If you’re new to scrapbooking, here’s our simple guide on how to make a lockdown scrapbook, great to do with or without kids.

It’s currently May 2020 when writing this, 8 weeks into lockdown, and there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Shops are talking of re-opening, services potentially starting up again and workers are encouraged to go back to work. It’s definitely been a bizarre couple of months. But amongst the anxiety and sadness, there have been some moments I’m so grateful for, that I don’t want to forget. Spending time together, trying out new recipes, exploring alternative ways to keep busy.

If you’ve felt anyway similar, have you considered writing those memories down or printing those memorable photos out that just sit on our phones?

A lockdown memory book could be something we look at in the future reminding us of the things and feelings we felt. This period is something that will be marked in history books. It would be great to be able to show future generations how it impacted us, the lessons we learned and the important things we shouldn’t take for granted.

Got kids in your family? This is a great activity to do together as a family filling it with all the things you got up to during lockdown.

What is a scrapbook?

A scrapbook is a grander version of a photo album. The great thing about a scrapbook is that it’s a great way to remember moments as you can include more than just photos.

Scrapbooks are a collage version of a photo album. You fill them with photos, your thoughts, memories, feelings plus any physical documentation you wanna cherish, e.g receipts or tickets, or a leaflet or something the kids made.

There are some really talented scrapbookers out there that theme each page around the photo on the page. So if there’s a photo of someone at beach for example, they would create waves out of tissue paper for a border, or add seaside pictures and stickers, plus the plastic spoon they ate their icecream sundae with. That kinda thing.

Don’t worry though, your lockdown memory book can be as creative or as simple as you like!

Free scrapbook kit for you!

I’ve created a free printable scrapbook kit to help get you started. I designed this with kids in mind. But scrapbooking is something all ages can really enjoy. As well as the kit, you’ll also receive inspiration each month plus free tutorials of other projects to try, don’t worry you can unsubscribe any time if you just want the freebie.

To Make Your Scrapbook You’ll Need:

• Notebook or scrapbook – Hobbycraft sell scrapbooks from £4, with beautiful front covers (the 8×8’’ size is great for this project)
• Glue-stick
• Scissors
• Photos printed
• The scrapbook kit PDF printed

Side note – To print your photos either print on your printer at home or get them delivered to your door. I have always used the Freeprints App to print my photos. You get 45 free prints every month, and you just pay for p&p. Here’s a link where we both get 5 additional free prints a month. Use this link or enter the promo code ‘backerman2’ at sign up.

How to make your scrapbook

1. Cut

Once you’ve got everything in front of you, cut out anything from the free kit you would like to use in your scrapbook. You’ll see text boxes are there to go next to photos, banners are there to be used for tops of pages, and colourful tape which you could use to look like its sticking down the photos.

2. Anything else to add?

Do you have other things around the house that you want to include that reminds you of this time? It could be artwork your kids made during lockdown, a receipt from the day you queued 2 hours at Tescos, a clean serviette with the Nandos logo, from when they delivered to your door, or a sheet of clean toilet roll to remind you how precious this was!

If you have any magazines or newspapers around the home you could include words and pictures that relate to each page you’re working on. The top headlines that we’ve been reading. Anything to remind you, years to come of what these days are like and how you feel right now.

3. Organise

Plan out your scrapbook before sticking anything down. Put your photos into some sort of order. It could be in date order or themed into subjects like foods you ate during lockdown, games you played, new things you tried etc.

4. Start sticking

You can create your scrapbook how you wish, I tend to stick my photo first and build around it. I include a little bit of writing next to most of my photos. So feel free to do the same using the text boxes available, or leave space next to your photo to write straight onto the page.

5. Add to it and fill in

Glue down any additional bits to your pages, magazine clippings, newspaper headlines. If you have any stickers around the home add them in. Or doodles you want to fill pages with.

Then next to your photos write a little bit about each one, what you’re feeling, your favourite thing about the photo, what you will always remember, something someone said, that kind of thing.

There you have it, a great memory book. You can apply this technique for any memories you want to cherish. Holidays, summary of the year, things you’ve learned.