Halloween Acrylic Album

Here is another album I made using Stacey Julian's Simple Scrapbook Organization Sheet (refer to my post from Saturday, April 18). Here's how I did it:

PURPOSE
1. I was making this album as a gift for a friend. I just wanted a fun Halloween album that she could add her own photos to.

FORMAT
2. Album Type: I chose to use the Close To My Heart Acrylic Album (Z117. $14.95)
3. Organization: I didn't really choose a special way to organize the album. I just knew I wanted it to be easy for her to add photos to, whether they were all from one Halloween, or from several years of Halloweens.
4. Framework: I did a title page that was also my front cover. The rest of the pages were left blank for photos and journaling that my friend chose to add herself.
5. Color Scheme: Orange, Black, Citrus Leaf, Hydrangea, White Daisy (all Close To My Heart colors)
6. Decorative Accents: Ribbons to match the colors I chose, Black and White Rubons (Nature's Ambiance, Z1097. $9.95 for 3 sheets. Love Letters, Z1098. $9.95 for 3 sheets), October Word Puzzle Stamp Set (D1311, $22.95 f0r 20 stamps), Creepy Cobwebs Stamp Set (D1319, $22.95), Stazon Black Stamp Pad (Z888, $9.95), various buttons I already had on hand in colors to match the book.
7. I chose to use very basic page designs. I kept in mind that it would be fun to have some things showing through the acrylic from another page. I had FUN with this project.

PREPARATION
8. I didn't need to gather any extra information like names, dates, etc. because my friend would be adding this on her own when she put her photos and comments on.
9. I didn't need to gather any photos because again, my friend would be adding her own.

I hope this little photo organization, scrapbook planning and organization and the past couple of days examples of those things have been fun and informative for you and that you might have actually learned something or been inspired by something your read. The scrappin' world is a place I love being and I love sharing my love of it with all of you as well. That was three 'loves' all in one sentence. That might be some kind of record. Have a great day!

Family 6 x 6 Accordion Album

I promised that I would begin posting a few of the albums I have done that fit the Simple Scrapbook Organizational Sheet that I posted on Saturday, April 18 (email me and I'll be happy to email you a .doc attachment of this form as well as one of the Photo Organization handout from the day before. pedermom@aol.com).

So, here we go! This is a 6 x 6 Accordion Album (Z1195. $3.95) that I made of my family as a Christmas Gift for my parents this past year since they are living away in Washington D.C. for a year.


Here's how it fits the model (you may want to refer to your handout or the post from April 18 as you read this):
1. I made this album to celebrate my family as a gift for my parents who won't see them for a year.
2. I chose to use a 6 x 6 Accordion Album so that they could use it as a display on their bookcase or coffee table.
3. I organized my album by having one photo of the family together and photos of individuals and couples throughout the album.
4. I chose to do a title page (the cover) and a closing page (the back cover, which is the poem) and the rest filler pages.
5. Color scheme: black, colonial white, bamboo (papers from the Silhouette kit X7090B. $12.95, and the Silhouette Creative Basics pack. X5803. $8.95). I had lots of paper left over for other projects.
6. For decorative accents I chose the September Word Puzzle stamp set (D1291, $22.95), with black ink (Z2205. $5.25) and bamboo ink (Z2103. $5.25). I also accented with circle metal rimmed tags (X285. $4.50 for 12 tags, 3 sizes) and silver brads (1759. $4.50 for 100 brads) and the black collection of our designer ribbon rounds (Z1034. $9.95 for 6 different ribbons, 4 ft. of each) and also some of our dimensional elements letters. Love those! Of course I had lots of accents left over for other projects.
7. I chose to do one photo per page and either a side bar, or title topper or bottom border as the page bases to keep it having a unified feel.
8. I needed to find a poem to fit our family for the closing page.
9. I needed a family photo, photos of the boys, and photo of Dan and I and of Kori and Rick.

See how that works? AWESOME! I love this album organizational system and use it quite often. Thanks to Stacey Julian again for creating an awesome system.

Scrapbook Album Formula Worksheet

Yesterday I promised you an Album Formula Worksheet to go along with your Photo Organization handout (see yesterday's first post). By using these two handouts, you can be well on your way to feeling organized and ready to scrap at any time! WOO HOO!

In the next few days I will post some photos of an album or two that I have made that follows this formula worksheet. I love using this sheet and love how my albums turn out when I do.


Simple Scrapbooks Formula Worksheet
Created by: Stacey Julian and slightly modified by Karen Pedersen

Use this handy form to help you plan and make a scrapbook. These nine questions will help you make decisions about format and organization. U se the back to sketch design schemes, attach paper swatches, and make a shopping list to take with you when shopping for your supplies (like when you come to Karen’s house for Play Group). Keep this sheet in your scrapbook or scrapbook file as a reference for creating and updating your album.

PURPOSE
1. Why am I making this album? Ask yourself:
*Who or what am I celebrating (child’s life, vacation, relationship or hobby)?
*What emotions do I want to capture (romance, gratitude, remembrance)?
*How will I use this album (gift, showcase, yearly update)?


FORMAT
2. What size and style of album** will I use (12 x 12, 6 x 6, Braggin’ Tag, Acrylic, 4 x 6 Three Ring, etc.)

**Close To My Heart has many sizes and types of albums to choose from:
-My Legacy Albums: 6" x 6", 9" x 9" and 12" x 12" post bound albums in linen, simulated leather and leather, many colors to choose from, that range in price from $18.95 to $49.95. All 3 sizes of these in various colors of linen are pictured here.
-My Creations 3 Ring , 4" x 6" Binder (coming May 1! Z1141, $5.95)
-My Creations Circle Album, 4 3/4" diameter, 2 chipboard covers, 10 cardstock pages (Z1017, $4.95)
- My Creations Acrylic Mini Album, 6 1/4" x 7", 8 pages, use both sides (Z1117, $14.95)
-Braggin' Tags Mini-Album, 7 1/4" x 4 1/4", 2 chipboard covers and 10 cardstock pages (Z1012, $4.95)
-My Creations Memory Showcase, accordion-style album with 2 chipboard covers and 6 pages inside. 6" x 6" (Z1195, $3.95) or 9" x 9" (Z1198, $5.95) sizes
-My Creations Display Album, can stand to display photos or be sued as a book. Chipboard covers with 12 spiral bound page protectors. 6" x 6" (Z1054, $7.95)
-3" x 3" Mini Album. 8 page protectors inside. Kraft (Z1165) or Cream (Z1166). ($3.95)



3. How will I organize my album (check one)?

• chronological highlights (monthly pages or by event)
• Theme (holidays, vacations, school)
• Favorites (photos I love, collections, etc.)
• Alpha-numeric (ABC book, top-10 list)
• Question and Answer (interview style, use of questionnaire)
• Other (Don’t feel constrained by someone else’s guidelines, imagine the possibilities and blur the lines)
  

4. What framework pages will I include in the album (check each one you plan to include)?

• Title page
• Dedication page
• Table of Contents
• Section pages
• Filler pages
• Closing page
• Other
  

5. What is my color scheme? (Attach your Close To My Heart color swatches to the back of this sheet.)




6. What decorative accents will I use?




7. How will I arrange my photos and journaling on the framework and filler pages to create a unified look and feel? (This is your design scheme. Close To My Heart how-to books will help you a great deal (Cherish, Imagine, Reflections).




PREPARATION
8. Do I need to gather additional information (such as stories, names and dates)? If yes, what? Who do I need to contact?




9. What photos do I need to complete the album? Do I have all of the photographs or do I need to contact someone or take more photos?



HELPFUL DEFINITIONS
Framework: A group of pages that provides the ‘skeletal’ structure for an album. Included title page, table of contents, etc.

Title Page: lists your album’s name, date and other identifying information. Sets the style for your entire album by introducing selected colors and accents.
Dedication/Introduction page (optional): A place to explain our reasons behind the album or dedicate it to a specific person. Sometimes included on the cover or title page.

Table of contents (optional): Provides a quick overview of what’s included in your book, usually listing section titles. Often establishes a design characteristic that’s used for each section, such as a specific color or decorative accent.

Section pages (optional): Introduces and separates each album section (if you’re using sections).

Filler pages: Provide the body of your album and contain your photos and journaling, as well as design elements carried over from your framework pages.

Closing page (optional): Provides a place for a closing photo, an album summary, or an appropriate quote.

Materials file: A place to gather photos and supplies before you begin, as well as store your completed formula and information or supplies you’ll need for future updates.

Format: The physical characteristics of the album and it’s contents, including the album size and the way the album is organized (“top-ten list”, “favorites”, etc.)

Design scheme: the way elements are arranged on a page. A consistent design scheme visually ties the pages together, lending continuity to an album.

Photo Organization

Do you have a stack at your house that looks like this? Do you have boxes of photos that need organizing? Do you feel so overwhelmed trying to sort through photos that you never seem to get any scrapbooked? If you answered, "Yes!" to any of these questions, then today's post is just for you!

The original handout that I adapted this from was created by my friend, Chris Green. She was inspired by Stacey Julian's book, Photo Freedom. Awesome resource, by the way!

Enjoy the following information, cut and paste it into a document that you can print and use as you organize. Please let me know if you have any comments or questions. Enjoy! -Karen

Photo Organization

Handout created by Chris Green, with a few ideas added by Karen Pedersen
(Ideas inspired by “Photo Freedom by Stacy Julian”)

Close To My Heart Product List (items that can be used to facilitate this system, they are referred to throughout the handout):
My Legacy Albums – various styles & colors - $27.95 to $49.95
4113 12x12 Six Pocket (10 pages) $8.95
Z4127 Label Holders $4.95
Z1038 My Acrylix Organizer $12.95
Z334 Paper Organizer 12x12 $10.95
Z1049 Photo Marker $2.50
(To purchase any of these items, click here then click on Shop Online)

From Camera to Prints

Digital
1. Set up a folder by year – for example: “2009”
2. In each year folder, set up sub folders by each date and event and download photos into the folder after each event or on a regular basis (i.e.: weekly, monthly, quarterly). Here are some sub folder examples:
12-25 – Christmas Day
4-14 – Dawson’s 15th Birthday
3. Upload digital prints for printing on a regular basis (once a month, once a quarter, etc). Online places to order photos: www.costco.com (requires membership), www.winkflash.com, www.snapfish.com, www.shutterfly.com

Film
1. Label each roll of film with month/year – event with a permanent marker.
2. Have a regular place that you store your film waiting to be developed so you don’t misplace any.
3. Develop film on a regular basis (Each roll of film, each event – such as a vacation).

Create Organization Systems
Before you can begin organizing your printed photos, you need to create a couple of organization systems. Create the following:

Scrapbook Notebook
As you begin scrapbooking more frequently, this notebook will help be able to keep track of what you have scrapbooked and what photos have been used on a project or in a gift album. It will also be a great place to file ideas you have for project albums.
* Create a yearly sheet you can record your photo events on to track what has been printed, what album, etc.
* Create tabs in the notebook – yearly and tabs for each project album to organize your ideas for your album.
* Print Several project sheets that you store in your albums so you can fill them out as you get inspiration for your album or project (note from Karen: I will be sharing one of these on my blog tomorrow, 4-18-2009)

My Legacy Album & Photo Storage Pages – 6 photo
Use an album for each family member or theme album to store your photos to be scrapbooked. Load the six photo pocket pages (4113, 10 for $8.95) into the album. This will save you time when you are sorting. Use a Label Holder to label your album.
Budget Option: Use one album or use the photo storage pages loosely until you can purchase an album.

My Acrylix Organizer
This organizer (Z1038, $12.95) will be a filing box for all the “extra” photos when you sort your photos. Consider creating a filing box for the following:
* Each family member
* Each themed scrapbook (Vacations, Holidays, etc) you set up
Advantage of using the My Acrylix Organizers – they are portable and stackable!

Create tabs in each album for the types of photos that will be filed in the box. Some tab ideas:
* Personality
* Friends
* Sibling & Me
* Hobbies

Paper Organizer – 12x12
Use the paper organizer (Z334, $10.95 for 3) to store oversized photos (and miscellaneous memorabilia) - consider labeling the organizer with the event and date.

From Photo Envelopes to Organized - Sorting Your Photos
Sort your photos from one event into the following piles:

Discard (i.e. the garbage!)
Place any blurred prints, misprints from print company, etc in this pile. As soon as you are finished sorting – these photos can be thrown away!

Scrapbook
Choose 12-24 photos of the event to scrapbook. NOTE: Not all of these photos will be used on the scrapbook page – the ones that are not chosen will be filed or discarded after you create your layout. Place photos in a single 6 photo pocket page – layer like photos between the front photos of the pocket.

File
These are photos that will be filed in your My Acrylix Organizer box(s). Use the Photo Marker (Z1049, $2.50), write pertinent information on photo – month, year, event and then file photos in the appropriate My Acrylix Organizer box under the appropriate divider tab.

Extra photos
Store in your six photo pages in an album by year or if digital prints discard after scrapbook layout is complete. This is a hard concept for some people, but it really is OK to discard the photos of an event that are much the same as the one you have scrapbooked but not as good. Do you really need 6 photos of Sally blowing out her birthday candles? I think probably one or two is plenty. Let go of the need to keep every single photo.

Negatives
Store in envelope by date or scan with a negative scanner into digital files. Service available online – for more information go to www.scancafe.com or Google “Negative Scanner”.