How to Scrapbook Your Memories with Not-So-Good Photos

This week I want to talk about a subject that's pretty dear to me. How to still make a special scrapbook even when your photos are bad (or non-existent even!). It's not always easy to get good photos during celebrations with friends and family. And you know what, that's a good thing. It's not cool to spend your whole life glued to your camera or worried about how to get a nice photo at a super dark party. With the sun setting earlier, it's not the easiest time of year to get awesome photos of all your fun events. Many times I realize after a party that I have zero photos, or maybe a few grainy selfies with my friends. It's not ideal, but that doesn't have to keep you from scrapbooking your happy memories.

So if you've struggled with photo guilt, you're not alone! Today I'm here to share a few simple methods for compensating for less-than-perfect photos.

So our holiday party was this past week. It was an incredibly fun night full of great conversations, amazing food, drinks, and... bad photos. Above you see most of the photos that exist from the whole evening. Not ideal, but I'll show you how I made up for it and still scrapbooked our fun night!

Idea 1. Stamp your favorite moments.

Above are many of the memories that I wish I would have captured photos of. But since I didn't, I stamped them, cut them out, and used them on this cute card. Now our happy memories are present in a cute way, and it really fills out the page with my awesome grainy photos. Try this—it's easy!

Idea 2. Use found paper.

Do you have receipts, menus, or handwritten notes from your night? Above are my toast notes from the party, just cut down. It's a personal detail that may not mean anything to anyone else, but I'll always remember what it is when I look through my book.

Idea 3. Journal on your photos.

You can use Messy Pens to do this. They're photo safe. This photo is kinda awful, but the little journaled sentiment helps—I think!

Idea 4. Doodle the details.

Last weekend we had a brunch date with the Gummermans. We got a few cute photos, but definitely not enough to share a complete story. So I doodled some of the sweet things from our morning on a card to round out the page. This is an especially good idea when you have an event (like brunch) that doesn't necessarily need any heartfelt journaling, but you'd still like to capture some details about the experience. :)

I hope these ideas are helpful and encouraging! It's fun to have amazing photos, but when you don't, it doesn't have to stop you from creating a special scrapbook! xx. Elsie