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More information about our 2006 Expo schedule coming soon!

January 12th, 2006

Keep the kids entertained when it’s cold outside!

Most Americans take an average of 200 photos a year. Most of those photos end up stuck in your digital camera or in developer envelopes in shoeboxes. Luckily for Richmonders, there are two stores in town that can show you how to get those photos into albums the entire family can enjoy. And, with the holidays behind us, this is the perfect time to get started.

While the cold weather is keeping your family indoors, start your scrapbooking project. Step one is to organize those photos, either chronologically or by event. Perhaps you want an album of all your Christmases past. Or, an album for 2005. It is recommended that you start with the most recent photos. Remembering what was said, feelings or the mood will make creating that first page easier. And as our children seem to grow up quickly, we need to capture those meaningful moments.

Scrapbooking is a great activity to involve your kids and can be more fun and rewarding when shared with additional family members. Two or three generations can enjoy the same fun and relaxing craft while bonding as a family and learning about each other. It’s a great crafting experience for kids of all ages. Small children can pick their favorite pictures, while older children can make their own pages. While creating, children develop useful organizational, language and motor skills.

It’s easy to get started with just a few items you have around the house:

Note: all supplies should be archival safe and acid free—those magnetic albums from our mother’s generation are acidic and will eat your photos over time!

• An Album: 12x12 album is the most popular size. (Don’t be intimidated by the seemingly large area to fill. A title, three photos and some journaling will quickly fill a page. Smaller themed albums may be 6x6 or 8x8.)
• Adhesives: Photo squares or a tape runner are easy to use. Just make sure it says photo safe or acid-free on the package.
• Scissors or a 12” Paper Trimmer: A paper trimmer is a great time saver for cutting straight lines when cropping photos and cutting cardstock photo mats and journaling blocks.
• Cardstock/colored paper: Choose an assortment of colors, can be used to make mats to complement your photos.
• Pen: Start with at least one black permanent, acid-free pen for journaling by hand.

The How to of Scrapbooking: Creating a page

1. Pick your pictures and select the “best” (i.e. your favorite) photo as a focal point for the page. It may be enlarged or matted in a special way to draw particular attention to it. Any other photos selected will give more details to your story. Move the photos around until a pleasing layout is selected.
2. A title and journaling must be added before anything is glued to the page. Don’t worry about coming up with the most clever or exciting titles. Go with something personal for from the heart – it’ll mean more when you reflect back in years to come. Journaling tells the story of your recollection of the time, perhaps including a quote. Include your child in the story telling process. Ask questions about feelings and emotions and let your child write or dictate to you. Children have different impressions/perspectives of the same experience. Through a child’s point of view there are wonderful stories to be told. Journaling may be done in pen or using the computer. Remember your handwriting is unique to you and easily recognized by your loved ones. It too becomes a record for future generations.
3. Embellish. Once you’ve laid out the format and decided on your title and journal. Use the colored card-stock and paper to create decorative mats around your photos, title and journaling. Your mats can match the photo in shape, such as a square mat on a square picture. Or you can add interest by complimenting the picture with an odd shaped mat, such as a circular mat with a square picture. Or rotate your mat to make a diamond shape.
4. “Glue.” Adhere your pictures in your desired layout with appropriate tape or glue, layering your photos on their respective mats.
5. Let dry. Give our page time to set. Enjoy the page all day long by propping it in a safe, but prominent place in your home. Maybe the mantle or kitchen counter (away from the sink).

Time together is valuable for a family and tells your life story. Looking at a scrapbook refreshes your memory as time passes; reminds you of those funny things your kids said that you never thought you’d forget but did. If you’re looking for additional inspiration or a place to start, stop in Memories Galore, Your Scrapbooking Stores for time saving tips or to look at the many sample scrapbook pages. (And, they have classes, too!)