Scrapbook Your House to House to House....

As a youngster, my family moved alot. I don't remember the specific years, but I remember the moves by the schools that I went to and what house I lived in. I wanted to preserve the memories I have of each house, but again, so much time has past. This scrapbook layout is in my album called "My Life". It is just about my life, so there are other references to the houses I lived in, but I wanted memories of each house to go along with the photos. Most of the memories listed are literally about the house itself - that cool stair case or the favorite places we played or that closet that we turned into our own "library" so we could play library!

SCRAPBOOK LAYOUT DESCRIPTION

I took the specific memories of each house and journaled about them, and then included a photo of each house. The first 3 are in California, the fourth one is in Ohio and the fifth one is back in California - a 20 year span of time on a 2 page 8x10 spread! I even remembered the address and most of the phone numbers!

SCRAPBOOK TECHNIQUES USED This scrapbook layout is called a "double page spread" as it is 2 pages for the same layout. This one is 8x10 in size and in page protectors. It is quick and easy (quick, once the memories are journaled!) I just typed the journaling on cardstock, seperated into a paragraph per house, used a corner rounder punch for the photos and the mattes and matted each photo onto cardstock. I didn't want the layout to get to "buzy" so I just added some handmade punch art flowers in the corners. I put the address and phone numbers below each photo

Another way I have done this (in my siblings albums I made them) was to create a "post card" of each photo. I put the photo on the right side of the card (in the place where you would normally write a note) and then on the address side, I put the address of the house. Turned out really cute!

SCRAPBOOK TOOLS USED

Paper trimmer, cardstock, photo adhesive, computer typing for journaling, corner rounded punch, gel pen, handmade punch art, glue stick. Quick, easy and inexpensive!

Preserve Your Memories OUTSIDE the Scrapbook Album

Preserve Your Memories OUTSIDE the Scrapbook Album Box!

I have been wanting to learn about digital scrapbooking so in surfing the web, I found this site. I thought it was about digital scrapbooking as far as scanning photos and savings designs and such, organizing it all in a photo editing program and then just printing out a completed scrapbook layout page.

Boy, did I find something outside of the scrapbooking box!

*
Online Crafting at DigiKeepsakes.com using photos and scrapbook pages is another way of preserving your memories "outside the box" of traditional scrapbooking! This is the most amazing thing I've seen in relation to scrapbooking in a long time!

From your scrapbook layout (or any photo) to home decor, fashion apparel, blankets, flags, tapestries, banners, pillows, table cloths, towels, even dorm room decor and more! What a way to display your memories! You can decorate a blanket with your babies face! Talk about sweet slumber! Or how about making a banner for your college student's dorm room of them with their friends from back home? Or even a beautiful scarf around your neck with your child or grand child smiling out at you!

And Online Crafting at DigiKeepsakes.com using photos and scrapbook pages does it for you! You send them your special photo and they will create your memory on your choice of display!

I myself, am searching for the perfect photo to use for a blanket. I am thinking of Christmas gifts here. I know my daughter would love to have a blanket with her and her little girl on it! And what a way to say "I Love You"! The blankets or pillows would a make great wedding gift! Give a Gift Certificate to Online Crafting at DigiKeepsakes.com as a baby shower gift! Wow, the options are amazing...as is the product.

So I just thought I'd share my new discovery and let you all in on what I think, is one of the most wonderful ways of preserving your memories to come along since the scrapbook memory album! Take a look and see what you think!

Scrapbook 11 Photos- One Page - The Accordion Way!

I was one of those scrappers that took photos upon photos upon photos of my first grand daughter. No matter what she did or where she did it, Nanny was there with that camera! Probably the most photographed kid in the country! Okay, I know I share that with every other grand mother, but the next problem was how to display all those photos! Throw away a photo? Yeah, like that's going to happen! I wanted every second to be remembered.

But again, that age old question of how many photos per scrapbook page? I use 12x12 instead of 8x10 for the main purpose of being able to have more space for memories and photos, but even a 12x12 can only take so many! So I had to figure out a way to put more photos on the 12x12 pages!

An accordion album can mean alot of things and can be created alot of ways. I was concerned about the thickness this embellishment would cause. But, where there's a will, there' s usually a way! So intead of making an "all by itself", "book in a book" kind of thing, I just did a simple technique with a couple folds and made the perfect accordion fold booklet for my scrapbook layout.

This layout was just of my grand daughter playing outside in the sprinkler. Since this layout was #2 in the sprinkler "photo layout", I didn't do any journaling on this layout as that was already on the first scrapbook layout. However, all you'd have to do if you did want journaling would be to use sections of the accordion book and journal on it instead of putting a photo on it.

In addition, this layout was not particularily to remember the event or what she was doing, but it was more to remember that FACE!! That precious little cherib, darling, princess, cute, adorable, face with its priceless and beautiful smile!!! Totally unrehearsed, just plain, pure sweetness! A picture that is saying about 5,000 words!

The only other embellishment is four, 1 inch square punchies with a water splat sticker .

To Make the Accordion Folder

To make the folder, just choose the size of photos you want to use. I cropped these to the size of just the main picture and very little background. I wanted to see the baby, not the background. This folder is about 4x4 in size. I used 12x12 size cardstock and cut 2, 4 inch by 12 inch lengths. I scored them every 4 inches, and then made the folds. Then I glued the 2 lengths together and folded the total length into 4" pages. One 4" section is glued to the background cardstock. To add the photos, there are 4 photos and one "cover" on the one side of the folder, and then 4 photos on the other side. A little tab pull made from a piece of folded cardstock and adhered as the "pull" of the book. I decorated the cover with matching squares as I used on the page embellishment.

So quick and easy and you have 11 photos on one scrapbook layout page!

To Put In a Page Protector...

To put this scrapbook layout in a page protector, just slide the layout into the page protector with the accordion folder closed. On the right side edge of the accordion folder, take your craft knife and make a slice down the length of the back edge. Start about 1/4" above the folder's spine and slice to about 1/4" below the spine. This allows for the accordion folder to open without pulling on the page protector. Now, gently, work it until you pull the length of the accordion folder out through the sliced opening in the page protector. Now you have the accordion folder on the outside of the page protector, and the layout is inside the page protector.

MILITARY THEME SCRAPBOOK SUPPLIES

I found a site that is all about military themed scrapbooking! I took a look at it has a good selection of all themed papers and embellishments. Looks like a great site if you need military themed cardstock and scrapbook supplies. This site has some freebies you might be interested in too.

Creating Military Memories

This site has free Military printables to help Military whether their Military Love Ones are stationed here or away. For example many of the free military cards are in jpg image format which can be opened in any in any image editor and personalized before printing. Featured free military printables offers are Military Guardian Angel for printable stationery and cards, Yellow Ribbon Candy Wrappers.

Military free printables

Both sites are also great for passing on to those that have military friends and family but don't scrapbook! Cards, stationery and other things that have nothing to do with scrapping, but will be a welcomed by loved ones.

God Bless Our Troops

Before and After, Ears and Years and Time Travel!

One of my favorite themes to scrapbook is a "then and now" theme. I have lots of "extra" photos of when my kids were little and can't bear to throw them away. I have found that this style of scrapbooking a layout is just perfect. Uses up the extra photos, but more importantly, creates even more memories and wonderful feelings for everyone!

Also, are you behind? Well, that is a common place to be in scrapbooking, so don't be hard on yourself! This style of scrapbooking is absolutely fantastic way to get caught up while you create and preserve memories for all involved!

In this layout I used shiney, gold paper and my letter punch and punched out the letters for the title. My intention was to have "Disney Years" because the layout is of my grand daughter's first trip to Disneyland when she was about 3 years old. I also had extra photos of when her mother (my daughter) was at Disneyland when she was little. I wanted to incorporate both girls at the same place, at similar ages, but in different times! Move over time travel! Then and now, before and after! Oh, the memories!

The Perfect Title

I didn't notice it until I layed the letters out, that I was short a Y. But, there before my eyes, was the perfect title! Disneyears! Why? What is the first thing you think of when you think Disneyland? Mickey Mouse and of course, his EARS! And what is the point I am trying to convey? YEARS of time span between mother and daughter doing the same thing! Ears and years, take away a Y and you have it - Disneyears! It was perfect!

Do You See Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse? Look Closely!

Well, you won't find them in the photos, but since you just can't have a Disneyland scrapbook layout without these two entities, I included them......

in theory!

The background paper I used was a red with white dots... which is what? Minnie Mouse's dress pattern! I double matted the photos with red and black cardstock which is .... Mickey Mouse's colors! I used a black die cut of a Mickey Mouse head and used white gel pen for the journaling. I also found Mickey's white-gloved "hands" die cuts and used those to kind of "hold" one of the photos as often Mickey Mouse is holding his hands out to welcome you to his kingdom.

This layout started with a mistake. Had I not made a simple mistake, it probably would have just been your usual "Trip to Disneyland" layout. But thanks to that mistake, the memories are of Disneyland with my daughter - about 20 years ago, Disneyland with my grand daughter about 3 years ago and once that far, I can't help but remember my amazing trips to Disneyland when I was a kid - 30 years ago! Wow! Talk about time travel!!

Look "Outside the Box" for Scrapbook Memories

There is so much available in the scrapbooking world these days, that it seems there is no limit. There is something for every event, theme, happening, time, era, person, place, thing and then some. Scrapbooking is all about using different items to preserve a memory. And you have those items! You don't always have to get your embellishments at a store!

Some memories are so personal and deeply felt, that a purchased embellishment and a photo, just don't convey the memory. So what do you do? All you have to do is look "outside of the box". You have things you could use, you just don't know it as you don't think "scrapbooking" when you look at them.

The Baby T-Shirt

This is a scrapbook layout that is very dear to me. It is the t-shirt my son got in the hospital when he was born. Because it is the actual shirt he wore is a memory in itself - "my little boy, who is now 24, wore that shirt!" This is a memory a photo couldn't give. It also reminds me of how small he was and how I loved to hold him and rock him to sleep. The T-shirt is a tiny little thing, fits perfectly on a 12x12 scrapbook layout page! A black background page, the shirt, a title and a few stickers. Quick and easy, but holds the most precious memories for me. (the glare is from the camera flash)

Now, back in the "old-days", baby formula stained. Hard as I tried, I couldn't get that stain out. However, now that I am day-caring HIS baby girl, I notice how far things have come - baby formula no longer stains! A new memory created - cheesey, but a memory nevertheless! I adhered the t-shirt to the back ground cardstock with the photo adhesive squares. Some on the back of the shirt and some on the inside to hold the two layers together. Once in a page protector, there is no sliding. Everything is secure and protected.

The Title is a Memory Too!

The title is also quite a memory. "Baby of Mine" is the name of a song in the Disney movie, "Dumbo" - the song that Mrs. Jumbo sang to her baby, Dumbo. This movie was my son's most favorite movie when he was in pre-school and kindergarten. MANY mornings I couldn't get him out of bed unless I turned this movie on. Once he heard the movie, he was up and ready to go! I use metallic silver scrapbooking paper and a letter punch to make the letters. You could use any alphabet template if you don't have a punch system.

Other Embellishments

This layout is quick and easy. The only other embellishments I used were some color matching, floral stickers and some thin strips of the silver metallic paper, which I cut using a paper trimmer. It just needed a little "something" extra to compliment the layout since the t-shirt was so large and filled the layout page.

So take a look around at what you have. Memories are everywhere. There is more to scrapping than what's in the stores! Just think "Scrapbook" as you look around and see what memories you can find!

How To Basket Weave Your Scrapbook Layout!

Basket weaving is not just for baskets! What a fantastic and unusual embellishment for your scrapbook layout! It adds color, depth and dimension and just brings the page layout all together. And if you want to use it for the upcoming Easter theme layouts - how perfect is that going to be!!!

"Catching Balloons"

I was making the layout for my grand daughter's memory album. She was at a wedding shower and she was amazed at the balloons and enjoyed reaching up to grab the strings and then hand them out to the guests. That is what I wanted her to remember. This is a 12x12 layout page

To Make The Basket Weave Embellishment

This is not has hard as it might seem. All you need is a paper cutter and some glue. Choose your colors for the entire layout. Choose which 2 colors you want for the basket weave. I choose purple and yellow. I cut strips from12x12 cardstock at about 1/4" in thick, making 12x1/4" strips. I started with the yellow strips and layed them across the top, with equal spacing between them for the purple ones to slide through. I glued them down to the cardstock back ground paper only as far over until I wanted the weaving to start. This makes for easy weaving. The ends are glued down so they don't move while you weave. Photos on top of the strips break up the weaving a bit so it doesn't get overwhelming.

Next, I weaved the purple strips in through the yellow ones. My weave area size guide was the photo at the bottom. Notice I made the purple strips portion of the weave only as wide as that photo at the bottom. The weave area of the yellow strips was just slightly less that the height of the pictures. It looked "over done" to have them the same "size" as the height of the photos. This is something you have to do and consider for your self. Since you aren't glueing anything yet, you can easily play around and find that perfect fit for your layout. The photos kind of hide the ends of the strips and tie the weave all together.

Once you have the weave the way you like, just add glue in a few places inside the weaved area and then glue down all the ends of the strips. Sounds more complicated and time consuming but it really is quick and easy. Hardest part is probably deciding how much area you want to cover with the weave.

In addition, I cut 3 photos of just the toddler catching or holding the balloons and cut them into thinner sizes - these are about 2 inches wide, 4 inches long. I matted them on contrasting cardstock and layed them over the yellow basket weave strips. The last photo, I cropped it to match the purple strip area size.

To Compliment the Basket Weave Area

Now you have an open space in the lower left corner of the scrapbook page. This is where I wanted my title to go. I didn't want to use more basket weaving as that would have been to much. So I just took small pieces of the cardstock I had used and with a 2 inch square punch, I punched out squares, and just layed them out into a nice catchy sploch of color. I used vellum and printed the title "Catching Balloons" via computer. Then I tore the vellum into a nice odd shape and laid it over the colored squares. I used yellow eyelets to hold the vellum in place. Again, quick and easy.

No Journaling, But the Story Is Still Told

This scrapbook layout has no journaling. It "shows" that my grand daughter liked catching the balloons and other than that, there was nothing else to say. The title tells the action and the photos tell the story. I always "signed" my scrapbook layouts with a stamp that said "I Love You" and my initial (N for Nanny to my GD or M for mom for my kids) I always used gold ink for the stamping of my signature. Just that extra added feature that holds on to a wonderful memory!

Enhance Your Scrapbook Layout with Photo Stamping!

Just because a photograph is not "good" to use as a main point of interest on a scrapbook page, doesn't mean it is unusable! Just the opposite! Take another look at that photograph... the face of the person may be blurred, the main point of interest might be to dark, but there are images there that you can see and use!

Look at the background. Maybe there is something in the background of the photo behind the main point of interest, that is good quality and tells a story. The signage of a store, an animal, an object that can "say" where the photo was taken or offer you a memory of that place. Look at the background...there is a memory there! But what can you do with it?

What about when you have a photo of alot of people. If the image of the person you are focusing on is not good, and sometimes even it if is, you also want to remember the others in the shot. But how?

I call this technique Photo Stamping (directions below) simply because I used a punch that has
serrated edges that look like the edges of a real postage stamp. I punched out some squares and they looked like postage stamps, so I named it that.

With this technique, you can create a variety of wonderful creations using these small "photo stamps" and they will tell the story in themselves as well as adding that memory to your layout and offering a great decorative feature! In this 12x12 layout page, not only have I included a bunch of specific things, but lined the photo stamps down the middle of the page as a seperation feature so the layout wasn't just a common 4 photos on a page structure. Took very little space, created a seperation, added a focal point and includes numerous memories - all that with one little photo stamp!

Enhance Landscape Views

In addition to faces, I used this technique to create an ambiance effect with the landscape. Using the stamp punch, I punched the landscape in the photo evenly across. Then just lay the little photo stamps side by side with just a bit of space between them. The background page color shows through just enough to give the scene a bit of that "stand out" effect, but because the photo stamps were all punched exactly in conjunction, the actual view is not much effected.

On this layout, I just wanted the view of the trolley car. I didn't want the rest of the busy background that was in that photo. Putting the trolley car photo as is, just didn't "do it". So I took another photo that had sky in it, used my photo stamping technique and created a full scene. The seperation makes it look as though this was one picture. The trolly car view is just a long rectangle, while the sky is the photo stamping technique.

People, Places and Things

In these sets of photo stampings, I just wanted the face of the person or a specific item and not all the background or rest of the scenery that was in the photo. I photo stamped each specific item or face and then just layed all the stamps out on the layout and did some juggling until I got the scrapbook layout organized as I liked! This is also a great way to fill in the small spaces that are to small for a photo, but if the space is left blank, it looks unfinished. In addition, you can use this technique as a space filler but still in sync with the layout. Some of these "stamps" I used were not particularly of anything, just an object or design. I used them as space fillers, but was still able to keep in theme of the layout while adding a fancy embellishment to the layout.

Check out your photos - do you really want all that busy background? Do you want the expressions and personalities that a face close-up offers! Take a look - see what you can find in your photographs that can offer you more memories while adding a wonderful feature to your scrapbook layout.

How To Photo Stamp:

Take the stamp punch, or you can really use any similar punch - circle, square, heart - just so it has a large center area to accomodate the close-up you are wanting.

Turn the punch UPSIDE DOWN. Slide your photo, facing up, into the punch. Because the punch is upside down, you can see the photo through the opening that will be punched out. Place the photo over the area you want to punch. Then just punch! It's that easy! If you are doing a landscape, just start from one side and make sure you line up the additional punch areas very near to the previous punched area so that the landscape horizon stays in order. Don't punch one with half the tree, and then the next punch shows no tree at all. Don't cut one that has mountain in it and the next one has a tree. Just line it up as near to the edge of the previous punch and make the next punch. Do this across the photograph or for how ever many photo stamps you want.