Scrapping without Children

[Kara]

I love to scrap. I start and stop all the time. My thing is it seems that all the beautiful scrapbooks are filled with babys and children. It is just me, my partner, and our dog. I feel like I am running out of pictures to make scrapbooks out of. Any ideas?

Thanks

[Emma]

I have 3 kids, and frankly I've started to wonder what else there is to scrap besides messy faces and cheesy grins, too. I LOVE doing that, but there's so much more to our life, even our family life, than just that. I've begun taking photos with an eye to illustrate a story.

For instance, I took photos of the sidewalk next door because for so long it was muddy/construction, and our kids were in the street to run to the neighbor's houses. That sidewalk has "changed" our lives, LOL! So while the story is about kids, you have tons of stories. Start writing those down in a little detail or a lot, and take photos to illustrate those memories.

Also, the Circle Journal forum has several ideas for non-child related themes. We all chose things like "local wildlife" or "joy of books" so there are some ideas in there too.

Have fun illustrating your memories!

[Janet]

You know, I think Emma's right. With or without kids, it's easy to just focus on one part of our lives...kids, or dogs, or whatever. It's easy for any of us to define ourselves narrowly. And even though kids and dogs are a lot of fun to scrap, I keep asking myself...is that how I want people to "see" me through my scrapbook? Just a dogmom? Just a rescuer? Both are important parts of my life, but not the only ones! I want it to reflect the full and fun life my DH and I lead (with the 5 dogs...well, 6 now with my in-law's sweet old black lab girl here).

DH and I can't have kids. I used to equate scrapping with kids and that stopped me from doing much. In going through photos, I see there are times I ONLY took dog pics. Now I *know* we did other things as well, but I didn't take pics! Is that a wake up call, or what! :rolleyes: I'm working to stretch to scrap more of my life these days and document all the aspects.

But for those that *do* have kids, I also have to say I think it's SO important to fill those scrapbooks with kid pics (dogs really don't care that much about what they looked like as a pup). Kids love that, it's a way to show them how much you care...even if they groan and roll their eyes. And years later, they'll still be cherished, but more openly.

I'm also working to pull stories out of my folks and my in-laws...and getting the pics to go with them...those will be scrapped. I'm amazed at how that has brought me closer to all of them. In fact a scrap book for my mother in-law of a birthday party with the whole family is what softened her heart to me (it showed her I really did care about her), and now I feel as close to her about as much as my own mom...just in a different way. And, just like it makes kids feel good to be the center of attention on a scrapbook page, I'm seeing that same groaning, rolling eyes, sheepish grin with adults as well. ;)

Hmmmm...maybe I've just found inspiration on "Why I scrap" ..I think that was one of the first "Book of Me" themes. I've had trouble pinning that down, and never done it. Maybe I'll have to work at that one.

Janet White
Colorado

[BeccaB]

Do you travel? Trips can be a great source for scrapbooking.

[Amanda]

For now, most of my scrapbook pages are filled with messy faces, smiles, birthday parties, and outings of my two children. I long for the day when I can scrap about myself.

I am really looking forward to do a book about the essense of ME! What are my hopes and dreams. Did I fulfill ones I had as a child. What do I still want to do with my life. What are my likes and dislikes. What is my greatest secret. What part of me do people not know about. What are my innermost thoughts and desires. I long to share those, but right now I can't. But I feel that it is so important to pass on my legacy to my children and future generations.

But thinking more, right now the essense of me IS my children. So for now, I guess that is enough.

[Betsy]

DH and I have no children yet. I scrap our daily lives, our cats, our travels, our new business venture, our families, our friends, etc. Very few of my LOs have kids in them.

[jamie]

I don't have any children either ... not even a husband or a dog, but I always find something to scrap! lol ... In addition to the many layouts I've created of my boyfriend and I together, him by himself ( I did a Book of Him album) and pictures of my immediate family, I sent out an email to my other family members asking for pics of their cute kids and babies, my cousins. I also gathered some photos of my boyfriend as a baby and have been scrapping those. This isn't to say that you have to gather baby and kid pics because scrapping with adult photos can be just as fun and sometimes more b/c its a lot more challenging to create great layouts that standout in a sea of precious babies! Good luck and have fun!