What Matters Monday 8/25/08 – the story!
I began my quest of scrapbooking way back…first as a memory book in grade school with cards, programs, notes, etc. By high school I incorporated magazine clippings and my favorite music into my book. Then by college I was an official paper scrapbooker (but far more basic than paper scrapping today LOL!).
Eventually with a busy life and better computer skills I turned digi, so to say. But the common thread all along was the story!
My goal was to document for myself and my family what was happening during this life of ours. This interest began as a child going to visit my Grammy. She had a stack of scrapbooks like nothing I’d ever seen. (**read: She did not have magnetic cling pages) She had paper albums with black or while paper pages and pictures, some with fancy edges, some with photo corners. She had journaling!
She had news clippings, sketches, and notes.
Every visit I would pour over these books of hers and her mother’s (my great-grandmother – an artist) asking questions about what life was like then, who was who, etc. I have two of those books today – they are my prized possessions to tell the truth.
The stories are precious glimpses into a time gone by, and they made me realize I had more in common with my grandmother than I thought, despite our age difference. These books show the basis of who I am, my family heritage.
I encourage you to tell the story. The daily life too, not just milestones. How much do things cost today? What stages are you or the kids going through? What is important to you? What was said? Interview your kids, your parents, or your best friends.
For those nervous journalers out there…a picture tells a thousand words! Take pictures of where you work, where you live. Don’t extract every picture, sometimes the backgrounds tell so much of the story. That old furniture in your den will be nostalgic to your kids when they are 40! The cereal box will be “old” looking some day. Relish the story!
Remember the basics of storytelling from school? Who, what, when, where, and why?
Go ahead… have fun being artistic, better yourself by learning new techniques, but don’t get too caught up in the technique du jour, that you forget to eventually get to the story too. Now of course, not everyone may have the same goal…but this is what matters to me:)
August 25th, 2008 at 6:43 am
This is PERFECTLY written!!! Thanks so much for sharing this, Krista!! Precious!!
August 25th, 2008 at 7:42 am
LOVE this Krista!! Those scrapbooks are AMAZING as are those photographs! Thank you for sharing! WOW!
August 25th, 2008 at 10:59 am
I get chills thinking about future generations looking through my layouts. All the labor of love is worth it and more.
Lovely photos – thank you so much for sharing!
August 25th, 2008 at 11:36 am
great post. Your grandmothers scrapbooks are priceless. I wish I had more photos of my family. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.
August 25th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Fabulous post! It’s amazing all those little details that mean so much later on. Before my Nana died she wrote a book of stories about her life, like you, it’s one of my most prized possessions. I’d love it if there were photos to go with it though!!
August 25th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
goregous post krista… how nice for you to have your grandmother’s album. What a treasure.
August 25th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
OMG, what an amazing treasure you have in your hands! Makes me hope that my children one day, long from now, will feel the same than you do while looking thru your Grandma’s scrapbooks. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful story!
August 27th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
How wonderful, I have a scrapbook my mom made when she was about 12 that is one of my treasured possessions. It is great to see life through our ancestor’s eyes. Thanks for sharing Krista.