Born Scrapbooker

By:Andi M.

I think I was born a scrapbooker. For as long as I can remember I have loved photographs. I would lovingly leaf through my parents' and grandparents' albums and loose photos. I would beg to watch slide shows at my godfather's house. When I was eleven years old, my parents divorced. I distinctly remember worrying that my Dad would no longer have any of our photos. The photos stayed with my Mom. So the following year, I used my babysitting money to gradually make copies of favorite family photos. I bought an album and put all the copies in it and presented it to my Dad for Christmas. I was so proud.

Throughout high school, I took loads of photographs and collected every imaginable piece of memorabilia. I added all the photos to the then popular magnetic albums. The memorabilia I filed away in special boxes. While I was in college, I made my first real scrapbook. I had spent a semester abroad and wanted to commemorate the experience in a more meaningful way than a plain photo album. I spent several weeks putting together the scrapbook. This was at least ten years before scrapbooking in its current form became popular. As I began my independent adult life, I didn't take the time to make more scrapbooks or even take a lot of photos. After I married and had children, it once again became a priority.

Scrapbooking allows me to leave a legacy for my children, to document our life, to be creative. This is so very important to me. I love how scrapbooking allows me to express myself both in the words I write and the layout designs I create. Scrapbooking has also given me the opportunity to meet many new and wonderful friends. Scrapbookers are a special breed. They have a true appreciation for the nurturing and comforting others. I feel blessed to have been introduced to the scrapbooking lifestyle.

Tomorrow at dMarie Daily: How has scrapbooking changed my life?, by By Sherri, OH