You say you want to scrapbook. You’ve read magazines and how-to books. You’ve even taken a class at a local store. But you still haven’t done a single page.

What’s stopping you from starting?

Are you afraid? Sure you’re going to do it wrong? I’ve got news for you: there is no “right way” to scrapbook. I’m even going to go so far as to say, you may already be scrapbooking, and don’t realize it.

When it comes right down to it, scrapbooking consists of your words and your pictures, put together in a way that makes sense to you. What it looks like can vary greatly.

Sometimes it looks like something your grandmother might have put together, with black pages, photo corners, and clippings pasted on the page.

Sometimes it looks like a photo album, with photos slipped in sleeves, and just a few words written in the margins.

Sometimes it’s clean and graphic, and reminds you of a page from a magazine.

Sometimes it’s got fifteen layers of paper, paint, and fabric, and just a single beloved photo.

Sometimes it’s a photo book, where you add your photos and words to a pre-planned set of pages.

Sometimes it’s words and photos together on your screen, published on a blog for all the world to share.

Sometimes it’s a slide show of your favorite photos and video set to an especially meaningful song.

That’s all scrapbooking. All of it. Really.

Scrapbooking is your story, told in whatever way works for you.

What story do you want to tell? What photos are begging to be used?

That’s where you start.