Scrapbooking The Five Senses

21 April 2010 Author: Karen Bulmahn

“Did you see that?” “Yum, that tastes good!” “Wow, what is that smell?” “Ouch, that hurts!” “What did you say?” All of these phrases allows for interpretation by one of the five senses. They are more than likely phrases used by many of us very often, if not daily. Have you ever tried to scrapbook strictly about one of your senses? It actually is very challenging, and it is amazing how much you can in the process.

Scrapbooking about our senses allows us to explore the emotion that is tied to a specific sense. For example, if you decide to scrapbook about the smell of cinnamon rolls cooking in the kitchen, what would the page contain? Obviously it will have the photos, maybe the recipe, and perhaps a few stickers to go along with the coordinating paper and theme. If the page is meant to be a lasting reminder of the detail surrounding the photo, then feelings will have to be expressed through writing. Our senses are all linked back to our minds; after all, that is truly how we are wired internally. So, doesn’t it make sense to use our minds when scrapbooking to explain our senses through the written word—journaling?



When gathering photos to use for a specific layout, grab a scrap of paper or turn to a blank page in a notebook and list adjectives to describe the feelings that were present at the time of the photo. Write details about the day, time or specific activity that took place. This will make the actual journaling much easier when you are ready to add it to your page. Be sure to leave the right amount of space on the layout for the length of journaling needed.

In the Rainbow layout above, the journaling is truly the key to unlock the heart of the page. It tells the story behind the miraculous beauty of the rainbow photos. Without the journaling, the page would lack inspiration, depth, understanding and meaning, and would merely be a piece of pretty paper containing rainbow pictures.

The five senses make up so much of who we are and what we’re about. Don’t be afraid to express these five wonderful parts through writing when working on your layouts. The more that is described on your pages, the more memories and legacy you will leave for generations that follow.