Two Scrapbook Pages a Month

I don’t think I’ve ever managed the 2 pages per month. I’m much more likely to set aside a whole weekend now and then. I’m going to re-word this goal and focus on sorting through all my memory boxes. I need to actually keep the things that mean something to me.

Who has time to scrapbook?

No more reason to procrastinate.

The initial concept of an ‘album’ soon became in its escalating stages ‘albums’ as a plural. After a week of 2:00am stints, the three albums were completed on Tuesday evening and the pages were collaborated and re-arranged in final order the following day. My flat mate took pity on my plight when I fell ill with the flu and so generously offered her services of help to speed my progress. What she did not count on however, was that I would so readily accept and milk the offer for all it was worth… and so a few days later – neither of us had managed much sleep, McDonalds had been our main source of sustenance providing cappuccinos for me and Diet Coke for Sarah, the garage was converted into a scrapbooking production line, and our last waking thoughts were preoccupied with scrapbooking page layouts.

Though the last three weeks have been consumed entirely with this project – the results were well worth it. The albums look beautiful and they really capture the essence of who mum is, in her many roles – wife, mother, daughter, teacher, mentor and friend, and the extravagance of her personality and qualities both wacky and unique alike. I hope, that though no words have been penned, the pictures and the pages will in themselves tell a story of her life for others to admire, treasure and remember.

I finally got round to completing some scrapbook pages of Little Jimmers 2nd birthday cards (shame I actually haven’t sorted out all the bits from his first birthday yet!). I didn’t do anthing too adventurous but at least they are in the folder now and I can always add to them later.

I have soooo many memories saved up in shoeboxes it is going to take me forever to get them all presented nicely so I can enjoy looking through them!

My life never seems to be short of projects and the gift of creative flair has proved in the past few years to be more of a liability than an asset! My initial concept of sending two scrapbook pages a month to my grandparents has in the past month grown into a slightly more expansive task. My mother expressed the hope last month that I would be able to compile some photographs for her upcoming birthday whether in the form of a photo board or temporary mounting for the big night. I agreed to her proposition and therefore had validated reason to request that she send me up some of the family photo albums and in particular photos of her growing up, this request I also carbon copied to my grandparents.

And so began the challenge of putting together a few photos, however in traditional fashion my initial concept of this challenge has grown substantially to become a full-born scrapbooking project in which my deadline looms on 28th November. In the last week after many visits to scrapbooking shops, photo processing labs and the like, I have completed 25 pages for this album and still have a long way to go. The photographs enclosed therein are primarily dedicated to tracing my mother’s journey through life and that of her close family. I wanted the album to be something of a “This is Your Life” gift where she and others can laugh, appreciate and commemorate the happy moments of her journey.

With the deadline in mind, I now have 19 days exactly to scrapbook as many pages as I can, I hope to meet the rather audacious goal of 2 pages minimum per night.

10 months ago, I formulated this goal as a means to keep my grandparents involved in the daily pattern of my life. Photos have a way of bringing to remoteness a greater depth and to distance a closeness that mediates and translates life from any angle of separation. The objective of completing 2 scrapbook pages each month was indeed an honourable goal yet one which I have so far been unable to uphold with any due diligence.

For me, Scrapbooking seems to be one of those tasks that can only be achieved by an intentional and dedicated focus over a period of time. Despite my good intentions, I find it difficult to complete a page here and a page there due to the amount of focus, time and resourcefulness it requires. Therefore, I am determined to make this goal a project for the next two weeks and catch up from where I left off. It is 10 months since I initiated this goal and therefore 20 pages are required of me to consider its progress satisfactory.

And so, the garage now resembles a scrapbooking haven with papers disguising the wood of the coffee table, quotes and embossed graphics strewn in creative chaos and small plastic fishing tackle boxes lining the table displaying a colourful collection of brads, decorative pins, buttons, metal embellishments and the like. I have so far completed 2 pages journalizing my brother’s 21st birthday and have photos and memories enough to complete the remaining 18 pages with ease.

on hold

My Christmas present to my grandparents is the start of a new album. 15 pages completed as of last night…

Several months ago for my grandfather’s 80th birthday, I made a scrapbook compiled of years of family memories, treasured moments and bygone days. My grandparents were elated with the album because it was something more than simply another nice photo frame, kettle or gold engraved pen, it had sentimental value for in its pages were detailed the intricate workings of their lives.

My goal is to build on this gift with every month, compiling another few pages of memories for them both. As we see one another very rarely with much distance in between, perhaps this will allow them in some small way to participate in my life.