Happy Fourth of July to our blog readers in the United States! In honor of this holiday, I, Vivian, want to share with you some thoughts about Fourth of July scrapbooking. I've created a ton of layouts over the years documenting our annual Fourth of July traditions and celebrations, as I did in this layout:
However, I want to go in a little bit of a different direction today and take the opportunity to celebrate not just the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and all of the celebrations that occur each July 4th, but United States history as a whole. (If you are reading this from outside the United States, simply substitute the name of your country anywhere I've put "United States history," as the ideas can certainly still apply!)
I will fully admit that we are history geeks in my household. We love visiting historic sites and museums, both close to home and when we travel. I love learning about the countless stories that come together to make up the whole of United States history (I'm a fan of world history as well, but, hey, this is the Fourth of July, so I'll save that angle for another post sometime). Our revamped History Colorado Center just reopened this spring here in Denver, and one of the things I love best about it is an exhibit that focuses on the everyday lives of ordinary people in a Colorado farming community. This segment of text from one of the panels in the exhibit really resonated with me:
History isn’t just made by great women and men; it’s made by people following their dreams, facing adversity, and working to build a better tomorrow.
In other words, history is us and we are history. Pretty cool, right?
So...without further ado, here are four scrapbook-y ways to celebrate history on the Fourth (or, really, on any day!):
1. Do as Lisa Ottosson did and journal about the history evoked by a place you've visited:
Her journaling says: "It was an unreal feeling walking the mall, the place where so many historic events have happened: Martin Luther King's speech, protests against the Vietnam War and where thousands of people witnessed Obama become the president."
2. Follow Kathy Martin's lead and share what you learned from a visit to a history museum or historic site:
3. Document the history you read, or the history a family member reads:
4. Record how your family's story is part of your country's story. This could take the form of a layout about how your family experienced a particular era or event (for example, how the Great Depression affected grandma, or how dad served in the Vietnam War), or it could be a layout about how a family member interacted with a famous historical figure (or how a family member was a famous historical figure, depending on your family!), or it could be a layout about how your family became part of the story of the United States:
So, after you've celebrated the Fourth - or as part of your celebrations on the Fourth - give scrapping history a try!
