Scrapbooking: My Therapy

I’ve always felt a need for a creative outlet, which is why I suppose I was first drawn to scrapbooking when pregnant with Ryan. I loved the idea of documenting my new baby’s life, all while layering brilliant patterned papers and ribbons, arranging flowers, buttons, and felt elements, and then painting, glueing, doodling, inking, embossing, sewing, stapling, or stamping.

If  I wasn’t scrapbooking, I was usually devouring layout magazines, taking pictures, or journaling in preparation for my anticipated creative play.

Looking back on my life as a new mom I think I must have had post-partum depression. While I adored my baby who had come to us after a difficult four-year struggle with infertility and miscarriage and greatly appreciated my opportunity to be a mother, I was sad and lonely. A lot.

Scrapbooking during naptimes became a therapy for me as I adjusted from well-respected careerwoman to underappreciated stay-at-home mommy.  It gave me the energy I needed to get through the next round of breastfeeding and poopy diapers by helping me notice the moments I knew I’d want to remember.  It helped me see the good in my new stay-at-home life and gave me the creative outlet I needed to express these feelings. As I experimented with different styles and techniques, my confidence and knowledge of myself grew.

Now that we have three kids I have a lot less time to scrapbook but it’s still a passion and even if I can’t get to the creating part, I still try to jot down notes or sketch out an idea for a future page before the memory is lost.