Many of us take pictures and bring home mounds of memorabilia from our Walt Disney World and Disneyland trips. We did this with the intent of preserving those memories; we wanted to capture our children as little ones full of wonder, our parents who may have moved on, a special celebration, a Honeymoon, a School trip etc. But in the end those photos never left the computer and the memorabilia continues to sit in a box.
Today it is easier than ever to take pictures. With the inexpensive cameras, camcorders, and camera phones there are close to 30 billion pictures taken annually. Out of those only about a third ever gets printed. Technology and our busy lifestyles have won. It’s not that the pictures are any less important, it’s that we are overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. But don’t lose hope.
Disney Cover Set by Creative Memories (retired)
Just remember, it’s an album. It is not something that you have to face and overcome. It’s just an album waiting for memories. For every page you add to the album you preserved a bit of your past for others to enjoy. It also means one less page for you to do!
Start small!!! There are no rules where to start. You can start with your last trip or one from 10 years ago. Remember the goal is to get a page of memories in an album.
So take some photos and some memorabilia and place them on a blank page. This is where people begin to stress out. Don’t! Look at those pictures, what story do they tell? Is there a primary color or mood?
These answers will lead you to choosing papers and embellishments that accentuate the story. Don’t go overboard; the pictures are the focus of the page – not all the fancy embellishments. There are some great Disney Themed Kits to make this easy or you can be creative and start from scratch. If you are still at a loss – pictures always look wonderful on a basic piece of black cardstock.
Example 1:
Here is an example of a simple page of a rainy day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. All I used was a thin strips of scrapbook paper on a white page. Added photos of meeting Mickey Mouse in Camp Minnie Mickey and eveyone headed into Dinosaur. A journal box captures my memory and I am done.
Example 2:
Working on a plain black sheet of paper I mounted photos of Epcot’s Lights of Winter (now retired due to cost to replace bulbs – or so they say), a glass blower in the Germany Pavilion making Christmas ornaments, and other Epcot Christmas decoration. A quick journal box from a scrap piece of scrapbook paper and I am done.
Now your page is coming together. We have photos on a page that are beautifully accented. What could be missing? The answer – journaling! Add some text to your page. You can tell a story about what went on when those photos were taken or just discuss that day’s events. If you are at a loss; label the photos with who, what, and where. Those are the thing others will be looking for when they appreciate you album.
Example 3:
Using only plain white backgorund with one strip of scrapbook paper along one side it includes my miscellaneous photos from this trip: British Invasion Band in the United Kingdom Pavilion (now retired and replaced with British Revolution – longer hair), Stirch goofing around in Magic Kingdom Tomorrowland, playing checher in Frontierland, and our Dream Fastpass from the Year of a Million Dreams.
That’s all there is to it. Pictures on a page with some notes. Simple, isn’t it? Hopefully I have given you some general guidance about taking that first step. Come by often and get some additional tips to Capture those Magical Memories!
Seems simple enough. Now I just need to clear off the craft table.
…but the link to Organize, Organize, Organize isn't working for me. Just my luck.
Oh, the infamous craft table! Isn't it always that way. Mine is a craft china cabinet. It really needs a good cleaning. : )
Thanks for the tip on the link. I have fixed it and it should work now.
I think you were talking to me with this post! 🙂 I take a bazillion pictures but have yet to print any (other than a very small handful) in over three years since we've moved. I've got a bunch that I've already got printed to scrap and now I'm totally overwhelmed with knowing they're all old, I'm constantly taking new pictures and these albums *have to* get made. I need to spend a weekend and get caught up but can never seem to justify spending my limited free time not doing something with the kids. (total mommy guilt) I need to get a space that's all mine so I can make some progress. Thanks for the pep talk 😉
Lynn, I am very familiar with that. Depending on their ages, let them help pick out photos or even let them try their hand at a page. Even having their input on the journaling would be fun. Like remembering a trip from their perspective. Remember every page in is one less you have to do.
Good thinking! My daughter would love to do this with me.