Adoption Scrapbooking

I’ve recently made a foray into the world of digital scrapbooking and I think I’m hooked. I’m certainly not going to give up my paper scrapbooking, but this is an awesome creative outlet and I find it easier to make the time to do because I don’t have to drag out all of my supplies, find space to work and ensure that no babies or cats get into my work. Digital scrapbooking is done completely on your computer. There are many fancy (re: expensive) programs that you can work with, but I’ve found a free program (Scrapbook Flair) and free items to work with and am excited about it. Since I still haven’t completed Ella’s lifebook, I’m thinking about working on a digital one for her. Digital scrapbooking is very similar… [more]

My February edition of “Creating Keepsakes” magazine came in the mail the other day. As I was enjoying flipping through the pages and daydreaming about all the beautiful scrapbook pages I would suddenly have the time to create, I came across an entire section dedicated to scrapbooking about adoption! The writer of the piece, Heather Jones has a cousin who was adopted domestically and she remembers meeting her for the first time. Being touched by adoption, I assume she was inspired to explore how to best scrapbook about ones own adoption experience. Who knew that so many scrappers submitted their adoption related layouts to the magazine?! The section, titled “A Gift of Love” is beautiful. I loved that there is a layout done by an an… [more]

There’s something about the holidays that make me nostalgic, and I’m sure I’m not alone. Since Ella has entered our lives I have an extremely strong urge to capture her holiday experiences, especially from these years when she’s so young that she probably won’t remember them. Doing some holiday themed scrapbooking is the perfect solution to document these memories and help your child to look back in the years to come. Here are some ideas on how to scrapbook your family’s holiday memories:

• Focus on your favorite moments, not necessarily the moments that you “think” you should scrapbook. It doesn’t have the be the menorah lighting or the putting up of the Christmas tree that you capture. Maybe your favorite part of the festivities is watching

I absolutely love the idea of creating a separate little scrapbook just for your child. Intended for little hands, it would tell your child’s adoption story in language and photos that are appropriate for their age level. I know many adoptive parents who have created books for little hands and they came to be prized possessions of their children and really helped them to understand their adoption stories. For a child feeling unsure and confused, and unable to communicate their emotions, they can take comfort in knowing that they can go back to their book and their story at any time. The book can also be a good opener for conversations between parent(s) and child. Here are some tips and ideas for making your child their very own… [more]

Traditional baby books don’t really fit for our kids who were adopted internationally. There is a great deal of focus on “the day you were born” and many “firsts” that just don’t apply when children are adopted as infants or older. I have found the best way to record Ella’s history is through making my own scrapbook. Granted, I am almost painfully behind, but at least I have ideas of what I would like to do whenever I can find some time! By creating your own baby book format, you can include the memories and milestones that make sense to your family. Here are some ideas for creating your own baby book scrapbook pages:

• Create your own set of “firsts”: the first time we met, first bath

As a scrapper, I had all these dreams about the intricately beautiful and detailed pages I would make for my daughter when she came home. That was before she was actually here and before I realized that I would be lucky to carve out ten minutes a week to work on a scrapbook layout. We have been home six months and I have only completed six or seven pages and have a photo box full of photos (and hundreds more that need to be ordered from snapfish!) So I have realized two things: I need to find time to work on Ella’s scrapbook and I need to be content with making simpler layouts. Not every page needs to be full of… [more]