Fall is officially here… and so are my allergies. Still, I don’t think designing layouts featuring photos of my puffy eyes, runny nose, and used Kleenex is appropriate for an autumn-themed scrapbook. Fall is one of the most gorgeous seasons of the year with its spectacularly colored leaves, fresh apples and blaze orange pumpkins. There are so many ways you can savor the natural treasures featured during this wonderful time of year in a mini or traditional sized scrapbook. Consider drying apple slices and spraying them with varnish to decorate your album cover. Or, take a stroll through a local … Continue reading →

The leaves are already turning from green to gold, crimson and burnt sienna in my neck of the woods. While autumn doesn’t officially arrive until Saturday morning, it’s not too early to start thinking about page designs for fall-themed scrapbooks. The season brings with it a slew of amazing events to scrap, from major holidays, such as Halloween and Thanksgiving to everyday moments like leaf raking, apple picking and nature walks. With so many memorable moments to choose from it may be easier to focus on a single element. For example, if your family has a tradition of visiting a … Continue reading →

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

The first day of school brings out the inner paparazzo in nearly every parent. Moms and dads often try to capture every moment of their child’s return to the classroom. That goes double for parents documenting their son or daughter’s very first day of kindergarten. Depending on how snap happy you are, you could be sorting through hundreds of images at the end of the day. Be careful when sifting through the photos, as you don’t want to delete a picture that could be used later. Once you’ve selected your best shots, showcase them in a scrapbook along with records … Continue reading →

Here’s an idea for a unique school-themed scrapbook layout: A photo collage of me and other moms with the bloody fingers we got from labeling every. single. school. supply. our kids are required to take to class. I typed up and stuck on more than 100 labels to individual crayons, pencils, markers, folders and notebooks. Insanity. And here’s the irony: I’m sure my kid will still get her stuff “accidently” stolen during the school year despite my four hours of hard labor. It’s not like a single white label is going to be a deterrent to kids with itchy fingers … Continue reading →

My local Hobby Lobby has reduced the price of gymnastics-themed scrapbook stickers by 30 percent. Could the sale be inspired by the American women’s gymnastics team bringing home team gold from London? Or, am I reading too much into it? After all, soccer, basketball, swimming and baseball-themed stickers remain at full-price. The 2012 Summer Olympics may be over, but as I mentioned in a previous post, you can keep the good times rolling by creating layouts or entire memory albums using your future Olympian as the subject. When crafting sports-themed scrapbooks you can incorporate several different elements into your page … Continue reading →

It’s no surprise that various youth sports leagues see an increase in participants following the Olympic Games. After all, watching the likes of Michael Phelps, Gabby Douglas, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings bring home the gold is enough to inspire any child to follow their athletic dreams. In fact, you may have a potential gold-winning athlete in your midst right now. If so, this is the time to document their hard work and accomplishments. Scrapbooks are the perfect vehicle to display your future Olympian’s magical moments. My 7-year-old has been enthralled watching the “Fierce Five” flip and twirl their … Continue reading →

With the advent of iPads, smartphones and digital notebooks, it’s no surprise that these days technology has advanced to the point where you can make your scrapbooks sing. I recently helped a friend craft a music-themed memory album for her tweenage son upon his return from band camp. We considered adding sound to the layouts, but decided against it at the last minute. Since my pal’s son didn’t bring back audio clips from the camp, we didn’t think sticking in a random recording would be appropriate. Of course, you could easily jazz up a music-themed layout by adding a Scrapbook … Continue reading →