Get to know Rebecca Kuchenbecker…
Your First & Last Name: Rebecca Kuchenbecker
Where you live (city/state/country): Appleton, Wisconsin, USA
Your most commonly used username in the scrapbooking word: MamaBee
Please tell us a little about yourself, your family, your background… I am a stay-at-home mama to one very well photographed little guy who is 5 and wife to hubby for 6 years. We live smack dab in the middle of Packer Country (Wisconsin). Before becoming a SAHM, I was a computer instructor and documentation specialist for a Fortune 200 company for just shy of 10 years.
How did you become a scrapbooker or memory-keeper? I was a paper scrapper for well over 10 years, turned digital in the spring of 2008 when I purchased my mom a copy of Memory Mixer and was helping her figure out how to use it. I began to research digital scrapbooking and I was hooked. I still get my fingers sticky with glue by merging digital with the traditional world.
How would you describe your scrapbooking style? I’m a clusterer… I love to use a lot of elements and papers on my pages.
When do you scrapbook? How much time do you spend on this activity during a typical week? I scrap as time permits… while my son is napping and in the evening when my husband is busy in the basement. I usually scrap about 4 hours a day.
What is your favorite way to capture the journaling part of your scrapbooking? I just discovered a website called OhLife.com… they email me a note each day in the morning and as the day goes a long, I will reply to that email with events and funny things my son has said. It is all stored privately on that site.
What story from the past do you most wish had been documented so you and/or your family could enjoy it now? More stories on my grandparents… I remember them telling of the good days, but I didn’t write them down and now I don’t remember all the details.
What is your favorite source of scrapbooking or design inspiration? I have to say the Internet… I have a number of blogs in my Google Reader and as I come across one that I’m inspired by, I will either add it to my vi.sualize.us account or to Pinterest.
What is your favorite part of scrapbooking/memory-keeping? When my son spends time looking at the printed pages and points out things that he remembers. He is the reason I scrapbook… and it warms my heart that wants to look at these pages.
What do you find the most challenging about scrapbooking/memory-keeping? Time… I have so much I want to capture down on pages and just not enough time to do it.
How has your scrapbooking changed since you first started? (or has it?) In the past I was more concerned over wanting to use a certain element or paper for my pictures… now it’s all about getting the story and memory down first and then the photo and kit to support the memory.
Please share one piece of advice on how to capture everyday real life memories for others new to scrapbooking and/or memory-keeping… Every so often, take a day where you take photos of everything… the shampoo and soap you use in your morning shower, how you take your coffee, what’s in the kiddo’s lunchbox, picture of the weather outside, the toys spewed around the living room, dinner time madness, bedtime routines… etc. All these little things you will want to remember in the future and it’s also fun to look back and see how things have changed – or haven’t changed.
About Rebecca Kuchenbecker
I love that last piece of advice! I will have to put that down on my calendar so I remember to do it.