It isn’t the first time I’ve mentioned it, and more than likely, it certainly won’t be the last. Scrapbooking those hard times, the things we would rather leave unspoken. But what kind of picture does it depict when someone glances through our albums and everything looks perfectly rosy and happy all of the time?
Most families are touched by divorce in some way, yet this is a topic you don’t see in scrapbook layouts very often. I can honestly say, I have actually created a 2 page layout about my divorce. I haven’t slipped it into an album yet, for the simple fact that my children are too young to be reading the letters I have included, but someday they will be able to.
What about getting fired, losing a job or getting laid off? It happens a lot and yet you never see these layouts. Or perhaps the excruciating task of trying to find a job in today’s job market. These are all great subjects for a scrapbook, and could include lots of journaling about feelings, etc. How did getting fired make you feel? Why did you get fired? Did you deserve it or not? Hopefully people learn from these things, and creating a layout would be perfect.
Obviously death is something we wish we could keep out of our lives, but it isn’t. These are other things that can and really should be scrapbooked. Even things like picking out the casket, the memorial service and the grave site. I have a photograph of my son at age two kneeling down by my father’s grave site. I couldn’t wait to do a layout and while it isn’t my BEST layout, it’s certainly one of my favorites. I titled it “I met Grandpa today” and included a poem I wrote myself about it.
So whenever life brings you lemons, don’t just stand there and squeeze or pucker up, make lemonade – or at least make a scrapbook page showing the trials and tribulations that you have faced on your journey down a different path.
Nicole Humphrey writes articles for the Scrapbooking Blog and for the Frugal Blog. She also guest blogs on a variety of topics. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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