I have had several conversations with friends about scrapbooking lately. They all used to scrapbook, but have been busy with other things and now they say that they just don’t even know where to start.
It can seem like an overwhelming if you think that you have to scrapbook all of the pictures from the last 5 years (or more) right away.
I’d like to suggest some ways to simplify the way you approach scrapbooking so that it is a fun hobby without the unnecessary self-inflicted pressure to get it all done right now.
Create a mini album. This would be a fun project to get someone excited about scrapbooking. Choose one important event, such as a birthday, vacation, or holiday, and have your favorite photos from that event printed. A smaller format such as a 6 x 6 or 8 x 8 album would work well. Keep it simple. You could use paper from a kit or from the same line of paper to make coordinating patterned papers easy.
Start with your most current photos. If you start scrapbooking with your most recent photos, it gives you a starting place. You will also have a pretty good recollection of the events, which will make your journaling easier. You can always go back and scrapbook past events it you want to.
Choose a favorite photo. Think about your pictures. Is there one that stands out as a favorite? Maybe it was from a wonderful vacation or your parents on their 50th wedding anniversary. Take that photo and use it on a layout. Make sure to include journaling to share why this photo is so special to you.
Set realistic goals. You don’t have to always fill chronological albums. It’s okay to scrapbook pictures “out of order.” Don’t put the pressure on yourself that you have to keep up because that is an almost impossible task.
I have found that starting small with one specific project in mind makes it much more manageable to get started with scrapbooking again after taking a long break.