“Banners were everywhere at the latest scrapbooking and hobby tradeshow. Manufacturers are making banner stickers, rub-on’s, chipboard stickers, and punch outs.

How to Make a Scalloped Pennant Banner with Punches – Sample Scrapbook Page” … more

Now be bold and create your own banner for your scrapbook layout!

Cheers and Happy Scrapbooking,

Val at Paperhills

Your experiences in childhood can provide so many opportunities for scrapbooking ideas.  Each vivid memory can be preserved for your families to enjoy now and into the future…like a diary of you.

These memories may not always have the photos to go with them, but don’t let that stop you from creating the layouts anyway.  When no photos exist, use clip art or find a picture from a magazine, or on the web that evokes the memory and be sure to put special emphasis on journaling the story.

Your family will be so glad you did.

Happy Scrapbooking!

Val at Paperhills

1.  Create a double layout of a Year in your life.

2.  Divide each page into 6 sections totaling 12 months.

3.  Select photos of the outstanding events occurring in your life in each month…some months may have several key photos.

4.  Embellish each section with the weather or colors associated with holidays occurring in that particular month.

5.  Consider events like birthdays, anniversaries, trips, buying a new car, moving, special holidays, yearly traditions – almost anything.

6.  Size your photos so that they can fit into the space allotted for them.  Don’t be afraid to create different sized sections for each month to create a more interesting layout.

7.  Collect your photos during the year with this type of project in mind.

8.   Make this a yearly project!

Have fun with this – Happy Scrapbooking!

Val at Paperhills

If you want to produce a family picture without all the hassels, why not create a layout using recent miniature photos of everyone in your family.  There are so many ways you could complete such a project and the creative possibilities are endless.  It would be interesting to do one every couple of years…hassel free.

Don’t forget – if you end up with an especially beautiful masterpiece – you can always frame it and hang it on the wall.   No wrangling required!

Cheers and Happy Scrapbooking,

Val at Paperhills

All Moms and Gramas have a stash of notes, cards and drawings you have received from your children and grandchildren.  I have boxes of it.  I could never throw these sentimental items away.  The kids grow up and that special time when you were the whole world to them can fade into memory.  The love and devotion, innocence and appreciation shown in these loving messages to you should never be forgotten.

Of course you could never use all of these keepsakes in your scrapbooking, however it would be great to take some of the most notable and create layouts with them.  Some of my best messages hold some humor as well and make me laugh each time I read them.

For example, my youngest son was sick and as was often the case he expressed his feelings by drawing a picture for me.  I have the cutest drawing of him with a sad face and a little round belly upon which was written “ouch”.  He was probably 5 or 6 at the time.  He wanted to share his pain with mommy – that drawing never fails to make me smile.

My daughter always liked to write poems and letters and as she grew up those letters became a history of her life.  When I look through the pages I am remembering the good times and the bad.  Sometimes she would write that she was running away, or she was sorry for something she had done that had hurt me.  Always she poured her little heart out.

All of these special notes were heart to heart sentiments that I treasure.   And now I have grandchildren that carry on the tradition.  I actually have a large section of my scrapbook devoted to them and I suggest you pick out some of your favorites to use in your layouts as well.

Don’t forget to journal how much your children and grandchildren mean to you – love notes for them to read later and smile over.

Cheers and Happy Scrapbooking,

Val at Paperhills

In journaling your thoughts for scrapbooking there might be occasions when it would be helpful to use poems, or song lyrics that you can relate to as a way to document your innermost expressions. All the work has been done for you. Go ahead and try it next time you’re stuck for words!

Cheers and Happy Scrapbooking!
Val at Paperhills

Enjoy!

Happy Scrapbooking everyone,

Val at Paperhills

Here’s one great idea I had. When you’re going through your closets to clean up your old jeans, pants or anything else…cut off the pockets and fasten them to your scrapbooking paper.  They come in all shapes and sizes.  Use the pockets to place all your extra stuff in – the small items that add to your story.  The more detail on the pockets, the better.  If the pockets are plain you can embellish them with metallics, ribbon, buttons or just about anything.  Match everything to your layout theme.

Just glue the outside edges of your pocket onto your paper and keep the top open for your photos and souvenirs to slip in.   Cheap and effective.  Have fun with this one!

Happy Scrapbooking!

Val at Paperhills

If  I cannot find just the right color mix to be effective, I bring out my paints and paint them to match my layout theme.  One thing’s for sure.  Nothing is wasted in my scrapbooking area.

Many times it is these simple, inexpensive but creative techniques that are the most interesting in your layouts.

FR I E N D S

FO R E V E R

Cheers and Happy Scrapbooking!

Val at Paperhills

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Enjoy!

Happy Scrapbooking,

Val at Paperhills