Why do you scrapbook?
Have you ever asked yourself this question? My answer boils down to one word: joy. Really. That’s why I take photos, design layouts, share pictures, and journal about feelings and events. I do it all because memory keeping brings me joy. And, I hope that it will bring joy to my children and family as well. Do you feel this way? Maybe, as you read about how I find joy in scrapbooking below, you will be able to discover your own unique answer to this question.
I find joy in the scrapbooking process in several ways.
Joy in creation. Everyone has an innate desire to make things, to create; it’s a basic human need. Scrapbooking is a perfect outlet for creativity: from carefully composing a picture to putting a finished layout in an album, making something unique and tangible provides a profound feeling of satisfaction for me. I love that this hobby allows me to produce things that can’t be undone (quite unlike housework). And, when I look back on my creations, I relive the joy of creation I felt along the way.
Joy in the process. Learning a new hobby is challenging, in a good way, and continually adding to my knowledge as I try new techniques and projects is a source of joy. I’ve taught myself so many useful and varied skills throughout my memory-keeping years. I’ve developed a love for trying to master software and parlayed that knowledge into other parts of my life. The things I learn while scrapbooking can’t be taken away, but provide a foundation for building even more skills and discovering new sources of knowledge in the future.
Joy in sharing. I love to share! If my husband and I enjoy a new restaurant, I can’t wait to pass on this new discovery to friends and family. And, sharing my scrapbooking projects and skills with others brings great satisfaction to me. When I see my kids spend a few minutes looking through a scrapbook album or laugh at journaling about their toddler years, the joy of sharing preserved memories fills my heart with joy. And when a friend says, “Thanks for inspiring me!” after I help them with a project, I feel amazing.
Joy in memory keeping. When I record daily happenings or note important events, I feel joy knowing that future children and family members will know what it was like to be me, to live now. I’ve often looked at old family photographs and wondered: What was that particular person thinking at that time? What challenges did they face? How did they live their everyday life? Through the process of scrapbooking, I can answer some of these questions for posterity and tell my story my way.
Joy in celebrating the past. For the past year or so, I’ve been intensely working on putting my dear grandmother’s life story into book form. She wrote it before she passed away six years ago and wanted it preserved in a special way for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. As I’ve scanned aging photographs, learned new software, edited her words, and designed each page of her story, I’ve come to love her even more. I am honored to do this service for her and often feel great joy when I learn more about her life. I’ve learned that through memory keeping, we have an opportunity to experience joy as we celebrate the ties that bind us to our progenitors.
Joy in relationships. Every time the Scrapbook Expo comes to town, my nine-year-old daughter and I take some time to share our love for scrapbooking as we attend together. Since I am both a paper and digital scrapbooker, it’s fun to spend a day with her while we shop and scrap together at this scrapbooking event. This time spent building our relationship is something we both cherish. I also find joy in building relationships with others through this hobby. From helping friends learn their software and working on a designer’s creative team to encouraging and sharing in online forums, the relationships I’ve built in the scrapbooking world bring me the joy of treasured connections.
Joy by Neisha Sykes (lavendar)
Joy in encouraging you. I also get real joy when I share my passion for preserving memories with you here at DigiShopTalk. No matter if you are a newbie or seasoned scrapper, I enjoy encouraging you in your pursuit of memory keeping. And the most important message I love sharing with you all is this: find joy in memory keeping in your own way! Scrap your style; complete projects that inspire you. Don’t let negativity, jealousy, or naysayers discourage you in your pursuit of scrapbooking joy. Think about what brings you joy in this creative memory-keeping hobby and then get scrapping!
Come share what brings you joy when you scrapbook in this thread in the forum.
