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Patty commented on my previous blog asking two great questions: “Any suggestions for those of us who missed the scrapbooking craze? Where's the best place to get ideas for scrapbook page layouts?”
I was fortunate to have a friend who helped me start scrapping, but you can do it on your own as well. One of the best websites I have found with more extensive suggestions on getting started is http://scrapbooking.about.com/ which has well-organized information and examples.
Minimum requirements for scrapbooking:
1. Cardstock and Paper
a. Cardstock & paper come in various sizes, such as 12”x12”, 8”x8”, etc., and are acid-free. Standard scrapbooking albums usually come with a cardstock page inside page protectors.
b. Cardstock is heavy paper in solid colors that can be used to create greeting cards or to form the base of your scrapbook page.
c. Scrapbooking paper comes in solid colors and/or patterns to use for borders, frames & a splash of color.
d. Select a few sheets of cardstock and paper that appeal to you. You may want to coordinate them with the photos you plan to use.
2. Good Scissors
a. Good sharp scissors are important to cleanly cutting photos, paper and cardstock.
b. Eventually, you may want to get a paper trimmer that simplifies getting square cuts.
c. For consistent fancy edges, you may want scissors
3. Adhesive
a. A wide range of scrapbooking adhesives is available, but make sure your selection is also acid-free. Perhaps the easiest type to start with is the small double-sided glue dots. Later, you may want to buy an adhesive applicator that speeds up the process.
b. Check out the website above for details on the various types, along with the pros and cons of each.
4. Journaling Pen
a. Journaling pens should be acid-free like all scrapbooking supplies.
b. You can start with black pens in a fine tip for writing and a wider tip for page titles.
c. Journaling can describe the photos or event highlighted on the page. This is a great way to capture the essence of what you want the reader to know.
Making your first scrapbooking page:
1. Before using adhesive . . .
a. Roughly lay out all the parts of the page in a way that pleases you.
b. Decide how much journaling you want on the page and write it neatly on cardstock.
2. Select Photos
a. Trim any photos to the size and shape desired.
b. Decide which photos need a mat of color behind them.
c. Remember that “less is more” in scrapbooking. A few photos tell the story on a page.
3. Select Cardstock Background
a. Cardstock determines the overall size of your page.
b. You can cut cardstock to frame photos or journaling by cutting it slightly larger in a contrasting or coordinating color.
4. Select Paper Highlights
a. Colorful paper makes a nice border around the cardstock page or on the edges.
b. Consider coordinating the paper between facing pages in an album.
5. Lay Out Final Page
a. Arrange all the parts onto the page, rearranging as needed.
b. When pleased with the layout, use adhesive to affix each part to the page.
6. Add Embellishments
a. Embellishments can spice up your pages after you affix all other items.
b. Consider using sheets of small self-adhesive stickers, labels and shapes for added pizzazz.
Making a Simple Greeting Card:
1. Greeting cards are made in the same basic way as a scrapbooking page.
2. After you select the cardstock, crease it down the center and fold it in half.
3. Affix a favorite photo to the front (or inside) with a few words of your choice.
4. Write your desired greeting on more cardstock and fasten inside the card.
5. Add embellishments, such as ribbons or self-adhesive stickers.
Making cards and scrapbooking pages can be as simple or as complicated as you choose. These ideas will get you started, but there is an amazing amount of information available in bookstores, craft and scrapbooking shops, as well as on the internet. Many libraries, schools and communities offer events such as “Scrappers Night Out” where you can learn from other people. Check your local newspaper for offerings.
Have fun with scrapbooking and card making to your heart’s content. They make wonderful gifts for friends, family and yourself! And they are a great way to capture some of your family history.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Gifts for the Elderly
A friend asked me today for gift ideas for her grandmother's 90th birthday. Most elderly people don't need any more "stuff" but they'd appreciate knowing how they made a difference in someone's life.
Here are some simple ideas to get you started on thinking "outside the box" when it comes to gift giving:
1. Write a little story with a few memories of things you have done together.
2. Create your own greeting card with your own thoughts & words, with a favorite photo.
3. If you have time, you can make a scrapbook page with photos & some journaling, then frame it for them to keep.
4. Make a favorite recipe from your childhood, such as strawberry pie or chocolate chip cookies.
5. When you take them the gift, spend some time reminiscing about family get-togethers and the events you remember.
6. If you can't spend time with them on their birthday, then please call them. Too often our loved ones sit and wait for us to stop by or call. Go ahead - make their day (and yours, too!) by talking with them often.
EASY FRESH STRAWBERRY PIE
1 Cup Water
3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1 Cup Sugar
4 Tablespoon Strawberry Gelatin (or one package Sugar-Free)
2-3 drops Red Food Coloring
1 Pint Strawberries
1 baked Pie Shell
Cool Whip, if desired
Cook first 5 ingredients until thickened, then cool.
Wash & hull berries and fold into cooled Glaze.
Pour into cooled Pie Crust.
Serve with Cool Whip, if desired.
8 Servings
Here are some simple ideas to get you started on thinking "outside the box" when it comes to gift giving:
1. Write a little story with a few memories of things you have done together.
2. Create your own greeting card with your own thoughts & words, with a favorite photo.
3. If you have time, you can make a scrapbook page with photos & some journaling, then frame it for them to keep.
4. Make a favorite recipe from your childhood, such as strawberry pie or chocolate chip cookies.
5. When you take them the gift, spend some time reminiscing about family get-togethers and the events you remember.
6. If you can't spend time with them on their birthday, then please call them. Too often our loved ones sit and wait for us to stop by or call. Go ahead - make their day (and yours, too!) by talking with them often.
EASY FRESH STRAWBERRY PIE
1 Cup Water
3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1 Cup Sugar
4 Tablespoon Strawberry Gelatin (or one package Sugar-Free)
2-3 drops Red Food Coloring
1 Pint Strawberries
1 baked Pie Shell
Cool Whip, if desired
Cook first 5 ingredients until thickened, then cool.
Wash & hull berries and fold into cooled Glaze.
Pour into cooled Pie Crust.
Serve with Cool Whip, if desired.
8 Servings
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Fantastic Fruit Fly Trap - Try It!
Rachel Balducci had a nice post recently that suggested how to deal with those annoying fruit flies at http://tinyurl.com/neqr3s. She said to use a jar with a cone-shaped paper (just like we use in our coffee maker!) to trap them inside a jar with a piece of very ripe fruit in the bottom.
Having nothing to lose and a kitchen counter overflowing with ripening fruit with, yes, you guessed it, lots of fruit flies, I decided to give it a shot. Try this the next time you have the little pests and let me know how it works:
1. Put an overripe piece of peach (or other aromatic fruit) in the bottom of a pint jar
2. Cut a tiny hole in the tip of a paper filter cone (or make one yourself)
3. Set the paper cone pointy-side down into the jar
4. Fasten the cone around the top of the jar with a rubber band
Wait a day or so, then check the jar regularly for tiny critters. When they appear, take the jar outside, remove the paper cone and release the bugs. If you still have any fruit flies buzzing around, set up the trap again.
I was quite pleasantly surprised at how nicely this idea worked. After a short time, there were no more nasty fruit flies, but if they reappear, I won't hesitate to use it again. Good luck hunting!
Having nothing to lose and a kitchen counter overflowing with ripening fruit with, yes, you guessed it, lots of fruit flies, I decided to give it a shot. Try this the next time you have the little pests and let me know how it works:
1. Put an overripe piece of peach (or other aromatic fruit) in the bottom of a pint jar
2. Cut a tiny hole in the tip of a paper filter cone (or make one yourself)
3. Set the paper cone pointy-side down into the jar
4. Fasten the cone around the top of the jar with a rubber band
Wait a day or so, then check the jar regularly for tiny critters. When they appear, take the jar outside, remove the paper cone and release the bugs. If you still have any fruit flies buzzing around, set up the trap again.
I was quite pleasantly surprised at how nicely this idea worked. After a short time, there were no more nasty fruit flies, but if they reappear, I won't hesitate to use it again. Good luck hunting!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Frantic About Fruit Flies?
Rachel Balducci had a nice post today about how to deal with those annoying fruit flies at http://tinyurl.com/neqr3s. Consider reading her whole post.
She has a great idea of using a jar with a cone-shaped paper (just like we use in our coffee maker!) to trap those annoying fruit flies inside a jar with a piece of very ripe fruit in the bottom. We are having such a wonderful abundance of yummy fruit this year, that the flies are woefully abundant as well. So I can hardly wait to try Rachel's suggestion - today!
I have had good luck with peaches to let them ripen inside a small brown paper sack (or bag, depending on your geographic region, as my daughter-in-law from California pointed out last week) folded closed at the top. At least that seems to keep the bugs out until they are just perfectly ripened.
We have been enjoying red raspberries, black raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, apricots, plums and even yellow plums. In fact, my countertop looks like a rainbow exploded into colorful shards. We are so lucky to have such a variety available to us on a regular basis.
Whenever I look at all this luscious fruit, I can't help but recall my childhood when we canned and froze dozens of jars and freezer bags (yes, bags, not sacks) to store the abundance of summer to enjoy during the long winter months.
The next time you savor a delicious piece of fruit, think about what memories it evokes. Do you remember the first time you had an exotic fruit, for example? I'd love to hear what memories you recall.
Viva le fruit! lol
She has a great idea of using a jar with a cone-shaped paper (just like we use in our coffee maker!) to trap those annoying fruit flies inside a jar with a piece of very ripe fruit in the bottom. We are having such a wonderful abundance of yummy fruit this year, that the flies are woefully abundant as well. So I can hardly wait to try Rachel's suggestion - today!
I have had good luck with peaches to let them ripen inside a small brown paper sack (or bag, depending on your geographic region, as my daughter-in-law from California pointed out last week) folded closed at the top. At least that seems to keep the bugs out until they are just perfectly ripened.
We have been enjoying red raspberries, black raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, apricots, plums and even yellow plums. In fact, my countertop looks like a rainbow exploded into colorful shards. We are so lucky to have such a variety available to us on a regular basis.
Whenever I look at all this luscious fruit, I can't help but recall my childhood when we canned and froze dozens of jars and freezer bags (yes, bags, not sacks) to store the abundance of summer to enjoy during the long winter months.
The next time you savor a delicious piece of fruit, think about what memories it evokes. Do you remember the first time you had an exotic fruit, for example? I'd love to hear what memories you recall.
Viva le fruit! lol
Monday, July 20, 2009
Bugged by Mosquitoes
Arwen Mosher wrote a blog today that resonated for me about another common summertime pest. You can read it here at http://tinyurl.com/ncaeff.
I understand completely about how irritating it is to be among the favored food groups for mosquitoes. I have found two things that help, if you can apply them shortly after getting bit. 1) Cortizone-10 Ointment or another anti-itch remedy helps a lot and 2) MSG applied to a moistened bite also helps. Normally, I keep the Cortizone in my purse at all times & apply it right away.
Unfortunately, I dashed out for just a minute the other evening to get the mail & got sidetracked by a neighbor with a brand new baby. Of course I was thrilled to chat with them, but not to become a mosquito magnet. So I ended up with half a dozen welts that didn't respond to my usual treatment. Now I have ugly scabs up & down my legs that remind me of my childhood. As a tomboy, I always seemed to have scratches, scars & scabs decorating my arms & legs.
Those are the types of memories that linger long after we have grown up. I encourage people to capture all those memories by either writing or recording them. They become precious stories to pass on to your families. Please see my website for easy ways to get started.
Beth
I understand completely about how irritating it is to be among the favored food groups for mosquitoes. I have found two things that help, if you can apply them shortly after getting bit. 1) Cortizone-10 Ointment or another anti-itch remedy helps a lot and 2) MSG applied to a moistened bite also helps. Normally, I keep the Cortizone in my purse at all times & apply it right away.
Unfortunately, I dashed out for just a minute the other evening to get the mail & got sidetracked by a neighbor with a brand new baby. Of course I was thrilled to chat with them, but not to become a mosquito magnet. So I ended up with half a dozen welts that didn't respond to my usual treatment. Now I have ugly scabs up & down my legs that remind me of my childhood. As a tomboy, I always seemed to have scratches, scars & scabs decorating my arms & legs.
Those are the types of memories that linger long after we have grown up. I encourage people to capture all those memories by either writing or recording them. They become precious stories to pass on to your families. Please see my website for easy ways to get started.
Beth
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Lightning Bugs or Fireflies?
We happen to have an amazing abundance of lightning bugs in Illinois this year. Or maybe you refer to them as fireflies. Something I didn't realize is that they don't live in every section of the country.
Our son and daughter-in-law are visiting from the San Fransisco Bay area in California. When we all returned from dinner last night, they were both thrilled to see hundreds and hundreds of the little creatures flying around. That's when I found out they don't have lightning bugs in California. What a shame! I have always enjoyed seeing them light up the yard or glitter over the corn and soybean fields in the country.
As we all reminisced about catching fireflies when we were young, I thought about all the countless times I had chased & caught the sparkling bugs to try to save in a glass jar. Even though we punched holes in the lid & added in some grass & twigs, unfortunately, lightning bugs cannot be saved in a bottle.
So whether it was with all my brothers and sisters when I was a kid, with my own son or grandchildren, or more recently with our grown kids, watching and catching lightning bugs is one of the simplest and most memorable experiences of summer.
If you have lightning bugs in your area, take time this summer to share the sheer joy of them with someone special. Tell your kids or grandkids stories about them when you were a kid or ask your favorite elder about their experiences. Even better, capture those fabulous stories so you can experience them again in the cold of winter.
Our son and daughter-in-law are visiting from the San Fransisco Bay area in California. When we all returned from dinner last night, they were both thrilled to see hundreds and hundreds of the little creatures flying around. That's when I found out they don't have lightning bugs in California. What a shame! I have always enjoyed seeing them light up the yard or glitter over the corn and soybean fields in the country.
As we all reminisced about catching fireflies when we were young, I thought about all the countless times I had chased & caught the sparkling bugs to try to save in a glass jar. Even though we punched holes in the lid & added in some grass & twigs, unfortunately, lightning bugs cannot be saved in a bottle.
So whether it was with all my brothers and sisters when I was a kid, with my own son or grandchildren, or more recently with our grown kids, watching and catching lightning bugs is one of the simplest and most memorable experiences of summer.
If you have lightning bugs in your area, take time this summer to share the sheer joy of them with someone special. Tell your kids or grandkids stories about them when you were a kid or ask your favorite elder about their experiences. Even better, capture those fabulous stories so you can experience them again in the cold of winter.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
How to Start Your Own Family Stories
When you start working on your own family stories, I do strongly recommend getting a digital recorder, which is small, unobtrusive & fairly inexpensive. I use a Sony ICD-P520, which is less than $50 on Amazon.com. Another nice feature is that you can use the USB to load it to your computer and create CDs. Once you have a recording, you can also transcribe it into a Word document.
If you want to capture stories and folklore from the elderly, I urge you to start right away. You never know when they (or perhaps just their minds) may be suddenly taken away. Whenever you get a group of people together, encourage them to talk about their experiences. If possible, record them talking, but if not, then take notes to expand later.
Keep a writing journal to remind yourself of stories you want them to talk about, or events you recall yourself. Use photos & memorabilia to help them reminisce. That often has a starburst effect - one memory leads to three others and each of them to several more. It is a wonderful way to keep expanding their legacy.
Here are some of my favorite websites to help you get started. And of course, my book has some excellent ideas on how to capture your family stories. ;-)
Website Resources for Family Historians:
About.com Genealogy website has a list of 50 questions to help on interviews.
www.genealogy.about.com/cs/oralhistory/a/interview.htm
Ancestry.com. This website says, “Feel free to print and distribute” a Script for Video or Audio Interviews with Family Members. www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lineage/famhist.htm
Author’s website, where you can sign up for a free monthly newsletter (via email) with tips on writing family history.
www.bethlamie.com
Association of Personal Historians (APH), which offers an anthology of personal stories.
www.personalhistorians.org/
CookbookPeople.com. Software & Blog to create and print a family cookbook at home.
www.cookbookpeople.com
Cute PDF.com. Download free software so you can share a document as a PDF file without anyone else modifying it. You use it like another printer, then provide the name and location for the file to save.
www.cutePDF.com
Cyndi’s List.com. More than 200,000 website links to help with genealogy and family history.
www.cyndislist.com/
Dr. Wicked.com. This simple-to-use website can help when you want to concentrate on a writing exercise. www.lab.drwicked.com/writeordie.html
Grandparents TLC.com. This site offers “Technology to Help Loving Grandparents Connect with Grandchildren!”
www.grandparentstlc.com/blog/
Smithsonian Institute. This booklet in PDF format explains how to get started with interviews, sample questions and additional resources.
www.Folklife.SI.edu/Resources/pdf/InterviewingGuide.pdf
Story of My Life.com. Free private website to easily gather all your family stories from friends and family and invite participation from around the world.
www.storyofmylife.com
If you want to capture stories and folklore from the elderly, I urge you to start right away. You never know when they (or perhaps just their minds) may be suddenly taken away. Whenever you get a group of people together, encourage them to talk about their experiences. If possible, record them talking, but if not, then take notes to expand later.
Keep a writing journal to remind yourself of stories you want them to talk about, or events you recall yourself. Use photos & memorabilia to help them reminisce. That often has a starburst effect - one memory leads to three others and each of them to several more. It is a wonderful way to keep expanding their legacy.
Here are some of my favorite websites to help you get started. And of course, my book has some excellent ideas on how to capture your family stories. ;-)
Website Resources for Family Historians:
About.com Genealogy website has a list of 50 questions to help on interviews.
www.genealogy.about.com/cs/oralhistory/a/interview.htm
Ancestry.com. This website says, “Feel free to print and distribute” a Script for Video or Audio Interviews with Family Members. www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lineage/famhist.htm
Author’s website, where you can sign up for a free monthly newsletter (via email) with tips on writing family history.
www.bethlamie.com
Association of Personal Historians (APH), which offers an anthology of personal stories.
www.personalhistorians.org/
CookbookPeople.com. Software & Blog to create and print a family cookbook at home.
www.cookbookpeople.com
Cute PDF.com. Download free software so you can share a document as a PDF file without anyone else modifying it. You use it like another printer, then provide the name and location for the file to save.
www.cutePDF.com
Cyndi’s List.com. More than 200,000 website links to help with genealogy and family history.
www.cyndislist.com/
Dr. Wicked.com. This simple-to-use website can help when you want to concentrate on a writing exercise. www.lab.drwicked.com/writeordie.html
Grandparents TLC.com. This site offers “Technology to Help Loving Grandparents Connect with Grandchildren!”
www.grandparentstlc.com/blog/
Smithsonian Institute. This booklet in PDF format explains how to get started with interviews, sample questions and additional resources.
www.Folklife.SI.edu/Resources/pdf/InterviewingGuide.pdf
Story of My Life.com. Free private website to easily gather all your family stories from friends and family and invite participation from around the world.
www.storyofmylife.com
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