Scrapbooking Ideas for the Holidays

Happy holidays all! This holiday season provides perfect opportunities for memorable scrapbooks. Some supplies to look at are shown below. Take the time to make a scrapbook to have to look back at your memories of the 2008 holiday season.

Christmas & Hanukkah Scrapbooks - A Time To Remember

If you like clear scrapbook albums, here is Clear Scraps' Christmas Stocking Album.

Clear Christmas Stocking Album

This 12" x 12" Hanukkah paper from EK is so great (and can be bought by the sheet or in bulk):

EK Paper - Holiday Hanukkah Expressions

How about a pre-designed album to make one really quick? This Making Memories Pre-Designed 8" x 8" Album Kit is all ready for you Christmas photos and memories.

Making Memories Pre-Designed Album Kit

Here is a nice Christmas or Holiday stripes 12" x 12" paper design:

American Crafts Christmas Collection - Stripes

Paper with a patterned design that I like - This delicate pattern is really nice:

American Crafts Christmas Collection - Treetops Glisten

These are just a few selections for a holiday or Christmas scrapbook, but many more beautiful paper, albums and other scrapbooking supplies, such as tools and bulk paper are at My Art and Craft Supplies. If you search for a specific product, it will make it easier to find there.

Happy Holidays and Have a Happy New Year in 2009!

Boo - Halloween Scrapbook Time!

Today I saw Halloween decorations in neighbor’s yards. And I’m reminded that even though this is a busy time of year, it’s time to get ready to make a Halloween scrapbook.

Lots of people love this time of year and tell me that Halloween is their favorite holiday. Halloween, as a theme, is rich in imagery and makes a good subject for interesting page layouts and adding the photos of kids in costumes lends another layer of interest to a scrapbook.

So, it’s time to get the costumes ready, and check your scrapbooks, paper, and other supplies to do some scrapbooking with Halloween themes, pumpkins, witches and spiderwebs.

Show above is the Masterpiece Stemma Carved Pumkins scrapbook paper - a cool design! (available in single sheets or in bulk packs)

Or for contrast, you could use some solid orange paper - and save buy buying it in bulk, like this Paper Accents pumpkin orange paper:

For more freaky Halloween fun, look at the Bo Bunny papers - they are really fun! (Shown below are a mummy design on 12 x 12 scrapbook paper and the green one is called "witches' brew")

Spookier still are these Cosmo Cricket double-sided scrapbook papers: on the left is Haunted Halloween - Eerie, and on the right is Macabre.

How about some Spiders and Spiderwebs for your Scrapbook?

Carolee's Creations has a Halloween Collection of scrapbook papers that I personally like a lot. Silly Spiders has a page designed with rows of spiders on their threads and the spiderwebs page has a dark background that will accent nicely with photos adhered on top.

Doodlebug Designs has a more abstract approach to their page layout with this 12x12 scrapbook paper called "Hocus Pocus." And on the right is a paper design with pictures of black cats, witches hats, spider webs, and ghosts called Wicked Whimsy from the Imaginisce - Hallowhimsy Halloween Collection (and it's cute!)

Halloween Scrapbook Kits

These help all of you that don't have time to pick out each piece of paper, one-by-one. The two kits I can recommend are: Doodlebug Designs' Let's Kit Together - Halloween and Making Memories Spellbound 12x12 Halloween Kit.

You'll need a binder or album, too...I like these a linen covered albums: We R Memory Keepers - Linen - 12x12 - Three Ring Albums - Orange Zest or We R Memory Keepers Postbound Album - Hazelnut.

Just found! Free digital scrapbook pages and stickers downloads: You can get some digital scrapbooking stuff here: Free Halloween Downloads

So, when the festivities are over and the costumes are put away, you can nibble on the leftover candy and create your Halloween scrapbooks.

It's Not Too Late for Summer Scrappin!

School is about to start up again, and if you had summer memories such as a camping trip or beach vacation to remember, there are some great summer themed papers for scrapbooks I wanted to share here. If you want to scrap your trip to the seashore, or maybe a visit to Grandma's the sunny Summer collections will be a wonderful choice to use to create warm memories. There some tropical scrapbook papers to choose from, too (for those lucky enough to have recently visited the tropics or Hawaii).

Maybe you are like me and haven't gone anywhere this summer (boo hoo!) there is a nice general summer theme from Bo Bunny called the Summer Cottage Collection.

Everyone Into The Pool!

Or maybe you've gone to the pool this summer - well there are some nice swimming pool and swim team scrapbook papers with a Summer "swimming fun" theme: Carolee's Creations Adornit - Summer Collection and swimming collection or Reminisce Swimming Collection.

Surf's Up!

These papers have a tropical look and a surfer theme with orange and aqua colors: Bo Bunny “Peachy Keen Collection.”

A Day at the Beach

With the colors of the beach (blue for water and tan for sandy beaches) Creative Imaginations’ Art Warehouse by Danelle Johnson has a Beach Collection (nice paisley design) and a Swim Collection:

For digital scrapbooking, there are photorealistic papers to buy and download such as this e-kit of digital paper designs called Seashore or the Sea Swept digital page kit.

A Shore Thing Collection from Imaginesce has some really cute and fun beach themed papers.

Sandylion has some designs I particularly love since it includes a boating and fishing theme – it’s called the “At the Coast Collection.”

And Karen Foster papers has a Fishing Collection which is available in single sheets or multi-sheet packs.

Camping and Outdoors Scrapbooks

For scrapbooks with a camping theme look at Carolee's Creations Adornit - Back 2 Nature Collection or the Karen Foster Outdoors Collection scrapbook paper.

Carolee's Creations - Back 2 Nature
Karen Foster Outdoors Collection

And last, but not least, I wanted to show you a scrapbook kit that is great for a Summer memory book: Three Bugs in a Rug - 12x12 Caboodle Collection Kit.

When you look at your scrapbook later this Fall or when the weather turns darker and cooler your photos and journaling will warm you up.

So, as kids go back to school, take the time now to make a memory book about what you, your pets, your family, your husband, wife or significant other enjoyed most this Summer.

Beat the Recession - Buy Paper in Bulk

Buy Discount Bulk Cardstock (save your money for your gas tank)

With the news of job lay-offs and home mortgage problems and foreclosures, it would seem that finding ways to save money make sense this summer. Plus, the outrageous gas prices are just eating into many of our budgets. Don't let these things take away from your passion for scrappin!

One recession beating tactic is to buy bulk crafts and scrapbook products, such as discount-priced bulk cardstock. If you like to create 12 x 12 or 8.5 x 11 scrapbooks, there are many colors and types of bulk cardstock or multi-sheet packs to choose from.

Here are some examples of ways to save money when you are buying cardstock:

Paper Accents 12 x 12 papers - bulk packs of 25 sheets for $4.19 per package. With dozens and dozens of colors to choose from, you won't run out of ideas when you see all the colors and types of paper available. There are also scrapbooking paper packs of 8.5 x 11 papers from this and other manufacturers.

Colormates 8.5 x 11 bulk packs: 50 sheets/pack for $10.49, but the price is lowered for buying multiple packs.

And for textured papers, you can find bulk packages, too - such as this 80 lb. chex textured cardstock pack of 25 sheets for $13.49 (again, there are so many colors to look at, I am only showing one here):

And of course, there are the Bazzill Basics bulk cardstock papers in various scrapbook-ready sizes and colors.

Saving Money When You Buy Scrapbook Paper

If you are buying patterned or double-sided scrapbook papers it is wise to buy them by the pack or as a paper collection: Paper collections, paper packs or paper pads from top brands, such as BasicGray, Anna Griffin, Cosmo Cricket, Daisy D's, Deja Views, EK Success, K & Company, Making Memories, Masterpiece Stemma, Scenic Route Papers, and many more, are multiple sheet packages of scrapbooking and craft paper (slightly different than scrapbook kits, which usually have paper plus embellishments such as stickers included). These allow you to buy more paper and spend less money. Some of these are just gorgeous for summer scrapbooks!

BasicGray 6x6 paper pads - Perhaps

BasicGray - 12 x 12 paper collection pack - Euphoria

Here is a last example, and it's on sale right now (for $7.69!) - DelightFul Collection Paper pack by Little Yellow Bicycle:

So, hopefully with these discounts, sales and bulk priced papers, you can beat the heat, beat the recession and still make some beautiful scrapbooks this summer!

Keeping An Idea Journal

This blog is all about ideas, ideas for scrapbooks and page layouts, as well as ideas about nice scrapbook paper and great looking albums. But, there is something I was reminded of today that I want to share. I was reading a blog (imagine that!) and it mentioned this blogger's inspiration book.

That reminded me of the many journals an sketchbooks I used to keep. I even used to record dreams (when I could remember them). That really was fun and gave me lots of insight on my pyche. So today I asked myself, "Why aren't you keeping a journal now?" Of course, my answers to myself (yeah, I need to get out more!) were the usual lame excuses, such as: I don't have time, I don't have a journal book, I don't feel like it, etc. These are NOT good answers. So, I am digging up a book to keep around. I think if I just carry this little journal around, maybe when I get a good idea, if I just jot it down it won't be one of the many things I wish I could remember later. Those good ideas can just slip away and disappear all too easily.

Creative Ideas Lists and Journaling

I've kept lists of things I want to paint, lyrics for songs I want to write, layouts for designs and things like that in the past. I rarely go back and look at them (and I really should revisit them). Lots of artists and scrapbookers keep journals. There was even a whole movement of sorts when the book: The Artist's Way (A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity) by Julia Cameron was published. There is also an "Artist's Way Workbook" that outlines tasks or exercises to do to start this creative journey or journaling. The subtitle sounds kind of spooky, but really all the book was suggesting was to spend an hour or so a day reconnecting to your own creativity. Planned creativity sounds like an oxymoron, but really, we call it "the creative process", so you really can make a plan to be creative. My favorite place to find books like this one is at Amazon. I think you can get a copy of this book for as low as 50 cents! I highly recommend this author, too.

I suppose if I was really dedicated to the power of ideas and inspiration, I'd invest in a better journal. I've tried creating computer files to keep track of my random thoughts and ideas, but that isn't working too well. I think having a book - a real book you can hold in your hand and carry around would be better.

Would A Better Journal Book Help?

I've seen some really, really nice journal books and diaries lately that I would love to have. I am just amazed at the quality of some of the leather covered journals - you know, with the beautiful Italian leather? Sure, a dollar spiral-bound book will do as well (what is written in the book is far more valuable than the binder). But, since life is short, I might have to invest in one of these handmade books that I love so much.

Here are some of the handmade journals I want:

I love these leather bound books! And there is one that isn't leather that I like, too, with an illustration of Florence, Italy on it.

I guess the lesson here is that I need to value myself, my creativity, my ideas and all that a lot more! And one way to do that is to commit these parts of me and the things I value, think about, and want to remember to paper - it's a start anyway!