How to Scrapbook a Divorce

An estimated 50 percent of marriages in the U.S. end in divorce.

The end of a marriage can be a painful and emotional time and there are many outlets to help a person cope with divorce. For people who already enjoy scrapbooking, creating a scrapbook about a divorce may be a perfect outlet for dealing with this hard time. When you are going through a divorce, remember there is no "right" way to cope, so continue scrabooking if it helps you through the healing process.

Things You'll Need

• Photos
• Scissors
• Colorful card stock
• Pens
• Markers
• Acid-free glue
• Scrapbook
• Embellishments (optional)

Instructions

1. Sort through your photographs and select ones you want to use in your scrapbook. Your photos can center around you, your relationship with your ex or your entire family.

2. Trim your photos if needed to remove unwanted details or excess space. You can even cut decorative edges onto the photos if you like.

3. Write about the memories and the feelings you have about the photos on the cardstock with pens or markers. Some may choose to write a little and others a lot, but this kind of writing can be a helpful part of the healing process. Try to remember how you were feeling the day the photo was taken and how it is significant in the history of your relationship.

4. Arrange the photos and written memories in a visually-pleasing way on the scrapbook's pages before proceeding to the next step. Be sure you like the lay out.

5. Glue the photos and written memories together in the scrapbook pages, adding optional embellishments to decorate the pages. Embellishments could include stickers, ribbons or buttons. You can also glue mementos from significant events in your relationship.

6. Store the scrapbook in a private place and reflect on the pages when you need to. You can share it with friends and family if you like but you can keep it to yourself if you prefer.

Tips & Warnings

• Talking to friends, family or a therapist can also be a beneficial part of the healing process of divorce.

References

• DivorceStatistics: Divorce Rate Statistics
• First Wives World; Scrapbook Your Divorce; Marilyn Heywood Paige; June 2008