How I scrapbook

How I scrapbook my Kids' Scrapbooks

I'm not for sure in the beginning, when I first started scrapbooking, why I chose to do binders.  I am glad I did though!!  Things can just continue for years and I get a chance to do something different on the front, back, and side of each album.  It's kind of like creating your own story book!

This is the front of my son's scrapbook album.  It is a 8 1/2 by 11 binder.  I think it is a 3 inch binder.  I only purchase the binders that have the window on the front, back, and sides so that I can decorate it myself.  I choose one of my favorite photos from inside that album and showcase it on the front.

Here is a few of the pages within this scrapbook album.  It is in chronological order. This son has 15 of these albums right now, and he's 18!!  I just created layouts for the photos I want and just keep putting them in an album until no more will fit, then I start a new one.

I hope you enjoyed this particular scrapbook album!!  I have done many different sizes, themes, and just a lot of scrapbooking things.  It is truly what I love to do!!  And I love sharing it with you!!!

Decoupage Memory Box

Beyond the Scrapbook

I have done other projects besides scrapbook albums using scrapbooking supplies.

One of these projects was a memory box that my son built at Home Depo.  We used to go to Home Depo every month for their Kids Workshop.  My kids would build all kinds of things from bird houses to pencil boxes and more.  We did this for years!

One month they built these memory boxes that I just thought were the cutest things.  I had this great idea to "scrapbook it."

What do I mean by that?

Well, I used decoupage glue and glued decorative scrapbooking paper to each of the sides of the box. You spread the decoupage glue all over the surface, place your cut-to-size paper on it and then decoupage glue over top of the paper.  This gives it a glazed top.

Before I glued the paper, though, I took brown ink and inked all the edges of the box and of the paper.  I did this to give it an antique look.

Here is the finished product!!  My son loves it even though it has flowers on it.  I think he likes it so much because he and I made it together!!  

Great family times together!!

Custom Made Scrapbook Albums

Custom Made Scrapbook Albums

I thought today that I would share with you a few of the custom made scrapbook albums I have made over the years.  People contact me through craigslist, facebook, pinterest, Ebay, craftshows, Etsy or just by being acquaintances.  I sit down with them and together we come up with a plan to give them exactly what they want at a decent price.  Of course, prices vary based on the size of the album, number of pages, and amount of detail put on the pages.

Here is a boy themed scrapbook album that I made for an aquaintance at the gym that I am a member.  She wanted an album to put all of her grandsons photos in.  So, together we came up with this album!!

This is an album that I made for a neighbor for her father for Father's Day!!  My neighbor and her mother filled it with family photos including his father who has recently passed!!  Very emotional gift!!

This album was made for a lady who wanted to give a friend a scrapbook for her wedding.  So we discussed the colors of the wedding, and I was able to match all the colors and she had a wonderful, one-of-a-kind gift!!

This is an album that I made for a lady who just wanted a fun album to showcase photos of her family in the pool throughout the summer.

Currently, I am working on one order for baby scrapbook pages to add to an album that I had already sold.  The lady wanted some more pages done. Contact me if you would like an album custom made, just for you!!!  You can also visit my shop below!!!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MadeForYouScrapbooks?ref=hdr_shop_menu

Craft Shows

Craft Shows

In September of 2013, I started attending local craft shows as a vendor selling my premade scrapbook albums, scrapbook pages, altered chipboard albums, and my lunchbag albums.

While I didn't make a lot of money, I did meet plenty of new people.  I was able to hand out over 150 business cards and actually SHOW people what I do.

I had so many great conversation with people about their kids, their family, and just life in general.  I even met a high school kid that got so excited about my idea of making these scrapbook albums ready for 4 by 6 photos.  He took one of my business cards and said he was telling his dad about me.  He said that his dad was a photographer.  This was great news!!  I was so excited that other people GET what I do and get just as EXCITED!!  It was great!!

Another lady that I met had been scrapbooking for years for herself and other people.  She told me how well priced my scrapbook albums were.  She said that most people who are not scrapbookers, do not know just how much time and money go into making an album.  SO TRUE!!  She also took a business card and said she would send anyone my way who needed a scrapbook done because she had stopped doing it for others.  She was a lovely lady!!

Others had no idea what it was that I was selling until I TALKED to them and SHOWED them the albums.  They were so surprised!!  Even though I had a sign that said "Made Just For You Scrapbooks", at least one scrapbook laying open for them to see the pages, and 20 or so other albums laying on the table.

It amazed me that no one knew what I did until I told them!!  So, between my husband and I we had to CATCH everyone who came by with interest and TELL them WHAT I was SELLING!!

This not only drew people in, but made them engage in conversation with us about my business.  I left all of my shows with a lot of great potential.  So many people were INTERESTED in what I did and LOVED the idea!!  That's all I needed was for people to GET IT!!  And now, so many more people do!!

Here is a photo of me at my craft show at Milford High School!!

 

Telling the Stories Behind Your Photos

Telling  the Stories Behind Your Photos

I was inspired to create this Breast Cancer Scrapbook Album after the death of my dear aunt.  Although, she did not have breast cancer, she did have cervical cancer.  When she was diagnosed, they gave her 6 months to live.  Devastating!!  She started receiving get well cards almost daily.  She loved them all and wanted something special to be done with them.  She contacted me and asked me what I thought I could do with them.  I immediately told her that I could create a scrapbook album for her.  We talked about all the details of the album.  She wanted it to be an 8 1/2 by 11 binder with the sheet protector front.  Not a problem!!!  I set out to do this project for her fast because I wanted her to be able to see some of it before she passed.  I got the binder and decorated the binder, front, back, and side, just as a book would be.  I chose her favorite colors which were purple and yellow.  I wish I had photos to show you.  I printed on the front of the album her name and a quote I found that went something like this " you were not meant to fit in, you were meant to stand out as a light in the darkness".  Inside the album she wanted the cards to be cut so that she could see the front of the card and the inside of the card.  So I cut all the cards and put them side by side (the front of the card next to the inside of the card; who it was from) on cardstock scrapbook paper.  I decorated each page to compliment the card.  I probably did about 50 pages which she got to see a few weeks after I received the cards.  She told my mom that she wanted her to keep it so that I could do all the cards.  Then, she wanted the album to go to her husband and kids when she passed.  My mom did as she was told.  My aunt asked me what she owed me as she lay dying in her hospital bed.  Absolutely nothing, I told her!!  This was my gift to her and I would see to it that all the cards were done and in the album even after she would depart.  She did pass away about 4 months later. She didn't make it 6 months, but I went to pick up more cards a few weeks after she passed from her son who had been collecting them as they came in from her passing.  I wanted to include all of those too.  I finished the album about a week later and gave it to her son.  At the time, her son didn't understand why she wanted all these cards in this album for all of them.  I hope over time he will come to realize that it was what she wanted for all of them to remember her.  She loved it and hoped they would too.

I 'm telling you this story to tell you that it made me think about the stories behind our scrapbook albums.  They are GREAT stories because they are OUR stories.

I made this Breast Cancer Scrapbook Album for someone to tell their story.  Your family wants to know your story.  Yes, most of the time they were there with you, but sometimes you were all alone.  Document all the things good and bad.  Photos of people who were there with you and the stories behind the photos.  You and your family will treasure it one day, I promise.

Thanks so much!!!

Big Army Scrapbook Album

Big Army Scrapbook Album

I have been wanting to make this album for some time now.  I have just been trying to work out all the details of it.  It is a very different album than I have done in the past.  This album is like 2 books in one.

I have decided to make it 48 pages!!  Wow!!  By far the biggest premade scrapbook album that I have ever made.  Whoo Hoo!!!  I am including a lot of pocket pages for memorabilia, like larger photos and letters.  It will still hold lots of 4 by 6 photos.  It will also have many journaling areas, all stamped but different also. 

There is so much going on in this album, that I'm excited to have in my store very soon.  However, there will only be one available.  So, only one lucky person will have it forever.  Lol!!

When I have it all finished and listed, I will come back to this post and put the link below!!  Hopefully, it will only be a few more days!!!  Wish me luck!!!

It's done, it's done!!! Check it out below!!!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/472424837/army-scrapbook-album-premade-army?ref=shop_home_active_2

My Dog Scrapbook Album

My Dog Scrapbook Album

This is an album of my dog, Cheyenne!!  We got her as a puppy in 2001, and she just pasted away in January of 2016.

I did this album in black and pink which is the colors of her collar.  I like this color combination too.  I added ribbon, ribbon slides, and brads of these colors also to coordinate with the album.  The ribbon slides I had to paint with black acrylic paint to match the album.  I used different patterns of pink papers while sticking with the same polka dot black papers.  I think the overall album blends well.

I just finished this album today.  It took a little time to get over her death and finish it up, but I did it!!

I hope I have inspired YOU to scrapbook a furry friend or friends.  They need a scrapbook album too!!

If scrapbooking is just not for you and you would like one made for you, contact me!!  I will work with you to get you the perfect album!!

I have a few pet albums available in my Etsy shore.  Click the links to see what's available.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/399448165/dog-scrapbook-album-puppy-scrapbook?ref=shop_home_active_23

https://www.etsy.com/listing/469838149/dog-scrapbook-album-puppy-scrapbook?ref=shop_home_active_3

Dog Shadow Box

Dog Shadow Box 

I just recently finished a shadow box of my dog.  She was 14 and a half years old when she passed away in January of this year (2016).  She had been such a huge part of our family.  She had lymphoma and I had to make the very difficult decision to have her put down on January 23rd.  It was by far the hardest thing I have ever had to do.  She was so weak and in so much pain that I couldn't let her suffer anymore.  We went as a family to the vet after I called to make sure that I could take her in.  My husband and youngest son didn't want to go back, but me and my older son did.  It was so sad to see her go, but I needed to see it happen.  It truly was hard to watch, but I didn't want her to be alone with people she didn't know.  We petted her and talked to her until she was gone.  I still have a hard time with my decision, but I couldn't let her suffer and she is in a better place now.  She has crossed the doggy rainbow bridge and is happy and free of pain again.  That makes me happy.  Here is the shadow box that I made in her memory.  It includes her collar, leash, and bear that she loved.  It was the only toy that she ever liked.

We also had a gravestone made for her a few months ago.  A very nice lady on Etsy made it for us.  She did a wonderful job!!!  Here's a photo of it.

Happy Mail

Happy Mail

Do you love receiving packages in the mail?  Me too!!!  Sometimes if I've ordered a few things around the same time, it's exciting to see which package gets to me first.  Sometimes I'm even surprised at the things I get because I forgot I ordered something!!  Lol!!!

Today I got some happy mail!!!  However, it is for a custom order that I'm working on.  It's still exciting though!!!  Where do you usually purchase goodies from?

My special order items usually come from Ebay.  I can find unique items there for scrapbooking that I can't find anywhere else.  However, if I'm buying a special gift for myself, I buy from Etsy or another handmade seller on Facebook.  I made a New Year's resolution for this year, 2016, to buy from a handmade seller once a month.  Which reminds me, I need to make a purchase for this month, July!!

I hope others will join in on my resolution, especially if you are a handmade seller also.  You succeed when you help others!!!  This is very true!!!  I try to help many people with sales and knowledge in selling handmade.  It has truly helped my business to grow!!

Ok, well, I probably need to check out my favorites list on Etsy to see who my next purchase will come from for the month of July.  If you have a shop, comment below!!!  You could be next in line for my resolution sales coming up!!!  I hope that you, too, can commit to this challenge.  These gifts are not always for myself.  For the month of June, I bought a handmade sign for my sister's birthday which is coming up.  Sometimes you have to get creative on what you want to buy and from whom.  Thanks so much and I hope to hear from you soon!!!

Inspiration!!!!

Scrapbook Inspiration - Ideas

I have been scrapbooking for many years.  I've gone through so many "inspirational" scrapbooking books and magazines over those years also.  I just kept thinking that these books and/or magazines had just a few things that would interest me each.  I wished there was an album that a lot of things inspired me.  These books and magazines also took up a lot of space for me to keep all of them just for a few ideas.

Then, an idea came to me one day!!!  Why not cut out the scrapbooking layouts that I liked from the magazines and photo copy the ideas out of the books and make my own "personal inspirational" book?

So, that's what I did!!  Here it is!!

I created a binder with sheet protectors.  I started glueing these "inspirational ideas" on cardstock and putting them in the album!!  What a great idea!!!

I have been collecting these ideas for about 8 years.  When I am running low on inspirtaion, I go to this book.

There's probably over 100 sheet protectors in this binder.  Most pages have about 4 different ideas. 

I always find some idea in this book to get me "jump started" on a layout or album.

I hope you can take this information and maybe make your own "inspirational album of ideas".  Have fun!!

Graduation Scrapbook - Part 2

Graduation Scrapbook - Part 2

Below I am sharing my completed graduation scrapbook album for my son who just graduated this year, 2016!!!  I love that his school, Clermont Northeastern, allowed the seniors to put on their caps and gowns and walk the halls of the elementary school.  They gave hi-fives to all the kindergarten through 5th grade kids!!  It was so awesome to see all of their faces (both seniors and elementary kids), so excited to do this!!!  It was the first year that the school has participated in this and hopefully it will become a tradition each year. It is so great for the seniors to see how far they've come and for the little kids to see where they will end up!!  Congrats to all!!!

I have some of these albums available in my Etsy shop, if you'd like to check them out!!  Here's the link to my shop!!!  https://www.etsy.com/shop/MadeForYouScrapbooks?ref=hdr_shop_menu

Graduation Scrapbook Album

Graduation Scrapbook Album

Things have been so busy this summer with my oldest son graduating!!  Yaaayyyy!!!  We are getting him signed up for college and trying to find him a job that will work around his school schedule.  Who knew that signing up for college was such a hurry up and then wait process?  It's a bit exhausting!!!  So, anyway, I was finally able to get started on his graduation scrapbook album.  Again, yaaayyyy!!!  I still have to glue everything down, but it's all put together.  So, here's a photo of the work in progress!!

This album will go with his collection of life scrapbooks, plus his Cub Scout and Boy Scout albums.  I am very proud of the young man he is becoming.  He has had some academic struggles over the years, but seems to have come out above them.  I'm actually surprised he wanted to go to college because of the struggles he has had with some of his classes.  This just makes me even more proud that he has overcome his challenges and ready and willing to take on more!!  I wish him the very best in his college years and life itself!!  Go get 'em buddy!!!

My Dream - Updated

My Dream

When I was in school all of my friends knew what they wanted to be when they got out of school. One wanted to be a veterinarian, one a nurse, and so on. I never knew what I wanted to BE.

However, when I was in 3rd grade I started making and selling bookmarks. Funny, huh? Well, it made some money.

Then in the 6th grade I started making friendship bracelets out of embroidery floss. I had so many different colors!! I even took orders and made them for classmates.

Then in the 8th grade, I decided to make beaded necklaces and bracelets. I even took orders and made those too.

In high school, my best friend decided she was going to go to a trade school for her last 2 years of school. What? And leave me here!! I looked at all the classes that were being offered at my home school and nothing appealed to me. So, on a whim, I went to the trade school too and took the same course she did, Business Technology.

As it turns out, it was the best choice for me. I had never done so well in school. I kept a 4.0 both years and was the top in my class at the trade school. This is also where I met my future husband!! (actually he had gone to my home school and was the brother to my best guy friend, we just hadn’t met yet)

When I graduated I had a job as a secretary for a lawyer. Some people would think this was a great job!! Well, it paid the bills, but it wasn’t what I wanted to do!!

I got married, bought a house, had a couple kids, and left the lawyers office. I got a job as a toddler teacher at a daycare. Best job ever!! I was making money, being creative (art projects), and my kids were right there with me!!

I stayed there for a few years until my older son started having trouble in school. Between talking to the teachers, tutoring him at home, and working full time, something had to give. I had to quit that job.

Then I became a stay at home mom. I took care of my younger son during the day and got my older son and a little girl on and off the bus. Great job!! While I was at the daycare I had been introduced to scrapbooking. So, now being a stay at home mom, I could also scrapbook. Yay!!

Then in 2013, I decided to start my own business. I wanted to make premade scrapbooks for people’s photos. Now I know not everyone is a scrapbooker or even really likes scrapbooking. This is the great thing about what I do. All of my albums are ready for 4 by 6 photos. So, it’s really not much different for you to put photos in than a regular photo album!! Okay, well, it is much prettier, and you may use a little glue, but it is really easy!!

Anyways, my first year was great, and I hoped the following year was even better, which it was!!

Unfortunately, my business wasn’t paying enough of our bills, and I had to get a part time job!! Booo!! Less time for scrapbooking now!!

I, then, took a job as a cafeteria worker (lunch lady) at a local school. Now, I know most of you are thinking, this is a great job in this economy. Well, it does pay the bills, but it is not where I wanted to be!!

After two years of being a lunch lady part time, I was finally able to get a job at my own kids' school, which I had tried for years.  I started working full time as a special needs aide.  I really love it, but it makes it really hard to continue my scrapbooking business.  However, the health insurance is very much needed for my family.

I have all this figured out, though. I have calculated how many scrapbook albums I need to sell to make the same amount of money that I am at this job. Are you curious to know how many I would need to sell a week?

Three!! Yes, I said, three!! You know that this is so doable? I was so excited when I figured this out. So my goal, right now, is to sell 3 albums a week!!

While this is still my goal, selling 3 albums a week, it could not replace the health insurance.  My goal is to still be at home doing my scrapbook business in the near future, though.  And I am closer to that goal than I was in 2013.

It has taken me all these years to realize what I am supposed to BE. It was right in front of my face all along. I have always been an artist and creator. Beyond that I am an entrepreneur, I was even back in grade school.

I now know what my calling is!!! I was meant to scrapbook people’s stories, even my own!! I believe this is what I am supposed to be doing!! I am supposed to help people tell their stories through scrap booking. I am supposed to help them capture and relive all these great memories they have been given!! This is what I was called to do!!

This is what I’m supposed to BE!! This is my dream!!

If you would like to help this mom's dream come true, click either of the links below!!

This link will take you to my eBay store where all my wonderful premade scrapbook albums are waiting for you. You can fill these albums with all of your great memories to cherish for years to come. http://stores.ebay.com/madejustforyouscrapbooks/

Or you can click this link and be directed to my Etsy shop where you will find MOST of the same items.  https://www.etsy.com/shop/MadeForYouScrapbooks?ref=hdr_shop_menu

Thank you so much for reading my story!!!  Please tell me yours below!!!

3 Good Reasons to Buy Premade Scrapbook Albums

3 Good Reasons to Buy Premade Scrapbook Albums

Save Time-  You will save sooooo much time letting someone else make and create you a premade scrapbook album.  You could buy one that is made for a specific occasion or have one custom made of your choice of themes.  Also, your pictures could be included in an album also.  So, you literally have NO time in it.

Save Money- Now, before you say, "What?" to this, let me tell you it all can be expensive.  If you are not a scrapbooker, then you would have lots of supplies to buy:  adhesive, paper cutter, album, paper, stickers, etc.  And if you never plan to scrapbook again then these supplies go to waste and you've lost your money on them.  So, don't waste your money on the supplies to waste, let someone who already has these supplies make the scrapbook album for you.

Help Someone's Dream Come True-  Most people who are willing to make a scrapbook album for you with or without photos, is usually more than happy to do so.  We actually enjoy creating for others as well as ourselves!!  So, let an "expert scrapbooker" do this for you and in turn you will be helping their dream come true.

Now if you have decided that you would like a premade scrapbook album, click the links below to see some premade scrapbook albums of many themes and sizes.  If you would like one custom made, there is a listing for that also only on my Etsy site.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MadeForYouScrapbooks?ref=hdr_shop_menu

http://stores.ebay.com/madejustforyouscrapbooks/