Why we should Scrapbook ourselves! – Part 1

Scrapbooking Layouts – A Very Personal Journey

When I started scrapbooking, it was because I could enjoy myself doing paper crafting and it was a beautiful way of displaying all those pictures I had taken over time of family, friends, etc, rather than them all being stuck in their packets (or in folders on my pc).

However, since I started, a few years ago, I have realised that scrapbooking is so much more than a nice way to display your family photos.


Personal Identity
The start of my endeavours in scrapbooking happened to coincide with a lot of changes in my life and at a point where I also felt somewhat lost with regard to a personal identity.

Many new(ish) mother’s go through a similar thing I’m sure… my daughter was 2½ years old and more independent, and I realised that I didn’t actually recognise the person in the mirror anymore! Being a mum, in comfy shoes and clothes, hair a mess most of the time… the usual thing. After a few major changes, I had the means to change a few things and replaced the frumpy, comfy clothes and changed my hair.

Now, I had seen through magazines, books and, of course, here on the internet, many self-portrait pages. I found them very interesting as they seemed much more personal than the usual “scrapbooking my kids antics” type pages, and I thought about doing some of my own and then realised that I didn’t actually have any up to date photographs of me – unless they were with my daughter!

Mirror Image
Feeling a bit self-conscious about asking someone else to take some, I decided to have a go at taking some pictures of myself in a mirror. So, placing a dressing table mirror on the windowsill of my office (which is actually the spare room!), I proceeded to take a few photos. I was actually quite pleased with how the photographs came out!

I have a number of photos which other people have taken of me (usually group shots, or just with my daughter) in which I look completely different to the way I “thought” I looked at the time!

Sound familiar?

Many people say that they don’t like to have their pictures taken because they are “just not photogenic”. Well some people are more photogenic than others, that’s true, but even top models don’t just get in front of the camera without having had some “practise” as to how they present themselves. By that, I mean “how” they smile and hold themselves… they have practised in a mirror (and they get coaching too!). But of course, this does mean that they have to really look at themselves in the mirror!!

Do you avoid looking at yourself in the mirror?

I would wholeheartedly recommend, you using your digital camera to take some photos of yourself in a mirror, preferably near a large window for good natural light levels (that’s obviously during daylight hours!!!!!) It is only by practising that you will learn how you actually look at your best, and when you can safely do this in private, you will relax and therefore your pictures will not have that usual strained “I don’t want to be here” look like they normally do!


Firstly, do you hair and makeup as if you were going out for real. Then take up your camera and snap away… take loads and loads of pictures. Lots of you smiling, some of you doing daft things, some laughing your head off (because at some point you will laugh at yourself - which is good!) and some serious pictures (you could always try a sexy look too!)… just GO FOR IT!

Then look at them on your computer. You can keep it all private, the rest of the family don’t need to see them, unless you want them to! I think you will find it quite liberating… I did!

I have since created some self-portrait pages, and I plan to do more, as they are helping me to re-identify who I am. I have also taken more photographs of myself, and the ones that my family and/or friends have seen have actually had requests for copies!!!! So you see… other people do want to see you and know about you… get photographing and scrapping yourself… your nearest and dearest really do want you to!