My mom and I recently discovered the pleasure in owning a nice selection of die cuts. It all started out innocently enough (don’t all these scrapbook supply needs?) by me asking for a Sizzix alphabet as my Christmas present. My very first die cut alphabet was under the tree this past year. And by the 4th of July, together we have 8 (or is it 9) alphabets and tons of shapes. It almost feels like we’ve headed out to one of those weekend hotel crops when we get together.

My friend Carolyn posted a really great article about her adventures with die cut systems at her blog, Crop Chic. I love how she put pictures of the die cuts in the article. Although I did spot a couple new shapes I need. (That little denim pocket, for instance.)

You can find some great deals on die cut systems here:

Scrapbook.com
Look in Die Cuts and Cut Outs.

I love fonts! Typography is one of the arts I find most fascinating. Yet, I do not use computer fonts while scrapbooking. Why?

Partially because I think I would get hooked on it. There is something so appealing about being able to write, re-write and edit my journaling as I go. Also because, as I mentioned, I love fonts.

My love affair with fonts started in 1989 when I decided to go into desktop publishing. This was before everyone had a computer and I made a living by designing newsletters, brochures, handouts, etc. for my clients. A significant purchase for my business was a box of fonts. About 50 5 1/4″ disks with a manual and a single sheet piece of paper that showed which fonts I owned. I still have that box of disks.

Yet I resist fonts and journaling using my computer when scrapbooking for two main reasons.

1.
I don’t want to need to be near my computer in order to scrapbook. I like having my supplies right with me wherever I am - my scrapbook room, my mom’s house or a weekend crop hotel.

2.
My grandmother’s handwriting. Whenever I get a chance to see my grandma’s handwriting it reminds me of her so strongly. I can picture her writing out the card I just came across even though she passed away in 1994. Same with my living grandma. A card from her is precious. I guess I am hoping that by taking the time to write out my journaling in my own handwriting that I am adding just a bit more of me into the pages.

So I use my beloved fonts in my Christmas letter, at work on special projects or even in card making. Just not in my scrapbook journaling.

Do you use computer fonts in your scrapbooking?

I just signed up for Angie Pedersen’s (the author of three bestselling scrapbooking books - see below) free class at Barnes&Noble University. The class, called Scrapbooking Basics, is taught online and is totally free. You can read more about Angie’s class here.

These B&N University classes are pretty fun and are very easy technology-wise. Try it - you’ll like it. =:)

Here are Angie’s books:

Figuring out how to store your scrapbook paper so you can find what you want when you want it is an age-old dilemma for us scrappers. I should have known that Cynthia Townley Ewer (aka the “CEO”) over at OrganizedScrapbooks.com would have a truly unique solution.

Here’s what she says:

Professional organizers will tell you that when it comes to paper, vertical storage beats horizontal every time. For everyday filing needs, hanging file folders make it easy to find and retrieve papers and records. No shifting and sorting stacks of paper; just flip, drag and drop!

Solution: make your own.

To see her step-by-step instructions (with photos) on how to make your own scrapbook folders read this article by Cynthia.

Yesterday when the mail came my daughter asked (as she always does), “Is there anything for me?” Just as I was about to give her the standard reply “Unless you want some of these bills, no.” I saw a postcard peeking out.

Her uncle John always mails her a postcard when he travels. This time he had been to Ottawa and, again, took the time to drop her a quick postcard. She just loves it and has developed quite a collection of postcards.

It occurred to me that helping her to create a postcard album would be a fun project for us in the remaining few weeks of summer. (How fast the summer went is a whole different topic!)

Anyway, there is a great article Wish You Were Here: Postcard Albums by Ramona Greenspan posted at ScrapJazz that gave me some great ideas. She includes a couple of sites that sell pre-made postcard albums and also shows photos with a step by step list of how to make your own. It looks like a lot of fun.

Has anyone done an album like this? Other ideas for postcard albums?

Today I logged in at the One Scrappy Site forum and came across a listing from a woman named Jennifer from Colorado. When I read it she mentioned that her paper bag albums were selling well on eBay.

I have to confess - I have never heard of such a thing. So I promptly went to eBay to check it out. Her store site is here so you can see too.

Does anybody know what a paper bag album is? I have seen her photos (and love them) but don’t know what the heck that means. Maybe she’ll pop in here and tell us all.

I just discovered a new scrapbooking blog CropChic. Carolyn Wheeler, the Dean of The Scrapbook School had an interesting thought about scrapbooking magazines.

She says:
Is it me or has anyone else been noticing that the layouts featured on the cover of Creating Keepsakes (CK) magazine seem to becoming simpler? [read the rest of her post here]

I honestly haven’t noticed the cover of CK getting simpler because I think that pretty much all of the CK layouts are way too complicated. I much prefer the simpler layouts that get more pages done rather than spending hours making your own embellishments.

What do you think?

The other day my mom was reorganizing her scrapbook room (where we frequently do weekend crops together with our friends). As I moved my Crop in Style bag I’ve had for so long it occurred to me how much I use it.

Every time I set up to crop I put it right next to me. All my stuff goes in it - paper, pens, scissors, punches, rulers. You name it and I put it in there.

It keeps me so organized. And it is not just for traveling to crops either. When I set up my own scrapbook room here at home I thought I would stop using it. But it stores so much stuff, so neatly, that I couldn’t find a different way to keep it.

Plus it is ready for a trip to my mom’s with a flick of a zipper.

I noticed that Crop in Style has a newer version of my bag and it looks amazing. It has in-line skate wheels, a telescoping pull-up handle, a truly stackable lid and a multitude of pockets and loops. It even comes in Black, Navy Blue and Hunter Green. Here’s a picture:

What do you think? Does anybody have this one?

This week I have been consumed by moving my office. It has taken over my thoughts from first thing in the morning to the last thing as my head hits the pillow at night.

So it occurred to me that since work is such a big part of our lives that we should scrapbook it. At the very least take a picture of your office, cubicle or work space and just get it in your albums about your daily life.

If you think this is odd, think about your great grandfather. Wouldn’t it be awesome to see a photo of where HE worked?

OK, wish me luck with the big move today =:)

This is a great article I found by Rachel Paxton of CreativeHomemaking.com. Her website is chock-full of awesome information.

By the time your teen is in high school, you probably aren’t taking as many pictures of them as you used to. I have to keep reminding myself that I only have a couple of years left and no time to waste trying to capture fleeing teenage memories.

You might be thinking that I’m really organized to be already working on scrapbooking my daughter’s high school memories. To be honest, I have a shoe box full of pictures of my daughter waiting for me to get to someday.

But if I wait until “someday” to continue taking pictures because I already have so many pictures I haven’t done anything with, then my daughter’s teenage years will come and go while I try to catch up.

I don’t want to chronicle every detail of my daughter’s life (nor would she want me to!), but I was trying to think of some memories that she might want to laugh about and maybe even treasure someday. So how do you do that without ending up with pages and pages of memories?

I decided to do two large (12×12) pages (facing each other in the album) for each year of high school. I will challenge myself to use this space creatively to tell the story of each year. When I started thinking of all the the possibilities, it really inspired me to start getting organized and collecting some great memories. And don’t limit yourself to just photographs, your scrapbook pages can really be accentuated by other types of memories. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Photograph Ideas:

High School Dances
First Date/Boyfriend
School Building
Church Events/Retreats
Braces (the day they’re removed)
Hair Styles
Clothing Fads
Learning to Drive
First Job
First Car
Best Friends
School Plays/Concerts
Family Vacations
Favorite Family Pets
Babysitting
Sports/Band/Cheerleading
Musical Instrument Practice
Other:

CD Covers (scanned)
Favorite Song Lyrics
Drivers’ Permit
First Pay Stub
Programs from Play/Concerts
College Brochures
School Newspapers
ASB Card
Awards/Certificates
Ticket Stubs (concert, movie, sporting events)
Report Cards

You can be creative when you’re arranging your layouts. Don’t be afraid to cut pictures down or cut out portions of play programs or school newspapers. Just cut out enough to accentuate the other items on the page. You will create the overall effect from the entire page, not necessarily from an individual item.

Have fun and don’t worry if you don’t get it done all at one time. I figure if I can do one every summer for the previous school year, by the time she finishes high school (she’s a freshman this year), all of her high school memories will be recorded in the family archives.

About The Author

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of four. For more inspirational articles and tips for everyday living, visit her web sites at http://www.creativehomemaking.com and http://www.crafty-moms.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/