Now that summer is coming to an end, it’s time to go through all of the masterpieces your mini Picasso made for you in the last three months. Whether she crafted them at sleepaway camp or during an afternoon workshop, you’ll want to preserve the special works of art. Scrapbooks are ideal vehicles to show off your child’s precious artwork and the end of summer is one of the best times to craft a memory album. The weeks before kids head back to school is perfect for sorting through what’s worth keeping and displaying and what is really better off … Continue reading →
I share a summer birthday with my dad and grandfather, so there was no shortage of greeting cards around our home during the month of August. Given our collective ages, it’s no surprise that we still treasure receiving traditional birthday cards rather than the digital ones that are sent via email. I am a tactile person. I love wrapping my fingers around handwritten well wishes, and then cutting up said well wishes and placing them in a scrapbook. I’ve been doing it for years. Why waste a perfectly good greeting card when you can add it to a scrapbook layout? … Continue reading →
This is one of nearly 150 images I snapped of my daughter during our summer trip to Six Flags Great America. Yes, 150 shots in a single day. It may seem like a ton of photos, but if you are an avid scrapbooker, it’s not unusual to snap hundreds of pictures during a special event. The upside to nearly continuous shooting is that you are almost guaranteed a plethora of phenomenal photos taken from a variety of different angles. The downside is that it’s often challenging to select just a few of your favorite picks. One of the easiest ways … Continue reading →
Lions, and tigers, and bears! Oh my! Nothing says summer scrapbooking quite like a spread that showcases a family trip to the zoo. It’s memory book-making at its finest… and easiest. Think about it; unlike some summer adventures, the zoo is loaded with photo opportunities, from snaps of your kids getting up close and personal with penguins to images of Junior taking his first camel ride. An afternoon at the zoo can yield an entire scrapbook of funny and exotic layouts, especially when you pair your favorite pictures with mementos, including maps, ticket stubs, brochures and receipts. Fortunately, there is … Continue reading →
With the advent of iPads, smartphones and digital notebooks, it’s no surprise that these days technology has advanced to the point where you can make your scrapbooks sing. I recently helped a friend craft a music-themed memory album for her tweenage son upon his return from band camp. We considered adding sound to the layouts, but decided against it at the last minute. Since my pal’s son didn’t bring back audio clips from the camp, we didn’t think sticking in a random recording would be appropriate. Of course, you could easily jazz up a music-themed layout by adding a Scrapbook … Continue reading →
Country music may reign supreme deep in the heart of Texas, but here in Northern Wisconsin people are quite fond of boot scootin’ too. In fact, the Dairy State is home to one of the premier country music and camping festivals in the nation, Country USA. My country music-loving neighbor just returned from the multi-day concert which featured the likes of Sugarland, Keith Urban and The Band Perry. She ended up renting a VIP RV with a bunch of friends rather than camp in a tent. Judging by all of the photos she shared with me, she and her pals … Continue reading →
My local scrapbook supply shop has a huge “Dads and Grads” display in the front of the store. The table includes a massive array of graduation and Father’s Day-themed albums, embellishments and paper. In addition, the owner of the shop created the most incredible selection of chipboard scrapbooks. One spells out “Daddy,” another “Graduate,” and another “Congratulations.” For as long as I have been creating memory albums, I have yet to master the art of crafting chipboard scrapbooks. I’m not sure what intimidates me so much about these unique albums, though I have a feeling it has to do with … Continue reading →
Today, the seasonal aisles of Target, Wal-Mart and Kmart were packed with people stocking up on post-Easter deals. In addition, I can personally attest that Hobby Lobby and Michaels made a killing by reducing their Easter-themed scrapbooking supplies by 50 percent. By the time I got to Michaels this morning, all of the merchandise had been thoroughly picked over. Still, I was able to snag an Eater/Spring-themed scrapbook kit for less than 10 bucks. I am not a huge fan of scrapbook kits, as they often contain materials I already own. What’s more, you don’t get the chance to customize … Continue reading →
You’d never know that Halloween is still more than a month away by strolling through my local scrapbook supply store. The tiny shop is filled with thousands of spooky Halloween-related supplies. Anything and everything you could possible image using to spice up your holiday page designs is on sale; unfortunately, much of it doesn’t come cheap. I fell in love with some amazing seasonal products, though most are not in my budget. Fortunately, if I hold off long enough I might be able to pick them up for reduced prices at post-Halloween sales. If not, I plan to utilize every … Continue reading →
The interior of my local scrapbook store looks as though a giant sneezed on an oak tree filled with the colors of fall. Leaf-print paper, stickers, stamps and die cuts in orange, yellow and burnt sienna are all over the place. I went into the shop looking for a good deal on back-to-school-themed embellishments and was nearly buried under the mountains of autumn-themed paper. Granted, paper with red, yellow, and orange leaves are very versatile. You can add them to page designs featuring a gorgeous fall nature hike, a day of raking, a family trip to the apple orchard, as … Continue reading →
