Scrap Your Story

me and my cousin, Ronda in 1974

Just over a year ago, I lost my wonderful cousin to cancer.  She and I had grown up together-more like sisters than cousins.  We were 8 months apart and shared many wonderful memories.  She was one of the sweetest people I have ever met!  She always thought of others and had such a kind heart.  She had barely turned 38 when colon cancer took her from us.  She left behind her husband and 11 year old son.  My heart still breaks for all that they have lost.  With her loss, came another discovery.  In her busy life of raising a family, working and doing all the normal life things, she had never recorded anything from her life.  She left no journals, no scrapbooks, only pictures that were difficult to piece together.  I still think of the tragedy of this.  A beautiful woman, wife, mother, sister, daughter, cousin, friend who left behind very little physical proof of her existence.  It has inspired me and reminded me of how important it is to tell our story.  We can't depend on others to remember our day to day life happenings, and truly, we can't even rely on our own memories.  Time has a way of stealing many precious moments, so they are best recorded as they happen!

This past year, for the first time ever, I scrapped my life, as it happened in the year.  It wasn't perfect, and I know I still missed things, but it is more than I have ever done before.  I printed 50 pages of 12x12 layouts that I put in an album for my family to remember 2010.  I learned a lot, as I did this and as I watched the reactions of others.  I felt inspired to share these things with all of you!  I hope to inspire each of you to write your stories, in the here and now before it is too late.

During 2011,  my blog won't contain freebies or many of the things I have done in the past, but rather it will be about telling your story.  I will have tips and prompts and challenges to help motivate us.  Even if you have years in the past to still record, start today.  You can always go back and fill in, but for now, start with today!  Make 2011 the year where you will leave a record of your life and move forward.  And if you are current with all your scrapping-even better.  Maybe some of my ideas will inspire new thoughts or new album ideas!

More will come, and I will officially start on Saturday-January 1st!  Welcome and hold on, it's going to be a great year!