Creating layouts about loved ones who are no longer with us can be quite difficult. It’s an emotional process. Not to mention that you may put pressure on yourself to preserve that person’s memory in perfect detail.
It really isn’t necessary to try to encompass all of who they were into one layout. In fact, there is an easy way to make the process less emotionally taxing while at the same time providing information that future generations can relate to.
Supplies
Basic Scrapbooking materials such as patterned paper and embellishments
A Printer
Plain cardstock to use in the printer
The Internet
Step One It is not unusual to associate a song or type of music with a loved one. The same can be said of movies or even books. Choose something that reminds you of them. It could be something your loved one regarded as a favorite. You can search the internet to find images associated with your choice of topic. I chose my Grandfather’s favorite song. I was able to find sheet music and album covers which I can use on my layout. If you chose a book, you can scan some of the pages, and then print those to create your own background papers or embellishments.
Step Two Print the images you found. Some may not be high quality. Pay attention to the size of the image and print accordingly. Sheet music or scanned book pages usually work well as large as 8 ½ x 11 or smaller. Images of books or album covers will most likely look best printed to 4×6 or smaller. You may need to deselect the “fill frame” option when you print so that parts of the image are not cut off.
Step Three Photos are not necessary. Your journaling and the images you found should be enough to create your layout. Create a small kit based around the story you want to tell.
Step Four Write your journaling before beginning your layout. You may have more to say than you think you do. Once you get started, your thoughts and memories may open up like a flood. Having an idea of how much journaling you have can help you decide the direction of your layout design. If necessary, you can always opt to use hidden journaling. If you are having trouble getting started, think about how the song or book reminds you of your loved one. Did they ever talk about it with you? Or did you simply observe them listening to that song or reading that book time and time again?
Step Five Create your layout based around what you have written. Use embellishments or textures that support how you feel or the theme of the song or book.
Even if the family member who views the layout never met the loved one it documents, they have a tangible starting point. You are giving them specific details about the loved one in question. At the same time, you can handle small portions of your memories. It allows you to focus on the good things you remember and may help you deal with strong emotions.
You can create other layouts in the same manner to build a collection of stories that fully documents your loved one. Was there a particular holiday or family outing you remember? What was their favorite food? Did they use any particular sayings or words often? What was their hobby? Their favorite color? Take each topic one layout at a time. This approach is less overwhelming while it also allows you to heal.
The Entertainer by Christy Strickler Supplies Patterned Paper: 7 Gypsies; Journal Cards, Brads, Fabric Tape: My Mind’s Eye; Other: Buttons; Images: The Sting from http://ehaugenboe.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/thesting.jpg , Music Sheets from : http://cantorion.org/music/497/The-Entertainer-Original-version , The Entertainer from http://www.free-scores.com/download-sheet-music.php?pdf=17942
Additional Resources
Get It Scrapped: I Heard the News
Personal Storytelling: Write About Unexpected News and What it Means: A Get it Scrapped Article
I Heard the News
Click here to view more details