Holiday Time Crunch

Do you wait until January to craft holiday-themed layouts? I used to stock up on festive Christmas-themed embellishments, papers and memorabilia throughout the month of December, and then go into hiding during the first week of January to complete a marathon scrapbooking session.  However, my pages never turned out as well as I would have liked given my time crunch.  I felt pressure to slap together holiday memory albums just so I could cross it off my to-do list.  What’s more, I was extremely bothered by the idea of working on Christmas scrapbooks when Valentine’s Day was just around the … Continue reading

Finishing Up Summer Scrapbooking

When it comes to seasonal scrapbooking, I am always a day late and a dollar short. It took me years to figure out that I am not a daily scrapper. No matter how hard I try to channel Martha Stewart or Rosie O’Donnell, I am simply unable to spend 20 minutes a day keeping on top of layouts. Now, I own my procrastinating tendencies. However, taking responsibly for my shortcomings doesn’t change my situation. I’m still as late as ever when it comes to finishing memory albums. For instance, as we sit just a week shy from the official start … Continue reading

Busy Summer Scrapbooking

According to the owner of my local scrapbook supply shop, summer is her slowest time of the year. Ironically, summer is when I do the bulk of my memory book-making. Perhaps, it’s because my daughter is off of school during the summer and we tend to craft more when she is home. However, I have a feeling that the reason I complete more scrapbooks in the summer months is because I take more pictures during June, July and August than other months. While the rest of the world puts their cameras to use extensively during the holidays (October, November and … Continue reading

Down by the Sea

Don’t let a summer trip to the beach go to waste. While your family is having fun in the sun, be sure to snap photos of their adventures in the sand and surf. Pictures of your kids chasing seagulls, collecting seashells, swimming, surfing, sunbathing, flying a kite or reading under a colorful beach umbrella are the heart and soul of a beach vacation-themed scrapbook. In addition to snapping images of your trip, consider jotting down some of the funniest or most poignant memories to feature in journaling blocks. If you don’t have the time or energy to write down anecdotes … Continue reading

Documenting Commencement Traditions

You know the time-honored tradition of tossing your graduation cap in the air at the end of a commencement ceremony? Yeah… never did it. When I graduated from high school, I was too afraid of not being able to find my cap in the ensuing post-ceremony chaos that I simply kept my mortarboard bobby pinned to my head. When I graduated from college, I didn’t dare toss my black cap into the air because I was having a horrendous hair day. There was no way I was going to be photographed without something masking my messed up mane. Also, I … Continue reading

Quick and Easy Scrapbooking

Scrapbooking has never been so easy. If you’ve admired memory albums from afar, but didn’t think you were creative enough to craft elaborate layouts, it’s time to squash your inhibitions. Fortunately, the Internet has made scrapbooking simpler and more accessible than ever before. With the introduction of online scrapbook kits, skill level, income and creativity no longer come into play. Digital kits feature all the design elements, paper and tools necessary to construct a memory book that will be appreciated for decades to come. Contrary to popular belief you don’t have to be a computer geek to complete a digital … Continue reading

Have Computer Will Scrapbook

Before you head to your local scrapbook shop to load up on materials to design themed layouts, consult your personal computer. In most cases you can save big bucks by surfing the net rather than strolling the aisles of a craft store. The Internet is teeming with free scrapbook elements, from paper to stickers and just about everything in between. What’s more, the free items can be used in digital projects or they can be printed out and used in traditional scrapbook layouts. I recently helped a friend of mine craft a baby scrapbook for her newborn son. We ended … Continue reading

Is it Time for a Refill?

Besides overall look and ease of use, one of the most important factors I consider when purchasing a scrapbook album is refill options. In a previous blog, I detailed my recent purchase of two post-bound leather albums. Both books came with 20 pages, though the albums can accommodate about double that depending on the thickness of your completed layouts. The trick is finding the right refills. Beginner scrapbookers should note that most albums come with inserts that provide information on which style of refill pages can be used with individual books. If you don’t see a list of refill options, … Continue reading

Finding the Right Album

Recently, Kohl’s had a super sale on scrapbooks. In addition to the already low prices, I used a 20 percent off coupon to further reduce the blow to my wallet. I ended up walking away with two leather post-bound scrapbook albums. I could have easily scooped up three times that amount, as the store had a seemingly endless array of leather albums in a rainbow of colors, including chocolate, asphalt, lavender, sky, cinnamon and green apple. In addition, they came in an array of sizes from 12×12 to 6×6. I chose the traditional 12×12 albums that came with a display … Continue reading

Does Budgeting Actually Cost You More Money?

Do you have a budget? Everyone says it is the best way to take control of your spending. Once you have spent your allotted amount for food, or gas, you’re done. Unfortunately it doesn’t always work like that. I read a study recently that said that people who have a budget can spend as much as 50% more than they were planning. This is said to be because budgeting starts in your mind. You are thinking constantly about what you can and cannot spend and that is what causes you to spend more. Many people who say they have a … Continue reading