The Amazing Page : 650 New Scrapbook Page Ideas, Tips and Techniques

When we look into the eyes of those who make our hearts sing with joy, we are reminded of the moments that make life worth living. It is these moments that are worth documenting in scrapbook pages that articulate the love in our hearts. Babies, toddlers, kids, teens and pets bring us those warm fuzzy feelings that match no other. Whether they are making us laugh or teaching us life’s greatest lessons, the ones we hold most dear will always be front and center in our albums.

Evoking emotion through photography is Danielle’s passion and is evident as she captured the unique expressions of these darling cousins. The contemporary photos take on a heritage look printed in sepia and accented with distressed embellishments. The focal photo of the threesome in the tub is played up with brads, machine-stitching and a mat raised with dimensional adhesive.

Supplies: Patterned paper; embossed patterned paper (K & Company); brads, sticker sentiments (All My Memories); file folder (EK Success); flowers, photo turns (Making Memories); twill tape (7 Gypsies); buttons; lace; paint; thread; cardstock

When Amy tried to get a grin out of her daughter, all she got was this serious shot. She chose the dark color scheme to tie in the photo but added feminine touches to make this page all-girl. Threaded buttons bloom as feminine flowers with ribbon stems. A crocheted lace border is anchored with patterned paper-backed buttons, a buckled ribbon and a safety pin for more delicate touches.

Supplies: Patterned papers, chipboard tag (W R Memory Keepers); chipboard letters (Li’l Davis Designs, W R Memory Keepers); buttons (Buttons Galore); circle clips, safety pins, crocheted lace, floss (Making Memories); ribbon (May Arts); tape measure sticker (Provo Craft); buckle (Le Bouton); watch parts, walnut ink (7 Gypsies); flowers; transparency; metallic rub-ons (Craf-T); cardstock

babies

Shannon credits her late father’s love for photography to her baby albums filled with negatives and slides. Since she only has boys, Shannon finds it exciting to go through her albums and pull out some “girl” photos to scrapbook. Stitched layers of soft neutral papers complement the heritage photos. A neutral flower and ribbons tied on a paper strip add subtle femininity without distracting from the darling baby girl.

Shannon Taylor, Bristol, Tennessee

Supplies: Patterned papers, tag, ribbon, letter stamps, leather sentiment, flower (Rusty Pickle); typewriter letter stickers (K & Company); transparency; cardstock

“I decided to go with a softer look since these are baby pictures. I matched up the browns and tans in my skin tones and hair color. Yellow would have been too intense for this warm layout.”

Gislaine’s son won’t nap in his bed, but he’ll fall asleep anywhere else as seen on this footrest. Gislaine rounded the edges of the photo and mat and then stitched it to the background for a homespun feel. Her subtitle translated from French means “Little Dreamer” while her printed border on a ribbon says, “My boy has this soft and gentle dreamer’s look; my boy is a real charmer.”

Supplies: Patterned papers (Basic Grey, Creative Imaginations, DDDesigns); die-cut number (DDDesigns); wooden letters, silk flowers (Dollarama); metallic rub-ons; acrylic paint; ribbon (Offray); letter stickers (Basic Grey); metal photo corner, brad (Making Memories); skeleton leaves; cardstock

A baby boy’s love for swinging is showcased in shades of blue to signify the swing gliding through the sky. Sheila changed these photos of her son to black-and-white to unify them with her blue color scheme. Folded paper strips stapled to one of the photos gives expression to Sheila’s boy’s face while swinging. She highlights variations of the word “swing” throughout her journaling with larger bold blue print.

Supplies: Patterned papers (Bo-Bunny Press, Karen Foster Design, Kl Memories); chipboard sentiment (Li’l Davis Designs); stickers (Chatterbox); mini brads; washer (Making Memories); sentiment charm (Go West Studios); rub-on stitches (K & Company); ribbon (Offray); corner-rounder punch (Carl); paper clip; staples; cardstock

All the cute features of a friend’s baby inspired Moon to create this layout. Moon matted the baby’s photo vertically with a long stripe patterned paper offset by a green vertical border. The baby’s endearing traits, including pudgy arms and a peculiar expression as well as his dad-inherited earlobes, are printed on the backdrop in coordinating green. Letter stickers spell out the title, summing up this baby—cute from head to toe.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Kl Memories); letter stickers (Chatterbox); brads; cardstock

It was love at first sight when Maegan’s daughter met Elmo. She documents her daughter’s instant friendship with the stuffed Sesame Street creature in a series of photos. Playful polka-dot patterned paper strips and torn alphabet patterned paper create a youthful backdrop to the sweet photos. A collage of handcut hearts, tags and acrylic sentiments adds a loving touch.

Supplies: Patterned papers, tags, die-cut letters, acrylic sentiments (Kl Memories); photo corners (Heidi Swapp); handcut hearts; stickers (Doodlebug Designs); cardstock

Milestone moments of Sheila’s 8-month-old son are listed directly on the background paper and bullet-pointed with brads. Sweet-face close-ups tout the page subject while a flattened bottle cap with ribbon medallion shows when the photos were taken.

Supplies: Patterned papers (Imagination Project); bottle cap (Li’l Davis Designs); mini brads; ribbon (American Crafts)

Nicole celebrates the joy her beautiful baby daughter brings to her life in this computer-generated layout. The precious baby photo is set against a sunny yellow background, adding the perfect touch of warmth and love.

Supplies: Image-editing software (Coral Draw 11); Carrie Stephens digital kit (www.fishscraps.com)

Baby Olivia has her cake and eats it too as evident in Colleen’s black-and-white shots detailed with captions made from rub-on letters and paper strips secured with brads. The clean-face focal photo is complemented by a double mat on spunky but soft patterned papers. A tag tucked behind the focal-photo mat gives endearing details of the hand-in-cake then cake-on-face adventure.

Supplies: Patterned papers, rub-ons, photo turns, buttons, brads (junkitz); ribbon (May Arts); thread; stamping ink; staples; cardstock

A creative title treatment adds to the uniqueness of Danielle’s page. A mix of rub-on letters circles the photo mat, and then the title is continued with handwriting. A silk flower with silhouette-cut letters blooms as a custom page accent. The flower stands out against patterned paper strips with two page corners cut with decorative scissors.

Supplies: Patterned papers (Foofala, MOD, Wordsworth); silk flower (Wal-Mart); rhinestone spiral clip (Target); rub-on letters (7 Gypsies, Foofala, Making Memories); quote stickers (Cloud 9 Design, Me & My Big Ideas); canvas flower (Foofala); flower punch (EK Success); circle cutter (Creative Memories); staples; stamping ink; brads; cardstock

“I decided to try a cool technique by cutting out the letters of my son’s name ‘Coop,’ short for Cooper, on a silk flower with a craft knife. I then matted the flower over a piece of dark patterned paper to make the letters stand out.”

A simple basketlike backdrop made from inked and woven paper strips ensures Jennifer’s daughter pictured in her Easter Sunday best is the page star. Jennifer enlarged and printed a duplicate photo from which she cut out the bonnet’s brim to use as a custom accent. A handcut daisy encircles letter stickers that quietly begin the title. It is finished with a resounding extra-fancy handcut “frills,” emphasizing the theme.

Supplies: Letter stickers (Doodlebug Design); flowers (Prima); hanger accent; stamping ink; cardstock

Amber managed to get 10 photos on this page using large and small filmstrip-like mats. Black paper forms the large filmstrip holding three photos. A strategically placed red mat acts as a small film strip crossing the page with seven photos. Inspired by her son’s sweater, Amber stitched striped patterned papers to accent the page and added bright jumbo brads for her title.

Supplies: Patterned paper (American Crafts); label holders, brads, letter brads (Queen & Company); stamping ink; cardstock

A toddler playfully chasing after a gaggle of geese is chronicled in this adorable computer-generated layout. Kristie set her focal photo atop a series of mini photos depicting the tyke’s grand adventure. Digital papers and embellishments alive with orange, blue and green accent the vivid photography.

Supplies: Image-editing software (Adobe Photoshop CS2); digital papers (www.theshabbyshop.com)

toddlers

A boy’s infatuation with Thomas the Tank Engine inspired his first words, “choo choo woo-wee!” Holly documents the precious story with detailed journaling printed on a transparency. Her clean design allows her son in the photos to shine. A simple train die cut with eyelet wheels makes for a boyish accent, complementing the page theme.

Holly Corbett, Central, South Carolina

Supplies: Transparency; eyelets; train and letter die cuts (QuicKutz); cardstock

What is more delectable, melting ice cream or Linda’s son’s face in this photo? What details the photo doesn’t give away, Linda’s journaling fills in printed on a circle journaling block. The circular shape along with the rounded-corner rectangle and geometric patterned paper add a sense of fast fun, much like trying to eat ice cream before it melts.

Supplies: Patterned paper, letter stickers, decorative stickers (Arctic Frog); corner punch (Marvy); hole punch (Fiskars); pen; cardstock

Tears flowing down her toddler’s face make for this heart-wrenching yet heartwarming page. Cindy tore the edges of her son’s photo for a worn look that matches his sad expression. Her stamped and embossed title in a grunge font runs like the tears down his sweet face. A stamped scroll design, decorative brads and shiny ribbon add rich textures.

Cindy Liebel, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Photo: Randi Gellis Photography, Midlothian, Virginia

Supplies: Patterned paper (Daisy D’s); transparency; ribbon (Michaels); rub-on letters (Chatterbox); letter stamps (Stampin’ Up!); embossing powder; stamping inks; photo corners; cardstock

Like sprouts of new growth, fresh shades of green enhance fond memories of a child’s development at age 2. Jessie listed her son’s favorite pastimes during this precocious age on a citrus green cardstock that stands out against the dark green background and border. The green accents enhance her son’s striped shirt and sparkling brown eyes in the photos. The enlarged focal photo placed with her son looking inward is a design-savvy move.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Rusty Pickle); textured paper (FiberMark); metal plaque (K &. Company); ribbon (Offray); large brads; cardstock

“I wanted to make the greens playful and fun. I especially wanted the journaling to stand out, so I printed it on the brightest color.”.

The story behind her daughter’s name is preserved for Nic’s baby girl to someday relish. Nic created a pillowy pink backdrop to cushion her daughter’s sweet close-up with layered patterned paper squares in shades of pink. The black-and-white photo is tied to the soft page with black-printed journaling telling the endearing details and a black patterned paper strip and monogram letter “a” for Abby.

Supplies: Patterned papers (7 Gypsies, Déjà Views); letter brads (Queen & Co.); letter stickers (American Crafts); cardstock

All the quirks and endearments that make Greta’s daughter truly captivating are captured in words and photos on this page. A close-up of her daughter’s darling face light up against a girly backdrop of stitched floral patterned papers in shades of rose, greens and wines. Greta printed her journaling in a coordinating color and accented her journaling block and handcut title with paper flowers centered with brads.

Supplies: Patterned papers (Chatterbox); flowers, woven label, tag, safety pin (Making Memories); brads (Doodlebug Design, SEI); letter stickers, rub-ons (Chatterbox); handcut photo corners; cardstock

Scary or sweet? Looks can be deceiving as Nic’s daughter sure looks sweet in this photo, but Mom’s recollection of the toddler 2s says otherwise. Nic journaled her typical two-year-old moments on paper strips over a fiery backdrop with punchy patterns to match her little girl’s spirit. The black background paper and letter sticker title tie the black-and-white photo to the page.

Supplies: Patterned papers (Kl Memories); letter stickers (American Crafts); chipboard letters (Making Memories); paint; cardstock

Out of her daughter’s mouth came the inspired title and Audrey’s motivation for making this whimsical page. Bright colors and spunky patterns create a fun jungle-like stage for Audrey’s daughter’s funny-face photo. Audrey used a reverse-effect with her title, beginning each line with white letter stickers overlaying the photo then finishing them with black stickers on the background. Handwritten journaling contours a flower, and hand-drawn doodles delicately embellish the bold shapes.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Provo Craft); stamp (Stampin’ Up!); flowers (Prima); letter stickers (American Crafts, Doodlebug Design); stamping ink; brads; pen; cardstock

It may not be the typical back yard, but Linda’s boy loves romping around it just the same. To complement the playful page topic and the colors in the photo, Linda handcut a whimsically wavy border that moves the eye up the page and over to the corner title. Colorful punched dots provide bullet points to emphasize Linda’s list journaling.

Supplies: Corner and hole punches (Marvy); label maker (Dymo); die-cut letters (Provo Craft); cardstock

Lightedhearted storytelling of a mother’s near-nightmare ends with this precious memory of a fearless almost-2-year-old who just loves jumping on the bed. Jenn brilliantly begins the story with her curious title that lures you into the journaling that completes the tale. Strategically sewn floss borders the photos of her son and mimics the stitches she thinks he should’ve had instead of the glue and tape donned on his forehead.

Supplies: Patterned papers (Karen Foster Design, Li’l Davis Designs, Paperloft); ribbon (Making Memories, Li’l Davis Designs); hinge (Foofala); rub-on letters, metal tag (Making Memories); bottle cap letters (Li’l Davis Designs); stamping inks; cardstock

Is a 2-year-old using a computer a child prodigy or the wave of the future? Either way, it makes for a curious page theme. Layers of scribble and swirl patterned papers lend a playful touch, keeping the age of Jessie’s “whiz kid” son playing a computer game in perspective. Brown half-circles soften the blocked design, and neutral colors give a boyish touch.

Supplies: Textured cardstock (Bazzill); patterned papers (Karen Foster Design, Kl Memories), letter stickers (Li’l Davis Designs); brads; cardstock

Vicki’s toddler daughter is on the go, wandering wherever her little feet will take her. Her vibrancy and energy is brought to the layout with bright neon paper strips stitched for texture. A stitched photo mat corrals three snapshots of the busy girl. Pink ribbon strung from loop brads to spiral clips adds playful visual interest to the title.

Supplies: Patterned papers, stickers (Imagination Project); loop brads (Karen Foster Design); metal letters (Jo-Ann Stores); ribbon; buttons; cardstock

Black-and-white photos against colorful retro patterned papers prove nostalgic of summer fun. Tarri documents her daughter’s summer favorites by finishing preprinted sentences with a mix of die-cut stickers. Letter stickers on retro shapes and a phrase sticker mounted on a wooden plaque secured with brads complete the title.

Supplies: Patterned paper, die cuts, wooden plaque, letter stickers, tacks (Chatterbox)

Jessica’s girl is a bit camera shy, so this straight-on smiling shot is playfully celebrated for its rarity. A spunky mix of retro-colored flowers and polka dots coordinate with this smiling photo. Journaling strips are anchored under the photo and extend to the page’s edge secured with tacks. A curved page corner, created by tracing a plate, highlights Jessica’s ink- and paint-stamped title.

Supplies: Patterned papers, tacks (Chatterbox); letter stamps (Making Memories, My Sentiments Exactly); acrylic paint; stamping ink; cardstock

“I printed my journaling and trimmed it into strips, anchoring one end under my photo and the other with a scrapbook tack. I strategically placed the strips in a fanlike arrangement to add movement and energy.”

Inspired by her 6-year-old son’s firecracker personality, Shannon showcased this black-and-white photo on an explosive mix of red, white and blue patterned papers. Plastic washers bound with tied ribbons border the page with energy and dimension. Red straight and zigzag stitches outline Shannon’s heartfelt journaling with a burst of pizazz.

Supplies: Patterned papers (Rusty Pickle); washers, letter buttons, brad, rubber sentiment tab (Junkitz); ribbon (Offray); chipboard number (Heidi Swapp); heart charm; letter stickers (American Crafts); black pen

capture the silly side

Kids tickle us pink with their silly stunts and sunny smiles. There are so many moments worth capturing as they explore their world and remind us how much fun it was to be a youngster in motion. Try capturing these amusing childhood moments:

Silly facial expressions
School moments
Expressing love to pets or siblings
At play with friends or classmates
Accomplishments big or small
Laughing and being silly
Exploring their world

kids

A luring slide, a willing participant and a camera-ready Mom make for this great focal photo. Ronnie stood with her camera resting on the bottom of the slide to catch the shot of her son. The smaller shots show the busy boy savoring the park. The photos are digitally layered over a clock image downloaded from the Internet. Ronnie created the other digital accents with image-editing software and her title with word art.

Ronnie McCray, St. James, Missouri

Supplies: Digital clock image by Cheryl Barber (www.cbdigitaldesigns.com); other digital elements (artist’s own design); image-editing software (Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0); word-processing software (Microsoft)

You can practically hear the laughter coming from Mary’s daughter in this enlarged photo balanced by a bold chipboard title. Mom used a red hugs and kisses backdrop to her laughing girl that coordinates with the photo. Ribbons accented with threaded buttons are wrapped around the photo’s edges. The words to Mary’s journaling are spelled out with letter stickers, stamps and die cuts.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Carolee’s Creations); letter stickers (K & Company); chipboard letters, die-cut letters, rub-on letters (Li’l Davis Designs); letter stamps (PSX Design); acrylic paint; stamping ink; label holders (Jo-Ann Stores); threaded buttons; ribbon (Making Memories); cardstock

Oh, the delights of summer spent with friends! Linda caught these candids of her son and his “older” girlfriend whose friendship shines as the star of this page. Citrus green, cool white and bright pink lend the essence of summer and the playfulness of youth. Linda’s title begins with letter stickers and ends with handcut letters. She transformed wooden embellishments into custom accents with white paint and colored pens.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Christina Cole, Keeping Memories Alive); letter stickers (Doodlebug Design); wooden accents (EK Success, Over the Moon Press); acrylic paint (Plaid); silk flower; hole punch; pen; cardstock

Expressions this silly deserve an equally fun backdrop, which Suzy created with straight- and curve-cut paper strips adhered to cardstock. The photos matted on the left side of the page are balanced by handwritten journaling strips staggered on the right. Punchy pink chipboard letters and letter stickers form the title and complement the olive green cardstock.

Supplies: Patterned papers; chipboard letters, letter stickers (Scenic Route Paper Co.); flower pin (Around the Block); ribbon (May Arts); cardstock

“The pictures of my daughter Sierra are so bright and pretty that I decided to complement them with really bright papers. The journaling cut into strips helps balance the page.”

Jill often finds her daughter caught up in sheer joy, dancing, singing and acting out favorite television characters. The expression of laughter on her face in these photos is strong evidence of her joy. The smaller photo flips up to reveal another close-up and Mom’s celebration of her daughter’s feisty yet sweet personality. Chunky and bright chipboard letters shout “unleashed” against spunky patterned papers that complement the smiling photo subject.

Supplies: Patterned papers (Anna Griffin, Basic Grey, KI Memories, My Mind’s Eye); stickers (Bo-Bunny Press, Doodlebug Design); acrylic flowers (Heidi Swapp); chipboard letters (Bazzill, Li’l Davis Designs, Making Memories); rub-ons, die-cut letters (Kl Memories); eyelets; cardstock

A tranquil setting in shades of green reflects the water and pensive mood of Julie’s son in this photo. Julie hand-wrote on a tag of the wonders and thoughts running through her gazing son’s head. Rub-on phrases on slightly sanded tags add boyish sentiment with a rugged touch.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Scenic Route Paper Co.); die-cut letters (Bo-Bunny Press); ribbon (Making Memories); rub-on sentiments (Creative Imaginations, My Mind’s Eye); chipboard (Heidi Swapp); tags; stamping ink; cardstock

Angelina gives her daughter a lesson on true beauty. Mom journals with a letter, reiterating that beauty goes beyond skin deep. A large focal photo of her daughter sporting a faux tattoo is bordered by a grosgrain ribbon secured with a brad and bobby pin. A large die-cut circle with a printed-transparency center is anchored with a ribbon and mimics a magnifying glass focusing on the girl.

Supplies: Patterned papers (Junkitz, Scrappy Cat); ribbon (Jo-Ann Stores); decorative brad, metal plaques (Making Memories); transparency (Great White); date stamp; bobby pin; flower; stamping ink; cardstock

Custom patterned paper adds a personal touch to this tribute page. For a page playing up the many facets of her son, Samantha printed bulleted descriptive words on cardstock in shades of blue. She used the printed cardstock to mat the focal photo and to create a custom monogram letter.

Playful patterned papers layered with curvy strips and rickrack bring movement to Colleen’s page about her boys’ nonstop summer fun. The whimsical patterns slightly overlay the black-and-white photo, making it pop against the bright colors. Colleen handwrote her journaling on paper strips ending it with the word “happy” that also serves as her title.

Supplies: Patterned papers (Chatterbox, Junkitz, Scenic Route Paper Co.); circle sentiment charm, brad (Junkitz); buttons; ribbon (May Arts); rickrack; stamping ink; staples; pen; cardstock

Whether there is music playing or not, Maddy’s girl is grooving to the beat. Mom caught this series of great moves that preserve a typical summer’s day with her daughter in their pool. Splashy bright circle patterned paper squares pump up the summer-fun volume with coordinating strips backing Maddy’s clear punch label journaling. A few photos are cut and adhered sequentially to bring filmstrip-like movement to the dancing superstar.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Junkitz); rub-ons (Doodlebug Design. Kl Memories); letter stickers (Li’l Davis Designs); flowers (Prima); photo corners (Heidi Swapp); label maker (Dymo); cardstock

Gemiel may have an actor in her midst, as each time she gets out her camera, her son puts on a show—sometimes serious but mostly silly, as seen in this photo. A mix of striped, floral and polka-dot patterned papers adds playfulness to the page in neutral colors livened with punchy red, orange and green. A telling quote printed on vellum secured with a decorative brad goes perfectly with Gemiel’s page theme.

Supplies: Patterned papers (Scenic Route Paper Co.); ribbon, ribbon charms (Maya Road); chipboard letters (Pressed Petals); decorative brad (Making Memories); vellum quote (Flair Designs); chipboard sentiment (EK Success); stamping ink; pen; cardstock

“My son is at the age now that whenever he sees me pull out my camera, he has to perform. Sometimes he’s serious, sometimes he poses like a model, but most often he’s just his silly, adorable self.”

This sassy grin is not without a story, which is what came first to inspire this page. Courtney’s surprising conversation with her daughter unveiled a bit of Sophia’s vanity, hence the subtitle “The World According to Sophia.” It is on the outside of folded double-sided cardstock secured behind a paper slit. Unfolded, the conversation is revealed. The story is set in a sassy combination of orange and green accents.

Supplies: Patterned papers, ribbon, rub-ons, tacks, chipboard letters, photo corners (Chatterbox); letter stickers (Doodlebug Design); buttons (Junkitz); floss (DMC); cardstock

Getting this dirty while playing is hard work but it sure is lots of fun, as shown in these photos. Jessie conveys the spirit of fun with dirt in bright shades of mustard and light brown. Paint splotches, ink smudges and a paint-stamped title add a messy look as playful as Jessie’s dirty-faced boy.

Supplies: Patterned papers (Kl Memories); stamps (Li’l Davis Designs); acrylic paint (Plaid); chalks; chalk stamping inks; pen; cardstock

Despite pleas to stop, Colleen can’t resist taking a shot of her niece. Her irresistible face is matted on a shabby chic collage of patterned papers with handwritten journaling strips overlaying the photo. A whimsically layered flower made of mesh and patterned papers and accented with a button, stick pin and hanging tag corners the photo. A tag behind the photo mat reveals Colleen’s heartfelt thoughts of her prized niece.

Supplies: Patterned papers (Scenic Route Paper Co.); rub-on letter, stick pin (Making Memories); mesh (Magic Mesh); button (Junkitz); tag (Scrapping With Style); ribbon; walnut ink; stamping ink; pen; cardstock

Carla tributes her son with his charming photo and list of admired traits. Printed words and rub-on letters spell out the 10 things she loves about him. A masculine color mix of paper strips makes a simple photo mat. Her punch label title doubles as a page border.

Supplies: Label maker (Dymo); rub-on letters (Scrapworks); rub-on date (Autumn Leaves); staples; cardstock

A mom stops time, if for just a moment, to savor her little girl with this layout. Angelia created a watch-like accent with a circular-cut transparency as the watch face over patterned paper. Flowers punched from patterned paper and then stitched serve as whimsical clock parts.

Supplies: Patterned papers, decorative brad, letter stickers, phrase stickers, transparency (K & Company); flower punch, circle punch (EK Success); mini brads

When Jessie first looked into her daughter’s “baby browns,” all her wishes for a blue-eyed baby melted away. Her brown-eyed girl takes center stage with the use of minimal accents and a simple design. The enlarged photo pops against the reddish-brown backdrop. And if that look doesn’t grab you, perhaps the quirky glimpse in the small photo will. Matted on folded cardstock, the photo flips up to reveal heartfelt journaling.

Supplies: Patterned papers (7 Gypsies, Rusty Pickle); woven tag (Me & My Big Ideas); letter stamps (Ma Vinci’s Reliquary); stamping ink; ribbon; cardstock

Shannon’s son laughed hysterically when his mom manipulated photos of other people with image-editing software. But when Shannon turned his portrait into an alien child, he wasn’t laughing, and Mom couldn’t resist scrapbooking it. The enlarged photo is draped with ribbons anchored to laminate chips that carry Shannon’s rub-on title. A coaster sentiment dangling from a ball chain punched through the triple-layer background flips up to reveal Shannon’s journaling.

Supplies: Woven paper (source unknown); letter buttons (Junkitz); coaster sentiment, chipboard numbers (Li’l Davis Designs); letter rub-ons (Making Memories); ribbon (Offray); brads; laminate chips; pen; cardstock

Playful ballerinas kick back for a treat after their star performance. To let the photos of her ballerina daughter and friend steal the limelight, Courtney created a background with subtle dimension from layered and woven paper strips in the same shade of tutu pink. An organza ribbon is a whisper of elegance while with the mixed media title is as perfectly quirky as these two blue-lipped giggling ballerinas.

Supplies: Patterned papers (Rusty Pickle); rub-on letters (source unknown); label holder, sticker definition, metal letters and number (Making Memories); label maker (Dymo); ribbon (Michaels); brad; pen; cardstock

Handmade accents and mini gems enhance this photo of Suzy’s daughter with girly delight. Suzy drew scroll, heart and dot borders on the background and the curved cut and layered cardstock design. A handcut and pen-accented butterfly flutters with dimensional wings. Suzy’s pen handiwork and hand-sewn knot-centered flowers add delicate touches to this girly page.

Supplies: Floss (DMC); mini gems (Li’l Davis Designs); flowers (Prima); pink gel pen; white paint pen; cardstock

Chloe’s bright blue eyes were the inspiration for this graceful lavender page by Suzy. The close-up photo is the main focal point of the page while girly flowers and a script font add additional femininity and charm.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Kl Memories, Mara Mi); ribbon, acrylic paint (Making Memories); flower mask, transparency flowers (Heidi Swapp); black marker; white pen

“I love this photo of my daughter, so I wanted to emphasize it by making it large and keeping it the focal point on the page. I chose my title based on her eyes.”

Jenn changed this photo of her son and his schoolmate to black-and-white to unify the otherwise clashing colors. She placed the photo on a playful purple background inspired by the colors in the woven label sentiment. Touches of patterns and texture are added to the monochromatic color scheme with fabric-tied metal buttons and a chipboard and metal letter title.

Supplies: Fabric accents (Maisy Mo’s); metal buttons (Karen Foster Design); chipboard and clay letters (Li’l Davis Designs); woven label sentiment (Making Memories); stamping ink; cardstock

A mother’s bittersweet thoughts on her boy reaching a milestone—kindergarten—warms as well as tugs at the heart. Though emotion stirred within her while creating this page, Nic used quiet neutral colors to create a serene mood to complement her sleepy son in the photo. Nic crumpled paper then smoothed and lightly painted it to lend rugged texture to the photo mat and silhouetted monogram square.

Supplies: Patterned papers, decorative brads (American Traditional Designs); chipboard letter (Heidi Swapp); letter stickers (American Crafts); ribbon; stamping inks

Marie mimicked her son’s soccer ball with a circular journaling block that doubles as a photo mat. A printed die-cut title underscores the photo. Punched circles and handcut squares from geometric patterned papers add movement and playfulness to the page.

Supplies: Patterned papers, die-cut sentiment (Kl Memories); circle punch; cardstock

This simple page is as refreshing as the page topic itself, taking a summer dip. Michele enlarged the black-and-white photo of her daughters engaging in their favorite summer activity to take up half of the 8½ × 11″ page. Cardstock strips and a block of tile-patterned vellum create a nautical backdrop for Michele’s handcut title and printed journaling. Lightly chalked punched sun shapes add subtle embellishment.

Supplies: Patterned vellum (Chatterbox); sun punch (Marvy); chalk (Craf-T); cardstock

Her daughter’s curious question asked with her own insightful answer validates Amy’s reason for scrapbooking and inspired this page. A black-and-white close-up gives a look into Amy’s daughter’s wise young eyes. A rust photo mat and ribbons tied to jumbo leather photo corners add touches of texture and color. The precious conversation with Mom’s not-so-little girl is documented on a series of printed tags.

Supplies: Patterned papers (7 Gypsies, Foofala); chipboard alphabet (Heidi Swapp); ribbons (Li’l Davis Designs, Strano Designs, Heidi Swapp); leather photo corners (Making Memories); rub-on letters (Chatterbox, Making Memories); metal index tab, sentiment sticker, reinforcement stickers (7 Gypsies); tags (Avery); pen; stamping ink; cardstock

Color, used both literally and figuratively, passionately describes a mother’s love for her daughter. In an original poem printed on a transparency, Jessica rhymes a letter of love to her daughter whose tiny handprint is stamped with paint. Further colorful sentiment is found on ribbon-topped pullout tags tucked behind the focal photo. Crayons coordinated to the poem topic accent the page as well as carry part of the title.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Chatterbox); chipboard letters, washer, rub-ons, brad, acrylic paint (Making Memories); ribbon (Chatterbox, Offray); crayons (Crayola); letter stamps; flower; stamping ink; staples; cardstock

This “tough guy” layout shows the softer side of Suzy’s son Jeremy. His charming smile lights up this page expressing Suzy’s gratitude for having him in her life. She printed her journaling on strips and mixed them with word labels and other embellishments for a collage look.

Supplies: Patterned paper, letter stickers (Scenic Route Paper Co.); metal frames (Jo-Ann Stores); chipboard stars (Li’l Davis Designs); brads (Making Memories); cardstock

Turning 5 is monumental in itself, but for Sheila’s daughter, it was also the day she got her ears pierced as promised by Daddy a year before. Close-up shots show her ear before and after the piercing along with a focal photo of her brave smiling face. A ribbon with chunky letter charms vertically borders the page and leads to a gem-centered flower that mimics the big girl’s new earrings.

Supplies: Patterned papers (Autumn Leaves, Crafter’s Workshop, Scenic Route Paper Co.); epoxy word sticker (Autumn Leaves); letter charms (Doodlebug Design); ribbon (Michaels); flower (Prima); chalk; cardstock

“My daughter had never seen a gecko before. We were in Florida on vacation and her eyes just lit up when she saw it. When I saw her expression, I just had to grab the camera to get a picture.”

It was love right from the get-go for Darlene’s daughter and this gecko. When the animal lover discovered the lizard on a Florida trip, she studied the peculiar creature as she held it in her hand. Darlene tells the endearing story behind her hinged title block. A black-and-white close-up in a clear pocket gives a good look at the gecko friend with a sticker sentiment describing her daughter’s wild encounter—curious.

Supplies: Patterned papers, buttons (Kl Memories); photo turns, clips (7 Gypsies); clear pocket (source unknown); date stamp, hinges (Making Memories); ribbon (May Arts); brads; stamping inks; cardstock

Her daughter’s milestone of losing a first tooth makes Mom realize that changes are coming. To savor her daughter’s smile at age 7, Michele captured this photo before adult teeth set in, changing her into a young lady. A pink patterned paper strip adds a girly touch, bordering the snapshot vertically with a photo turn for emphasis. A printed and handcut title underscores the photo accompanied by Mom’s bittersweet thoughts.

Inspired by Piet Mondrian, her favorite artist, Kathy created this graphic background with primary and white color blocks broken up by thin black lines. She chose the clean graphic lines and pure colors to reflect the purity and innocence of her son in the photo. The photo with the diagonal line created by his eyes breaks up the horizontal and vertical lines of the backdrop, putting the emphasis on his sweet face.

The vibrancy of youth is celebrated with bright orange and pinks against striking black and white colors on this page. Jill layered patterned paper strips and die-cut shapes for a touch of whimsy. Her handcut title corners her daughter’s photo whose face epitomizes youth. Die-cut sticker sentiments on dimensional adhesive pop with expression on a black folio closure envelope.

Jill Jackson-Mills, Roswell, GeorgiaSupplies: Patterned papers (Scrapworks); transparency (Magic Scraps); stickers (Creative Imaginations); die-cut shapes (My Mind’s Eye); chipboard letters (Making Memories); folio closure envelope (Bazzill); letter buttons (Wal-Mart); cardstock

A young girl gets to meet her favorite Disney character in this heartwarming layout. Trudy captured these great shots of her daughter with Robin Hood on their trip to Disney World. A vertical title and journaling printed on strips balance the photos while striped patterned papers add movement and energy.

Supplies: Patterned paper (3 Bugs in a Rug); die-cut letters, brackets, photo turns, index tab (QuicKutz); brads (Making Memories); circle punches (Creative Memories); distress ink (Ranger); textured cardstock (Bazzill)

A girl’s fun and funky favorites at age 17 are fondly recorded on this page. Cathy lists her daughter’s affections on tags dangling from waxed floss tied to a ribbon border. Flip-flops cut from patterned paper and backed with cardboard carry the definition of “favorites” and Mom’s handwritten journaling. The black-and-white photo of Cathy’s daughter is printed on canvas paper and colored with chalk pencils.

Supplies: Patterned papers, number stencils (Rusty Pickle); ribbon (May Arts); tags (QuicKutz); waxed floss, framed letters (Scrapworks); eyelets, brads, rub-on letters (Making Memories); flip-flop charm; letter stickers (K & Company, Making Memories); chalk pencils (Creatacolor); acrylic paint; cardstock

“When I saw these flip-flops, they reminded me so much of my daughter. It’s all she would wear for about nine months. It’s funny the places you can find inspiration. It definitely worked for this layout all about her.”

These two teens are just too cool for words. Kristy captured this photo of her daughter Jessica and her friend Shelby getting ready in true teen style. The vibrant colors reflect the hip personalities of the two divas. Florals, stripes and polka dots add visual energy and movement to the computer-generated page.

Supplies: image-editing software (Adobe Photoshop); digital papers, letters and number (www.thedigichick.com)

teens

Life as a kid sure can be tough, but Jill encourages her son to go seize the day. She matted his photo over a collage of paper strips in rich colors. Fiber secured with brads and staples frames the photo along with Mom’s encouraging words of advice written on the background.

Jill Jackson-Mills, Roswell, Georgia

Supplies: Patterned papers, fibers (Basic Grey); acrylic letters (Kl Memories); brads; white pen; cardstock

No matter the score, these sisters on and off the volleyball court are winners in their aunt’s eyes. Sporting their uniforms in these photos, Denise plays up the volleyball theme with a painted mesh backdrop to mimic a net. Clip-art Volleyballs carry the two’s initials encapsulated with watch crystals. The same enlarged image printed onto canvas paper holds journaling and was inked and spray-varnished to emulate a volleyball.

Supplies: Patterned papers (Daisy D’s, Rusty Pickle); vellum (The Paper Palette); chipboard letters, jumbo letter brads, epoxy sentiment (Rusty Pickle); mesh, letter eyelets (Making Memories); watch crystals (Deluxe Plastic Arts); ribbon, metal tag (Tapestry); screw brads (Karen Foster Design); acrylic paint; spray varnish (Krylon); stamping ink; foam adhesive; cardstock

They’re hip, plugged-in, high-performance and, according to Kris, they’re high-maintenance. They’re Generation Y. She celebrates the quirks and privileges of her son’s generation with a photo and title treatment reflective of Y’s bold and funky style—jumbo chipboard letters and a massive bottle cap. Her hinged book defines Generation Y and compares it to her Generation X, showing another photo of the fine modern specimens.

Supplies: Patterned papers (My Mind’s Eye); chipboards letters (EK Success, Everlasting Keepsakes, Li’l Davis Designs); chipboard squares (Bazzill); hinges (Making Memories); paint (Krylon); jumbo bottle cap (Scrapbook Creations); label maker (Dymo); cardstock

Black-and-white photos of Kay’s daughter and her cool friends are showcased with layered edgy patterned papers. Each girl gets a solo spot in the limelight with her photo framed in a filmstrip accented with ribbon-tied photo turns. A license plate is strung vertically with spunky polka-dot ribbon for a hip title treatment.

Supplies: Patterned papers, license plate, filmstrip (Creative Imaginations); brads, photo turns (Making Memories); rub-on stitches, flower and sentiment (Doodlebug Design); silk flowers, ribbon (Michaels); cardstock

The quirky likes and dislikes of Sharon’s daughter at age 15 are memorialized to enjoy for years to come. The oh-so-teen shot of the sassy girl is bordered with her list of particulars printed directly on the photo. A funky backdrop of randomly cut purple and brown patterned papers layered over jagged-edge cardstock is accented with brown machine stitching and purple and brown flower clusters.

Supplies: Patterned papers (Mara Mi); flowers (Prima); mini brads (Queen & Co.); letter stickers; cardstock

Collette caught her daughter in deep thought in these photos. She printed her daughter’s name vertically on the focal photo. The small photo demands attention wrapped with twine dangling a flower charm. A whimsically graphic background is distressed a bit with sandpaper and stamping ink. Paper strips flagged with stapled ribbons add simple embellishment.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Junkitz); sandpaper; floss; ribbons (SEI); letter rub-ons (Creative Imaginations); cardstock

When even the slightest of humidity hits, Kathy’s daughter’s hair whirls with curls. Thankfully, the curly cutie has made peace with her unruly hair and smiles in this focal photo. To highlight her girl’s gorgeous curls, Kathy cut cardstock into circles and curves and used bouncy flower and swirl patterned papers. The deep reds and shades of brown complement the auburn beauty along with pink flowers that bloom all-girl.

Supplies: Patterned papers, rub-ons (Fontwerks); brads (Making Memories); flowers (Prima); cardstock

“I love this photo of Emma because it highlights her beautiful curls. I thought the curve of the paper, the circles as well as the flowers lent themselves to the rounded feel of the layout.”

A photo of two handsome boys says it all—look out world! During a beach vacation, Beth had her boys strike a pose, and when she first saw the photo, her title immediately came to mind. Her mix of die-cut and stamped title letters is big and bold to balance the enlarged photo. Brushes of paint lightly soften the photo’s edges, and mailbox and epoxy letters identify the boys.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Junkitz); letter stickers (Basic Grey, Karen Foster Design, Provo Craft); foam tetter stamps, mailbox letters (Making Memories); acrylic paint; ribbon; stamping ink; paper clips; pen; cardstock

Every girl awaits that rite of passage when she can finally wear makeup. Karen’s daughter Kristina is all-girl in this 8½ × 11″ layout. Karen chose to place her journaling, a quote, on a large circle under the focal photo. Flowers and the purple-brown color scheme add femininity and charm.

Supplies: Patterned paper (3 Bugs in a Rug); coaster cards (The Weathered Door); chipboard, wire flower, twill (Maya Road); craft paint (Plaid); date stamp (CTMH Co.); circle punch (EK Success); die cuts (QuicKutz); floss (DMC); cardstock

Kelli may have a future rock star on her hands as she caught these shots of her teenage son and his friend in a total jam session. Black cardstock combined with funky patterned papers creates a studio feel. Die-cut shapes adhered with dimensional tape accent the page. Punched labels give all the jamming details.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Basic Grey); jumbo chipboard letter (Zsiage); label maker (Dymo); die-cut shapes (QuicKutz); chalk stamping ink; cardstock

Sixteen is an age full of adventure. As the world awaits her daughter Tiffany, Karen wants to capture each precious moment and freeze it in time. She placed her heartfelt journaling on a distressed tag tied with fibers. A watch face and key charm strung from a necklace chain symbolize Tiffany’s journey from teen girl to young woman.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Rusty Pickle); date stamp, blossom, eyelet letter (Making Memories); floss (DMC); stickers (Sharon Soneff); stamping ink (Ranger); craft paint (Plaid); frame (Jest Charming); solvent ink (Tsukineko); walnut ink (7 Gypsies); fibers; brads; photo corners; flower; ribbon; cheesecloth; eyelet; watch face; necklace chain

Look at the charming photo of this young teen boy and you can see the future in his eyes. Sandra used a fitting quote for this page about her son Jacob, passing on a piece of wisdom for finding oneself in a big world. The masculine color scheme combined with stripes and geometric shapes makes this page 100 percent boy.

Supplies: Patterned paper, stamps, rub-ons (Carolee’s Creations); ribbon (May Arts); stamping ink (Ranger); cardstock

Sugar and spice and everything nice…this sassy gal looks as if she can’t wait to take on the world. Sandra chronicled her daughter Taylor as she embarks upon realizing her dreams and working to accomplish them. A bit of motherly advice sprinkled on a black and pink background make this page all-girl.

Supplies: Patterned paper, rub-ons, stamps, paper clips, ribbon (Carolee’s Creations); punch (EK Success); stamping ink (Ranger); cardstock

Entering the teen years comes with many expectations, but Karen knows her daughter Aleisha is well-prepared. Confident and wise beyond her years, this young woman has the world in front of her. Karen used a pink color scheme to keep the page feminine and graceful while clock hands represent her daughter’s rite of passage into this new exciting phase of life.

Supplies: Patterned paper, letter stickers, buttons (Chatterbox); metal phrase (Making Memories); clock hands (Jest Charming); maruyama (Magenta); buttons; brad

When a family mourned the loss of their beloved pet, the striking stripes of this shelter cat won their hearts. To play up her cat’s coat, Heide placed the photo on striped patterned paper accented with a matching border. A series of brads set on a thin paper strip creates a collar-like accent and is personalized with a monogram paper clip.

Supplies: Patterned paper (source unknown); monogram paper clip (Jo-Ann Stores); brads; cardstock

“I love the look of a large circle for a cool focal point so I used a dinner plate to draw a large circle on the back of the patterned paper.”

Caught red-handed is what this title implies. When Michon’s daughter discovered her pup had stole one of her stuffed animals to snuggle with, she grabbed her mom to take these photos as evidence. Stamped with paint across the background and onto photos, the bold red title explains the embarrassed look on the dog’s face. Michon plays on the red theme with red accents throughout the page.

Supplies: Patterned papers, stickers (Karen Foster Design); foam letter stamps (Making Memories); acrylic paint (Delta); ribbon (Offray); cardstock

pets

Good news of a greyhound’s happiness and contentment deserves a front page headline as Tristann established on this page with newspaper patterned paper. Pet sentiment patterned papers create a background for the pampered pup story while dog accessory and phrase stickers showcase the photo evidence.

Tristann Craves, Vancouver, Washington

Supplies: Patterned papers, stickers (Karen Foster Design); cardstock

A 12-pound cat perched on a fish tank epitomizes the adage “Curiosity killed the cat.” After removing Thomas several times from, as Melanie puts it, his “illegal perch,” she finally gave up and grabbed her camera to catch these priceless shots. Patterned papers in shades of orange and red enhance the prey’s fins and the predator’s mane. Handwritten journaling humorously tells the story while letter stickers sum it up—curiosity.

Supplies: Patterned paper, letter stickers (Scenic Route Paper Co.); stamping ink; pen; cardstock

Memories of a 12-year beloved pet help heal a broken heart. Miranda reflects on Goofy’s idiosyncrasies and their special relationship in journaling printed on vellum. Rub-on sentiments applied to her favorite photo show his place in her heart—forever friend. Hidden journaling tucked behind the enlarged photo details the companion’s unconditional love. Miranda plans to frame and hang this memorial in a place where Goofy can forever look over her.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Kl Memories); zipper pulls (Junkitz); canvas tags (Creative Imaginations); rub-on sentiments (Wordsworth); acrylic letter charms (Doodlebug Design); ribbon; brads; vellum; cardstock

This prize-winning photo landed a modeling contract for this feline to star on pet products. The small photo shows Sadie posing next to a shot from her modeling debut—the front of a cat litter container. Playing up those irresistible baby-blues, Barb used soft shades of blue and gray distressed papers. A whimsical circle patterned paper coordinates with the focal photo and adds a touch of color.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Basic Grey); ribbon (May Arts, Offray); vellum tag (Making Memories); letter stickers (Wordsworth); chipboard letter (Li’l Davis Designs); brads; cardstock

Written in the words of a retired racer, a poem titled “A Greyhound’s Prayer” brings heartwarming meaning to these soulful eyes. Tristann scanned a greyhound image and printed it onto a transparency to create a background that complements her photo. Warm plaid patterns coordinate with the photo and create a sense of home—something this greyhound is grateful for.

Tristann Craves, Vancouver, Washington Image: Greyhound Pets of America newsletter

Supplies: Patterned papers, die-cut letters (Basic Grey); ribbon (Making Memories); transparency; cardstock

A puppy’s prayer to be treated with the same love and devotion he gives his master is the journaling on JD’s page that serves as the title page to her pet’s album. She recites the mantra to her children to help them understand the importance of taking good care of Ginger. JD printed the prayer on a transparency and then painted the back of it to highlight the heartwarming reminder.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Junkitz); corrugated paper; twill letters (Carolee’s Creations); jigsaw letter (Making Memories); Scrabble tiles (Hasbro); acrylic paint (Plaid); stamping ink; transparency

Dominique captured this precious moment between her daughter Raphaèll and Toffee, the adorable bundle of fur she gets to see when she visits Grandma. A mixture of patterned papers sits atop a blue background. A vintage purse buckle and a faux price tag add character and charm to the lively pet layout.

Supplies: Patterned paper, cardstock (Kl Memories); rub-ons (Arctic Frog. Doodlebug Design, junkitz); ribbons (American Crafts, May Arts); impress-on (Creative Imaginations); purse buckle; brads

From Bernie’s famous head tilt to Spike’s bat impersonation, Carolyn has quite the photo collection of her pets’ peculiar expressions. Once she captured this photo of Ginger sticking out her tongue, Carolyn says she was ready to make the page. An argyle background adds further spunk to the already funny-faced and slightly overlapped double-matted photos. A perky mix of ribbon and puppy buttons borders the page.

Supplies: Patterned papers (Making Memories, Scenic Route Paper Co.); stickers (Carolee’s Creations, EK Success); buttons (Jesse James); flower; ribbon (May Arts); brad; stamping ink; cardstock

“I’ve been taking photos of my pets for years, but these three have always stood out as the oddest poses of all. When I saw the photo of Ginger sticking out her tongue, I knew I was ready to scrap!”

One look into these dark brown eyes and it is evident this dog has a story. Though once sad, scared and starving, the story ends happily with Ben’s newfound family who loves and adores him. To highlight his big brown eyes, Maria used complementary colors and shades of brown along with minimal page accents. Layered off-centered circles play up the title and add a sense of movement to the page.

Maria Callardo-Williams, Cary, North Carolina
Supplies: Patterned paper, letter stickers (Imagination Project); brads; pen; cardstock

A good nap may be the only shared passion for these two cats as Kim’s fur children are often heard fighting. The more the fur flies, the more Kim appreciates their cat naps—as she caught these deceiving photos of a peaceful moment. Just as the calm cats fool the eye, so does Kim’s layered and textural page as it was all created digitally with elements downloaded from the Internet.

Cindy celebrates her favorite boys in her life, her husband and their dog, with a mix of masculine stripes and dog-bone patterned papers. A double photo mat stitched to the page highlights the featured boys while tag journaling tells how Cindy feels about them. Cindy put cardstock strips through a label maker to create the sentiment borders and thread-dangling words. She then highlighted the embossed words with stamping ink.

Supplies: Patterned papers (Chatterbox); staple, rub-ons (Making Memories); ribbon; label maker (Dymo); waxed thread; stamping ink; cardstock

The calming effect of bonding with a puppy is captured with quiet lavenders in a monochromatic color scheme. Sheila changed her photos of her children and their new dog to black-and-white to help them better coordinate with her chosen colors. A friendship sentiment washer and letter charms dangling from a beaded hair clip attached to a ribbon make a personalized accent, symbolizing her children with their beloved pup.

Supplies: Patterned papers (Creative Imaginations); ribbon (Michaels); corner-rounder punch (Carl); epoxy letter stickers (MOD); oval cutter (Provo Craft); date stamp (Leisure Arts); metal word, sentiment washer (Making Memories); floss (Two Busy Moms); iron-on flowers (Nunn Designs); cardstock

Pam and her husband celebrate their long-awaited Great Dane and the choosing of her name—Daphne. Pam accented Daphne’s photo with playing cards sporting the Scooby Doo character with her namesake as well as the cartoon Great Dane. Bold rubber bumper photo corners and vertically striped paper accent the photo of the beloved pup. A chipboard sentiment sums up the photo’s subject—simply adorable.

Supplies: Textured cardstock (Bazzill); patterned paper (Scenic Route Paper Co.); photo corners (Scrapworks); chipboard coaster (Li’l Davis Designs); stamping inks (Ranger); ribbon; staples

Turtles love corn on the cob? Who knew? Pam’s backyard pet patiently waits for her to put out an ear of corn, and then Dodger attacks it with vigor and devours it without hesitation. She captured these photos of the lively feeding, and tucked a tag with a quick story about it behind the top right photo.

It’s a bad case of puppy love as Lea made this page just days after welcoming her new dog into her home and straight into her heart. She hints at her love for the adorable pup in the title made from a mix of rub-ons underscored with machine-stitching. A handmade cardstock tag topped with stapled ribbons pulls out from behind the focal photo to reveal she’s truly smitten.

Supplies: Patterned papers, rub-on heart (Kl Memories); rub-on letters (Kl Memories, Doodlebug Design, Heidi Swapp); ribbon (American Crafts, May Arts, Offray); label maker (Dymo); stamping ink; staples; pen; cardstock

One quick look into these sweet brown eyes and you might think Morgan’s a good dog. But a closer read of the not-so-funny journaling reveals Morgan sure can get into trouble when no one is looking. A vertical paper strip spans the entire page as a photo mat and Kerry’s journaling block. A simple acrylic charm adhered with a brad and hints of patterned papers let this pup’s photo shine.

Supplies: Patterned papers (Chatterbox); acrylic charm (Kl Memories); brads; cardstock

“My three-year-old daughter fell in love with one of our guinea pigs (most likely her favorite) named Steve French. I wanted to write my journaling almost like a poem. Descriptive words that had a definite beat to them.”

The story of a girl’s love for her guinea pig is told in a fresh mix of soft and bright colors that complement the page topic as well as the colors in the close-up shots. Ashley offset the photo montage of her daughter and her favorite guinea pig with a stitched border of patterned paper strips. Her stamped background and handwritten journaling accented with stamped letters add a whimsical touch.