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Related Resources • Story Starter Collection • Quick and Easy Pages: Book Review of New Book by Joanna Campbell Slan • Journaling and Lettering • How To Get Started Journaling in Your Album: Beginner How To

From Other Guides • Journaling for Scrapbooks

Elsewhere on the Web • Scrapbook Storytelling

1.) A little story about people who make a difference - Five years ago I was compiling my first scrapbooking book, Scrapbook Storytelling. I had a problem. There were no scrapbook retailers in my home of St. Louis. I bought paper wherever I traveled, but it was tough going as supplies were limited. Since I hadn't published anything in the scrapbooking field, people weren't willing to help. One woman in the market even laughed at me and said, "You? Who are you? No one has heard of you." Then a business associate suggested that I contact a young man who had just begun to print scrapbook paper. I did, and I discovered a very candid person with a vision. I told him about my needs and a few days later a box of scrapbook paper arrived at my door.

That terrific guy was David Wilke of Paper Adventures.

The paper was a big help. More importantly, I needed his nudge of confidence to keep going. It's so easy for people to laugh at our dreams, isn't it? What a difference we can all make by extending a kind word or an encouraging thought to others.

In January at HIA we debuted my newest book, Adventures in Journaling, which features Paper Adventures products. Ask your local retailer if you can see a copy. Oh, and David, if you are reading this-keep that great paper coming, won't you?

• Journaling Idea: Who believes in you? Who supported you when the chips are down? Tell the story of how another person helped you move toward a goal.
• Photo Idea: Take one of you and your supporter. Show the finished product if there was a product involved or a symbol of your effort.
• Page Idea: I think it's really important to show our children and to remind ourselves that most efforts do not go smoothly. We take steps forward and backward, but it is in persevering that we ultimately reach our goals. Why not create a page sort of like the Chutes and Ladders (TM) game?

2.)  Black History Month - Speaking of people we admire, have you introduced your children to Rosa Parks? Parks is thought of as the person who set the Civil Rights movement in motion when she refused to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. She has said, "I don't know why I wouldn't move. There was no plot or plan at all. I was just tired…my feet hurt."

• Journaling Idea: How have the rights of others changed during your lifetime? I grew up seeing doors marked "colored" and "white" in the South. When I told my son about this, he was incredulous. Strange but true that so much has evolved over my lifetime.
• Page Idea: Why not create a page about manners? After all, today Rosa might stand on a bus because we've lost our sense of manners, a sense that dictates that older persons or women should be given seating preferences.
• Page Idea: Create a timeline to show how Civil Rights have changed in your lifetime and share it with your child.
• Page Idea: What makes a person a hero? Ask your child to tell you. Create a page focusing on the child's answer. You might want to read to your child the story of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., or some other Black person who worked to break racial barriers and then ask for your child's reaction.

3.) Ground Hog Day, February 2 - It's all about prediction, isn't it? Whether that poor wee critter has been endowed with meteorology skills or not, we still look to him for weather advice.

• Journaling Idea: What predictions do you have for the coming year? Why not write them down and see how accurate you are. Be sure to make predictions about your family and friends and the vast world of celebrities. Why not? Everybody else does!
• Photo Idea: Take a picture of your children and predict how much they will grow in the coming year. Or take a photo of your yard on Feb. 2 and predict when you'll see the first flowers of Spring.
• Page Idea: Combine your own personal predictions and photos and leave a space for "the real scoop."
• Silly Idea: Can you read tea leaves? Perhaps we can't tell the future, but we can imagine all sorts of images. The tea in tea bags is actually tea dust, not leaves. Why not heat a pot of water, pour it over a few leaves in cups and ask your kids, "What do you see?" I guess it is sort of like watching clouds or looking at ink blots for us amateurs. Be sure to take photos of the tea, the cups and the kids.

4.) Valentine's Day, Feb. 14 - Since I never seem to manage to get Christmas cards out to my friends, I try to make up for my neglectful ways by sending Valentine's cards. I particularly like to remember my girlfriends on Valentine's because I love them. My women friends mean all the world to me. They teach me, nurture me, guide me and add so much joy to my life.

• Journaling Idea: Make a list of the people you love.
• Page Idea: Put a heart in the center and circle it with photos of the people you love. Tell what you love about each of them.

5.) Presidents Day, Feb. 18-When I think of the past year, I remember how precious is our right of freedom. The freedom of religion, speech, and the freedom to choose our leaders seems especially dear to me.

• Journaling Idea: What sort of job do you think the President is doing? If you had President Bush's ear, what would you like to tell him?
• Page Idea: Write an imaginary letter to President Bush, or a real one. Adhere it to a patriotic background. Be sure to save room for a reply!

God Bless America--Joanna