Picture Perfect

I think loving photography runs in the family....

Here's a fun layout I did-Jack taking pictures of his new baby brother Collin with his own camera that his Great-Aunt Eileen gave him (which was appropriate considering Eileen has taught me everything I need to know about taking pictures!)

For the title, I used a plastic template, cutout the letters by hand, then used my square punch by Fiskars to mimic photo negatives. Love how the letters turned out, and supported the overall "picture and photography" subject on this page.

Use things you already have in your art stash to create unique and cool things for your pages. I love the process of coming up with something new and perfect for the message you want to come across on your pages. In this case, the "photo negatives" for the title letters supported my

theme. Get back to basics....experiment with tools, color, altering embellishments yourself, etc.

Thanks to my awesome hubby Tom again, for helping with the computer end of submitting my scrapbook layouts. You are the king of scanning and using "The Gimp" photo program to make the layouts happen on the screen! I am continually amazed by you.....

And a cute picture to end on.... Tom giving Collin and Jack a fun ride in the boxes.... Texas sledding!

1st Layout Submission

Just a quick note-I submitted my first scrapbook layout last night. (Thanks Tom :) for helping me) Not the fanciest page I've done, just one of my favorites right now. I've been scrapbooking for years, and finally getting around to submitting one with the hope of getting one published some day. We'll see what happens!

The layout I submitted was of my youngest son Collin at 8 months old. I used some cool stamps for the first time, I loved how the whole thing turned out...

click to view larger image

Change It up!

Today I want to talk about changing things up on your scrapbook pages! It's always good to use the essential standbys that are comfortable to use frequently, but more times than not, I love experimenting with new products, new techniques on my layouts.

On the page that I most recently did, I tried painting some of my pictures, then sanding them with sandpaper. Why? To try something different...to give the layout a new and different look than my other pages. Just because.... scrapbooking isn't an exact science as it is an art. And the creative process is so fun if you just let it happpen.

I first started with some photos for a layout, selected 1-2 pictures that I wanted to highlight:

Then I painted the edges of the 2 pictures with acrylic paint, and let it dry for a few hours:

After the paint was completely dry, I sanded the edges of the photos. You can experiment with different grains of sandpaper, the amount sanded, etc. What's cool is that there are so many possiblities for the kind of look you can produce. I really like the distressed look that this technique brought to these photos that I wanted to bring attention to on my layout.

It is good to try new products, new techniques, different items that you usually wouldn't use or haven't tried yet. Challenge yourself, your photos, your layouts with something different and new! Let me know what cool techniques or products you have tried lately.

Happy weekend!

Why I Scrapbook

I have always enjoyed photography, and wanted to do more with my pictures-something more than just taking them and tucking them away in a photo album. Since starting to scrapbook in the fall of 2002, I have discovered that I need a creative outlet, and a way of organizing and clearing my mind of things I wanted to remember and share with others. I have definitely discovered one of my passions.

Scrapbooking is about more than just preserving pictures. It's about the process. The creative growth. The doing. The sharing of emotion. Telling the special stories of everyday moments, preserving life moments and life stories. I do this because I want to remember the small details that cling to my heart.

"We do not know the true value of our moments until they have undergone the test of memory." -Georges Duhamel

Through spending introspective time, reflecting on my family's memories and life together, I've learned to appreciate the things that matter most in my life. God and my family are the most important things in my life. I love documenting the simple, everyday things I might someday forget, and want to remember. I think of my scrapbooks as life journals. Through the pictures I have captured and the words I have written, my hope is that my family knows how much I love them.

I am going to be submitting some layouts soon for the first time to my favorite scrapbook magazine, Creating Keepsakes, with the hope of getting published.

I'd love to hear your feedback on why you scrapbook, your experiences with submitting your layouts for publication, or just to say "hi"!