Archive for the ‘Scrapbooking Projects’ Category

I love mini albums!  Scrapbooking mini albums is my favorite way to scrap a lot of photos at once.  Most of my mini albums are theme-based.  The most common is a vacation theme, but I also have several for holidays like Christmas 2011 or Halloween Through the Years.  The majority of my mini scrapbooks are made with chipboard covers and bound with binder rings or ribbon.  When I saw Heidi Swapp’s 2-part video tutorial on how to make a magnetic closure mini album, I knew I had to try it.

The supplies needed are:

• A file folder
• Cardstock and a few embellishments
• Chipboard
• Adhesive
• Business card magnetics (available at office supply stores)

Check out these 2 videos at My Craft Channel for complete instructions from Heidi Swapp:

Create to Remember: Magnetic Book Part 1

Create to Remember: Magnetic Book Part 2

I’m headed out to Staples to pick up some magnets!

Related articles

• Two Scrapbook Album Projects from Heidi Swapp (intoscrapbooking.com)

Today we packed away our Christmas decorations.  Every year I save many of the Christmas cards we receive, especially those with family portraits or holiday letters.  I’ve scrapbooked many of the photos and a few of the letters, but I’m never sure what to do with the Christmas cards.  I just store them in a photo archive box.

Eighteen25 posted this simple, why-didn’t-I-think-of-that idea for Christmas cards.  All it takes is a hole punch, a couple of binder rings and either a printer or some cardstock to make these Christmas card mini books.  They even provide a couple of printable covers!  Love these!  I sorted a few of mine by year, and then some years I combined into one book.  I also included our Christmas card as the first card in each book.  I used the printable covers and printed several more for years to come.

I have a small red box I bought at Target this year that I put current Christmas catalogs in during the holiday season.  I’m planning to buy a second one to hold and display my Christmas card mini books each year.

This year I’m using a digital template from Sue Cummings at OScraps to document my 2011 year in review.  This is a no cost download introducing their 2012 52 Projects (part of the 2012 52 Inspirations subscription).  The simplicity of this layout only required choosing my photos.

I also really love the 2011 Year in Review layout idea from A Real-Life Housewife.   She includes in her review page:

• Books
• Purchases
• Events
• Places
• Moments
• Movies
• Accomplishments

Great ideas!

Today’s Mama has a free printable, End of the Year Time Capsule Questions, that could be included in a 2011 Year in Review scrapbook page.

How are you planning to document your 2011 Year in Review?

I love Heidi Swapp.  Her energy and creativity for hybrid scrapbooking is contagious.  Besides, watching her scrapbook is just plain fun!  She has two easy scrapbook album projects on video this month.  I’m creating both of them!

The first is a Christmas hybrid mini album that she featured on her webinar.  The album is a fully printable 8×8 mini book.  Just print the pages at home on presentation paper or take them to your local office supply store and ask them to color laser print them on 110 lb white cardstock (Tip: Sometimes this cardstock is not available. I purchased a package from Sam’s Club, and they print it directly onto the paper for me. Cheaper too!)

First watch the Hybrid Holidays video.  Please be patient with the audio from UStream.  They had some technical difficulties that night.  You can find the printable Hybrid Christmas Album kit at JessicaSprague.com.  You don’t have to be a digital scrapbooker to do this project.  It’s a printable kit with no Photoshop skills necessary.

The second album project was featured on Heidi’s Create to Remember show on My Craft Channel.  You will not believe how easy this project is! Seriously, it’s one of those “Why didn’t I think of that” albums.  A quick trip to my craft store for 2 items along with some supplies from my scrapbooking stash, and I put this together in minutes.  Really, minutes!  Watch Heidi make this super easy, incredibly versatile album on the Create to Remember episode, Stand Up Album.

My Craft Channel launched this week.  If you are a scrapbooker, you will LOVE this site.  They have an amazing line up of shows with some of your favorite scrapbooking experts.  Here are a few of my favorite shows so far:

Teresa Collins
Books and Crafts with Ella Publishing
Embellish It Tip of the Day
Create to Remember with Heidi Swapp
I Heart Faces Photography Show
Photo Freedom with Stacy Julian

This week I loved Heidi Swapp’s show on how she creates mini books.  Ella Publishing gave some great tips on binding mini books and how to use lists to tell your story.  Teresa Collins created a fun A-Z book.  Each day you tune in to see that day’s scheduled videos.  You can watch past videos by clicking “Shows” on the navigation menu.

You also don’t want to miss their daily Featured Buy.  These are heavily discounted specials on different craft supplies.  My favorites from this week were Heidi Swapp’s Phantom scrapbooking supplies from Paislee Press and 12×12 clear stamp sets from Fancy Pants.  The Featured Buy is available for that day only.

Visit My Craft Channel and sign up for their free VIP Membership to stay up to date on their latest episodes.

Image by scrapbit via Flickr

I’m fairly new to hybrid scrapbooking, but I’m quickly catching on to all the fun projects you can make with your computer and your scrapbooking supplies.  This week I’ve seen some awesome hybrid inspiration from around the web.  If the snow storm gave you cabin fever this week, here are some easy projects you can do while you’re keeping warm at home:

Happy Hybrid from The Daily Digi

The Daily Digi never fails to deliver scrapbooking goodness from around the web.  This post shows some of the best hybrid scrapbooking projects around the web this week.  You’ll find some cute abc blocks, greeting cards, and home decor.

DIY Custom Tiles from Persnickety Prints

A little mod podge, a ceramic tile and a print from your computer and you’ve got a home decoration in time for Valentine’s Day.  You can easily adapt this project for any holiday or home decor color scheme.  This is one I’m going to try this week.  I just need a quick run to the store to pick up a tile or two.

Mouse Paper Lovely

This is a sister site of JessicaSprague.com devoted to hybrid scrapbooking.  Spend a few minutes browsing, and not only will you find a fun project or two, but you’ll quickly realize how easy it is to combine digital and traditional scrapbooking supplies into gorgeous hybrid scrapbooking projects.

Scrapbooking supplies can be used to make framed art for your home.  This can be a unique, customized gift for someone on your holiday list.  If you know what the colors and style of your friend or family member’s home, you can design a piece of framed art using scrapbooking papers and embellishments.

One of the best examples I’ve seen of this is the punch collage.  Ali Edwards posted this idea on her blog earlier this year. I loved this idea so much I made both the butterflies and the hearts for my guest room. It was extremely easy to make. The most difficult part of deciding on a color scheme.  You really don’t even have to have a color scheme.  You could just let the colors and patterns be random.

These punch collages are so quick to make and use very little supplies. It would take no time to make a few of them to give as gifts.

This 2011 planner workshop is next on my project list.  I love the idea of making my own planner for 2011.  I found this workshop on Creativity Prompt.  It’s a self-paced class to Make Your Own Planner for 2011.  Not only is this a great idea for your own planner, but these would make thoughtful holiday gifts.

The workshop is $12 and includes step-by-step instructions in video and written form.  I love that!  You receive a pre-designed planner kit in both jpg and pdf formats.  The planner pages are 4×6, and the completed planner can fit into your purse.  The planner includes:

• Monthly and weekly calendar pages
• Shopping List
• To Do List
• Information to remember page
• Page for sketching creative ideas

In addition, you can use the pre-designed pages to create your own sketch book, diary or list book.  Any of these ideas would also make terrific gifts for family and friends.  This digital kit uses very basic supplies that can be purchased at craft or office supply stores.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the Christmas scrapbooking gift ideas I’ve shared over the last week.  I’d love to hear your comments and feedback if you’ve tried any of these ideas.

Calendars are always a welcome holiday gift.  Making calendars with scrapbooking supplies doesn’t even need a special kit or instructions.  However, there are several options that would save time when you are creating multiple scrapbooking calendar gifts.

Online Photo Printers

Online photo printers have many options for designing a calendar.  Sites like Shutterfly and Snapfish offer templates that all you need to do is upload your photos, create your calendar, and order multiple copies to be sent to your home.

Scrapbooking Calendar Kits

Local scrapbooking stores and craft stores sell calendar kits that include monthly calendar grids already bound and ready for your scrapbooking papers and photos.  These kits make it very easy to quickly put together holiday gifts.

Digital Scrapbooking Calendar Kits

Digital scrapbooking stories have template kits with everything you need to design your calendars and print them on your home printer.  You could still choose to send them to an online printer if you choose.  If you do print them at home, you’ll need to have some way to present them either by using rings or ribbons to bind the months together or by considering an option like the popular CD case calendar format.  The Daily Digi did a fantastic post on the many digital options available for 2011 calendars.

Scrapbooking supplies make it easy to create beautiful holiday calendar gifts.  You can choose a variety of sizes from 4×6 to 12×12 and just about any size in between.  You could also choose to do a one page calendar option with the entire year on a sheet.  You could frame the printed calendar as a gift.

Calendars also make an easy last minute holiday gift because they are so quick to put together.

Archivers Printers Tray Ideas

Decorating a printers tray as a home decor project has been extremely popular this year.  While you can hunt in flea markets and antique stores for one of these trays, you don’t have to spend your time doing that anymore.  7 Gypsies makes printers trays in a variety of sizes and configurations.  All you need to do is use your scrapbooking supplies to decorate them and you’ll have a one-of-a-kind holiday gift anyone on your list will love.

Printer Tray Themes

How you decorate your printers tray is an individual decision.  You can simply use coordinated scrapbooking papers and embellishments that match your home’s decor.  However, it’s becoming more popular to create a theme for your tray.  The most common themes are holidays.  For example, you can design your project with a Halloween, Valentine’s Day or Christmas theme.  Then, you display the tray during the appropriate season.  Other themes include newborn baby, wedding and gratitude.

Printer Tray Kits

To make your project even easier, you can use a pre-designed printer tray kit.  You don’t even need to be a digital scrapbooker to use these.  You just need a computer and a printer.  I absolutely love the kits from Kerri Bradford.  She offers a Halloween printers tray kit, as well as a gratitude theme kit.  I’m currently making the gratitude one, and I love how easy it is.

Kerri Bradford Gratitude Tray Kit

More Printers Tray Gift Ideas

Here are a few more printers tray home decor ideas from some of your favorite scrapbookers:

Paislee Press

Debbie Olson

Archivers

Ali Edwards

Free Printers Tray Home Decor Project Guide

Finally, from Archivers, you can download their free guide to making printers tray home decor projects which includes a measuring guide  for 3 different 7 Gypsies printers tray options.

Decorated printers trays make unique and personal holiday gifts.  You might also check your local Archivers store to see if they are offering their Deck the Halls workshop which guides you through creating a 7 Gypsies printers tray project.  Some stores also have the kit available for purchase without attending the workshop.

I hope you are enjoying these Christmas scrapbooking gift ideas.  Look for more ideas in the next few days.