Bask in the Blaze

Mother Nature is getting ready to set herself ablaze. In just a few weeks the majority of the country will be blanketed with fiery red, orange and golden-leaved trees. This is the perfect time to capture stunning photos of fall foliage. And what better place to display your eye-popping shots than in a scrapbook? Fall-themed embellishments are readily available in craft and scrapbook supply shops across the nation, from September through November. These stickers, stamps and die cuts can really help perk up a page filled with pictures of your kids frolicking in fallen leaves or gorgeous landscape photos taken … Continue reading

Spice Up Thanksgiving Layouts

Depending on the size and scope of your Thanksgiving Day festivities you could opt to create an entire scrapbook documenting the occasion or simply dedicate a few pages in a holiday-themed memory album. Many beginner scrapbookers select the latter because they don’t know how to fill the space. However, you don’t have to shoot hundreds of photos or go broke purchasing stacks of expensive embellishments to get rid of white space on your layouts. An affordable way to spice up your Thanksgiving layouts is to pepper them with poems that sum up the tone of the holiday. Fortunately, you can … Continue reading

Thanks for Giving

In the chaos that surrounds the holiday season, it’s easy to lose sight of the true meaning behind the special occasions. Thanksgiving is filled with food, food and more food. The sumptuous spread can tempt people to focus more on what’s sitting on the table rather than who they are sitting next to at the table. When you are designing layouts for your Thanksgiving scrapbook, don’t forget to include memories that illustrate the true meaning of the holiday. Look for photos that speak volumes for the type of relationships your family members share with one other. You can further enhance … Continue reading

Capturing the Spirit of Thanksgiving

This is peak season for scrapbooking. Once Halloween hits and we roll into Thanksgiving and Christmas, avid scrappers shift into marathon mode. With so many special occasions at hand, it’s often hard to keep everything straight. There are photos to take, edit and file; embellishments to buy or make; and journaling to write and proof. With Thanksgiving just a week away, now is the time to focus on the first step in creating a memorable scrapbook—-documenting. In order to fully capture the spirit of the holiday, it’s important to snap pictures that tell the story of your celebrations, and then … Continue reading

Spice Up Your Halloween Story

When it comes down to it, a scrapbook layout is really an adventure in storytelling. Photos, embellishments, memorabilia, captions and journaling all help recount a special memory and preserve it for years to come. With Halloween just around the corner, now is the time to start strategizing holiday layouts. Consider how you want to tell the tale of your All Hallows’ Eve festivities. For example, if you want to put an emphasis on photos rather than write out lengthy journaling blocks, consider spicing up the shots by taking them from unique angles. Experiment with some extreme close ups and or … Continue reading

Halloween Pages

Now is the time to stock up on Halloween scrapbooking supplies. Typically, I don’t purchase holiday-related items until after the 31st, so I can take advantage of post-holiday sales. However, this year, I’ve seen several major retailers (including Michaels and Hobby Lobby) offering up to 50 percent savings on Halloween-themed scrapbook elements before some kids even have their costumes picked out. Not that I am complaining. Still, if you are planning to purchase materials for your Halloween memory book prior to the holiday, there are some factors to consider. For starters, if your children haven’t already selected their costumes, stick … Continue reading

Capturing the Halloween Cute

For years I’ve tried to get my young daughter to dress-up as a hot dog, cupcake or hamburger for Halloween. Unfortunately, she wants nothing to do with food-themed costumes, and I don’t have a dog, so I just make do. Still, I can’t help but think about all of the cute scrapbook layouts I could create if she were to give into my request for just one year. Scrapbooking supply companies have multiple lines of adorable stickers, stamps and die cuts that easily complement photos of kids or pets wearing food get-ups. Of course, you can find a host of … Continue reading

Signs of the Season

Most people look to falling leaves as a sign of autumn. In my home, it’s a set of blood red fangs rather than rust-colored foliage that marks the change of seasons. My 5-year-old nephew likes to scare my 8-year-old daughter with photos of his Halloween get-ups, which are designed around a pair of well-worn plastic fangs and loads of fake blood that drips from his mouth, down to his chin and throat. The pictures always score at least a couple of layouts in my holiday scrapbook. Yesterday, as I paged through past Halloween-themed memory albums I was reminded that All … Continue reading

Savor the Season

Fall is officially here… and so are my allergies. Still, I don’t think designing layouts featuring photos of my puffy eyes, runny nose, and used Kleenex is appropriate for an autumn-themed scrapbook. Fall is one of the most gorgeous seasons of the year with its spectacularly colored leaves, fresh apples and blaze orange pumpkins. There are so many ways you can savor the natural treasures featured during this wonderful time of year in a mini or traditional sized scrapbook. Consider drying apple slices and spraying them with varnish to decorate your album cover. Or, take a stroll through a local … Continue reading

Printing on Scrapbook Paper

Taking advantage of sales on scrapbook paper is a great way to save money. However, if you can’t use the bulk stock as effectively as possible, then your purchase may be worthless. This is especially true if your computer printer places certain limitations on the type of scrapbook paper you can use. If you own a standard ink jet printer, you really need to pay close attention to the type of scrapbook paper you buy. When selecting paper consider the weight. For example, a heavy-weight cardstock may not be compatible with your printer. Also, examine the paper’s texture. If the … Continue reading