Scrapbook Layouts as Gifts

Earlier this summer I attended a wedding for one of my former TV news co-workers. He and his wife got married in a lovely ceremony on the shores of Lake Michigan. It was a touching vow exchange, though, I was equally impressed by the gifts the couple received from the bride’s crafty friends. Each of the gals from her weekly book group got together to design individual scrapbook layouts for the newlyweds’ wedding memory album. While this is not an entirely novel idea, what made their layouts stand-out (to me, anyway) was the fact that they all included the same … Continue reading

Frugal Scrapbook Fun

My 7-year-old has been on summer vacation for nearly two weeks and I only got around to sorting through her bulging backpack yesterday. She brought the bag home on the last day of school crammed with the contents of her desk and nine month’s worth of junk. Given my frugal nature, I refused to dump all of her school supplies in the trash. Rather, I painstakingly sorted through the pile of used items to see which ones I could salvage for the upcoming school year. Obviously, I couldn’t save it all, but there were many materials that could either be … Continue reading

From Spring Break to Scrapbook

Five kids from my daughter’s second grade class are spending spring break with Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy. Yup, they are jetting down to Orlando for the week and my daughter isn’t letting me forget it. Her classmates will be joining tens of thousands of other families who plan to spend spring break in the house of mouse. I’m sure those moms and dads will be snapping plenty of pictures to show off to family and friends. While most of the images will likely make it on Facebook, I’m sure at least a few will find special spots in vacation … Continue reading

Spring Scrapbook Savings

Spring is in the air… and so are record-breaking temperatures. We’re supposed to hit 75 degrees today. That’s a huge deal when you live in northern Wisconsin. Of course, with high temps comes the appearance of shorts and… garage sales. The latter can mean some serious savings for scrapbookers. Garage or yard sales can yield a litany of amazing scrapbook embellishments at rock-bottom prices. While there, look for buttons (even if they are still attached to a cheap shirt or dress), ribbon, beads or charms from old costume jewelry, lace or wrapping paper. All of these items can be added … Continue reading

Finding the Right Supplies

Depending on the theme of your scrapbook layout, finding the right supplies can be a breeze or it can be downright frustrating. Obviously, if you are crafting a traditional birthday, wedding or Christmas, Easter or Halloween-themed design, getting your hands on appropriate scrapbooking materials is fairly simple. However, if you are trying to craft a layout to commemorate your cousin’s new job as the director of the city’s Planning Department, you might be forced to exercise a bit more creativity. In a previous post, I shared a little about my neighbor’s recent adventure to see Disney on Ice: Treasure Trove. … Continue reading

Be a Smart Scrapbook Shopper

I refuse to pay more than $1.99 on a package of scrapbook stickers. When I first started creating memory albums I would often pay upwards of $3.99 for a single sheet of 3D stickers. I rationalized that the whimsical adhesives supported my theme and made my layouts pop. Then, I learned how to get my hands on cheap scrapbook supplies and I’ve been a dedicated frugalista ever since. If you are a smart shopper you can save big on scrapbooking materials. Start by selecting a few favorite online scrapbook retailers and signing up for their email newsletters. Most include money-saving … Continue reading

Personalized Scrapbooking

Personalized scrapbooks seem redundant. After all, it’s not like you are going to create layouts with photos of random people. Rather, our albums are filled with personal memories and embellishments that can be customized to further illustrate our individual preferences. In fact, even pre-made albums and scrapbook-in-a-box type kits can be adjusted to display individual creativity. While the kits come with pre-selected supplies, that doesn’t mean you can’t take liberties to make the finished page designs uniquely yours. What’s more, you can take the concept of pre-fabricated scrapbooks to another level by creating your own skeleton album and giving it … Continue reading

Ways to Save on Holiday Scrapbooking

Don’t blow your budget buying every seasonal scrapbooking embellishment you lay your eyes on. While the fantastically festive items are tempting to purchase, you can find slews of holiday-themed scrapbooking supplies for practically nothing if you simply take the time to surf the World Wide Web. For example, several websites offer free Christmas fonts for use on holiday layouts. Check out Fonts and Things, The Holiday Spot, Font River, Font Space and 1001 Free Fonts, and then use them to design your own customized Christmas scrapbook paper. You can either repeat a saying or quote in the font of your … Continue reading

Fun Gift for Scrapbook Fans

With so many new memory book supplies being introduced throughout the year, finding the perfect gift for your favorite scrapper is a piece of cake… or not. Often crafters can get overwhelmed by the sheer number of scrapbooking tools, albums, paper and embellishments on the market today. This is especially true for busy scrappers who don’t have the time to research constantly changing product choices. For scrapbooking fans with limited time to browse through stores or peruse new items online, consider presenting them with a kit club membership. The monthly clubs come with all the supplies needed to craft several … Continue reading

Choo-Choo Scrapbook

Instead of celebrating the season with a monster Christmas party, this year my daughter’s school is hosting a Polar Express-themed winter shindig. The teachers are planning a series of activities and events, which feature lessons on trains, the spirit of giving and other topics covered in the classic children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg. With all of the hard work going into designing the massive soiree, naturally, the school wants to document the event from beginning to end. That’s where I come in. Last week I found myself agreeing to join the scrapbook committee. A bunch of moms will be … Continue reading