Have you ever created a scrapbook? Nothing virtual, mind you, but an album you can hold, one filled with printed pictures attached to pretty paper slipped into sheet protectors. It’s fun and something to do with coronavirus downtime.

First, you need a subject. The marriage of Daughter #3 gave me a reason to visit Hobby Lobby’s scrapbook aisles where I found the perfect album. Perfect because the wedding took place at the Overlook Barn, and the cover looks like weathered barn boards.

You can use a trip, somebody’s sports “career,” a child’s first year(s), or any special occasion as a scrapbook subject. Simply pick something you want to document with pictures and mementos.

My daughter received a professional album from her wedding photographer, but mine will be a second record, one I’ll keep at my house.

After choosing an album, I selected background paper for my photos and mementos. There was a lot of pink at my daughter’s wedding–bridesmaids’ dresses, flowers, and grooms’ bow ties–so I picked up a pack of paper with various shades of pink.

Using all pink would be boring, though, especially when Hobby Lobby has so many beautiful patterns to jazz up an album.

It was hard to choose just a few, but I tried to keep my subject in mind–my daughter’s mountain wedding at a barn. If you’re creating a scrapbook to commemorate a Little League career, baseball-theme paper is available. A trip to Europe? There are sheets with tiny airplanes along the border.

After buying the album and my paper, I needed only a few more supplies: wedding-theme stickers, two-sided tape to attach photos to the background paper, a glue stick to use for paper on paper , and a pair of scissors. You can buy stickers for all occasions in Hobby Lobby, as well as double stick tape. (Yep, I love Hobby Lobby.)

Creating an album can be messy. Since this project will likely take several days,  it helps to find a space you don’t have to clean up until you’re through. I put down an old tablecloth on my seldom-used dining room table where I could spread out pictures and paper.

One of the perks of scrapbooking over simply putting together a picture album is the ability to showcase keepsakes. For example, I inserted two copies of my daughter’s wedding program, showing both the front and back.

My album follows a chronological order, starting with the Save the Date card and then covering a bridal shower, a bridesmaids’ weekend, a rehearsal dinner, a pre-wedding reception (it was a COVID thing), the wedding itself, a post-wedding reception,  and honeymoon photos supplied by the groom of the couple in St. John. I wound up with 50 pages (25 front and back.)

Here are some sample pages, featuring two of my favorite background papers.  

Guess who was the ring-bearer at my daughter’s wedding? See the sticker? Look closely for the pouch hanging from the dog’s neck.

Creating a scrapbook doesn’t have to be expensive. I used the Hobby Lobby 40% off coupon (found online) to purchase my album. The pretty patterned paper is only 25 cents a sheet, and the packet of solid pink was half price. I printed my pictures when Walgreens was running a 12 cents per 4 X 6 photo sale.

Let me know if you’ve ever created a scrapbook–or if I’ve inspired you to pull out some photos and think of the possibility.