Nothing helps kick off the new year than a new scrapbook. A blank scrapbook is a clean slate, similar to a new year. It affords you endless possibilities and gives you incentive to try new techniques. For example, if you’ve always been intimidated by journaling, crafting a New Year’s resolution layout could help you work through your fear. Journaling is a major part of a New Year’s resolution book or page design. However, it doesn’t have to be elaborate; rather, consider creating a journaling block and updating it as the year progresses. If you have multiple resolutions, then you might consider creating a mini album with blank pages or adding a pocket to a layout and placing longer journal entries on other pieces of paper and adding it to the page as you work towards your end goal.
Adding photos to a New Year’s resolution layout can be challenging, especially if you don’t have someone there to help you document your physical progress. If you can’t get photos of you engaging in an activity that relates to your goal, then look for images in books, magazines or the Internet and use those to include on your page. For example, if your New Year’s resolution is to lose 20 pounds by Thanksgiving, then add a picture of the dress or special outfit you plan to wear to a holiday gathering after you’ve accomplished your weight loss goal. Or, if your resolution is to finish a nine-month college program, then add graduation-theme embellishments to the page, such as a cap and gown, a diploma or certificate and balloons. You could also add stickers of champagne bottles and confetti.
My local scrapbook supply shop features a table in the back of the store that displays inspirational layouts. Last year the owner of the shop created a New Year’s resolution layout that detailed her goal of traveling to Hawaii. She embellished the page with photos of the 50th state, which she printed from the Internet and added maps and travel brochures, plus a few personal sketches of her dream beach. It was a simple design, but very effective.