Memories of the Heart

By:Kathy G.

Scrapbooking came into my life evoking no real interest or desire........and became a passion! I have always had a flair for creativity, but that often gets blotted out when you have a Catholic school, traditional upbringing, where there is one right way to do things........and every other way is undoubtedly wrong! My son inherited my artistic ability and is a photographer......demonstrating much more talent than his mother.

I started out doing one at home party with Creative Memories and decided I needed to develop my own style and document my travel photos, starting with a trip to San Francisco in 1995.......a trip to visit the city loved by a friend dying of AIDS. I still look at that first album frequently........and the memories evoked by both pictures and journaling have so much value.

I found our local scrapbook store about that time and decided to do a wedding book for my parents 50th wedding anniversary........their wedding pictures were just thrown in a box for those fifty years and that album sparked my first interest ever in my family history. The owner's mother assisted me with paper selection whenever I came into the store and chatted with me about my project. My parents were so thrilled with my gift to them and my interest and passion grew for scrapbooking......okay, some might call it an addiction!

Over the last 5 years my job has become more stressful and in fact, I have multiple jobs. Time is precious, as there is very little of it. But I make time for scrapbooking because it is the one outlet that means the most to me,and relaxes me, especially over the last year. In December 2001, just days before Christmas, my dad was diagnosed with a rare, yet extremely aggressive type of prostate cancer. This prompted me to begin a heritage album of my father's family.....leading back to a Civil War hero. I never fully recognized the significance of scrapbooking until this project. I have learned so much of my heritage and have so much to share with my son and future generations. It has also given my father a chance to relive memories so precious to him through photographs and documents from his youth. I have met people who have been important in establishing who I am, through these stories and journaling is now such an integral part of my albums. Hopefully my album will be complete before our family reunion this summer. I don't know how much longer my dad will be with me, but I know his heritage will now live on for many years and generations to come.

My scrapbooking has taken a fun turn as well, as I document concerts and fun times with John McDaniel and friends while traveling to enjoy his unique talents around the country. Many may remember him as Rosie O'Donnell's bandleader on her show, but soon you will remember him as a producer of a new Broadway show "Brooklyn," to open this fall after spring previews. I have made several albums as gifts for John and many from around the country have enjoyed looking back on memorable times together.

So now, the scrapbook store has grown tremendously, I am proud to call the owner a friend, I take classes to learn new techniques and I savor every moment documenting a rich and meaningful life. I believe that everything that happens brings an opportunity for growth and that would include the expansion into online scrapbooking stores. I most appreciate dMarie for its personal approach to the customers, with the touch of humor and events such as this current one, that forms bonds not soon forgotten. Thank you, dMarie!



Tomorrow at dMarie Daily: It's all about family for me., by Michelle R.