A Masquerade Idea for Scrapbooking

Masquerade pictures inserted into your scrapbook pages add vibrancy and interest to your album. Other pages may focus on classic colors and basic designs, but masquerade pages help channel your creative spark and wild side into your scrapbook album.

Themes

Several themes are appropriate to base your pages on. You may wish to model your themes around your own experiences. A masquerade party, the circus, acrobatic routines and Mardi Gras are a few events that lend themselves to a masquerade page for your scrapbook album.

Paper

Masquerade pages can be full of color. Use a lighter tone such as a brown or taupe if you want your pictures to pop against the background. For a bright punch of color, use jewel and earthtones, such as purple, gold, blue, green, orange or red. Masquerade pages also evoke an old or vintage look, so classic colors like black, white and gray will also work. A busy pattern matches the busyness of a masquerade or you can stick with solid papers.

Masks

A mask makes a meaningful focal point for your masquerade scrapbook page. Use a white "Phantom of the Opera Mask" or decorate your own with paint, markers or glitter. Your kids can make their own masks to add to the page with the help of flowers, construction paper and feathers. Place one or more masks in the center of your page or by the corners.

Photos

Add photos to the page that show off the bright colors for your masquerade page, such as pictures of you or friends wearing a mask, pictures of decorations and the event. One photo will suffice or you can make a small collage in one section of the page. Another option is to make a two-page layout with the pictures placed in the same location on both pages for symmetry.

Embellishments

Add dabs of glitter on the page for decoration. Vintage embellishments like picture frames and stickers of masks add glamour and Old World charm to your page. Use feathers and swirl cutouts around pictures and the sides of your page to accessorize your page.

Scrapbook Ideas for Everyday Life

Favorite Things

Every year, around the same time, ask your child about his favorite things. When he is younger, include things like colors and toys. As he grows older, eliminate these and ask about friends. No matter his age, you can ask about food, TV shows or movies, songs, games, places to go, restaurants, books and activities. You can just use a photo of your child at this age or pair photos of him with these things or places in your scrapbook.

Events

Daily events, such as picnics, school occasions, birthdays for family and friends and outings to the zoo or park, can provide some of the most challenging events for scrapbooking. Include just basic journaling, like who, what, where and when on these scrapbook pages. Pack as many photos as possible in without overcrowding your pages. At the same time, be selective with your pictures -- you don't need to use all of them. Keep embellishments to a minimum and let the photos take center stage.

Schedules

Schedules -- you and your children have them, as basic as they are. These change throughout our lives, so document them. You can scrapbook your own schedule, your spouse's or your child's school schedule. Pair with appropriate photos for this season of life. For example, when the children are toddlers, you might take them to the park after breakfast. Include a few pictures of your children playing at the park.

Journal Your Heart

If you are creating a scrapbook for your child, journal your heart to him. Write about his birth, from start to finish. Write about how you met his father. Tell him what your favorite song or book is and why. Expand upon a character quality you value, like love, patience or forgiveness, and tell him why. Make it personal. If you don't want the world to read some of your most intimate thoughts, hide your journaling in a secret envelope or on the back of your layout where everyone won't read it. Include a random favorite photo.

Scrapbooking preserves your treasured memories for future generations and years to come. While you want to remember the important events, such as weddings, vacations, graduations and milestone birthdays, life mostly consists of the little things that make up your daily routines. Several different perspectives and fresh ideas will help you scrapbook everyday life creatively.

Ideas for a Scrapbook for a Deceased Mother

Journaling

Journaling for a deceased relative is one way to incorporate memorable moments into your scrapbook album. Ask each family member to write a page about her favorite memory with your mother. Place the letter on the page exposed or inside of an envelope. Add pictures that correspond with the memory if possible, or use a picture that captures your mother and the other person.

Chronological Album

Your scrapbook for your deceased mother can take the route of the traditional scrapbook in a chronological order. Start with her birth, her childhood and her meaningful personal relationships. Add information regarding your own upbringing and quotes that she made that taught you important lessons. You can embellish your album with store-bought accessories, or use mementos that your family has accumulated over the years. For example, use birth certificates, childhood drawings, pages from her journal or any other items that you can get your hands on that depict the life of your mother.

Funeral Album

You can make a scrapbook album that focuses on the funeral and related events if you prefer. Gather mementos surrounding your mother's death, such as the newspaper obituary, funeral program, a copy of the eulogy, poems or bible verses recited at the funeral, pictures of her headstone and pictures of the people who attended the funeral. You can also add pages from the funeral registry.

Memorial Album

Another option for your deceased mother's scrapbook album is to make a memorial album. This album commemorates her life and details meaningful moments in her life. Some options for items to include are a list of her professional successes, her famous recipes and her family's sentiments. Include poems and bible verses that relate to her personality and her journey to the afterlife. Leave space open in the back of the book and let people who attend the funeral or wake add their own memories.

Losing your mother can be one of the most devastating events that you will ever have to endure. Commemorating the love and affection that your mother showed you in a scrapbook could be a therapeutic activity that reminds you of the joy you experienced during her lifetime and offers you the comfort of treasured memories.

Birthday Scrapbook Embellishment Ideas

You probably scrapbook to document important and everyday events for your child or family. While birthdays represent a popular scrapbook theme, it can sometimes be difficult to decide what embellishments to use. Several fresh ideas for decorating your birthday scrapbook layouts will help you jump-start your creativity.

Stickers

You can find all types of stickers at your local craft store. Remember to include brightly colored alphabet stickers to spell out the words "Happy Birthday" and your child's name and age. In addition to obvious birthday-themed stickers, look for three-dimensional stickers to add an interesting touch to your scrapbook. You can make your own three-dimensional stickers in a minute or two. Carefully remove the sticker from its sheet. Apply a dusting of baby powder to the back. Place a pop dot on the back of the sticker. Adhere to your scrapbook page.

Stamps

A wide variety of companies design birthday stamps you can reuse over and over. Stamping techniques with different types of inks, embossing or using markers can keep these embellishments fresh. Include a stamp on a tag. With some types of inks, you can even stamp directly on a photo, depending on the size of the photo and the amount of white space the photo contains.

Party Decor

Include the party decor itself in your scrapbook. Add a napkin or the themed paper plate or paper cup. Remember to include two copies of the invitation, one for the cover and one for the inside. If these items are too large, cut a small piece to highlight the colors or theme of the party.

Punches and Die Cuts

You can use punches with basic shapes to create your own embellishments. Punch out some oval shapes and group them together for balloons. Draw your own strings. Specific birthday-themed punches, like candles or cupcakes, add a decorative touch to your scrapbook. If you don't have your own die-cut machine, you can use the one at your local scrapbook store for a small change. The personnel will usually help you find the dies you need.

Non-Traditional

Go with a non-traditional idea. You can find items to add to your scrapbook pages that are not specifically birthday-themed. Use buttons, paint, tags, bright paper clips and fiber. Add brads or eyelets. For a frilly birthday tea party for little girls, add ribbon, charms, lace or vintage buttons.

Scrapbooking Page Layout Ideas and Suggestions

Scrapbooking is one of those things that keep our memories alive and brings smiles to people’s faces for years to come. It allows you to relive the feelings and occasions as if they happened yesterday.

What is Scrapbooking?

Scrapbooking is basically a journal in which you keep your records through out your life. You can capture events that mean the most to you and your family. For instance you can capture birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and family vacations. You can scrap anything that you find special and want to share for years to come.

Now that you are entertaining the idea of a scrapbook, it is important you make those memories as alive and beautiful as possible. Here are some layout ideas:

• Depending on the occasion, make the page have color coordination. Use themed paper and/or matching colors to accent the photos.
• Pictures, take and record as many as possible, whatever the occasion, and later on you will be glad you did.
• When you get photos back from developing, write a few memories on the back so that you can remember all the little details you want to preserve. Sometimes we forget the smallest things that made the occasion special, writing them down will make it a lot easier when you start the journaling.
• Keep mementos from the occasion to add to the pages. Birthday cards, airline tickets etc. Use these as backdrops for photos or as the title to the page.
• Use accents such as brads, photo clips to add to the layout. A little dimension adds to the character of the pages.
• There are several different ways to make a scrapbook layout. These pages are very personal to each of us for different reasons. Chose for yourself what works best, however, there are many ideas and examples available in case you run out of scrapbooking page layout ideas.

Whatever way you choose to record your memories, a scrapbook has to represent you and the ties you what to capture and save, so even if there are many ideas, it is what connects you to the memory that will be the right choice.

Take the time to create a scrapbook, if you don’t have one already; it is sometimes better then an album or a standard journal and can become a bit of yourself. Memories created in a scrapbook live beyond you, to be cherished and enjoyed forever, so don’t just create a scrapbook, put a bit of love and soul into it. You will be happy that you did when you look back in years and live those times again.

Embellish Your Scrapbook Page

Now that you have learned how to crop and frame your picture, you now need to focus on telling your story creatively. Just like you would decorate a home to make your home feel homey you can decorate your scrapbook page to make your story feel more heartsy.

There are a variety of embellishments you can use… but remember that your scrapbook page needs to be able to go into the page protector. The more embellishments you place on your scrapbook page, the more risk you have at not fitting the page into the page protector.

Mandatory Embellishments:

• Scrapbook Titles - scrapbook titles really help the reader understand what picture you are trying to paint. Experiment with rubber stamps or fonts to create fun and interesting titles.
• Journal Entries - journal entries add another dimension to your scrapbook page where your heart and motivation will really come through and bring the reader of your page to the same place your heart was when the memory was created.

Other Embellishments:

• Stickers that are acid free are a wonderful way to embellish your cherished memory. Attach the sticker to solid color cardstock and trim a frame around it for a more interesting dimension.
• Ribbon is a wonderful and lightweight addition to your scrapbook page. Experiment with different types of fibers and colors to bring out the photo.
• Hardware, eyelets and brads are also another wonderful dimension. Make sure the hardware you use is lighteight and acid free. You can again draw a person’s eye using hardware to the area of the page or photo that is most important.
• Buttons are another way of drawing a person’s eye to the journal entry or photo. Again ensure that the buttons you use are acid free.
• Tags and Envelopes and Pockets are another way to place elements related to your story on your page and can make the page more 3-D and interactive.

Things to avoid:

• Glitter!!! Loose glitter can actually ruin a cherished photo by scratching the surface. If you are scrapbooking for the purpose of long term usage - then avoid Glitter totally.
• Heavy Embellishments… heavily weighted embellishments can actually tear the page as person flips it. Avoid using these types of embellishments on your page to preserve your hard work.
• Rub on transfers. Again over time if you do not rub properly, the rub on images can actually rub off the page or stick to the page protector causing you a lot of heartache.

Scrapbook Guide For Beginners

Many people would like to organize their family pictures and mementos but do not know how to begin scrapbooking. Scrapbooking allows you to organize your keepsakes in beautiful memory books that can be treasured by the whole family for years to come. There are some simple steps to follow when you first begin scrapbooking that can make the process easier and more enjoyable.

The first thing you should do when you begin scrapbooking is locating all of the things you would like to include in your books. Things to locate include pictures of you and your loved ones, travel mementos such as postcards, airplane and train tickets, art you children have made in school, programs and ticket stubs from cultural events, souvenirs from sporting events and anything else that you would like to memorialize in your scrapbook.

Once you have gathered all of your keepsakes, you should begin to organize them. As you begin to sort the items, you will begin to see themes and get ideas on how to organize your scrapbooks. Keep notes on the ideas that come to you as you go through these items. It may be necessary to go through your keepsakes more than once. The first time will give you an idea of what you have and then you can concentrate on actually separating and collating them. Look at your notes often and see what themes come up that can help you set up your scrapbooks. For example, if you travel a lot, you can separate all of the items you have collected and make a scrapbook cataloging your adventures. If you have children, you may want to put all of their school pictures, art and other mementos into one book, or you can make a separate book for each child.

To begin assembling your scrapbook you will need to gather a few basic supplies. These include paper and cardstock for mounting your items, adhesives such as glue sticks, glue dots, tape, and photo mount corners, scissors and decorative items like ribbon, pens and markers.

Once these basic tools have been assembled, you can begin putting your scrapbook together. The best way to start is to lay out the pages without making doing anything permanent. Lay out your pictures and keepsakes but do not use permanent glue for anything. Make little notes that explain your pictures and mementos and lay those out on the pages, too. As you add more and more to your pages, you can start to move things around until you are happy with your design.

Once you are happy with the basic items lay out of your pages, you can begin thinking about embellishments. You can purchase stickers, stamps, ribbons and many other embellishments that will brighten up your scrapbook and help you put your own personal touch on it. After everything is laid out to your satisfaction, you can begin to permanently adhere the items to the page.

You will find that once you learn how to begin scrapping, the possibilities for creating beautiful memory books are endless. With a little practice, you will have a keepsake that your family will enjoy for years to come.

Paper Traditional Scrapbooking

What is Scrapbooking?

Scrapbooking has been around since Victorian times, and has evolved into as many different forms as there are personality types. Basically, it involves the preservation of information by compiling photos, memorabilia and written words into a book in order to to tell a story or relay memories.

How is Scrapbooking Accomplished?

Scrapbooking almost always involves photos and written words (journaling), but it can also include as many other components as the creator desires. Some common scrapbook additions include memorabilia (like ticket stubs, news clippings, maps, etc.), specialty papers and other decorations like ribbons or buttons – the possibilities are limitless!
Once all of the elements needed for the scrapbook are gathered, they are assembled in a pleasing way and adhered to a scrapbook page. Journaling is then added to relay information about the contents of the page. Finally, pages are included in specially designed albums or sometimes they can be displayed in other ways; like in a picture frame.

What Supplies are Needed to Get Started in Scrapbooking?

Most scrapbooking starts with photographs that have meaning behind them (although, a story can still be told even if there are no photos). It is also great if there are other keepsakes to include along with the photos in the scrapbook (a first place ribbon to go with the pie baking contest photo, for example).

Next, there needs to be something to preserve the mementos in, which is usually in the form of a scrapbook album. There are countless styles of scrapbooks on the market; some are completely blank and ready to be decorated and some come already decorated and just need photos added.

Once an album is chosen, the memorabilia can be arranged and adhered in the album in a way that appeals to the scrapbooker. There are vastly differing approaches to this step, because what is appealing differs from person to person. Some take a very minimalist approach, while others use many embellishments to decorate their pages. The very minimum supplies needed for this step are the pages and an adhesive (there are many types of adhesive on the market that are specifically designed for scrapbooking). Take a stroll down the aisles of the local scrapbook store (LSS), and it will soon be discovered that there are plenty more options available as well!

Now all that is left to be done is the journaling. This often includes a title for the page (like: “Tom’s First Day of School”) and some words to provide further information (like the date and a description of the day’s highlights). There are several ways to add the journaling; from simply writing it on the page by hand to using stickers with words or letters on them or even printing out journaling that has been typed on a computer. Depending on the method of journaling, the supplies needed can vary. The most basic supply would be a pen specifically designed for scrapbooking, which resists fading and won’t damage photos.

Are Acid-free and Lignin-free Supplies Best?

Because so much time and effort is involved in the process of scrapbooking, it is recommended that you choose supplies that are safe for use with photos and emorabilia. Many scrapbookers consider it very important to make sure that albums, papers, decorative elements and adhesives used are acid and lignin free so that they will preserve, not destroy the scrapbook contents, especially if the items on the page are irreplaceable.

That being said, I often find it very freeing to use all kinds of things that inspire me on my scrapbook pages; many of which are not considered safe for “archival” purposes. This allows my artistic, creative side to take over and not be stifled by limited options. I am usually using photos that I have digital copies of anyway, which can easily be reproduced if something were to happen to my scrapbook page. I also often photograph my final scrapbook page, so that I have a digital copy, in case the original fades or is damaged in some way in the future. So, just be sure so think carefully about what you use on your pages so that they will stand the test of time!

Organize Yourself to Scrapbook

When starting a scrapbook, take time to organize some ideas and make a plan. Now is the time to decide how the layouts will be organized. Forms of organization may include a theme or color scheme. There may also be a chronological format. The album may be about one person or family, including heritage albums. Or it may be organized by event.Most people want their album to have a look that is coordinated and cohesive.

How can you plan for that? Here are some ideas to help:

• Choose coordinating paper. Many companies make paper that coordinates with similar colors or theme. It is easier to bring your “look” together if it was made to be together in the first place. Coordinated paper doesn’t have to be made by the same company though. Bring together a few similar patterns or colors. Or just run one similar color or paper throughout the pages. It will help tie everything together.
• Grab a few sheets of matching cardstock. It isn’t always about the patterned paper. Cardstock can be used as page bases or photo frames. It can be stamped to make personalized patter papers. It is always good to add some neutral color(s) too. That doesn’t always mean white. Black, grey or browns, even to an off-white are all acceptable neutrals.
• Decide on photos. Is there a certain event, person or place to scrapbook about? It is good to get photos that go together, rather than random ones. Note: layouts can be made completely without photos. If the theme was determined first, this will be easier to do. Just make sure the photos go with the theme!
• Get embellishments that help coordinate the layouts. Maybe use the same embellishment on each page. Or use a similar embellishment but in different colors or textures. For example, use ribbon on each layout, but use a different color or use thick or thin ribbons to make it similar but not “the same.”

Now it is time to learn your tools. A couple of the basic tools needed are a cutter and adhesive. Learn how to use them. Practice a few cuts (and measurements) before using them to cut for the album layouts. Do some research as to what adhesive works the best for the project or use you have for them. Learn where to use a lot of adhesive vs. less.

The plan is now ready. Start working on each page one at a time. Use sketches or find designs that work for the album. Soon, the album will be complete.