Tell The Story Behind The Photos

by Victoria Walker

Add some journaling!

Journaling is one of the most valuable additions to any scrapbook. To put it simply, journaling is the who, what, when, where and why of your photos.

Recently, I was looking at one of my grandparent's old photo albums. "Who is this man?" I asked my grandmother. "That's Uncle Marvin," she replied, not sounding quite sure. "No, that's Uncle Benny," she said, squinting at the photo.

"When was it taken?" I wanted to know.

"Oh, I can't remember, it was so long ago," she admitted.

Let's face it, as the years go by so do the details of our memories. The chances are favorable that one day you won't remember when a certain photo was taken or perhaps even who the person is in the photo.

If our ancestors would have added journaling to their old photo albums, think of the details of their lives that we could have known.

At the very minimum, you should write down who is in the picture, where it was taken and what year it was. Simply writing, 'Uncle Phillip at his birthday party April 2000', will do.

If you want to be more detailed, write down who attended, what gifts he received and any special highlights of the day.

There are several different ways to spice up your journaling entries. Here are some of my favorites:

'Round and 'round and Up and Down

Try writing the details of the photo in a swirl or design pattern. There are several templates created just for this purpose. Just place the template over your page and write! You can also journal around the photos or around the page creating a "word frame."

Poems, Quotes and Songs

Poems, quotes and lyrics make great additions to your scrapbook pages. There are numerous websites where you can find these or you can create your own!

Does your child have a favorite song that they are always singing?

Write down the lyrics and include it with your layout. When my son was four-years-old he use to sing a song called "Don't Worry, Be Happy." Add a few smiley faces and some of the lyrics and you have a great idea for a layout.

What Did They Do?

What Did They Say?

What was the reaction of the person in the photo when they opened the Christmas gift? Cute things your children say or Grandpa's old stories may be tomorrows most precious memories . Be sure to write them down while you still remember.

There are countless ways for journaling to enhance your scrapbooks. You can write them by hand or print them on your computer. Remember to use acid free paper and pens to protect your photos.