Scrapbook Ideas & Tips

How to Use Vellum on a Scrapbook Page


Children bring home numerous papers in their school years that parents just can's bear to toss out. Why not save them in a scrapbook? They are fun to make and allow a great opporunity to spend quality time with your child.

Creativity is the key to all. What you will need are scissors, construcion paper, a notebook, markers, and glue. Additional items could include pinking sheers (or craft scissors), Laminating paper or clear contact paper, pictures, stickers, etc.

Start out by taking a three-ring notebook and decorating the outside. Some ideas for this may include stickers, pictures from a favorite magazine, or pictures of you child cut into fun designs such as a heart or flower. Old scraps of wallpaper add a great effect. Just cut out the pattern and glue on.

If you have a school age child, be sure and preserve any papers you choose to keep such as a first test, awards, or artwork by laminating them. This can be done using laminating sheets or clear contact paper. Both protect from tears, while contact paper tends to be a lesser expense. You can either laminate the paper seperately, or glue it onto a piece of construction paper. After laminating, punch three holes to match up with the binder and add in as a page.

Pictures are a great addition. If you don't want to worry about keeping up with awards, then just take a picture of your child holding the award. Cut the picture out into any shape of your choice. You can use craft scissors for a special effect. Pinking sheers also give it the same effect at a lesser cost. Glue to construction paper, laminate, and you have a beautiful page. Consider letting your child write a description of the event. This makes it a personalized addition. You can add several pictures to one page. Add stickers, stamps, or cutouts to make it even more colorful.

Another good idea is to add an autograph page. This can be done by taking a class or team picture and have it copied onto a piece of paper. This allows your child to take it to school and have it signed by his/her school friends, team mates, coach, or teacher. A best friend page is also very cute.

Pocket pages are great for those items you wish to keep that may not be large enough to add as a page. Cut a piece of poster board the same size as the back cover. Cut the opening into a design (ie. the top of a heart) and glue the bottoms and sides to the cover leaving the top open. Be sure and cut the opening low enough to allow papers to go into, but not so low that they fall out. This is great for holding awards that children tend to take out often. Just slide them into the slot and you are done. You can decorate the pocket with yarn, sequins, markers, etc. The more creative the better. Let your child decorate it with you. This allows you to spend quality time together while accomplishing a task as well.

If you are not good at freehand writing, then cut labels off of canned goods, pop bottles, cereal boxes, or anything else that may contain a word or letter you feel you could use. Material and wallpaper are great for cutting patterns out of. Use old magazines and catalogs for pictures of the current styles. The options are limitless. You may find you come up with more creative ideas the longer you spend working on it.

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