Saving Family History Is Satisfying for Mom

Time flies for Kerry Hardie, but she likes to remember where she’s been. The Powder Springs mom has a pair of teenage boys who keep her constantly on the go, so to savor her moments with them, she turns to scrapbooking.

Hardie’s not the only Powder Springs parent preserving family history.

Vickie Leeman throws scrapbooking parties via her company, Stampin’ Up. 

“I’m an independent demonstrator,” she explained, “and a lot of moms are into it. They find it relaxing and stress relieving. And it’s a lot of fun to do with a group of friends.” 

In fact, Leeman said her Sunday parties are among the busiest because that’s when dads can be home with the kids while the moms get some “me time.”

“I used to go to scrapbooking club when my kids were younger,” Hardie said, adding that was before they became teens with an active social life.

Carolyn Carroll said she started scrapbooking four years ago, although she admits that it didn’t start out as a form of relaxation. “My workplace needed to put a scrapbook of our projects together, and they asked me to do it. Then I got hooked on it for my family.”

Carroll’s 31-year-old son and daughter-in-law are expecting their first child, so the soon-to-be grandmother has been busy gathering materials. 

“I go to Michael’s (in Hiram) and sometimes Hobby Lobby," she explained. "It used to be you’d find small stores catering to scrapbookers, but the bigger arts and crafts chains kind of took over. I mean, you can find scrapbooking sections at Walmart and Target now.”

At the Super Target in Hiram, Beth Silver gathers materials for her 2-year-old daughter’s second scrapbook. She has also done scrapbooks for her two boys, ages 6 and 9.

"Sometimes I use materials from around the house, like leftover ribbons or cut-up cards, and sometimes I use the packaged stuff," she said. 

Silver and her friends have scrapbooking nights, sort of like a “girls night out,” she said. “We bring snacks and share ideas and materials.”

Leeman said scrapbooking has gone high-tech with the My Digital Studio program her company offers. 

“You can arrange your pictures and create a page right on your laptop," she described. "Or you can make a hybrid page by merging the computer program and traditional techniques: printing a page and popping in a photo or an item.”

Leeman offers scrapbooking classes as well as parties. She can be reached through her website, www.vickieleeman.stampinup.net.

Michael’s and Hobby Lobby also offer classes for scrapbookers, showing moms how to preserve photos and mementos in a personable way.

“It brings out my creative side,” Hardie declared with a grin. “It’s also nostalgic, which I appreciate now that my kids are older and preparing to leave the nest.”