A scrapbook of of memories during covid-19

In 2020 I think it is fair to say that with the bulk of the world coming to a halt, that a large majority turned to social media platforms to share what they were up to and in turn get ideas and inspiration as to how they could fill their days at home. Whether it was DIY and interiors, activities to keep children entertained, what the next big thing was to binge on Netflix and of course, viral videos, dance routines, and funny content on YouTube and Tik Tok entertained the masses.

While I enjoy being creative with words through writing I also really enjoyed taking photos and putting together short video clips of how we were filling our days. These could then be shared with family and friends so they didn’t feel like they were missing out on special moments. This was a lifeline for our parents as they, in particular, struggled with being apart from their grandchildren for a few months.

Plenty of time

Arts and crafts experienced a massive surge in popularity during COVID-19 as the pandemic brought us time to commit to things. Stay-at-home orders inspired those with ample free time to pick up hands-on projects, and with that, I witnessed the comeback of scrapbooking.

I decided to print out those pictures that were just sitting on my phone and make my own book of memories. I now have a wonderfully personal and evocative book that I can use to reminisce and fondly reflect on. There were good and bad days of course, but my children where 6 and 3 years old, so will they remember all our adventures during Covid-19? I wasn’t so sure. This scrapbook is now there so we can look at the pictures and talk about the year we got to spend at home whenever they want or need to.

Also known as cropping, the primary purpose of scrapbooking is to preserve memories for future generations, but a secondary purpose often is to exercise creativity as you display your memories in a book.

Scrapbooks are no longer messy old bundles of paper that end up in the attic but can be beautiful books that you’ll want to look at again and again. Not only is the finished result something to treasure, but there are a huge number of benefits to scrapbooking that you might not be aware of.

Benefits to Scrapbooking

Scrapbooking is a perfect way to express yourself without constraints. You begin with a blank canvas and you can add anything and everything to create the desired effect. Whether it’s evoking a certain feeling through materials and textures, or arranging items in a way that tells a story. Scrapbooks challenge you to try new things and to think outside the box but they also allow you to discover a personal style that will reinforce your sense of self. This is particularly useful for children, who can explore new feelings and new experiences by representing them in a scrapbook.

The simple act of expressing an emotion on paper also achieves a sense of acknowledgement and acceptance. At such a difficult time it was, at times, hard to identify and accept certain feelings but by reflecting on emotions around the event and then expressing them on paper, it has created a sense of relieve and validation of these emotions.

What I used

My Spiral Bound Kraft Scrapbook 12 x 12 Inches was from Hobby Craft

My Journal cards where from Hobby Craft but have since sold out, similar ones here from Papermaze

The Bunting was from Poundland but you can order similar online from The Range

The Glue dots where from Poundland but you can order online from The Works

I bought coloured card from Poundland but you can order similar card online from The Works

I saved old wrapping paper along with birthday cards that I could cut up and reuse.

I printed free Covid-19 Printable downloads from Pinterest to scatter throughout the pages.

I printed off my photos using the Free Prints App and just paid for the postage cost.

I really enjoyed taking on this project, so much so that I plan on making more scrapbooks for the girls of our holidays, weekends at the North Coast and photos that come through on their school apps so they can have these to look back on rather than just a basic photo album.

For more scrapbooking ideas be sure to follow me over on my Pinterest board.

Related Blog:

Ten ways to beat the Boredom at home

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