Preschool Album

My approach to School Albums is to keep it simple. I do about 2 pages (4 sides) per school year and include:

my favorite photos
a self-portrait
a handwriting sample (preferably how they write their name)
and important stuff like their favorite subject, school and teacher name, and favorite friends

I chose this 12x12 Max Album for the Prince's School Album. It has giant sleeves inside. 

I add photos and memorabilia to a 12x12 piece of scrapbook paper, then I just slide the whole page into one of the page sleeves.

 

Yes, it's hard at first when I have more pictures than will fit, but after some serious weeding of photos, I only select my favorites. This way it's more of an overview, highlights, of each school year. And it also ensures that I can fit Preschool through 5th grade all into one album.

If you are sitting on mounds of memorabilia and piles of school photos and you think my method won't work because it doesn't include EVERYTHING....just ask yourself, "Would you rather be Classic and Complete or Fancy and Far Behind?"  If you would rather have completed albums, then maybe this method will work for you. 

What do I do with all the stuff too good to toss but too much for the scrapbook? I put it in a file box -- one for each kid. For the future bon fire we will have at their graduation most likely...but you never know. We may just be glad we saved those macaroni necklaces and illustrated charts of the human brain.

Wow Sale! It's that good!

I found a great deal on Creative Memories top products. For two weeks only they are having a 40% off sale!  Check it out here!


Happy Scrappin',
:DL

Creative Memories Original Size Pages are BACK!

Due to Popular Demand....Original Size Pages and Page Protectors are BACK!

Special prices June 1 - July 15, 2010

Original 12x12 Scrapbook Pages..............$20.

Original 12x12 Page Protectors................$10.

Original 7x7 Scrapbook Pages..................$13.

Original 7x7 Page Protectors................$6.50

(After JULY 15, prices will increase to $23, $11.50, $15, $7.50)

Sooo if you have original size albums (from a few years ago) that still need some pages and or page protectors, you will be happy with this news!!

Many customers still have not heard this announcement and missed out on the final run of Original sizes. Sooo due to popular demand, Creative Memories is bringing this size back while supplies are in demand (and they are!!)  There are still lots of people who need to complete their covers they have at home OR get page protectors on their old albums.

PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIENDS!!!!! I love referals and people need to know about this! I have a thank you gift for everyone who refers new customers to me!! :)

PLEASE NOTE: We changed the album sizes to True 12x12 and 8x8 so if you are looking for new ablums, you will be fine. You can order True sizes and not worry about the Retired "Original" sizes. Please contact me with any questions. :DL

Memorial Day Page

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