Archive for May, 2011
I first moved to Washington, about seven years ago. I was a stay at home mom, and I really didn’t know a lot of people. One of my friends back home suggested a class. Some sort of hobby.
I looked into a few different types of things, and eventually settled on a Scrapbooking. It was really entertaining, as well as a good way to meet other mothers. I’ve made a couple of different albums thus far. I still scrapbook to this day. It’s a great venue to just be an adult.
To begin in the scrapbooking world, you first need the photographs for your pages. So knowing some ideas for snapping those pictures is important. I’ve found out the hard way that I must prepare my potential family members ahead of time when I’m planning a picture-taking session. I usually have them give me some ideas for the setting and light for the photo(s).
Also be prepared to take as many photos as your subjects tolerate. That’s one of the reasons that the pros get such good results. Choosing the best photo from 30 or 40 shots usually is easier than choosing the best from only 2 shots.
I also rely on candid shots. Taking pictures of people who are relaxed, having fun, and do not realize that they’re being photographed can produce some of your best photos for that scrap page.
For those who don’t have the time to create a large album, how about using plastic templates to design a tiny album? You trace shapes from the templates onto any material you want to use for an album cover and then cut them out. These templates come in a wide range of styles and sizes, (from 1 inch square to 5 inches x 7 inches).
These templates are cute, numerous, and very affordable. You can find them at any retail store.
My supply case has several different sizes, and I use them often for a change from the norm. I’ve included a wedding template picture for ideas on upcoming weddings.
Developing skills with scrap pens and markers, which can be purchased at art, craft, and scrapbook stores and online, can take a long time, so you can begin trying your hand with them gradually, adding a touch of color or distinctive line or marking here and there.
I feel that pigment-based inks are the best, bar none. They’re waterproof, won’t fade on your pages, and they won’t disappear even when they’re exposed to light for extended periods of time. Metallic-based inks don’t last as long for me, and alcohol-based inks dry out and fade eventually.
Make sure that any inking tool that you buy specifically states that it uses a pigment-based ink.
No one would think that epoxy could be used on a scrap page, but you can create a variety of different looks from this versatile medium. The mixture can be tinted with special sheer or opaque colorants. After curing, epoxy shapes can be sanded, drilled, or etched to create surface designs or texture, and they can be colored with glass paints or alcohol inks.
The best ways that I invisibly adhere transparent epoxy pieces to paper backgrounds are with a cricut machine, spray adhesive, or clear glaze products. For opaque pieces, you can also apply strong adhesives designed for slick surfaces, such as glue dots or jewelry glue.
Sometimes I want to fit a lot of photos on a page, but know that I still need to find room for text. I often turn one of my photos into the cover of a hinged booklet that hides my journaling. After adding text to the photo with image-editing software, I print it and slice it into two pieces at a spot that won’t interfere with the photo subject. Then I’ll stitch around the edges, place the photo pieces on a folded 4X11″ strip of card stock , and add hinges to the finished work.
You’ll need paper and patterned paper, stickers, and hinges. Other possible materials: metal-rim tag, metal alphabet tag, die cuts, stickers, and brads. Have fun creating!
If you want a handy tote that can handle your die-cutting tool and dies in one, try a soft-side lunch box. Insulated versions are great for storing a small die-cutting machine and accessories. The insulation protects your tools and the separate compartments help keep items organized.
I store my die-cutting machine in the large bottom compartment. There is still enough room for a stack of dies, punches, or extra machine accessories. My box or tote even has a pocket on the front that can hold extra dies or scraps of card stock ready for cutting.
Once a week my girlfriends and I will get together and have a scrapbooking party. We enjoy just talking about our kids and viewing each other’s work. It is always interesting to see what new and creative ideas and machines my friends find.
A couple of my friends found cricut machines. It was so interesting what you can do with them. You can create die cuts. You can also change the cartridge to change the size of your picture or words that you want to use. It was such a creative way to add to our pictures. It added a little something extra to our pages. What a great find.
In this article, we’ll discuss the way that I create translucent photo transfers. After all, the photos are the center of your page.
Give your photos an artful look by pouring glossy accents on top of ink-jet photos and peeling off the hardened glaze to create printed epoxy-like images.
To keep my adhesive from detracting from the transparency of my images, I spread a small amount of glossy accents on the back of each transfer and use it to adhere the images to the page.
Pick the right photo. This technique will work on lab-printed photos as well as ink-jet ones. Just make sure that the printer ink is archival and waterproof.
The internet provides computer-generated scrapbooking with step-by-step instructions for all-digital designs and techniques. If you’ve run out of ideas, try browsing around for some.
For a page, try mimicking a design from a bottle label for the title block. You can create a digital version of the bottle label by combining several fonts and lines of varying thicknesses on a white textural-look background and save the piece as a JPEG file. Use a 12X12 document and import it. Import another patterned background, resize the image to approximately 91/2X10″, and ad a drop shadow to give it depth. Open the photos that you wish to use, drag each to your canvas, resize them to fit your background. Use the text feature to add journaling under the photos, and embellish.