scrapbooking collage pages

If you are tired of seeing page layouts with only one photo per page, you will probably like these ideas for maximizing your photos per page-spread.

The above page features 4 photos on top, 1 photo on bottom with a 12"x2" strip of patterened paper going across the page and underneath the photo. 

This page spread uses no photo mounting paper, just trim the photos to fit side-by-side with no borders showing.  Leave space on right-hand side of page layout for journaling the event or story.  The pages I used are Natural Scrapbook pages, I prefer these over stark White.

Here are some close-ups:

Ohh...you wanted a close-up of the muffins?  Sorry 'bout that...

Yes, there were 4 muffins when I started my Coffee Crop today. Many of you regulars know I also serve Frappuchino's - yum! 

Back to scrappin'.....here is an idea for a photo collage using whole sheets of 12-inch patterned paper behind your photos:

 

On this page spread I picked our favorite photo and enlarged it to 5x7. You may have noticed the 5x7 photo I used says "4th of July" directly on it. You can do this digitally using Storybook Creator Plus software before you print your photo, or you can use a title sticker to do this.

I just used a title sticker:

You can do this! Remember....Simple and Done is better than Fancy and Far-Behind!

Happy Scrappin',

:DL

butterflies, dragonflies, oh my!

If you want to add a bit of whimsy to your cards, scrapbook pages and more, check out this new Butterfly Pocket Punch. It locks shut for easy storage, is easy to punch, and makes a cute gift. After you punch out the butterflies I recommend folding their wings up to give them the appearance of flight.

This new punch is just $12 plus shipping. We also have the new Dragonfly Pocket Punch that just arrived!  You can view or order them here.

scrapbooking a sports album

cheer season has come to an end. it's now time to memorialize the season by finishing the sports album scrapbook. if you're like me, you've started this album at the beginning of the season and tried to keep it going. if you're not like me, you are hating me right now. and that's ok. because i'm going to show you how to do a sports album SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL. (or SIMPLY STUNNING if you're doing you know, football pictures or something studly like that).

Donna Lyn's Sports Album Tips:

#1. you do not need to use all of your photos. in fact, please do not use all of your photos. i rarely even take photos at sporting events anymore not because it's so hard to get a decent shot from 20 feet away in a dark auditorium but because i want to watch the event, not take pictures of it.

#2. usually sporting events have a professional photographer. purchase 1-2 of your favorite shots from each event. they will look amazing in your album:

(yes, i own the copyright to this picture do NOT copy or steal or you will be sent to the Island of Perpetual Tickling). 

(don't steal that island name either - it's from Veggie Tales!)

#3. choose a color theme for your album. purchase cardstock in your team colors to enhance your photos and unify the pages throughout your album.

#4. using black pages really helps your photos to pop off the page. You don't have to use photo mounting paper behind each photo if you prefer not to. Instead just add a strip of color to the top of the page:

#5. Include ticket stubs or any other memorabilia you may have collected over the season directly onto the album pages.  If you have an empty spot, you can use a filler such a paper flowers or stickers to enhance the page.

#6.  Use a metallic pen to 'anchor' your embellishments and of course to tell the story. You can also include emails from the coach or your own child's writing to enhance the album. Don't like your hand writing? Cut and paste from schedules and programs instead. Include a letter at the end of the album to express your pride and encouragement to your sports star.

#7. Cover the pages with Page Protectors and enjoy for years and years and years to come!

scrapping the daily

my friend recently encouraged me to take photos for one week of the daily, mundane, routine stuff that I normally wouldn't scrapbook.  'a week in the life' photos. while it can seem like a daunting task it was actually quite fun to carry my camera around for a week and record images from 2010 of a busy mom of four trying to survive in suburbia.

here's just a random selection:

yes, that is the inside of my fridge!

hair straightening is all the rage in 2010 and something I frequently do for Blondie while she is eating her breakfast.

doing laundry for My Hero

grande nonfat no whip cinnamon dolce latte

yes!! i know!! woot woot!

i haven't seen this movie yet but random ads can say a lot about this time capsule experiment.

so when you're out and about taking pictures this week remember to shoot a few of the everyday stuff you may not scrapbook but will enjoy looking at 50 years from now.

Happy Scrappin,
:DL

celebrating with the everyday display board

One of my favorite spots in my house is my Everyday Display Board which I have hanging in between our Family Room and Kitchen. This gets updated frequently and because it's magnetic, it's a cinch to do.


First you start with background paper...a large sheet of 12x12 paper works fine. Then add memorabilia and photos.

Smaller memorabilia or photos can be hung from the ribbon using mini clothespins (included).

Here are some examples of other ways I've decorated our Everyday Display Board:


Summer




Fall






Valentine's Day




Vacation

This product is no longer available through Creative Memories. Sometimes I am able to track down retired product(s) from my network of CM Advisors. I hope you enjoy these ideas and maybe you can even DIY your own display frame! 

Happy Scrappin'
DL

Turn off your Flash

I've been experimenting with TURNING OFF my flash this week. Part of my 2010 challenge to myself is to get out of the Auto Zone on my camera. Flash photography just blows out your image. Try turning off your flash and see what results you get.

This is Cheerleading makeup with flash:

and here is Cheer makeup without flash:

isn't that beautiful? it's what your eye sees in real life.

here is the Prince in his room with flash:

the flash blasts him with light so everything behind him is left in darkness.

here is the same room, same time, but turning my flash off:

isn't that an amazing difference? turning off the flash allowed the photo to be bathed in light from the window.

turning off the flash also allows you to sneak up on your subjects and get more candid shots like these - catching the Prince engrossed in a pile of books.

simple pages completed albums

I've been scrapbooking today! Here is a simple page layout that I wanted to share with you:

Last weekend was my dad's memorial. Afterwards we went to my step-mom's house and she got all of her Creative Memories albums out. We poured over them and you know what? There was not a single piece of colored paper or stickers on any page. Just photos and writing. And it was WONDERFUL. These were precious memories that we could share and enjoy and not a box of photos to wonder about. So don’t worry about getting it ‘right’ just get it ‘done.’ You will be so glad you did.

If you want a bit of decoration on your pages, here is what I did:

First I stuck all my cropped photos down...scrunching them about 1/4" apart allowing room for a title and photojournaling on the page.

Next, cut two 1-inch strips of paper to mount to both edges of the layout:

Add a title sticker:

I used a brown pen to add some dots...that kind of anchors your sticker to the page so it's not just floating in space.

I often use pre-cut squares of lined acid-free paper for journaling 'the story.' After writing, adhere some Tape Runner to the back, then mount on coordinating colored paper. Use trimmer to crop.

Stick journaling box on and voila! DONE!

This year I would rather be simple and DONE....than fancy and far-behind. If you feel the same way, then please keep checking back for more simple page layouts.

Happy Scrappin',

:DL

Power Layouts Step Three

We ended Power Layouts Step Two with our pages (guides) looking like this:




I blogged that post awhile ago (blogged that post? or posted that blog?) so I'm assuming you stacked these neatly back into your Power Layouts Box and they are not still covering your dining room table. Now it's time to get those pages out of the Box and into your Album!


says one procrastinator to another... :)

Set your album and/or empty refill pages in front of you. Transfer everything that is on your first 'guide' onto your first scrapbook page. Using photo mounting adhesive, mount everything down onto the page.


Stack the empty guide somewhere for later use (you can see I just tuck the empty guides into the lid of the Power Sort Box as I go along).



Lather, rinse, repeat.


It helps if you go away somewhere like a Beach Retreat...

I am bleary eyed yet smiling because I completed 70 pages using Power Layouts and a weekend Beach Retreat! But you don't have to go away to get Step Three completed. Really. All the work (layout, cropping, enhancing) is done and it's just a no-brainer-stick-the-stuff-down-onto-your-album-pages step. Do a page at a time or do the whole entire box (like me, I'm a crazy-person).

I can't wait to hear how your Power Layouts project is going!! Once you complete an entire album in just a few evenings, you will be hooked! This is the perfect solution for those of you who are far, far behind.

Happy Scrappin',
:DL

December Daily project finish line

When I started my very first December Daily album I had no idea that my kids would take such an active part in the daily journaling and documenting.

I also had no idea that December would include my dad suffering a stroke and passing away 3 days before Christmas. I had no idea that I would be gone and leave my December Daily album behind expecting several pages to be empty when I returned. What a surprise to see that my beautiful children had delved into the basket of journaling boxes while I was away and filled the empty pages with notes, scribbles, drawings, thoughts and prayers...

the bottom entry on this day says, "Opa's doing worse! Everyone is sad. :("

i flew down to sunny southern california to be with my dad before he passed away. it was hard for me to even process that it was Christmas. when my eldest daughter called me on my cell phone and asked where i put the cookie cutters, it took me a bit by surprise -- why does she need cookie cutters?....oh yah, it's Christmas...

the girls used a picture from the Gingerbread House Kit box for this page.

i didn't take any photos from the stroke unit.....just memories....

but i will include these photos in our december daily album - photos of my 3 girls and a prince holding down the fort while i was gone:

december daily album project...finish line. time to print a few more pictures, add them to the book and close this until next year. How will our hearts feel when we unpack this album next December? will my heart still be breaking in memory of my father? will i have had some healing? will our lives be radically different? will we hold ourselves together through the bonding of sugar cookie cut outs, frosting, and joy? what surprises jumped out of your December Daily album this December? i would love to hear - we are on this scrapbooking journey together.