How to Use Your Handwriting on Scrapbooking Pages
Scrapbooking as a hobby has changed along with the digital age. We can use digital software to create beautiful scrapbooking pages completely on our computer screens. Even the most traditional scrapbookers love the neat, professional-looking type of computer fonts for their pages.
Your handwriting may not be as neat as a printed journaling block from a computer. Yet, your families will find it so much more meaningful and personal than anything typed.
Why don’t we use our own handwriting on our scrapbooking pages more often? We all have different reasons. You might be concerned with how messy your handwriting is or that others may not be able to read it. Remember those recipes written by a grandparent or handwritten letters from a loved one? Those are more meaningful to you now because they are personal and unique. Your family will feel the same way about your handwriting in your scrapbooks.
Handwriting mistakes a common reason why people hesitate to use their own handwriting on their scrapbooking pages. You can use different techniques to correct your handwriting errors. First, use a paper journaling block. These are inexpensive, and if you make a mistake on one, you just try again on another. If you spot your mistake after the journaling is attached to the page, just glue another paper block over the one with the error. You can use stickers to cover your mistakes as well.
Handwriting success depends on using the right pen. You should first consider the type of paper you are using. Choose a pen designed to write on that type of surface. Some pens will run or smear on certain types of scrapbooking paper. Width is also important. Using a wide tip pen on a small square of paper is not going to be successful.
Always practice your journaling before you glue it to your page. Write a draft on a piece of scrap paper. Slowly, read it aloud. This helps you spot errors in your grammar and spelling. If you have someone available, ask them to proofread it for you. Always remember to test the pen on the paper as well. Practicing on a draft first also lets you see if you have enough room available for all of your journaling.
Are you one of those people that write uphill? If you find it difficult to write in a straight line, use lined journaling blocks. You can make them yourself, buy a stamp with lines designed for this purpose, or purchase pre-lined journaling papers. Another tip is to use the natural lines in your layouts. Write along stripes on patterned paper. Handwrite phrases around a frame. You can even print on the edges of your borders.
There are few things as personal as our handwriting. Handwriting is unique. Like our signature, it is a statement of who we are. When you use your handwriting on your page layouts it adds character to your scrapbooks. It will tell your family and anyone who looks at your albums about your mood and your personality. Your family is sure to treasure your scrapbooks even more. Let your handwriting add depth and emotion to your pages, not a computer font.
Christine Perry is an avid scrapbooker and has more than 10 years of scrapbooking experience. Her favorite scrapbooking subjects are her reluctant teenagers. She invites you to her website, http://www.intoscrapbooking.com for more scrapbooking ideas and information on Mother’s Day cards for scrapbooking.
