When we began our scrapbooking journey many years ago (or recently for some) we took on a role that we might have resisted but seems to eventually befall most of us. To be the family historian. This family rarely limits itself to our children (of which I have none) but transcends itself to our brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, parents, grandparents and so on.
The weight of this job is sometimes shared by others but many times is not. We go to a family gathering and are expected to bring forth our latest page of history of our family, past and present. Many will tell you they have more photos for you to scrap (though very rare to see them follow through and actually send them), some will request a special book for themselves, some will offer information, advice, dates etc.
I was amazed one time I went to a 50th anniversary party for my inlaws. Up to that point I had done very little scrapping of my husbands side of the family but I went ahead and placed my current scrapbook on the table of memorabilia. Many of the people at this party I had never met, my husband either didn't now or couldnt' remember, and we were so busy didn't have time to really find out who was who in many cases.
However, I saw many of these people (yes mostly women) sit and read each page and look at the photos. Other photo albums they simply glanced through but many spent a lot of time looking at my book. They were able to share in my memories, enjoy the photos in a different way than if I had just placed a title, a date, and a few embellishments on.
Of course when doing a heritage album the journalling for the photos eludes us as we do not know these people other than their relationship to current family or their birth/marriage/children/death. But any pages you can place some sort of identifier that makes them personal really adds so much to the page.
Why do we hesitate to Journal? I can recall my own reasons, do they match up with yours?
1. I hate my handwriting......in the beginning that is all we had. I thought it made my pages look less than professional (of course the rest wasn't but this really seemed to scream UNPRO!)
2. I don't know what to say....I think this is the biggest problem. We want it to say things just right and we doubt our ability to say things in a way that would be interesting, entertaining, heartfelt without sounding sappy or unlearned
3. Not sure how I feel about the event...I know there have been pages I needed to do and the emotions were very mixed when I looked at the pictures to even know how to express things without betraying my mixed feelings
4. Takes too much thought....we want to know that we have the right words and think they will take too long to complete.
Ok...so what is the remedy for these things. How do we get past these problems? What do you do to get yourself past this and follow through on journalling? what advice do you have for the rest of us? I will add my thoughts but want to hear from you as well.
1. Make sure somewhere your handwriting shows up in your personal albums. It is not necessary on every page, or in pages that not necessarily about your personal memories or direct family. YOu can do something simple such as writing out the date of an event, showing a copy of a letter you wrote. I think you should maybe include the handwriting of your direct family as well, even those who are some ways away. Ask them to write a note about a photo and place this note on a page, can really personalize it. Don't take this task on yourself alone.
2. State the facts, make the message simple and direct is OK and gets across simple information. Doesn't have to entertain only describe. Some pages will be more fun, some more sad, some more simple. Its ok. But try to journal on each page for those in the future who look at this page and want to know why it is in your book. Think of someone 25 years from now looking at your page what would they especially not know that they should when they see the photos.
3. Again sometimes intense emotion can really limit our ability to finish a page. We want to say something but do not always want everyone to know how we feel. I might suggest you again stick with the facts on the main page, and maybe do some hidden journalling tags, inserts etc that only you know about. You can share your emotions but not up front and personal for all to see.
4. If you start with the facts and leave it at that you will be doing great. Make yourself at least do that. If you embellish a little then that is great, you might find yourself embellishing more and more, and when others comment on how great it is will be encouraged to do more. Putting one foot in front of the other...soon you'll be walking cross the floor...... OK NAME THAT MOVIE hehe
Ok now its your turn. What are you hints, tips, tricks, to getting the family history completed. Do you have difficulty or is this part the easiest part of your scrapbooks? Do you believe this is important???? Lets have a fun discussion of this...
6 comments:
I really haven't been journalling on my layouts. I have mostly done albums for other people. I should start at least stating the facts when I do do a play for myself. I guess I just never know what to write and not good at expressing myself on paper. But this is something I have to try and work on.
I too feel that journaling on a page is extremely important. I mainly scrap the page, put it aside and think about it for a while. I try to imagine how the journaling will look, who will see it and what happened in the photos. I also have the right space ready for me, so I know if I need to write a "story" or just the facts. I try to use my own handwriting on at least 2 out of 10 pages I complete. I want future lookers to see how I wrote when I'm long gone. When I use the computer to journal, I like to make it more fun to read by changing the fonts or size of letters.
Thats me - the family historian or the family photo taker. :) My family members always say that they wished I was there [at whatever event] because they know that I always have a camera on me. :) Course they all want copies of the pics I take cause they think they are free for me to make them. HAHAHA. I do journal alot on most of my layouts. If I don't do it on the front then I'll do something on the back. Most times anyway. :) Sometimes the journaling comes supper easy and others not so much. I like to add humor when ever I can - even if it's only the page title that is funny. I have to admit I do use the computer mostly for my journaling now. Except for on the back of the layouts. And if I can't find anything to say a poem sometimes works. Sense I do my albums chronologicaly I sometimes dont put the date on the front of the layout but I'm going to try to do that more. I date the albums - on the back page I handwrite for example December 2006 to April 2007 and # the album.
Opps forgot to name that movie - Rudolph the Red Nosed Raindeer.
I'm not good at journalling either and sometimes will put it off until later.I do think there should be some kind of journalling on each page if it isn't any more then a name of the people or event so down the road people will at least know what the pic is about. as for name that movie i'm blank of the name but think its the life and times of santa clause. i know the worlock sings it to santa after he gives him the toy train. man i need to get a life, lol.
I don't have a problem with journaling...I think it is important to journal our pages. I use my own handwriting or sticker letters, etc. I make sure that I have the basics...date, event, who was there, etc. I also may add a story about something that happened or something that someone said. I think the journaling completes our pages.
When my sisters come over, they always ask to see my latest album.
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