Memorial Layouts

With the Memorial Day holiday right behind us, I couldn't help but think of how important it is to scrapbook about our ancestors and other family members that have passed away. I can't think of a better way to tell your family what their ancestors, grandparents and great-grandparents were like than by creating a memorial page about them.

Photos

Layout by AnnaRobyn Cordoza

This type of layout doesn't need to have a lot of photos to go along with the story, but if you do have them, using old photos as well as more recent photos of the person you are describing is a great way to show different stages of their life. You might include a baby, childhood, teenage, young adult, and older adult photo in succession as you describe their life in the journaling. If you don't have photos of them, a photo of where they lived, a favorite chair they used to sit in, or a photo of something that symbolizes an important part of their life may also be a good way to help portray who they were.

Journaling

The journaling is certainly the most important part of a memorial page. It's your opportunity to write about who the person was, what they accomplished, things they liked, and recall favorite stories about them. You may also want to interview other family members and friends to gather even more information about them. If you were close to them, include a personal note about how you felt about them, and why they were so important in your life.

Memorabilia

Including significant items or papers that help tell more about this person's life can also be included in your page. The list of possible items to include would go on for days, and ultimately your subject will determine the pieces. My great grandmother used to crochet blankets for most of our family. In a memorial page about her, I might include a corner of one of the blankets or a set of crochet needles since that is something that I remember distinctly about her.

Memorial pages are a great way to pass on your family history and keep the stories living on for generations.

Shop Scrapjazz.com for family and ancestry scrapbook supplies.