Journaling Ideas
Tell your Stories

Does your mind go blank when it comes to journaling?

Need some journaling ideas to get you going? You've come to the right place.

With some journaling exercises to inspire you, and show you where to look for information, you'll soon be on your way to great journaling.

Let's explore some of the ways we can capture the stories found in our pictures, and the reasons why we should. There are many ways to include journaling in your scrapbooks. There's bound to be some journaling ideas here that will work for you.

Journaling in your handwriting is a great method for traditional scrapbooking. This leaves a touch of you on the pages and becomes a legacy for future generations. What if you don't like your handwriting? Let's look at some alternatives...

• Computer generated
  Using a computer to type your journaling allows you to choose many fonts, sizes and colors, but you lose the personal touch of handwriting. Be sure to print your journaling on acid-free paper.

• Handwriting font
  With a little bit of work you can turn your own handwriting into a computer font. You will then be able to print your journaling out from your computer and still have some of the effect of your own handwriting. Click here to see how to turn your handwriting into a font.

• Handwritten & Computer
  Add your handwriting in small ways such as dates or photo labels, and use your computer journaling for your page. You will still have some handwriting on the page.

Remember that your families' stories are important. Regardless of which way you decide to journal, make sure you add journaling to your pages.

Now that we've found some journaling ideas to help us add journaling to our pages, you might be wondering what to journal about. Okay, let's see...

• Title
  A title is a great way to let others know what the page is about. A title can simply be handwritten. Stencils or stickers are popular for titles.





• Start with the basics
  Write the names of the people in the photos. List full names. Not everyone knows who Uncle Jim is. Include the date the photos were taken. As time passes it will be hard to remember them. This information can be written under or around the photos, or included in your journaling.

• Fill in the story
  Where were the pictures taken, what were you doing? Don't forget to write that down. Include funny stories or something memorable about the event. These will be priceless after the memories have faded. Include your thoughts and feelings.



• Poems and Quotes
  Not sure you can find the right words for a page? Still have some space you want to fill? Try adding a poem or quote to a page. Another great journaling idea is to add some lyrics to a favorite song. These can help set the tone for your page, and express your feelings to others.

So far we've looked at how to add journaling to your page and some ideas of what to include in your journaling. What did you say? How can you make your journaling look more interesting? Here are some creative journaling ideas.

• Outline your journaling
  Use one of your permanent acid-free pens to draw an outline around your journaling to make it stand out on the page. You can also use a frame around your journaling.






• Journaling box
  Use a journaling box, or make one by matting some lined paper with a coordinating paper. A sticker can be used to spice up the journaling box.




• Larger Letter
  Use a larger size letter for the beginning letter of the first word in your journaling for some added interest.

• Bullet Points
  Using bullet points can keep information clear and to the point. This is a good way to include a lot of information in a small space. This may work well when you have a lot to fit in a limited amount of space.

So what are you waiting for? Go on, start journaling on those pages. Let's put these journaling ideas to work. Your albums will be something your family will cherish for generations to come.

Journaling Exercises
These journaling exercises will keep that pen moving. I've heard a lot of scrappers comment that journaling is their least favorite part of scrapbooking.






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