Creating a Life Book: Getting Started

by Karen Walrond (Subscribe to Karen Walrond's posts) Jan 25th 2006 10:04AM

Categories: Adoption

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A couple of weeks ago, I promised you that I'd let you know how I was doing with creating my daughter Alex's life book. As I mentioned I would do, while I was in the States, I bought a bunch of supplies to make the life book. They were beautiful supplies, too: things like stencils! and dried flowers! And scrapbook jewelry! ("scrapbook jewelry"??). I didn't understand them all, but by God, I have them.

And they've been sitting here. Mocking me.

See, I've had no idea how to get started. As you know, I've never scrapbooked before.

Luckily, however, Family Circle Magazine has come to the rescue. In its January issue, there's an article called "Scrapbooking for Beginners," and thanks to it, I think I'm ready to start. I couldn't find the article online, so I can't link to it; however, my favourite part of the article is the part describing the steps on how to create a page:

1. Start with the photos
2. Get the words down (by writing a descriptive paragraph)
3. Organize the page to tell a story; and
4. Slip the completed page into the page protector.

Sounds easy enough. I think I'm ready to begin the first page of her book -- one which captures her birth. Incidentally, I was told by a good friend of mine that I shouldn't start her lifebook with the start of our adoption journey -- our research for an agency, that sort of thing -- because, really, her birth is way more important. I tend to agree, don't you? Also, do I address it to Alex, or to no one in particular (e.g., do I say "Meeting your birthmother" or "Meeting [BIRTHMOTHER'S NAME]")?

So many questions.

I'll try to do it in the next week or so, and I'll let you know how it goes. Any guidance you provide in the meantime, as always, is greatly appreciated.

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Comments (4)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

eden 1-25-2006 @ 10:49AM

For page 1 you could do something like a page about the day you all came together. For pages 2-3, which face each other, you could do her birth or do her birth on one page, your search on the other. You could even get creative and do a theme (a bridge between pages, two rivers converging, etc.) to show this. I'm not a rabid scrapbooker so I don't know how complicated that would be this is just the thought I had as I read. Even little bits of rope or ribbon across the pages would be cute ("ties that bind, you know).

My daughter's baby book is kind of "Zoe does this" "Zoe likes that" instead of "You do this" "You like that." I think it just depends on the feel. Since it's a "life book," I think the "you" address would give a warmer feel. If it's intended as something for her to have, I would do that. If it's a family-shared book, maybe her name instead.

Caitlin 1-25-2006 @ 11:36AM

I didn't start my son's book with his birth. I started it with ( http://pixieslayer.com/2004/12/working-on-pauls-room/ )getting ready for him. A lot of the things in his room have special meaning. The teddy bear on the chair was a gift to me from my great grandmother when I was born, and the rainbow on the wall was made for my nursery by my mother. I also wrote about why we chose certain things for him, and so on. I try to keep little things like that in there, since I might not think to tell him when he's older or my grandkids might want to know what their daddy's life was like when he was little.

I do mine digitally, so I pick out the photos I want to use, make a copy of them in a new folder before opening them. Then, I go back and look at what I blogged about and wrote in my personal journal at that time to get an idea of about how much text I want. The I open the copies, crop them, and add them to either an 16x20 page, or a 10x14 page. I scan in any elements and negatives I want to use, and crop them. Then I work on my page composition. When I have a few pages ready, I order prints from snapfish.

I like this method better, because I also do a scrapbook for the grandmothers, and the 3 great grandmas. Although all but one of the great grandmothers check my blog and gallery, they'd still rather be able to have something they could sit down and read. It's a lot easier just to get 6 copies of everything and put it in a book than have to assembly line it by hand. I did that exactly once.

I had a lot of trouble getting started too, since doing a year or more can be overwhelming. I decided to break it off into subsections and work on one at a time. I did an outline for it, which helped me not get ahead of myself. That way, I don't get frustrated because the whole book isn't done, and then I feel like I've accomplished something when I finish a subsection.

The only other thing I can think to tell you is that if you're using old fashioned prints, try to get your pictures and negatives scanned and archived. A good friend of mine discovered the hard way that toddler + sharpie + scrapbook == ruined irreplaceable pictures if you don't have negatives.

suburban misfit 1-25-2006 @ 11:40AM

I totally disagree with putting the words down second. I like to arrange my page, leaving room for words, and then come back to it later, after everything else is done. Then I look at the arrangement and I'll either hand write something or print something out. I also try not to be too wordy; I like the pictures to speak more than the words, you know?

I think stepping back gives me time to gather my thoughts about that particular moment.

spyderkl 1-25-2006 @ 2:34PM

I've wound up doing both at the same time. I kind of know what order I'm putting things in - we started with the first day we met, backed up to birth/hospital pictures and are presently stuck there - but I'm letting the pictures dictate the words.

Lots of the first pictures I've put in were contributed by our daughter's birthfamily, so I've used their words from the backs of the pictures as captions. I'm trying to address our daughter - after all, it's her story, just for her.

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