The first time I saw this idea I fell in love. These make really great gifts for family, friends, teachers, neighbors, kids, etc….

FYI: These albums are not acid or lignin free, so make sure that you are using photos that have duplicates or have them saved to a disk.

What you will need:
3 Paper Bags (any size, color)
Hole punch tool
Eyelets, book rings, ribbon or fibers to bind
lots of cool stuff to cover and embellish your pages

How to do the project:
1. Take your 3 paper bags and lay them on top of each other alternating the ends.
2. Fold them in half to create a book. Notice how the three open ends each form a pocket.Punch three to five holes along the spine.
3. Set an eyelet in each hole and / OR thread a couple of lengths of ribbon or fibre (or a combo of both!) through each hole and tie off.
4. Decorate your album as you choose using a variety of papers, embellishments, ribbon and any other creative elements in your scrapbooking stash.
5. Create at least 3 large tags slightly smaller than the album itself to fit into the three pockets formed by the paper bags. Use them to hold extra photos or journaling.

I know that I have seen this technique done before, and I can’t wait to try it out on a scrapbook page I just couldn’t find a picture of it to include with this blog. This idea gives your scrapbook page titles a really neat and different feel.

Things you will need:
letter stamps at least 2″ high
ink or acrylic paint in any color
pen/pencil
temporary adhesive (like HERMA Dotto removable, can be repositioned)
strip of paper and a large piece of scrap paper

How to do this project:
1. Choose a word to be the main portion of your title. (Example: we will use CHRISTMAS).

2. Roughly stamp out your main word on your waste paper. This will be used as a pattern to help you figure out dimensions for the next step.

3. Cut a strip of scrap paper 3/8″ wide and 1″ longer than your main word. (Example: use your pattern of CHRISTMAS to figure out how long to make your strip of scrap paper.)

4. Figure out where you want you title to go on your scrapbook page. Adhere the strip with your removable glue so it will run through the middle (top to bottom) of your main word-so the strip will run directly through the horizontal middle of CHRISTMAS, almost like a lane stripe runs down the middle of a road-through your desired background. The strip will run horizontally across the middle of your title.

5. Ink your letter stamps and stamp the main word (CHRISTMAS in our case) right over the top of strip of scrap paper. Remember to center the letters as you stamp them, so the strip runs through the middle, top to bottom of the word.

6. Let the stamped word dry completely. Remove the scrap paper strip.

7. In the un-inked space-the blank area between the top and bottom of your letters you can now write a subtitle or message with your pen. (Example: you have the word CHRISTMAS, in the middle you could write “family traditions.”)

Note: You can also use stencil letters instead of the stamps for letters if you prefer. Follow steps to 4. Instead of using stamps, stencil in each letter by dabbing paint or ink through the negative space.

I have been guilty on more than one occasion of forgetting to send things back to school with my daughter. I found this supper cute idea at Family Fun to help me remember things that need to go into the backpack.

What You Need:

Decorative paper
Scissors
Glue stick
18- by 12-inch sheet of poster board
Markers
Clear Con-Tact paper (or have it laminated at a copy shop
Nontoxic dry-erase marker
Adhesive-backed Velcro dot
Time needed: Under 1 Hour

How To Make It:

1. Cut three 6- by 12-inch rectangles from decorative paper. Use a glue stick to affix them side by side onto the poster board.
2. Write a “Do at Home” checklist on the left rectangle and a “Take to School” checklist on the right one (leave a few blank spaces at the bottom of each list for write-in reminders).3. Have the place mat laminated at a copy shop or cover it with clear Con-Tact paper. Your child can use a nontoxic dry-erase marker to check off items or write additional reminders. Affix an adhesive-backed Velcro dot to keep the marker in a handy spot on the mat.

Design your own back to school backpack.

Things you will need:
Backpack of your choosing
Iron-on appliques
Patch and applique glue
Bedazzler rhinestones: multicolored
Bedazzler machine

Instructions:
You can draw an image of what you what your backpack to look like, or just go from an image you have in your head. Have fun!

My daughter will be having some important medical tests done tomorrow morning, I don’t know if we are going to be up to taking pictures of it or not but in case we do I found a cute medical themed scrapbook kit to document the occasion. I know that their are kids that have to do things like this regularly so for those parents here’s an idea for the book.

 Doctors Visit – Doctor Themed Digital Scrapbook Page Kit $5.00

This kit is all about the bumps and bruises we have in life. So whether its a cold, broken bones, or about the med student / doctor who will fix all those, this kit is for you. The Doctor’s Visit kit was inspired by the various patterns I see when we go to my hospital with my wife ( Cancer Survivor and miracle mom). So I took the johnnies, the hospital symbols, bandages and other items and mixed them all up to give you a variety of designs to scrap your page. Kit includes:

• Six patterned backgrounds
• Five solid backgrounds
• Ten tags
• Seven bookplates
• Seven ribbons
• Three journal blocks
• A set of various fasteners
• A set of medical themed silhouettes
• A word art set
• A Font Set

I remember trying to make friendship bracelets in school and mine
always twisted and didn’t look like the others kids. I was flipping
through a magazine and found this cool device for making really neat
looking friendship bracelets. I can’t wait to get one and show my
daughter how to use it, I know she will get a kick out of making
bracelets for her girl scout troop. I give this product 2 thumbs up.

You can use these for school binders or photo albums.

Things you will need to make you own personalized binder:
Paper Pad
Flat Paper Stickers of Choice
Markers 
All Purpose Glue 
Scissors *
Plain 3-Ring School Binder
Photos
How to assemble your binder:
Cut decorative papers to fit front and middle of binder. Cut photos as desired for your pages. Use glue to hold in place.
Embellish pages with stickers and writing as desired. Use stickers over edges of photos to add a great look.
Use black marker to outline and add a personal touch to photo pages. Slide page and middle section into clear pockets on binder.

Does anyone here remember the “Little Miss” books? I remember reading these cute little stories when I was a girl and thinking they were pretty cool. I’ve noticed that they are making a comeback, and want to introduce them to my girls. I can’t believe the things you can get with Little Miss on it. Anything from Tees, dog clothing, bedding, band-aids, costumes, etc, etc, I bet you could even do an entire Little Miss scrapbook page.

Decofun, Mr Men and Little Miss Wall Sticker Stikarounds

Little Miss Sunshine sticker & picture sheet

Found some Little Miss puffy stickers on eBay for cheap.

I wanted to be able to put my daughters little art projects, report cards, and things she has found in her album with her pictures but was afraid to because they weren’t acid free. I didn’t know someone had invented a spray to use on things that would make them acid free. How cool is that?!?

Make It Acid-Free Spray comes in a 6oz can. 
KrylonMake It Acid-Free! is an affordable spray that raises the pH level of acidic papers and slows the aging process. This product is ideal for scrapbookers to keep treasured memories protected for a lifetime. Dries to the touch in about 1 minute and is safe to handle in about 2 minutes.

Can’t wait to try this out!

This ones for the king of the grill. My husband got a really cool grill last summer and loves to grill things, he says it makes him feel more manly.

So this year for Fathers day the girls and I are going to get him a grilling cookbook and pick a recipe out and get him the things to make that recipe for his father day gift. We also will be having those cute little cupcakes from family fun with the lawn mower on top for dessert.  (see below)

We will be making our own card for dad, and grandpa too. Any one can go to the store and buy one but it takes time and a little energy to make one and to me that says you really mean something to me.

Want Some Mower?

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
Chocolate-frosted cupcakes
Coconut, flaked
Green food coloring
Hershey’s Nuggets
M&M’s
Frosting
Black licorice laces
 

1. For each cupcake, mix a handful of flaked coconut with a few drops of green food coloring. Press a chocolate-frosted cupcake into the coconut to cover.
2. The mower is made with a dark chocolate Hershey’s Nuggets body, brown M&M’s wheels, and a red M&M’s engine, held in place with dabs of frosting.
3. Shape the handle from a piece of black licorice lace, then insert the ends into the cupcake.