Monday, September 26, 2005

Capturing Everyday Life

By Christina VanGinkel

Scrap booking is not only addictive, it is the perfect excuse to pull out your camera and use it on a daily basis. Too often, someone purchases a camera with the full intention of using it a lot. After the initial newness wears off though, it is delegated to the shelf or drawer, only to be pulled out for special occasions such as holidays and birthdays, but this is not so in the household of a true scrapbook enthusiast.

That camera is in use more than the household's toaster! How so you might ask. Take for example these ideas for using your camera in ways you might never have imagined. (Save for if you happen to live in the house of a true scrapper already!)

Wake up teenagers on a typical morning with camera in hand to inform them that you are taking their picture as they wake up so you can create a scrapbook page about waking them up. (This is for real! I know a mother who did this!)

Take photograph of the first time your teenage son shaves to create a scrapbook page for your book of their firsts. This book will also include first tooth, first haircut, first date, first time they dented the car, first job, etc.

Snap photographs of minor accidents, such as stitches, black eyes, casts, etc. Be sure to check the severity of the accident before grabbing your camera though! If you are dealing with a more major medical issue, go ahead and snap photos, journal, etc., if you feel this will help you deal with the accident or illness in a more controlled, positive way.

Take a photograph of your child's backpack contents or your own briefcase's contents from work. Empty everything out, and remember no cheating by removing anything before snapping the photo, and then journal along with the finished photo explaining what was inside and why.

Take photographs of yourself for what scrapbook people sometimes refer to as a BOM, or Book of Me. Take a photo of yourself having your morning coffee, or with your favorite pet, or even at your desk at work to show your ancestors where you once slogged away to support your scrapbook hobby.

Take a photograph of your child's hand, writing. This is a good project to do at the beginning of each year. Snap a photograph showing their hand, writing their name. When you look back at the photographs years from now you will be amazed at both how much their handwriting has progressed, and how much they have grown.

Snap a photograph of yourself creating a scrapbook page. Be sure to take a few of the area you use for scrapping too. If you are like the majority of us, it will be a bit on the hectic side, though some of us are actually quite organized.

No subject that defines your life and family is too strange to scrapbook. Put that camera to use and capture some moments that are about as true to life as you can get. Think outside the box, as the saying goes, and leave a legacy behind for future generations to smile about.

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