The Big Storm

Hurricanes and other natural disasters can cause significant damage and wreak havoc on our lives. Although scrapbooking may not seem like the most important thing while experiencing one of these disasters, it can be a useful way to document the storm and even help you gain some perspective and move on after the storm. Here are some suggestions for scrapbooking before, during, and after the storm.

Before the Storm

Although some natural disasters come without warning, many such as hurricanes come with significant advance notice. In the hours before the storm, many people spend time preparing for the storm: stocking up on necessities, making sure there are batteries for the flashlights, and filling bathtubs with water. Once you have prepared for the essentials, you may want to think about your scrapbooks. If you are in a region where flooding is a possibility, you may want to move your scrapbooks and photos upstairs to a location where they will remain dry or consider putting them in a waterproof box. If there is a chance of losing your home, you don't also want to lose your memories. Make sure there are charged batteries in your cameras. You may want to document the storm, either for scrapbooking or insurance purposes.

Finally, if you think you will be stuck indoors or without power, you might want to prepare for scrapbooking. Print some photos or make a few page kits, so you will be able to scrap even if you don't have power.

During the Storm

Obviously, your biggest priority during the storm is to stay safe. However, you will want to document the storm as well. Take some pictures of the storm and how your family is coping. If it is safe to go outside, take some photos during the storm. Since it is hard to photograph wind, look for photographic opportunities that will illustrate an aspect of the storm, such as rain bouncing off a shiny surface or trees bending over from the wind.

If you lose power, take photos of how your family is coping. Turn off the flash and use the light from lanterns and flashlights to get dark photos which depict the darkness that comes from being without power. Also, take photos of how you are managing. Do you have gas cooking or a fireplace that you can use? Do you have running water or are you flushing the toilet with pool water? Do you have a generator and can you get gas for it? All of these memories of how you coped are important to preserve and will be interesting to future readers of your scrapbooks.

Although you may want to wait and scrap these photos after life is back to normal, you may find it therapeutic to scrap about the storm while you are recovering or waiting for the power to come back. If you can't print photos, you can scrap without them and add them later if you know what types of photos you have. That's what I did in this layout about how our family coped during Superstorm Sandy. I created the layout and journaling during the extended power outage, with places to add photos later. I knew I would have enough photos to fill three or four of the circles once the power was back and I could print the photos.

If you choose to scrap while the power is out, you can limit your scrapping to during the day using natural light or you can scrap by lantern or candlelight. I spoke with Emily Kincke, who lives in the New Orleans area and has experienced several hurricanes. Here is what she had to say about scrapping through Hurricane Isaac, "It was day 6 of no power and of course I had gotten some mojo right as the sun was setting. I decided to charge through the sticky heat and keep scrapbooking. Taking breaks to drink water and cool off in the shower, I continued into the dark. My goal was to finish this page by candlelight."

If you use candles, make sure to be safe.

Once it is safe to leave your home, you may want to take photos of the damage. If there is serious damage to your house or property, then you will need the photos for insurance purposes. Hopefully the damage is just cosmetic and your pictures will just be for the memories. When you scrap these photos, you may want to create an understated layout that emphasizes the somber feeling of the situation. In this layout showing the damage in my neighborhood, I used no title, simple embellishments and tearing to reflect the damage. The journaling says what things are and where they are.

After the Storm

After the storm is over, there are lingering effects due to lost school and work days and events that had to be cancelled and postponed. Although these things may seem unimportant in the bigger picture, they are still worth remembering. In some cases, you may just want to mention it in journaling on another layout, such as why you had to reschedule a birthday party for a month after the actual birthday. Other times, you may want to create a layout about what wasn't such as this layout about our lack of Halloween in the aftermath of Sandy.

I hope you never experience a natural disaster and have to use the suggestions in this article. However, if you do, I hope your damage is not serious. The memories of the storm and its effects are worth remembering and including in your scrapbooks.