Better Living through Scrapbooking Newsletter

Have you signed up for the Better Living through Scrapbooking newsletter yet?  There is so much GREAT information in it!  I think you would love having it come to your e-mail box!  There is a challenge for you in this month's newsletter, and it's all about you!! 

Baby, You’re the Greatest” challenge

Create a baby layout about you, using the oldest photo you have of yourself.

It’s wonderful to pull out our own baby pictures! Sometimes we are so caught up in scrapping others that we forget to take time for our “All About Me” books. If you haven’t started a scrapbook for yourself, this would be the perfect jumping off point! I’ve used four of our challenge options for my layout, and I've highlighted them for you.

1. Scan the original photo and print it using your home printer or photo printing service, or take the photo to your local copy shop and have them make a color copy of the photo so that you can scrap the photo and save the original. I wanted my layout to have a 5×7 picture. If the quality is a little grainy to you, it is because I started with a very small picture! I scanned it and then printed it on my printer. I love this picture of my Dad holding me as a pretty happy baby!

2. Use no pastels or “baby colors” on the page (no light pinks, blues or pastel yellows) Now this was pretty easy for me! I m not a pastel girl, but rather prefer rich, warm colors. With a black and white photo, these Graphic 45 papers worked beautifully!

3. Frame the photo on your page in an unusual way.

4. Use words/letters as “art”. Cut letters and words from old magazines, junk mail, newspapers, packaging, etc. and use them in an artistic way on your page. Use them as a title, journaling, or just as embellishments on your page. Okay, I interpreted this a little differently! Instead of cutting out letters, I painted a journaling block directly on my page. This is so much fun! And very easy to do with a fan brush. You don’t even need to be perfect! When it was dry, I stamped my phrase with archival ink.

5. Use lace or ribbon on your page. I doubled some beautiful crocheted ribbon to add to the vintage feel of this layout.

A simple thing I did was distress the edges of everything. For me, it left enough clean lines, but still brought this layout back to 1962. Now, I bet you are wondering about that flower! I made it with two different colors of vellum. I used my Slice to cut scalloped circles – (4) 3-1/2″ circles and (4) 2-1/2″ circles. I crumpled them up pretty good, flattened them out and then stacked them. With four layers of each color, it was easy enough to manipulate the vellum to give it some floral poof. Give it a try – it’s really simple!

Items used: Natural Smooth CS, Cream and Wisteria Vellum (Discount Cardstock); Hallowe’en in Wonderland papers (Graphic 45); Edge Distresser and Vintage Pin (Tim Holtz); Slice Basics 1 Design Card (Making Memories); Antique White paint (Ceramcoat); Colonial White button, Colonial White crocheted ribbon, Alphabet stamp set, and black archival ink (Close To My Heart)