Make Your Scrapbooking Efforts Easier With a Journal
By: Vera Raposo

(We would love to give you a journaling-tip to help you along…..)

Journals are a great way to keep track of dates, places, and events that you wish to include in your scrapbooks. You can use a special notebook, PDA, or a calendar to keep track of your scrapbooking ideas.

A journal is also a wonderful way to remember special times in the lives of your friends and family. Amusing thoughts and sentimental feelings can be recorded in your journal to give you ideas for captioning and titles in your scrapbooks.

It is important to keep your journal current. This will save you a lot of time when creating your scrapbook pages. You can write the dates and times of family outings and special occasions such as visits to the zoo, visits from grandparents and other relatives, and make notes as to what each person experienced during these times.

Scrapbooks are more than simple photo albums. They are a chronological history of the places and people that shape our lives.

A journal can keep new scrapbooking ideas fresh in your mind and help you keep your supplies and materials organized.

You do not have to write detailed accounts of every minute of your life in your journal, but instead interesting thoughts and occurrences that will make exciting additions to your scrapbooks and keep memories close at hand.

You can use the information kept in your journal to assist you in organizing your photos in regard to dates and places where the photos were taken, a place to jot down new ideas for scrapbooking themes, and help you keep track of ongoing projects. A journal is very helpful to both casual and professional scrapbookers.

Article Source: http://www.scrapventurearticles.com

Vera Raposo has been scrapbooking since her oldest child was 5. With tons of scrapbooking tips and ideas, Vera is now sharing some of her best scrapbooking ideas for your new baby in her newsletter www.baby-scrapbooking.com

Pregnancy Photos
By: Vera Raposo

During my pregancy I didn’t really have the desire to have my pregnancy-photos taken, I really wish I would have made more time to get them done.

If you’re anything like me, you’re usually the one holding the camera. Make sure to give the camera to hubbie so he can get the shots you can’t.

Here is what I believe are the best pregnancy-photos that you need to have done. Ok, some may sound a little strange, but believe me you will love looking back on even the silly ones!

Read my list of must have pictures!

Photo #1 Of course the day you found out you were pregnant! There are lots of women who keep the actual pregnancy test… why not take a picture of it and that can go into your pregnancy album?

Photo #2 If you have children…. take a picture of their reaction to the news.

Photo #3 Don’t forget the picture of the surprised daddy!

Photo #4 Get hubbie to take a picture of you calling your family & friends. If you’re having a dinner party to announce the wonderful news, be sure to click away that night.

Photo #5 Get a picture of yourself infront of the doctor’s office on your first visit, even get one with your doctor.

Photo #6 The next time I would bring the camera is when you get to hear the heartbeat for the first time. What a moment to capture! That’s the best moment there is for a mom to be.

Photo #7 Time for some mugshots! Get a nice front shot of yourself, then turn to your side for a profile shot. Do this every month as your pregnancy progresses. Easy to do.

Photo #8 Do you know a friend who can take some pictures of you and your husband? Get some nice shots of your husband with his head on your tummy….putting the music to your tummy…. kissing your tummy…. I could go on and on. Very cute and loving pictures.

Photo #9 Repeat Photo #8, but insert your older children.

Photo #10 Did your older children make something for your baby? Take pictures of them with their proud creations.

Photo #11 Get at least one picture of your doctor measure your belly. This is something that us women do every month with the doctor and it’s so comforting that the baby is growing properly.

Photo #12 Waiting around for an ultrasound? Bring the camera, get a picture of you infront of the hospital. You know they will make you drink a ton of water, so you’re doing the dance anyhow. Bring the camera to keep yourself busy. If there’s no one there with you……you’re in your gown right? Get a nice shot of those swollen feet.

Have fun with your pregnancy-photos! Create your pregnancy album during pregnancy is alot of fun.

Article Source: http://www.scrapventurearticles.com

Vera Raposo has been scrapbooking since her oldest child was 5. With tons of scrapbooking tips and ideas, Vera is now sharing some of her best scrapbooking ideas for your new baby in her newsletter www.baby-scrapbooking.com

How to Make a Quick, Easy Baby Album
By: Vera Raposo

If you are creating a photo album for your baby for the first time, or
are unsure where to begin in creating a scrapbook of your baby’s first
year, here are some tips to make it quick and easy to preserve your
photos and memories:

Rather than including every photo you take of your baby, organize your
pictures according to the month they were taken and chose a few of your
favorites from each month.

You can make single page or several pages from each particular month and stage of development without having to spend a large amount of time gluing every single photo into your scrapbook.

Be sure and include birth announcements and baby shower invitations as a special touch.

Keep a notebook or calendar within easy reach to record milestones in
your child’s development. You can then coordinate the events on your
calendar with the month-by-month photos.

It is always a good idea to keep an ongoing journal of special times in your baby’s life so that you can include those moments in your scrapbook. It does not have to be elaborate or detailed, just a few special dates and events that you can include as text next to your pictures.

Include a special folder or sleeve behind each page of your scrapbook
to place the unused photos and mementos. This way you can keep them
within easy reach and add pages to your scrapbook easily at a later time.
Make sure you write the date and place the photos were taken on the
back of the picture or on the folder.

When creating each page of your scrapbook, remember that you can add
extra pages containing amusing notes or special occasions as you see fit.
There is no right or wrong way to make a scrapbook of your baby’s first
year.

Include the photos and events that are the most special to you
and keep extras handy in the event you want to add to your scrapbook
later.

Article Source: http://www.scrapventurearticles.com

Vera Raposo has been scrapbooking since her oldest child was 5. With tons of scrapbooking tips and ideas, Vera is now sharing some of her best scrapbooking ideas on her radio show at www.ScrappersTalkRadio.com.

Organizing Your Scrapbooking Area

When it comes to thousands of different types of scrap booking papers and other accessories you will find that it can be overwhelming at the supplies place. Since you do have so many options, you will find that it can be difficult for a person to scrapbook when they are in a small apartment or dorm room, but you can get organized and keep things looking good and clean and that will help you to be able to scrapbook more efficiently.

It will take up the most space and time when it comes to getting your papers organized. A good option for this is a paper saver, as made by most of the larger scrap booking companies. These folders are made of plastic most of the time and they can be tagged and hold hundreds of papers. This will help you to categorize your papers. If you find that you do not have enough room in a paper saver, you might also find it useful to invest in a filing cabinet or one of the sets of drawers made especially for scrap booking. You can purchase these in any of the local craft stores or you can go online as well.

Once you own a tool for organization, the next step is to decide how you want to categorize your supplies. You will find that color is most often used, but you can make it into a theme like a certain day or holiday. You may also want to think about making patterns like stripes. You can also use this system to organize flat embellishments, such as die cuts or stickers.

You also need a place to store your tools and embellishments that are not easily filed. You will find that one good way is to use baskets and a shelving system to help your to store and organize your tools and embellishments. Store cutting tools in one basket, glues in another, markers and paint in a third, and so on is a good way of approaching the art of organization. By buying baskets in bulk, you will save more money then if you use photo boxes, and the display will be uniform and attractive. Make sure that you label your baskets or shelving so that you can find everything quickly.

If you need to save space, however, a basket and shelving system may not work for you. You will want to make a kit of some of your most often sued tools and supplies so that you can keep them close and you won’t have to dig or look around. That way when you only have time to do a quick page or two, you can use your kit to complete it and then quickly clean up. However, you can use all of your time in one day and book a whole scrapbook together and also you can pull out the supplies and storage so that you can complete the album.

You will also want to keep in mind that the space that you use to scrapbook is clean and organized. This will allow you to enjoy your time scrap booking. When you learn how to label the storage containers and learn how to organize your papers, you will be able to quickly be able to pull out the tools that you need. You will find that if you really want to get into scrap booking you will take the time to label your storage containers and sort through the mess. Once you have gotten over the mess, you will be able to get comfortable with scrap booking.

Scrapbooking for Kids
By: Dawn Stegall

As a homeschooling mom of 4 girls, scrapbooking for kids has been on my mind alot lately. Let me back up a bit. My 4 year old was quietly playing one day with a roll of stickers. Afraid I was going to later find a bunch of stickers caught in the carpet, I asked her what she intended to do with them. She pondered for awhile and then said, “I am going to put them in a scrapbook. Mom, can I have my own scrapbook?” For some reason, this caught me by surprise, as I thought how wonderful of an experience this could be! So, I started thinking about it more and have come up with some tips and ideas to share with you on scrapbooking for kids.

First of all, I will admit, I am cheap! I wasn’t sure how excited I would be at the thought of my 4 year old and her sisters cutting up my beautiful papers and glueing everything down in sight! I immediately thought of our local dollar store. They have albums that would be perfect for showcasing their creations in for the time being. The dollar store also offers scrapbooking supplies in the form of kits, stickers and embellishments. We have a reward system in place, where the girls can earn a trip to the dollar store to purchase their own scrapbooking supplies to do with as they please. This alleviates the desire to “mess” with my stash while instilling a sense of responsiblity to earn thier reward!

Here are a few more “scrapbooking for kids” cost saving tips:

Have too many pictures to scrap? Let the kids scrap the leftovers.
When developing photos, get double prints. Let the kids scrap with the doubles.
When you complete a project, put the leftovers and unused scraps in a container for them to use. They can create their own embellishments with the scraps. You will be amazed at what they can create!
One thing I do want to mention, when you scrap for the first time with your children, be prepared to help and guide them. Don’t expect to get much done on your own pages until they start to get a feel for what they want to do and accomplish in their own scrapbooks. Now that they are ready to scrap, what should they scrap? Here are a few scrapbooking for kids layout ideas:

Have them scrap a page all about their favorite things at that particular age. (then repeat it for each year and see how their favorites have changed or stayed the same)
Have your kids scrap about their favorite activities or sporting events they are involved in. I’m sure you have plenty of photos!
Turn it into a learning experience and have them interview the subject of the photo. This would be great for older generations.
If there aren’t enough photos, have them draw pictures of people. Then watch how their drawings progress. Each one of my girls have a specific style of how they draw family members. It is interesting and fun to look at.
What about incorporating their artwork and creations? I am very blessed to get cards, pictures and artwork on an almost daily basis from my girls. But what do you do with all of them? Here are a few ideas:

Hang on the refrigerator for all to see. Then once the fridge is full, take a picture of your child in front of their artwork and scrap the photo. You can also incorporate their artwork into the layout.
Color copy and reduce the drawings/projects and use as photos in your layout or as embellishments.
Are you near the end of a roll of film? Use up those last couple of shots of your child’s artwork.
Use pocket pages to “hold” your child’s artwork.
Create a “brag” book and give to grandparents or other family members as a special gift!
Even though I can be anal at times, I still want to incorporate my girls work into my scrapbooks as well. Afterall, they aren’t really my scrapbooks but for all to enjoy! Here are a few “scrapbooking for kids” ideas:

Use child’s drawings as a background paper.
Use their creations as embellishments. You’ll be amazed at what they can create with some paper, scissors and adhesive!
Interview them. Ask them questions about the photo, layout, their mood. This would make for some awesome journaling!
I hope the above tips will give you some ideas on scrapbooking for kids!

Article Source: http://www.scrapventurearticles.com

Dawn Stegall is a homeschooling mom of 4 girls and owns www.FaithfullyYours.net a site dedicated to scrapbooking your faith!

Mini Albums
By: Vera Raposo

Mini albums are a perfect scrap booking party project. Invite a group of gal pals over for a night of scrapping fun. Tell each one to bring a yummy snack, their left over scraps and bits and 10-15 photographs from a recent event that they’d like to create a brag book about. You pick up a bundle of inexpensive mini albums at the store. They usually come six by six or seven by seven inches and cost just a few dollars.

Have your computer and scanner set up and ready with some card stock by the printer to be able to create text headings for the individual mini album pages or to create a title graphic for the cover if there’s a place for one.

Spread out all of your leftovers and tools and everything your friends brought with them and prepare to have a blast creating from what you have. There isn’t a lot of room for complicated layouts on a mini album page so you should find that you have plenty of material to work with.

It’s like a treasure hunt to explore all of the little bits that others have been saving for just the right little project. Ask the women to share stories about the original projects these leftovers came from, this out to spark some really interesting conversation.

Creativity seems to pour out when you get together in a group to do something like this. Watching each other’s ideas take shape is fun and inspiring. This is also a great opportunity to introduce a friend to scrapping for the first time. She can experience the process, get ideas and not have to have spent a lot of money on supplies in advance.

A mini albums party lets you create some fun new memories while you celebrate older memories and friendships at the same time.

Article Source: http://www.scrapventurearticles.com

Vera Raposo is the Scrapper’s Business Coach. Sign up for her personal mailing list at www.VeraRaposo.com and get tips and resources to help all of your scrap ventures succeed.

Some scrapbookers like to create an album by doing one page at a time. Then there are those that will work on scrapbooking two pages at a time. There are a lot of advantages and disadvantages to doing a one page or two page layout.

One-page layouts work well for busy scrapbookers. When you do one page at a time, you will have more time to complete the scrapbook and then have plenty of time to clean up. One-page layouts also have a sense of intimacy because the pictures are placed closely together on the page, along with the journaling and embellishments. You will have an album that is full and complete bursting with color and pictures. Because the layout is smaller, this is also often an easier option for beginning layout designers or for crafters who do not have a large workspace to spread out two pages at a time.

Two-page layouts, on the other hand, create an album that is more spacious. If you have a lot of pictures then it will be almost impossible to put all the pictures on one page. You can split them up over multiple layouts; however, by creating a two-page layout, you give the pictures a sense of togetherness. You will want to spread out the pictures over three or four pages and carry a theme to each page so that there is a consistent design. Two-page layouts also work well when you have a few pictures that cannot be cropped and will therefore not fit onto one page. When you do a larger layout you will be able to place everything you want in the pictures and have plenty of room for writing or doodling.

Either way that you scrapbook, there are disadvantages. You may not want to use just one of the ways exclusively. When it comes to a one page layout you won’t have to worry about having the paper to coordinate into two pages, however, the album may seem to be disconnected as a whole. Meaning, if you have one page of something and one page of another thing, it just won’t flow. You will want to choose the best options for you so that you can make a great scrapbook. You will find that when you have some patience, you will be able to give the pictures a good way to display them so that it all look interesting and fun.

So You Think You Want to Scrapbook…

Learning to scrapbook will take some commitment, as it is really like a piece of art. You will learn new techniques for scrapbooking you will be able to use and enjoy, however, you will have to get to know a few basic tools, supplies, and learn some basic skills before you get started. You will want to create albums, but it could take a little time to get the hang of it. Projects can be time consuming, but it is very rewarding when you end up with a family heirloom. It is enjoyable to do and the memories that you gather can be passed down to your grandchildren.

To get started, you need pictures. Everyone has boxes filled with pictures, but you may notice that some are discolored or warped because of poor storage. Our homes are full of acid and moisture, which breaks down the chemical balance, used to produce photographs and causes them to change appearance. With scrapbooking, you will want to use acid free supplies so that you can preserve the pictures for many years and decades to come.

There are some basics tools that you will need to get before you start your voyage in scrapbooking. Every good scrapbooker needs a cutting tool. You will need to get sharp scissors. You will also need some form of adhesive. Beginners may find that the easiest products to buy are photo mounts, which are tiny pre-cut pieces of tape, and glue dots, which are pressure-sensitive strong spots of glue to hold larger embellishments. Beyond a cutting tool and adhesive, you really don’t need any other tools to get started, but if you want to create fancier pages, many options are available including rubber stamps, paper crimpers, and punches. Start with a few smaller items and increase your inventory as you learn more and more scrapbooking skills.

You will also need a few basic supplies before you begin, the most important of which is the album itself. Make sure whatever you purchase is large enough to hold all the pictures you want to include; two to five pictures will fit on a standard 8 ½ x 11 page with cropping, with the most balanced layouts having three pictures. You can also choose from larger or smaller albums. Really, the only other supply that you will need to get your scrapbook album started is some paper. Most albums come with a white piece of paper in each sheet protector, but there are many colors and designs to choose from to help spice up your album. Other supplies that add interest to your pages include paper dolls, stickers, die cuts, and three-dimensional elements otherwise known as embellishments.

When it comes to the skills that you will need, you’ll learn how to do things that you see in a magazine or online and mimic it in your art. If you would like to gain some skills the fast way, you will want to attend or join a scrapbook workshop or class. As for the workshops, you will be able to attend many workshops when you check out the craft schedule at the local stores. You can also go to a local craft store and ask them how to start the scrapbook and you’ll be able to learn and master the process of scrapbooking.

Some of our greatest memories happen right at our front door….

Remember to capture the stories that come and go through your front door. Take a picture of your front door from the inside of the house and/or the outside of the house. What are the first 3 stories that come to your mind that have ANYTHING to with your front door? Is this the place your children rush home to everyday after school? Is this the place you said goodbye to a loved one? Or maybe it represents your freedom and the moment you walked through that door as a home buyer?

Too often memory-keepers get caught up with the BIG moments and events and forget about the sweet and simple ones that actually define us.  Front door memories are part of the sweet and simple side of life.  So capture them and share them.

Visit me at my blog

www.publishourstories.com

and learn more about how
cherish|BOUND can help you find, capture and share your stories!

Scrapbooking for Generations
By: Vera Raposo

Generation scrapbooking is a wonderful way for different generations of your family to bond and share your family history. Spend some time to get everyone in the family involved in creating scrapbooks. Not only will you share pictures and stories, it will be a wonderful bonding experience as well.

Scrapbook For Your Child
Start a scrapbook for your child and get him or her involved in creating the pages. You can create a new book each year together with your child. Include artwork, homework as well as current pictures of your child and friends. Ask your child to help in creating layouts, choosing embellishments and adding descriptive titles and text. Depending on your child’s age, you may even want to let her do most of the scrapbooking and writing with a little assistance from your of course. You’ll be surprised how much you will learn about your child’s life outside of your home. The two of you will get to spend some quality time together and create a memento to remember it for years to come.

Scrapbook Your Family History
Record your family history in a scrapbook. Put your family’s story on paper for future generations. Create a special generation scrapbook that tells the story of your own childhood, teenage years, or how you and your spouse met. When your children are grown, they will appreciate being able to get a glimpse of what your life was like back then. Keep adding to the scrapbook over the years and get everyone in the family involved in deciding what should be added. You will create a book that everyone in the family will cherish and pass on for years, maybe even generations to come.

Share Old Photo Albums
Go through old photo albums that have been in your family for decades. Spend some time with older family members to look through these albums. You will gain an appreciation for your family history and the life your family members lived long before you were born. You may also want to discuss options to preserve these old pictures.
If you would like to incorporate some of these pictures in your current scrapbooks, have copies made, or scan the pictures in your computer, edit them and then print. You can correct faded color and even some small tears and nicks with modern photo editing software. Plus you will have a digital version of the picture that will last long after the original photo deteriorates.

Grab that fabulous scrapbook that you bought months ago and saved for a special occasion and start generation scrapbooking today about yourself and your family. You will enjoy the process of creating that special book just as much as being able to share it with family members once it is finished.

Article Source: http://www.scrapventurearticles.com

Vera Raposo has been scrapbooking since her oldest child was 5. With tons of scrapbooking tips and ideas, Vera is now sharing some of her best scrapbooking ideas on her radio show at www.ScrappersTalkRadio.com.