On one hand, I often wondered why of all people I was chosen one. I’m still young, active, and vibrant. But I guess there seems to have no choice but to accept my fate. Whatever reason it was, I don’t know. Let me tell you all time and again, I’m not complaining but yes, I am sad. Wish I could turn situation into a lighter one but it would not be. I just pray that people will remember SMILE as a human being prone to all inconsistencies. Let my memories stay with you all….

“ATE SMILE, wake up!” shouted Joseph, my younger brother. Oh my goodness! It was just a bad dream! A dream that taught me not just lessons but revelations. All while, I thought I’m dying with cancer but it was my SOUL and HEART that’s dying. What an eye-opener! Better wipe your tears away now my friends for SMILE is still around. But, I do hope this time a BETTER one.

The physical benefits of scrapbooking became evident to me while working with a young brain injured individual in Rehab. This person used cropping tools to increase her fine motor skills, as well as photos to help with memory recall of loved ones and others from her life. Cutting with scissors or a paper trimmer and handwriting journaling helps build good fine motor skills as does using shapes and stencils. Visual/perceptual skills are also utilized with activity.

Following directions of therapist or using an idea book help with organizing thoughts and following verbal and written instruction. The organization skills needed to complete a scrapbook page can assist a head injured individual with skills needed in many aspects of their life, from Activities of Daily Living to work skills for returning to employment. The step by step tasks of building a scrapbook page allow individual to process information and put steps together to form a completed task. Then putting all pages together to form a completed scrapbook reinforces idea of task completion and overall understanding of getting an end product from their labor of love.

Overall craft of scrapbooking can be therapeutic to all of us in some way. The companies that create scrapbooking supplies and tools are often coming out with easier and less complex ways to create scrapbooks. Someone with limited hand motion or cognitive skills can learn to master this wonderful craft with minimal guidance. I highly recommend scrapbooking as a therapeutic tool for anyone and hope that if you know someone who would reap its benefits, you will pass your love of this art form on to them.

Kathy Johnson, COTA Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant and Crop Camp Coordinator