Imagine relaxing in your living room, serenely turning the pages of your memory book. Every page brings back happy memories or funny moments – your baby angel sleeping or that same toddler's mischief face covered in chocolate icing.

What about all those wonderful firsts? First haircut, first day of school, first visit to the dentist, first sleepover, first trip to Disneyland...All too soon the photos show first date, prom and graduation.

Even “ordinary” days – lunch with friends, your blooming garden, the day your dog chased the squirrel, playing at the park, a day at the beach – should be remembered. They are the story of your life.

What about your family tree? Elegant sepia toned photos of great grandma, or those trippy fashions that Mom wore in the sixties and seventies – they all make great layouts. Not to mention how you looked back then. Your kids will love getting to know their parents and grandparents in a new way when they flip through these retro themed layouts.

Your scrapbooks tell the story of where you come from. They reveal what is most important to you. They show who you are.

Scrapbooks are Art.

• Gorgeous colors.

• Pretty patterns.

• Texture and trims.

Artful presentations bring out the beauty of your photos. You can even hang framed pages on the wall as unique home décor, to bring a smile to every day.

My favorite pages combine words, borders, different patterns in layers, and lovely custom made embellishments like handmade button brads and paper flowers. Sometimes I add metal found objects or hand made polymer clay charms. The pages are a luscious treat for the eye and the heart.

Sometimes tears are good...

Reminiscing can be bitter sweet. Our memories can move us. If you have ever lost a family member, friend or beloved pet, memory albums or wall art layouts keep their memory alive. This is a perfect place to record Uncle Bill's funny story, or your Mom's precious recipe for the best apple pie ever, or her advice for you as a young bride the day you married.

You'll bond with your children and loved ones over

your family stories told in photos and layouts.

What about your journaling and mementos?

Photos only tell part of the story. Your recollections are the heart of that story. Your words reveal the feelings and real meaning behind the pictures.

Journal blocks should be more than names, facts and figures. They should be your anecdotes, the moment before, why this picture, this place, what happened next – all the things you might say when someone asks you about the photo. A letter to the future.

Scrapbook pages with pockets for ephemera – tickets, programs, letters, invitations – or special mounting for personal items like brooches, lace handkerchiefs or party hats – these are all wonderful ways to keep your memories vibrant.

But where to start?

Scrapbooking is wonderful fun, if you have the time, space and inclination. But it sure is time consuming and sometimes pricey, especially when you start buying all those awesome fun electronic gadgets. If you love the process as I do, fantastic! Welcome to the hobby of scrapbooking and memory keeping!

But what if you are super busy? What with your job, your kids' school events, community work and family commitments, let alone date night with your darling, you don't have much time left for setting up a crop station at home.

Remember the old saying - “Time Marches On”. Every day new events and milestones just add to your ever increasing backlog of images. Your mountain of photos can make you feel paralyzed. Which photos would work best in a layout anyway?

Wouldn't you like to have all your kids' achievements documented artistically, without having to spend hours cutting, cropping, gluing and wondering if the design is right?

Wouldn't you rather just have beautiful keepsake books to enjoy and show off without all the fiddly busywork?

You don't want to invest money in the tools or find the space for something you just don't have the time or inclination to undertake, especially if you've never done it before and have to learn all the basics. There are so many kits, papers, stickers, tools, punches and stamps – what to choose? What to buy? How to store all that stuff?

Maybe the activity of paper crafting simply doesn't appeal to you. Why do it if it feels like a chore?

You can still have beautiful keepsake scrapbooks made from your precious photos that are personal, unique, handmade with custom details, and faster than doing it yourself.

How? By having me create your scrapbooks for you – single layouts or complete albums.

Send me an email right now to set up

your complimentary initial consultation.

What's different about me and my scrapbooking service?

• Personal Service – I only work locally. I will come to you and we can meet face to face in your home, office or local cafe as you wish. You get personalized, individual service, and hand delivery of the finished pages or albums. What's local? The greater Los Angeles and Orange County area.

• Sometimes I say “no”. Because I put my all into making your pages special, I only take on a very limited number of clients and projects at a time. By doing this I can make sure that your pages get my full attention and are ready for you to enjoy quickly.

• I've been a designer in theater and film for 30 years. I've spent my whole professional life solving other people's visual design dilemmas. I know how to focus on the themes and emotions, not just the dry facts of any event.

• I'm a mixed media and textile artist. I have the aesthetic sensibility and practical making skills to make unique, custom pages with individual titles and hand made embellishments, not just putting together kits. (Although I can do that too if that's what you need.)

• I take the time to get to know you, to understand what is most important to you, while you get to meet me and trust that I will treat your precious photo record with the respect it deserves.

• I offer a unique journaling service: Some folks find journaling the hardest part of scrapbooking. I'm a published writer and screenwriter. I can help you translate your memories into great descriptions and stories for the journal blocks on your pages – your personal ghost writer. You can add the handwriting yourself, or I can do it all. It's up to you.

Are your ready to get started? Email me

to set up our no obligation first meeting.

Ready for the prices?

Remember your initial consultation is free, and without obligation. If my samples don't inspire you or my ideas for your scrapbooks don't click for you, we'll say a pleasant goodbye and you won't hear from me again.

But as a designer, I know I have the chops to make something that you will love – and if you don't I'll keep on working on it until you are happy. My goal is that you will fill your heart's cup with renewed gratitude for your family, appreciation your friends and pride in your own accomplishments. You will remember why you work so hard, and relive all the joy and fun of your life so far.

I have a sliding price scale depending on your needs and the level of complexity of the job. My working method is simple step-by-step:

• Meet with you for initial free consultation – discuss design style and preferences, examine and choose photos, assess scope of the job. Advice about photo storing and cataloging of your collection, complimentary.

• You pay a 50% Non-refundable deposit – allows me to purchase supplies as needed to complete your project.

• You provide prints of photos. (Keep your negatives). Or if you prefer I will have prints made from your digital media at the photo printer at cost (additional). This is especially important for vintage photos. I won't crop your original family heirloom photos!

• I present sketches and colorways referencing the specific photos. This can be via email or another visit – that's up to you!

• I create:

• Photo mats

• Backgrounds, with layers and texture to suit the design theme.

• Titles and journal blocks (journal content additional)

• Custom embellishments

• I hand deliver the layouts in individual archival sleeves, framed as wall art or in your album, and you get to ooh and aah. Assuming you are happy, the balance of payment is due today too.

Click here to go to my pricing page

Ghost Writing Your Journaling.

It's not cheating! Lots of people are great at telling stories but get “tongue tied” when it comes to writing the stories down. Just as you provide the photos, you provide the stories behind the photos.

We'll spend some time with the pictures. I bet you'll be able to tell me about lots of great moments. We can do some memory exercises using the Five Senses and I'll ask plenty of leading questions – Who, What, Where, When and Why. Then I'll write a journal passage or two, and we'll discuss formats and style to fit with the Titles and theme.

You can hand write the stories yourself into the spaces provided on the layouts. Don't be worried about your penmanship – in years to come your kids will love having some of your own handwriting.

Or I can hand write the story, or print it using an appropriate font. It's your choice.

About Robyn Coburn: