200+ holiday photos to scrap

So, back from the road trip and it's a bit daunting having so many photos. I've been through them tonight and managed to cut about 70 so that brings it down to about 130. Most of those will be printed as 2"x3" otherwise the album will be way too huge. I've been reading Ali Edwards' Life Artist book - it's very inspiring for those of us who try and scrap way too many photos and are always behind because of it. I want to keep up with things as they happen...I can't believe I still haven't started the babies' albums yet. Embarrassed to admit how many unfinished projects there are (Though I'd rather that, don't mind the idea of a work-in-progress).

I really love the 8" by 8" size album for special projects - there was Dad's album (first ever completed project), then the zoo book (not yet finished). I think, after much agonising about what to do, I will go and get some page projectors which I will mix with envelopes and cardstock, and bind the result. I plan to make a fabric cover. I'm not a sewer at all so watch this space. My sewing machine has been in for servicing and ready to be picked up. It's my Mum's old Elna Lotus from the 1960's and I love that it was hers (vintage) and that it's portable. Electric, happily.

Sneak peek - Tasmin and Angus's little zoo book

I'm very excited about my current project - which is about two-thirds of the way through. I'm making a little 8" mini-album book of our first trip to the zoo a few weeks ago. I'm dead keen to get it done quickly while the babies still remember it! It's about 30 pages and this is the first album I'll have made myself - the pages are cut from buff coloured manila folders and the album itself will be bound together with my groovy new Zutter bind-it-all. I stayed up late last week practising with it and made a little notebook using recyled paper for Tasmin to draw in.

I feel like it's more a children's picture book than an album - I'm giving my clouds-and-grass stencil a flogging and paper-piecing trees, flowers, animals and sticking in ribbon, pipe cleaners, mesh, anything with texture. It seems a bit silly in a way as the babies may end up ripping it all out as we read it but I want them to have a tactile experience and to be able to touch the different surfaces.

Hope to finish it soon then I'll post the whole album up. Have a great Sunday!

Debbie :D xox

It's finally finished - Dad's childhood album

Incredible... I can't believe Mick's childhood album is finally finished. Completely. I've scanned the 20 pages in and ordered little 8" by 8" softcover photobooks of the final results to give as gifts to family members.

It's the first album I started and the third I've actually finished. It includes an eclectic range of techniques as I've been learning along the way. I've tried to stick to a colour theme of vintage brown, green and blue and kept patterened paper to a minimum. But I think it showcases how great stamping is in scrapbook albums.

I read a great tip in Scrapbooking Memories magazine which is - when you finish a scrapbook project, keep the leftovers for cards. A great idea as everything sort of matches and you could make several while it's still all fresh in your mind.