Scrapropos

It was all about the white background back when I started scrapbooking eleven years ago. Creative Memories taught us to back a few photos with paper, place stickers here and there and add a lot of journaling. This was all done on the plain white Creative Memories album inserts. My technique has changed over the years as the scrapbooking industry has introduced new products and styles of creating layouts. “I’ve come a long way baby!”

Would I go back and redo the pages I created back then? Absolutely not! It is too much fun seeing the progression my scrapbooking style has taken. Can I replicate any of the techniques I utilized as a newbie scrapbooker? Why not? Here is the question I posed to myself for this week’s challenge. What I came up with was creating a page on a white background. It is something, as I look through more recent albums, that I seem to have avoided doing for years now.

Are you with me? Grab a white sheet of cardstock and a few pictures and see where it takes you. Here is the layout I came up with:

I simply die-cut my title, backed my pictures and added rub-ons to provide a whimsical style to the page. This set of rub-ons included the jewels that you see I’ve added to the layout.

I’m happy with the page, as simple as it is. The white background truly allows the pictures to pop off of the page. I may just have to try this technique again. Let me know how it works out for you.

Something we scrapbookers create for most of our layouts are titles. They’re the anchor that ties our pages together and gives the reader an idea of the theme we are looking to express. In my scrapbook room you will find a plethora of supplies for making a variety of titles on my pages. From sticker letters in every shape, size and color to letter stamps that are wood-mounted, foam or clear acrylic. These are the scrapbooking supplies I never feel guilty buying since they are used so often.

The technique I would like to feature today is using foam stamps to create a title. I prefer to use paints with my foam stamps and the process is quite simple. The following layout, “SNOW”, uses this technique:

Here’s how to create a similar title on your next layout:

1. Use an inexpensive foam paint brush to apply the paint of your choice to the stamp. I find this type of brush provides a more even coverage and avoids having brush strokes. Of course if you are looking for a “rougher” look then you may want to use a regular paint brush and get those “brush strokes”. Apply a thin even coat of paint on the stamp for best results and stamp on the cardstock of your choice.

2. Allow the paint to dry and then cut out the cardstock around each letter in various geometric shapes.

3. Accent the edges of the cardstock with the same paint to add extra dimension to the title and allow to dry.

4. Matte the geometric shapes in coordinating cardstock.

5. Provide even more dimension by adding metal letter brads to the lower right hand corner of each letter shape.

6. Tie pieces of ribbon and add to the top of each with a glue dot. The ribbon I chose went along with the theme of the layout, but you could use plain ribbon as well

As scrapbookers many of us suffer from a slight addiction to paper. Asking us to throw away even the smallest piece of paper can bring on a bout of panic and anxiety. So what do we use these paper scraps for? Well, if they’re not organized, they’re probably not being used at all.

So your Weekly Wednesday Challenge is to get those paper scraps organized!

Save only “worthwhile” scraps.
My rule of thumb is to save paper only if it is at least 3″ X 3″. Smaller scraps head to the recycling bin. Make your decision based on what size scraps you’d be apt to use in upcoming layouts.

Organize your papers for ease of use.
There are a number of different ways you can organize your papers. I prefer to organize by color. You can also organize by the type of paper: card stock, vellum, patterned paper, etc. If you have a lot of patterned paper scraps you might want to organize them by theme.

Gather necessary tools to help you organize.
Figure out what organizational system will work best for the type of scrapbooker you are. If you’re an “on the go” scrapper you may want an easy to carry expanding file that can travel with you to crops. If you have a scrapbook room you may want to use a filing system. I use a plastic file box that accommodates hanging files. If you are using files you will need to pick up file folders that work in the system you have chosen.

Label, Label, Label
I wouldn’t survive without my labeler. Labels help you remember where things go and just makes you feel more organized. Label your files or the sections of your expandable file box and sort your papers into their proper places. As your scrap pile grows, into their files they go.

Now that your scrap papers are organized, think of ways you can use them.
I use my scraps in a number of ways. I like to make greeting cards and scraps are perfect for this. They’re also great for cutting out letters, as mattes for photos and for punching or die-cutting page accents. Sometimes you just need a little extra “something” on your page…maybe it’s a border strip, some punched squares or circles, or a tag. In all of these situations, page scraps are often just enough for what you need. Why cut into a 12 X 12 sheet of paper when you have all those scraps laying around?

Heritage: Characteristics, traits and monetary gain of a family passed down from one generation to the next.

As a scrapbooker, you are chronicling your family’s heritage, telling the stories so that future generations will understand from whom they came. There is nothing more frustrating then looking at an old photo and not knowing who the people are, what there story is or when the photo was taken. Hopefully you are preventing that by journaling in your own scrapbooks.

On my last visit home I gathered up a bunch of old photographs, some over 100 years old, and decided to undertake the task of scrapbooking them. First of all they need to be placed in an acid-free environment, and secondly they need their stories told.

Luckily our family has quite a lot of genealogical information. My mom and I spent a lot of time when I was younger looking through microfilm of newspapers and birth/death records tracing our ancestors. They are special times I’ll always remember, and we have some excellent documentation to show for our time and effort. My dad’s history on his father’s side has been traced back hundreds of years from a relative in Holland. But there is much history that has been lost and so many stories that unfortunately can no longer be told.

Finally, after six months, I’m getting started on the project. Do we put these things off because we think they have to be perfect and it is beyond us?

Below is my first effort:

This is my grandparents on their wedding day (my dad’s parents). I searched their hometown’s newspaper on microfilm at the library and was able to find their wedding announcement dated June 30, 1932. It provided a great deal of information including specifically what my grandmother’s attendant’s were wearing so that I could identify them in the photo. Sadly, at this time there are two people I am unable to identify, though I will continue digging for information. For now they are identified with a question mark.

I will continue to work my way through my heritage photos and will share that journey with you. If you are working on a similar project and would like to share your process and layout ideas please email me at annl101@msn.com.

For many people today was a day of rest and relaxation, a well-deserved extra day off of work. Memorial Weekend to many means the kick-off to summer, but it has so much more meaning then that. Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service. I can’t think of better people to stop and say a prayer for, earnestly thank, and honor on this special day.

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day because it was time set aside to honor the nation’s Civil War dead by decorating their graves. So what “is” Memorial Day? I found a great answer to that question on the web and you can check it out here thanks to Bobby Ross.

So what kind of layout can you do to commemorate this special holiday?

7 comments, 7 numbers in a hat, my daughter closed her eyes and out came number…….3! That was Crystal’s comment! So Crystal, CONGRATULATIONS, and please email your address to me at annl101@msn.com. Your prize will be on its way Monday…enjoy!

Robyn asked if you can win more than once and the answer is YES…Freebie Friday drawings are totally random and if your number is drawn you’re the winner, no matter what! Be sure to visit every Friday for your chance to win FUN prizes!!

Scrapbooking embellishments come in every shape, size, color and material. Metal has always been a favorite of mine and has been a hot item in the scrapbooking world for years. Metal embellishments come in many forms; clips, words, tags, letters, brads, snaps, eyelets, and more. They can add dimension, sparkle and whimsy to your layouts.

For today’s FREEBIE FRIDAY it’s all about the clips! You have the chance of winning round clips, square clips, colored clips, small clips, large clips, and even a heart shaped clip.

Today’s Prize Package

How do you win? Simply leave a comment and mention what your favorite metal embellishment is. A random winner will be chosen and posted tomorrow morning, so check back in because I’ll announce the winner’s name and tell you where to email me your address.

You can use clips in so many ways on your layouts. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Good news…scrapbooking supplies aren’t just for your scrapbooks anymore. We die-hard scrapbookers joke about how much we spend on our scrapping goodies, but think of all the ways we can use them. Yes we use our scrap supplies for layouts but we can also create beautiful home decor pieces, we can lovingly borrow them to our children for school projects, and we can also make our own greeting cards.

This seems to be the “year of the graduate”. Kids of six friends and family members are graduating this year. I finally sat down today and planned out my graduation cards. When I have a clump of birthdays, anniversaries, or holidays coming up that I need to send cards out for I create one design that I can quickly duplicate.

For today’s project I gathered scrap pieces of paper, stamps and paint, and a few embellishments. I jotted a quick design, which ended up changing a bit (not unusual for me).

My first step was to stamp out GRAD using paint and foam stamps. I then printed out “con” and “ulations” on the computer…get it…conGRADulations. I know, not so very clever, but I try. I cut out the GRAD letters separately in angular slices and then outlined each with black pen. To tie in the paint stamped letters I painted around the edges of my scrap papers which were then adhered to the front of the card.

Finally I gathered all of the pieces and put my cards together “assembly line” style. This is a quick process with happy results.

The final result…

They tie up pretty packages, they beautifully adorn a little girl’s hair, and sometimes they represent a cause you believe in. Ribbons have been used in so many ways for so many years. They come in every color under the sun, in just as many materials, and now in themes from apples to zoos.

So today’s Weekly Wednesday Challenge is to use some ribbon on a layout!

Use ribbon as an accent on a border strip.

Ribbon is not just for girl’s anymore. I found some great dog-themed ribbon and featured it in a layout with my husband and our dog Buddy. I used to the ribbon to accent a border strip. To make a knot in the ribbon simply tie the two loose ends together, snip about 3 inches from the knotted portion, and place on your page.

Accent your titles with ribbon.

Ribbon looks great tied around or stapled to large letters in your page titles. It’s the perfect touch to add a little dimension to your page. You can use it with chipboard, die cut letters, or even tied on to a clip and attached to your journaling box. On the above layout I’ve also used it to tie my two patterned papers together as a “border” of sorts. With two heavily patterned papers it works well to use a coordinating solid colored ribbon to give them a bit of separation.

Use ribbon scraps as a fun accent on your page.

If you love ribbon as much as I do (I have 5 glass jars filled with it) then you may end up having a lot of ribbon “scraps”. Short pieces of ribbon should not be thrown away as they make great page accents. In the layout above I’ve used multiple ribbons to accent my focal photo. Find pieces of ribbon that coordinate with the colors of your layout. Fold them in half and glue them down the edge of your focal photo. This adds a fun, whimsical and dimensional look to your layout.

Ribbon is an inexpensive page accent, and something many crafters already have laying around from other projects. Most scrapbook stores sell ribbon by the yard, generally well under $1. So next time you’re shopping around for scrapbooking supplies, don’t forget to hit the ribbon aisle.

In the fashion world we hear about those “classic pieces” that never go out of style. In the scrapbooking world we have some “classic techniques” that are just as timeless, and still look as great today as when they were introduced ten years ago. Color blocking is one such technique that was all the rage and still produces classic, clean layouts.

Color blocking is basically using a variety of papers to create “quadrants” on your page. You can use plain colored card-stock or coordinating patterned papers. Back in the day there were color blocking templates with all different size quadrants, but it is quite simple to create your own pattern. Let your photos be your guide.

One reason I love color blocking is that it gives me the opportunity to use up some of my scrap paper. I just look for patterns that coordinate well with each other and with my pictures. Color blocking is also great when you come across a line that has highly patterned papers and you want to figure out how to “mix and match” them.

Here are some sample layouts using color-blocking techniques:

Layout #1
This is a simple color-blocking design using coordinating papers from SEI.

Michael from Alabama (who is finally stepping out of the scrapping closet!) and
Robyn from Nebraska…you are my first two Freebie Friday winners at Scrapropos! Email me at annl101@msn.com with your address and you’ll each have a package of chipboard from Heidi Swapp on it’s way. Thanks for playing!

Welcome to the first “Freebie Friday” on (Scr)apropos. This is your opportunity to WIN scrapbooking products. And today, it’s all about the chipboard.

Chipboard is a hot item in today’s scrapbooking world. It allows you to add dimension to your page without adding too much bulk. It’s a relatively inexpensive embellishment which makes it an easy “go-to” choice for taking your layouts to that next level.

What is chipboard? Think of the backing on a notebook or the cardboard that comes with your page protectors to keep the package sturdy. Chipboard is basically thick fiber pressed paper and is often made using recycled paper.

Chipboard in it’s “naked” form is the basic brown cardboard color we’re familiar with. You can use it just as it comes or you can dress it up. Use your craft paints to tie-in your chipboard with the photos/paper that you are using. Use your stamp pads and embossing inks to add even more dimension. You can also cover your chipboard with coordinating paper, again creating a beautifully tied in embellishment for your layout. If I’m choosing this method I prefer to use a simple glue stick to give full adhesive coverage to the piece so that the paper lays nicely. Stay away from wet inks as they tend to muck up the lighter weight papers. Once you’ve dressed it up you can sand the piece for a wonderful aged look.

Chipboard also comes pre-decorated in every shape, size and theme you can think of. And today’s prize giveaway is pre-decorated chipboard from Heidi Swapp. You will receive 2 theme packages…Summer and Winter. Each includes titles, letters and frames. And if the colors of pre-decorated chipboard don’t go with your photos or the papers you want to use then just decorate them as you would the naked chipboard.

Pictured below are the 2 sets you can win today. How do you enter? Simply leave a comment with your name and state. All names will be thrown into a hat and I will post the winner tomorrow morning. Check back as I will have you email me if you have won. Good Luck!

We’re living in a world where we’re overbooked, overworked, and overtired. It’s hard to “fit it all in” and scrapbooking sometimes gets pushed to the wayside. Thanks to fellow 451 blogger Shelly I’m going to try to answer the question “how to get caught up on your scrapbooking”.

To start with, work on your most recent photos first. In other words, stop playing the “catch-up” game and just worry about scrapping your latest events. Once you are current up to the last few months then start going backwards from there or choose a time period that you want to work on.

Choose a specific project that you want to stay up-to-date on. Perhaps it’s a school album, a baby’s first year album or an album for a specific vacation. You get a true sense of accomplishment with smaller projects that are easier to complete.

Set scrapbooking goals, which can be either weekly or monthly, and actually write them down. You can set goals to get a specific number of pages done each week/month or to set a certain amount of time aside each week/month to scrapbook. Maybe you set plan to crop 1 hour per week, or attend a crop once a month or meet with some friends once each week. Actually write your scrapbooking time on your calendar and stick to it.

Make a PLAN! It pays to take some time to pre-plan your scrapbook pages so that when you do go to a crop or sit down to scrapbook you can get more pages accomplished. I pre-plan all of my pages…I choose the photos, sketch a layout, grab the paper and embellishments I want, and keep a list of the extra supplies/tools I will need (see below). It pays to engage in a little creative scraplifting if you are pre-planning a lot of layouts. Have your favorite idea book or magazine by your side. I actually keep a binder of ideas that I tear out of magazines which is my favorite source of scraplifting.

And finally, BREAK IT DOWN…don’t get overwhelmed by telling yourself “I have 30 years of pictures, I’ll never get caught up”. Those large, seemingly insurmountable projects, can bring your creativity and motivation to a screaming hault. So change your mindset and break your projects down into smaller pieces. Think “elementary school” instead of “my childhood” or “Our Vacation to Yellowstone” instead of “Our family Vacations”.

Personally, the way I phrase it is “I don’t EVER want to be caught up because I just love scrapbooking that much!”

Embellishing your scrapbook pages is like putting frosting and sprinkles on the cake. Embellishments add that extra sparkle, maybe a little dimension, and a whole lot of interest to your layouts. But adding those extra bits to your scrapbook page can raise the average cost of your page…more then you may want to admit. So how about using an embellishment that you probably already have? Buttons!!

This week’s challenge is to dig up your button stash and create a layout using them. There are many ways that you can use buttons on your layouts. Here are some ideas to get you thinking:

For many scrapbookers it’s all about the photos (and the paper, and the stickers, and whatever other supplies we can get our hands on). After all, “A picture is worth a thousand words”, right? But years from now when a distant relative is looking at these great pictures on wonderfully decorated pages but has no idea who is in the picture, what they’re doing, and where they’re at then I guess that picture isn’t speaking so well anymore. This is why journaling is so very important.

Journaling tells the story of your pictures. It is the who, what, when, where and why. For many scrapbookers that I talk to, it is their least favorite part of scrapbooking. Perhaps they are too worried that they will be judged by the words they put down. What you need to remember is this is a scrapbook, a record of your memories, and not a novel that you hope to win a Pulitzer Prize for.

If you are truly struggling with what to write on a page then just stick to the basics. Tell who is in the picture, what they are doing, when the picture was taken, where the people in the picture were and why. I love using journaling strips, especially in situations where I don’t have a lot to say. Simply cut strips of paper that coordinate with your layout and answer those easy questions.

In the layout below I’ve used coordinating paper to jot down my journaling. A fast and simple process to get that journaling done.

If you’re not crazy about using your own handwriting for your journaling then go ahead and type out your journaling, using larger spacing so that you can cut your sentences into strips. This is how I’ve journaled in the layout below. I used inking on the edges of the journaling strips to make them stand out.

Another simple journaling technique is to make lists, and journaling strips work great for this. For example if your layout is about making Christmas Cookies your journaling can be the numbered steps that match your pictures. Or if you have some great pictures of your kids but no real stories to go with them then make a top ten list on what they’re into at this age. In the layout below of my daughter’s 2nd grade I just listed her favorites from that year.

I don’t like to walk away from a page until the journaling is finished. It’s a great habit to get into, otherwise you end up with piles of pages that are just waiting for you to journal on them. Remember, just keep it simple and tell the story of your pictures so that years from now your pictures can still “talk”.