Scrapbooking Journaling Ideas by Svetlana Skus
In the world of scrapbooking, hidden journaling may sound like a contradiction. Isn’t scrapbooking about preserving your memories and displaying them in your scrapbook? If that is true, why should anything be “hidden?”
The answer to the first question is, “Yes.” But in scrapbooking, as in life, there are few questions that can be answered unequivocally by a “yes” or a “no.” There are various reasons for wanting to include hidden journaling on scrapbook pages. I’ve put together some ideas that will help you preserve your stories, no matter the situation.
Reasons to Use Hidden Journaling
1. Privacy
When I first started to scrapbook, I spent all my time on event-driven layouts. Holidays, birthdays, and vacations were the main course of my efforts. But, as time went I on, I saw a veritable scrapbooking feast spread out before me and I didn’t want to miss a morsel. I wanted to capture the “everyday” moments in my layouts. I wanted to pass on more than memories of our summer vacation to my children. I wanted to put all of “me” in the albums that they will look at for decades to come. Sometimes life isn’t pretty, though. Sometimes, it doesn’t come to us packaged in colorful wrapping paper with a red velvet bow tied on top. There have been events for which I don’t want every casual observer able to read the journaling, words meant for my family only. That’s the first reason I use hidden journaling.
2. Space
Scrapbooks are primarily about the pictures. When you look a completed page, the first thing your eye should rest on is the photo or photos. One photo is worth a thousand words, right? But what if you have a thousand words that tell the story behind the photo? That much journaling would certainly overpower the photos. Hiding your journaling allows your photos to shine.
3. Handwriting Issues
Another reason I use hidden journaling is to hide my handwriting. There is something deeply personal about our own handwriting, as personal as a fingerprint. I immediately recognize the handwriting of either my mother or my father; when I do see it, it brings a wave of comfort and memories. I’m not always comfortable showing off my own handwriting, however. I’ve done many layouts that turned out exactly as I had plannedâ
