Scrapbooking is a expression of each cropper’s personality. Among scrapbooking groups, I’ve often heard, “Journaling is my favorite part,” or, “I don’t like to write much because it takes away from the pictures.” This is, of course, why every cropper’s book is a unique work of art.

Journaling does more than just add a few words to the page. When used well, it can chronicle history, convey events and feelings not portrayed in the picture, and change the tone of the overall page. If you are ever unsure of what to write when journaling, or afraid that writing too much will detract from your pictures, here are some suggestions to help you find the right words.

Thanks for the Memory Aid

If you’ve ever called your child by the dog’s name, you know that most of us deal with faulty memories as we age. While you are certain you will always know which shining face is looking up from that funny bathtub photo, chances are that if it’s not well-labeled you might not be able to tell Jack from Jim by the time they are in high school. Labeling helps other people as well. When children or friends leaf through your albums, basics like names, ages, events and locations are great information to have. This is especially true if you hope to create a chronicle for future generations.

Evoke a Feeling

One of the great powers of journaling, is that you, the album creator, can convey powerful feelings to your audience. Your audience may include your parents, spouse, children, friends, or nieces and nephews. Just imagine a grown child reading how much he or she was loved. When journaling feelings, keep these ideas in mind.

Know what you want to say. Is your intention to describe the excitement you felt before running your first race, or the awe of becoming a parent? Then state it simply, “At the starting line, my legs felt like rubber bands, and I was all jittery.” If you are trying to convey powerful emotions, come straight to the point, “I was overwhelmed by my love for you.” Don’t get carried away with flowery and fancy words. Simple is best.

Point of View

Some playful croppers like to write from the viewpoint of the person in the picture. While this is often used with children and animals, it can bring a sense of humor to a page when unexpected words seem to come from the picture. For example, you could add a journal entry to that picture of sweet, soft-spoken Grandma sitting in the driver seat of the car saying, “When I drive Lisa and Sam home from school, I really like to put the pedal to the metal. So stay out of my way.”

Creating History

When you are journaling, keep in mind that your words may be read by future generations. How many adults, after their parents have passed, wish that those family photographs were better labeled? The beauty of journaling is that you can provide historical data, as well as more intimate glimpse into your life.

One great method is to create a page for each important person in your life. You can list factual data like birth-date, current age, and height in one area, while journaling more personal information. Telling an interesting anecdote that reveals something about his or her personality is a lot of fun. This type of entry can be recreated regularly.

Tell Me a Story…

Ultimately, your scrapbook is created to tell the story of your life and of those in it. Using journal entries in your scrapbook to tell tales of your loved ones creates an intimate family autobiography. Funny, sad or life changing tales, tucked into a scrapbook page, can transform a picture album into a fascinating family heirloom.

While you may not be motivated to keep a journal on a daily basis, scrapbook journaling can be done in bits and pieces while still conveying information, a sense of humor and a feel for the person behind the page..