Simple scrapbook layouts for you. Due to a very busy time in my life, I put scrapbooking on hold until recently. It was about two weeks ago, that I got together with a few friends and we enjoyed a wonderful time chatting, snacking and scrapbooking! What I found interesting as I sat looking through some of the pages that I had completed a few months ago, was that I was happy with all of the work I had done. There was a variety of layouts that I looked at -- some had taken me a few hours to complete, others took no more than a half of an hour, but overall, I liked them all. As I sat looking through these layouts, I came to realize I have a few simple patterns that I tend to use over and over again, yet with different photos and color combinations. I also realized that these simple, timesaving layouts look just as nice as the layouts that took me two hours to complete.

Below I have shared with you several basic scrapbook layout ideas. By incorporating these simple patterns into your scrapbooking routine, you will find that scrapbooking can become much easier and you will be able to produce more beautiful pages in less time.

Idea #1: Corners
Using two different, yet coordinating pieces of paper, choose paper #1 to be your background and paper #2 to be the corners. By cutting off the corners of paper #2, you can then glue them directly on top of paper #1's corners. This method can be used on just two opposite corners, or all four.

Idea #2: Bordered
Using two different, yet coordinating pieces of paper, choose paper #1 to be the border, and paper #2 to be the on top. With paper #2, trim away an equal amount on each edge. Apply glue to the back of paper #2 and carefully position it on top of paper #1, with equal edges showing. If you wish, you can even take a third piece of trimmed-down paper and glue it right in the center, which will give the look of a matted frame.

Idea #3: Top Bar and Bottom Bar
Using any two pieces of paper, cut approximately two inches off of the bottom of one. Line up this two inch piece on the top of the other paper so that it creates a top bar across the paper. On this bar you may wish to give your layout a title. To create a bottom bar, simply place this two inch piece along the bottom of the uncut paper.

Idea #4: Side Bar
Using any two pieces of paper, cut an approximate one inch piece of the long side of one. Line up this long, one inch piece of paper, on the either side of the other paper.

Idea #5: Center Bar
A center bar is created in basically the same way that a top or bottom bar is created, expect that you glue the piece in the middle of the paper. With a center bar, you are able to make it larger than two inches, and you will most likely place photos on top of the bar.

Idea #6: Patches
Cut squares pieces from scrapbook paper and glue it in random order on another piece of paper.

With all of the basic ideas above, you will find that all you will have left to do is add your photos and you will have your albums completed in no time!

Do you have a simple way of creating scrapbook layouts for your scrapbook? Share your ideas with other scrapbookers in comments.

Scrapbook ideas for simplicity.
I love classical music. Did you know that Beethoven’s 5th Symphony is the most recognized piece of classical music ever composed? You know the one—I’ll bet you’re humming it in your head right now. Did you also know that the entire symphony is composed of variations on the initial theme? While classical compositions are divided into a variety of sections or movements, some fast and some slow, scrapbooks are separated into a variety of schemes. A page scheme is the way the elements on a page are arranged.

One of scrapbook ideas is to help you streamline the process of scrapbooking. By helping you get your layouts done quickly, you can focus on creating theme scrapbooks that can then become your own family “classics.”

 As a long time chronological scrapbooker, I had an ideas that each scrapbook layout I created had to be completely different than any other. With all the photos I have to scrapbook, this way of thinking was eating up hours of precious scrapbooking time. As I reviewed my favorite layouts, I realized if a specific page scheme worked once, why couldn’t it work again? It certainly worked for Beethoven! I would simply vary the elements of each scheme to fit the theme and feel of each scrapbook layout.

I put my scrapbook theory to the test using the scheme from a layout I love (Figure 1a). I chose other photos with the same vertical orientation, and by changing just a few simple elements—but sticking with the same basic scheme or arrangement—I was able to complete three additional layouts in record time, each having a uniquely different feel(Figures 1b–1d). Chances are, no one will even notice the variation on the scheme because the pages will be dispersed throughout my albums.

Variety in the Scheme of Things
As you become more comfortable with varying the elements of a scheme, you can begin varying the arrangement itself. I selected a basic scheme (Figure 2) and adapted it to fit my needs. For my layout in figure 3, I had two photos I wanted to include. Notice how I used the second photo in place of the journaling block and added a tag and basic journaling block to make up for the lost journaling space? I used the original scheme with the addition of the tag from the variation, then added a larger title with letter stickers (Figure 4). From elegant to playful in three notes flat!

I play my favorite pieces of classical music over and over. They become my favorites because they are familiar and composed of elements I love. I want my scrapbook pages to be classical works of art composed of the elements I love, too. Check out a few of my favorite schemes and go play—over and over again!

How to Find Dream Schemes

So how can you find your own dream schemes? Start with simple schemes that feature fewer photos.
Find or create schemes that allow you to change the elements in a variety of ways.
Go from elegant to bright and playful by choosing the colors, papers, and accents that match the “mood” you want to create.
Select elements you enjoy using most, and create schemes that include them. (Obviously, I love tags!)
To maintain visual balance of your page, interchange accents on your layouts that are approximately the same size.
Once you’ve gathered a variety of basic schemes, organize them into categories according to the number and orientation of photos (vertical, horizontal, or a combination).
Create sketches or keep reduced copies of basic schemes together.
Want to get the most out of the process? Work with one or two schemes at a time to create several pages, exhausting the creative possibilities. This will build your confidence and help you get more scrapbook ideas and help you get more scrapbook pages done.

Figure 1a. Begin by identifying a favorite layout; use its scheme as a pattern for new layouts.
Figure 1b. Simply replace key elements to adapt your page scheme to new themes or events. With a new photos and accents, this page has a new look and feel.
Figure 1c. Here’s a Christmas variation on our theme. A black and white photo and classic colors, fonts and accents give this page a timeless feel.
Figure 1d. Here’s another completely “fresh” variation that came together in minutes with ready-made tags as accents.







Figure 2. A good, basic scheme has simple lines and elements that can be easily interchanged.
Figure 3. A few simple changes produces an “appealing” new look using the same basic scheme.
Figure 4. “Play around” with varying your basic scheme to fit your needs.









I like to organize my page schemes according to the number and orientation of photos that appear on them. Here are several to get you started. Keep in mind you can mix and match individual schemes to create two page spreads and adapt 12 x 12 schemes to work with an 81/2 x 11 page format.

A themed scrapbook can be created with one theme. This scrapbooks can be dedicated to a specific event or occasion, such as:

Trips: vacations, cruises, camping, skiing

School: first day, graduation, prom night

Birthdays: each birthday in a different color

Weddings and anniversaries

Baby: first year, christening, baptism

Reunions: family, school

Family history: each member of the family can contribute a page or section

Annual events: Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, New Year's

Clubs and organizations: historical societies, gourmet groups, adventure clubs, scouts, theatrical, Little League, soccer, football, swimming, gymnastics, dance

Other: building or remodeling a home, photo of the month, grandparent's album, recipe book, poetry and thoughts, inspiration, business promotion

Scrapbook Materials:

Scissors
Punches
Paper cutters
Glue sticks
Double-stick tape
Pens
Acid-free paper
Laminate
Envelopes
Calligraphy or other stylized writing instruments
Photographs
Optional: alphabet stamp sets, embossing inks and powders, stamps, stickers, computer images

Tips for a themed scrapbook:

Begin with the result in mind. Tell a story with the photos you take, and keep notes and souvenirs to add to the book.

Don't spend much money on the album. Buy plain, inexpensive albums, then dress up the insides and outsides with decorated laminated sheets.

Keep photos in an acid-free file. These become the master photos. Make copies of photos to put in memory books. That way, you can have copies enlarged or reduced so the photos are different sizes.

Copy several photos on one large sheet, and cut them apart to save money rather than copy each photo individually.

Old yellowed letters and papers can be copied so they turn out white.

To make photos look old, photocopy colored photos in black and white, then deckle the edge with scissors or a deckle cutter.

Use acid-free paper, and laminate each page so your album will last a lifetime.

Western Scrapbook

Materials:

Photos
Copies of photos
Denim jeans
Inexpensive acid-free three-ring binder
Flag-patterned fabric
Laminating sheets
Paper punches
Decorative-edged scissors

1. Have photos copied in various sizes. Place several photos on one sheet, and cut the copies apart.

2. Copy the seat of a pair of denim jeans with back pockets for background. Copy the leg of the jeans for a plain denim background.

3. If you want to introduce a Fourth of July theme, so you can copy a piece of flag-patterned fabric.

4. Laminate the copy of the flag fabric, and stick it to the cover of an acid-free three-ring binder with acid-free double-stick tape.

5. Laminate the copy of the denim fabric. Place copies of photos on the background, and decorate with cutouts that fit the theme - in this case, a blue ribbon, star punches and written messages. Cut the edges of the photos with decorative-edged scissors.

Old-Fashioned Scrapbook

Materials:

Black-and-white photos that have been copied
Acid-free black paper
Acid-free pen with white ink
Decorative-edged scissors
Hibiscus-patterned rubber stamp
Acid-free white inkpad
Embossing powder
Heat tool for embossing

1. Cut the edges of copied black-and-white photos with decorative-edged scissors. Stick the photo onto black acid-free paper with acid-free double-stick tape. Outline the photo, following the decorative-edged design, with an acid-free pen that has white ink.

2. Load a hibiscus-patterned rubber stamp with white ink. Stamp the image on the black paper near the photo. Apply embossing powder to the image, and heat to emboss with a heat tool.

A themed scrapbook lets you bring back the emotions of the event or occasion and make it fun to look in the future.

Here are some heritage scrapbook ideas to honor your heritage. Scrapbooking your family heritage is a wonderful way to document for future generations everything you know about your ancestors. When family photographs are available, and are in good enough condition to use, it's fairly simple to use them in scrapbook layouts. However, if photography is hard to come by or non-existant, it's still possible to include the information you have about your family members by thinking creatively. Consider all the different items you have available that can be included in your heritage albums.

Photocopies

Good laser-printed copies of photographs can often be easier to scrapbook than the originals. They can be resized and color-corrected, and some areas of damage can be mended with the right graphics software. Best of all, these copies can often be saved to a disk or CD for later use or sharing among family members.

Documents

Whether you have originals or photocopies, documents can be included in scrapbooks, and are a delightful addition in many cases. Look for:

Birth certificates
Birth announcements
Christening invitations
Graduation announcements
Marriage announcements or certificates
Wedding invitations
Military records
Bible record pages
Newspaper articles
Census records

All of these documents can tell about a portion of your family's history. Combine them in layouts with journalling telling what you know about the particular event. If you are using original documents, be sure you de-acidify them and mount them non-permanently on acid-free papers. Often, it is simpler and safer to use high-quality laser-printed copies.

Memorabilia and Ephemera

Medals
Jewelry
Buttons
Pins
Ticket Stubs
Greeting Cards
Postcards
Maps

Basically, any items that have been passed along in the family, are found in your attic, or even those that have been aquired at thrift and antique stores can be used in your scrapbook layouts. As long as the item helps you tell the story of your family and the times in which they lived, it can be incorporated into your heritage album. If the items are small enough, use them directly on your pages, or incorporate small pockets into your layouts to hold them. If you're not a fan of dimensional pages, put the items on a scanner or photocopier and use those flat images instead. Include any information about the items you've chosen and how they relate to your family members.

Other scrapbook ideas for items to use in heritage layouts include copies of census pages, historical photos from the area in which your family lived and newspaper clippings of historical events. All of these items can be used to give a feeling of the appropriate time period when actual photos of your family are unavailable.
These heritage scrapbook ideas can give your family a peek into their ancestors' lives.

Travel scrapbook ideas. Buy at least one postcard each place you travel (even if it just to a nearby city) and write the date, events of the trip, and who was there. Write quick notes about fun experiences on the trip and then mail it to your home. For long trips try to write yourself a postcard each day.
When you return home put these postcards with your travel photos and memorabilia. Later when you scrapbook the events, not only will you have a great collection of postcards to add to your scrapbook layouts but you will have the details needed to get your journaling done!

I literally, picked up an old shutter at the side of the road and now use it for a photo/memorabilia/reminder board in my scrapbook "area". After salvaging, I sanded, painted and glued strips of thick cardstock to the back and bottom of each slat. This created a hidden ledge to rest a photo, card, or list on. I love it and it is a great conversation starter. (And helps my scrapbook table clutter free when not in use)

If I ever get stumped while scrapping, I sit down with my little boy and a watch a video. It really helps to get the creative juices flowing. Fantasia is nice too. I think it's the combination of classical music and art that helps to inspire me. Scrapbooking really is an art.

Journaling scrapbook ideas. The best way to get past writer's block when journaling is to do what writers do: keep writing. Feel free to jot down drivel on your scrap pad; you have the freedom to write drivel every now and then! The important thing is that by keeping on writing, you will eventually get back on track. You can't write anything good if you're not writing at all!

Cure ho-hum journaling by focussing on action words, a.k.a. verbs. After you've drafted a paragraph, re-read it and replace the blah phrases such as "we went" or "we enjoyed" with more interesting and specific phrases such as "we ambled" or "we giggled." By focussing on strong verbs, you'll infuse your journaling with energy and interest. Verbs rule!

Vacation scrapbook ideas. When my family is on vacation I always mail a post card home addressed to my 3yr. old daughter. I also buy a duplicate post card which I pack away in my luggage. I write about where we went and what my daughter did for fun while on our trip. When we arrive home my daughter has a post card that I put in her scrapbook. I take the duplicate card and have one for the front showing the picture and one with the journaling that has been post marked.

When I go on vacation, I keep a daily journal. At the end of the day, when my husband and son go to sleep, I sit in the hotel room and write myself a letter about our daily excitement. When I get home, my journaling is done! For my last Disney trip, I created my scrapbook pages, numbering each one on a paper punched Mickey head. When the book was completed, I typed up my journaling, referencing the pages showcasing photos on the subject. To "read" my travelogue, you take the journaling booklet, read along, and turn the pages of the scrapbook as indicated. This has enabled me to create the scrapbook without worrying about pulling the correct journaling sections for inclusion on the actual page, and enables me to include journaling without the worry of fitting it on my pages.

Before going on vacation with my husband and boys I purchased three spiral bound notebooks. I gave one to each of the boys and I kept one for myself. We journaled about what we did everyday (what we did, how we liked it, anything of importance about it, etc). This will make it so much easier to scrapbook our vacation and will also allow me to include my sons' (and occasionally husband's) perspective about our trip.
Use these scrapbook ideas if you need a new creative outlet.

Scrapbook ideas to add style with serendipity squares - small collage pieces that can be used on virtually any layout. The variety of colors helps pull out the colors in your photos, and the squares serve as visual "bridges" when you're combining two different-colored photo mats.

I make a full sheet of serendipity squares at a time, mat them, then attach them to layouts as needed. Depending on your personal tastes, you can add as much torn paper or rubber stamping as desired.

Scrapbook Supplies. To create serendipity squares, you'll need: solid-colored cardstock, patterned paper that includes colors from your photos that you want to emphasize, adhesive, archival pigment inks (pinwheel pads and rainbow pads that pull apart work the best), rubber stamps, embossing powder and a tool for heat embossing (optional).

Steps. Once you've got the scrapbook supplies needed, follow these steps:
1 Choose the solid cardstock that will serve as the background for your squares.

2 If you plan to emboss any of your stamped images, stamp randomly on your solid paper with pigment ink. (If you don't plan to emboss your images, skip to Step 8.) Sprinkle the stamped images with embossing powder, then melt it with a tool for heat embossing.

3 Starting with the lightest color of ink, daub randomly onto the paper to make small, irregular shapes of color. This type of application is called "direct-to-paper." Don't worry if you cover an embossed image—the ink will wipe off. Cover 10-20% of the page with your first color.

4 With the next lightest color of ink, use the direct-to-paper technique again, making small irregular, color shapes. Partially overlap your second color of ink over your first to make a third color.

5 Use this scrapbook technique with as many colors as you'd like to add. Work from light to dark and add metallic inks last. Leave some areas of your background paper uncolored.

6 If you embossed, use a tissue to wipe off excess pigment ink from those areas.

7 Blot your paper and set it aside to dry. Give it adequate time to dry to avoid smearing.

8 Select your rubber stamps. Good choices include large background stamps that can cover several squares and small images that can fit easily into a single square. I like to choose 4-5 stamps that fit a theme, plus a large background stamp of script.

9 Using permanent black ink, stamp your larger images randomly on your background paper.

10 Rip your patterned paper into strips that are approximately ½" to 1" wide and 6-8" long. Adhere strips randomly all over your background.

11 Restamp if necessary. With black ink, stamp smaller images in any unfilled space. Don't worry about overall composition of the full sheet, but try to have at least one element (ink, stamp, paper) on every square inch of the paper.

12 Use a paper trimmer to cut your large sheet into uniform-sized squares. I like them in 1¼" or 1½" sizes. You'll end up with dozens of delightfully unique squares.

13 Mat each square onto a metallic- or solid-colored background layer that's ¼" larger than the square.

Want to know one of the best scrapbook ideas you can do with chalk? After stamping images with an untinted or slightly tinted ink pad, use chalk to add color to the images. This gives you great versatility with color and a beautifully soft, pastel look.

To create a 3-D sticker, first find a plastic surface that will let you easily remove the sticker once it's assembled. Select three stickers with the same symmetrical design. Sticky side out, fold the first sticker in half and place it on the plastic surface. Fold the second sticker the same way and align the folded edge with the first sticker. Take the third sticker and place it sticky side down on the folded back halves of the first two stickers. Remove the 3-D sticker from the plastic surface and adhere it to your page. Apply chalk to a stamped image with beautiful results.
Use these scrapbook ideas to enjoy your scrapbook creations.

Here are scrapbook ideas for using paper. Use a tiny amount of clear embossing powder to add dimension to the buttons, stitches, and lace-holes of your paper dolls, and to give life to your dolls' eyes! When adding detail to little paper piecing parts, I use a temporary adhesive to hold the piece to a scrap piece of paper so it doesn't move around, then peel it up and place it where it belongs.

Class pictures scrapbook ideas. Create a fun, interactive layout for your child's class photo by placing it behind the doors of a paper-pieced schoolhouse design.

If you want to have the right color to accent your latest page you can use your computer to print out a swatch of the color you require on any light-colored sheet of cardstock, such as white or ivory. This is perfect for those paper piecing that require only a little piece of a particular color. It works great with vellum, too, and saves you from having to purchase each vellum color. Then you can punch or cut out the shape you need. Another helpful scrapbook idea – use your computer to print out textures, too. I used a wood grain pattern to print out a fence that I used in a backyard paper piecing. I added a little chalk for dimension, and it looked quite realistic.

I have made quilt templates for years and the material sold to make these with is great for making a copy of the pieces. It doesn't fray and you can place it on top of the pattern and trace it and cut it out. Then you have a permanent pattern that can be put in a bag and loaned without worry. I also make a copy of the uncut pattern (just in case). You can also make a copy of the colored finished picture (just in case). It’s a nice scrapbook idea.

When paper piecing, instead of cutting out your pattern pieces two times (once from the original, then transferred on your paper), cut out the original in a chunky square, adhere with glue dots, place the pattern on your cardstock or whatever you are piecing together, and then cut in the details. This eliminates having to detail cut twice and makes the final cut easier because there is an edge to follow instead of a black line.

For quick paper-piecing patterns, check your children's clothing. I scanned one of my baby's shirt designs into the computer, then printed the scan as a pattern. After cutting out each animal in the design, I pieced them together and adhered them to my layout. I included two photos of my baby in the same shirt and added a title to finish the layout. I ended up with a great page without the cost of buying a paper-piecing pattern.

I used to cut up my paper piecing patterns and inevitably lose some pieces. So I started tracing my patterns with my embossing stylus right on to the desired color/pattern of paper. I kept my pattern in one piece and only cut out the finished product. Best of all, I scanned all of my patterns onto my computer, so if they become too ragged, I can just print out another. It's easy and saves time and money.

Inexpensive paper piecing scrapbook ideas. For my son's Birthday, he wanted a Dalmatian themed party. While we were shopping for party supplies, I came across a coloring book full of pictures of dalmatians. I made copies of the pages and transferred the images onto white acid free cardstock. I cut out the images and pasted them onto the Birthday Party pages of my son. It is the perfect accent and cost only pennies.

I had collected so many frame ups and other pre-made diecuts. They are darling to look at, but when it came time to use them, they were never the right color. I finally decided to change that. By using a piece of tracing paper, I paperpiece the wrong color such as the clothes on the frame up friend. I then can color co-ordinate it to match my photos. Titles and other premade embellishments can easily be covered with just the "right" color to match your layout perfectly. In the attached layout, I was able to change the frame up friends pajamas to match the ones in my photo! These ideas help you to develop new scrapbook ideas!

If you are looking for a unique scrapbook ideas consider the next ideas.
Baby scrapbook ideas. I have written down funny things my 5 year old has said or done over the years and collected them in a small notebook. I'm creating a scrapbook of pictures and words from A-Z that describe my son. On one page of a 2 page layout, I have the word & story or quotes. The other page has pictures that support the text.

Vacation scrapbook ideas. This summer my kids are each working on a "What I did on my summer vacation" mini scrapbook. It will be a wonderful momento of what they did over the summer (not just the big events, the everyday stuff too), but it also keeps them busy on rainy days. The bonus for me is that I get some "extra" scrapbooking time and quality time with my kids too!

Wedding scrapbook ideas. I made an album for my girlfriends daughter, who was getting married. We sent a letter to a lot of our married friends, asking them to send a picture of them and their spouse (recent or old) along with a tip on how to stay married. I've gotten a lot of old wedding photos and a recent one and have complied them into a scrapbook for her and her new husband.

I plan on making a scrapbook for my future daughter-in-law for each shower, for example they are having a tool and kitchen gadget shower. So I will take a picture of each guest as they come in and let them sign a scrapbook page with a special wish for the couple or words of wisdom. I plan on having each page marketed off for a place for the picture, message and a place under the picture for the gift that they received. I'm hoping to find a small scrapbook with a slot for the couples picture on the front, but if not of course I'll start their book off with their pic on the first page. Then a picture of the hosting couple, pictures during the party and end up with a group photo with the couple and their gifts. I think they will enjoy it much more than looking back on a wedding album with just a bunch of signatures.

In the search for a "perfect" wedding gift for several friends that got married over the last year, I decided to get creative. I used a 5 x 7 scrapbook and titled it "(couples' names) first year in pictures". I use personal events throughout the year, leaving 1 page for each memory. I decorate each page to match the memory. I have used wedding day, honeymoon, birthdays, Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Valentine's day, St. Patrick's day (and the list goes on, depending on the couple.) This is a very personal gift that is easy for a newlywed or amateur scrapbooker to complete and it’s a good scrapbook idea.

Working in a smaller format album, I am making a 2010 "time capsule" album. It has 6 different chapters - one for each member of our family (favorite items, wishes, etc.), one for the news, one for life in 2010 (groceries, etc.), and one about our family (family rules, pets, family reading, etc.). I'm hoping that this scrapbook will cover a lot of items that would never show up in my regular scrapbook.

Travel scrapbook ideas. One of the things I remembered most ahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifs a child was taking wonderful vacations with my father and he would also pull over by the state sign as we entered into another state so that he could take a picture of us by it. So when I had children, I wanted to keep up this tradition. Each one of my children have a 8x11 album with a page for each state. As we travel during the summer we stop and have the kids get their pictures by the state signs. I then place the picture of the sign and other pictures of the things we did in the state on the states page. I also purchased from the USPS the stamps for each state. I have journaled the information about each state also(state capital, bird, flower, etc.). Now each child will have memories of what they did in each state. Our goal is to have traveled all 50 states before our oldest graduates high school.
A new scrapbook ideas are born or created every day! Just create them!

Here are some ways to come up with new and creative scrapbooking ideas for your next scrapbook.
I size fonts I want to use for titles so they fit inside of a 5/8" circle. I then print the title on cardstock and use my small circle punch to punch each letter out individually. Be sure to leave enough spacing between letters. I put a pop dot underneath each letter, or alternating letters, to make titles for my pages. It really adds a fun dimension.

Scrapbooking ideas about lettering templates. I found that I don't make enough trips to the craft store to buy plastic sheets to make my own lettering templates. I have found that as long as you are willing to trace and cut, you can cut the letters out on cardstock. This way you can make a template whenever you need to.

Next time you find yourself at a die cut machine with a set of alphabet shapes, run a sheet of shrinky-dink plastic through the dies. Not only will you have letters you can shrink in the oven and use on your layouts, you’ll create another lettering template for your collection.

When using cardstock for your lettering, type the title and establish the size on your computer and flip the lettering 90 degrees and mirror the image. Feed the construction paper into your printer then print it out. When you cut it out the ink will be on the back of the letter!

Sometimes when I'm trying to cut out a narrow or thin lettering style with my knife, I have a little trouble keeping the paper down while I cut. Especially when part of the letter is already cut out-the part I'm attempting to cut often slips on the mat from the force of my blade. I found that using scotch removable tape helps! I simply use the tape to tape the letter to my glass mat before cutting, then cut with my knife through both the tape and the paper. The tape removes easily without tearing or damaging the paper and I get a much better cut.

No money scrapbooking ideas. You can download from the web or have someone you know scan lettering templates.
1. Save them to your hard drive
2. Open in Adobe Photoshop.
3. Trim out each letter that you want to use and put in in the hold
4.Open a new page to the size that you want.
5. Pull each letter out of the hold and onto the new page
6 Merge
7. Print out the lettering
You can print it on paper to trace or you can print it right on paper and cut it out.

I recently got a set of alphabet letter punchers that are somewhat small. I found it a tedious task to glue every letter down for a title, so I thought of a substitute for when your fingers aren't up for it. Punch the letters you want in order on a sheet of cardstock to spell the words for your title and then use the cardstock with the letters punched out as your title (read: instead of using the actual letters, use the paper you punched it out of). Save the letters for a when you have more time to individually glue the letters down. Layer the punched out paper on top of another color for a bold effect. It’s a good creative scrapbooking idea.

Instead of drawing pencil lines, I've discovered that by laying down a wide post-it note, I can use it as a quick guide for hand lettering. When I'm done with one line, I just move the post-it note down a little to write the next line. For longer lines, just lay down more than one post-it note side-by-side. It sure saves me time from drawing and erasing pencil lines!
Getting new creative scrapbooking ideas for your next scrapbook pages is easy if you try and think outside of the box.

Related Articles:

A Random Scrapbook Ideas.
Scrapbook Ideas to Add Style to Your Scrapbook.
Organizing Scrapbook Ideas.
Paper Piecing Scrapbook Ideas.
Looking for a New Scrapbook Ideas?

Scrapbooking ideas for lettering. Using Microsoft Word, I type my title and change the font style to outline. When I go to print the title, I choose "iron on transfer" in the properties as my paper type. I then put the cardstock in upside down. By using the iron on transfer feature, the printer prints the title backwards. I then use scissors to cut the image on the back side of the cardstock. This way, the letters (right side up) do not show any outlines or ragged edges and look like they were punched out or bought from the store.

I came up with this idea not long ago as I was trying to find a good way to recycle a used up sheet of sticker letters. Most sticker sheets have a printed outline of the letter left on the sheet after the letter is removed. I cut around the individual sticker outline, then adhered it onto a small piece of laminate sheeting (the kind used for photos or luggage tags). Using a pair of small cuticle scissors, I then cut all around the outside of the letter outline, and VOILA! It's a great scrapbooking idea to re-use something we'd ordinarily toos in the trash. You'll now have gotten twice the bang for your buck! An added bonus is that the laminate is see thru, and when layered over colored or patterned paper, the letters match with the rest of the layout quite nicely!

Cost saving scrapbooking ideas. To save a bit of money from always buying alphabet stickers i go to the stencil department and look for alphabet stencils. I love the look of stickers and my own handwriting but I sometimes want something a bit better so I have found that the stencil section has a nice selection of alphabets. It takes a little more time but I am usually pleased with the result.

I love the look of stamped and embossed titles and lettering, but I don't have many stamps, so I improvise: I type my lettering on the computer and change it to a wide font, then change the format to outline with no fill. After printing I color the letters in with a clear pigment ink marker and emboss immediately. The results are great and turn out looking like they were stamped!

Make custom matching papers that coordinate with the clothing of your photo subject. Simply take a close-up picture of the fabric pattern or a design on your photo subject’s clothing. Make sure only the fabric pattern or design is in the photo. Then once you get your print developed you can cut your title letters or die cut patterns out of your custom made paper that matches perfectly! Play with the custom patterned picture by scanning the picture and playing around with it in a photo editing program. Change the picture's colors, enlarge or reduce the pattern's size, etc. You can also print the patterned picture onto various papers such as vellum, card stock, white paper, etc. for different effects. Your options and scrapbooking ideas are limitless.

I often see a cool font on my computer that I want in my scrapbook. The problem is that if I print it, then I have to reverse it or make sure I cut the black ink off. What I do is print it on vellum, then put glue on the front of the vellum, stick it to the back of the card stock etc. and then look on the vellum side and follow the lines as to where to cut. It's a quick and easy scrapbooking idea.

I print my words on a scrapbooking paper using a nice computer font. Then, word by word, I trace it onto vellum with a heavy flowing, white gel pen and quickly pour embossing powder over it. After each word I sprinkle the excess powder off and at the end, heat set it. Looks great and is much better than my own handwritting, especially if i'm writting a quote on the front of a card.

I love using handcutting letters for my scrapbooking pages, but there aren't enough lettering templates in the world to keep me happy. I use fonts from my computer a lot, but I don't print them backwards on my cardstock. I instead print my title on plain white printer paper. I then use Hermafix glue dots and apply it to the cardstock I want to cut my letters out of. I then cut the paper and cardstock. When I am finished, I tear the white paper off the cardstock and remove the glue dots with a gum eraser from the cardstock letters. It works like a charm every time and gives me a variety of fonts to use for titles!

I hope these scrapbooking ideas gives you the answer to a problem that has been bugging you for ages.

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Scrapbook ideas for special occasions. When visiting an attraction that did not allow photos of the shows I picked up several brochures of the attraction and used them to make a memory page featuring the cropped highlights from the brochure, in a collage with the show tickets. Also, it rained and was cloudy several days when we visited a National Park, so I incorporated postcards and stickers purchased at the park gift shop to highlight the areas where we could not take photos. So, we still have memories...and a record of the trip!

Sometimes when I work with a page, it takes a long time to complete. To protect my photos while moving them around on a page and working with scrapbook embellishments, I cut apart a page protector and slide each photo into a piece of protector. This prevents scratches, smudges, and glitters, etc., from ruining my photos.

Playing with pictures and combination of postcard and photograph are a great scrapbook ideas. In my very first scrapbook I had lots of fun combining pictures that I took in a "panoramic style". I combined 2 halves of a long dinner table to show our entire group at a pizza party, took 3 shots of our large group horseback riding and fitted them together almost seamlessly for a beautiful page. In my very favorite "altered photo" I used a beautiful postcard of the Rocky Mountains as the top half of the picture and cut away the sky in a photo of my family walking away down a winding path. We all look like we're walking off into the mountains. It was the perfect final page of my first scrapbook. I'm rather proud of it.

Scrapbook ideas to use those magnifying marbles. While visiting New York City, I slipped into an upscale card shop to take a look around. I came across a simple yet unique card that featured glass marbles placed over the words "I Love You." The marbles magnified the words underneath so cleverly, I knew I'd have to try the same thing in my scrapbook.
Once I started playing, it wasn't long before I had several layouts that used the glass marbles. I found I could use them over words or flat embellishments (such as stickers) to make them stand out. Marbles also look great as "drops of water" or "rain."
To create this look, you'll need glass marbles with one flat side (available in different sizes and colors at most craft stores in the floral section). You'll also need clear-drying glue.
Here's how to use the marbles:
1 Place a glass marble over the embellishment or word you want to accentuate and trace around it with a pencil.
2 Cut out the embellishment and erase any leftover pencil marks.
3 Apply a small dot of glue to the flat side of the marble. Carefully press it down over the chosen word or embellishment.
4 Mount the finished "marbled" word or embellishment on your layout with mounting adhesive.
Here are some additional tips:
• If you're using marbles to create "drops of water" or "rain," there's no need to trace and cut. Just glue them directly to your page.
• Use glue sparingly. If you use too much, it squishes out from under the marble, resulting in a sticky mess.
• For best results, place the marbles over flat embellishments. If you try to glue a marble over an object with layers (like a punch-art flower), it won't work. The layers will create air bubbles that blur the image.

Scrapbook ideas for pocket page with a view. For an elegant addition to my wedding album, I created a pocket page with a "window" to hold the wedding cards my husband and I received. Using a scrapbook template, I traced a large heart shape onto a 12" x 12" scrapbook page and cut it out (I cut a slit in the center of the heart to make cutting easy). Next, I separated the layers of a 12" x 12" sheet protector and adhered one side to the back of the scrapbook page with photo tape. I added a lacy edge to the heart with a pen and layered flower stickers to add color. Finally, I adhered the finished product to another 12" x 12" scrapbook page. Now I have a lovely way to display my wedding cards. It's great for valentines, too!
Begin to use these scrapbook ideas and you'll find the great opportunities you can come up with for your scrapbook pages.

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Here are a fun scrapbook ideas! Did you know that you can use regular old ordinary shoe polish to give a "too new" scrapbook that elegant "shabby chic" look? It's easy! just take a paste shoe polish and rub it into the cover of a faux leather type album and age that baby. It's a great look to go with all today's shabby chic embellishments!

Being a major "pack-rat" I kept several school papers, notes, report cards, and art work that my son has done in school. Since he will be a senior next year I decided to make a school scrapbook. For each year I chose a piece of art work that he made, scanned the piece and used this a pocket peice to hold a few of those important papers. It has really turned out to be his own personalized scrapbook pages.

When my daughter started Preschool I thought I'd be able to keep and display every single art project she made. Though I love them all, I realized that some of them were just too big! I started displaying them on a door and took photos of my daughter standing next to them and also zoomed in on the really special projects. I've started a Preschool scrapbook and it's turned out to be a great way to showcase those big projects.

Scrapbook ideas for recipe book. 5 ½ x 8 ½ 3-ring albums with sheet protectors make great recipe scrapbooks. Using half sheets of designer paper or cardstock, divide the book into sections using a particular sticker theme on each page, i.e. recipes for appetizers all have a yellow daisy sticker in the top right corner. (Put one also on the table of contents page, so you know which sticker goes with which section!)
Don't use front and back - use separate sheets so that you can slip in a special handwritten note to be handed down from generation to generation, along with a copy of the cash register receipt showing the price of the ingredients when you first made it! This makes a great gift for a new bride, whether daughter or daughter-in-law, and she can make notes on the back of the card on any changes made, etc.
Since it's in a 3-ring binder, it can easily be added to as new favorites are discovered. Also, the first time it is prepared, it can be copied and included on a scrapbook page, then popped right back in the book!

Instead of purchasing an already printed background, recycle things from the event. For example, if it's a recital page, use the program as a background. If it's a vacation, use a brochure as the background. If it's too little for your album, mount it on some cardstock to fit your sleeves. These are a creative and clever scrapbook ideas to recycle items from an event. Good luck and keep your eye opened for more ideas!

Bridal shower guests have long been asked to contribute recipes to the bride. I have used scrapbooking techniques to layout recipes, anecdotes and kitchen tips to create great recipe pages to be added to the Bride's cookbook. Guests could bring the recipes to the shower to decorate while they await the surprised bride or create their own at home and mail the recipe in advance or bring it the party for inclusion. This a great scrapbook idea to build a unique, personal recipe book, make use of spare supplies and create quick simple scrapbook pages. Or an entire scrapbook can be created by a family member as a special gift and great hand-me down.
Consider these scrapbook ideas to spark new ideas or point yourself in a new direction.

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Here are a simple, versatile scrapbook ideas that can make your scrapbook more interesting and great looking.

Scrapbook ideas for your scrapbook pages – “Where are you?”
Cut out faces of family, friends, and even go through a magazine and cut out the faces of your favorite people. Tape or glue the faces side by side to make a collage of faces and then when family and friend come over, see if they can locate themselves!

Scrapbook ideas for using scraps. Like many I have to cut down most of my 12x12 background papers by 1/4 to 1/2 inch so they fit my scrapbook pages. I always keep the strips just in case. I use them from time to time - I'll make a stripe down one side of my backing or several on a photo backer - a plaid pattern if there is enough. My stockpile has grown after so many pages; I'm always trying to think of other ways to use them. I thought it might be cute to weave 2 or 3+ colors together (like a basket) and it was! I took a few strips of colors that matched the layout I was working on and weaved them in and out alternately, from all four sides making about a 2 x 2 square. You have to tape (I just used my mounting slits) the backside of the starting end and it's a good scrapbook idea to put some type of paper weight on that same end while you are working with it. It's a quick and easy addition if you need a little something else. It would be cute for baby scrapbook pages or almost any type family scrapbook page.

I have been bitten by the stamping bug, and have searched high and low for an ink color similar to that of walnut ink...nothing satisfied me so,I bought a blank/dry ink pad poured walnut ink in it and voila! I have walnut ink stamp pad...I can letter stamp with it, Direct to paper with it, age edges with it, just like a regular stamp pad with out the mess of walnut ink every where. The best idea is the easy clean up and the ability to take walnut ink on the go!

Scrapbook ideas for mosaic frame. When making a mosaic frame, start with a scrap piece of paper cut to the size picture you would like to frame. I always cut it a little smaller so the edges of the picture are hidden. Adhere it to the middle of a piece of cardstock with repositionable adhesive. Then run a line of the repositionable adhesive all the way around. This allows you to play with the squares of paper to make them fit. When finished with the inner layer just rub off the adhesive. Then work your way outward making as many rows as desired. When frame is complete, remove the scrap paper and use craft knife or cutter to remove inner section. Then trim cardstock around the outside edge and you have a perfect frame. Any left over squares and cardstock can be used to create embellishments for a two scrapbook page spread.

The longer you scrapbook, the more you find yourself being inspired by anything and everything you see! Ads, billboards, crafts, paintings, you name it! My new favorite place to look for inspiration is linens! Pull out the ads from your Sunday newspaper - there are always five or six stores having sales on bedding and I can usually find at least two or three bedding sets I'll clip out and add to my growing notebook of scrapbook ideas! For everything from color combinations to design elements to complete layout setups, the ideas you can get from bedding are endless! Want a treasure trove? Order catalogs! Lots of stores offer free catalogs and the ones that charge a fee are usually worth it for the extra pages of fun items to look at!

It seems that I never have the right color of cardstock. So if you are like me and can't always run to the local scrapbook store, use a white piece of cardstock and chalk to come up with the perfect color. This works great for matting photos and journaling, lettering and paper piecings. The best idea is that with my 40-piece chalk set, I always have the right color.

Put glue on your finger and spread it inside of a stencil (make sure you push the glue from the outside of the stencil, so the glue won't leak). Then, press tissue on the glue inside the stencil. Let the glue dry, and then tear the excess tissue paper away by using the edge of a paperclip, so you get the right shape. Pull the stencil off and tada!
So, try to turn these scrapbook ideas into design your scrapbook pages.

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Here are a few quick and simple scrapbook ideas for backgrounds you can use on your scrapbook pages.
If you can’t find card stock or paper in the color or texture you’re looking for, check out the art papers at your local craft or art supply store. Some companies make large sheets of acid-free art paper in a variety of colors and textures. I usually find these papers near the framing department or oil canvas aisle. You can cut the paper to produce about four 12x12 sheets and have some left over for matting. If the paper does not fit your paper trimmer and you don't have a steady hand, the store may be able to cut for you.

I have made my daughters Halloween costumes over the last several years and had leftover fabric. When I started scrapbooking, I used the leftover scraps for the background of the Halloween pictures. I even used the trim from their princess dresses to "frame" the page edges one year. Not spooky but a great idea to use the leftover fabric!

Want to create a unique, batik-style scrapbook page embellishment? I've got a fun stamping solution for this scrapbook idea! You'll need:

• White or light-colored mulberry paper
• A simple, bold stamp (at least partially solid)
• Clear embossing powder
• Clear embossing ink
• Watercolor paint in two complementary colors.
• A medium-sized art paintbrush
• A spray bottle filled with water

Follow these simple steps:

1 Tear the edges of the mulberry paper to the desired size. I used an 8-1/2" x 11" sheet.

2 Randomly stamp 2-3 images with clear embossing ink on the mulberry paper. Sprinkle the images with clear embossing powder, then melt the powder with a heat-embossing tool. Continue until you've stamped the full sheet to your liking. It's best not to overcrowd the paper with images (you want the watercolors' batik look to show up well).

3 After you've embossed the stamped images, place a few drops of each watercolor into the well of your paint palette (you can also use a paper cup or an empty margarine tub).

4 Lightly spray the stamped page with water. Dip the paintbrush in one of the colors, then touch the tip to the paper at an edge. The water on the paper will pick up the pigment, and it will bleed out from where the paint was applied. The more paint on the brush, the larger the area it will spread to. If the paint doesn't spread well, add a small amount of water to the area with a spray bottle.

5 Clean the paintbrush and dip it in the second color. Add the new color to your paper. Alternate the colors, varying the size and shape of the "splotches."

6 Allow the paper to dry thoroughly before using it on your layout. A bright- or light-colored background behind the mulberry paper will let the clear embossed images show through. Because the paints will become somewhat dark (more or less depending on the colors used), a dark background won't emphasize the stamped images and batik pattern as nicely.
Create a beautiful look with mulberry paper, ink and clear embossing powder. It’s a great scrapbook idea!

If you are like me, choosing color schemes for boy scrapbook pages can be very challenging. It seems like I was using the same old color over and over again until I was given some amazing advice from my very talented sister. She said that when trying to decide what colors ideas to use for boy pages, think of NFL, NBA and other professional sport teams' color schemes. The results are very masculine scrapbook pages that are always pleasing to the eye. I hope these scrapbook ideas will inspire you.

You can scrapbook if you have good ideas for scrapbooks! Here are some of them! I used some of the faux greenery from my friend's wedding to embellish a page I did for her wedding album. (Make sure you ask first!!) I used a white glue to attach them to my page - glue sticks and other adhesives that work great for paper are just to light-weight for this, mostly because of the texture of the product.

Have you ever gotten to the end of an event, only to realize you forgot to take photos? Just go back and take photos of the last crumbs of cake, the crumpled wrapping paper, an invitation, etc. You can also include journaling about who came, what happened, what the guest of honor had to say, etc.

It is hard finding time to keep up with my scrapping, let alone make pages for the grandparents. As a photo nut who has framed pictures of family all over my house, I now make a special page and frame it. Scrapbook idea is using an 11x14 frame, I use 2 pieces of 8 1/2 x 11 paper and scrap away. This last Christmas, I made a heritage scrapbook page for my father and he not only loves it, but has it proudly displayed on the wall, where he can see it everyday, rather than in a book. It has proved to be a gift worth cherishing.

Our family hosted a surprise party for my Grandma's 65th birthday. As my gift, I put together a 12X12 scrapbook.
2 months before the party, I copied the names and addresses of everyone in my Grandma's address book while she was out of the house. I also jotted down family members, etc.
I sent all these people a note with "THIS IS A SURPRISE-PLEASE DON'T TELL" across the top and bottom, asking them to send their cards to me, preferably with a photo and a story or note about a fun memory/comment about my Grandma.
Every day I'd get notes in the mail, put them in a file, and decide which ones could face each other. If necessary, I color copied the interior of a birthday card (with a message from the sender) and used that on the page so we could see the inside and outside at the same time. The scrapbooking style and ideas for scrapbooks just depended on what the cards and photos look like.
At the party, I set out a decorated lined page for guests to sign in. We also took photos, which I scrapbooked after the party and placed in the album. Also, I included a page detailing what each family member had done to make the party happen.
Gram loves the album. And a fringe benefit was that I got to know Grandma even better, through her friends and her friends were excited about the album since they had all participated in its creation!!! This scrapbook will be a keepsake forever.

As a wedding present for my girlfriend’s second marriage, I made a scrapbook of her and her fiancé and their time together. I began with "baby picture" pages of them and then added all of their first moments together these past five years. This included trips, cruises, weddings, graduations, birthdays and other scrapbook ideas.
She helped me with the information so I was able to journal quite a bit. They could not be happier with it, in fact, it is sitting on their new coffee table. It's nice when people appreciate all of the long hours it takes to put a scrapbook together.
So you get ideas for scrapbooks on how to make your own scrapbook.

Look at these scrapbook ideas and customize them to your own needs.
Before my now-husband and I were dating, he had given me a beautiful photo album, just as a surprise little gift for me. When we got married three years later, I decided to turn the album into a record of our marriage, one anniversary at a time. On the front page, I put a picture of us on our wedding day. I included just a few basic scrapbook journaling elements - favorite memories, etc. Then on our one-year anniversary, we took another picture and put it on the second page. This year will be our second anniversary, so we'll fill in the third page, and so on... By the time the album's 40 pages are filled up, we'll have a wonderful progressive journal of our marriage!

I wanted to make something special for my father's 60th birthday so I came up with the scrapbook idea to make a "60 Reasons We Love You" scrapbook for him. The pages included anything from "attending our dance recitals" to "because you have cute kids."

For all of those special photos of your birthday party guests or misc photos, cut to shape slightly smaller than balloon die cuts (or homemade balloon shapes) and mount on colored/designed papers. Arrange your balloon "bouquet" on a 1 or 2 page spread. Use a hole punch or grommets and attach string/ribbon to use as the string on a balloon. Tie with string/ribbon to hold your bouquet together. You can use coordinating pen colors for your journaling to relate to the background paper of your balloon photo. Imagine the possibilities - children's parties, surprise parties for adults, baby showers, bridal showers, family picnics, etc.

After my daughter's 2nd birthday, before I even began to scrap the pages, I made a pocket page and put her birthday cards in it. I traced her hand and placed it to hold up "2" fingers and put the cards in. She loves to look at them in the protector.

I have a scrapbook done for all of my daughter's birthdays using the birthday cards she receives from her friends and relatives. For instance on her 3rd birthday, I cut out all the rhymes and #3's and pasted them on my craft page. I also used some of the cards as photo frames. It's great and inexpensive scrapbook ideas and when people come over and see her birthday pictures in the scrapbook they are happy to see their cards put to good use.

Since I usually have many notes, cards, and special remembrances from holidays I usually make a "pocket" page to put these things in. Since I had just done a couple of pockets I was looking for something different to finish off my Christmas layout. I remembered purchasing a Christmas calendar. I liked the design and hoped to use it somehow in my scrapbooking. I punched holes in the end so it would fit in my album, printed "Christmas memories" on the open end and put all my cards and letters I wanted to keep inside. It has a slit closure so nothing falls out. It’s a beautiful ending to my album for 2010.

When my daughter was born, I packed cardstock to take to the hospital with me. The nurses were more than happy to put her footprints on cardstock for me and were willing to do several sheets for me.

When my daughter was born I had no time to stamp out birth announcements, nor did I have a bunch of money to special order any. I went straight to my computer and loaded her baby picture, printed it out onto vellum and printed out all the info on paper. I then cut cardstock 8 1/2"x11" into quarters (4's) and layered, first the words on paper, then the photo on vellum and then hole punched and threaded through some ribbon. Great keepsake and easy to do!
Use these scrapbook ideas to easily create an amazing scrapbook pages.

Here are journaling scrapbook ideas about annual cheat sheet. We all have good intentions of writing the who/what/when information on the back of all pictures. But when it comes to "what year was this picture taken, what age was this child at that time and what grade was he in" I can go crazy sometimes. Therefore, I have created for myself my own laminated "Annual Cheat Sheet". Mothers don't usually forget the WHO question but after a few kids and a few years we don't have “total recall” on the WHEN question. In the first column I list the years. The 2nd column is child #1 and his age and grade. The 3rd column is child #3 and his age and grade etc. In theory, if I have any one of those pieces of information I can go to my 'cheat sheet' and conclude, for example, that in, “2010, Suzie was 7 years old in 3rd grade, and her sister was 10 in the 7th grade.” I've discovered, however, if I don't have one of those pieces of information then I'm beyond help!

Here's an easy scrapbook idea to add journaling to your scrapbook pages. After you've planned your layout and are ready to start journaling, just imagine that someone is looking over your shoulder and asking what the pictures are all about. Then simply write down what you would tell them! I put blank, lined pages at the back of each completed scrapbook. When I'm leafing through an album and remember a detail or story that didn't get journaled, I write the information in. I also journal pages describing momentous occasions, e.g. my children's births, and special things about their childhoods, and include them in the album.

To make birthday memories stay alive, I have the guests sign the "birthday page" with a saying or just their signature. It has been wonderful for the kids to go back and see what grandma or their cousins had to say. It's especially special to have a lasting momentum of family members who have passed. I always put a picture of my child on their birthday in the middle! It’s a great scrapbook idea!

I am working on an ongoing scrapbook for my 17 month old son. After his first year, I went from journaling milestones to a calendar page for each month. I have recently found that by placing a blank calendar on my nightstand that I can quickly jot down notes regarding his accomplishments or special things that we did for the day. By keeping it by the bed, I never forget to make a quick note that I can transfer later to his scrapbook.

What to do with those endless class pictures your kids bring home every year? Sit down with your children, and have them say or write one sentence about every student, and teacher, in their class. Organize the list in the same order as the students are in the photo, then create a layout with the class photo and the list.

I love to jazz up my pages with unique journaling scrapbook ideas. When I created a page of my daughter enjoying her kiddie car one spring day, I created my own "driver's license" using my computer to capture the details. Journaling doesn't have to be limited to ordinary sentences. With a little creativity, you can adorn your scrapbook pages with a variety of new looks while presenting the important details in a fun way.

I do all the scrapping and journaling in my daughter's scrapbook. In order to add some of Daddy's feelings to her book, I began to print out the emails he sends to his mom and add them to her scrapbook. He writes her often and always writes about the baby. This is nice because he has no pressure to take out the gel pens and write "on the spot" but he is happy he can add his feelings to our daughter's scrapbook.

Often, I want to use a computer font on a small tag or journaling block that has already been cut. While many others change the settings on their computers to do this, I choose the easy way. I simply create a text box that is a little smaller than the item I wish to print on. I type my journaling up using MS Word. After making sure that the text box lines are turned off, I print the journaling on a regular piece of paper. Then, I adhere my tag over the printing with repositionable tape. I run the paper through the printer again, and voila! The tag come out printed very neatly without a whole lot of fiddling with the computer settings.
I hope these journaling scrapbook ideas will help you to spark your imagination!

Here are some photo scrapbook ideas. I love to take pictures of my kids when they're sleeping. Regardless of the mischief they've gotten into during the day, that look of innocence returns to their faces when they're asleep. I discovered that grouping these photos on a layout is a terrific way to finish off my scrapbooks without having to say "the end." Now I use a "sleeping" layout to finish each of my albums!

I have a lot of scenic panoramic photos from our vacation that I do not want to cut, so I have been using them as a border. They are the same shape as the pre-made photo borders at stores but are cheaper and they always go with the theme of the page. It is a great idea to use them in the scrapbook!

For a fun addition to your scrapbook page, print smaller versions of your focal picture directly on to the background page. In the layout that I have included, I reduced the size of the original picture and changed the photo to black and white. I then opened a blank document in Word and placed the pictures where I wanted them on the page. Just a fun idea to add focus to the subject of your layout!

When taking pictures, I usually like to zoom in close so the image takes up most of the frame. However, for scrapbooking purposes I've found that taking some pictures without zooming too much gives me smaller pictures that are great scrapbook ideas for tags, borders, or other small spaces.

Don't worry if you didn't get photos of a particular event or if your photos turned out awful. (ie can't be fixed by clever cropping, totally washed out or in the dark, etc.) Instead, use the opportunity to develop your creative lettering and paper-piecing skills to record your memories.

When having events such as kid's birthday, Christmas, or other special occasion, remember to take pictures of everyone there. You will be happy you have these in the future. Such as grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. These people may not always be with you, so take the time now to snap some shots and scrapbook them.

When I began gathering photos for my scrapbook, I found several old shots with people I didn't recognize. In most cases, I had only the original photo and needed assistance from relatives to identify missing names. To help, I scanned the photos into my computer and e-mailed them to family members. They helped me identify the photos' subjects and even contributed interesting stories for journaling. If the person you're seeking information from doesn't have a computer or e-mail, send him or her a printed copy of the scanned photo with a self-addressed, stamped envelope. The person can write the names and stories on the page and drop it in the mail.

Ask your photo processor if they offer the option of a white border around your photos. It's one less layer of paper on your layout, free with processing, and if you don't want it on a specific photo, you can just trim it off!

I often take pictures of 'things' like a section of the stone wall of the Alamo, the layers of dirt from where our pool was dug or the sky the day we went to the beach. I scan them, enlarge them, crop them and use them just as like a background for scrapbooking page. Much less expensive and much more personal.

How do you scrapbook one-of-a-kind or once-in-a-lifetime photos that are of poor quality? One tip -- I put too-dark photos from my honeymoon onto dark paper, and it made the photos look lighter and brighter. I also cut tropical fish out of underwater photos that were mostly green, and they looked much better. (And learned how to shoot better underwater photos!)
So use these scrapbook ideas to save your precious memories.

The one of a great scrapbook ideas is to create a mini scrapbooks. Whenever I have leftover reprints of photos of my children, I use them to create gifts for family and friends. Last Christmas I gave my kids' grandparents 4" x 6" albums. When I get reprints, I just create mini scrapbook pages and send them off to Grandma and Grandpa. I also create smaller pages that fit inside acrylic frames. I simply attach a magnet to the back of the frame for a special keepsake to display on a refrigerator.

Trace around your daughter's hands and cut them out of flesh colored paper adding rings,etc.if normally worn.Place them at bottom of a two page spread. Pick a polish shade of metallic paper and cut and paste"fingernails" on her hands. Next take photos of her getting her nails done and the finished outcome as well.I also chose to use photos of mine in the bubble bath and after all dressed up. Across the top of the 2 pages I used the same metallic paper and cut out of templates the title "one polished little lady". I used more metallic paper to matte some of the photos and glitter stickers in nail polish and make-up themes to embellish and finish the page.Not only is it a reminder of how small her hands were at the time but it describes my little one to a tee!

When you have "scrapers block" don't forget to look back in your own albums for inspiration. The pages that you've meticulously created yourself "ages ago" can be just enough to jump start your productivity and remind you that your own work is good too.

I find myself getting into ruts with my scrapbooking and I notice that I rarely scrapbook myself. Sometimes this is unavoidable as I don't take pictures of myself. However, I am finding that it is good to scrap without pictures. One page I am doing is using the new metal plates designs. I am taking the one lighthouse on it and using it as a beacon. Then taking a page out of dictionary for the word "BEACON" highlighting the definition, while also making that page look older (soaked in tea). Then scrapping and journaling items that are beacons in my life. This makes me realize that I am just as important in my scrapbooks as everyone else.

My best friend Pam was turning 40 this year and I just couldn't figure out what to give her for her 40th birthday. We have been best friends for over 20 years but for whatever reason, we don't have that many pictures of us together. So I decided to do the "40 reasons Pam is my best friend". It was so fun to come up with the reasons both serious and lighthearted. Her comment upon reading the entire album (through a few tears) was that it truly captured our years of friendship. She also said it was one of the best gifts she had ever received.

A great scrapbook ideas that will personalize your child's scrapbook are to write them a letter every year on their birthday. Include memories, favorite stories and accomplishments from the past year and how they made you feel. Thishttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif way you won't forget those little special things over a long period of time. Include these letters in your scrapbook and give a very special gift to your child!

Movie scrapbooking ideas: We rarely see movies, but our family knew the Tolkien story “Lord of the Rings” backwards and forwards since we had read it together. When the movie came out we ended up seeing it 6 times in the theater. Since this was such a fun thing for us I wanted to do a page in my scrapbook but all I had were ticket stubs and memories. Finally I used my daughters book and made colored copies of some of our favorite characters. Along with my ticket stubs and some journaling I ended up with a two page layout. You can try to use these scrapbook ideas too!