Scrapbooking for Genealogists: 3 Creative Ways to Preserve Your Family's History

Whether you've spent several days, several years, or some time in between in trying to uncover your family's history, you're no doubt looking for some creative ideas for preserving whatever it is that you've found. After all, computer printouts of a bunch of names are nice to have, but you won't exactly be proud to pass that around at the next family reunion, would you? And think about this: wouldn't it be wonderful if one of your ancestors had considered generations to come? You can do what you wish someone had done for you - you can preserve the past for the future.

Themed scrapbooks help cover up the gaps

One of the easiest ways to preserve your discoveries is with a scrapbook. You can compile a complete family history, or you can create a themed scrapbook. A themed presentation is a particularly good idea if you've perhaps had a lot of success in finding information about a particular aspect of your ancestors' lives, but have a lot of holes in the complete picture.

If that's the case, consider themes such as these:

Early ancestors: This kind of scrapbook might include:

* A map of the location where the earliest ancestors you've traced lived.

* Short biographies.

* Copies of deeds, wills, and estate documents

* Old photographs.

* And, if you've managed to locate their graves, photos of the cemetery.

Migration: Simply record how your ancestors migrated. Include:

* Passenger lists of the ships (check The Ships List at http://www.theshipslist.com/).

* Photos.

* Passports and naturalization papers.

Family occupations: How did your ancestors earn their living? Did they farm? Were they doctors or lawyers? Actors? This kind of scrapbook could include:

* Copies or transcriptions from journals.

* Copies of memberships in societies.

* Prizes and awards won.

These are just a few ideas to get you started. You're limited only by your imagination.

Chris Simeral is the creator of the 7 Day Family Tree Genealogy Research Toolkit. To learn how to stop researching your genealogy the hard way, or to access the free genealogy mini-course, visit [http://www.7dayfamilytree.com].

Scrapbooking With Dried Flowers: Make Your Memories Really Stand Out!

Whether it's a wedding, holiday, or graduation, fresh flowers are a part of almost every special occasion. Unfortunately, the beautiful flowers that made your day so special aren't often saved. Incorporating dried flowers into your next scrapbooking project is a great way to make this perishable gift into a treasured memento.

For holiday-themed scrapbook pages, dried flowers can add dimension and texture. Try drying the leaves of a poinsettia plant and affixing them to your Christmas scrapbook page. A dozen roses can adorn your Valentine's Day-themed scrapbook when you dry individual rose petals and use them as a backdrop. Attaching some dried wheat from your Thanksgiving cornucopia makes a rustic border for a scrapbook page. Most flowers will easily attach to your pages with hot glue along the stem of the flower. Remember, though, that flowers are organic material and could damage your photographs if the pictures aren't properly protected. If the flowers are far from the images, the risk of damage is low.

You can ensure your photographs won't be damaged by sealing the flowers in a protective covering. Transparency film or lamination both work well. You can also try sealing the flowers in wax paper using a hot iron or covering them with a crystal craft lacquer. Special scrapbooking accessories called page pebbles can be placed over very small flowers to both enlarge and protect them.

If you're scrapbooking a recent family vacation, wildflowers you collected on your travels make great decorations. Press and save local flora from the region you visited to add something unique and colorful to your book.

Perhaps the best part of scrapbooking with flowers is the price. If you receive the flowers as a gift of collect them yourself, they're one part of your scrapbook page that's completely free!

Celebrate your next family milestone with flowers from Teleflora. Our bouquets are made with the freshest flowers available, and dry beautifully for all your craft projects. When you send Teleflora, you know you're sending the highest quality flowers, hand-delivered in a keepsake vase by a professional florist.

Free Scrapbooking Ideas - How to Become a Scrapbooking Expert Without Spending A Dime!

For free scrapbooking ideas the Internet is a great place to look. There are some excellent sites full of creative tips and suggestions to help you make your own unique scrapbooks. If you're looking for an original way to organize your favorite photos, arranging them in special scrapbook albums could be the solution. Scrapping is a very popular hobby, and offers a wonderful way to preserve your treasured memories for posterity. It's an enjoyable and addictive pastime that allows you to use your imagination and add your personal touches to your pages.

Ready made scrapbook kits can be really good, particularly if you are making a themed scrapbook, such as for a wedding, a vacation or the birth of a baby. Pre-packaged kits come in a huge range of themes, and contain a selection of coordinated materials such as cardstock, stencils, frames or stickers. One advantage of using a kit to create your scrapbooking layouts is that it saves you the time of having to choose your supplies separately, making it quicker and simpler to design your pages. If you've got a digital camera, then there are some good digital scrapbooking software packages that enable you to use your computer to try out different looks. You can play around with all kinds of things, from templates to font styles.

There are many other free scrapbook ideas online, and loads of artistic ways of adding embellishments to your pages. In addition to using stickers, there are all sorts of paper piecing patterns; die cuts and other accessories that can help add color and style to your page. As well as using photographs and other visual images, many scrappers like to use words to enhance the meaning of the pictures. Journaling is a great way to record your memories and feelings related to the events in the photos. You may want to add scrapbooking quotes or poems, where appropriate, to help bring the stories to life. This can work well in both chronological or heritage scrapbooks, as well as in other types of albums.

If you're looking for new ways to display your photos and memorabilia in scrapbooks, the Internet can be an excellent source of inspiration!

Caroline Smith is an author and regular contributor to free-scrapbooking-ideas.com - An online resource packed with hints and tips on free scrapbooking ideas, scrapbook albums and scrapbooking quotes for every scrapbooking enthusiast.

How to Make a Wedding Scrapbook

When all the vows have been said, the gown worn and the dust settled on the big day, you really need to start considering saving all those cherished wedding day memories. Perhaps you should preserve that stunning event perfectly in a wedding scrapbook all of your own?! Since people scrapbook everything now from getaways to the birth of babies, your wedding is the ideal occasion to produce it into a keepsake album.

There are a selection of ways you could go about making your wedding scrapbook. A lot of brides-to-be start their albums when they get engaged. As a result, you could chronicle every detail of the planning, various showers and all of the exciting build-up to the special day.

If your wedding is approaching fast, don't fret, starting a wedding scrapbook now, or possibly following your wedding, is just as simple to do as well.

And for individuals that had weddings that might have happened years ago, your wedding scrapbook can not only detail the events of the wedding day, but you can also get great insight into what marriage was like those first few years. On reflection, the certain memories from your wedding day might jump out clearer than others, giving your scrapbook a unique feel.

Irrespective of when you decide to start your wedding scrapbook, there are some essential items that you'll need. If you are already a veteran scrap booker, you will probably have most of the supplies already accessible. For those newer scrap bookers, go to your local stationary or hobby store to gather the fundamental memory album items. Wedding keepsake albums, that comes with themed scrapbooking materials, can be found and make the job a snap. But if you aspire to personalize the book with your wedding theme and colours, then you may need to conduct some assembling yourself.

First, gather all the pictures and wedding keepsakes including invitations, programs, napkins, table settings, etc., that you'd like to use in the scrapbook. This should help you obtain a rough concept of how big of an album to choose and how much material you should have for the project. Determine if you would want to make the wedding scrapbook just about the bride and groom, or if you wish to heavily feature the wedding party, friends and family, the ceremony locale and the reception hall. Perhaps the honeymoon can be incorporated the scrapbook to paint an entire picture of your wedding journey.

From there, you can start selecting scrapbooking material such as the album itself, the cardstock and decorated patterned paper for the pages, adhesives to attached the pictures and memorabilia to the paper, and decorate stickers or pens to add that extra something special to the scrapbook. Always choose acid-free materials, which keeps your photographs and wedding memorabilia from fading.

Map out a good plan of what all you want the album to include and get to scrapbooking! If you're feeling stuck or nervous to start, begin planning pages and the scrapbook will quickly take shape. The album is about you, your spouse along with your big day, so there isn't a right or wrong way to capture your wedding. Make the wedding scrapbook unique and make it yours.

If you would like to find out a lot more about doing a wedding scrapbook, please visit us at http://www.theweddingscrapbook.com

Scrapbooking Templates Are Great For Digital Or Traditional Scrapbooking

Scrapbooking templates are a great resource to use whether you are making digital scrapbooks or the traditional kind. They can save you a lot of money and time, both of which are premiums for most of us and once you get the templates you can reuse them over and over again. You can buy these templates or you can find them for free as well. Just do an online search for these templates and you will be presented with a variety of options.

The templates come in a variety of shapes and sizes and you can choose from a plethora of themes as well. Many people keep digital scrapbooks simply because it is so much cheaper than buying all the supplies needed for the traditional kind. Using templates for digital scrapbooks couldn't be easier and many of them can be resized as needed. If you are working with layers you can choose which aspects of the template you want to use or you can download and use the entire template.

Downloading scrapbooking templates saves you the time of making your own layout and if you are making a themed scrapbook you can get a lot of ideas from looking at templates. If you are creating a physical scrapbook, you can print free templates or the ones you purchase and you will still save a lot of time and money simply because you won't have to recreate several pages when the same template will work for multiple pages. This is especially helpful if you are making gifts for several relatives or friends at the same time.

Even if you want to create your own layout you might want to consider downloading or printing templates for certain aspects of your scrapbook. You can find templates of certain designs or elements that you may want to incorporate into your own layout. While many advanced scrapbook enthusiasts, or scrappers, as they're sometimes called, create their own templates, shapes, and patterns, it can be a big help for the beginner to have some premade guides to choose from.

You will find a great deal of information online about scrapbooking, along with free tips and tricks. If you like to see ideas in motion then you may want to watch a few free videos from experts who like to share their techniques and ideas with others. Before you invest a lot of money in the hobby, check out the websites that offer free scrapbooking templates.

Scrapbooking is a great pastime and hobby. Let Deb Botting give you some new ideas by visiting http://www.scrapbookingcontent.com/ For helpful tips and advice scrapbooking Idea

Importance of Storage Techniques in Scrapbooking

People who are into scrapbooking and love making their own scrapbooks have a hidden passion for different types of paper. There are many variations of paper: from patterned ones to traditional plain paper. People usually buy the paper first and think about how their scrapbook will be and look like later. This leaves your scrapbook lying around waiting to be complete.

Most people lack photographic memory, so for them it is best to store the scrapbooking papers using organized procedures; if you don't keep your things organized you will find yourself in the situation of having to buy things all over again because you can't find them. So having all the materials necessary but not finding them is the best idea when you want to spend less money. Being organized when making a scrapbook is very important as things may get lost easy.

There are many ways to organize your things: vertical or horizontal; there is no perfect method of organizing things, it actually depends on your taste and how you find it more practical.

A storing example can be taken from stores which keep papers organized horizontally by using racks or shelves. But this is because they have more storing space than an average person. A good idea would be using snap top cases as they tend to be good even when storing other scrapbooking materials which are not paper for present or further use.

On the other hand, storing things vertically is good if you want to use them at the present time. Vertical storing is a great way to store cardstocks and papers. When storing vertically you usually have dividers that help you store things based on categories. However, this method requires the use of tall shelves which can be very unpractical at some point.

If you are a person who makes many scrapbooks a storing shelf is a great investment as you can browse through different type of materials; this way you can find whatever you need easier and faster.

Usually people who are into scrapbooking have many types of materials which they will use on different themed scrapbooks. They will collect things faster from a shelf in order to create their themed scrapbook.

People who don't organize themselves usually buy unnecessary things. The first things they buy are the colorful eye catching papers or other materials. This isn't very efficient because most of them tend to forget about other materials and when they arrive home they discover that they need more materials and probably bought too much from one type of material.

It's easier to be unorganized because you won't waste time planning things however the risks are costly and annoying. The best thing is to plan ahead and know what theme you want and what materials you have to buy.

Organizing means paying attention to all those important and less important details because if you don't think ahead you might end up having to spend a lot of time to remember where things are. So if you think that planning ahead and organizing takes a lot of time just imagine how much time you would need to organize things that have never been organized.

Get the latest information and tips on digital cameras and photography today

Saving Family Keepsakes for Scrapbooking

I'm new to scrapbooking, and I still can't believe all the possibilities there are for scrapbook layouts.

When I first began I pulled out and organized a lot of my daughter's childhood photos. Also collecting dust on my closet shelf was a box of other family keepsakes I'd kept throughout the years.

For example, when we went to Disney World, in addition to all the pictures we had taken, I kept the plane tickets, the cards you get to open your hotel door, meal vouchers, luggage tags, post cards, and theme park passes. These will make a fun addition to our Disney World-themed scrapbook pages.

For school, there are a number of things you can keep. Certificates, award ribbons, and report cards are just a couple of ideas. You can also break this category down into smaller ones, like school sports, plays, band, etc. I've kept all of the programs from my daughter's school plays, which will make a great addition to the pictures I have of her "in character."

Other keepsakes might include handmade cards or little notes your child might have left you from time to time. These memories are priceless, and could never be re-created even if you tried. Keeping these treasures in a family scrapbook will ensure the memories are preserved.

For holiday memories, you might have childhood Christmas wish lists, family letters, holiday cards, party invitations, or favorite family holiday recipes. I even keep thank-you cards I have received.

Looking through my box I also found some other types of family memories that would also make great themed scrapbook pages. Wedding announcements, funeral programs, and graduation announcements are a great complement to your family photographs.

Hopefully these ideas will get you thinking of things you might have tucked away somewhere that would be a great addition to your scrapbooking projects. If not, it's never too late to start.

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of four. For scrapbooking, card making, gift-giving ideas, and more family memory-making activities, visit http://www.crafty-moms.com

Why Scrapbooking and How to Start It in Fast and Simple Ways

Are you a stay-at-home mom who is looking for a fun way to spare your time with? Or are you a person who just can't stop doing anything?

Have you found something to satisfy your need? Ever heard about scrapbooking before? It's time to reveal it now and you've come to the right place. Why? Because you're going to find the way on how to spend your time with. In methods that are quick and easy.

Discover them below:

1. Make Scrapbooking A Part of Your Life

If you answer YES to the above questions, scrapbooking is actually one of the most exciting solutions you can have in your life. It is absolutely a very nice way to remember the important people and events in their life. Moreover, by doing this, you are allowing them to bear in mind about the love that you took to do this for them. Let out your creative and positive energies and create something that will last a lifetime.

Make scrapbooking as one of the most rewarding things that you do in your life. All you need to do is to come up with a number of ideas to begin with. Then work through the projects, meet the goals and create yourself or your loved ones a book that they will treasure forever.

2. Start with a Wide Range of Ideas

One of the most challenging parts of creating a scrapbook is having ideas to share the memories with. The good thing about scrapbooking is that you need not to be very competently trained or very imaginative to have some concepts or ideas for it. All you should do is to ask a number of questions to gather some information that you need to have. These may include how you or they want it to look like, what things you or they want to be included in the book, etc.

3. Set Up a Place

One essential part of scrapbooking is that you have a safe and comfortable place to work on the projects. It is because you need to ensure that your equipments are safe from dirt as well as safe from little intruders. So, it's recommended that you find a place in the house where you can carry out the projects persistently and safely. By doing this your can make sure that your equipments are essentially secure and that the projects you are working on get the best result.

4. How to Design the Pages

When it comes to scrapbooking, designing the pages is one of the biggest problems you probably will encounter. Well, you should not be too worried about this since there are things that can help you to come up with certainly remarkable ideas. One of them is the scrapbooking kits, which are provided with a great range of themes and elements such as stickers and colorful cut outs to help you design the pages.

5. Preserve the Memories through Scrapbooking

Now you've come to the last point. The aim of scrapbooking is to preserve the memories for a lifetime. It is what a scrapbook can do for you and for those that you love. To achieve the goal, it is important that the book represents all of the things that are characteristic of those within the pages of the scrapbook. So, it will be more than just photos in it. You can add other things related to a certain theme. For example, a baseball-themed scrapbook may include some tickets from a game. This will add dimension and special meaning to the scrapbook. Besides, it is also amazing and it helps you preserve the memories within your mind as well as within theirs.

Adwina Jackson is a working mother of a gorgeous young boy. Join her free e-mail guides about Scrapbooking Tips at http://insparenting.com/reports/scrapbooking.php. Visit her daily blog now where you can get helpful parenting stories and tips on: http://www.insparenting.com

Special Edition - Create a Memory Book Using Scrapbooking Supplies

Available are many ready made scrapbooking supplies as well which offer a different flavor; all you need to do is use them creatively. Being selective with your choice of supplies shows that you are skillful and your scrapbooks bear a personal mark. It is not difficult to find ways on how you can be unique with your scrapbook because all you need to do is to spark up that creative side of you.

If you have changed over to digital scrapbooking then you can buy digital scrapbooking software. There are many website that offer supplies and scrapbooking tools. Many websites also offer tutorials as well as ideas. Scrapbooking can be done by people of all ages. One however, needs time and patience as well as the right supplies in order to create an elaborate memorable scrapbook.

Creating your own memory book has never been easier when using scrapbooking supplies which are now widely available online and in selected stores. One can now design and create their scrapbook layouts effectively. When you start off you should first select what type scrapbook you would like to create as there are various sizes and designs available online and in bookstores.

One should not be in a hurry when starting your scrapbooking hobby, as this hobby needs careful planning. If you already have ideas on what you would like your theme to be, then that is great but is still not enough to complete your task. There are various necessary scrapbooking items needed if you intend producing a unique and personal scrapbook. Don't pick up the first supplies you come across, search online and in selected stores for supplies.

Scrapbooks come in different sizes and the standard sizes range from 12 x 12 inches to 8 x 12 inches. These scrapbooks are costly but are well worth it as they are high quality and one is able to store a huge amount of collectibles. Then there is the 8 x 12 inch format this is suitable for prints the same size. You can also make a double outline as the pages have a similar format to the post type binder.

It is wise to opt for the top of the range binders which will aid you in compiling your collection on the pages before preparing them in a post binder. There are also themed scrapbook suppliers that will enhance your fun memories. Family and friends paging through your scrapbooks will thoroughly enjoy looking at your photos as opposed to looking at old photo albums. If you choose to use more than one theme you will still be able to organize your pages especially if you buy inexpensive supplies.

You can save money and time when applying the same background color, although each page can still have a different theme. The possibilities are endless as there are so many scrapbooking supplies at your disposal. Whether you are making a scrapbook for personal reasons or as a project it is really a lot of fun to make your own scrapbook particularly using memorable items.

Are you planning to create a scrapbook right now or in the near future? Don't you want to learn how to quickly and easily create beautiful scrapbooks to cherish for years to come? Yes you too will learn the secrets to creating beautiful and amazing scrapbooks while saving time and money doing it, no matter how long you've been a scrapbooker!!!! Please click here right now.

Joseph Constant is the creator of http://scrapbookinghobbies.wordpress.com.

Scrapbooking Crafts - Show Your Creativity

Scrapbooking has been evolving over the years. What started out as a fun creative way of displaying photos and other mementos in scrapbook form has exploded into all sorts of craft options! Looking for a clever idea to do as a gift for someone? Try one of these!

• Greeting cards. Using plain white card stock and decorative paper, you have the beginning of creating a card for a birthday, holiday, thinking of you, etc. Use stencils, rubber stamps, a hole puncher or stickers to decorate with. Add a border, ribbon or buttons to the front.

• Calendar. Whether you use a premade calendar where you insert photos, or you create each month, you'll have fun selecting a photo for each month. If you're making the calendar, use themed paper for the background and had fun seasonal decorations. Creating a digital calendar is another great option.

• Recipe box. Do you have a family member getting married? Scrapbook the outside of a photo box, using a fun kitchen theme. Scrapbook individual recipe cards to coordinate with the recipe box. On some of the cards, write down some of the family's favorite recipes. Insert each card into a plastic sleeve. This is sure to be a cherished gift for years to come.

• Ornaments. A fun craft to do with the kids is to make ornaments! From stars to snowmen, to angels, to Santas, the options are limitless! You can easily find directions on-line. Look around your home for fun decorations--sequins, glitter, ribbon, etc.

• Placemats. For your next family reunion, sign up to bring the placemats! Use 8.5"x14" paper and a digital scrapbooking kit. You can create all the same placemats, or individualize them. With photos, clipart, sayings and fun borders, your placemats will make a great hit!

• Mobiles. There are so many great options for scrapbooking a mobile. You can make one for a baby's room, the back porch, a child's play room--most any place! Tie a 20" piece of twine or ribbon near both ends of a 12" dowel. The twine/ribbon will be used to hang the mobile. Use themed paper and cut out fun two-sided shapes. Use twine or cord to outline the edge of each shape on both sides. On just one side of each shape, dab on glitter glue. Hang the shapes with twine or ribbon on the wooden dowel.

• Personalized story. People of all ages enjoy a personalized story. A little girl might like being a princess in a fairytale, a boy would enjoy being a superhero, and a grandparent would love to read what he or she means to the grandkids. Using themed paper, photos, clipart, and your ideas, you can create a very touching or fun story.

Now that your creative juices are flowing, gather your scrapbooking supplies, your photos, and any other fun mementos or decorations, and give one of these ideas a try. Remember, there are no do's or don'ts to scrapbooking crafts, so experiment, move things around, and design your craft anyway you choose to! Have fun!

Lexoremman is a freelance writer who provides informative, detailed articles and reviews for a number of websites including the Australian Craft Directory. Read why Scrapbooking has become one of the top ten crafts of today.

Scrapbook Ideas - Disney, Create Scrapbooks With Your Family

There are many scrapbook ideas; Disney themed scrapbooks are one of these. Disney characters are extremely popular with children. There are so many great characters to choose from like Ariel, Cinderella, Belle, Jasmine, Winnie The Pooh, and Mickey Mouse. This makes the prospect of making a scrapbook exciting to your children. Why is this important? Well scrapbooking lends itself extremely well to doing projects with your family. Spending time making scrapbooks with your children is a great way to connect with them.

Now if your children are younger they may not get too excited with the prospect of making a scrapbook. After all there's jump rope, chalk writing on the sidewalk and riding their bikes just to name a few other activities. Now these are all great but don't lend themselves to spending quality time talking to your children and connecting with them at a deeper level. There are many different scrapbook ideas - Disney themed ones will definitely allow you to catch and retain the interest of your children. Invariably one or more of the Disney characters will be of interest to your child.

I know in our home the Disney princesses are a big hit. My daughter just loves them. So I use scrapbook ideas based on the Disney princesses. Instead of my daughter heading out the door and playing outside all day I'm able to get her to stop and spend an hour with Dad and Mom working on a scrapbook. These scrapbooks normally go over a special event in our lives like birthdays or trips to the beach. If you have gone to Disney Land or Disney World then the pictures from the trip would make a perfect opportunity for a scrapbook. The important point here is that you're able to bond more as a family by working together on a project and reminiscing about past events.

Scrapbook ideas - Disney themed come in a variety of different formats. There are:

Pre-made papers
Embellishments
Stickers
Albums
Rub-ons
Epoxy Tiles (for borders)
Stamps

These make the creation of your scrapbook fun and easy. You're going to find that your children can't wait to work on the scrapbook with you. This will be a great bonding opportunity for you and your family. Enjoy.

If you would like to get more ideas for scrapbooking with Disney themes with your children then visit my site at http://www.freeprintablescrapbooking.com/scrapbook-ideas-disney.html

Erik Birkeland writes on business and family related issues.

To read more about scrapbooking and how to enhance your experience with it then visit http://www.freeprintablescrapbooking.com

Why Scrapbooking?

Are you wondering why other people are so addicted to scrapbooking? Why not card making and photography? Well, here are some reasons most people are in to scrapbooking.

Scrapbook as a gift

Yes! People are engaging in making scrapbooks because you can actually give a scrapbook as a present to a person who is close to you. Scrapbooking is every flexible as a present, you can actually make a themed scrapbook based on the motif of a certain event. You can also base the theme of your scrapbook to the personality or the character of the person you are planning to give it to.

Scrapbooking for business

Scrapbooking is a trend in present generations. Its supplies are very in demand. You can actually take advantage this high demand on scrapbooking supplies by selling the materials needed in making a scrapbook. There will be a lot of future clients out there.

Personal hobby

If you are just one of those people who love scrapbooking because of the entertainment it gives to you, well you are now a certified hobbyist of scrapbooking. It can help you enhance your creative side and can train you also on how to budget the money you have, it will teach you how to spend money by buying supplies that are vital to the scrapbook you are doing.

Reminisce

Reminiscing things and important event in an individuals life is one of human nature. As a person you are very much aware on what are the best times and the best moments of your life and you are very much willing to share it to the world. That`s the reason why other people are engaging in scrapbooking. Making scrapbooks are best way to cherish memories in a certain event and you can actually make a story behind a certain photo which makes scrapbooking entertaining to make and to read at the same time. It will surely put a smile on your face and to some people it will give them tears of joy.

Bonding

Mothers are always using scrapbook making to have a bonding moment with their children. As a mum you really want to have some extra time with your children where you can share ideas and stories. Scrapbook making is one of the best activities you can share with your children. So try scrapbook making with the people who are important to you, it will definitely give you a fun experience.

More information at My Scrapbook Page Ideas.

Scrapbooking for Boys - Four Tips

There comes a time when your son has outgrown robots, frogs, and dump trucks. You can't decorate the scrapbook pages for him with pastel blues, greens, and yellows. But the well can get a little dry when you move from scrapbooking his first tooth to scrapbooking his first date. You could keep using the pastels, but don't be surprised if your son tells you the pages you create about his dirt bike race using clouds and cupids is "lame."

So my recommendation is to put the baby stuff away and focus on who he is now. Let his current personality drive the product choices you use. Here's how:

One easy way is to focus on the activities he's involved in. We're a big sports family, so I have a bunch of sports scrapbook pages in my albums, from football to wrestling. There are plenty of themed products for almost every sport under the sun. But please not that you don't HAVE to use themed products on every page. Instead, you can just opt to use more neutrals, or colors that match his team.

If you like themed scrapbooking supplies, you can choose hobbies to highlight. I created one page documenting my son's love of playing card games, and I was able to find adorable playing card stickers to use. Whatever your son's interests, there's likely patterned paper or embellishments to match. A trip down the scrapbooking aisle will turn up everything from video games to computers to cars.

And if you're just doing general-topic "personality" pages, then the sky's the limit! You could:

Use colors he likes. Don't worry about if it's a "boy color" or not. If you use the colors he likes, not only will it be a better reflection of his tastes, he'll also like the resulting scrapbook page better!
Have him journal. In the "House of Cards" layout mentioned above, I asked Ben to contribute the journaling, since the page was really about his love of playing cards with his uncle, dad, and grandpa.
Think about stronger lines and colors. You can go bolder on the colors and contrasts, like in the black and yellow, and black and red pages.
Don't be afraid to use some "girly" elements. Combine them with more masculine products, and stronger colors and designs.

So there you have it, a handful of ways to make sure the boys in your life get their due in your scrapbooks!

For more creative scrapbooking ideas and inspiration, visit Lain Ehmann's blog at http://www.layoutaday.com. Through scrapbooking videos, tutorials, projects and inspiration, Lain helps her readers make their scrapbooking fun, fast and fabulous!

Graduation Scrapbook - 7 Essential Photo Tips

How do you make a great graduation scrapbook album? It starts with preparing for great photographs.

You'll never have a better opportunity than graduation day. Everything is there, in one place at one time, just waiting for you to take the photos and tell the stories.

So whether you are making it for yourself, your spouse, your son or daughter, read on for some great tips for preparing for graduation scrapbooking.

You will find plenty of graduation-themed scrapbook supplies at your local scrapbooking store or at online scrapbook stores. For example, you can choose themed scrapbook papers, graduation stickers, find a graduation album you like, and other graduation scrapbook ideas to help you. Knowing that, you can focus on the photos and stories you need for your theme.

1. Be Clear

Know your purpose

Your first decision when making your album is whether you are making it ABOUT your graduate, or FOR your graduate. The first will be about the person and their school career to date; the second can include a wider variety of topics from school, family and favorite vacations, to friends, parties and everything your graduate likes (and dislikes!)

The purpose will affect the content, and with that decided, it's down to the work of preparation: planning the photographs you want to capture.

2. Be Focused

Know how to use your camera

Check it's working in good time to replace or repair. Practice and read up on the instruction manual if necessary. For example do you know how to avoid 'red eye', how to switch off the flash if you don't need it, or force it to flash in good light? And why would you want to use the flash in good light, anyway? (Answer: To have enough light on your subject, or to balance the light on your graduate's face in strong sunshine, easing shadows.)

3. Be Ready

With everything on hand

Plenty of film, or a spare memory card, if you have a digital camera; check your camera is fully charged; upload memory card contents to your computer, make sure they are empty and one is in place ready for use, and you know where the spares are when you want them; carry plenty of extra batteries - especially if you're camera is a hungry one! Don't forget to pack any spare lenses you may have and want to use.

4. Be On the Ball

Know what photographs you want

Then get into position to get them. As a soccer player moves into position to receive the ball, controls it, moves with it, then scores the winning goal, be on the lookout constantly to be in the right place for that winning photo. For example get ready to photograph ...

1. the nerves

2. the friends

3. the family

4. the excitement

5. the grins

6. the hugs

7. the tears

8. the nerves

9. the hellos

10. the goodbyes

11. the details

12. the excitement

13. the nerves

14. the 'moments'

15. the pride

16. the celebrations

17. the excitement

18. the nerves!

And of course, the main 'player': your Graduate.

Make lists if that will help get clear in your mind the photographs you want to take. You will also be less likely to miss the ones you really want if you've got a list you, or someone helping you, can refer to.

Scrapbooking your photographs is the ultimate plan, so look for interest in your photo composition, the one with a good story behind it, or an unusual angle. Think also of the photos that sum up the event.

One other important point from the scrapbooker's perspective: when using a digital camera use the highest quality setting. This will allow you to zoom into the photo to crop for the specific detail when you're ready to scrap.

5. Be Warned

Watch out for the background

There's a very fine line between someone leaning against a lamp post and having it grow out of your subject's head! Take your time and check there are no lamp posts, trees or any other weird things growing in unexpected places before clicking the shutter on the special photographs! It's also a good idea to avoid backgrounds that are too busy for they will detract from the main subject.

I speak from dire experience when I say this - we have some weird photos!

6. Be fast

Ready to respond with speed

If your camera has a facility to allow you to take multiple photos in quick succession then use it.

Expressions, emotions, exchanges of glances, crazy, zany things that happen so quickly, on the spur of the moment. If you have this fast facility (excuse the technical terms, LOL!) you'll be more able to capture these fleeting moments as well as to quickly move with the event or to the next one in the blink of an eye - or a shutter.

7. One final tip ...

Have more than one photographer and you'll be less likely to miss the unexpected gems. Use disposable, one-time-only cameras for different perspectives from different people.

If the graduation is over and you're about to start work on your scrapbook then look for photographs that meet some of the suggested criteria.

So, if you plan your photographs carefully, then take them with confidence, you'll get excellent results that will make a great graduation scrapbook album.

Scrapbooking design expert Genie Balfour writes on a wide variety of traditional and digital scrapbooking [http://www.scrapbookinggems.com/category/digital_scrapbooking/] topics. Find elegant page designs and scrapbook graduation [http://www.scrapbookinggems.com/scrapbook_supplies/scrapbook-albums/prepare-to-make-a-great-graduation-scrapbook-album/] tips.

Tips and Tricks for the Scrapbooking Beginner

Scrapbooking can be a fun hobby to start for anyone who loves taking pictures and showing them to others. It's so easy to do that even a beginner can catch on quickly. If scrapbooking intimidates you because you've seen some elaborate creations, just follow some of these beginner tips to hone your skills into a bona fide scrapbooking pro:

Matting - By simply matting your photos, you can instantly change the look of your picture and make it stand out on the page. Double matting is even more effective to making a picture stand out. Use white or light colored mattes first and a contrasting color to matte the picture in last. For the contrasting-colored matte, use a color that's in the photo to really make it pop.

Pre-made designed pages - If you're not comfortable designing your own pages for your pictures, then buy some pre-made scrapbooking pages from any hobby store. You can simply attach your photos on these pages however you want and add any extra things - like stickers or content.

Rubber stamping - Consider using rubber stamps to add a little spice to your themed scrapbooking pages. Take a day at the zoo and bring more life to the scrapbook page by rubber stamping zoo animals periodically throughout the page.

Don't forget the words - No scrapbooking page can be complete without some text scattered here and there on the themed page. You can use your own handwriting to write what you want or print something off of the computer and cut it out to place on your scrapbook page. Words can help keep the memory of that special day alive.

Something old, something new, something special - To make a scrapbooking page more personal and special to you, add some sort of physical item from that day. For example, a wedding scrapbook page could use something like one of the flowers from the bouquet or a wedding napkin to immortalize that day in your life.

Get others involved - Recruit your children or friends and have them design their own pages for their photos. It can be the perfect way to pass the time on a rainy day when you can't get outside.

If the kids aren't old enough, you can do the cutting and pasting, but let them add stickers and choose the colors they want. They can even add some of their own artwork to the pages if they want!

Use stencils - If you want to add some little graphics to your scrapbook, but can't draw, consider using stencils. There are many stencils out there that have all kinds of shapes you can trace onto your scrapbook page.

Scrapbooking is the easiest hobby you can start! Once you're comfortable as a beginner, you'll find it easy to implement new ideas you stumble upon for your scrapbooking pages.

Tiffany Washko is the editor of Nature Moms, http://www.naturemoms.com . After working several years in corporate healthcare marketing and public relations, she took time away to be a mother. This new pursuit lead her to a new passion, natural family living and writing about environmental and political issues. She currently works as a freelance writer and newspaper journalist.

Computer-Aided Scrapbooking

Photographs are the basis for many themed scrapbooks as they are one of the best ways to remember a special event. Gone are the days of the 4 x 6 inch black and white photograph. Digital photography allows people to make copies of their photos and make them any size for their scrapbook albums. If you already have a computer, printer and digital camera, you are leaps ahead of other scrappers who do everything by hand.

If you have digital photos choose the photo that you want to use as the main object on your scrapbook page. The size and shape of this item will determine the layout of your page. Since this photo is the main focus of the page, it must be chosen first as everything else on the page will be determined by the size and shape of the photo.

Once you have chosen a photo for your album, print it the size you'd like it to be. Most people use specialized photographic computer paper, computer programs and ink to make the copies they want for their scrapbook. Check your favorite computer store for programs, paper, ink and printers that are appropriate for high-quality photographic prints. If you don't want to make your own copies of the photos you can upload them to photo printing stores via the Internet. These stores will make prints to your exact specifications and post them back to you.

After you have chosen the focus of your scrapbook page, you may want to choose a mat to add emphasis to the theme and photo on your page. A mat functions as a mini frame to add depth to your scrapbook page. You may already have some mats around the house. You may have specialized cardstock or other sturdy types of paper to make a mat for the photo you have chosen, so simply cut it to size. Or you may want to use a mat that you already have, and print a photo to fit the size of the existing mat. There are many types of mats available for purchase if you don't have anything to use. Choose a mat color that adds to the colors in the photo you are placing on your scrapbook page. But don't choose a gaudy or overwhelming mat that detracts from the subject of the page.

Adobe Photoshop is a wonderful software program for scrappers. It is reasonably priced and easy to use once you get the hang of it. It allows a scrapper to add captions electronically to photos. Do you need to make some major changes in your photo? Photoshop can do that as well. Many of the functions of Photoshop are point and click, with most of the basic functions readily available on the toolbar.

One of the most popular functions of Photoshop is cropping. Cropping a picture or photo can be done either using hand scissors or using a computer program that will crop the photo for you. Cropping is used to shape a photo or eliminate portions of the photo. When you crop a photo on your computer you can change the shape and size of the photo you are copying and printing. Follow the program's directions to point and click your photo to the shape and size you'd like. Cropping and other photographic program features can also be used to eliminate items or people you don't want in your photos.

With a bit of practice, and patience, you will soon get the hang of using a computer to aid in your scrapbooking endeavors. And if you're lucky enough to be a student, or have a student in the house, you can purchase your software at a much cheaper price.

Kristy Taylor is a syndicated journalist and keen scrapbooker. Visit Cheap & Easy Scrapbooking for more tips on scrapbooking on a tight budget.

Wedding Scrapbook Albums - They're Not Just For Brides and Grooms

These life changing, always memorable events are frequently the catalysts for nuptial-themed scrapbook albums. But true creative scrapbooking artisans have come to realize that only one wedding scrapbook might not be enough!

Here Comes the Bride... Her Dad... Your Cousin... The Neighbors...

Take a moment to consider how many people are in attendance at the typical wedding. Aside from the bride and groom, there are usually bridesmaids, groomsmen, attendants, flower girls and ring bearers. Add to that the plethora of family members and friends-fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, former roommates, school chums, grandparents-and you have a bounty of people for whom scrapbook albums would be perfect mementoes.

Of course, this is great news to the professional scrapper who desires to make a partial living off her creative scrapbooking abilities, selling her innovative scrapbook albums by the dozen.

It's also terrific for the recreational scrapbooking fan (and new bride!) who wants to test her skills at arranging wedding scrapbook albums as a "thank you" for everyone who attended her special day.

But no matter who is putting together the scrapbook (seasoned scrapper or newbie artist), it's critical to have a plan in place before setting off on this exciting adventure. Otherwise, you could find yourself with tons of scrapbooking embellishments and few finished projects.

The Wedding (scrapbook album) Planner

The key to arranging phenomenal wedding scrapbook albums is to develop a strategy before ever lifting a gel pen or unpeeling a sticker. This game plan can be as intricate as you need. Some scrappers prefer to simply write down the names of recipients for whom they'd like to make albums and then jump right in to their work. For them, a simple list is enough of a guideline.

Other scrapbooking gurus prefer to establish a more comprehensive blueprint, describing their intended scrapbook albums in greater detail (e.g. including approximate number of pages, size of album, theme of album, anticipated scrapbook products.)

Regardless of your organizational style, once you've written down at least a general idea of how you want to create your wedding scrapbook albums, it's time to check your scrapbook accessories. (Nothing's worse than finding out you've run out of card stock in the middle of a fun project!)

Evaluate your inventory, then decide whether you need to purchase scrapbook supplies online or if you have enough items in your scrapbooking kit. If you're unsure as to whether you need more, know that it's always better to have a little too much.

Making Memories Come Alive Again

Your next step will be to sort applicable photos and nostalgic items for inclusion in the wedding scrapbook albums. Simple enough, but don't breeze through the process.

For instance, if you're creating an 8-page scrapbook for your six-year-old niece who served as your flower girl, you'll want to create a very special scrapbook using photos of her (don't forget about those silly candids that make such delightful creative scrapbooking items!) If you have dried flowers, pictures of flowers or even flower-themed scrapbook products, you could add them, too.

Taking this hypothetical creative scrapbooking scenario a step further, you could also choose card stock that mirrors the colors (and perhaps fabrics) of both your wedding and your flower girl's dress. Remember-there's no "right" or "wrong" way to arrange scrapbook albums, but they should have a strong sense of originality and personality.

I Do... Thank You

Once your scrapbook albums are completed, the method of transporting them is entirely up to you.

Sent in the mail to friends and relatives who took part in your marriage ceremony, wedding scrapbook albums make a lovely surprise. Of course, a face-to-face delivery is a powerful way to say, "Thanks for being a part of our marriage", too.

In the end, your creative scrapbooking generosity will not go unnoticed, and the thoughtful scrapbook albums you've produced will be treasured for generations to come.

Michele Cardello, director of marketing and creative for Life Imprints, a creative scrapbooking [http://www.lifeimprints.com] supplies company also offering contemporary picture frames, in Cleveland, Ohio, has worked in the photo packaging industry for 10 years. Cardello helps customers find creative ways to preserve and appreciate a lifetime of memories.

Scrapbook Page Ideas for Beginners (Creating the Title)

When looking for scrapbook page ideas, beginners should often look to the first page before anything else. Most of the time, they don't have to think of complicated layouts and designs, especially since using complex layouts and techniques will just get them into trouble. It is better to take a simple idea and work with it to create the most meaningful scrapbook page you can do.

This article will show you a few simple scrapbook page ideas that you can use to create titles for your album. The steps described in here are mostly applicable for beginners only. As your skills progress later on, you can add more tips and techniques that you have learned to the ones that are found in this article.

You should think of the first page as either an introduction page for the rest of the album, or as a solo performer that does all the work. There are countless scrapbookers who don't even see the need to create a whole album when just a single page will do. Therefore, feel free to focus all your energies on just one page at a time if you feel like it, and the rest of the album will naturally follow the theme and flow of your work.

The first step you need to do is to think of an appropriate title. This is applicable whether you're working on a scrapbook page or an album. Your title could be as simple as "My Daughter's 18th Birthday", or it could be something like "The Day My Son Became a Man". The first page should carry the basic information about the subject (or subjects) of your album. If this is just the introduction page, you can use some journaling here to provide a teaser of the theme or story that the entire album is all about. For example, if you're creating a scrapbook about an important person, the first page should contain some information about that particular subject.

The title naturally goes into the first page. Some scrapbookers prefer to stencil in the title, so if you want to try that, you can go ahead. But make sure that you use a pencil, so you can easily erase any mistakes that may arise. When you're done with the stenciling, you should also wipe away any residue.

Aside from stencils, there are several other styles that you can use for your scrapbook title. The technique that you should use will depend on the theme that you are following. For example, a title written in a grungy style would not go well with a wedding-themed scrapbook, as compared to using a calligraphic style.

You can also use embellishments like stickers or die cuts to create letters for your title, and if you're confident of your handwriting, you can just write down the title directly on the page or on cardstock first. If you've got lots of background paper left over from a previous project, you can recycle it by tracing the letters first using a stencil and then cutting the letters out with a pair of scissors.

As you can see, there are a variety of ways to create titles. However, you should remember not to stress yourself out trying to create the perfect-looking title for your scrapbook. As with everything else in scrapbooking, the most important thing is giving it your personal touch.

Aside from being an accomplished artist and art/design teacher, Kimmo Hakonen is also the author of "Scrap Ideas". You can read more about Kimmo and the "Scrap Ideas" e-book here: http://www.scrapideas.net

Get a free course in scrapbooking that is loaded with information about great-looking scrapbook page layouts, themes and other ideas from pro scrapbookers, as well as lots of highly useful tips and techniques. Please go here scrapbook page ideas

What Scrapbook Supplies Do You Need

Making your own scrapbook has never been simpler. There is a wide range of amazing scrapbook supplies you can find online and in stores.

First, you should select what type of scrapbook you would like to make. There are different sizes which are available in bookstores and online.

The most common sizes are the 8x12 and the 12x12 inch formats. Those formats are more costly but they have qualities that are above average and that can contain a large number of collections.

The 8x11 format works the best as it can fit the ink jet printers that are generally of the same size. You can also use 3 ring binders, which is a great option for a scrapbook.

You may even place the pages similar to the format of a post type binder where you can create a double outline. The sheets are attached closely in order that they can be used as one outline. Even if they are not put separately on the printer you can develop footage on that format.

There are far more cheap paper and scrapbook layouts that you can get in the 8x12 format. Keep that in mind when shopping for binders and themed paper.

Three ring binders for a scrapbook allow you have to have more for your photos. Actually it is better to have a top quality binder available before you arrange your photos.

It is not a good idea to use a spiral non-removable scrapbook since you'll be limited on one special page and you may want to rearrange the pages. Many people find that they want to insert a page or two after completing the scrapbook. If you choose a non-removable scrapbook binder this will not be possible.

There are themed scrapbook supplies that may exhibit those fun memories. Even your children will have fun looking at the photos in your scrapbooks, seeing how trends and styles have changed. Friends and neighbors visiting your home might enjoy flipping through the pages instead of just taking a look at old photograph albums.

Naturally it is always delightful to recollect the moments in your life by taking a look at your memory book. No matter how long you have your scrapbook, you will enjoy looking through it over and over again.

Each page can be themed differently. Actually, you can save more time and money when you employ the same color on the background if you want. There are so many scrapbooking supplies at one's disposal that there is no limit limit when it comes to design.

Scrapbooking has become so popular because people enjoy saving their memories in a special format. Discover many scrapbook supplies [http://scrapbookingsuppliesandtips.com/] and tips at [http://scrapbookingsuppliesandtips.com/]

Scrapbooking Albums - How to Choose

One of the first big decisions you have to make when you start scrapbooking is what type of scrapbook album you are going to use. A single trip down the scrapbook aisle at the craft store can be baffling. What size album do you want? Do you need a post-bound, three-ring, or strap-hinge album? And what about materials - does it matter if you choose a leather album or a less expensive cardboard album?

Because scrapbook albums come in a wide variety of sizes, types, and price points, you need to ask yourself a few questions before committing to a style:

What size are your scrapbook pages? Standard scrapbook sizes are 8-1/2x11" and 12x12", with 8x8" becoming more common. The size of the pages you create will drive the size of your album, and vice-versa. Some scrapbookers choose to create layouts in a variety of sizes as they progress in their scrapbooking, but as a newcomer to the field, pick a single size to start with.
How sturdy does your album need to be? Do you have small hands that are going to be flipping pages, or are your albums going to sit on a shelf to be looked at only occasionally? If your albums are going to be handled frequently, pick a stronger album.
Will you be adding and subtracting pages frequently? It's very simple to add pages and rearrange layouts in a three-ring binder-style album; post-bound and strap-hinge albums are much more difficult to adjust.
How much do you have to spend? Three-ring binder-style albums are typically less expensive than other options. You can even buy an 8-1/2x11" binder from the office supply store to keep your layouts in.
Do you want a theme album? Disney, American Girl, travel, Christmas, baby, wedding... you can find theme scrapbook albums for a number of different holidays and occasions.

Once you answer these five questions, you'll be prepared to choose the scrapbook album that's best for you and your scrapbooking needs. For more tips and suggestions to make your scrapbooking fast, fun, and fabulous, including more information on scrapbook supplies visit http://www.layoutaday.com, where professional scrapbooker and author Lain Ehmann offers product reviews, scrapbook inspiration, and more.

Scrapbook Layouts - Putting Together The Perfect Page

Designing scrapbook layouts plays a key role in the appearance of your pages and it's worth spending some time organizing your layouts before you start. How you choose to layout your photos on a page is entirely up to you. You can use your imagination and be as creative as you like. But if you're stuck for inspiration, there are loads of free scrapbooking ideas to be found online. There are also loads of products designed to make creating your pages quicker and simpler, including pre-packaged scrapbook kits and digital scrapbooking software.

There are loads of scrapbooking layout ideas for you to try out. Give some thought to how many photos you want on each page. Do you want one central picture as a focal point, or several photos on each page? Many scrapbookers like to crop their photographs to highlight the main details and so they can use lots of smaller pictures together. It helps to keep your page layouts simple and consistent. For example, try using just two or three colors of paper and stick to using the same style of frames and borders throughout. Journaling can help add to the story the photos tell, so remember to leave space to insert your notes or any scrapbooking quotes you'd like to use.

Using a themed scrapbooking kit can be a convenient and effective way to plan your layouts, as you'll get a pre-packaged selection of coordinated materials such as cardstock, stencils and frames. This can save you considerable time as it saves you having to purchase all the individual accessories separately. Kits come in a huge variety of themes, making them excellent for creating albums of special events such as wedding scrapbooks. There is also a massive array of scrapbooking embellishments available these days, from sets of stickers to add color and style, to easy to use paper piecing patterns. Or you could use computer software and templates to arrange your digital photos.

Planning your scrapbook layouts gives you the freedom to experiment with different looks and add your personal touches, and can be lots of fun!

Caroline Smith is an author and regular contributor to free-scrapbooking-ideas.com - An online resource packed with free ideas for scrapbooks, including tips on scrapbook layouts and scrapbook paper for every scrapbooking enthusiast.

Baby Sleeping - Scrapbook Page Layout Ideas

Your new baby is a precious addition to your family, and you want to keep every little memory safe in a scrapbook - conventional or digital. You have so many cute pictures - many of them with your baby sleeping. You want to feature your baby sleeping with scrapbook page layout ideas that show how sweet your little boy or girl is.

Baby Sleeping Themes

Scrapbook page layout ideas should begin with themes. In this case, you have chosen a theme of baby sleeping, but you may want to consider something that is not so broad.

1. Does baby pout when sleeping? Your theme could be "precious pouter".

2. If baby sleeps with heaps of toys, a theme might be "our priceless toy".

3. "Knitting up the raveled sleeve of care" is a Shakespearean theme that could feature baby sleeping.

As you consider scrapbook page layout ideas, open your mind to a variety of themes.

Baby Sleeping Layout Starters

You can get your creative juices flowing by looking at page layout ideas others have created. Here are 7 page layout ideas to get you started:

1. Baby Sleeping at Baptism: Page layout ideas for a baptism look good with ribbons and lace in antique off-white shades. Use a background paper in a rich wine shade. If baby received a certificate of baptism, this can be used along with photos. Focus attention on baby sleeping by making that photo prominent, framing it in lace. Include photos of parents and others who were a part of the occasion. A row of photos across the top of a 2-page spread could be set off from the rest of the page with a lace ribbon. Be sure the baby's full name is included in rich lettering.

2. Baby Sleeping in Pink: Scrapbook page layout ideas for a little girl in pink will look good with a sprinkling of sugar and spice. Background paper can be a cinnamon brown textured paper. A dictionary definition of "spice" on a torn antique ivory paper could be topped with one photo of baby sleeping. Write "sugar" on a tag, and add a ribbon. Don't forget a bit of journaling to tell about baby's sleep habits. Embellishment candies will carry your theme beautifully.

3. Baby Sleeping in Blue: One of the cute page layout ideas you may want to consider is one that centers on a "Little Boy Blue" theme. Begin with a background in pale blues and whites. Perhaps a wide stripe patterned paper, or even a piece of blue and white fabric would work well. Mount your "baby sleeping" photo on the background with black corners. Add a photo or two of the many "blue" things in his life. Stack blue blankets, sleepers, toys - anything blue - and snap a few photos for further page layout ideas. Add blue embellishments, stickers, and a memento such as a piece of a blue blanket or favorite clothing. Journal in dark blue ink, making your notes encircle the page as a border.

4. Baby Sleeping at Birth: For page layout ideas that feature your baby sleeping during the first weeks of life, consider adding a copy of the birth certificate. If it has footprints on the back, be sure you use a copy of those, too. For digital page layout ideas, consider scanning the foot prints onto your hard drive. Then, in a graphics program, give them a transparent layer. Beneath that, insert a layer with the word "baby" in pastel colors, one color per letter. A few extra "feet" would be a cute embellishment. Frame your baby in pastel frames.

5. Baby Sleeping on Baby Sheets: Scrapbook page layout ideas for a baby asleep might begin with a background of sheet fabric. If you have the actual crib sheets on which baby slept, you might cut a piece the size of your page, and use it for a background. Mount your photos on torn paper in one of the brighter colors from the sheet. If the sheet has pictures of baby animals or toys, use similar embellishments and stickers. Add a corner of baby's favorite blanket as a memento, and a note about how your boy or girl loved it.

6. Baby Sleeping in Family Tree: This is one of those page layout ideas that work well in a family heritage scrapbook. Start with a family tree background that uses a nostalgic tree graphic with family names arranged on it. Don't worry about covering some names. This is just background for this page. mount your baby sleeping in a cradle cut out. Place the cradle strategically in the tree. Photos of parents or grandparents asleep as babies in the 40's or 50's would be fun for comparison. Who does baby resemble more? Add a few bird stickers. Journal on leaf shapes. Add a border of leaves.

7. Baby Sleeping at Dinner: Many babies fall asleep in the high chair, their tiny heads ending up on the tray. Scrapbook page layout ideas that feature such a photo can carry through the dinner theme. Can you tell what was served the time the photo was taken? If it was baby food from jars, get identical jars and set up a photo of what was on the menu. Write out the menu for more interest. Add a menu item of "Zzzzzzzz". If baby sleeping was at a home-made meal, include a recipe as one of your page layout ideas. Arrange a few teddy bear stickers and a spoon.

Whatever scrapbook page layout ideas are used, you will want to remember that each page is a canvas on which you paint a picture. Imagine each scrapbook page hung on the wall of a gallery or displayed on an art easel. All page layout ideas should tell stories without additional comments.

©2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart invites you to read more of her articles about scrapbook page layout ideas at http://www.scrapbooking-for-fun.com Anna is posting new articles every week on that site. You won?t want to miss her recent article on scrapbook page layout ideas for baby girls.

Think You're Too Busy to Capture and Store Your Memories? Let Me Show You Scrapbooking!

Do you remember when your child lost their first tooth?

You probably took a picture to preserve the memory. You get

a warm feeling just thinking about that cute smile. Hey, why

not take a look at that photo right now?

What's that? You can't because you don't know which box of

photos you stored the picture in? That warm fuzzy feeling

has quickly turned to frustration because you know that

memorable smile is lost, buried in some drawer or box

somewhere, possibly lost forever.

That scenario used to be the story of my life. That is until

I decided to stop losing memories and start cherishing them

with a scrapbook. What better way to relive memories-- page

by page, memory by memory.

Okay, I know what you're saying; "I don't have time for

scrapbooking, that's only for crafty people." I know

that's what I used to say. Then I discovered some simple

tips to make scrapbooking easy and yet still professional

looking.

Basically, all you need to scrapbook is an album, some

glue, a pair of scissors, and some photographs or newspaper

clippings.

Any fabric, ribbon, or bits of leftovers from other

projects can be used to embellish your scrapbook.

If you're too busy to get those materials, you can even buy

complete kits that include not only the album but also the

background paper for your project. Some kits will even

include embellishments like beads, flowers, feathers, and

even paste on letters. Get one or more of these kits and you

can create a beautiful keepsake in just a just a couple of hours.

Once you have you scrapbooking materials together, it's

time to pull out your photos. While going through your

photos you're going to start thinking about a "theme" for

your scrapbook page.

Creating a theme is important if you want your scrapbook to

look professional. It'll also make the process of sorting

through photos easier and that's the effect we're after;

fast, easy and professional looking.

To create your theme, think about these questions;

- what is the overall purpose for my scrapbook?
- Who is the scrapbook for?
- Who is the scrapbook about?

Once you have your answers -you have the appropriate

subject of your theme!

Now that you have your scrapbook theme, it's time to start

planning your pages. Another tip I found that made this

process easy is planning a "Title" for my pages.

Titles can be as basic as the date of an event, the name of

an individual, or a specific event. Or they can also be more

interesting and exciting by including quotes, sayings,

fillers, or simple phrases. Some great places to look for

title inspiration; in greeting cards, advertisements, and

commercials.

That's it! You now have the basics to start creating great

looking scrapbooks. I wish I had known it was so easy; my family

photos have spent nearly all their memorable lives hidden

in drawers until I discovered these simple tips.

So what are you waiting for?

Now that you know these simple tips, you can save and

cherish memories forever in a professional looking

scrapbook, in very little time. And believe me, your friends

and family will say "wow" when they come over to take a

look. Become an easy scrapbook maker today!

Ann Doyle is the owner of http://www.easyscrapbookideas.com the busy scrapbookers online resource guide. Stop by and discover why so many people are learning to scrapbook today.

Want to Get More Scrapbook Ideas? Get to Know Where to Get Them From

Are you sick and tired of all those old scrapbook ideas that seems to be very common to everybody? You may say that you are not that much inclined with creativity, but you definitely would like to come up with unique ideas for your memorable scrapbook, right? All you have to do is to look for the right places where you will be able to get the right ideas from

If you are not certain about your scrapbook theme, then try to think of a certain occasion that seems to be memorable for you, or even a place that you may have visited, which has something to do with your personal experience. If you are a nature lover, then think about those places that have something to do about wandering in "nature land," and create a jungle scrapbook theme. These are just simple theme scrapbook ideas, but of course you may have to think of something else that interests you most. Let's say that this could be very tough on your part, then might as well ask someone that could help you out on this, someone who knows you better.

Some of your friends might not be that open when it comes to helping you with your personal stuff, such as creating scrapbooks, but they can give you an idea, of what you can add to it, to bring more spice to your masterpiece. Or, maybe try asking those who have already made their own scrapbook, you may ask them regarding fresh and new ideas regarding scrapbook designs and themes.

Another is that, you can try looking into craft magazines, these magazines may be able to contain modern ideas regarding scrapbooking, You know, instead of the old stuff that has to do with beads, and potpourri, you may find new ideas that would be related to your preference. Like for instance if you are a beach lover, and you are to create this scrapbook for displaying photo's regarding the swimsuit collection you have, you may look into some craft ideas by adding sand, or maybe shells in your scrapbook -- something like that.

If you are out of options, the best way to generate more creative scrapbook ideas, is through the Internet. The Internet is our library of information and queries, so you'll definitely find something that would be of relevance there regarding various scrapbook ideas. Merge these scrapbook ideas with yours, and you'll definitely come up with your own unique theme for your scrapbook.

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Scrapbook Ideas - Disney Themed, Scrapbook With Your Children

Do you have a passion for scrapbooking and would like your children to share it with you? There are many scrapbook ideas - Disney themed ones will make the task of enticing your children to make a scrapbook with you extremely easy.

The reason is that there are so many popular Disney characters to choose from. Ariel, Winnie The Pooh, characters from Cars, Cinderella, Belle, Jasmine just to name a few. Before you begin working on your scrapbook sit down with your child and have them pick out their favorite Disney character. Ask them for their scrapbook ideas - Disney themed scrapbooks will give them a lot of ideas. Then you can purchase a scrapbooking kit that has that character in it. This will get your child interested in making the scrapbook with you since they are part of the decision making process.

Now that you have your character picked out you need to decide what to make the scrapbook about. Try and pick out something that has your child in it. Some examples are a birthday, trip to the beach or an outing with friends. Don't have any events to work with that have your child in it a lot? No problem. Make a date with your family to go on a picnic this weekend. Take your camera along and get a lot of pictures. Now you are ready to make that scrapbook.

With all the digital devices these days too little time is spent with our children. Making this scrapbook with them will allow you to spend quality time with your child. Make sure that they are able to fully participate in this activity. For decisions make sure to ask them their opinions and where possible do it the way they would like. The scrapbook at the end of this will make a great memory for both you and them. If some of the decisions that your child had aren't quite the way you would have gone don't worry about it. The important point is that you are spending time with your child and bonding with them.

Now there are many different scrapbook ideas - Disney themed ones aren't the only ones out there. But you'll find that they will make the prospect of spending time making a scrapbook exciting to your child.

If you would like to get more ideas for scrapbooking with Disney themes with your children then visit my site at http://www.freeprintablescrapbooking.com/scrapbook-ideas-disney.html

Erik Birkeland writes on business and family related issues.

To read more about scrapbooking and how to enhance your experience with it then visit http://www.freeprintablescrapbooking.com

Scrapbook Themes - Getting Started

Scrapbooking as a hobby has been around for decades but, today, the ideal way to scrapbook is to encourage each individual to be creative in the Scrapbook Themes that they use. Gone are the simple black and white scrapbook pages; now colored and textured papers can be used to enhance your carefully chosen photos. And lovely themed stickers and other creative embellishments are woven in to create a truly unique, 'one-of-a-kind' memory album.

There really is no limit to the types of Scrapbook Themes you can use in your scrapbooking projects. Whether you choose to highlight one specific event or you decide to compose a large, family album covering years of memories - the options are many and the choice is yours.

FAMILY SCRAPBOOK THEMES

For your own personal scrapbooks, you may choose to create family album sections for your Scrapbook Themes. Each occasion can be given its own scrapbook album section: seasons, holidays, birthdays, family reunions, sporting events, etc.

If a family album is too large of a project to tackle, consider creating Scrapbook Themes specifically for each child. A baby's 'firsts', including their first smile, a lock of hair, first words or baby booties are excellent additions to a baby themed scrapbook.

As the children grow older, the family Scrapbook Themes could include such things as: awards, graduations, certificates and other accomplishments that can be inserted into protective covers to showcase and protect these precious memories for years to come. Make sure to include photos of your child with school friends and special teachers as well.

INDIVIDUAL SCRAPBOOK THEMES

Individual Scrapbook Themes make great small albums and are perfect gift ideas. Themes like a baby's birth, graduation, marriage, promotions, retirements or other momentous occasions make wonderful unique and memorable gifts.

You can easily and inexpensively make a small gift with a 'brag book' accordion style scrapbook album. Purchase coordinating stickers, rubber stamps or charms to make your Scrapbook Themes more tangible. For example, for a wedding scrapbook, you could include such items as the couple's wedding invitation and newspaper announcement which will be cherished mementos. Use paper doilies, lace, gift wrapping paper and pressed flowers to embellish the pages in keeping with the theme of the scrapbook.

WHEN SELECTING SCRAPBOOK THEMES

Scrapbooking is more than just a fun (and addicting) hobby - it is a way to preserve precious memories. But you do not have to choose Scrapbook Themes just because they are common or can be purchased in a pre-packaged kit. It's more important to choose the memories that you feel are worth the extra effort of preserving in a scrapbook that will last a lifetime and then determine from that what the scrapbook theme should be.

For more ideas on Scrapbook Themes [http://www.scrapbooking-for-fun-and-profit.com/Scrapbook_Themes.html] and other Scrapbooking Inspiration [http://www.scrapbooking-for-fun-and-profit.com/Scrapbooking_Inspiration.html] visit: www.Scrapbooking-For-Fun-And-Profit.com [http://www.scrapbooking-for-fun-and-profit.com/] in Audio and Print Versions.

Scrapbooking Pet Page Ideas for a Unique Pet Album

Our pets are part of our families and our memories. Whether they are dogs, cats, hamsters or rabbits, they enrich our lives. Creating a pet-themed scrapbook album will preserve the special moments you share with them. Consider these scrapbooking pet page ideas to make an album just for your pet photos.

Everyone remembers the excitement of bringing home a new pet. Make a scrapbooking page about their first night at home. You can include pictures of your pet's new bed and any toys you bought for your pet. Photos with each family member should be highlighted as well. Journal your thoughts about how you selected your new companion and what inspired you to choose its name.

Another scrapbooking pet page idea is to capture your pet's personality on a page. This can be done through photos and journaling. Dogs might be lazy, energetic or neurotic. Cats can be affectionate, frisky or aloof. Hamsters might be friendly, shy or bold. Consider your own pet's behavior. Funny stories and memories would be a great addition to your journaling.

Create a scrapbooking page of pet memorabilia. You can use pockets and envelopes on your pages to add tufts of fur, old ID tags, baby teeth and labels from your pet's favorite food or treats. A pet-themed album can preserve your pet's adoption papers, paw print impressions, veterinary records and obedience training awards and certificates.

Obedience classes are great photo opportunities. Design pages that show your pet's progress through training courses. More people are involving their dogs in classes beyond basic obedience. Many active owners participate in agility training, fly ball and rally competition. Don't forget to include photos of these events in your dog's album.

Pets are part of our holiday celebrations. Create a Halloween page with your dog in a costume. Around the holidays, pet stores often offer pictures of pets with Santa. Pages of a kitten playing in the wrapping paper on Christmas morning or a puppy sleeping under the tree can be part of both your holiday album and your pet-themed scrapbook.

Document your pet's firsts like your dog's first visit to the veterinarian or your puppy's first bath. Photograph your puppy's growth over its first year. Create a "day in the life" page for your pet. Meal, nap and play times can be more opportunities to show your pet's behavior and personality in photos. Celebrate your pet's birthdays complete with cards, presents and cake. Then, make birthday scrapbooking pages for your album.

Scrapbooking manufacturers are responding to requests for pet-themed albums and embellishments. Most craft stores stock dog and cat stickers, and some even offer small animal stickers, like hamsters and rabbits. Patterned papers come with dog and cat themes. You can find materials for page accents, like die cuts, brads, ribbons, and stamps, designed for pet pages, as well.

Owning a pet is a relationship and a commitment. Pets provide companionship and their lives become part of ours. A pet-themed album is a reflection of your bond with your pet. Think about pet scrapbooking page ideas that capture the essence of your relationship with your pet. Make your next scrapbook one that celebrates the special moments you and your pet share.

Christine Perry is an avid scrapbooker and has over 10 years of scrapbooking experience. Her favorite photography and scrapbooking subjects are her reluctant teenagers. She invites you to her website, http://www.intoscrapbooking.com for more scrapbooking ideas and religious scrapbooking ideas.

Scrapbooking Made Easy

Creating a scrapbook may seem overwhelming to some, however this doesn't have to be the case. Scrapbooking can actually be a fun and rewarding activity. Scrapbooks, like people, come in all shapes and sizes. There is not a right or wrong way to make a scrapbook, so you have the freedom to make one how you wish.

Scrapbooking is much easier today, then say ten years ago. There are a multitude of resources to be used when creating a scrapbook. To begin with, the first thing to do is figure out what kind of scrapbook you would like to make, or what is the theme? You can choose to make a scrapbook for your mom, containing pictures of your children. A scrapbook containing pictures of you and your friends over the past year is another idea. You can make a scrapbook of holiday get-togethers, or your baby's first year scrapbook, or a family tree scrapbook containing old photos of past generations. Picking a theme is the first step, and if you don't have a certain theme that's okay too. You may choose just to have a variety of different pictures you like in one scrapbook. Like I said, there is no right or wrong way to make a scrapbook.

The second thing you will want to do in creating a scrapbook is choosing the size of scrapbook you would like to make. For example, if making a scrapbook for your mom containing pictures of your kids, you can choose to do a large book, or even a smaller book with only fifteen or twenty photos that she can keep in her purse or tote bag. If this will be a scrapbook that is for you then you can decide if you would like a larger book that will fit in a bookcase, or something smaller that will be placed on your nightstand. The possibilities are endless.

You will then choose the pictures and photos you want to include in your scrapbook. Choosing clear photos is very important, you don't want to choose a picture that is too dark or blurry. Your pictures will be showcased in your scrapbook so you will want to choose the best ones. Even if a picture is off center you can always crop it so that the person or object in your photo is centered.

Once you decide on the theme of your scrapbook, the size of the book, and the pictures you want to include in your scrapbook then you will want to take a trip to your local craft store and pick up a few items that you will need to create your scrapbook. Items you may want to buy are: colored cardstock, stickers, die-cuts, decorative scissors, glue sticks, and double sided tape. There are numerous other supplies that are available, and you don't have to buy everything at once. Perhaps only buy enough items to do a few pages at a time.

You can make your scrapbook as simple or elaborate using the available resources at your craft store. All-in-one scrapbooking packages are even available. These include most everything you need for a themed scrapbook (plain and decorative paper, stickers, die-cuts, labels, etc.). The main idea is to just create a book that will showcase your pictures in a special way. One resource you may want to take advantage of are scrapbooking magazines and books. These have numerous examples of scrapbook pages you can copy or get ideas from.

The point is that creating a scrapbook should be fun for you, not a job you feel obligated to do. A scrapbook doesn't have to be created and finished in a short amount of time, don't feel like you have to finish a whole scrapbook in a week or two. Some scrapbooks, especially larger ones, may take months to finish. Once finished you'll have a keepsake for life, and knowing that you made it yourself will make it that much more special.

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Julianne Smith is a stay-at-home mom of two toddlers, with her third baby due in May. She's created her own website called "Your Heart And Home", this website includes recipes, ideas, inspiration, and of course great shopping! Visit her website today to shop for yourself and others. You'll find Stuff-A-Friend animal stuffing kits for kids. Patty's Pretty Paper that includes a large assortment of stationary you can have personalized. Gift-Can-Builder is a fun and unique gift idea where you can choose the gift can from a large selection of themes, then choose from a huge variety of fillers to make this gift truly unique. Apple Blossom Candles is the newest addition to her website. The candle choices are remarkable! You choose the fragrance, the color, and type of wax! Soon to be added to her site is Kozy Kitchen Gourment! This site includes gourmet coffees, chocolates, kitchen items, gifts, and much more! Come visit "Your Heart And Home" today!

Boy or Girl Baby Scrapbooking

Baby scrapbooking is the new and improved way to document the first few days or weeks of your baby's life. Whether you have a little boy or a little girl, the results can be as professional and unique as you want them to be. There are no set rules on what you are to include like first hair cut trimmings or first shoes like in the traditional baby books. With a baby scrapbook you can include or exclude absolutely anything you want. Take the memories that you cherish, no matter what they are and include them in a creative way the in years to come you will still want to flip through this amazing keepsake scrapbook.

If you have a boy to create a fun and exciting baby scrapbook for than there are many themes you may want to consider. If you are hoping your son will be a great athlete one day than there are many sporting themes that can be used for the album itself or all the way through the entire collection of memories. On the other hand if you do not want to stick to one theme you can choose any type of album you want that doe not necessarily have to be "baby" oriented. What matters with your page layout are the pictures and sentiments that you choose to include; the theme of the book is not important.

Just as with a little girl you may choose to create a princess or fairytale themed scrapbook album as you can be quite certain a little girl will absolutely love a theme like this. Choosing a girly theme is far easier than choosing an appropriate theme for a boy, but even still a theme is completely optional. When you visit the craft store you will see that many times the accessories and page accents you choose have more to do with the theme of your choice than the album or scrapbook paper you choose for your setting.

The great thing about creating a baby scrapbook is that no matter if you are working on a girl or a boy memory album, the accessories and tools are endless for each. In the world of scrapbooking the two most popular scrapbook categories are babies and weddings so you never have to worry about not being able to find what you want for your scrapbook. The great thing about scrapbooking is that you can find materials almost everywhere you go and each retailer has something new and different that can create a new and unique angle for any memory.

If you are a parent who has a boy and a girl you can create on big scrapbook that is perfect for both! With the first half being related to a baby girl and the last half for your baby boy you can cover both in one gorgeous looking keepsake scrapbook. No matter what your thoughts, ideas or preferences are in regards to how to create and store your baby's memories, the best way is in a scrapbook where you have complete creative control.

Tracy Ballisager is stay at home mum. To read more baby scrapbooking tips and idea go to http://www.babyscrapbooking-ideas.com

Scrapbook Page Ideas for a Firefighting Theme

I have received some requests for scrapbook page ideas about how to create an album based on a firefighting theme, so this article will be about sharing some of the ideas I have learned that can be applied to a project like this. You see, although scrapbooking oftentimes revolves around a central motif, you still have a lot of freedom to create your own page in your own unique way. What's more, a lot of the techniques that you learn can be used in multiple theme-based projects, so there's really no limitations as to how you create your own scrapbook page.

I don't know if scrapbook page ideas for firefighting themes are popular around the Internet, but how difficult can it be, right? After all, being a firefighter is a dream for young boys, and if you want to create a special gift for your son, a scrapbook like this may just be the ticket. Additionally, firefighters are liked and admired by adults as well, and many of my friends and acquaintances have even expressed their fascination for this job.

With this in mind, creating a scrapbook about firefighting is certainly one way to keep your dreams alive. If nothing else, it is a great way to show your admiration for these brave men and pay some tribute to their history and career. You really don't need anything expensive to create a scrapbook with this theme. All it takes is your creativity with colors and images.

When you think of firefighters, you cannot help but think about those big, red firetrucks that carry them to the scene of the fire. I think it's safe to say that the firetruck is recognized by children and adults everywhere, so this is a great place to start for scrapbooking. The most popular and recognizable colors related to firefighting are bright red with white. Make sure that you use these colors liberally in your page, but take care that the white does not overpower the red. For example, if you're using more white than red in your design, the overall feel of your page will become related to a hospital, rather than firefighting.

If you want to use more white to balance out the red, why not place a picture of a Dalmatian on your page? The Dalmatian is the traditional dog of the firefighter (for reasons not known to me), so having a picture of one will certainly add more significance to your firefighting theme. For starters, use white with black spots for the dog, and bright red for the uniforms and firetruck. Doing this will get you off to a good start.

You can also combine your pictures with other colors to create symbolic images such as fire and water, which are directly connected to firefighting as well. Use colors such as orange and yellow combined with a little red to symbolize fire, and use blue to symbolize water that puts out the fire.

Aside from the firetruck and the Dalmatian dog, the most popular images associated with firefighters will be their uniforms, the hat, and the fire hydrant. Using these images in your scrapbook will help add to the atmosphere and appearance of your firefighting theme.

Aside from being an accomplished artist and art/design teacher, Kimmo Hakonen is also the author of "Scrap Ideas". You can read more about Kimmo and the "Scrap Ideas" e-book here: http://www.scrapideas.net

Get a free course in scrapbooking that is loaded with information about great-looking scrapbook page layouts, themes and other ideas from pro scrapbookers, as well as lots of highly useful tips and techniques.
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