Tip of the Month

There is a little more than 100 days until Christmas. What items are you making this holiday season? Are you making your holiday cards? Share your ideas for scrapbooking related gift giving and inspire others.

kathy m from San Jose CA writes...
Time for me to start thinking about making calendars. I like those exposures catalog ones where you just slap the picture on the page and you are done. I also make album pages for my inlaws and dad\'s albums. I want to make some christmas cards, but I need to find the stamp. I\'ve got my idea, now just to implement it. LOL! There is the challenge!

sosewscrappy from Campbell CA writes...
I am going to take the frames that have multiple openings and \"scrap\" in them. So some spots will have pics and some will be embellished instead of a photo !

Jeanne in Iowa writes...
I have made 300 hand stamped cards to give to friends. 10 per person, for 30 friends. I did most of them while sitting in the hospital when my 81 yo father was in there last month. :o) I had to have something to do with my time! LOL! I finished them all off, envelopes, too. They only need ribbon and wrapping and tagged, and they are completely done! My tip: give everyone the same 10 cards. DO NOT make them all different. Trust me, you will make yourself crazy trying to do that. This is the voice of experience. LOL

Brooklyn Park Kim from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota writes...
I made these last year for family and friends. I didn\'t use any pictures...I figured they could put in what they wanted. I got the directions at my monthly scrapping club. I\'m sorry I can\'t give credit to the originator since I don\'t know who that was/is. Fold Out Scrapbook For a 5 x 5 book you will need: 2 pieces of cardboard--5 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches each 2 pieces of paper for the cover--7 x 7 inches each (it is easier if this paper is NOT the heavy solid cardstock) 3 pieces of white 10 x 10 inches cardstock for the pages 6--4 1/2 x 4 1/2 squares of solid paper (it looks better if you use different colors) 24--halves of 4 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches (again, it looks better if you use several patterns) 2 1/2 feet of ribbon 1. Cut all your paper to the right sizes. 2. Take one of the 10 x 10 pieces and fold in half. 3. Open up and fold in half the other way. 4. Open up and fold in half on the diagonal. 5. Repeat this with the other 2 --10 x 10 pieces. 6. Fold the \"diagonal\" flaps in to make a square. 7. Overlap squares and glue together. 8. Cover the cardboard with the 7 x 7 paper. 9. Use mitered corners and glue down. 10. Glue ribbon across the middle of back cover on the INSIDE. 11. Glue \"squared\" paper to the covers. 12. Take 6--squares and 24--halves and place randomly on both sides. 13. Glue down the halves. 14. Decorate the front.

Stephanie in VA writes...
I\'m making an album for each of my daughters (ages 21 and 25) using an 11 x 8.5 album (It opens opposite from 8.5 x 11). I bought SEI but I don\'t really like them. I\'d rather have a plain cover so I\'ll probably change that. I\'m putting a favorite Bible verse on a vellum tag over a sizzix tag. Each verse will match a picture from their life. I PRAYED FOR THIS CHILD, AND THE LORD HAS GIVEN ME WHAT I ASKED OF HIM. 1 Samuel 1:27 with a baby picture for example. LOVE ONE ANOTHER. 1 John3:11 with a picture of both girls together for example. I\'m hoping to use color blocking but I haven\'t actually ever done that, so I may not. I intend for each page to be exactly alike or mirror image on the facing pages in order to be easier and faster. I\'m going to try to get each pic to be the same size for the same reason. I haven\'t planned embellishements yet, but they won\'t be very difficult.

Sarah from Nashville writes...
I am making small recipe keeper albums for the women in my family this year using small 4x6 photo albums. I\'ll be including some of our traditional family recipes as well as spaces for each person to add her own favorites. Small photo albums are very inexpensive!

Colleen O from Pennsylvania writes...
I love to do counted cross stitch and I used to make pictures for everyone. Now, I\'m starting my own business of card making and scrapbook tags using the counted cross stitch pictures. So, I\'ll be making all my own unique and special Christmas cards this year. Great advertising for my business and my family just loves to get my homemade things. Now all I have to do is find the designs I want to make and GET STITCHING!!

Stacy in Austin from Austin writes...

Stacy in Austin from Austin writes...
I try to ALWAYS make a 6x6 layout with my scraps from my 12x12 I just finished. Maybe I will have to stamp a little extra paper or use a few extra eyelets, fiber, etc. BUT I then have a REALLY nice gift to share with someone. I started this when my sister announced my little nephew\'s pending birth AND I now have a complete 24+ page 6x6 ready to fill with his pictures!

Gail from New Jersey writes...
I am trying to make sets of greeting cards for 4 different people. They will each get the same set. I\'ve never done any cards before and I am using Card Creations 2 as a guide. So far, I\'ve only made 2 types (4 each). I\'d also like to make a 6x6 album for my sister to use for her dd. One page per year, with questions to answer for journaling. She can put in a picture for each year and answer the questions. No matter how much I try, I can\'t get her into scrapbooking although she loves my albums. But, I can\'t let my niece go without a scrapbook, so this should work.

abbey55417 writes...
I have spent a year collecting CD\'s. I am going to decorate them as Christmas ornaments and give them for gifts. Each one will be unique, representing all different Winter Holidays and Styles, and also made for specific individuals. I am excited to get started on this. I have about 75 CD\'s!! Everyone gave me CD\'s and wants to know what I will be doing with them, so it will be fun to give them. I will also sell some in a Holiday Boutique.

Rinda from El Granada writes...
In July, 2003, I started making cards for christmas 2003. My resolve is to finish them for this year\'s christmas! LOL! I\'ll probably make some card sets and small calendars (purse-size)as gifts as well. For the calendars, I stamp something appropriate on the top part, rather than use photos. I\'ve traditionally made scrapbooks for my parents and in-laws. My folks are gone now, and I\'m not sure what I\'ll do for the in-laws. Have to think on that one. Oh, and I usually make a scrap/card related gifts for kids\' teachers. Rinda

Rema from San Jose, California writes...
I have three Christmas projects this year. One) I\'ll be making my parents a 2005 calendar. I used the CK calendar last year, and they really liked it, so I\'ll do the same (it\'s easy). Two) An ABC album for DD. Her birthday is right before Christmas, and I\'d like to give it to her then. Three) \"These Are Days\" album for DH. I have pictures of him rough-housing and tumbling around with the kids. The album will feature the words to the song by 10,000 Maniacs. I got the idea from an album that Heidi Swapp did, and was featured in Simple Scrapbooks magazine.

jlzmom from California writes...
I\'ve taken a beading class and plan on making scissor fobs for my scrapbooking friends and for family members who craft and sew. I plan on using their favorite colors and a charm that represents them. It should make crops easier so we don\'t get eachother\'s scissors mixed up!

Cindy from Alabama writes...
I bought 22 of the $.94 mini albums from Wal-Mart. I will be making these for the children in my son\'s kindergarten class. The plan is for ABC-type books to showcase their memories from the first half of the kindergarten year.

Andrea in CO(now in NV) from Las Vegas writes...
I make 2 setss of 12 X 12 month pages and 1 set of 7 X 7 pages for reletives. I have been making simple Xmas cards for the last couple of years so will do those again this year. I want to do a set for cards for 3 peolpe so need to get started on those.

Holly in OK from Tulsa, OK writes...
I\'m making Christmas cards this year; I have my idea, so I just need to make it reality now. I always make the two grandmothers 8x8 calendars of the grandkids, then I cut their last year\'s calendar apart and put the pages into an album and do 2-page LOs with the scrapped page on the right and highlights of that month on the left to serve as a timeline or year in review. I might try those candles with the tissue paper pictures on them, too. Also making a \"sisters\" album for my Dsis, finishing my dad\'s retirement album for Christmas, and making a couple of decorative things for my nieces\' new bedroom. Whew, I\'d better get started!

Sue in Grapevine from Grapevine, TX writes...
I use the SB supplies I already have to make beautiful gift tags for the rum cakes & other food gifts I always give to teachers. My DD goes to a school w/lots of wealthy kids; so we can\'t compete on extravagant gifts, but I get raves on my home-cooked goodies & the nice tags really make them look elegant.

Julie from San Antonio writes...
For the last 7 years, I have made paper Christmas ornaments to give instead of cards. I use archive safe paper, so they will last awhile, and my scrappin\' tools and write a generic letter on the back to everyone with a family picture. One year I used rubber stamps and embossing powder. One year I used the die cut of a snowflake. Last year I used a computer graphic of a nativity scene. I make them small enough to fit into an envelope so there is no extra postage. Of course, I began this before I had children so this year, now that I have two little ones, I need to get started here soon or the tradition will be broken (ha).

iagal from IA writes...
I make my holiday cards- usually stamped. Last year I made a great 7x7 album as a gift. I did a Christmas album for my dh\'s aunt and uncle. I predecorated the pages, starting with the first xmas after they were married to the present. (It was 10 years worth of pages) Plus a cover page and a page with her famous nutcracker bar recipe. If I had pictures from a certain year I would include them, but always left room for them to put there own pictures in. I included a black journaling pen and some tape runner so they could complete the album. It was so fun to make an album without pictures! I just did a nice border or corner and then I made a matching tag that had the year on it which I put on the outside of the pp in a quikit pocket. That way they could journal on the back of the tag if they wanted. The other scrapbook I made last year was a 5x7 with all my nephew\'s living relatives on my side of his family. I had a close up of the relative with journaling regarding their job and where they lived. Ended with a diecut of the USA where a put a dot where everyone lived so he could get an idea of the geographic location/distances.

mandy from Arkansas writes...
WOW! What a wonderful website... My first visit. ANYWAY! I have started making/scrapping individual framed pages that are collages of my children (The only grandchildren on all sides of both families) with each individual person for the previous year (2004). Example: I have recently finished my mom\'s. It is bright yellow, her favorite color, and it has pictures of just her and the kids doing all their favorite things together. I also wrote words in different fonts on card stock and cut them into strips and used eyelets to attach them. Each word means something special between her and one or both of the kids. I hope it is something they will cherish.......

SnoopMurph from Arizona writes...
Since we do Secret Santa in our family, I usually create a small scrapbook, usually 6x6 or 8x8 for the person I give to. Depending on the person, I will design the pages and let them add the photos they like or I choose some special family moments and photos and scrap them. If I happen to get someone who already has an album, then I create some new pages for the book, or start them on a new one. My sister in law loves the ones where she can choose her own photos and add her own journaling. This is also great for me, because we have a spending limit on our gifts. However, since I always have a stash of SB stuff to use, I end up usually only buying the album and having some $$ left for a few other gifts too. I also love using TidBits storybooks as special cards for family members. This year, I am making one for the grandparents with a special poem and photos of our parents with our infant son.

Michelle from Wayne, Mi writes...
Instead of buying some of the higher priced items from craft stores I have learned to cut corners. For example the hardware store is a good place to find things. I recently did a page using my alphabet stamps and stamping those little round cork door cusions, you can also get them from the dollar store! I just sprayed them with the acid free spray. Also those metal framed tags can be purched from the hardware store, I got eight in a pack for a quarter! It really feels good to save some money!

Kelly from Kansas writes...
This year I thought instead of the usual cards with the childrens picture included inside for the grandparent to put in a frame. I would make card ornaments with the kids faces as the character such as a snowman, Santa or even an Angel so they can hang it up anywhere they like.

krissylyn writes...
You know those fancy bulletin boards with the fabric and criss-cross ribbon? I found a couple at Odd Lots for $2.99. I\'m going to add pictures (matted and unmatted), a couple of tags and some

krissylyn writes...
You know those fancy bulletin boards with the fabric and criss-cross ribbon? I found a couple at Odd Lots for $2.99. I\'m going to add pictures (matted and unmatted), a couple of tags and some quotes and give them as gifts.

Karen from McLellan writes...
Making personal gift tags for each gift really adds that extra touch. Use creativity and add embellishments to each tag then add a name! Friends and family will love the extra personal touch!

Prenticekid from Pittsburgh writes...
I\'ve collected tons of craft items, paints, sparkly stuff, beads, boas, sports related items, etc. I\'ve also purchased wooden serving trays whenever wood items were on sale at Michaels. I\'m making kits for my nieces and nephews to make an \"all about me\" project. Each kit will contain the tray, paints, and items that I know each child will like, as well as photos of them that I have taken. The directions will tell them how to go about using the items to craft a showcase that tells who they are and the directions will also tell them to feel free to include in their own objects (but to ask their mom first).

Claudine from NJ writes...
I usually buy my gifts but last year starting scrapping the gift tags. I had tons of old christmas stickers (mostly mrs. grossman) that i used to decorate gift tags that i tied to all the presents. The most scrapping related presents i make, though, are scrapping frames. I did however give out a few more \"iou\"s last year than i liked but finally got around to them. i\'m sure mom will have another list of ones i need to work on for this christmas. i should find out soon but i dont\' wanna bring it up! haha

Jill in Chicago from Roselle, IL writes...
I make desk top calendars for both of our moms. I get a blank spiral bound mini album with a hard cover. (The hard cover lets the album stand up on its own and then each page just flips over to the back.) Then I decorate one page for each week of the month. Each page has one photo, a quote, and notes if there is a holiday, birthday... The quotes go with the themes. I do these every other year. They are a big hit.

Barbi M writes...
I am making recipe cards with old family recipes to give to my sister in laws that do not have the family cookbook that my grandma made several years ago. Also, I will be making all of my christmas cards. I also make a gift pack of cards for my kids teachers.

LeAnne from Utah writes...
I am making stationary holders out of 6x6 page protectors and adding five cards birthday, sympathy, Thank you and two generict ones adding a beaded pen and calling that good my mom is getting a calendar with pictures and thoughts and recipes from each of us five kids.

Dina in AZ writes...
I went to a baby shower recently, and the party favor was a \"mix\" CD of about 12 songs that all have the word \"Baby\" in the title. I thought that would be a really cute Christmas gift, too! If the CD is for a friend, you could find songs about friends, etc. Then decorate the CD case and you\'ve got a nice, inexpensive gift. Other gift ideas: journal jars, mixes (soup, cookies) in a jar, decorated composition books, box of handmade cards they can use in the coming year, etc.

Kim in TN from Nashville, TN writes...
We\'re definitely making our Christmas cards again this year. My DH helped me last year and it went really well. Last year, I also made a ton of little stamped calendars from impressrubberstamps.com. Not sure if I want to do that again this year. Thinking about making some sets of cards for people (happy birthday, thank you, that kind of thing).

Barb from PA writes...
I am making Christmas cards and when I have been making them, I put gift package stamps on the edge or snowflakes, tags etc. then I cut out around them. This gives them a nice affect. The one card example I did was I used a tag stamp and put a Christmas tree on the stamp. Then on the inside I put a stamped reindeer where on the outside when you look at it, you see the reindeer looking like it is peeking out, but when you open the card you see the whole reindeer. I also did one with Santa and a seigh about the same way. Hope I explained this the way you can understand it.

Mim from Virginia writes...
I\'m making initial notecards and ribbon watches for my sister in laws, a 6X6 album and calendar for my MIL. Last year I made the tissue paper candles for my famiyl and friends and they were a huge hit!

Bella writes...
I am making my own Christmas cards, design is ready, just have to cut and put together. I made 14 sets of misc cards (12 each) to give to all the relatives, complete with envelopes - gift bags are stamped already, just have to make matboard journals, these I\'ll write donw everyone\'s bday and anniversaries (a date calender). I\'m making library bags for all the nieces/nephews - just stamping on canvas bags from Hobby Lobby. For my Mom, I\'m doing a handcoloring of a b&w pansy picture she loves, my Dad is getting a charcoal drawing of our barn on our farm by dh, great grandparents and other set of grandparents are getting grandkid brag books and my dh is getting a calender scrapbook for next year for his office. I\'m getting close to being done - have to ship everything so I try to be done by end of October

LeAnne from Utah writes...
I am also making monogrammed gift tags fro my family and all four of my sisters families to help them all out.

Lynn from MA writes...
A few years ago I collected LOTS of old family pictures..some going back to the 1850\'s...made a 8 1/2X11 scrapbook with them which I copied for each of my 6 siblings and their families. Each year since I have added another part of the family (ie. year one I did great and great-great grandparents, year two grandparents, year three my father and this year I will do my mother. Next year i will do pictures of my siblings and me growing up...then maybe a couple of pages of our children and grandchildren...who knows!) Now each family has a great ancestor album. I am starting on my husband;s side of the family this winter.