Creative Memories or other scrapbookers...

[Guest]

I'd like some input on doing a "Family & Friends" scrapbook. This is for all of the misc. pictures we receive from family and friends at the holidays and throughout the year too. I've ordered a CM scrapbook with black pages. I'm thinking something really really simple like pictures on the black pages with silver pen to write names & date. Wondering if anyone else has done anything similar and what did you do? I don't think I want to back all of those picture, but it seems to be lacking something by just putting them on the page. I've already trimmed and rounded the corners. Any other ideas? Thanks!!!

[Guest]

Personally I would go all out and describe the event

the pictures were taken, when (if you know). How they are related to you. Any stories (journaling). I was never into CM so I would go all out with embellishments, etc. I would at least back the pictures. You can buy precut paper the right size for backing. If there isn't a noticeable theme to each page, then create an overall theme within the book. Make every page black, white and silver with a color accent on each page. Or use ribbon on each page. It doesn't have to be crazy, just something to jazz it up.

Dareya
scrapbooker for 10 years and has WAY too much stuff

[Guest]

Hmmm...

the pictures were taken, when (if you know). How they are related to you. Any stories (journaling). I was never into CM so I would go all out with embellishments, etc. I would at least back the pictures. You can buy precut paper the right size for backing. If there isn't a noticeable theme to each page, then create an overall theme within the book. Make every page black, white and silver with a color accent on each page. Or use ribbon on each page. It doesn't have to be crazy, just something to jazz it up.

Dareya
scrapbooker for 10 years and has WAY too much stuff

These are just little pictures...like school photos of friend's children or photos we receive with Christmas cards or high school graduation photos, etc. so there really isn't much journaling to be done with them. There aren't stories behind them. I just hate that they are sitting in a box somewhere and thought it would be fun to do something really simple and have it sitting out on the coffee table for friends and family to thumb through.

[Lissa9701]

Here is what I do with Christmas photo cards.

I make a pocket page that I decorate for the season and slide all of the cards/pictures into the pocket. It is fun to take them out and look at them. This is quick and does not take up a lot of room in your scrapbook.

Lissa

[Guest]

I would probably either mat the pictures...

or just put a simple border on each page just so it isn't so plain.

[julesb]

I love the black pages and bought black pages and...

album for my own family photos. My parents just gave me boxes and boxes of photos. They will look great just on a black page with names written underneath in silver or gold ink. I finished half the album and then had my own kids so now I haven't had time ot go back and redo.

Maybe some silver and gold ribbon on some of the pages, but otherwise they will be fine.

[LisaSp]

What I do each year...

...I make a 4 page spread by cutting about 1.5" off of either the top or side my center two pages. Then I make a border on the outer two pages (the border would go across the top if I cut the top off the center 2, or down the outer left and right edges if I cut off the sides of my center piece). That way the border is visible on all the pages. I title the border with something like "Warm Holiday Wishes" and decorate it with seasonal stickers, paper, etc. I cut apart all of the photo cards and mount the photo right on the page. I take the signature (whether it is pre printed or handwritten) and cut that area out, mat it on coordinating paper and include it right by the photo. I include this in the end of my family album each year. It looks great and I can get a whole bunch of photos onto those 4 sides. Does that make any sense? If not I could probably snap a photo of my pages and show you what i mean!!

Lisa

[Guest]

Yes, I think that makes sense....

...I make a 4 page spread by cutting about 1.5" off of either the top or side my center two pages. Then I make a border on the outer two pages (the border would go across the top if I cut the top off the center 2, or down the outer left and right edges if I cut off the sides of my center piece). That way the border is visible on all the pages. I title the border with something like "Warm Holiday Wishes" and decorate it with seasonal stickers, paper, etc. I cut apart all of the photo cards and mount the photo right on the page. I take the signature (whether it is pre printed or handwritten) and cut that area out, mat it on coordinating paper and include it right by the photo. I include this in the end of my family album each year. It looks great and I can get a whole bunch of photos onto those 4 sides. Does that make any sense? If not I could probably snap a photo of my pages and show you what i mean!!

Lisa

I have alot backed up and I can't really sort the ones I already have by year. I do plan to start this year with a holiday card photo page. Thanks for the idea!

[Guest]

This was what I thought would look good....

album for my own family photos. My parents just gave me boxes and boxes of photos. They will look great just on a black page with names written underneath in silver or gold ink. I finished half the album and then had my own kids so now I haven't had time ot go back and redo.

Maybe some silver and gold ribbon on some of the pages, but otherwise they will be fine.

and wondering if they make a little corner stencil so maybe I could put a few silver around some of the photos so they look framed by the silver pen. Does that make sense?

[Reese14]

I absolutely love black pages...

I think the pictures pop off the page and look amazing on the black pages. I was a CM consultant and my style was so, so simple. I did some black pages with the silver pen and love it. If the black pages weren't so much more expensive, I would have done all of my albums in them.

I love your idea---very classy and the pics will look great.

[LisaSp]

and wondering if they make a little corner stencil so maybe I could put a few silver around some of the photos so they look framed by the silver pen. Does that make sense?

CM has new "shimmer" paper in a metallic silver, gold, pearl, and blue-you could use that for matting.