Crafting with Kids

Anyone new to custom scrapbooking will probably be a little intimidated when they start looking around the craft stores for scrapbooking supplies. Memory pages can be clean and simple, colorful or monochromatic. Whatever the style or taste, the same products work for every need. It involves a bit more thought and creativity than purchasing an empty album and some page protectors in which to slide photos. While there is a veritable plethora of products to choose from, most everything one needs can be grouped into simple categories.

Cardstock and paper – Solid colored cardstock and paper are the basic building blocks for matting and embellishing photos. Paper can be found in every color of the rainbow and then some. Solid colored paper can be used as the background for the photos or it can be cut into shapes, letter or borders, for example. Patterned paper also can be found in a wide array of colors, patterns and themes. Papers that depict some theme, such as holidays or sports, is an easy way to unify the photo page. Patterned paper can be used as a foundation for the page or as a decorative element. Only buy paper that is lignin and acid free. Only this type of paper will hold up while regular paper will turn yellow and crumble over time.

Scissors and Trimmers – Scissors are constantly utilized in the making of memory books. They should not be not be left out for daily use but should be reserved for photo pages only. This will keep them sharp and clean. Trimmers are useful for cutting paper and cardstock to the desired size as well as cropping photos. Some types include both a guillotine cutter and rotary trimmer. It would be wise to purchase a trimmer that is self-sharpening or that comes with replacement blades.

Adhesive – There are a number of various kinds of adhesive from which to choose because the types of materials used in memory pages are so varied in texture and weight. Read the manufacturer’s instructions to help select the appropriate product for the job. A sampling of the different kinds of adhesives are glue dots, double-sided tape, glue stick, photo corners and liquid glue. Make sure that the adhesive states that it is safe to use for archiving photos.

Embellishments – This is the area that can make a person afraid to even start. There seems to be no shortage of stickers, rub-ons, letters, borders, tags, felt pieces brads, buttons and ribbons, just to name a few. There isn’t a theme that cannot be found in this area.

Pens – It should be no surprise that memory page pens come in a wide variety of colors and tip styles. Black is a must to have since it will coordinate with anything. Pens used in making memory pages should use pigment ink and be fade proof and water proof. Recording precious moments, noting dates, journaling and writing names and descriptions are done quickly and easily with these kinds of pens.

As daunting as it is to begin to start a memory book project, the multitude of choices can also be extremely fun once it gets started. There is just no limit to what can be created.

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