Category Archives: Scrapbooking

Reviews of favorite scrapbooking products and tips on creating simple yet beautiful scrapbooks, cards and other paper crafts.

Preparing for Crops

  Weekend scrapbooking crops are the perfect venue to learn new techniques, get inspiration from fellow scrappers and experiment with new tools.  The organized get-togethers are exciting and informative, but they can also be intimidating for newbies. Depending on how large of a crop you attend, you could be looking at scrapbooking with hundreds of other memory book builders.  In order to keep the event running smoothly, there are typically quite a few rules to consider.  When I attended my first crop the following ditty circulated around the ballroom.  It was discovered on Scrapbook.com and speaks to the unwritten rules … Continue reading →

Get Creative with Covers

When it comes to memory albums, you can’t help but judge a book by its cover. Crafting an eye-popping scrapbook cover is a challenge for some, but the process can be quite rewarding once you learn how to harness your creative energy. Making your own cover is not as hard as you may think. One way to craft a stunning cover without breaking the bank is to decorate a standard three-ring binder or a plain hardcover journal with a collection of your favorite scrapbook embellishments. Use stickers, rub-ons, or patterned paper to design an attractive cover. Another frugal idea is … Continue reading →

Maximize Your Cropping Adventures

Organized scrapbooking crops are not cheap. However, the memories you can make at them are priceless, which is why it pays to experience at least one or two in your lifetime. In order to make the most of your cropping weekend adventure, it’s important to get organized, so you don’t waste precious time while you are surrounded by inspirational scrappers. Remember to pack your papers, embellishments, adhesives and tools. In addition, you may want to bring along a cushion to sit on. Some crops offer comfortable ergonomic chairs with padded seats, while others simply provide metal folding or banquet chairs. … Continue reading →

Experimenting With Different Textures

One of my favorite ways to add texture to a scrapbook layout is to incorporate a variety of fabrics to the page design. For example, in an effort to add flair to my daughter’s First Holy Communion memory album, I used real lace and lace paper to enhance the theme. Several manufacturers have recently come out with paper that can be mixed with items to add more texture to layouts. Patterned paper with raised edges or lines for journaling can be found in a variety of colors. In addition, many online retailers offer paper that serves as an attractive background … Continue reading →

Bring On the Borders

Maybe it’s the time of year, or perhaps, it’s because I saw them used in a prize-winning layout. Regardless of the reason, I’ve been adding garlands, banners and borders on nearly all of my page designs this fall. The fun embellishments are an easy way to spice up an otherwise boring layout. What’s more, scrapbooking manufacturers are making it easier to add them to page designs by rolling out banners and borders in every theme imaginable. Festive holiday banners are readily available online and in stores, as are colorful borders featuring everything from baby to zoo themes. Making Memories has … Continue reading →

Don’t Ignore the Details

Thanks to Pinterest I not only know the origins of washi tape, I also know how to incorporate it into my scrapbooking ventures. Printed washi tape is an uber-hot product offered by Queen and Co. which recently debuted a new collection of bright candy colors and prints. The slightly translucent tape adds beauty in an subtle way and truly illustrates how details can make or break a scrapbook layout. Many people think that when you get obsessed with details you lose sight of the big picture. However, you have to choose one over the other. When it comes to crafting … Continue reading →

Learning to Mix and Match

When it comes to designing scrapbook layouts, I tend to play it safe. I am not over-the-top matchy-matchy; however, I don’t take a ton of risks either. I stick with shades that are close together on the color wheel and I don’t stray too far from traditional shapes, sizes, patterns, and paper types. My goal for this holiday season is to be a bit bolder in my page designs. My local scrapbooking supply shop maintains that orange is going to be the “hot” color for 2013. The shop’s owner just returned from a huge scrapbooking convention where gray was proclaimed … Continue reading →

Spice Up Thanksgiving Layouts

Depending on the size and scope of your Thanksgiving Day festivities you could opt to create an entire scrapbook documenting the occasion or simply dedicate a few pages in a holiday-themed memory album. Many beginner scrapbookers select the latter because they don’t know how to fill the space. However, you don’t have to shoot hundreds of photos or go broke purchasing stacks of expensive embellishments to get rid of white space on your layouts. An affordable way to spice up your Thanksgiving layouts is to pepper them with poems that sum up the tone of the holiday. Fortunately, you can … Continue reading →

Thanks for Giving

In the chaos that surrounds the holiday season, it’s easy to lose sight of the true meaning behind the special occasions. Thanksgiving is filled with food, food and more food. The sumptuous spread can tempt people to focus more on what’s sitting on the table rather than who they are sitting next to at the table. When you are designing layouts for your Thanksgiving scrapbook, don’t forget to include memories that illustrate the true meaning of the holiday. Look for photos that speak volumes for the type of relationships your family members share with one other. You can further enhance … Continue reading →

Adding Soft Touches

Not all of your scrapbook layouts need to be big and bold in order to attract attention. Often, soft, subtle touches can make your page designs extra appealing. I learned this lesson the hard way a few years ago when I shunned an offer to use vellum on a layout I was creating at a summer cropping session. Back then, I viewed vellum as a cover for mistakes. Little did I know that the material is an excellent resource for softening the look of individual embellishments or an entire page. Vellum can be used to mat photos or place over … Continue reading →