Scrapbooking Question

[Emancipation 2]

Hi all.. have a question for the scrapbookers among us!

I'm doing a memory book for my mother for her 60th birthday (standard 8X8 pages), and am looking for ideas for how I can pre-make this scrapbook so I can just add cards etc. when I get to Canada. Any ideas for format of page etc., when you don't know the size of the Cards etc. going into the book? I could take this home after the party and work on it, but I was hoping to be able to quickly finish this when I'm home next week, so she can have it to look at later. Also, how do you display a card that opens in a scrap book?

[Chica Yeyé 41]

You could tack it with either double sided tape or Z-dots.

I think go 12*12 - definitely,

We did one for Bren's grandma last year; and asked folks to send us mementos and the like. It was super cool. Bren drawed a map of the Continent with nifty things where any special event had taken place. It was lovely.

[*JG* 2]

I like 8 x 8 size. 12 x 12 demands a lot of photos and memorabilia. Too much for a one day event most of the time.

I premake scrapbooks all the time. Make the pages around open areas where you/they can put something on the page. I normally make mine for pictures. What I do is make the page in the theme or style I want to make it in and then place an empty piece of cardstock, roughly a little bigger then what I think they will put there, where I would place the pictures. For instance, I just made one for my cousin for the upcoming birth of her baby.....One set of pages, I wanted to have little blue trucks on it. I taped 2 sheets of roughly 4 x 6 pieces of blue card stock on each page and then stamped the trucks around them and then colored in the trucks.

I am probably not saying it right here. Basically, I am envisioning the pages as I would do then and then doing them except for the pictures. But, I leave space for the pictures and I tell them exactly where they should go. I hope that's clear.

I would also leave some lined space for any story that might be told on the page. I do that every 4 pages or so and I just leave a few lines for comments.

If there are lots of pictures; but not as many cards or other memorabilia, you could get a scrapbook with a heavy plastic cover and she could stash that kind of stuff in the back cover.

I love the idea of preserving the memories. She will love it too.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Sister Jomo is the ScrapMaster

[Emancipation 2]

Wait.. i think it is a 12x12 now that I think about it!!

I tried to get the idea across that it was a memory book style thing.. to write letters and notes and such, but I think gifts and cards have mostly come through thus far! Bah! Anyway, i'll throw in a few pages for cards - I wonder if cutting them so they lay flat and pretty might be an option? I dunno.

Gals.. great ideas.. really good.. It's begun the wheels a turning

[*JG* 2]

Wait.. i think it is a 12x12 now that I think about it!!

I tried to get the idea across that it was a memory book style thing.. to write letters and notes and such, but I think gifts and cards have mostly come through thus far! Bah! Anyway, i'll throw in a few pages for cards - I wonder if cutting them so they lay flat and pretty might be an option? I dunno.

Gals.. great ideas.. really good.. It's begun the wheels a turning

If it were me, I would cut the cards in 1/2 and tape them in, each at an angle (like the bottoms touching and the tops pointing ourward in a "v" of sorts) so she can read the front and the inside at the same time without having to life any card front or page protector to do so.

[Emancipation 2]

Wait.. i think it is a 12x12 now that I think about it!!

I tried to get the idea across that it was a memory book style thing.. to write letters and notes and such, but I think gifts and cards have mostly come through thus far! Bah! Anyway, i'll throw in a few pages for cards - I wonder if cutting them so they lay flat and pretty might be an option? I dunno.

Gals.. great ideas.. really good.. It's begun the wheels a turning

If it were me, I would cut the cards in 1/2 and tape them in, each at an angle (like the bottoms touching and the tops pointing ourward in a "v" of sorts) so she can read the front and the inside at the same time without having to life any card front or page protector to do so.

Awesome.. THAT is an excellent idea.. wonderful..

[Mononoke28 137]

I don't know why, but I can't picture Len scrapbooking with her cup o joe in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

I'm not into this at all even though I think it's pretty. I've been thinking of doing one for my mom for Mother's Day with pictures of my sister, my niece and I but I can't get my ### to even get started.

Diana

[Emancipation 2]

I don't know why, but I can't picture Len scrapbooking with her cup o joe in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

I'm not into this at all even though I think it's pretty. I've been thinking of doing one for my mom for Mother's Day with pictures of my sister, my niece and I but I can't get my ### to even get started.

Diana

You can buy kits.. that have all the cutting and such almost done for you - you just do the layout of the pages and then glue away.. that's what I did for my 1st one. The other great idea is a photo memory book that you can do at CVS or Snapfish and such.. those are bound, look awesome and are easy to assemble from your dig. photos.

[Mononoke28 137]

Where do you get the kits? Hobby Lobby or Michael's? Those kind of stores?

Diana

[Emancipation 2]

Where do you get the kits? Hobby Lobby or Michael's? Those kind of stores?

Diana

Yep, those kinds stores, they come in a box.. I think I actually got one at Walmart .. but they have these "weekend kits" that have all the paper, extra special stuff etc. in them.. they are usually themed and they go together wonderfully.

[Mononoke28 137]

Wow, I didn't know that. That certainly would make it easier to get started, I'll check them out for sure because it would make a wonderful Mother's Day gift.

Thanks Michelle!

Diana

[Emancipation 2]

Wow, I didn't know that. That certainly would make it easier to get started, I'll check them out for sure because it would make a wonderful Mother's Day gift.

Thanks Michelle!

Diana

You are most welcome!! Enjoy!

[maggieNomar 0]

Wow, I didn't know that. That certainly would make it easier to get started, I'll check them out for sure because it would make a wonderful Mother's Day gift.

Thanks Michelle!

Diana

Aww geez guys you are taking all the fun out of it. My favorite part is making the borders. I am working on a scrapbook of my grandma's 100th birthday from a few weeks ago. I am also using 12x12. I used strips of colored paper, with triangles, squares and circles to decorate the pages. Then I put different stickers on the papers I had cut to give each page a theme. mostly I used heirloom and birthday type stickers.

I wish you good luck in figuring out what will work best for you. I do think that Jomo's idea is good.

[SunDrop 59]

Oooh Scrapbooking VJers! yay!!

I made a memorial album for my best friend's MIL. She's a USC married to a dual USC/Brit and his mom died in the UK. He was able to travel over but she and their girls weren't.

I selected a range of coordinated pattered papers, similiar embellishments and page titles that in this case, fell under the headings of the various 'roles' she played in her life (daughter for her childhood pics, , sister, mother, wife grandma and friend). I think I made serendipity squares that I could embellish each page with, positioning them in a different place each time. And then used a colour co-ordinated cardstock to make photo mounts in a standard 4.25" by 6.25", leaving a 1/2" extra to the length to either the side or the bottom for journalling dates, locations, names, etc.

The last 4 pages I printed lines onto the card stock or created simple 'journalling blocks' and when it was finished, I was able to bring the memory album out at her wake and invited those who attended her funeral to share a simple thought, memory, wish of her. I phrased it as helping bring my friend and her children to be with everyone on that day, and being able to share in the beauty of who she was.

The little stories that were noted and the simple one-liners of what they'll miss the most or valued more than anything were truly moving.

The whole album ended up with a cohesive feel to it, due to the same theme running through. It captured an entire group's memories of this one person and allowed my friend and her girls to get some closure by filling the completed album with photos and reading the comments.

On a happier note, I did a similar album for a friend's new baby. The standard page of 'firsts', 'my birthstory', 'waiting for me to arrive', my first year, etc. But all in coordinated patterns and colours. Works great!

Good luck and enjoy, they make such unique gifts