Easy ways to add journaling to your scrapbook pages

If you’re anything like me, you probably find that journaling on your scrapbook pages can sometimes be a struggle – staring at that blank page can be rather intimidating! Over the years I have picked up some techniques that help me to add journaling to my layouts when I get stuck or overwhelmed by that empty page. Here are some of my favourite tips and tricks to help you add meaningful journaling to your scrapbooking quickly and easily!

1. Make A List

Maybe the easiest way to add journaling is in the form of a simple list or bullet points. This is especially helpful if you’re pressed for time or don’t enjoy writing long paragraphs on your pages. Just jot down the details you want to record and you’re done!

If you’re struggling to get going, start with the 5 W’s: who, what, when, where and why. Who’s in the photo? What are they doing? When and where was the photo taken? Why are they there? Sometimes listing some or all of the 5 W’s is all the journaling you need!

2. Use Word-Art and Sentiments

In a similar way to using a list or bullet points, you can tell a simple story and set the scene of your scrapbook page by using ready-made word art. Ali Edwards and Liz from Paislee Press are two of my favourites for handwritten word art and sentiments that are perfect for this type of graphic journaling.

If you’re comfortable writing longer journaling, you can also combine word art with your text to create a really striking component to your page! Add emphasis to certain words by replacing the text with word-art pieces. You can also replace words with doodles to add interest and create a really eye-catching layout that would also make a really fun reading activity for little learners!

3. Add information from other sources

This technique is especially useful for travel pages and layouts where you’d like to record a lot of information. Add the text from a helpful document, sign, brochure, newspaper etc. to your layout to give a great overview of the event or location and to include all those details you’re bound to forget after a while!

In the same way as adding written text from other sources to create your journaling, you can also use screenshots and photos of text (menus, signs, brochures, tickets, social media posts etc) to form your journaling, all without even using the text tool!

4. Interview your subject

Interviews are one of my favourite ways to capture a snapshot in time, especially with younger children when tastes and preferences are changing so quickly! Ask them their favourite colours, foods, books etc and record their replies. These types of pages are always fun to look back on and see how they have grown over the years and the journaling writes itself!

An interview is also a really helpful technique for heritage pages, ask a relative what they remember about a certain photograph or a period in their life and use that as the basis of your journaling.

5. Use a poem or quote

You can use a poem, song lyric or meaningful quote to express the feeling or message you’d like to convey in your page. This is a great technique to use if you are struggling to write meaningful journaling but you want your page to have an emotional impact.

You can also create a page about a child’s favourite nursery rhyme, or a poem that has special meaning to you, or even that song that you just can’t get out of your head! You don’t even need to include a photo, the text can be the focal point and the star of the show here. I really enjoy this type of scrapbooking and the creative freedom it brings!

I hope these tips have given you some ideas for adding journaling to your scrapbook pages! Happy scrapping and happy journaling!