Scrapbooking, the mystery solved!

Recently, over coffee with a friend, we were chatting about what has been keeping us busy lately. I listened to her first and when it was my turn I launched into my adventures with the scrapbooking hobby that has started taking over all of my free time (and all of the flat surfaces in my house!). During our conversation, I was practically bouncing in my seat. I gushed to her about the importance of telling and preserving your stories and how much fun it was to dress them up with some creative flair! The more I rambled the more excited she got and that lit a fire in me! By the end of our conversation I decided that this was a topic that I needed to share with more people!

Do *you* know what scrapbooking is?

No worries, if you are not sure exactly what it means, you are not alone! After chatting with her, I was curious to see what other folks thought scrapbooking was all about, so I started asking around. I asked my family first, because they know all about my love affair with scrapping. Then I opened my question up to random Joe’s and Jennie’s on social media. I was pleasantly surprised by the answers I got, although, it definitely furthered my belief that scrapbooking is a bit misunderstood!

Here are some of the responses I got:

• “Memorializing life events using paper and glittery things smashed into a book.” …H.
• “Collecting and saving pictures of significance and arranging them to your liking in a book.” …T.
• “Scrapbooking is the art of assembling snapshots of your life and the lives of your loved ones in a creative and artful way (so the aliens can understand humankind better when they begin to silently infiltrate.)” …D.
• “A collection of items and photos that reflect my memories, good and bad.” …C.
• “Remembering your family, friends, events, adventures of your life thru pictures, memorabilia, stories, paper, ink, stamping. A lovely way to remember it all.” …K.
• “Throwing pictures in a book so people can free up their phone memory.” …J.
• “Putting your life in a book of love!” …K.
• “A unique art which helps preserve your photos in an album instead of a shoebox.” …S.
• “A collection of memories.” …R.

I am so glad that you asked!

The dictionary definition explains that a scrapbook (noun) is a book of blank pages that you compile newspaper clippings, photographs, and souvenirs into. Furthering that theory, that would make a scrapbooker a person that does the compiling of those things into that book. I am a scrapbooker! *big cheesy grin!* It’s so nice to meet you!

More than meets the eye

When thinking about scrapbooking I think most people assume it is simply a book full of photographs and they are not wrong about that! Although, it *is* a book full of photographs, what they don’t realize is that it is also full of one’s life stories! Scrapbooks showcase your memories and story tell your adventures! They explain where you come from and who your people are. These treasures share where life took you and they show your amazing time spent here in both pictures and words. Scrapbooks document YOU and they leave a legacy behind for your loved ones! They are in fact, an amazing keepsake for your family and their families. Your albums continue to share the story of who you were long after you have gone.

Scrapbooking summed up into a tidy little package

To summarize, a scrapbook is a documentation of your life! It is an imaginative, expressive medium that lets you tell your stories; both visually and in print. Scrapbooking is an incredibly important hobby that allows you to share your stories in a beautiful, unique, artistic way. If you have dismissed scrapbooking in the past because you thought it was only an activity your 114 year old Aunt Esther would enjoy, I would highly recommend that you reconsider and give it a try! It is very rewarding. It serves a very positive purpose and it encourages you to be creative! Creativity is amazing for your heart and soul!

My big plan!

I intend to share my scrapbooking journey with you right here on this little ole’ blog. My fondest hope is to offer you some encouragement and maybe some inspiration along the way. It is such an exciting adventure and we are going to have so much fun together! So then, what are you waiting for? Grab your supplies and let’s go on this adventure together!

Happy scrapping!