Journal Ideas
Scrapbooking has never been something I wanted/liked to do. My mom's idea of a scrapbook for me was putting all my pictures from childhood into an album. That's it, no fancy stickers or paper...just the pictures. I tend to have the same theory. But after finding a blog about scrapbooking I've realized that part of scrapbooking is writing down memories next to the pictures, which is somewhat like keeping a journal, which I think is very important. Tasra Dawson has a good post about writing down memories. It's called Moments Worth Saving and she shares some pictures of her 2 children and the importance of writing down what was happening when the picture was taken.
I have 2 kids myself and really liked her idea of keeping a journal for each of them and writing down cute/funny stories when they happen. Ever since I had kids I haven't been very good about keeping a journal, so here are Tasra's 3 easy solutions:
1. Buy a small calendar: make sure it has a bit of room on each date for you to take some notes. Even if it's just bullet points or short sentences, it will help jog your memory years later when you can expand on it.
2. Get a voice recorder (tape or digital): you may already have one. If not, they are relatively inexpensive these days. Get one, set it by your nightstand and pick it up and talk for a few minutes every evening as you review your day. When you finish a tape, label it and store it somewhere safe. If you have some free time, transcribe it.
3. Use a journal: a plain Jane, ordinary journal will do just fine. Chances are you already have one sitting on a shelf somewhere. If not, pick one up and limit yourself to one page a day. This will make it doable and something you look forward to, rather than fear.
She also has some good ideas of how to make a cheap notebook look like a fun, cute journal. And for those who do like scrapbooking, Tasra has just released a new book called Real Women Scrap.