''All the little things that I'm afraid I wouldn't remember,'' is how Blecker, of Mahopac, N.Y., and mother of a 5-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter, describes what she decides to include in the scrapbooks, which have been a hobby for the past four years.

Blecker, 40, sells Creative Memories scrapbooking supplies. She also hosts scrapbooking parties where fellow enthusiasts gather to work on their memory albums. Blecker says the scrapbookers buy supplies from her, but they also come equipped with cutters, fade-proof paper, double-sided tape and stickers that they have purchased at arts and crafts superstores.

Scrapbooking is one of the major drivers of the growth of these superstores, such as Michaels Stores Inc.. The retailer's new store concept, called Recollections, just sells scrapbooking and paper-crafting materials. It has opened eight Recollections stores so far in the Dallas, Baltimore/Washington, D.C., and Phoenix areas.

At the Irving, Texas-based company's annual meeting in June, Douglas B. Sullivan, executive vice president of development for Michaels, said the chain has the potential to grow to 200 stores.

''Scrapbooking is generally regarded as the hottest craft activity in our industry,'' said Donald Meyer, director of marketing and public relations for the industry group, Craft & Hobby Association (CHA), based in Elmwood Park, N.J. Its 6,000 member-companies include Michaels and competitors.

As of 2003, about 25 million people were scrapbooking in the United States, according to CHA. Sales of scrapbook supplies reached $2.5 billion in 2003, an increase from about $1.5 billion in 2001.

This trend is also evidenced by a scrapbooking show on Do It Yourself Network and segments on QVC and the Home Shopping Network.

''It's also being picked up on by retailers and manufacturers that normally wouldn't be considered part of the craft industry. Target, Wal-Mart, Linens 'n Things, even office supply stores like Staples, sell scrapbook-related supplies,'' Meyer said.

''With that level of consumer exposure, it only follows that a company like Michaels is certainly going to invest a lot of time, money and effort to promote their own scrapbook supplies in their stores,'' Meyer said.

Earlier this year, Michaels executives identified ''scrapbooking/paper crafting'' as the most important category at its 833 flagship stores in 48 states and Canada.

The development of Recollections proves that Michaels considers scrapbooking more than just a trend, said Patrick McKeever, retail analyst at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey in Atlanta.

''It's been helping to drive business for several years now,'' he said. ''There was some skepticism early on whether the trend would have any legs, but it's proven itself to have some real staying power.''

Tom Bazzone, president of Recollections, said the stores focus not only on selling scrapbooking and paper-crafting products but on selling an experience. The stores have large ''crop rooms,'' where customers - who are mostly women, Bazzone said - can work on their projects.

Recollections shoppers are ''probably the most passionate group of customers I've ever worked with,'' said Bazzone, who formerly worked for Williams-Sonoma Inc. as vice president of merchandising operations.

Fortunately for Michaels, this passionate group is buying high-margin items.

''When you're selling paper for a dollar, . . . that's a pretty good business to be in,'' Meyer said.