My goal this year is to do away with that same old habit. I want to replace it with the habit of writing more dynamic journaling. The kind of journaling I am inspired to do when I take those classes. It's probably going to mean I take a few more classes. Mostly though, I think it's going to take the habit of using the journaling exercises I have learned.
In a recent article for Get It Scrapped, I was asked to explore how to capture a voice. It's not a matter of capturing something with a special recording device. It's simply using your pen and paper to document a story from a different perspective than your own. I chose to document my son's voice.
Will There Be Any Sharks by Christy Strickler Supplies| Cardstock: Bazzill; Patterned Paper: My Mind’s Eye; Letters: Basic Grey; Die Cut: Silhouette; Stamp: Studio Calico; Ink: Tsukineko; Marker/Pen: Bic Mark-it, Sakura; Mist: Pink Paislee, homemade; Other: DMC floss, sequins, glass beads; Design of Layout based on Scrapbook Coach: Criss Cross class
I don't recall the exact conversation. I just remember that my son inquired whether or not we would see sharks on our trip to the beach. I used the question as the title then did my best to reconstruct what I remembered. I had taken a disposable waterproof camera to the beach that day. I love these sun bleached photos of my husband and son in the water. One looked at though my son were searching for a shark. So I added a die cut to the photo. I also used a patterned paper with triangles to simulate shark fins in the water.
You don't have to have photos of the exact moment of the conversation.Most of the conversation about the sharks occurred before we went to the beach. However, using my son's voice along with my husband's responses, gave me an idea for a title. It's not just another layout about us going to the beach. Even though the conversation is a paraphrased memory, it gives insight into my son's personality and makes for a much more interesting layout. The remembered conversation makes these photos of our beach trip all the more memorable for me.
Good storytelling is a habit. It's easy to fall into the old trap of just putting basic details of time, date and place. Capturing someone's voice makes it easy to find your title and add more interesting journaling,which argues for breaking bad habits and trying harder to exercise those brain cells. I am going to try to break that bad habit. How about you?
Resources:
This is an exercise for writers which could be adapted for journaling on layouts:
Great way to capture the voice for your layout Christy! Love that you used the question for your title. And the Yellow background is really awesome with the large photo and the color from the water. Love that you added the shark in the water too!
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