Family Album Plans

There is some journaling that I would like to include in a project that doesn't fit into Melodi's albums or William's Air Force album. So, I am thinking that I will need to start a general family album.  I am looking at doing a 12x12 Pocket Pages album using a three ring binder album.  The idea behind this type of album is that you can slip in your uncropped 4x6 photos into some of the slots (or cropped down to 4x4, or another size to fit in a slot) and use other pockets for title and journaling, and not have to do large 12x12 layouts.

I am leaning towards using the We R Memory Keepers products (unless I find another line that has as many pocket page options for less $$, because the WRMC line, especially albums are $$$ -- Making Memories will not work they only have a single type of divided page, DCWV only has 12x12 no divided).  The album that I would likely use is the Classic Leather Ring, but the hard part is deciding on the color.  Melodi is pink, Shadow is black, and as we have more kids they'll each get a color putting purple, green and blue (maybe even yellow if we don't want to give a third boy purple) out of the running.  That leaves reds, oranges, and browns if we have four kids, but as I need to get started on this now I need to decide on a color.  They make several different pocket layouts from 6 4x6 (horizontal) or 6 6x4 (vertical) to 9 4x4 or 4 6x6 to 3 6x4, 1 6x12 or 3 4x6, 1 12x6 or if you're up to a full 12x12 layout you can use a basic page.  (That was a lot of numbers all mixed up and crazy so below are images of the layouts.)

ARCHIVERS LINKS (more examples available in "project ideas >> scrapbook layouts")
How to Use Pocket Pages to Create Easy Albums
Example 1: http://www.archiversonline.com/ideas/scrapbook-layouts-nl-disney-pocket-page-layout-3155
Example 2: http://www.archiversonline.com/ideas/scrapbook-layouts-grad-pocket-page-1616
Example 3: http://www.archiversonline.com/ideas/scrapbook-layouts-6x12-photo-pocket-page-beach-layout-3014
Example 4: http://www.archiversonline.com/ideas/scrapbook-layouts-ams-spread-pages-16-17-1622
Example 5: http://www.archiversonline.com/ideas/scrapbook-layouts-butterfly-epiphany-border-punch-hybrid-layout-3020
Example 6: http://www.archiversonline.com/ideas/scrapbook-layouts-nlschool-four-69
http://www.archiversonline.com/ideas/scrapbook-layouts-nlschool-five-70
Example 7: http://www.archiversonline.com/ideas/2713  (not pocket, but could work)
Example 8: http://www.archiversonline.com/ideas/scrapbook-layouts-ams-spread-pages-12-13-1624
Example 9: http://www.archiversonline.com/ideas/scrapbook-layouts-polka-dot-cell-phone-pictures-pocket-page-layout-3025 (8.5x11)
Example 10: http://www.archiversonline.com/ideas/scrapbook-layouts-nsd-family-film-strip-die-cut-layout-3052
http://www.archiversonline.com/ideas/scrapbook-layouts-nsd-family-supporting-punch-hybrid-layout-3053
Example 11: http://www.archiversonline.com/ideas/scrapbook-layouts-nlhappy-winter-92
Example 12: http://www.archiversonline.com/ideas/scrapbook-layouts-12x12-school-layout-491
Example 13: http://www.archiversonline.com/ideas/scrapbook-layouts-9-pocket-page-layout-2872


Products (We R Memory Keepers, search "Ring Photo Sleeve Protectors" on the ArchiversAnnex)

• 3 (4"X6"), 2 (6"X4"), 1 (12"X2") POCKETS
• 6 (6"X4") Pockets
• 3 (6"X4") & 1 (6"X12")
• 3 (4"X6"), 1 (12"X6") Pockets
• Multipack
• 4 (6"X4") & 1 (4"X12") Pockets
• 9 (4"X4") Pockets
• 8 (3"X3") & 1 (6"X12") Pockets
• 4 (6"X6") Pockets

Simple Stories
Simple Stories is series of collections that include paper, stickers, and other elements that can be used in a pocket album.  Archivers carries a number of these, but I don't think that I'll be using them, partly because I'm not too excited about any of the collections and partly because I have so much paper already.

Project 365

Some Really Cute Pages :)

Here are the first pages that I did for Melodi's second year scrapbook.  These are all individual pages with other pages in between in the chronology, they're just not done yet.  I was really excited about doing these pages which is why they're the first ones done.

While we were in Seattle for Easter my in-laws had pulled out my husband's high chair, riding toy, and a bunch of other toys.  It was really exciting to get pictures of Melodi with these things, I need to see if I can get a pic of William with them for another project.

We didn't do an egg hunt in Seattle since we didn't think that Melodi would be interested, but she was so we did one with William when we got home from our trip.  Since we didn't take her Easter basket with us we also did that.  I found a paper stack a few months ago and pegged it specifically for use on this page because I thought it would make great eggs.

At the end of May when Linda and Kimberly were visiting we were playing outside and Melodi found a ladybug.  She near tortured it!  This was the first page I did any inking on and I like the effect (black ink on all the white paper edges).

I volunteered at VBS this year so Melodi spent the week playing in the nursery.  I took the idea of the "DO NOT FEED THE PANDAS" sign from the decorations around the food donation cage, and of course staged the shot of Melodi "feeding the pandas."  I found the leaf paper at Archivers, same with the stickers, and printed the title using clipart off the Group site.

Card Book

When my Grandpa died in 2003 we took all of the photos and put them into Rubbermaid tubs.  The plan was to get together and go through the photos the next summer.  Well, we finally got around to going through the photos eight years later.  Among the photos was a book filled with greeting cards, and I really liked the idea as a way to keep Melodi's cards.  After some searching I couldn't find anything pre-made so I decided to make one.  I don't know if I was packaging up a package to mail or if I was thinking about the project, but I realized that a USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate small box was the perfect size for a stack of greeting cards.

Here are some pictures.  I'll come back later and add some explanation.

Plugging Away

Getting so close to being done with Melodi's first year album.  I've finished a few pages in the last couple days.

This one is from the Cricut Community Layouts weekly LID challenge.  They are set up to be 12x12 pages, but I do 8x8 pages so I always have to do a little creative adjusting.

www.pagemaps.com

New Machine, Organization and a Page

I needed more space to store stuff because even with the shelf I have my work space was always cluttered.  We had a small cabinet that my parents gave us on the other side of the room I work in.  I ended up going through the stuff in it to get it a little more organized, and decided that it would fit photo boxes rather well.  It can hold a total of 12 boxes now that we have taken the shelf out of the lower section.  I have 9 photo boxes, which hold the following:

• Cuttlebug plates and embossing folders
• Adhesive
• Scissors
• Punches
• Stamps
• Photos (2 boxes)
• Embellishments
• Mat Paper

I also have a couple old boxes that still have photos in them that need sorted through (these boxes will eventually be replaced with black photo storage boxes).  There is a drawer that only has my chalks in it, so it's pretty empty.  The top portion of it folds down to give a little more work surface and it holds pens, random stuff, note pads, staplers, hole punches, and my address books.  Sitting on top of the cabinet are my paper files.  I needed some way to organize my 12x12 paper because the folders I was using were only 9 inches high so I got some clear envelopes from Hobby Lobby and have paper (and scraps) sorted into them.  I also have a box that contains 8.5x11 cardstock packs and my 8x8 paper stacks.  It is great that I am slowly figuring out the best way to set up my workspace so that I have the room to accomplish layouts.

I also got a page done.  This is one that I had precropped from the batch of photos that we took between the beginning of January and Valentines Day.  I have my layout figured out but was waiting to get my Cuttlebug folders to us them on the color squares.  Over the course of exploring scrapbooking resources on the web I have come across a lot of "square" layouts where all the photos are squares and they have some color squares, and everything is laid out on a grid.  I haven't had a set of photos that really works for a page like that, so this is my take on that type of layout.  I used the Robotz font for the title and the Tiny Mosaic Text embossing folder.