Stacy's Stamping Blog

Scrapbooking Memories

I've finally started my paper and ink version of my new son's scrapbook. It's so nice to be doing it! I realized though after a friend mentioned her friend had a housefire and lost all her scrapbooks that I need to keep a digital version. So at the same time that I'm building a paper and ink scrapbook I'm also working on a digital version.

At our club last weekend I was able to show how you can make a hybrid scrapbook page using traditional scrapbooking products along with the My Digital Studio software.

My Digital Studio allows me to do this :) And because my scrapbook uses a set I don't own I can print out the images, customized to my chosen colours, and add them to the book as well.

Here's a copy of MDS version. Enjoy!

4x4 Little Scrapbooks

My December newsletter will contain supplies needed to create cute little scrapbooks for the special people in your life. Here are the instructions.

-If using coasters, use adhesive to layer on 4x4 cardstock or Designer Series Paper.
-Layout your pictures, deciding how you want the pages to look. Work on your pages 2 at a time, except for the front and back covers, to help your book keep the "flow" going.
-Apply your stamps, punches, or simply scrappin' bits first.
-Mat your photographs, if desired. Adhere them to the pages. Keep in mind where your book will be bound; keep away from the very edges of your pages.
-Journal, if desired (I highly recommend it- it helps keep memories down the road)
-Punch holes in your pages, and add your binder rings or coil rings.
-Don't forget to date it! And then step back and admire your work.

If you keep your scrapbook pages simple, it's a lot more likely that you can finish before the sun rises:) Have fun with it! Something like this will mean a lot more to your kids when they are adults and have children of their own, so part of the reason for doing this is to pass on their story to their own children.

If you're interested in scrapbooking, but are a little hesitant to get started, here's an article I wrote a few years ago that might help answer some questions. And remember, I'm always here to help you get started!

http://stacywestman.typepad.com/stacys_stamping_blog/2007/04/scrapbooking_do.html
http://stacywestman.typepad.com/stacys_stamping_blog/2007/04/donts_of_scrapb.html
 

A Tribute to Stampin' Up! Quality

Imagine what your scrapbook would look like if you left it outside in the rain one night...horrible thought, isn't it? Yet I did just that this week, accidentally of course. To my amazement not only was each page completely dry, but the only visible damage done was a bit of water staining along the seam of the inside back cover.

As you can imagine, I was thrilled, very thankful, and blown away by Stampin' Up! quality yet again.

 

This is 1 of my most recent layouts. If you look closely at page 2 on the middle right of the album, you can see a bit of water damage. Not bad for a night in the rain, eh?

As I write this, everyone in the Edmonton region is under a tornado watch. So we just might be in for more rain tonight. At least I know my scrapbook is in the house.

Have a wonderful night! More to post later- new stamps, new In Colours, new accessories.

Yay!

Stacy

Easter-Themed Mini Book

I used the new Carousel Notes from our Ocassions Mini to make this mini book for my mom. I also used the Rub-Ons from Sale-a-Bration 2008, the stamp set Just Like You for the stamping, and our new felt "flower fusion" pieces to hide the brad on the cover.

I actually splurged on this gift and used 3 of those wonderful large scallop circles to make the book. I took pictures of our son colouring Easter Eggs and used them as the theme. Each scallop circle was joined with a brad and the book opens on the brad- just twist the pages open to view.

The back was was adorned with a circle cut out with the coluzzle (largest one possible) that my son designed for his nana.

Enjoy! Hopefully this inspires you to create!

Folding Wallet Scrapbook Class

Here's some "top secret" photographs to give you an idea of what my folding wallet scrapbook class entails...and it's a secret because I'm working on this scrapbook for my husband for Christmas this year.

So if you know him...shhhh!

As if he'd go searching online to look at my blog.

More class details are found on my Stampin' Up! website.

Your envelopes won't be a pretty bright turquoise but a nice plain white- neutral enough to stamp however you want. You'll get your choice of my available Designer Series Papers, and I'll provide you with a list of things you need to bring to the class once you register.

My RSVP date is really important- October 13- please confirm your attendance by then!

I hope to see you there! Contact me today to register!

Don'ts of Scrapbooking

It seems that just about everyone, in the beginning, scrapbooks one way, and then as they "mature" in the scrapping field they gravitate towards a particular style. Here are a few lessons I learned as a new scrapbooker:

DON'T expect to scrapbook every single picture you've ever taken. This is highly unrealistic, and sets you up for a disappointing, stressful scrapbooking career.

DON'T create "single" pages when working on a layout. Rather, put the facing pages side by side and coordinate the look of the two of them by using related pictures, themes, colours, etc. This helps to create a visual "flow" that makes the scrapbook feel more finished.

DON'T rely heavily on embellishments- remember why you're scrapbooking- to get cherished memories and photographs in a place where they'll likely stand for future generations. Too many embellishments take the focus off your photographs and put it onto the extras.

DON'T clip newspaper articles and paste them right into your scrapbook. Newspapers tend to be full of acid and lignin which can transfer into your photographs. Instead, photocopy or scan and print onto acid-free cardstock.

DON'T make every single picture your favorite. Each page needs a focal point, the place where your eye is drawn to when you first start to look. What I do is decide what picture should be the most important, then set it "aside" as it were from the others on my page by double matting, framing, embellishing with doodles or stamping, adding photo corners, etc. Your eye wants to look first at the one that is different.

DON'T skip the journalling. Even if you get your photos done and scribble notes down on a post it that sticks on the page protector, you need to have something written to finish off later. A scrapbook full of wonderful pictures and cleverly stamped ideas is useless to future generations if they don't know the 5 W's.

Here's another spread I did for the Women's Show:

I find that when I do small layouts, such as this 6x6 size, they act as a natural focal point when placed onto a larger scrapbook page base- my chosen size is 12x12.

I hope you've enjoyed my offerings. I'm hosting a basic scrapbooking class on May 12, 7:30pm, at my home. I will require RSVPs, so please RSVP to me here by May 9. Class includes supplies and teaching, and you'll walk away with a completed spread in the size of your choice. Fee is $10. 

Scrapbooking Do's

Scrapbooking Do's:

DO crop your photos down to the important parts- there's no point in scrapbooking excess background space UNLESS it's important to place the setting, and only then do it once- no need to repeat it across your spread.

DO group your photographs according to your criteria- there is no right or wrong way. Some people opt to do their scrapbooks chronologically, such as Mother's Day 2006, Mother's Day 2007, etc. Other people do their scrapbooks thematically, such as Christmas, Mother's Days, Birthdays, etc, and then your comments ("journalling") become much more important so that you keep important information with each picture- year, subject, place, etc.

DO journal. If you don't like your handwriting, you can use software and print your journalling with your printer- but above all, comment on what your photos are. In 10 years you may forget important details, and after you're gone no one will know them either.

DO keep your colours to a minimum of 3: a neutral, and 1 or 2 colours is best. Any more than that and the pages get muddy- the eye looks at the colours rather than at the photos.

DO mat your photos onto a solid cardstock. If your photos are placed on patterned paper the photograph gets lost.

Here is a 6x6 spread I did for the Edmonton Women's Show. Try to see how I followed these guidelines!

Winter Mini Scrapbook Pages

  I got out my winter mini DSP (Loves Me) and Flirty Ribbon, then had Walmart develop some of our digital photographs. It's so hard to pick and choose, but I love the finished product. I also used Rough Edges Alphabets and Fishy Friends to complete this page. The colours I used are Taken with Teal and Cool Carribean. The monochromatic look is a really fun colour scheme to play with lately.

I used my UHU samples again for this product, this time the glue runner shown here as well as the scrapbookers pen. I don't like the scrapbookers pen for scrapbooking, ironically. I found it a hassle to have to hold down the picture for a bit while the glue set- otherwise the picture would slide around a bit. I also found that the pictures have a bit of a "bubble" in the middle of the glue spots, so they don't lie flat when the pages are turned.

I also used the glue runner. It consists of tiny little dots that come out very smoothly. It's easy to use too! I found because the dispenser is round though, it's hard to tell where the edge of your paper lies when you use it. All the pictures were matted and stuck down using the glue runner, and 2 of the photographs weren't stuck down with the pen at all, just the glue runner. Well, that's a fun tool to use. The only question I have is, "is it sticky enough?" It almost seemed barely stuck wherever I used it. We'll see with time whether or not the pages stay together. It's so easy to remove your photograh if you stick it down crookedly, which happens to me a lot- it seems like I think it's straight until it's stuck, then it's glaringly crooked. I also really loved that if you accidentally go off the edge of your paper, you just rub with your fingers and the glue dots are gone.

I used this tool as well on a set of cards I completed using the Polka Dots and Paisley stamp set, along with the DSP Petals and Paisley and Au Chocolat. I loved how well the glue runner held these cards together- I even used it to apply buttons to the cards. These cards were posted a few days ago: see them here.

I haven't seen the scrapbookers pen here yet, but I did find the glue runner at Michaels and I think at Office Depot.

November Club Projects

Our November club meeting was a scrapbooking theme. A couple of my members couldn't make it, so I finally took pictures of what I did that day and here they are- now they can see (and so can you!) what we did so long ago :)

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