This is very interesting and awesome!

D. G. Ramirez

For most moms (and dads, also , we tend to take pictures of our kids from day one. What we usually get is a pile of pictures, in photo boxes, cling/magnetic albums or the ever dependable sleeve/slip albums.

We end up with all those pictures which nobody seem to admire as much as we would like. Not because our kids are not cute. But simply because the photos are not organized and it seemed so much a drag for a person to sift through that pile.

Thankfully, there is an art called scrapbooking. With this we get to highlight the best pictures we got, present them in appealing and creative ways and have fun in the process. The pictures then get much attention and before long you will hear the satisfying ooohs and aaahs from your family and friends when they look at your kids dressed like a flower or a bee J

Now, the challenge is yours. Before you get started ask yourself these questions (not too loudly, some people may hear you and think you are nuts talking to yourself):

· Are you committed to finishing your scrapbook project?

· Can you spare some 1 to 2 hours two to three times a week, at least?

· Do you firmly believe that you have a creative touch, or at least have the desire to learn some basic creative ways of presenting your pics?

If you answer yes or at least “a little” to all the questions, then you may have the confidence to start having fun.

Some Basic Tips

SUPPLIES

· It can never be said enough, use archival-safe, acid-free, photo-safe materials. They will not only add to the beauty of your project but they will also help them stay that way.

· Resist buying papers in bulk. I am guilty of this, have bought several paper packages (in slabs, packs or pads) thinking that the mere sight of them would make me want to scrap all the time. But no, they stay that way for a long time (they are still slabs, packs or pads). Now I literally “wade” through these paper collections just to look for that perfect paper. I sometimes even think that too many choices makes me confused.

· Develop a system for storing your supplies. I use transparent plastic folders/sleeves to organize my papers. A legal–sized plastic envelope functions as my catch-all container for paper scraps. I find that when I need just a tiny bit of paper, I only need to rummage through my envelope and Voila! (I am loathe to cut one whole 12×12 paper just to get a little part for photo corners),

· I have 3 pairs of scissors: 1 tiny one for precision cutting; a larger one for cutting pages and one fancy scissors if I want my paper/photo edges funky. In addition, I have a simple blade cutter that I use in tandem with my ruler for cutting through several sheets at once.

· I keep all my little scrapping supplies like scissors, cutter, paste/glue, adhesive tapes, color pens, paint tubes and what-have-yous in a utility plastic box. They are handy and guaranteed not to mess up your paper supplies.

PHOTOS For Your Scrapbooks

*****************************************************

After developing or printing your photos, choose which would be included in your project. I usually group my selected photos according to the period and theme. Ex: Baby at 5 mos., Bath time etc. You may use medium sized paper envelopes or ziploc plastic to categorize. I do this only once after I have printed several batches of photos from different occasions/activities. This has the added benefit of being a pre-planning stage in that it makes you think of what you can do with these pictures as you sort them. You get to think of the theme, the scrapbooking materials you have on hand which you think would match the photos and so on. Also, this makes you always prepared for that time when you are so energized with creativity and you would want to get ahead with scrapbooking, and not photo sorting.

********

Before you cut , crop and paste your photos on your pages, please make sure that you have a copy of those pictures stashed somewhere. This is not a problem for digital images, since you are always assured that (unless your computer crashes or your disc got lost) you still have a copy and can print as many as you want in the future. But for conventional pictures taken with films, then you need to re-print first before going ahead. Or you can have the pics scanned, then print the scanned images and use them instead of the originals.

********

I have found out that if I immediately insert my photos into the plastic sleeves of photo albums, I get “sweaty” pictures (they cling on to the plastic like they are wet, yet they come off easily enough when peeled). This may be due to the fact that I live in a tropical climate, or simply because the photos are still “fresh” from the printers (maybe the ink have not had the time to really dry and evaporate. The best way to beat this, I found out, is to keep them in an acid-free (if possible plain/unprinted) paper envelope, very loosely packed, and let the pictures “dry out in a cool, dark and dry place.

********

Keep stacks of photos facing the same way. Prolonged contact between two photo fronts would oftentimes result to a very sticky situation, especially in humid places. The print might be stripped off if you force to pull off two stuck photos away from each other.********

One of the custom-made & ready to use scrapbook pages I made for a baby girl.

This one is also a digital Scrapbook page made with CK Scrapbook Designer.
The page concept is from among the pre-made pages in the said software.
Just changed some of the elements.

Some more scrapbook lay-outs in the pre-made Baby Album I made.

I did this mini scrapbook album with 6×6 inch-pages
as a gift for cousin’s baby boy. This is perfect for small photos.