Scrapbook-y Things

I’ve always felt like memory keeping is more of a lifestyle than a hobby. Today’s micro show is about easy things you can do to support your desire to document life even as you are living it.

“Life is nothing more than a stream of experiences, the more widely and deeply you swim in it, the richer your life will be. ”

— Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

I’ll share FIVE things I’ve done recently that are “scrapbook-y” …Engage intentionally with children, family members and friends in small pockets of time. While driving last week, Addie and I paired words to a familiar tune to create a song for our little Audrey. Since then, Addie has been practicing on the piano.

✂️ TIP: When running errands in the car, split the drive time up so that you have time to interact with fellow passengers AND relax while listening to music or podcasts. Kids will learn to anticipate both aspects of drive time and you’ll create memorable moments together. Use a Notes app to capture details and descriptions about the things you’ve been experiencing. I did this on a morning walk last week when I used the built-in microphone to dictate my first-ever experience with rolled ice-cream!

✂️TIP: Use technology and tools on the go as often as you can to capture—not only photos—but names, dates and sensory details that help you write about experiences so they can become memories in your scrapbooks. Digitize older prints and documents with your smart phone in small batches. Most of us have boxes of older prints and memorabilia that need our attention and that feels overwhelming, but tackling these collections a little here and a little there is the answer!

✂️TIP: Place an older print or document on a flat surface in natural (indirect) light and take a photo. Then use an editing app—like PicTapGo—to straighten, crop and restore color. You won’t believe how EASY it is to bring precious bits of your past into your current digital library. Take photos of YOU doing the things you enjoy doing. It’s so important to notice tasks, activities and daily efforts that you enjoy or excel at and THEN ask someone to photograph you. If you’re the memory keeper you’re likely not used to being in front of the camera and yet the story you are most qualified to tell is your story and you’re going to need great images to work with.

✂️TIP: Ask a spouse, child, friend or even a neighbor to take your photo OR (again) take advantage of technology that we so often underutilize. Did you know that you can use the Camera Remote app on an Apple Watch to capture photos of you at a distance? Here are the step-by-step directions! Start using unique hashtags in your social sharing to tag photos and posts for easy search. Anytime you publish details about a person, place or thing you care about on Facebook or Instagram add a unique hashtag in the caption.

✂️TIP: I simply string full names together (first name + middle or maiden name + last name) as a like #stacyhalljulian and add these to posts. Then you can either click on these personal tags to pull up additional content OR use the search tool to find all instances in your social sharing when these tags have been applied. Just make sure your tags are unique to you!My guess is that YOU are already doing some of these things and that more than anything you need to recognize daily efforts as being essential and important in your process. You are likely doing better than you think you are. Let go of crazy expectations and celebrate ALL that you do to more fully experience and appreciate life.

❤️ I share a SpeakPipe message that Allison Horn sent, so she’ll be receiving a StoryStarter kit from the Story by Stacy line at Close To My Heart.