Scrapbooking Babies

I have been searching and searching for great scrapbook articles to include in this blog and have finally compiled quite the list. There are a lot out there, but this one on how to scrapbook babies by SANDI GENOVESE of DIY fame really caught my attention. Since many of us start scrapbooking because of the kids, many of these tips will help on taking good photos.

Babies are so adorable it should be simple to take great photos, right? If only it were so. Babies offer unique challenges for even a seasoned photographer. Studio photos are always an option but that gets expensive and may not reflect all of the emotions you're trying to capture.

But you don't need to be a professional in order to capture the magic; you can do it yourself with a few basic tips. Read more...

Free Digi Kits

Digital scrapbooking is on my list to do this Summer. I bought the photoshop elements 3.0 from a friend for a great deal, but then with my school and the end of the school year for the kids it just hasn't gotten played with. I hear this is a very easy program to use. Considering I can do my own websites, I figure I better be able to learn digi scrapping quickly. lol

I'm always on the lookout for new kits to check out. I haven't started downloading them myself because I see that I could probably fill up my computer very quickly with all the cool kits out there.

Here is a site that has a lot of great kits to choose from at very good prices. This 7 in particular are free to download and are awesome. It's amazing what you can find for free online!

Digital Scrapbook Design contest

Contest is exclusively for Adobe Photoshop Elements users. Contest deadline is midnight EST on June 30th. Free to enter, just submit a single digital page created with this great program to win big prizes. The best of show prize package is worth approximately $2,600. Choose the best catagory for your page out of a list of 10. To read more about the contest read here.

You never know what your great digital design could get you. If you win, please send a link for me to view!

Scrapbook News

I've never forgotten about this blog. I just went to school for a year and couldn't get to everything. I will be back and posting about what is new in the scrapbook world here. I know it's hard to keep up with what is new out there and also what companies are coming and going.

So the focus of this blog will now be the scrapbook industry in general and of course what is new at Little Scrapbook Shop as well. ;)

Sketches

Scrap Maps is one of my favorite places to get sketch ideas. Sometimes I just can't look at magazines with all the embellishments because all I see is how long it will take to make a page like that. So, I go to sketches for inspiration and to scale it down.

Altered Lunch Boxes

Surfing the net for a friend to find directions for making an altered lunchbox and I found a great site. It has a video demo and also printable directions. You can get great coordinating pattern paper and embellishments here on Little Scrapbook Shop.

Bazzill

The special on Bazzill is almost over. Starting in July the monopacks will go back up to full retail. Stock up while the price is so low!

10 things to get you motivated

1. Take a favorite photo out of a box or frame. Decide today is the day you will show it off.

2. Pull out some patterned papers or embellishments you have bought. Remember the photos you were thinking of using them with?

3. Set out photos from one event. Now journal all your feelings, the facts (ie. where, when), and any quips you remember someone saying at the time.

4. Buy a new magazine.

5. Scope out a new technique book. There are many at the local library.

6. Get your friends together for a crop.

7. Visit online message boards. Chat with other croppers and look through the online galleries for scrapbook ideas.

8. Try to schedule time each week or month to scrapbook. It is easier to keep the creative ideas flowing if you are using them regularly.

9. Take some new photos and get them developed right away.

10. Show your completed scrapbook pages to everyone. Nothing like a confidence boost to get you in the mood to scrapbook once again!

copyright 2005 Val Selby www.littlescrapbookshop.com

KISS Pages

With all the incredible embellishments out there it’s easy to get distracted and overwhelmed. Then ad in all the big, bold layouts in EVERY magazine, including the “simple” ones, and it’s enough to make you shrivel into a corner and suck your thumb. How can we ever make each layout in our album as perfect as Becky Higgins and Lisa Bearnson? Here’s a big tip, their every page does not look like that NO ONE has time to make every single layout an incredible visual masterpiece. So keep shooting for a few hot layouts, but mostly stick to some simple pages to get those pictures in albums quicker.

Keep it simple sister(KISS) means the basics only. Cardstock, pictures, adhesive and journaling are all that is necessary. If you get some basic sketches from online (www.scrapmaps.com) or one of the great books(Creative Sketches for Scrapbooking) out there you WILL get caught up on your albums. Use standard borders, mats for pictures and lots of journaling. If you feel like embellishing or the page just screams for it, use a strip of patterned paper for the border. Or add a couple of stickers or stamps.

Don’t over think your pages and forget why we scrapbook. The journaling and relaxing while you scrapbook are the true art.

Copyright 2005 ~ Val Selby www.littlescrapbookshop.com

June newsletter

I hope everyone has been having lots of time to scrapbook. I have uploaded my latest newsletter. You can find it here. My special this month is 20% off Bazzill monopacks. This makes them only $9.58 and each piece of cardstock only costing you 38 cents! Great way to stock up on colors. You will get 5 sheets of 5 different colors in the color scheme.

Looking for a product? Send me an email or post a comment. I'm sure I can find it for you.

Til later, happy scrappin!

More Scrapbook Blinkies

for the obsessed. Here is a nicely organized site for scrapbooking blinkies to add in your sig lines and emails. There are many different companies to choose from. Basic grey, making memories, and a few of the direct sales companies as well. Have fun!

Scrapbook Event

Friends and I are putting on an online scrapbooking and stamping event on this Friday May 20th. Join us for lot's of fun, shopping and online classes. If you've ever wanted to start your own scrapbooking business, then ask away. We have reps from almost every company available to answer your questions. I'll see you Friday!

Computer font

Turn your handwriting into a computer font. Now you won't have to worry about fitting all the words on the journal block. Type it out and know exactly how much space it will take up. The only original font for you font junkies!

April newsletter

You can view the latest newsletter online at www.littlescrapbookshop.com/newsletter.htm. There are new specials and lot's of new ideas on the way!

Scrapbook blinkies

Ok, blinkies seem to be all the rage. So, I've started looking for places to download them off the web. lol This lady has a great collection of the popular companies blinkies. Have fun using them in your sig lines. Just remember to save them to your computer before using them. Don't just copy and paste.

Stamping and Scrapbooking group

Are you looking for a group of women to share ideas, layouts and play games with online? We have a rep from every direct sales group plus here at 1stopstampnscrap. Let the moderator know that Val sent you and enjoy all the poems, saying etc. from the group.


Click to join 1stopstampnscrap

DVD's

Scraptutor has a great sale going on for their technique dvd's. Buy one for $29.95 and get the second dvd free. This sale is for a limited time only. Buy quick before they change their mind. lol

Monthly kits

Want to get scrapbook supplies, new techniques and neat new embellishments delivered to you each month? Of course you do! Your a scrapper, we collect cool new stuff. lol Now you can have the latest and greatest sent directly to you. Just sign up for a monthly subscription or buy it by the month. Kits start at only $9!

March special

As an introductory offer I have the patterned paper 10 cents off per sheet through March 31st. There are quite a few choices and they layer so well. This is the Varsity line, with great sweats, college colors and even clothing patterns. Chocolate Cafe and the new Denim line's will be added shortly.

Scrapbook goals

What was the goal you decided for your scrapbooking this year? Last year my goal was 100 pages and to get my scrapbook room clean. I got 67 pages completed and felt great about that. So, I will shoot again for 100 this year. I have 5 done so far. Need roughly 8.5 pages completed a month to hit that goal. Will be very do-able if I keep up on it right now. The scrapbook room is another story. I cleaned it out twice last year and it's still a wreck! It's the extra bedroom and we don't have a garage. So, you know where everything that doesn't have a home get's put. My goal is to get one layout completed in that room this year. It would be heaven to use my long counter and just be able to leave my projects out to work on when I get time here and there. I'll work on it again tomorrow. lol It's time to call the goodwill to come and do a pick-up. Get this stuff out of my scrapbook room.