Amidst the videos, the DVDs, the music CDs, the bed linen with matching lamp shades and night-lights, you’ll find that there’s a huge array of stationary items that are so cute and just cry out to be used for something more than a child’s sticker book. When Jake was born, I was determined to create a memory book to celebrate his first year and despite the fact that we were in and out of hospital month after month for various check-ups, tests, and whatevers, I did actually manage this. Ok, so he was about 18 months by the time I finally finished the 3 copies that I made (one for grandparents on each side, and one for us), I did make quite a nice little album for him. It was also my first foray into the world of scrapbooking!
At first I only had a handful of photos and an abundance of enthusiasm, but pretty soon after wandering around endless cyber craft stores (we don’t have much now, but back then Sweden was virtually a craft desert!) and not knowing where to start, I found what I was looking for in the stationary section of our local bookstore. Disney babies – of the sticker variety! I was delighted and completely inspired, these were perfect!
I rushed home with my purchases and immediately set to work – ok well not immediately, I did have a baby to take care of remember – but as soon as I could I set to work designing, planning, moving, cropping and eventually sticking my photos into place and co-ordinating the Disney sticker babies so that they enhanced my baby’s memory book.
Looking at the book with more experienced eyes, I can see the handiwork of a complete scrapbooking novice where the journal entries tell a story, give vital information and the photos show a journey from a premature baby ward to a child on his feet at a year old – but it’s a book that also shows our love of Disney from the Disney baby stickers on the pages, to the Disney toys/video boxes that appear in some of the photos.
When I eventually get around to doing Connor’s first year baby book (you think 6 months was a long time for Jake’s – Connor’s 3.5 years now! LOL), the techniques will be more sophisticated and the overall appearance will be more professional looking, but I have every intention of once again using Disney babies to embellish my pages. How could I not? They’re adorable – just like my boys!