How to Make an Accordion Scrapbook

How to Make an Accordion Scrapbook

Shendy    January 02, 2015   

How to Make an Accordion Scrapbook | This is a cute and easy scrapbook which can be used as a brag book or to capture an event. It makes a great gift!

Things You'll Need:

1. 2 – Cardboard 4 ½” squares (back and front covers)
2. 2 – Decorative pieces of paper cut in to 6” squares (paper cover for back and front covers)
3. Odd number of cardstock pages in 8” squares (must be 1, 3, 5, . . . pages)
4. 1 – 2 ½’ of ribbon
5. Glue stick
6. Photos
7. Embellishments

Step by Step:

Glue the cardboard in the middle of wrong side of decorative paper.

Trim the decorative paper at the corners of the cardboard. Leave about 1/8 of an inch of paper. This ensures a more finished look on the cover of your scrapbook.

Fold flaps down to the inside of covers and glue down edges.

Glue ribbon inside back cover.

Crease cardstock paper. Alternating folds makes the scrapbook come together neatly. When creasing the pages, the perpendicular folds are mountain folds and the diagonal fold is a valley fold. Start by folding your square in half, open, rotate 90 degrees and fold in half again. Open and flip your square over (like a pancake). Now fold on the diagonal

Glue pages together in diamond shapes. Glue the two outside diamonds on top of the center diamond.
Glue back cover down.
Glue front cover down.
Fold into accordion.
Add pictures and embellishments, don't forget the covers!

Tips

1. Since this is a compact book, it is best to make color copies of photos or you can print them from your computer on high quality paper.
2. Don't place any photos in the creases.
3. Create dimension to your scrapbook by gluing contrasting colors to the inside of your scrapbook.

source: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-an-Accordion-Scrapbook

How to Make a Scrapbook Diary

How to Make a Scrapbook Diary

Shendy    January 02, 2015   

How to Make a Scrapbook Diary | Sometimes a plain old written diary isn't good enough. Maybe you want a fancy book devoted to all your thoughts and feelings, with lists, pictures, and souvenirs. Read on to find out how you can make the perfect scrapbook diary.

Things You'll Need:

1. A notebook/journal that you like
2. Magazines
3. Scissors
4. Glue
5. Pencil crayons, markers, pens, etc
6. Pictures
7. Glitter, stickers, etc
8. Tickets, receipts, business cards and other souvenirs

Step bu Step:

Choose a diary or journal that you like. It could be an old fashioned leather-bound book, or maybe it's a 3 ring notebook from the dollar store. It doesn't matter what it looks like as long as you're comfortable using it.

Decorate the outside, if you wish. You could cover the outside in tinfoil and glue on pictures out of magazines, or you could cover the whole thing in paper and draw your own cover. You could even glue pictures or put stickers right on the notebook. It's up to you.

Start the inside! Write about yourself. Include perhaps a picture of yourself, your family/pet, or something that represents you. After you've finished writing a bit about yourself, start looking around in magazines and on the internet for pictures you'd like to include once you really start your journal.

Begin to write! Write about work/school, life, your thoughts and emotions, your friends and enemies. Write lists (of favorites or least favorites, such as food, songs, colors, people, things to do, etc). You could even write a master list all about yourself. Include everything that is your favorite (T.V show, movie, actor, food, type of pop, sport, book, animal, and get creative with your list!)

As you get into the writing, you'll find all sorts of ways to use your creativity. Glue pictures in your diary that correspond with what you write-your family, your favorite animal, a trip you went on last summer. Paste in pictures you've printed from the internet, of favorite actors, singers, places...even embellish your diary with stickers, quotes, different colors of writing, there are no limits!

Get creative with the scrapbooking aspect of the diary. Begin to glue in things from your daily life, or things that bring you good memories. Good things to start with are tickets from that great concert you just went to, bills or cards from your favourite restaurants, plane tickets from your most recent trip, and anything significant to you.

Don't limit yourself, use whatever you find. You can draw pictures, glue in colourful symbols, diagrams and glitter, whatever you find appropriate for your diary. No one else is going to see it (unless you choose to show it to them) so be as imaginative and strange as you wish. Have fun with it! (source: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Scrapbook-Diary)

How to Craft a Lively Scrapbook

How to Craft a Lively Scrapbook

Shendy    February 20, 2014   

Crafting a lively scrapbook is a fun task, and can be accomplished with minimal supplies and cash. Scrapbooks are a storybook combined with pictures, embellishments, documents, and more. Each step you take to living up your scrapbook will tell an amazing story to the audience enjoying your creation. The photos say a thousand words alone, yet if you add background, stationary, patterns, lettering, titles, captions, stickers, etc, you can living it up even more to present an outstanding story.

Penmanship is important. If you need help with penmanship, you may want to create your own letters from scraps, such as patterns or stationary. When you create a scrapbook, you want compelling messages, lettering, journals, pictures, and more. You will need a genealogy to start telling the story of your family and their history. Next, you will need pens, paper, letterheads, stickers, etc, to finish your story. You will find archival pens in a variety of styles, colors, etc.

Pens available to create lively scrapbooks include permanent markers/pens, waterproof, non-toxic, fade-resistance, non-bleeding, quick dry, and pigment ink. Black, felt-tip pens are great also, yet you want to be careful not to apply too much pressure when writing. You want to avoid the acid-based pens, markers, etc. Search for the CK OK and P.A.T. approved pens in the craft stores.

How choose pens for writing lettering and journals

If you choose, the felt-pens make sure that you understand the point size. The sizes range from .005 to .08-mm, depending on the style.

If you want to invent a fancy scrapbook check out the line of inscription pens. The pens are designed to handle captions, titles, etc. The pen tips have broad, flat tips and when used at a “45-degree” slant you can create beautiful letters. Practice first before using the pen if you are not use to calligraphy styles.

When creating borders, captions, or titles for your scrapbook you can use the Zig writers also. The pens were designed by expert crafters, or manufacturers that specialize in scrap booking. You will find the “Zig Memory” Systems, etc. “EK Success” is the creators of these pens, which include the Zig Writers, Calligraphy, scroll tips, fine tips, dense markers, brush pens, and the bullet pens. You have a selection of colors to choose from. 

Additional pens include the chisel, colored pens, pencils, and the goof-proof rollers, which are gel based. Chisel comes in a variety of sizes, colors, etc, and will offer you versatile lettering. Scroll is designed to the handle sophisticated letters. The pen is called “Scroll and Brush. If you are familiar with computer fonts, perhaps the closest font to the scroll pens is the CASTELLAR font.

In addition to pens, you can purchase the craft paint pens. You will find a variety of colors and pen-tip sizes are craft stores, online, stationary stores, and more. The gel-based pens are similar to paint pens. In the line of pens, you will find lightning, milky, and more. The pens are ideal for writing journals.

Color pens enable you to color in areas of your scrapbook to produce a nice looking design. You can use the color pens also to draw your own pictures and more. Colored pencils are ideal for designing titles, lettering, captions, etc. The pencils come in a variety of colors. Some of the popular craft brands include Berol Prsima, and the Zig brands.

TIP: When using paint pens make sure that you apply adequate pressure without over doing it. To create letters, i.e. fancy letters large or small use the double “fine n’ chisels.

Free Scrapbooking Ideas: Fundamentals of a Simple Scrapbook

Free Scrapbooking Ideas: Fundamentals of a Simple Scrapbook

Shendy    February 13, 2014   

Free Scrapbooking Ideas: Fundamentals of a Simple Scrapbook | Maybe you have heard the term, “simple scrapbooking” and have some ideas about what it is. But with exactly is simple scrapbooking and what are its components that gave its name?

Simple scrapbook is not your usual album that relies on the chronological events. It does not focus on the usual things such as family traditions, daily routines, hopes, and dream. It sits itself outside the traditional album. It is small, short and more manageable. It is simple and focuses on the sidelights of your life or the small details that is overcastted by the usual things that matter to you. In other words, the traditional scrapbook is like moments taken on pictures while simple scrapbook are the things that happen before and after the pictures were taken.

There are 5 terms that describe what simple scrapbook is: Freedom, Format, Framework, Finished, and Fast. These five are further discussed below.

Freedom as referred to making a simple scrapbook means that the one creating it has the liberty to simplify all the events that would be included on the scrapbook. The freedom to explore other aspects of life, use of non-traditional elements, and capture things that may not be seen on regular scrapbook. And most of all; the freedom to make the scrapbook as the exact interpretation of the creator’s idea.

Format shows the uniqueness of one scrapbook from the rest; and somehow, each scrapbook follows certain format. This means, a simple scrapbook has a size, content, and characteristics that is relatively the same with the rest of the scrapbooks but entirely uses different in approach. This makes one simple scrapbook stand out from any other scrapbooks.

Format also sets a particular theme or color scheme of one scrapbook. The colors used and the designs made are some of the usual components that bring out a simple scrapbook into a work of art. The placement of various elements also brings a lot of impact on the overall image of the scrapbook.

Framework is one characteristic of the simple scrapbook that is entirely unique from the rest of the scrapbooks. The framework is often defined as the group of pages including the table of contents and the title, dedication or the introduction page, section pages, filler pages, closing page, and materials file that show that overall structure of the scrapbook. Oftentimes, it is the first thing made since it defines what is the flow of the album. In simple terms, the framework is like the blueprint and the foundation of the album.

Another distinct characteristic of the simple scrapbook is the idea that once it is started, it can be finished. It is unlike the chronological album that is continuously filled up and may not be finished as started. Factor such as unavailability to add pages on the chronological album hampers the excitement once have. In simple scrapbook, you can assure yourself that once you start it, you can finish it. This is because you are working on a specific framework that is specifically made to finish. And since you are working on this framework, you will exactly know how far can you go and how many pages you will use. Once you have met this, your album is done.

A chronological scrapbook takes a lot of time to create. And as was mentioned, you may not still finish it. Simple scrapbook is different. You can finish it as soon as you start it. Again, this is the result of the framework that you follow. In fact, after you have finished the framework, you are that close to finishing it.

If you have decided to create your simple scrapbook, you have to know 3 things.

1. You should identify your purpose. Ask yourself, “Why am I doing this?” “What kind of emotion or celebration would I want to put in the album?”
2. You have to create the format. Identify the size of the album and the theme to use. Know how to organize the ideas and put them to paper. Create the framework.
3. You have to prepare the materials used.

Once you have all these, you will easily create your own simple scrapbook.

Free Scrapbooking Catalogues: Sources of Tips You can Use

Free Scrapbooking Catalogues: Sources of Tips You can Use

Shendy    February 12, 2014   

Free Scrapbooking Catalogues: Sources of Tips You can Use | So it is spring once again. And you are faced with the idea of doing a general cleaning. In most cases, you find the most valuable materials you’ve always kept when you clean up your rooms, right?

It is not impossible for you to come across with pictures of you with friends and family on several occasions. They may have been just left out in a box or in one corner of the room. When suddenly the idea of compiling them strikes you. How can you compile them by the way? What idea do you have in mind? Would you not allot time for creating a scrapbook for those photos you’ve suddenly found? Yes, a scrapbook will be the best way to keep the memories in the photos alive once again! Are you ready for this venture then?

Several individuals are too much hooked into the idea of scrapbooking. They see the creation of scrapbooks as one fine way of spending a leisure time. While this may be a happy experience for most people, there are also those people who have not even experienced the joyous pleasure brought about by scrapbooking but who are always willing to give it a try.

When you are a novice in scrapbooking, free scrapbooking catalogues can be of great help to you. These free scrapbooking catalogues may be available online or in several local arts and crafts stores. They are in themselves filled with worthy information when it comes to scrapbooking. Simple steps are also given out plus the most essential scrapbooking information that novices will need to know about.

At a simple glance in your photos, they may have been mixed up with those from other occasions. Why not sort them out first according to events? In such way, your photos for scrapbooking will be organized. The essential steps that you need to dwell in before starting with the scrapbooking are gathering your photos, sorting them out, labeling them, and of course finally, storing your photos in the scrapbooking album. These steps are likewise included in the free scrapbooking catalogues that you will likely find whether within your locale or via the internet arena.

Let us dwell with the discussion of the steps first.

Gather all photos you have. As time passed by, you’ve earned a lot of photos and all throughout these years you may likewise have misplaced them. They may be in the garage, in the attic, in the closets or drawers, in the basement, and so on. Cleaning time provides you with the time to gather them up and recall the moment when they had been taken. What occasions are involved in the pictures? Who are with you? After gathering them up, go to a larger space so you can all spread them out. In this way you can decide on which photos to include in the scrapbooking. Think of what kind of scrapbooking album you will use. The size of which is determined by the number of photos that you will include in your scrapbooking project.

Start sorting out the photos. There are certainly several ways to sort out your photos like doing it according to family, relatives, and friends or by sorting them out according to chronology. Most people go for the latter option. Your pictures may date back to several previous years but that will be okay. Just allot time to do that. After you have sorted them out, start thinking about the theme of your scrapbook. Will it be holiday seasons-related? Baby’s baptismal? Heritage or family stuff? Whatever theme you are able to come up with, make sure that the photos you’ve chosen will explain a story and will definitely make sense!

Label the photos. After sorting them all out, label them according to occasion or event so that you will be given a clue as to what category they belong to. You need not label each photo for it will be too hard on your part. Simply categorize some portions or better yet put them inside an envelope with labels so you know what to get once you start with your project.

Finally, store them in safe places. When you are not yet ready with your scrapbooking materials, first keep the photos safely. Likewise, safe keep the rest which you will not be using. Three elements must be kept away from the photos. They are the humidity, heat, and light.

You see how beneficial free scrapbooking catalogues are? They surely mean to help you a lot!

Free Digital Scrapbooking Programs: Product Samples to Test before You Buy the Real Stuffs

Free Digital Scrapbooking Programs: Product Samples to Test before You Buy the Real Stuffs

Shendy    February 11, 2014   

Most of us have been so used with the idea of scrapbooking as a combination of paper cutting, photo gluing and sticking bits of nice materials together. All these would be laid on a piece of cardboard, paper or any foundation the scrapper would like to use as a medium.

But there's nothing that computers can't infiltrate. They influenced literally everything from our works to our personal lives and even the crafts that were supposed to be made by hands. Well, some people may have viewed these changes negatively. Nonetheless, so long as a person does his art on whatever technique he prefers, he still is able to fulfill many of life's pleasures.

Computer scrapbooking or betterly known as digital scrapbooking is done by means of laying out pages with the aid of computer softwares. This basically entails the manipulation of photos, graphics, borders, texts and add-ons using digital devices.

Like with conventional scrapbooking, the pages may be printed on high-resolution color printers that the scrapper will then paste on traditional scrapbooks. If you would not want to get bothered with pasting or the bulk of storing albums, you always have the space saving option of strong these in your computer or on a CD or DVD as tokens of memories you would want to share with others.

There are a number of computer programs that you can make use of when doing digital scrapbooking. The three most popular are Adobe PhotoShop Elements 2.0 and CS, Microsoft Picture It!, Lumapix, and JASC's Paint Shop Pro.

All these programs are so effective in helping their users manipulate the designs. The basic features include photo cutting, background replacements, change of colors, text adding, border placing and over-all graphic designing.

The common problem though with many computer softwares for digital scrapbooking is that users tend not to get the full controls. All have their learning curves and would require some mastery. Often, it is difficult for the user to make the program do things as they wish. Now, if you are more experienced with a single program, try to master it first before you choose to switch softwares. After all, if it worked great for you then it might help you better with your other projects.

Aside from the softwares we have already mentioned, it would be good to point out some other choices that you would find interesting. Some of the easiest programs that you can manipulate are the Hallmark, CK, Scrapbook Studio, and Scrapbook Assistants.

All these are designed specifically for digital scrapbooking. S compared with high-end softwares such as those we have mentioned above, these lower-end choices are quite less expensive and easier to use. However, they offer less flexibility in creating layouts.

Digital scrapbooking softwares that have higher learning curves have the tendency to require you to bring out the best of your creativity especially when you're done figuring out how the whole thing works. on the other hand, there are programs that are so versatile that they would allow good use other than scrapbooking purposes.

If you would want t meet the balance and stay in the middle of the road, you might want to choose Microsoft Digital Image Pro. It is less expensive than PhotoShop and will offer lots of advantages over scrapbooking programs. It is not also as hard to master as compared to other programs.

Well, if you are having doubts on what computer program to buy or you are still more comfortable with traditional scrapbooking, the option of downloading free digital scrapbooking programs in the net is always available for you.

Be forewarned though that many free digital scrapbooking downloadable are not as efficient as those you can buy from online and local retailers. They serve more like samples from which you can base your judgement of the products. Well, that expected. The web is a large pool of business propaganda and advertisements. We mean nothing wrong with this, only you have to lower your expectations. After all, websites are not giving you the products, they're only showing you how a specific product works.

If you are wondering how to make things work, be assured that most free digital scrapbooking programs are equipped with tutorial lessons that will lead you to simplified step by step instructions.

Digital Scrapbooking Software: Preserving Memories Without Hassles and Extra Expenses

Digital Scrapbooking Software: Preserving Memories Without Hassles and Extra Expenses

Shendy    February 10, 2014   

There was a time when taking pictures and collecting them can really put a big hole into your pocket. Aside from the initial photo taking, there would be the hassle of choosing where they will be developed so that you will get the perfect photo quality. After that, you still need to buy the things you need to make a scrapbook. Sometime later on, you will finally see the end result with only a few dollars left in your pocket.

That was before. With the creativity of human mind along with technology, people can use digital tools and equipments to save on the effort and resources needed to have those photos stand the test of time.

People can now say goodbye to films and albums that are only left in one dark corner of the house. Photos can now be saved in computers complete with scrapbooks that you can add words and messages into.

The need of digital photos and scrap booking arose from the need of people to take more and more pictures of themselves, their families and friends to look into some years from now. The need to share them with other people is also another reason.

The traditional way of sending pictures through mail can be a great waste of time. Besides that, you are never certain if the photos will arrive on time and in proper condition.

The Internet has brought about the modern way of sending photos without you leaving the comfort of your own home. All you need to do is compile them into a scrapbook file and share them with people in any part of the world. Before you know it, your photos will be seen by your loved ones wherever they may be.

With all these capabilities, the only thing that is required of people is to be creative on how they are presenting their photos. Digital scrap booking is the solution.

It is said that when digital scrap booking was introduced, its market already reached up to millions. Just imagine the number of people wanting to have their photos stored and shared to others and you will be able to figure out why they embraced this technology easily.

This has become the answer to keeping photos intact and in good condition so you can always look back at the happy times whenever you find yourself lonely and out of contact with the persons that you love.

This is also the solution to eliminating the need to have an expert do the work for you. You may find yourself out of idea on how best to present your picture and is just wasting your time staring at them laid out in front of you.

Have you also ever felt frustrated when you cannot seem to get the proper shade of color or the perfect background when you took your picture? With digital capabilities, you will be able to do that with just a click of your mouse. All you need to know are what functions to use and how to better enhance the quality of your photos using the software available.

Digital scrap booking will let you have the designs and styles you need and make it look like the real thing. The only advantage is that you need not visit every bookstore of stationery and shop around just to get the right materials. These things are already built-in in the software of your choice.

You can start by looking into sample of scrapbooks that are available in every software package. Once you have an idea on how to make your own, you can make use of your creativity to make one that suits your personality and style. You do not need to cut out or choose lettering styles. You can do that with the drag on your mouse.

If you want to take your creative juices into another level, you can also do slide shows and turn your pictures into screen savers. With the Internet at your disposal, you can look up tips and techniques to use with your digital scrapbook. There are articles and advices you can read online on how to perfect that scrapbook.

You can also take an online tutorial from the experts who can help you with layouts and designs. You do not have to have that talent within you. Your creativity is enough to make you a scrapbook that your family and friends will love and will want to see some more of.

Digital Scrapbooking: Is it for you?

Digital Scrapbooking: Is it for you?

Shendy    February 09, 2014   

The digital artwork is making its way into the mainstream; so as the digital scrapbook. For sure, we have certain understanding about digital art, but what about digital scrapbook? Is it the same with digital art?

The two are both similar and different in many ways but we are not here to discuss deeply their differences and similarities. We are here to focus on the digital scrapbooking as an alternative to the traditional scrapbook making.

Traditional scrapbooks are make by hand with several materials such as papers, pens, letter cut outs, adhesives, and other embellishments you can think of. The main principle is; to create a wonderfully decorated page that would give better meaning on the message you want to address. Digital scrapbooking works on the same principle too. You create unique page with decorations to enhance the meaning of the massage you want to address.

What sets the two apart is the method of achieving this principle. As mentioned, traditional scrapbooking uses material such as papers, pens, letter cut outs, adhesives, and other embellishments. Digital scrapbooking on the other hand uses computer graphics that replaces these traditional materials. You may say it is harder to work on the page design on the computer than on the actual page (traditional scrapbook). But, to be honest, it is almost the same.

Take the following for example:

The traditional scrapbook will work on a background or layout (sometimes called a template), pictures, texts, and embellishments. The process goes like this: you place the pictures on the background, place some embellishments of your type, and write some texts.

The digital scrapbook will work on software with all the available digital embellishments and texts. You have scanned pictures to be placed on a chosen background. Put some texts and add more design. Then, with some more editing on the colors and borders, you have created a scrapbook page.

(Speaking of software. There are several software that would let you create digital scrapbooks. These are Microsoft® Digital Image Pro, Photoshop® Elements or Adobe® Photoshop®, Ulead PhotoImpact®, or Jasc Paint Shop Pro®, to name a few.)

Oftentimes, it is much easier to create a digital scrapbook than a traditional one. This is because software that lets you create digital scrapbook with ready to use templates for texts and backgrounds, not to mention the editing tools you need. These features make it easier to create one unique page. Downloadable templates are readily available over the internet to widen up your choices on text, embellishments, and background. This is unlike traditional scrapbook that every thing is yours to make; from the background to the cutting of the decoration.

To further illustrate how does a digital page is created, here are the steps to follow:

· Create a new image from a blank canvas

· Define the size of the page you will use.

· Enter the settings you want to adapt.

· Add the photo

Photos determine the color scheme of the layout, therefore, you may want to see first what picture will you going to use before determining the mat of the canvas.

To add a photo, you must first save one on a file. You can either scan pictures or take them from your digital cameras.

· Create the background

Now that you have a determined canvas and photo, it is time for you to select your background. Here, the choices are endless. You can download images from the internet or use your photos to be the background itself. You can edit the texture of the background to match the theme you want to achieve.

· Create the photo mat

Photo mats let the background and the photo meet on a certain point.

· Add the text and embellishments

Ready made texts and embellishments are one good feature of digital scrapbooking software. This helps you to put important touches fast and easy.

· Apply some finishing touches

Final editing in scrcapbooking is as important as placing everything in order. Make use of built in features such as shadows, emboss, effects, and others. This would help your page look more attractive as it highlights whatever you want to be highlighted.

Scrapbooking Techniques

Scrapbooking Techniques

Shendy    August 18, 2013   

There are 3 common Scrapbooking Techniques that usually used.

 

Journaling

Handwritten or printed journaling -- the art of telling a story in print -- separates scrapbooks from photo albums. As you plan journaling for a scrapbook page, keep these tips in mind:

• Try to let your journaling connect the page viewer with the actual event. Record more than just titles, dates, and names. Describe your reactions to what was happening, tell what the subject was doing, and why, share how you feel when you look at the photos, or point out what you notice now that you didn't when the photo was taken.
• Let someone else proofread a draft of your journaling before you add it to the page. Check for spelling and grammatical errors, or use the tools in your word processing program.
• Practice hand-journaling to perfect your penmanship. Try writing your text in pencil before going over it in pen. Also experiment with different styles of script and a variety of writing instruments.
• Use computer type to record large amounts of journaling or create custom page titles.Try recording your journaling in shapes such as circles or hearts, or in a wavy or diagonal line for variety and interest. 

Cropping

Cropping involves a variety of techniques and tools. Make multiple prints or photocopies before cropping your photos, and crop only small areas at a time. Don't crop Polaroids -- the chemicals in the paper will damage your photos.

There's not one right way to crop. You can use a craft knife and ruler to trim off a portion of the photo and retain its square or rectangular shape. Or use a pair of small sharp scissors to silhouette and image, cutting away the background. You can also use circle cutters and templates to create interesting photo shapes or simply crop the photo freehand. Here are some tips:

• Carefully compose your photos in the camera viewfinder before shooting to avoid excessive cropping later.
• Let the natural composition of your photo determine the final cropping. For example, a wide group of people will appear better cropped as a horizontal oval than as a circle.
• Let the photo remain the focus. Don't let elaborate cropping detract from the subject.

Matting

Use matting to make your photos, journaling, and memorabilia stand out on the page. Coordinate matting colors and textures with your photographs and memorabilia rather than detract from the subjects. Use a solid-color mat to blend in with the layout or a patterned mat to stand out.

To create a simple photo mat, use a background paper or card stock that's slightly larger than your photo. Position the photo on the mat, and adhere it with archival-quality adhesive. Then trim the mat with straight- or decorative-edge scissors, a craft knife, or a paper trimmer.

9 Tips for Creating a Great Scrapbook Album

9 Tips for Creating a Great Scrapbook Album

Shendy    August 15, 2013   

Tips for Creating a Great Scrapbook Album

1. Identify as many people in your photos as possible, and add specific places and dates whenever possible. Ask other and older family members for help in identification. Family get together are very useful for soliciting this type of help.

2. Be sure to wash your hands before handling old photos. The dirt and oils from your skin could damage them. The same is true for handling photo negatives.

3. Since all of the elements in your album should be acid-free, it only makes sense that you store your supplies in archival quality boxes and envelopes. You'll find these at most stores that carry scrapbook, photography, or stationery supplies.

4. Create an interesting composition by placing photos of different shapes and sizes together on the scrapbook page. Back some photos with colored papers cut out with decorative-edge scissors. Leave others unframed.

5. Use your heirloom photos in your album or make color photocopies of them. If you decide to use the original photos, consider securing them to the scrapbook pages with photo corners, instead of permanently adhering them.

6. To capture all the shading, make color photocopies of your black-and-white or sepia-toned photos, rather than making black-and-white photocopies.

7. Your heritage album will be an easier "read" if you title the pages (or sections). It's easily done with a family member's name written in a calligraphy pen and framed like the photos.

8. Include small mementos on your pages -- newspaper clippings, old letters, awards, certificates, ribbons, calling cards, or a lock of hair. These items add interest to the pages -- and to your family's history.

9. When recording the information in your family album, use your own handwriting. The warmth of penned notes and labels will give your album a personal touch that can't be generated with computer lettering.

How to Place Your Pictures in Scrapbook

How to Place Your Pictures in Scrapbook

Shendy    August 11, 2013   

Deciding how to display your collected photos can be the hardest part of creating a scrapbook page. Here are some ideas to get you started creating a scrapbook.

Use Copies, Not Photos!

Photocopies of photographs allow you to play with the sizes and shapes of the images: enlarge some areas and cut them into silhouettes; shrink others to fit inside stamped frames; or trim away uninteresting portions of backgrounds to make unusual shapes. Plus, photocopies allow some creative room to work with color Polaroid photos. Black-and white Polaroid photos can be cropped, but color Polaroids will separate into thin layers.

When making photocopies of your photos -- color, sepia-tone, or black-and-white -- do it on a color photocopier. The detailing in the black-and-white photo is all but lost when copied on a black and white photocopier. The middle tones go very light or very dark, and you lose all the fine detailing. See how much more closely the color copy, right center, resembles the original, while the black-and-white copy appears muddy.

Cropping: Think twice, cut once!

With a few well-placed snips of your scissors, you can make your photos dance, jump, and sail off the page. Creative cropping can strengthen a picture's impact by eliminating unwanted backgrounds and spotlighting the primary subject.

Before you crop your photo, play with the page layout. Start by making several copies of your snapshots on a black-and-white photocopier. Cut the photocopies in a variety of shapes, then experiment with different ways to position and use them on the page.

When cropping a photo, be careful not to cut away important bits of history. An old family car, portions of clothing, or a piece of furniture in the background could prove sentimentally invaluable in the years to come.

Tips for Taking Great Photos

Great photographs make great scrapbooks. Carry your camera everywhere and keep these simple guidelines in mind whenever you want to capture a memory:

1. Be generous with your film. Opportunities will present themselves just once, and the price of film is very minor when compared to the cost of a once-in-a-lifetime shot or experience.

2. Capture the unposed or unscripted moment. The best shots are un-rehearsed and capture the personality of the subjects.

3. Write It Down. Keep a small notebook with you so you can write down names, places, dates, and any other pertinent information about the people and the places you photograph.

4. Get up Close and Personal. Try to position the camera no more than 8 feet from the subject.

5. Set the Scene. Take one shot of the people, and then take a second shot of the background in order to set the mood.

6. Use Light to Your Advantage. Have your subject face the sun, or keep the sun behind your own shoulder. Early morning and late afternoon on a sunny day are ideal times for taking pictures; bright noonday sun creates harsh shadows and makes people squint their eyes. Gray days produce grainy photos.

7. Create an eye-catching composition. Rather than place your subject directly in the center of the photo, adjust your frame so the subject is about one-third of the way from the edge. The same rule applies when shooting a still life or landscape.

Scrapbooking Materials

Scrapbooking Materials

Shendy    August 08, 2013   

Albums

Photo-friendly, acid-free albums are available in standard 8-1/2 x 11-inch, 12 x 12-inch, and 5 x 7-inch sizes. Most will let you insert plastic page protectors. The most popular types of scrapbooking albums are:

Three-ring: These familiar favorites have rings that snap apart for easy page insertion and removal.

Spiral-Bound: Albums with this type of wire binding have permanently attached pages and are ideal for one-topic and themed scrapbooks.

Strap-style: Albums that use plastic straps allow the pages to lie completely flat when the album is opened.

Adhesives

There are lots of different scrapbooking adhesives available, but some will work better than others for particular applications. You can choose from adhesives that set up instantly as well as repositionable adhesives that let you safely lift and rearrange elements (wet bonds usually are permanent while dry bonds usually are repositionable). Here are the most popular types of adhesives and the applications where each works best:

Double-sided tape and dots: Usually sold in plastic dispensers, and is available in both permanent and repositional adhesives. Adhesive dots are great for adhering smaller items to layouts and also are available in permanent and repositional forms.

Photo corners and sleeves: Photo corners with a peel-away backing come in sheets and rolls and in a variety of colors. Photo sleeves are made of clear plastic and have adhesive backing; they simply slip over your photos. Corners are ideal for attaching photos directly to layouts; sleeves work best for displaying photos that you may want to change later.

Spray Adhesives: Aerosol spray adhesives provide an even layer of glue that can cover large surfaces quickly. Sprays work well for adhering background papers or photo mats, and the dried adhesive won't show through transparent papers, such as vellum. Use spray adhesives only in well-ventilated areas and away from flames; never let children use them without adult supervision.

Liquid Adhesives: These come in a bottle, stick, pen, and wand applicators, and with thick or thin tips. The adhesive itself may be permanent or repositionable and fast- or slow-drying. Liquid adhesives work best for attaching small items such as punches or die-cut letters, or for tacking down dimensional items such as beads and buttons.

Adhesive Tabs: White and transparent double-sided adhesive tabs come in roll form and in refillable dispensers. They're great for adhering both small and large items with minimal mess.

Adhesive Foam: Use double-sided adhesive foam, dots, squares, and roll tape to secure items to your page and add dimension at the same time. They'll life die cuts, letters, and cropped photos up to a 1/2-inch from the page surface.

Embellishments

Use embellishments to personalize and enhance your scrapbook pages by highlighting photos, drawing attention to journaling, or helping to set a theme. Although nearly anything can work as an embellishment, these three are amongst the most popular:

Punches: Available in a variety of shapes and sizes, decorative paper punches let you create custom accents by punching shapes from whatever papers complement your layout.

Die Cuts: These premade paper shapes are available at most scrapbook and crafts stores and come in many shapes, sizes and colors. For a fee, some stores will let you use their die-cutting machine with your own papers to creat shapes and perfectly coordinate with your layout.

Stickers: Acid-free, photo-safe stickers come in thousands of different themes and sizes and are widely available in sheets and rolls.

Pens and Pencils

Lots of different writing utensils are safe to use on scrapbook pages, but look especially for those labeled "acid-free" or "photo-safe." Also choose products that will resist bleeding and fading. All come in a plethora of colors and sizes.

Gel Pens: These medium-line pens are ideal for journaling or outlining letters and embellishments, and they just come in just about every color imaginable.

Colored Pencils: Available in hundreds of hues, colored pencils are a scrapbooker's staple, ideal for shading and adding highlights to lettering and creating embellishments. Use them with a blender -- a clear, colorless pencil or pen -- to smooth and soften your colors.

Felt-tip Markers: Besides giving you a range of color choices, felt-tip markers also come in several different tip styles. Here are the four most common tips you'll find:

Chisel Point: This versatile marker has a tip with both broad and narrow edges and can produce distinctive decorative lettering and designs.

Monoline: These all-purpose pens have tips that range from very fine to thick (usually specified in millimeters). The round, tapered nibs can be used to create smooth lines for basic lettering techniques, captions, borders, line art, and illustrations, as well as to add details to letters made with other types of markers.

Scroll Point: This notched-tip marker produces a double line with just a single stroke. Use it to make basic block letters, design detailed borders, or draw straight double lines.

Brush Point: This marker has a flexible paintbrush-style tip, which is useful for adding ink to rubber stamps and for filling in shapes and letters.

Templates

Take advantage of many shapes and sizes of plastic templates to crop your photos, create embellishments and do dry embossing. Lettering templates also come in a range of sizes and type styles.

Scissors and Other Cutting Tools

Most cutting implements you'll find for sale will work fine for scrapbooking. Here are a few of the handiest and how best to use them.

Scissors: They come in straight- and decorative-edge styles. Long straight=edge scissors are useful for cutting large sheets of card stockand paper for freehand cropping photos. Small scissors work best for cutting out detailed embellishments. Decorative-edge scissors are ideal for cutting photo mats or anything to which you'd like to give a dressier look.

Crafts and Swivel Knives: Craft knives are perfect for making straight cuts on paper and card stock and for cropping photos. Swivel knives are similar to craft knives, but their rotating blade makes them better for cutting along curves or cutting out letters and template shapes. use these sharp tools with a self-healing or glass cutting mat.

Rotary Cutters: Often used to cut fabric, rotary cutters are also handy for cutting large sheets of paper and card stock or trimming photos. Use these tools with self-healing or glass cutting mats.

Paper Trimmers: This tool is handy for making square cuts and straight edges. The larger sizes are capable of handling even oversize sheets of paper and card stock.

Scrapbook Supplies

Scrapbook Supplies

Shendy    August 04, 2013   

Since the purpose of compiling a scrapbook is to preserve memories, start with supplies that protect your precious photographs and memorabilia. Choose archival supplies; acid-free and lignin-free paper; acid-free or pH-neutral adhesives; and permanent, fade-resistant inks and pen.

The basics of scrapbooking include an album, adhesive, a pair of scissors, and a journaling pen. With your own photos, you can create pages using just these four items.

Choose a photo album that contains acid-free pages, or purchase acid-free sheet protectors and slip them into a three-ring binder. Be sure the sheet protectors are PVC-free (polyvinyl chloride-free), or chemically stable; look on the packaging for a "photo-safe" or "archival" notation.

Adhesives to secure everything to the album pages come in many forms, including photo tape, photo corners, double-sided adhesive dots, squares or strips, glue pens, glue sticks, non-permanent glue, and bottled glues. Like all of the materials used for your album, the adhesives must be acid-free.

Optional supplies to enhance your scrapbook, mat your photos, and create interesting backgrounds include colored and patterned acid-free papers. Acid-free permanent markers and pens assist you with decorative writing and are fun for adding doodles to your scrapbook pages. Use straight-edge or decorative-edge scissors to cut your photos into interesting shapes and crop out any unwanted areas.

Other supplies you may want to consider are stickers, a paper trimmer, templates, decorative rulers, paper punches, rolling ball glue pen, rubber stamps, computer clipart, circle cutter, idea books, and of course, magazines like Scrapbooks Etc.

Since all of the elements in your album should be acid-free, it only makes sense that you store your supplies in high quality boxes and envelopes. You'll find these and all the above supplies at most stores that carry scrapbook, photography, craft or stationery supplies.

How To Create Your Own Scrapbook

How To Create Your Own Scrapbook

Shendy    August 01, 2013   

Creating a scrapbook is a great way to record your family's most precious memories -- including summers, vacations, special birthdays and graduations. Photos are the heart of most scrapbooks. Below are some tips on how to gather these and handle them safely, as well as ideas on other kinds of keepsakes you might want to include in your own scrapbook.

Using Photos

Gather as many photographs as possible. Sort them so they relate to one another and to the album's theme. You can affix the original photos in your album. However, if you want to save them for other purposes, make copies of the originals on a color photocopier.

Remember your collection of slides and reel-to-reel 8mm films. These can be converted to photographs at a relatively low cost. Check you local photography supply shops and photo studios.

Handling Older Photos

Be sure to wash your hands before handling your old photos. The dirt and oils from your skin could damage them. The same is true for handling photo negatives.

A family photo that has yellowed, become brittle, or been affixed with tape should be moved to a safer environment. However, you may want to copy the photo before moving it or have it professionally photographed while it's still in its current site.

Use your heirloom photos in your album or make color photocopies of them. If you decide to use the original photos, consider securing them to the scrapbook pages with photo corners, instead of permanently adhering them.

Including Mementos

Collect everything! Save small items that relate to your theme -- old letters, awards, certificates, ribbons, calling cards, a lock of hair, menus, place mats, brochures, business cards, newspaper and magazine articles, programs, announcements, matchbooks, and food wrappers. These items add interest to the pages -- and to your family's history. Even objects from nature make interesting mementos. Use a pH tester pen to determine the acidity or alkalinity of such items.

Protect scrapbook pages by photocopying or by placing the item in a clear, self-adhesive, acid-free memorabilia pocket. They're available in several sizes with scrapbooking supplies.

Scrapbook and Welcome Card Basics

Scrapbook and Welcome Card Basics

Shendy    January 03, 2013   

Paper crafts are a popular pastime right now.  Scrapbooking is a fun way to display pictures and chronicle family history.  Other paper crafts include making greeting cards and even making hand made papers.

When getting started at paper crafts, it is easy to spend a lot of money!  Go easy at first until you know what sort of paper craft products you are likely to use.  For instance, you may find that you love using stickers in scrapbooks, but rarely use your rubber stamps.  If this is the case, you would be better off spending more on stickers and less on rubber stamps for your paper crafts.

Almost everyone has at least some of their photographs stored somewhere in a shoe box.  Scrapbooks are a great way to get those photos out where people can enjoy them.  You will need a loose leaf binder, some plastic page protectors, and some colored cardstock for starters.

Many paper crafts experts insist on only archival quality materials.  Check the labels as you buy.  Most paper products, even the cheaper ones, are labeled "acid-free," which means that it shouldn't fade or otherwise deteriorate if stored for a long time.  Sunlight will bleach almost anything, but your paper crafts should not be out in the sunlight very often.

To start a scrapbook you have several options.  You can select photos that all relate to one event, such as a trip or a child's participation in sports.  This type of scrapbook will be short, but can be designed around a theme.  This is a good choice if your photos are not in a jumble.  If they are, then you may wish to choose 3 or 4 photos around a general theme, and change the theme for each page.  You may want to include some 2 page spreads in your scrapbook.

Attach your photos to the cardstock with double-sided tape squares or a gluestick.  Then it's time to decorate the page with stickers, paper shapes, or rubber stamped designs.  In addition, you can use a colored gel pen to write dates, names, and other highlights about the activities in the pictures.

Other items are available in paper crafts stores.  These includes die cuts, which are pieces of paper already cut into shapes and objects.  There are also special scissors that cut paper with an interesting edge.  A pair of the type called "deckle" scissors is very useful for making elegant looking scrapbook pages, greeting cards, and other paper crafts.  If you also have an old pair of pinking shears that are too dull to cut fabric, you can use those for cutting out shapes and photos.

Many paper crafts enthusiasts begin with scrapbooking, but then branch out to making their own greeting cards.  Greeting cards may or may not have an original poem written on the inside.

A simple "Happy Birthday," "Get Well Soon," or even just "Hi!" is enough to brighten someone's day, so don't worry about not being a good enough writer to make your own greeting cards.  Rubber stamps often make beautiful greeting cards.

You can even attach small ribbons, beads, and other items to hand made cards.  A handmade card is sure to please anyone, whether they are interested in paper crafts or not.