Each Thursday, I review a book or blog related to scrapbooking.
Today’s review is on Scrapbooking Everyday Memories, a special issue from Creating Keepsakes. It is on newsstands now and will be displayed until February 7, 2011.
This special issue is really an idea book of 58 journaling tips. After reviewing Stories in Hand and Journaling that Matters, I am a bit burnt out on the topic. I did not realize that this special issue was mainly a journaling idea book until I started reading it for this review. Yes, it says this on the cover; I just didn’t pay attention to it.
Give Me a List!
Like the other journaling books, I want a list of the journaling ideas that I can tear out and take with me to crop or hang on my wall above my scrapbook area for quick and easy reference.
Some Criticism
Each chapter is about a particular area of a person’s everyday life. I have a couple of critiques of the content in these chapters. First, Chapter 2 is about “Your Hobbies” but there was not a layout idea about scrapbooking! Perhaps this seems too obvious, but I would have liked to see a layout about scrapbooking. Second, Chapter 3 is about “Your Getaways.” This topic does not seem so everyday. There were several layouts about weekend getaways or trips to the amusement park–things that are not done everyday at all. To their credit, there were ideas for other types of “getaways,” such as escaping in a good book.
The Content
Each page with a layout has a tip of some sort on design or technique in addition to the journaling prompt.
Challenges
Each chapter ends with a challenge, which seems redundant. The purpose of reading this special issue is to be challenged. If the journaling prompts are things I am already doing, then what is the point?
Inspiration, Not Instruction
There is very little instruction. If you need instruction, you will have to look elsewhere. This special issue is for scrapbookers needing ideas and inspiration for topics for their layouts.
Good Index
I do like the index in this issue. Kudos for Creating Keepsakes for including a great index for readers.
The Takeaway
If you need journaling ideas, then pick up this special issue. If you have enough journaling ideas to last you awhile, then leave it at the newsstand.
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Publishers and Authors
If you are a publisher or an author and would like me to review your scrapbooking-related book or blog, please email me at stephaniemedleyrath at gmail dot com.
Stephanie Medley-Rath is a sociologist and scrapbooker who studies scrapbooking and memory keeping. Scrapworthy Lives is a blog focused on her sociological analysis of scrapbooking, with a sprinkling of posts about Stephanie's own scrapbooking projects.
