Too much is a good thing?

Some scrapbook artists will tell you there's no such thing as too much frill. They'll keep on embellishing and glittering until the page fills up. Some will say you need to focus on the photo and create a stage for it by cleaning the background as much as possible while focusing on the photo and doing everything you can to make the eye return to the photo. I find that both ways work - there's a time and a place for everything.

Working as a scrapbook artist for hire for the past 4 years (wow, time flies when you're having fun), I found different people like different things, you need to spend time understanding your customer, applying your talents and skills to fit his or her need/dream.

In the following mini bridal scrapbook album I created a clean, simple look for a couple whose love shines through. The album measures 6.5 x 8.75" and each page is textured with an embossed pattern. In this couple's case, their happy faces will be the best embellishment for this album.

The cover of Bridal Mini Scarpbook Album

Inside peek of Bridal Mini Scarpbook Album

First page of Bridal Mini Scarpbook Album

Detail from Bridal Mini Scarpbook Album

 
What do you think? Is too much frill too much?

Your Halloween Mini Scrapbook Photo Album in 2hrs!

Halloween is coming and with it tons of photos. The problem is, once you ate the candy and took the photos, no one feels like putting them in a decent album, and so you miss on a lot of memories as they stay locked in one of your computer files, never to be seen.

So here are some solutions for you:

1. Choose your photos carefully. Try to choose ones that are telling the story of this Halloween for your family or, if you're a brave scrapbooker who designs a mini album for each one of your kids, choose the photos that tell the story of each kid.
2. Go through your scrapbook supplies and get all the purple, orange and black papers out. Get all Halloween embellishments on the work table as well.
3. Save some candy rappers (not the sticky ones), napkins, pieces of decoration to enhance your mini scrapbook album.
4. Pick a 6" album (I find them to work well for both wallet AND standard size photos) and decide on a one, common, uniting layout to use through your scrapbook mini album.
5. Glue glue glue.
6. Embellish, journal and enjoy!
   

Below are some ideas for Halloween layouts:

Have a spooky-sweet one...

Preparation is Key

Ever worked with kids at your side? Gives you a feeling of what ADD is like, doesn't it? Each given moment someone needs your attention/patience/mediation skills/advise. Not that I would like my kids to seek advise elsewhere, I just would like some time to myself every so often, so I can play in MY sand box or, rather, scrap box.

So I came up with the following system:

1. I need full attention for the initial scrapbook design. I design when I'm alone (school day mornings) or at night.
2. When I'm happy with the theme, idea, color, size and everything else that will concoct the final look/design of the scrapbook album, I write it down in details. Writing the scrapbook design plan down is essential because it keeps me on track when I get distracted. I write sizes, keep color swatches, ribbon bits etc. The goal is to eliminate complicated thinking processes from now on as much as possible.
3. Now it's time to cut scraps to size and place them neatly on the space I cleared on my ever-so-crowded scrapbook table.
4. When everything is cut and counted, I'm ready to paste and place. I try to do this only when a short interval of uninterrupted focused time is at hand. A few mistakes with the glue have proven this to be a mindful task, commanding its respect.
5. Scrapbook embellishments come next and if you have the design all laid out before you (or sketched) and the embellishments ready at your side, it's a breeze.
6. Congrats! - you have just finished a scrapbook layout/mini scrapbook album while watching your family grow! You are now a mighty multi tasker:)