Memory Scrapbooks Blog

Scrapbooks Aren’t Just for Family Photos

2010-03-19T21:21:55Z

If you thought that scrapbooks were only meant for cataloging photos of birthday parties and graduations, then guess again. More and more historical societies, universities, and organizations are scrapbooking their history in order to keep the stories preserved so that they can be archived and passed on through the generations.

Programs from theater productions, receipts from corner stores, advertisements, photos, and even legal documents are now being scrapbooked to keep the history alive for others to enjoy. If you’re a member of a historical society in need of assistance, suggest lending your scrapbooking skills and time!

MemoryScrapbooks.com is the perfect place to get the supplies you need to help your organization or non-profit scrapbook its history. Acid-free adhesives, archival safe scrapbooks, and extensive refill pages are just a few of the supplies you’ll find at MemoryScrapbooks.com. Shop the selection, donate your time, and give back to your community by helping an organization in your area scrapbook.

Make an Inspiration Book!

2010-03-05T15:41:09Z

Have you ever thought about using a scrapbook to inspire you? Well, with a few of these tips, you could be well on your way to creating great things using an inspiration book that’s filled with all of your best ideas. After all, who wouldn’t want a little extra creativity in life? Here’s how you can make an inspiration book of your own:

Start out by buying a scrapbook from MemoryScrapbooks.com to store your ideas.
Next, look through magazines, books, and on the net for photos, textures, colors, and other things that leave you feeling inspired. Cut or print them out and paste them into your scrapbook. Make notes of what you like best about each image or cutout.
Then, go through and write down any ideas you may have, quotes you like, or other little snippets of poems and stories that make you feel inspired. Or, if you have time, get notes and quotes from friends and family members that can keep you motivated and focused.
Finally, add some embellishments to give the pages pizzazz and you’re done! Now you have an inspiration book you can turn to the next time you’re looking to do something creative, whether it’s writing a story or redecorating a bedroom!

Easter Scrapbooking

2010-02-22T20:57:45Z

Like with most holidays, these days become a great time to capture some holiday snapshots and put together a scrapbook to showcase your favorite memories. With the holiday of Easter, look forward to capturing pictures of the young ones with their Easter dresses and bonnets, fun times at the egg hunt, poses with the Easter bunny and more. Plus, this holiday allows you to scrapbook with pretty pastels and bunny, chicks and spring flower embellishments.

Not a child’s first Easter? Collect pictures from past Easters and create a collage of pictures throughout the years.

Remember the “firsts” of this holiday. Those can be the first picture with the Easter bunny, the first egg hunt or his or her first Easter basket.

For many, Easter is about the religious significance rather than the materialistic things. Focus on your faith on your scrapbook pages. There may be things that are part of your life that are symbolic and journaling about these experiences in an Easter scrapbooking is another technique to consider.

Creating a single scrapbook for Easter or including a few Easter pages to your Holiday scrapbook is a great way to cherish your pictures and to celebrate each of the holidays. Easter will be here before you know it, so make sure you have your camera ready and brainstorm some Easter related page layouts.

Things That Can Harm Your Scrapbooks and Photos

2010-02-18T22:11:08Z

Anyone who scrapbooks or deals with photos knows that they have to be protected, but when it all comes down to it, do they really know what’s causing damage to their treasured keepsakes? Here are some of the most common things that your photos and scrapbooks could come in contact with that can cause damage:

1.) Any liquids or moisture can destroy your photographs, negatives, or scrapbook pages by causing the paper to break down and the colors to distort. Store photos in a cool, dry place where no excessive amounts of moisture can get in.
2.) Sunlight and extreme temperatures can also compromise the integrity of your photos, so be sure to keep any photographs, scrapbooks, or negatives out of direct sunlight. Also, try to store them in areas that are moderate in temperature.
3.) Fingerprints on photos can become visible on photos and negatives over time. Try wearing gloves or wipe down your pictures using acid neutralizing wipes to remove any oils that came off from your hands during handling.
4.) Papers or cardstock with acid are also known to discolor photos, so be sure that you’re using papers that are only acid-free. At MemoryScrapbooks.com, we specialize in only acid-free products so that your photos are never compromised. All of our scrapbooks and papers are made with your need to be acid-free in mind.

Thinking of a Scrapbooking Retreat?

2010-02-15T20:04:58Z

Scrapbooking retreats are a great way to reflect on your skills and goals of scrapbooking, meet new and exciting people, and to learn about new tools and techniques in this popular pastime. There are many popular scrapbooking retreats such as Get Crafty Studio and Scrap Camp in the Virginia area which are great experiences for all scrapbookers. If you are thinking of signing up for a scrapbooking retreat, there are a few items to consider.

An area to scrapbook is most important – find out what space is available and if it caters to individuals or group needs.
Inquire about necessary scrapbooking supplies – what supplies are available at the retreat and what supplies of your own should you bring?
Know fellow scrapbookers? – Some retreats offer discount packages to larger groups and can save you money.
What activities beyond scrapbooking? – Does the retreat offer other activities you can become involved in beyond scrapbooking?

If you need a weekend to get away or even to allow you the opportunity to focus on your scrapbooking passion, research scrapbooking retreats in your area and get away for a weekend while enjoying every minute you are gone!

Making the Most of Your Memories

2010-02-04T20:10:59Z

I, myself, am guilty of just this – leaving all my pictures hiding on my digital camera for no one to enjoy them, including myself.

If this sounds like you, then break the habit this year and become encouraged by showcasing some of your finest snapshots into media you and all can enjoy. If you enjoy the craft of scrapbooking, create mini scrapbooks such as this Cloth Frame 5×7 Scrapbook and stick to one central theme in the book. Hiding away Christmas pictures? Create a scrapbook to hold those photos. Ringing in the New Year while out on the town? Create a scrapbook to hold those photos. Whatever array of pictures it may be hiding on your camera, get those out in the open to share with all to enjoy!

Who says it is too late to set a New Year’s resolution? Make an effort going forward this year to share your memories with others whether it be in the form of scrapbook, a standard photo album or even a digital frame, enjoy those pictures. You took them for a reason didn’t you?

Capture the Memories

2010-02-01T17:58:39Z

How many times have you gone on a trip only to find that you’ve left behind your camera? Or maybe you just decided to leave it at home so you wouldn’t be stuck carrying it around while you enjoy your vacation. Either way, you’re missing out on all of those fantastic memories that help to make a trip last forever. By taking time to take some photos, and scrapbook those snapshots later, you’re showing that the trip was more than just an outing for you – it was something that was meant to be treasured.

Right now, many families are starting to plan trips either to get away from winter weather, or to celebrate the summer once school gets out. If you’re looking to take a trip anytime soon, remember to pick up your camera and shoot. The pictures that you’ll take on this trip will help to keep the memories alive. Plus, with photos, you can always look back on your vacation and give yourself a chance to get away for a little while as you look at the photos and remember just how much fun you had.

Break Out of Your Scrapbooking Rut

2010-01-21T17:19:27Z

If you’re stuck on a page and you need a better way to make your pages look fantastic, the best thing to do is to take some time and do something else. Give yourself time to think and imagine the possibilities for the page, rather than to stress over it. Then, go back to your project and experiment. Is there a different way you could use the photos? A different layout? Different colors? Try adding or subtracting different elements to find the layout or design you’ve been looking for.

Still stuck? Try looking online for inspiration. Browse through scrapbooking guides and magazines. Play around with different color schemes. The key is to allow yourself to experiment so that you can unlock that creativity. Then, once you’ve done that, the rest is easy!

Get yourself out of your scrapbooking rut by allowing yourself to experiment and be creative. Remember, just be patient – a good idea will come soon!

The Best of Scrapbooking

2010-01-19T17:36:03Z

We know how enjoyable and rewarding scrapbooking can be, and for those who don’t have scrapbooking listed as one of their hobbies, you are missing out on all the fun and creativity you can have with showcasing their favorite memories! Check out our top five reasons why scrapbooking is so much fun and you’ll see why we love it:

Reminiscing over memories and pictures from past vacations, parties and other gatherings.
Brings out the creative side and lets you experiment with layouts, colors and design.
Being able to share the adventures and memories with others.
Can be a form of relaxation and gives you time to enjoy past memories.
Meeting other scrapbookers and building relationships with the scrapbooking community.

These five reasons are just a few of the ways you could enjoy this very popular hobby. You can scrapbook for your own enjoyment, scrapbook for others, or can even help someone else put together his or her own book. Either way, scrapbooking is such a rewarding and exciting pastime!

Scrapbook that Winter Fun!

2010-01-08T19:12:12Z

Scrapbooking is important if you want to keep those memories for a lifetime. This winter, as you plan ski trips, remember that you should be bringing along a camera to capture all of those special moments on the slopes. If you and your family are planning on doing any skiing, snow tubing, skating, or sledding this winter, don’t forget to pack along a camera! These are the memories that are going to last a lifetime.

Once you’ve got the photos of your winter fun, it’s time to put them into a scrapbook so that they can be enjoyed for many years to come. Choose a scrapbook that features a winter theme or comes in a white, silver, or icy blue hue to capture the feel of the season. Then, add in your photos along with some wintry embellishments, like paper snowflakes. Look for stickers or cutouts of skiers, sledders, or other people doing winter activities to include on each page. Include scraps like ski lift passes or skate rental vouchers as a special touch. Then, write in captions about your trip. That’s it – you’ve got a beautiful winter scrapbook that’s sure to be remembered!