Lately, I've really been trying to focus on the journaling in my layouts. I looked through a woman's scrapbook the other day and without knowing anything about her family, I was able to learn so much about what they went through, what they liked, and what was important to them. I want to be sure that my albums tell my story as well, so that people who don't know me will feel like they do after looking at my scrapbooks.

This week's tip is to first think about what you want people to know about you and your family…then look for photos or memorabilia to match that story. It's okay to take photos specifically to tell a certain story. If you think about it, that's what illustrators do when they illustrate a book. They create pictures of things that help tell the story that is already written. I call it "backwards scrapbooking." It's something we should all try and do every once in a while in our albums, because sometimes a photograph can't tell the whole story about what makes your family and friends unique.

You're not sure what information is important to remember? Don't worry! I have a hard time deciding what is "scrapbook worthy" information too! Dates and places are important, but the things you'll want to remember down the line are things like the common phrases your family uses, what the "time out" corner is all about, the waving ritual your toddler has with the mailman everyday (my little brother really did this!), and the little things that make every day special.

Try a page this week that tells a story that a single photograph may not have told otherwise!