Help Scrapbooking - Please!

[Zoa Conner]

Last christmas I purchased scrapbooks for my kids with the full intention of filling them with pictures from their lives (they are 5 and almost 10). They are still sitting there lonely and empty. Can someone help me here? It is not an issue of time. It is an issue of I want it to look nice and I question my ability to make it look that way. Anyone want to trade - scrapbook for me and I'll do something for you?

[Nancy Machaj]

when I first started, my pages didnt look that interesting, however, I got better really quickly, with just a little practice. My pages are not super elaborate, but they are cute, if I dont say so myself :) The scrapbooking section of my local craft store has lots of papers, stickers, etc. Paper, stickers and some colored pens are about all you really need. :) I could maybe take some pictures of pages Ive done and post them here for example, if you want. Its really not that difficult--I wish I had more time!

[Zoa Conner]

Thanks for the support Nancy! Pictures would help a lot. I've really only seen scrapbooks from folks who live for the activity and have tons of $$ in the project.

[Cid]

can I please tell you....I've BEEN THERE!!! and I still don't have my boys' pics organized in that fashion (I think digital pics are harder to get started with, because first you have to decide what to print!) So, I've started practicing on some of my own baby pics, which needed to come out of the yucky plastic sheet album, and then will move on to wedding pics...I'm hoping I'll get good by the time I'm done, lol.

I just had an idea...would your kids be interested in helping you? Really make it all about them...it's amazing how beautiful a very simple page looks :) like Nancy mentioned, stickers are easy...there are beautiful papers for backgrounds, and "die cut" pictures, would probably be fun and easy for them too (they're just shapes cut out of paper that you can buy precut in different themes). You could help them with captions and/or journaling about the pics if they want...

Thanks for asking the question...I think I may ask my boys if they want to take part in their albums!! WOO HOO... off to play with paper!

Peace & Abundance-Cid in CA

[Pam Genant]

Oh my boys also enjoy scrapbooking and pick out the pictures they want to use. Of course they add drawings and things to their pages to make them uniquely their own, and have so much fun doing it. They pick out the paper they like and stickers they like and go to town.

[Nancy Machaj]

Zoa, I uploaded a few pix of scrapbook pages, just for you to get an idea. Sometimes I use a frame/mat for pictures, sometimes not, sometimes I do a little text box, or not...etc. they are pretty simple. I tend to do themes, like "first bath" or "beach" or in this case, for my baby, I did a "nursing" page and a "slinging" page :) hope this helps.

[Nancy Machaj]

today at the resale shop I actually saw a book called Scrapbooking for Dummies (of the series, you know, the yellow and black cover) and it looked like it was pretty good. maybe they have it at your library or you could go look thru it at the bookstore.

[Zoa Conner]

Thanks for the suggestion - I'll check it out. I also looked at your pictures. They were very helpful. The project still seems daunting but I found out today that a friend has scrapbooked creatively and inexpensively in the past so I may see if she'd like to do some with me to get me started. Thanks for all your help!

[Pam Genant]

Nancy I looked at your pages and you kind of use the same format as I do. I did upload some of my own pages. I try to find great, colorful, interesting background papers. Joni Zander, I think it is Joni, sells...ummmmm....Creative Memories (darn I can't remember the name of the company now but you could ask her) and I have bought many packets of background, 12X12 inch paper from that company. Wonderful, interesting paper. Then I usually take a plain paper that compliments that background and use it to frame photos. Or if I just have extra pieces of plain paper I make stripes behind the photos or squares (of course my intent is to go back and write on those little squares, just little notes). I also bought the prelined colored boxes in different shapes so I can write a littl on it if I want to. Really simple, but I think the colorful background makes the photos stand out, my boys love the pages and it only takes like 5 minutes a page. I really enjoy scrapbooking. I love feeling the paper and photos too, not so much the digital scrapbooking.
Pam

[Nancy Machaj]

I think ours are similar Pam. Target often has packets of 12x12 paper in their $1 section, and I have gotten packs at the dollar store, too. Some I cut up and make frames for pictures that I;m scrapping, and you can also use them in ATCs :) Im sure when my kids get older they will be able to add their own stuff if they want. That would be cool!