Family and friends seem to love 'themed' layouts. One of their favorites is the page that I had titled with sticker letters: THE APPLE OF MY EYE. I wove a basket out of acid free paper strips (I used brown and beige with some horizontal strips of deep red and green for color). I used the weave we learned in grade school. The woven basket giveees awesome depth to the page. I then used an apple template and deep red paper to make apples. I placed the apples "in" the basket and had some tumbling out of the basket. I placed pictures of my children in the apples (same shape as the apple). You need to leave some apples without pictures to get a better effect. I topped the apples with brown stems and green leaves on each. I also put a strip of grass on the bottom of the page which the basket rested on. S. Unietis | |||||
My youngest son started kindergarten this year. I fixed a two page layout of some photos from the first day. I used primary colors for corners and frames and used stamps to frame some of the photos and used Suzi Zoo school stickers. But the part that I love most about my colorful page was that I had my son write his name, the abc's and 1-10, his school lunch number, his group color and I wrote his teachers names. I was able to capture the info with his handwriting which will be priceless! If they cannot write going into kindergarten, you can always do that as a school's out page." Lisa Hendren | |||||
A fun page idea for preserving a young child's artwork is to color copy and reduce their artwork on a copy machine or scanner. Once the artwork is reduced to the desired size, you can make a collage design or "frame" a page in the scrapbook that includes photos of the child actually working on an art project. Paula Jo Green | |||||
One fun way to track how your kids have grown over the school year is to outline their hands at the beginning of the school year and then include some art, or writing that represents what they're capable of doing at that time. When the school year is over, trace their hands again and include some more handiwork for comparison. You'll be amazed at how much your kids have grown and learned in just 9 months or so! John and Carrie - Cut'N'Fun | |||||
I have one year old twins and I find that I am always looking for new paper to use for each of their separate photo albums. I dress them in like outfits but opposite colors. So for a great background page, I color copy their baby outfits onto acid-free paper. Then use that page along with the pictures that show them in that particular outfit. I did this with their preemie outfits and then used the photos to show them in that dress. It turned out so cute! Luanna Eakin - Anchorage, AK | |||||
Now that my little boy is 3 going on 4, my best source of background paper is his 'artwork.' At least once a week he comes home from daycare with a scribbled marker picture or a 'Do-a-dot' picture that is colorful and fun to look at. I color copy them, making at least 2 copies to cover my 12 x 12 pages. They really spark the page with color, and allow me to save some his work along with his photos. [Remember to always copy on to acid-free paper! - J & C] Robin Killoran - Westbend, WI | |||||
I came up with an idea for using the very small photos you receive in portrait packages--use them to make a border around your page! Believe me, you get more than enough to complete a 12 x 12 page! Kelli Richardson - Virginia Beach, VA | |||||
My daughter is 13 months old. From time to time (for example, at 3,6,9, 12 months) I like to draw around her hand(s) while she is napping and cut out her handprints to include with some pictures from the same time frame in her scrapbook. It is fun to see how she is growing by how her hand prints are progressively getting bigger. Also, it will be a great way for me to remember how little she was someday when she is all grown up! Nikki R. Probert - Belton, MO | |||||
For great baby gifts (or any other gift) give a scrapbook with pages that you have created with different borders. All recipient has to do is add pictures and journaling. Examples include a baby book starting with birth and a page for each holiday, special event, and season thru the child’s first birthday. Joyce Wagner - South Haven, MI | |||||
I made an ABC book for my three year old and my 5 year old was very jealous. Since he already had his ABCs down pat I made him a Phonics book. It is because there are so many blend sound like th, tr, ch, etc. so that way his was personal and something that helped him start to read. Cheryl Fairfield - Crestwood, KY | |||||
For a really unique page, try having your child draw a picture & photocopy it. Finish by adding a picture of the child holding the picture. Jennifer Coccetti - Colchester, VT | |||||
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