Ideas for Layouts in Scrapbooking

What is scrapbooking?Scrapbooking is one of the ancient methods for preservation of data in the form of information. Scrapbook is just not a mere form of notebook but it is a, but it is a book which contains information which is very precious to the people.

It contains information in the form of photos, text, stickers etc. Scrapbook involves lots of creativity and attractiveness. Scrapbooks are reflection of the creativity skills of the individuals. Now a day with the advent of technology digital scrapbooking is coming in picture.

Ideas for the layout of the scrapbooking

* In the older scrapbooks photos were mounted on the corners of the quotations. The photos used to have a border to make it more attractive. To add more liveliness to the scrapbook pages used to have a memorabilia attached to them.

* To add more glamour to your scrapbook borders your scrapbook with attractive designs of medium size. Precaution should be taken that the pictures or the photos do get covered due to the borders.

* For a better layout use good color combinations. If not used a proper color combination the scrapbook will look shabby and its attractiveness.

* The layout should be such that it should be pleasing to ones eyes.

* It's always important to use high quality materials for the layouts as your scrapbook is a treasure of your memories.

* Always use those materials which are acid free as the colors or the decorations may fade over after certain time if used an acidic material.

* Using color pencils will help you to add a spark to your layout and will help to boost the creativity.

* The layout of the scrapbook should be such that it will bring a pleasant smile in your face as you go through your sweet memories.

* Try to make the borders more attractive with the help of stickers or rubber stamps. In case of rubber stamps try making use of the same stamp with variety of colors. Even the use of stencil will help.* Even you can border your main photos or pictures with multicolor pencils and make the use of sparklers to highlight it.

* If you have pasted dark color pictures or photos or you have written text in bold letter then you should go for background colors. But use only light shades preferably by pencils. Don't make the use of the bright colors, the scrapbook will look shabby and untidy.

* Try pasting good quality pictures which will help to enhance the look of your scrapbook.

* Give your 100 % creativity skills while making a scrapbook.

* Make use of good phrases or most of the people also have a habit of writing the dates and the place where they have taken the photos pasted in the scrapbook.

* Think of unique ideas and implement them to make your scrapbook look more attractive and pleasing to your eyes.

Author: Muna wa Wanjiru

Scrapbooking Your Christmas Memories

Christmas is one of the most celebrated holidays in America, and is full of many fun-filled memories and traditions. There are many ways to document the various events of the season, and Christmas scrapbooking provides one of the easiest and most convenient means for doing this. From a variety of delicious foods to the glorious decorations, there's something special and unique about every experience that can be chronicled in an album for many years to come.

The first step to preserving your precious memories for a Christmas scrapbook display is to gather your favorite photos that will help illustrate your family's story and give those viewing your album a good sense of who you are. You can begin by focusing only on one year, including pictures from a collage of holiday-related days or special events. If you wish to cover a longer period of time, organize your photos in chronological order so the story told by your scrapbook will be sequential.

Include pictures of your entire family, and encourage everyone to become involved. This is a great way to spend time together while taking part in a meaningful project.

Choose Christmas scrapbooking paper and embellishments that enhance your photographs, and arrange them in a way that looks festive. Prepackaged scrapbooking kits are available for a variety of occasions, and Christmas is definitely among them. These kits come complete with coordinating papers to match a wide variety of holiday themes, 3-D stickers, self-adhesive borders, frames, tags, photo corners, and embellishments. Other unique items such as your child's artwork, hand-made Christmas ornaments, and addition holiday memorabilia can be added to make the album truly your own.

When choosing a layout for your pages, take care to arrange each item so that it compliments another and places proper accent on important items. Begin by contrasting colors, mixing solid paper designs with others that are patterned, and accentuating pictures with colorful borders. You can create your layout by scratch, or adopt ideas found in scrapbooking magazines or online sources. It may also be helpful to consult with fellow Christmas scrapbooking enthusiasts to obtain their opinions and tips.

Select ribbon, rub-ons, and markers to add the finishing touches to your holiday memory masterpiece. Don't limit yourself to the items that came in your kit. Look around the house for items to serve as add-ons to complete the pages and make it a truly personal experience for your Christmas scrapbooking project.

By Michelle Cardello

Michele Cardello, director of marketing and creative for Life Imprints, a creative scrapbooking 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.

Using Scrapbook Stickers

The easiest way to jazz up a scrapbooking page is with scrapbook stickers. There is no tricky or confusing technique that you have to learn to use them. They are quick and easy to apply. They are inexpensive. And best of all, they come in every design that you could possibly imagine!

The manufactures in the scrapbooking industry continue to wow us with fabulous design after fabulous design. Whether you are doing a page about basketball, your best friend's new baby or your aunt's visit, there is a sticker for everything.

There are also several different types of stickers. The most popular is the flat sticker. These can be matte, glossy, sparkly, glittery, pearl - any finish you like really. Most are precision cut but some do come with a white border. These are the types of stickers you grew up with, although now they are acid and lignin free to ensure your memories are well-preserved.

Cardstock stickers are also popular. They are precision cut so you do not end up with unwanted borders around your stickers. They are also relatively thick so that unevenness in the background they are stuck to does not show through the sticker.

Dimensional stickers like those made by Jolee's Boutique continue to grow in popularity as they allow us to add dimension and texture to our pages with little efforts. Their composition generally includes non-paper items like fabric, beads and gemstones that are often tricky and time-consuming to use any other way.

With so many choices available, you will have no trouble finding what you want. The only trouble you may have is deciding which scrapbook stickers are your favourite!

Visit http://www.stickersnfun.com to discover 100s of designs of scrapbook stickers to suit any page. Don't forget to sign up for the free newsletter so you don't miss any of the free scrapbooking ideas.

By Jennifer Gormly

The 10 Most Essential Items For Every Scrapbooking Kit

There are so many scrapbooking supplies out there that it can be difficult to know where to start. As you do more and more scrapbooking you will start to put together many items into a kit. You can start your kit with the 10 items below. They are tried-and-true tools that belong in the arsenal of every serious scrapbooker.

*A Scrapbooking Album*

This one's a no brainer, you can't scrapbook without an album. There are a wide variety of them out there in different shapes and sizes. Be sure to pick one that matches your theme and colors. If you take the time to find the perfect one it will make all the difference in your project.

*A Pair of Scissors*

A nice, sharp pair of scissors is a must for the serious scrapbooker. In fact, we recommend having a pair that is only used for your scrapbooking. That way you won't have to deal with lost or dull scissors.

*Adhesives*

You certainly don't want your scrapbook pieces falling apart on you. Unfortunately, that might be exactly what happens if you chose the wrong adhesive. As a rule, any kind of children's glue or cheap gluesticks will cause problems. Some of the best adhesives are photo tab dispensers, and double sided tape runners. Whatever adhesive you chose, make sure that is acid-free.

*Tweezers*

Unless you want to get your hands messy and smudge up your scrapbook pages you'll need some tweezers. They make placing small pieces on your scrapbook a snap.

*Scrapbook Paper*

Make sure the size of your scrapbook paper matches the size of the album you are using. Great scrapbooking paper will be also be acid-free and may be described as buffered or lignin-free. Card stock is also a great paper to have around as it can be used for many things related to scrapbooking.

*Pen*

A good pen is also a must for scrapbooking. It doesn't have to be fancy, just a basic black pen that is acid-free. You may want to add more pens with different colors as your scrapbooking kit grows.

*Paper Trimmer*

A paper trimmer is a necessary tool for cutting straight and making squares. There are several different sizes of trimmer and all of them are useful. It's probably best to start with a 12" paper trimmer but you may also want to get a smaller one for portability reasons.

*Eyelet Setter Kit*

Some of our favorite scrapbooks use eyelets for embellishments. Without an eyelet setter kit you won't be able to use these handy little guys. Fortunately they are easy to find online or at most craft stores. They are also affordable.

*Embellishments*

These are the little things that give a scrapbook character: Stickers, eyelets, buttons, charms, etc. Go for embellishments that match the theme of your scrapbook. Have fun collecting these!

*A Great Scrapbooking Book*

Need some scrapbooking ideas? You'll usually be able to get some inspiration if you have a good idea book around. Becky Higgins and Tracy White are both authors who have written some fantastic books on the subject of scrapbooking.

Author: Nicole Fisher

Creating A Family Recipe Scrapbook

Recipes are among the most treasured family air looms handed down from one generation to the next. They become especially important during the holidays when even the most infrequent of cooks strive to produce the most tantalizing, mouth watering dish at the annual get-together.

Every year, family members rush around to find that particular recipe that has been a favorite for generations, and every year, that person inevitably calls everyone who just might have it. What better way to end the search than to start a family recipe scrapbook.

A recipe scrapbook will serve multiple purposes. First, it will ensure that the recipes frequently used by you and your family members are always close at hand. Second, it provides a way for you to pass them down to your children and grandchildren. Creating one can also make for a fun project for all involved, and the best part is that it can be continuously added to year after year.

When you begin, you should first decide which family recipes you want to include. Some people choose to create a book for each side of the family, while others choose to combine all the recipes in one neat album. Naturally, as it continues to grow, it will become necessary to add subsequent volumes.

You may even want to categorize the recipes by type, family member of origin, or in chronological order by generation. The possibilities are endless.

You can copy each scrapbook you create to be later given to aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, children, and grandchildren. The advantage here is that the scrapbook can be copied as many times as needed without altering the placement or format of the original content.
To begin, choose your scrapbook. A 6x6 scrapbook works wonderfully to hold 3x5 index cards. Alternatively, you can use an 8x8 scrapbook and present your recipes on larger sheets of paper instead of the smaller cards.

To add variety, combine photographs with your recipes for an added personal touch. For example, include a group family photo at the beginning of the album as a great way to begin the book. Other photos can include holiday shots of family members whose recipes are used placed just before those particular recipes. Include a bit of family history in your scrapbook either at the beginning or dispersed throughout the book. Here, you might explain the origin of each recipe, when it began its generational descent in your family, and a short story about why it has become a family favorite.

Add a shopping list for each recipe to make it easier for others to find the right ingredients. Consider placing the list on the page adjacent to the recipe. The recipe submitters photo may also be placed on the page with the shopping list. Add the author and historical information on a third page. Since many scrapbooking albums are very expandable, it is often easy to add pages when needed.

Add measurement charts and converters to the back of your family recipe scrapbook. If you feel this information should be included before the end, place it in the front. These recipe scrapbooks make great gifts to family members, new brides, or college graduates starting out on their own. Create them, add to them, and have them close by for many years to come.

By Michelle Cardello

Michele Cardello, director of marketing and creative for Life Imprints, a creative scrapbooking 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

So Many Scrapbooking Album Themes To Choose From

Most beginners start their first scrapbook as a chronological album. They have sorted their photos according to date, and start scrapbooking each event in order. However, there are so many other scrapbooking album themes you could use. Don't limit yourself to just a chronological album. A themed album centered on one topic can inspire you and create a wonderful keepsake for years to come. Scrapbook album themes are nearly limitless when you consider all the topics available to choose from. You could create an album on something as universal as a wedding album, or you could get even more specific to your life and create one centered on a family member, such as, your mother or grandmother. Let's look at a few of the more common album themes.

Chronological Album

This is by far the most common theme for scrapbooks. Each page focuses on the photos from a specific date or event, and the album usually progresses from earliest dates to later dates. The tendency to start with older photos when scrapbooking comes from seeing all those old photos and realizing how overdue they are to be placed in an album. However, choosing to scrapbook with your most recent photos first and work your way back in time has a distinct advantage.

These memories are the freshest in your mind. The older photos get the more likely you have already forgotten details about the event. In addition, working from your most recent photos gives the feeling of being up-to-date. You can work your way back through the old photos when you have time, but the most current photos continue to be placed in your album without creating an additional backlog.

Baby Album

It's surprising how many scrapbookers first start scrapbooking as a hobby when they have their first baby. Following a baby's development with photos is a natural thing to do. The photos start stacking up, and you realize that putting them in a photo-safe album is the best way to preserve those memories. A baby album can also be a chronological album. You might start from pregnancy and birth and then baby's progress from month to month. However, you could also make a baby album of all baby's firsts. Baby's first smile, baby's first word and baby's first step are just a few ideas.

Wedding Album

Photographs are an important part of any wedding. You have the professional photographs, as well as those taken by guests. A wedding is such a significant event in our lives. Even though it lasts for only a day, we want to preserve those memories for a lifetime. An album theme for a wedding is often more elegantly embellished than other albums. You might consider making a more casual and personal wedding scrapbook, include your own thoughts and feelings about the day. Scrapbook a page about your favorite moment during the wedding, and don't forget to include those things that were unplanned as well.

Holiday Album

Holidays are great photo opportunities. We gather together with family and friends to celebrate and taking pictures is always a part of the festivities. The more common holiday albums are Christmas and Halloween. However, maybe you have a family reunion every Fourth of July and want to create a photo album specifically for those photos.

School Days Album

An album that follows your child through his school years is really just a more focused chronological album. However, it is unique in that it often holds more memorabilia than most albums. They include art projects, essays, report cards and other mementos from each school year. You can have a school days album for each of your children.

Heritage Album

All scrapbooks are really heritage albums. When the scrapbook is made of archival-safe materials, it preserves your memories for future generations. However, heritage albums usually refer to scrapbooks made from very old photos. You might have photos of your great grandmother or your grandmother's baby pictures. Having these photos all in one album can be a wonderful conversation piece when family visits. Remember to ask your family to contribute to the journaling in a heritage album so as many memories as possible are documented.

These are just a few ideas for album themes. Begin to think about your photos and reoccurring themes in your pages. Has your teenager son played hockey since he was seven? You might create a hockey album specifically for his team photos and his progress in the sport. Did you take a trip to Europe this year? The number of photos taken on a vacation can easily fill an album.

Working on a scrapbook album theme allows you to choose which album and photos you want to work on today. You aren't limiting yourself to working in a chronological order. You might want to scrap your daughter's first smile in a baby album or maybe you want to scrap her first day of kindergarten in school days album. There are no rules to follow. Themed scrapbooks can be completed at one time, like your vacation to Hawaii album, or they can be an ongoing album like a Christmas album. Think about what kind of album theme fits into your life, and start scrapbooking outside the chronological limits.

By Christine Perry

Christine Perry invites you to her website, http://www.intoscrapbooking.com for more scrapbooking ideas and vacation scrapbooking layouts.

12 Quick Scrapbooking Ideas to Add Interest to Your Page Layouts

Sometimes all a scrapbooking page needs is just a simple accent or element to add interest to the layout or to enhance the photographs. Here are a few quick and easy ideas you can use on your scrapbook pages today.

1. One of the easiest scrapbooking techniques to learn is paper tearing. Paper tearing adds a soft edge to your cardstock and texture to your pages. You can choose to tear just one edge of a paper or tear completely around a mat or frame. Try tearing the bottom edge of a tag or mount a sticker to cardstock and tear around the ends.

2. Matting highlights photos and page elements. Double or triple mat a special photo on the page. Match the mat color to enhance the photo. Photos aren't the only page elements that can be matted. Mat a sticker or dimensional embellishment.

3. Add metal embellishments to your pages. Scrapbooking isn't just about paper. Use brads, paper clips, eyelets and staples as accents on your pages. You can also use them to attach other embellishments, like ribbons and tags, to your page.

4. Ribbons can be used as borders on your layouts. Take both ends of a ribbon piece and tie them together. Now cut the ribbon so the knot will be positioned as an accent on your page.

5. Add something extra to your paper accents. Run your paper edges and frames along an ink pad to add some additional depth to your page.

6. Take out the sandpaper. Distressing your page elements is quick and easy. Just rub the sandpaper along the edges of your chipboard. You also can sand some cardstock paper giving it a different effect.

7. Keep journaling simple. The important thing is to document the photograph. Use bullet lists for journaling or just stick with who, what, where, how and when.

8. Use your own handwriting. Instead of printing out journaling from your computer, try using your own handwriting. It is much more personal, and future generations will appreciate seeing your handwriting.

9. Tags are one of the most versatile page elements available. Put your page titles on tags. Photos or journaling blocks can be mounted onto tags as well.

10. Scrapbooking page kits keep everything coordinated. Using page kits makes putting together a scrapbooking layout fast and simple. All the paper and page elements work together, and most kits have instructions and ideas for layouts.

11. Use a rubber stamp to create your own patterned page. For example, stamp a leaf image randomly on a piece of cardstock to make your own autumn-themed patterned paper.
12. Make your pages interactive. By adding envelopes and pockets to your pages, you can involve others in your scrapbook album. Hide little journaling notes in envelopes, and try tucking memorabilia into pockets. You can also create mini scrapbook albums on your pages that fold out with more photos.

These scrapbooking ideas are quick and easy, and they can inspire you to get more pages done. Keep your layouts simple, and try one of these ideas to add interest to your next scrapbooking page.

By Christine Perry

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 circle journal themes

Here Are Some Ideas For Scrapbook Borders

What is Scrapbooking? Scrapbooking is basically one way to store information, be it in any of several forms: in the form of photos, text, cuttings from various source like newspapers, magazines etc. The information stored is a form of preservation of memories for the users.

Scrapbooks are not simply the regular notebooks but they are very special books which are decorated by the individual as per his /her creativity skills to store special information as a form of memory.

Here are some ideas for Scrapbook Borders Borders can be used in many ways; for example, then can be used around the entire page or around photos or stickers pasted in the Scrapbook. Proper borders help you to improve the looks of your scrapbooks and helps to ad glitter to your scrapbook.

For simple borders, stickers can be pasted as borders. But the stickers should not hide your photos. The stickers should be narrow and should cover most of the paper from the border. A ruler will help to overcome this problem. A ruler should be used for drawing two strait lines around the entire the entire page. Scrapbooks pens having different widths and colors should be used to create a square shaped border. One line should be made thin while the other should be made a little much wider than the previous one. After done with the borders scatter the stickers on top of the border. Rubber stamps can also be used as an alternative to stickers. The stamp used with different colors will make the border more creative.

Rubber stamps also help to make some great creative borders. A medium size stamp should be preferred for the borders. A vertical line down the page should be created down the page. This will look much better rather than the entire border around the entire page. After the border is done each stamp of several of colors should be colored by multi-color pencils, this will help your scrapbook look more attractive. After that a square-line border should be created around the photos with pencils of various colors.

Another alternative for making the border is to use stencils. For making your scrapbook more attractive, wavy-lined stencils should be used along with pens. Die cuts can be created with the help of shaped stencils and with the help of exacto knives. In order to create names on the top of those die cuts lettered stencils should be used. However the use of the border should be used only on one side or across top and bottom.

To add more glitter to your borders, cut vellum in squares and string its pieces together with a ribbon pasted on the back. Stamp On the top of the or on the vellum; this will make the border more attractive. For a more unique look tare the vellum from one side and tear all the other vellums on the similar sides. This will add a spark of glamour to your scrapbook and will make it more attractive.

Muna wa Wanjiru Has Been Researching and Reporting on Scrapbooking for Years. For More Information on Borders For Scrapbooks, Visit His Site at BORDERS FOR SCRAPBOOKS

About the Author
Muna wa Wanjiru Has Been Researching and Reporting on Scrapbooking for Years. For More Information on Borders For Scrapbooks, Visit His Site at BORDERS FOR SCRAPBOOKS

Scrapbooking for Kids

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

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

Here are a few more cost saving tips:

*Have too many pictures to scrap? Let the kids scrap the leftovers.

*When developing photos, get double prints. Let the kids scrap with the doubles.

*When you complete a project, put the leftovers and unused scraps in a container for them to use. They can create their own embellishments with the scraps. You will be amazed at what they can create!

One thing I do want to mention, when you scrap for the first time with your children, be prepared to help and guide them. Don't expect to get much done on your own pages until they start to get a feel for what they want to do and accomplish in their own scrapbooks. Now that they are ready to scrap, what should they scrap? Here are a few layout ideas:

*Have them scrap a page all about their favorite things at that particular age. (then repeat it for each year and see how their favorites have changed or stayed the same)

*Have your kids scrap about their favorite activities or sporting events they are involved in. I'm sure you have plenty of photos!

*Turn it into a learning experience and have them interview the subject of the photo. This would be great for older generations.

*If there aren't enough photos, have them draw pictures of people. Then watch how their drawings progress. Each one of my girls have a specific style of how they draw family members. It is interesting and fun to look at.

What about incorporating their artwork and creations? I am very blessed to get cards, pictures and artwork on an almost daily basis from my girls. But what do you do with all of them? Here are a few ideas:

*Hang on the refrigerator for all to see. Then once the fridge is full, take a picture of your child in front of their artwork and scrap the photo. You can also incorporate their artwork into the layout.

*Color copy and reduce the drawings/projects and use as photos in your layout or as embellishments.

*Are you near the end of a roll of film? Use up those last couple of shots of your child's artwork.
*Use pocket pages to "hold" your child's artwork.

*Create a "brag" book and give to grandparents or other family members as a special gift!
Even though I can be anal at times, I still want to incorporate my girls work into my scrapbooks as well. Afterall, they aren't really my scrapbooks but for all to enjoy! Here are a few ideas:
*Use child's drawings as a background paper.

*Use their creations as embellishments. You'll be amazed at what they can create with some paper, scissors and adhesive!

*Interview them. Ask them questions about the photo, layout, their mood. This would make for some awesome journaling!

I hope the above tips will give you some ideas on scrapbooking for kids!

by: Dawn Stegall

About The Author
Dawn Stegall is a homeschooling mom of 4 girls and owner of http://www.FaithfullyYours.net a Christian scrapbooking site. She is also a regular contributor at http://www.ThatScrapbookSite.com

Scrapbooking Idea For Thanksgiving

The holidays are the perfect time to make scrapbook pages out of your memories and photos, so we know you are probably looking for scrapbooking idea for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a special time of year when we get together with family and be thankful for our blessings in life. That is why coming up with a unique idea for Thanksgiving is what can make your memories so precious. Here are a couple of ideas that we found which you may want to try out for this year's Thanksgiving.

One great idea for Thanksgiving is to title your page "Giving Thanks" and then put on the page pictures of your family and the various things that you are glad you have. These can be photos of almost anything from the food on the table to the people in your life, pets, and even a favorite knick knack. Take detailed pictures, close-ups, and photos from different angles. That is what will make your scrap book really unique.

Another wonderful idea for Thanksgiving is to center your page around a Thanksgiving poem. For example, here is one that we especially like:

Thank you for the gift of life,
For letting me be me,
For all that I can know by words
And all that I can see,
For all the music I can hear
And all the songs I sing,
For all the joy that comes to me
And all the joy I bring,
For all the food that I can taste
And all the sweet scents smell,
For all the loved ones I can touch,
Who love and wish me well,
For all the beauty of the world,
Ever fresh and new,
I don't know whom else I can thank,
And so I'm thanking you.

Paste this at the beginning of your pages and then make additional pages that show all you are thankful for like pictures of your family, your friends, the food, even the sky above. You could also center the poem on the page and post photos or write memories around the poem. Using poetry can be a great scrapbooking idea for Thanksgiving, or any time for that matter!

You can many other web sites that will give you scrapbooking idea for Thanksgiving. Take a moment and look at your favorite scrapping sites to get ideas from other members as well. However, perhaps the best idea for Thanksgiving is to scrap from your heart and use your imagination and creativity to make beautiful and unique pages that you can be proud of.

John Todd More on Thanksgiving Crafts

Scrapbooking to Give as Gifts

Scrapbooking has become a nice hobby for you to creatively display some of your favorite pictures. If everyone raves about your abilities as a scrapbooking genius, you might want to create a scrapbook to give as a gift for those who don't have the talent or the time to make beautiful keepsakes like you do!

It's easy to shop online or mosey into a local store and pick up a present for someone you love. But a personalized gift means you've put your heart into it - and it will be far more treasured than a department-store gift would be.

Is someone you know having an anniversary? The first year of marriage is the paper anniversary - an ideal time to deliver a scrapbook of memories to a bride and groom just starting their lives together.

Older couples would also enjoy scrapbook keepsakes to look back on the years they've spent together. Put together a scrapbook that shows as much as you can share about the couple, but add some blank pages so that each of them can add their own memories to the scrapbook form their own perspective.

Milestone birthdays are another perfect opportunity to give a scrapbook as a gift. Someone turning 40 would enjoy an "Over-the-Hill" scrapbook that shows their lives up to that point - providing they have a good sense of humor.

Someone who's retiring might also love a scrapbook that shares their time spent with a company. To many, their work family is an integral part of their lives, and having a scrapbook to look back on and remember the people and place would be a gift they treasure for years.

Your themed pages could include ladder climbing, showing their progress as they were promoted up in the ranks. Add a few blank pages to include pictures and mementos (as well as notes) about the retirement party itself.

Scrapbooks are great gifts to give someone for holidays or everyday occasions. They're easy and fun to make and show you put a lot of thought into the gift. Scrapbooks that have photos of the past bring an overwhelming amount of happy memories they can relive and enjoy all over again.

By Tiffany Washko

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.

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.

By Christine Perry

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

Creative Scrapbooking Albums For Your Pets

Scrapbooking is a wonderful way to preserve your cherished memories. For many people their pets are an important part of the family, so it is just natural to want to capture those special times shared with a beloved pet. You can use your favorite scrapbooking tools to make unique pages that you can enjoy for years to come.

As always, make sure the scrapbooking materials you use are acid and lignin free. You'll need the typical scrapbooking supplies such as an album, cut-outs, stickers, letter rub-ons, and any other creative embellishments you desire. Choose things related to your pet such as dog breed stickers or cat themed papers. Creating scrapbook pages for your pets is also a great way to get the kids involved.

To get started, you'll need to have some good photos of your pet. Try taking pictures from a variety of different angles and include your pet with different members of the family. If your dog has a favorite toy, include some special pictures of that as well. Do you celebrate your pet's birthday? Then by all means include some "birthday" photos in the scrapbook. My children even celebrate the birthdays of our fish!

Here are some fun theme ideas for creating your pet's scrapbook.

Focus on "the firsts". If you are fortunate enough to get your pet while he or she is still a baby, then create a scrapbook album around the "firsts". Even if you adopted your pet when it was older you can still create some great "first" scrapbook pages. Create a scrapbook page or album around your pet's first bath, coming home, first holidays, first visit to the park, first car ride, etc.

Another great scrapbook theme is "A Day In The Life of ________" which would include pages about your pet's morning routines, nap time, meal time, play time and favorite toys, and outdoor time. Trace your pet's paw print and include that in the pages too!

A theme around "pet favorites" is also a fun idea. Take photos and create pages around your pet's favorite activities. For a cat you might include pages on favorite toys and favorite nap places. For a dog, choose photos of favorite outdoor play or playtime with favorite toys.

Whatever kind of pet you have, you can enjoy creating special scrapbook pages that you will enjoy for years to come!

By: Dee Marie

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

Dee Marie is a freelance writer who enjoys scrapbooking. Visit www.scrapbooking-bug.com for more scrapbooking tips and ideas.

Quick Tips For Super Scrapbook Business Success!

Here are some mini-tips I've been collecting:

1. Pitch your business to telemarketers. When they call to sell you the latest gizmo, turn the tables on them. Have they heard of scrapbooking? Tell them what a wonderful, relaxing hobby it is after a day of getting yelled at and hung up upon. If you're a retailer, ask them if they live in the area and want to stop in for your "telemarketers' special." Online storeowners and product designers, just give them your Web site. Direct sales consultants, this is your chance to score another recruit (now, you know they can't be terribly happy being on the phone all day). And if they say they just have no time, custom scrapbook artists can step up to the plate and offer your services.

2. Did you know that some of the email newsletters you subscribe to could be getting marked as unsolicited email? This means that you might not ever receive some of the newsletters you love! Take a moment to remember all the e-mail newsletters you have subscribed to and really, really enjoy - like ours! Then contact your e mail provider to put us all on your "safe" list. It will be worth it - believe me!

3. Retail storeowners and event organizers, do you have a map somewhere on the flyers you give out, with detailed directions on how to get to your place from every direction? If not, put it on your "to-do" list today.

4. All business owners can benefit from this one: magnetic car signs. Cruise around town in a vehicle branding your business to the world. But don't just stop with your car! Buy a bunch, and slap them on your friends' and family members' cars as well. You might even have some customers and clients that wouldn't mind advertising your business for an incentive (a percentage off every purchase, for example).

5. Custom scrapbook artists, try using the "Step It Up" method featured in Simple Scrapbooks magazine in your demo albums. Take a few photos and make several copies of each. Then, design layouts using the same photos but with additional embellishments. Layout one can be your "basic" page, layout two more advanced (more embellishments), layout three extreme advanced (even more custom work and embellishments).

I hope these tips work for you! I wish you all the best of success, however you define it!

Copyright © 2003 by Sue DiFranco

Sue DiFranco is the author of more than a dozen books on building and marketing a scrapbooking business. Learn how to turn your scrapbooking passion into profit! Visit http://www.funfactspublishing.com to read a library of FREE information and get started today!

The Best Scrapbook Ideas Came From Popular Scrapbookers

Scrapbooking is more than just a hobby. It's more than just a collage. Creating scrapbooks is an art. Pictures and little things are artistically positioned to illustrate a certain theme or story.

It is a very useful therapy, to see the memories of the past relived in a beautiful journal. This is one of the many reasons to take scrapbooking seriously.

Start Doing the Scrapbook

Many beginners out there are interested in this creative expression. Many want to learn eactly how to do it. Making the decision is fairly easy. It can sometimes be overwhelming once they see what all it entails.

There are many products and choices when making a scrapbook. The best thing to get going is to narrow down the options and choose one that suits your taste the best.

The first step in making the best scrapbook the theme or a particular story. This could be your first vacation out of the country or your moments spent with a best friend.

Once the theme or the story is settled, you can take the next big step. You can now start putting that moment or story into the scrapbook.

Get scrapbook ideas.

Most scrapbookers simply explore their creativity. However, it is best to get the best tips and techniques. They often come from the popular scrapbookers.

Seeking the Popular Scrapbookers

Professional designers of scrapbooks can also give you good guidance. Popular scrapbookers can provide you many options. Aside from storing and organizing the photos, they have the basic techniques on layout, patterns and materials.

They can provide instruction books on the basics of scrapbooking. There are also videos to teach you.

It is also very easy to find a scrapbooker, especially online. Get the advice and help of popular scrapbookers on the Internet. Simply enter the keywords and you will find different sites dedicated to making scrapbooks. Choose the trusted ones and get only the best services.

These are ones who have been known for their good services. They are famous for their creative layout. Check out how many people are in the network of a particular scrapbooker. See if there are many satisfied clients.

It is best to look at the past works of the scrapbooker you find. This will give you a good idea if the skills and creativity of the scrapbooker suit your taste.

So, go ahead. Learn tips and techniques from talented people. Have fun with the activities. Happy scrapbooking!

Starting A Scrapbooking Career

Starting a scrapbooking career is easier than most people think. In fact, starting a scrapbooking career does not entail a big investment. Many people that have started a career in scrapbooking were once simple hobbyists that indulged in their passion at home.

But as the popularity and reputation of scrapbooking increased many people have opted to begin a scrapbooking career that is indeed quite profitable. At the same time, starting a scrapbooking career is a great way to get the lifestyle every person deserves. Scrappers can have the benefit of having the free time they need to spend more time with the family.

Plus, the continuous rise of living costs has prompted many people to seek alternative sources of income. Many people who have taken up scrapbooking as a hobby have also realized the potential of their pastime as a profitable business. Although some may only play at scrapbooking as a career, others have gone head on into it as a permanent line of business.

As a bonus, many scrapbooking businesses offer substantial discounts for individuals who have decided to embark on a scrapbooking career. People interested in starting a scrapbooking career can get help and advise from various scrapbooking companies. Different companies also offer various forms of support for people starting a scrapbooking career such as step-by-step training to build the business.

There are a wide variety of career choices in the scrapbooking industry. A dedicated scrapper interested in starting a scrapbooking career can either be a scrapbooking instructor, a direct sales consultant, an event organizer, a product manufacturer or designer.

In fact, many people who have started a scrapbooking career have gone on to become scrapbooking experts and professional artists who have even developed into scrapbook retailers. Many of these scarpbooking experts often have online retail sites that not only sell scrapbooking materials but also feature project ideas and tips on scrapbooking.

Tools Needed to Start a Scrapbooking Career

Any scrapper can easily start a scrapbooking career with just the basic tools and materials. Creativity is the main key that any scrapper would need to start a scrapbooking career. To start a scrapbooking career, you will need to have an album to work with along with refills for the album. A good pair of sharp scissors is essential in having a scrapbooking career.

In addition, having the right adhesives are also important as well as a variety of printed papers and cardstock. A scrapper will also need to have an assortment of journal pens to help add an artistic touch to any scrapbook project. Additional items that may be included are a paper trimmer and die cut machine.

Scrapbooking Techniques You Can Easily Learn

A scrapbook should be made with creativity and presentation in mind. There are many ways on how you can bring life and color to the themes you display on your pages. You may consider applying these techniques to ensure that your scrapbook will be admired throughout the years.

1.Make sure that the pages contain specific titles. You may think of simple but catchy titles for each theme on your scrapbook. Many believe that it's better to have shorter titles. They can stand out better than other themes when they are presented with different approach.

2.Decide on the theme you would like to use for the pages. The theme you use is very important to ensure a presentable compilation. Most of the time, the theme you use may create an interest to people who want to look at your scrapbook.

3.You have to specify the details you have noted on the pages. Detailed information can add life to the pictures displayed. You can create a simple date and location format to ensure that your viewers aren't guessing and arguing about the place and time of the places that you have visited.

4.Try to follow the trends used nowadays on most scrapbooks. Colors like pink and black are the most common colors seen on pages and themes. They create a colorful combination that makes your scrapbook more attractive and alive.

5.Apply neutral colors using a black background to complement the vintage theme that you place on the pages. This color is best for those who have classic tastes.

6.The color blocking technique can help you create a portrait-like design by attaching the layout to your design. You may print the design using a cardstock made of ivory and spicing up the entire background with a copper inkpad.

7.Combine black backgrounds with luminous colors. Use rich yellow colors in theme layouts with dark gray and black backgrounds for a great combination. You may sand all the background edges before coloring them with vibrant elements such as red, orange, and mint green.

Using these techniques can bring life and creativity in your scrapbook. Always think of new ideas that you can apply in your themes and titles. Always be up to date with the latest trends and colors that are commonly used. You may even try to experiment with new combinations of colors to creat a unique approach on your scrapbook.

Scrapbooking Skills To Master

It has long been accepted that hobbies don't just form one kind of diversion but they also provide means of enhancing the personality of the hobbyist as well as his or her personal improvement. This is because hobbies don't just entertain but they also motivate people to develop their talents and hone in on their skills.

Take for example scrapbooking. Scrapbooking doesn't just motivate people to become creative and resourceful. This particular hobby also motivates people to improve their skills and to instigate ways on how to develop them further.

However, it's also important to note that scrapbooking also takes some skills in order to do the job well. Therefore, for those who wish to engage in scrapbooking, here is a list of some of the skills that every budding scrapper needs to develop:

1. Motor skills

In scrapbooking, it is extremely important to develop one’s motor skills. This is because scrapbooking mostly entails the use of scissors, because there will be plenty of cutting activities. The delicate cutting of mini flowers and ribbons that are perfectly detailed from the loops down to the twirls should be finely cut in order to create a more artistic impression.

2. Logical skills

Mixing designs and matching colors don't just involve creativity. It is more on the logical capacity of the brain to rationally harmonize colors, shapes, and designs, thereby creating a well-balanced appearance. It is important to cultivate your logical skills if you really want to succeed in making quality scrapbooks.

3. Confidence

Building confidence is considered to be one of the most important skills children and adults alike need to develop. With scrapbooking, you can simply master this skill by creating a masterpiece of your own. That simple work is enough to build confidence because it makes a person realize that he or she can do something really well if they just put their heart and mind to it.

Building scrapbooks is a special ability that can truly make somebody proud of themselves, because most of the ideas incorporated in scrapbooking are all originals.

The bottom line is that people just have to develop these skills in order to succeed in the scrapbooking activity. With these skills, you can simply surmise that anything is, indeed, possible as long as you develop your talents and hone in on your skills.

Scrapbooking Ideas

Even if you don't have a creative bone in your body, you can still come up with something which is pleasing to the eye when making a scrapbook.

Just go with whatever it is that you feel like doing, have fun or do it with somebody else – a friend or a younger member of the family.

You can look at samples online or have a scrapbooking enthusiast show you his or her work. Then you can gather concepts to apply when you make your own.

Here are some great ideas for you to use when making the ultimate scrapbook:

1. Album

You can buy these online or at a local crafts store. The album that you choose will dictate the overall design of the album so take your time in picking one.

Look at the material used in the paper. If you plan to make a collage and include heavier materials, look for a thicker paper. The regular thickness of craft paper will do if you just want to stick many different photos in your scrapbook.

There are various sizes to choose from, beginning from a letter-size album which is 8 ½” x 11” or the smaller square-sized paper of 6” or 8”.

For a smaller format, you can use just one or two pictures to showcase on each page and just add on embellishments.

2. Themes

Look around you and you will surely find an inspiration when it comes to the theme of your scrapbook.

The weather is one example, look for a bright-orange or yellow-based color. Then, you could cut out photos of sunflowers and loop a yellow yarn and glue it on to represent the sun.

Next, paste the pictures on the pages of your scrapbook and finish up with writing a personalized quote or paste a clipping from a newspaper. Glue on additional memorabilia of a different medium then your scrapbook is as good as gold.

3. Borders

You can use the same theme for the borders as the page itself or the borders of the photos.

Pasting a picture on top of a paper which will serve as your border will add depth to your scrapbook layout.

You can also cut a big shape then inscribe another shape or pattern – like a square inscribed in a circle, then place the photo underneath the border.

4. Design and Layout

You can either go with the theme and coordinate it with the design or make a completely different design altogether.

Within the layout, you can go with the standard photos or memorabilia items in the middle or you can put them on either side of the page.

Online Material For Scrap Booking

The scrapbook is like an encyclopedia. This highlights the special events in the life of a person. Though some may think it is similar to an album, the contents inside prove this to be different.

The scrapbook is made up of different materials while an album is just made up of pictures. You can start by buying these from the bookstore, getting cutouts from magazines and other sources then adding pictures on the page.

The growing popularity of making a scrapbook has finally reached the web. This means you can buy things, download templates and even post them on the internet.

One of the most important things to make the scrapbook is the template. This is the background on each page. There are two ways how this can be done. The first is to do each manually which will take time and will be very difficult to replicate.

This gives way to the second option which is to get this from the internet then just change the layout per page. There are many websites on the internet that have more than 100,000 templates to choose from that suit any occasion.

These websites also sell pens, paper, stickers and other decorative things to make the scrapbook look good. You will notice that some of those available online cannot be purchased from the bookstore and vice versa. In such a situation, you should compare the prices then choose which one is the best to use for the scrapbook.

There are many techniques to make a scrapbook and online sites may provide helpful tips for the beginner. This can be from the kind of material used to what product is best. This also works for those who have been doing this for a long time but have somehow got stuck somewhere along the way.

Online sites have open forums where people can post questions, share problems and discuss different ways of working on a scrapbook.

You should find some time to explore this avenue and be open to the ideas presented to be able to improve one’s skill in making a scrapbooking that people will appreciate later on when it's finished.

Scrapbooking can be done by people of all ages. The information and the products offered by such online sites merely serve as a guide and not the solution to getting the task done. This also does not replace the traditional way of making a scrapbook.