapbooking-Anonymous) meeting you can attend?  Nope, sorry, you’re stuck!

A Memorial for Our Fallen Heroes

“Field of Flags” — That is the name of the memorial that my church is hosting this month for our true heroes, our fallen soldiers.  Each one of these flags not only represents an American soldier who has given up his or her life for us in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also for the family members and friends who have been left behind.  The flags are covering the front lawn and are set 12 inches apart from each other to resemble the Arlington National Cemetery. There are over 5,500 flags in the field and is a beautiful sight to see.  Unfortunately, that beauty comes at a high cost…that is how many soldiers we have lost since 2001.

When I visited the memorial this past week, I was struck by how somber and moving the mood was.  Just driving by the site brings tears to my eyes.  It reminds me that it’s important to stop and remember our fallen heroes while we go about our daily lives of running the kids around, going to the grocery store and attending our neighbor’s barbeque.  Next time you are in church, add these soldiers and their families to your prayer list.  Say a silent thank you for giving up their lives and remember to thank our troops who are still over there and pray for their safe return.

I am eternally grateful to all the men and women who have died for our country’s freedom, and grateful for the men and women who are serving or have served.  I feel blessed to be a part of this beautiful nation of love, selflessness and support.  Thank you for all you do, without you, we would not have the freedom and harmony we are able to enjoy today.