I think perhaps the first hurdle, is having the courage to 'crop' - cut off all the unnecessary bits of a photo that will detract from the story you are telling. After all, this isn't merely an exercise in sticking photos in an album...you can do that with little effort....it is about telling a story. Whilst those present in the photograph may know the story, others, getting a sneak peek, aren't privvy to what story it tells. Plus, our memories fade as time goes on, and this is a fabulous way of capturing those precious memories that we hold dear. I have been asked on many occasions why I am doing a scrapbook for myself. Well one of the answers is that if, heaven forbid, I should develop dementia in old age, I have a tool to help unlock some of those memories, and give those sitting with me, something to communicate with.
If there are parts that cannot be cropped, then overlap either other photos or shapes, or a journal tag, to hide unwanted bits.
Examples of cropping, overlapping with other photos, and using a journal tag to hide part of the photo.Your second consideration is to think about the purpose of your scrapbooking and ultimately, for whose benefit it is. The story may be a chronological life story, as I have done, or a specific event you wish to document, for example a wedding. It may be to showcase activities by a group, for example a church, to highlight all the different activities that take place on a regular basis, and the scrapbook can then be used to promote the church.
So, now you have the courage to crop, and a purpose for your scrapbooking, how do you truly showcase your photos and tell that all important story? Next week I am going to focus on being more creative with your backgrounds, but to ease you in gently, I thought I would begin with scrapbooking in it's simplest form, by 'presenting' photos, with a 'title' and a little insight into what they are about.
There are very few photos of myself when I was young, as my parents tell me they didn't own a camera. So those that are in existence, are extremely precious indeed. Because of this, I did not want to do too much to them. It may look like I have matted them onto white, but those of you who know of black and white photographs, know they came with a white border to 'frame' them. I love black and white photographs, and tend to favour using them when I make wedding albums, as they look more elegant with an air of mystery about them. Now for this particular page, because they were black and white, I chose a busy, colourful background sheet, and coordinating plain colours for my 'title' (The Early Years) and journal tags. I use the term journal tags loosely, as when I asked my mum about these photographs, as I was obviously too young to remember them, all she could tell me were my approximate age and where I was. As I said earlier, memories fade, which is why it is so important to document them now. I used die cut letters and a few bought, archival safe embellishments to add some dimension to the page. It is important to use acid and lignin free products when you are scrapbooking. The majority of papers are safe these days, but adhesives and inks may not be, so unless if specifically says that it is archival safe/acid & lignin free, them assume it isn't. It would be a travesty to go to a great effort, only to find a few years down the line that your photographs have started yellowing and/or cracking as a result of using inappropriate products. There are a wealth of 'safe' products on the market, which you will find with ease if you search the internet.
So dig out those photographs that you hold dear and let's get going. Next week I am going to focus on 'holidays', so get those photos ready for a simple but creative background.
Christine
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