Finished : England Scrapbook

This weekend I got another left over project finished!  Hooray!  Another item off my to-craft list.  This one is a scrapbook of the trip I took in 2009.  My original goal was to have it done within a year of going on the trip but that date came and went last summer.  When I actually settled down to working on it after Christmas I was pleasantly surprised with how much was already done - it didn't take as long to finish as I thought it would.

It's in a standard 12x12 scrapbook that I got for pretty cheap at Michael's.  Here are some of the pages (click to enlarge).

Title page - I forgot to think about vertical alignment when I started putting the letters on so the L and D go off the top of the page a bit, but it actually looks quite good like that I think!

These pages are on Amy Butler paper (from Michael's).

I love the moment this picture captures so I'm showing it on it's own as well as on the 2 page layout.

I like patterned papers, stickers and trims but sometimes simple and plain seems best to show off the pictures.  These are a few layouts of our hikes along the coastal path.

More walking, more beautiful scenery!

This is the cottage where we (me, my mom & sister) stayed for a week.

One of the many gorgeous beaches we visited and the only one we all swam at (it was cold!)

Cute seaside town with lots of boats in the harbour.

I love the beauty of Bath, this was my second trip there and just as gorgeous as I remembered.

These pages show Regent's Park in London and the view(s) from the London Eye.

I love including memorabilia in my scrapbooks but sometimes it's hard to include it with pictures so I made a separate page for it.

I found this vintage-y map of London paper and wanted to include it - a little tricky because I wanted the map to show.  Using only a couple pictures and spreading them out seems to work.

Last page.  My mom was so happy to finally (on her 3rd trip to London) ride in a black cab we had to commemorate with a picture.

As you can see I don't put a lot on my scrapbook pages.  I like the pictures to be the stars and I find too much "stuff" just detracts from the memory I am trying to preserve.  It also makes it a little faster (relatively) to put together.  I overheard a customer in my local scrapbook store saying she spends 3-4 hours on each layout (including printing and sorting through pictures, shopping for supplies).  I don't have that much time to devote to scrapbooking!  I'm not sure how long I take but I'd bet it's a lot less then 3 hours a page!  You may have noticed I don't include a lot of journaling either, sometimes I include more but with a thorough trip journal I can refer back to I don't feel the need to record every detail in my scrapbooks.

Recording my days

I like the idea of having a yearly record of what has happened in my life.  Sometime around New Year's I'll read my journal entries for the past year and condense them into a "what happened this year" entry to myself.  Looking back and seeing what changes have happened in the last year feels like a great way to ring in the new year.  I also like the idea of having a yearly scrapbook type record that's a little less personal, so it could be shown to others, and acts as a place to keep ticket stubs, pictures and so forth.  In 2004 I tried doing a monthly layout after finding some paper meant for that purpose.  I think I lasted till March.  Last year when I ended up with a plethora of datebooks (I bought one and was given two) I decided to turn one into a mini scrapbook record of my year.  It turned out pretty well.

It's nice to have somewhere to put ticket stubs, pictures and memorabilia.

Although some weeks are pretty boring as not much out of the ordinary happened.  This year I'm trying a new format.  I love this printable I found to record "the best of my days".  Printed out, trimmed down and threaded on a binder ring the idea of recording one best thing everyday is both manageable and inspiring.  I'm planning to use it as a place to keep ticket stubs too by adding them behind each month's page.  It'll be sad interesting to see how often food features as the best thing!  So far it's down three times.

From three datebooks last year I'm down to one this year.  I love the cheery picture on the front and that it's recycled and made in Canada.  I don't like that it doesn't have a bookmark - so I made one!  Based on an idea I ripped out of an old Martha Stewart magazine, it was quick to make and so far is doing its job very well. 

Basically a piece of cardboard with two elastics attached.  One to mark your page.

And one to go around the whole thing to keep it closed.

Do you have any new projects on the go for this year?

Olympic Mini Book

This is the album/book that I alluded to here.  Inspired by Elise, I'm really excited about how this book turned out and am looking forward to filling it up on my trip! I think there's a good mix of papers, a few envelopes and clear pages to slip things into.  Since it's 4x6 it will be easy to add photos - just punch holes and they're ready to go!

  

 

  

On my desk

This past weekend I set up my desk to make a mini album for my upcoming trip to the Olympic Games in Vancouver. 

I saw this idea on Ali Edwards' blog and was itching to try it.  I have tried scrapbooking on the road before - without much success - but I think this time it may happen.  Points in my favour: the album is 4x6 so if I get a chance to print some photos all I need to do is punch holes and add them; I'll have regular access to a computer to review, crop and choose photos; and journaling blocks are all set to go.

I got the album done in a morning!  Except for the hole punching and binding (I needed to make a quick trip to Staples to buy binder rings) which is why there are no pictures yet.  I didn't get out till the evening, after all that nice photo friendly daylight was gone.

I'm super excited about it and can't wait to show you!  Stay tuned for that as well as news about Betula`Loo's first blogiversary.  I feel a giveaway coming up!

A Lapbook/Scrapbook

Do you remember a WIP picture with a whole lot of trims and a bit of fabric showing? After a trip to the scrapbooking store to buy more trim (I didn't have enough... really!) and finding out they didn't carry the trim I had planned to use and moving to Plan B I've completed this project - a lapbook/scrapbook of last summer's vacation. I first saw the idea for a lapbook in Scrapbook and Cards Today and used it as a starting point for this one. I changed the size of the book (I used a full 12x12 size) and covered it in fabric (instead of paper, which, if you are thinking of trying one, would have been waaaaay easier). I was going to make a tutorial as I was creating but got a little frustrated (and a little unsure it would actually work) and stopped taking pictures. If you are interested making one Scrapbook and Cards Today has a very good article for you to follow!

And now for the good part - the pictures!

The finished lapbook closed...


...and open.








A lot of pictures flip open to incorporate more underneath.


A stand alone book was also a great way to fit more pictures in.


I really like the inside - all the hidden bits yet being able to see a lot at a glance. A wonderful way to remember a trip!