Hello! Amy Sorensen here, and I have a confession:
I love books.
No really. I love, love books. I always have three or four different things I'm reading and 127 or so things I want to be reading. I talk about books, write about books, think about books. They are my favorite decoration in a room.
Plus, I'm a librarian.
So I'm contractually obligated to also scrapbook about books (and reading). Throughout my twenty years of scrapping, I've made quite a few book-related layouts, so I thought for today's post I'd share some tips and tricks for getting books and reading into your scrapbook albums.
- Write about your kids’ relationship with reading. Some kids love it, some kids hate it; it’s easy for some and hard for others. If it’s a struggle, don’t be afraid to write about it. If it’s a joy, celebrate it! I’ve found that how kids feel about reading changes as they get older. My oldest three kids loved reading until they hit junior high, and then they’ve taken a hiatus. I’m hoping they remember one day that they love books. My youngest son loves to have someone read to him, but he’s not a big fan of reading on his own. I’ve documented all of these stories and experiences. In this layout, I wrote about my youngest finally finding some books he really loved and would read without complaining:
- If you come across a book-themed supply that you love, buy it.Especially if it fits well with your design aesthetic. It's a theme that comes up sometimes, but not always. So grab it when you find it. I have two book-themed stamps and I've used them a bajillion different ways on reading layouts. But don’t feel bound to use theme-based supplies. Book spines are easy to make!
- Take pictures of your kids reading. Maybe that seems obvious, but it’s such a common, everyday sort of activity it’s easy to overlook. I've had to be stealthy about this sometimes, especially with my child who doesn't love reading. The easiest way to interrupt someone reading is to make a fuss with a camera. My favorite reading-related pics are the ones where the subject is immersed in his or her book.
- Document board books. There is something special about the connection babies make with their board books. All of our favorites are drooled on and coming apart, but they were so important to my kids' childhood that I kept all but the most disheveled. What were your favorite board books to read to your babies and which ones filled you with despair at the very thought of having to read them one more time? (Goodnight Moon and Pat the Bunny, respectively, are mine.) Were any of the books gifts from someone special? What did your kids love and what did they learn from the stories?
- Take book-related photos. I've taken pictures of our bedraggled copies of the Harry Potter series, of a much-chewed board book copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and of a stack of my daughter's Nancy Drew books. I've also photographed my kids's book shelves and their library piles. And I always take a photo at Christmas with whatever books they received. (It's not Christmas without a new book, is it?)
- If you don't have a photo but you have a notable book-related story, tell the story anyway. In this layout, I paired a photo of my son jumping on the trampoline (he's just finishing his finally-perfected full twist) with a funny reading-related story. The picture has absolutely nothing to do with the story, except that it comes from the same time period. I connected these with a quote from Roald Dahl, who is an integral part of the story. I also could have taken a picture of the books in question, or found an image with the authors' signatures. The point is, stories about books and reading are awesome, so document them even without pictures.
- Write about your relationship with reading. What made you love (or hate) it? What books influenced you? Who are your favorite writers? What writers have you met in person? What are your favorite books, genres, or styles of writing? Where is your favorite place to read? (Mine, I confess, is the bath tub!)
- Include reading details in your life-right-now style layouts. I like to make at least one layout every year that captures the everyday details of our lives, and I always make sure to include what the person I’m scrapping about is reading at the moment. In this layout, the journaling is a list of random stuff, but I added the details of what we were both reading on the tag with the date.
- Document generational connections. My three oldest kids all loved the Wrinkle in Time quartet and the Chronicles of Narnia, books I also loved as a kid. I’ve found these connections happen quite often once your kids hit high school, especially if they’re reading off of the AP list. Several times I’ve chosen to read whatever book one of my kids is reading in his or her English class, which makes it easier to help them with essays and gives you a thing to talk about. I’ve made layouts about all of those experiences. One of my favorites is the one about the Twilight series, which I read (and hated) because my daughter was reading it (she loved it); we had some really great discussions about romance, choice, and being influenced by others, so I had to document it. There are also connections the other way, from you to your parents or grandparents. I still need to make a layout about how my dad and I both loved The Lord of the Rings and East of Eden.
- Document your local library. Most libraries are just fine with people taking pictures inside, but if you feel unsure, just ask a librarian! Take some photos near your favorite pieces of art, compose an artsy shot of light streaming across bookshelves, or pose everyone at the entrance to the building. How often do you go to the library? What do you love about your library and what do you wish were different? What’s the biggest library fee you’ve ever had?
How have you included books and reading in your scrapbooks? Do share! And...dare I say, happy reading?
