Take “Time” to Scrapbook

Time is an ever-elusive commodity. There is never enough, and it is often accompanied by the stipulation that it must fly when people are having fun. Perhaps the only place we can preserve a moment in time is on our scrapbook pages. For a brief instant, time seems to stand still. Read on for tips to savor your past, present and future memories.

• “Remember–When” Journaling - This is the style of journaling that was used on the example layout. It compares a present moment to the past by contrast. For example, my sister was about a month away from getting married when the above photo was taken, and I contrasted her present situation by remembering when we were little and we thought that the only man who could ever truly care about us was our father. Another example would be to remember when you were the trick-or-treater, instead of the person passing out the candy.


• “Now and Then” Photos - Consider using old and new photos on the same layout. Document the passage of time by comparing your first vehicle with your present set of wheels. Contrast your first apartment with your present home. Scrap a photo from your childhood beside a photo of your children enjoying a similar activity to the one you participated in. Document your haircuts, then and now.


• The Speed of Time - There is no time like the present. Is time passing too fast? Record it using some fun embellishments such as clocks or watch faces. Has your child been stuck in the terrible twos for what seems like forever? Document the slow passage of this present phase with clock stamps and patterned paper with watch hands.


• Back to the Future - While the purpose of scrapbooking is to record the past, looking to the future can provide an interesting perspective. Record your voice, your hopes, dreams, and worries about the future. All too soon today fades into tomorrow, and before we know it, the moment is upon us. It is important to our growth as historians to see how far we have come, and to determine whether what we thought the future would hold did indeed come to pass.


• Change - Perhaps the essence of time is change. The only way to truly capture the spirit of change is by taking and scrapbooking lots of pictures. A layout is a compact moment in itself, but over time albums tell a complete story of change, growth, and realization of individuals and families.

What’s that you say? You are short on time to scrapbook, and you are getting behind? Use coordinating papers and embellishments. Keep things simple, use photos that capture the essence of what you want to convey, and journal from your heart. Time is marching on, and there’s no time like the present to scrapbook a moment to cherish forever.