You know one of my favorite things about Project Life? It’s so stinking easy that even kids can do this. In honor of National Scrapbooking Day, I asked my kids if they were interested in doing their first Project Life layout. Porter (9) was more interested in drawing superheros and creating his own new language. Totally cool with that. Totally cool with kids expressing their creativity in the way that keeps them motivated and inspired.

Claire (6), on the other hand, was totally game for this. Several weeks ago she took the camera into the backyard and took pictures. A lot of pictures – of anything and everything that was interesting to her. I printed those pictures and invited her to choose her 7 favorites. She also chose her title card and journaling cards from the Clementine Core Kit … and she was all set.

Porter helped her with spelling on some cards, and she was on her own for others. I’m not worried about consistency. I just wanted her to have fun and feel great about the fact that she was scrapbooking! She not only took the pictures completely by herself but she loved how easy it was to place the photos & cards in the pockets.

Claire is six years old. She can do this. Kids can do this! Start ‘em young.  : )

As for the context of this layout (and any others that she makes, or our boys eventually make) … I am just placing this in her scrapbook in the Kindergarten section, since she did this as a Kindergartner. For our kids’ albums I don’t separate school stuff and the rest of their childhood. It’s all part of life and it’s all part of their story and I put it all together in chronological order. That’s how I roll. If you want to learn more about my system, check out the currently featured video on our Videos page.

And by the way, I’m going to answer a question that I bet has popped into some of your minds, especially since I mentioned that I hope my boys will want to do some scrapboking at some point. This is not a girls-only hobby. And yet – most products would indicate so. Am I right? Even most of our Project Life editions are pretty feminine. So here’s the deal: YES – We are developing a Project Life edition that you will absolutely be able to hand over to the guys in your life (those that have an interest in doing something with their pictures without all the frill and fluff). Can I hear an AMEN! for that?

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Speaking of kids – I received a touching email from Katherine in Colorado – age 14:

Dear Becky,

I’m here today to spread the word about something that’s truly amazing. That thing is my hobby, my expression, my passion, my life. People ask me from time to time which things I would save if my house was on fire. My answer is always the same: my childhood doll “Baby”, and childhood blanket “Blankie”, and my scrapbooks.

Scrapbooking is a revolutionary, brilliant method of preserving and forever cherishing your beautiful memories in a way that is practical and allows you to look back on that spectacular thing called life whenever your heart desires. Whether you glance at last summer’s entries for a few minutes before running out the door in the morning, or spend three hours with your family looking back on the past ten years of your lives one night, you are doing something to bring back the days of old, as well as inspire your children to ask questions and even one day record their lives as effectively as you have.

It’s been said that pictures are worth a thousand words. Then how much is a picture with words worth? In my opinion, it’s worth every minute that you spend putting it all together, because for every minute you spend making a scrapbook, you get the rest of your life and your kids’ lives to enjoy it.

Project Life makes it all so easy, so clean and fast, and so fun. Everything is clean-cut and ready, decked out with cute designs and colors. I just wanted to write this to express my feelings of thanks to Becky Higgins, thanks that I owe her for creating such a magnificent product that, in my opinion, is the largest step toward simplicity that the scrapbooking society has taken since double-sided tape – and also, for truly changing me as a person.

I now realize that I only have one life and that I must live it to the fullest. I now hug and kiss each member of my family, telling them that I love them, before they go anywhere, because I never know if they’ll come back. I am honestly grateful for every breath I take and every day that I wake up on this lovely earth. Becky opened my eyes to so much more than initial appearances, to what lies behind those seemingly insignificant moments in my existence.

Life is a one-time deal, so work hard to make it the very best that you can. Take too many pictures, laugh too often, and love too much. Thanks Becky.

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Um, pass the tissue. Katherine, you are a remarkable young woman. Thank you for inspiring us.