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Scrapbook Design Inspiration: Children’s Books

How to Use Children's Books to Inspire Your Scrapbook Pages

Scrapbooking Design Inspiration ImageChildren’s books are a treasure trove of ideas for scrapbooking!

In this post we will explore some fun and creative ways to use children’s books as inspiration for scrapbook design.

In the first section we will discover how to use the story and in the second part we will  be inspired by the pictures.

Each section will include three unique and creative ideas, and examples of how you can apply these ideas to create your own layouts.

How to Use Children's Books to Inspire Your Scrapbook Pages

Get inspired by story.

The stories in children’s books are always colourful and vibrant. They are written to capture a child’s wandering attention and have pictures that help to embellish the story.

Here’s 3 ways you can use the story-telling techniques from children’s books on your scrapbook layouts.

1. Play with Words

Use the colourful and vibrant playfulness with words to command the reader’s attention on your layouts. Use exciting and interesting adjectives to describe the actions and people in the story you are telling. Emulate the author’s style of writing in your journaling. Try rhyming or using silly words to help embellish your story.

childrens books image1

Use rhyming or silly words to help embellish your journaling and make it more intriguing.

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Add some humour to your layout when you are inspired by a Shel Silverstein book.

2. Quote It

Use a quote from a favourite children’s book. Quotes make a great embellishment or title for your page.

childrens books image5

The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room could easily be adapted to a title on a page about your child’s messy room.

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Perhaps someone in your home has a nickname that suits one of the Mr. Men titles. Mr. Messy, Mr. Funny, Mr. Happy, etc.

childrens books image4

Do you have any secrets or mysteries that are waiting to be told? Perhaps a Nancy Drew title could inspire your layout.

I created a layout inspired by my love for Nancy Drew books. Click the photo to see the blog post about it!

3. Borrow the Theme

Use the theme of the story to inspire you to tell a story of your own.

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‘Green Eggs and Ham’ might inspire you to create a layout about foods that you don’t like.

childrens books image13

A ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ book may inspire you to tell about a trip you took without planning ahead.

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Frog and Toad may inspire you to scrapbook about friendship.

'Amelia Bedelia' may inspire you to scrap about a mix-up!

Amelia Bedelia may inspire you to scrap about a mix-up!

Get inspired by pictures:

Children’s books have excellent artwork. Here’s 3 ways you can use that art to inspire your scrapbook page:

1. Colours

If I asked you to create a page inspired by The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss, which colours would you choose? Did you say, “red and white”?

The colours from storybooks can be a big part of what draws you in.

childrens books image11

Curious George might inspire you to use yellow, or scrap about a special hat, or a job you had… there are so many possibilities!

2. Interesting Artwork Methods

Children’s illustrators love to help embellish the story. Sometimes they are very creative in their approach to the art. I’ve seen pictures made from: cross-stich, play dough, toys, watercolour, paper piecing and more.

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Perhaps you’ll be inspired to try stitching on your page after looking at this book, or you may want to tear some paper.

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Some illustrators include hidden gems for the readers to find like the spider and grasshopper on every page in Mercer Mayer’s Little Critter books.

3. Page Design

You can also be inspired by the designs used on the cover of a book.

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The layout of ‘Go, Dog, Go!’ easily lends itself to a scrapbook page.

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The colours and layout from this book would make a great layout.

I’ve used a read-along storybook to inspire a layout. Click the photo to go to the blog post.

 

Have you used a children’s book to inspire a scrapbook layout? If not, what are you waiting for? Which approach would you choose? What book inspires you? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments!

Did you see the Scrapbooking Design Inspiration post last week? I shared some of my best RESOURCES, you won’t want to miss that!

Watch for the next post in the Scrapbooking Design Inspiration coming next Wednesday.

ScrapGals LogoDID YOU KNOW? This blog post was discussed on the Scrap Gals podcast. Get a link to the podcast and all of the info on this post: Featured On the Scrap Gals Podcast

Let your creativity shine and get scrapping!

Alice.

Alice Digital Signature 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. If you want more great tips for scrapbooking join the Scrapbook Wonderland email list! Click here to find out what the free gift is just for signing up! 

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Brilliant Trick for Using a Postcard on a Layout

Add a postcard to a scrapbook page with this simple photo tutorial.

Add both sides of a postcard to your scrapbook layout easily using this simple photo tutorial.Do you send postcards home from your travel destinations?

I’ve done it a few times and I love having that extra piece of ephemera to add to my scrapbook pages.

The problem with a postcard is that they have TWO SIDES!

If I mail the postcard home I’ll have to decide which side of the postcard to feature on my layout… OR DO I?

make it monday blog hop image 2

Make it Monday

If you are hopping along the Make it Monday Blog Hop you have arrived from Artful Adventures where Kristie Sloan inspired us with how to create a background using a blended ink technique. I’ll share your next stop on the hop at the end of this post.

I have a couple of ways that I’ve handled postcards before, but this time I designed a new BRILLIANT TRICK!

I scrapped the front of a postcard on this page layout.

Layout featuring the front of a postcard.

‘Paradise Found’ layout featuring the front of a postcard.

This layout shows the back of a postcard.

Layout featuring the back of a postcard.

‘Snail Mail’ layout featuring the back of a postcard.

Here’s the trick:

This is the exact same postcard!

I cut a hole in the center of the paper to mount the postcard. Now you can see it from both sides!

Let’s walk through the steps. I’ll be sharing a different project so you can see the step by step process. (I forgot to take photos of the process as I built the page above!) 😉

Easy Photo Tutorial to Add a Postcard to a Scrapbook Layout

1. Start with a sheet of double-sided patterned paper or cardstock.

2. Decide where you would like to place the postcard on your page.

3. Mark the corners of the postcard with a pencil.

postcard layout image1

4. Cut out the center of the page.

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5. Now cut a matte slightly larger than the postcard.

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6. Turn the matte into a frame! You want the inside part of the frame to be SMALLER than the postcard!

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7. Use glue dots or another strong adhesive to attach the frame to one side of your postcard.

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8. Use more glue dots or other strong adhesive to mount the postcard over the hole in the page.

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9. Make sure the back of your layout looks great too!

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10. Enjoy scrapbooking both sides of your postcard!

I hope you’ll be inspired to try a creative technique like this one! Do you have a postcard you’d love to scrap now? What else would you use this for?

Your next stop on the Make it Monday Blog Hop is Scrapping Wonders where Beth will share how her 30 Days of Thankful album is all ready to go! HOP HERE.

Paper doll card and gift in one!

Click image to go to see the cool surprise!

Last week on the Make it Monday  blog hop I shared: A Paper Doll Card and Gift in One

As always, if you have any questions about this scrapbook project, or any others you see on the Scrapbook Wonderland site I’d be happy to answer your questions! You can leave me a comment below or contact me through the ‘contact’ tab at the top of the page.

Let your creativity shine and get scrapping!

Alice.

 

 

Alice Digital Signature 2013

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. Fall in love with your scrapbooking by getting tips, tricks and techniques by signing up for the Scrapbook Wonderland email list. SIGN UP HERE.

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Easy to Make Paper Pumpkin Decoration

Easy to make paper pumpkin decoration. You won't believe how simple it is!
Easy to make paper pumpkin craft for fall and Thanksgiving. (With directions!)

I have two rules for crafts that I plan to make.

  1. A craft I make must be as nice as something I could buy in a store. (otherwise I’ll just go buy something instead)
  2. It must be simple and easy to make.

(Yes, I’m also the mom with the last minute Halloween costumes. You can see what I came up with HERE.) 😉

When I saw this pumpkin decoration I thought, “Hey! This is gorgeous and it’s easy, this is the craft for me!”.

Here’s an easy to make paper pumpkin that looks like you did a lot of work.

Easy to make paper pumpkin decoration. You won't believe how simple it is!

Directions:

  1. Make about 9 circles. This sample was created using circles that were 4″ diameter. Depending on the size of circles you may need more or fewer circles. You can use other sizes. Try using several different patterned papers and some cardstock.
  2. Cut a small section off the bottom of each circle.
  3. Use different patterned papers, or get fancy and emboss and ink some cardstock with fall images.
  4. Ink or distress the edges, only if you like.
  5. Wrap a strip of distressed cardstock to make the stem. (I used a strip that was 1/2″ by 7″.)
  6. Fold the circles in half .
  7. Glue the circles together at the edges. You don’t really need to glue the center  parts, because that’s where you’ll be tucking the stem in. A tape runner works well to tape the edges.
  8. Glue the stem into the top of the pumpkin. Try a liquid glue like Liquid Glass from Close to My Heart.
  9. Finish by wrapping a piece of raffia around the top.
Easy to make paper pumpkin craft for fall and Thanksgiving. (With directions!)

Enjoy your beautiful paper pumpkin!

Don’t forget to get tips, tricks and techniques that will help you create scrapbooks you love by signing up for the Scrapbook Wonderland email list: HERE.

Let your creativity shine, and get scrapping!

Alice.

Alice Digital Signature 2013
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Scrapbook Design Inspiration: Resources

Scrapbooking Design Inspiration: Where to find it. How to use it. A series of posts all about design inspiration!

Pin me!

Where do you find scrapbook design inspiration? In this post, the beginning of a series that will be featured on Wednesdays, I’ll share some of the best resources that inspire my scrapbook pages.

Many of these you’ll expect, but I’m sure there’s a few places you probably haven’t mined for their scrappy goodness!

Warning. This post has a lot of links! I wanted to share as many of my favourite sources of design inspiration all in one place. Be prepared to be inspired!

TIP! Bookmark this page! Make it easy to refer back to this list of resources by bookmarking this page.

Pinterest

We’ll get the easy one out of the way first, just like when you take a test. Don’t worry! There’s no pop quiz at the end. 😉

I separate my Pinterest board into several different categories and I create new ones all of the time. I want my pin boards to reflect my current interests and I want them to useful! I don’t want to just pin something and forget about it.

Bonus: Pinterest Tip!

Most people I know aren’t doing this but it makes your boards so much easier to use. You can pin something into more than one category! You just have to pin it onto both boards. It’s a two step process, but in the end you will have that cool idea in a couple of categories if it applies to more than one.

How do you use this? Find a great idea for a Christmas page? Pin it to ‘Scrapbooking’ AND ‘Christmas’ pin boards, that way you’ll be more likely to come across it when you need it.

Here’s a few of my scrappy related pin boards:

  • Scrapbooking
  • Scrapbook Wonderland (all of these pins link back to cool things I’ve shared here!)
  • Scrapbook Organization
  • Scrapbooking Sketches
  • Scrapbooking Christmas
  • Art Journaling
  • Colour Palettes
  • Pictures To Take/Photography

www.pinterest.com/scrapbookwonder/

Alice Boll from Scrapbook Wonderland on Pinterest

Email Lists

I sign up for email lists to get inspiration right in my inbox! Here’s a few websites that have emails I can’t wait for. Usually you sign up in a box in the column on the side to get the emails and often there’s a fantastic bonus for signing up too!

Redefined Kreative: Join Khristina Sorge as she takes you on an exploration of design, colour and creativity!

redefinedkreative.com

Cathy Zielske is one of the first people I think of when thinking of clean and simple design, well, she did write the book about it! Her emails are full of great tips and she has a fun and quirky sense of humour to bring to this fun hobby that’s so much more than a hobby!

cathyzielske.com

I also have a few friends that share fabulous scrappy tips!

Melissa Shanhun of Digital Scrapbooking HQ: Great source of useful tips to learn digi techniques.

digitalscrapbookinghq.com

Alison Day Designs: Alison does scrapbooking and cardmaking and her eye for design is amazing. Find out what she’s up to:

alisondaydesigns.com

Cara Vincens from The Hooting Pirate is the go-to gal for planner inspiration. You can find Cara here:

thehootingpirate.com

Oh… and I share all kinds of scrappy goodness too! You can sign up for Scrapbook Wonderland emails here. I have a special gift for you too!
scrapbookwonderland.com/subscribe

Magazines

Are you still missing Simple Scrapbooks and Creating Keepsakes Magazine? I sure am! Luckily, I know of two amazing publications to help you get your fill of gorgeous scrapbooking layouts and designs.

Creative Scrapbooker Magazine
creativescrapbooker.ca

Scrapbook and Cards Today

scrapbookandcards.com

If you know of any other scrapbook magazines that are still in print please share them in the comments!

Forums/Facebook Groups

If you are looking for inspiration a scrapbooking forum is an excellent place to go! However, they can be really hard to find. Facebook groups have replaced many forums these days. Want a few great groups? Check out:

Scrap Gals Community

Victoria Marie FB Group

Blogs

As you know blogs are a great source of scrapbook design info.

Missy Whidden’s designs are bright, colourful and gorgeous. You should also catch her YouTube channel which rocks!

littlenuggetcreations.blogspot.com

Simple Stories: I love their products and their blog is full of useful ideas since I buy their stuff!

simplestories.com/blog

Tiffany Lowder posts lots of scrappy stuff and a bit of fun travel/life thrown in. She’s one of the co-hosts of the Scrap Gals Podcast. I love her casual approach to scrapbooking and life.

tiffanylowder.com

Did you know? On the Scrapbook Wonderland blog there’s a tab just for DESIGN!

You can click the tab at the top of the page or this link: DESIGN

Non Scrappy Blogs

Yes, there’s good stuff that inspires my scrapbooking that is not ‘about’ scrapbooking! I find inspiration in so many things, you’ll be seeing more posts about them in this series.

To get you started looking for design inspiration in some non-scrappy blogs you’ll want to visit these two:

A Beautiful Mess: Elsie Flannigan (now Larson) was a big name in scrapbooking. Now she shares all kinds of creative ideas, I don’t even know how to describe it, except for, ‘so much fun’!
abeautifulmess.com

I Heart Organizing: Organizing and gorgeous design are what you’ll find here. Jen has one of the prettiest blogs I’ve seen! (Her organizer/planner is absolutely adorable too!)
iheartorganizing.blogspot.ca

Podcasts

The Scrap Gals podcast is hilarious! Tiffany and Tracie are a couple of southern gals who love scrapping as much as I do! You can find them on the PodBean podcast app or check out their site:
www.thescrapgals.com

I love to listen to their podcast while I scrapbook. It’s like having friends over for a crop!

Inspiration is Everywhere

Over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing more in the Scrapbooking Design Inspiration series about using books, art, architecture and more, to inspire your scrapbook layouts. Don’t miss it!

What are your best scrapbook design inspiration resources? I’d love know! Share them in the comments below.

P.S. If you sign up for the Scrapbook Wonderland email list you’ll receive the blog posts once a week right in your inbox. Sign up here.

Let your creativity shine and get scrapping!
Alice.

Alice Digital Signature 2013
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Paper Doll Card and Gift in One

Make it Monday blog hop imageThe little girls are going to love this! The little girl in me sure does! Who doesn’t love a surprise? This birthday card will be a delight by being both a card and a gift.

Before we check out this adorable card I’d like to welcome you if you are hopping along the Make it Monday Blog Hop and have arrived from Kristie Sloan’s. I’m sure you were inspired by the interesting way she created a background with handwriting and a water soluble medium. If you missed it you can check it out on the Make it Monday HOP at Kristie Sloan.com I’ll share your next hop at the end of this post!

I love cards that have an element of interaction. I made this paper doll card for a Mommy and Me Workshop and the little girls loved it!

The mom’s thought it was great because it was a card AND a gift. It also brought back a lot of memories of playing with their own paper dolls as a child.

Paper Doll Birthday Card using embossing and washi tape. It has a SURPRISE to make it a gift too!

The card has a cute paper doll on the front. She is sitting on a sheet of embossed paper that has been lightly sanded. Before the paper was embossed a strip of washi tape was wrapped around it.

When you open the birthday card you will see the surprise! Inside there is a pocket that contains 3 outfits for the paper doll!

Paper Doll Card image 2

You need to be able to easily remove the paper doll from the front of the card. How can you do this?

To attach the paper doll to the front of the card I used two spots of velcro. Be sure to put the soft part of the velcro on the paper doll, so it is nicer to play with. 😉

Paper Doll Card image 4

I hope the lucky recipient of this birthday card will have a lot of fun playing with her paper doll! 🙂

Paper Doll Card image 3

The paper doll was created using the Paper Doll stamp set (D1547) from Close to My Heart. If you are interested in this product, and you live in Canada, you can shop online at alice.ctmh.com

Next stop on the hop! Alison from Alison Day Designs is sharing how to tie a current photo with an older story that didn’t have one, on her layout today. HOP to Alison Day Design.

I hope you’ll be inspired to create a fun and interactive birthday card. If you like this idea you might want to check out the Pull Me Surprise Card.

Let your creativity shine, and get scrapping!

Alice.

Alice Digital Signature 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. Want to see last week’s Make it Monday post? Click HERE.

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