When a loved one dies, those of us left behind are often left holding nothing but the scraps of paper that come out of such a death. But these documents, these pieces of paper, can offer us the materials for a scrapbook layout that remembers and honors the one we lost, and takes its place among the precious memories of our family.
One of the benefits of digital photography is that the funeral home can reproduce photographs for a memorial bulletin or leaflet. At a recent funeral, the deceased’s photo and dates were on the cover, then the page opened to show the obituary and the facts of the funeral-minister, pallbearer, etc.
This small, one page booklet is perfect material for a memorial layout. If you take several of these from the funeral home, each page can be displayed in your layout (don’t worry about the funeral home running out, they always make more than they think they’ll need). The central image should be the photo of your loved one.
One effective way is to put that photo in the top center position on the page. Then further information, such as the inside material, can be arranged below. In this way, your loved one and the information you want to remember from the days following their death, are displayed together.
Another elegant option is to include the newspaper obituary itself, perhaps pasted onto a tastefully colored border. This can be balanced next to the photo or placed below the photo, with small embellishments indicating your affection for your loved one, or a carefully calligraphed list of the major dates of your loved one’s life.
A family scrapbook is the perfect place to create a memorial to a member of the family who has passed on. It helps collect the bittersweet, but important, times of your family’s life.
