An easy and unique Christmas present.

We tend to have the same problem each year. My husband was at his wits end one year trying to think of what he could give his parents for Christmas. We had gone for a drive and I was trying to think up ideas that could help. The problem was that his parents have everything they could need, and even though you could buy something for their shack, they would tell you it was too good to use at the shack. We needed something for them and time was running out. It was a week before Christmas. I suddenly had an idea – I would do a scrapbook album for them of the kids. Hubby unsure but with no other idea agreed. I went out and brought and album, paper and crafty bits to place on the pages. I sat down and started to create a unique present – I had never scrapbooked before and was surprised at how easy it really was. I had a magazine to try to copy some of the ideas. I was there for about an hour when my eldest daughter, who was five at the time, came down and watched what I was doing; within five minutes she had put a page together with her photographs and wanted to do her own page, reluctantly I allowed her, only to watch her scrapbook half of the album with me. I now do scrapbooking at home with my two daughters. We finished the album and gave it to hubby’s parents for Christmas and they were thrilled and happy with their easy and unique homemade present.

Two nights ago I started to place this year’s scrapbooks together. I had spent Tuesday running around organizing my mother in laws photographs from her camera, when I realized it was time for me to also get my photographs organized for this year’s scrapbooking present. With the photographs now printed; my nine year old daughter and I have begun our scrapbook albums for this year. I make small scrapbooks so that they can be placed in a drawer, but I am no longer making one scrapbook but six. One for each family and Grandparents still alive including my own Grandmother. My family looks forward to their scrapbook presents, but I will admit I don’t go over board on making them as the children help me and I find they will use all the good stuff on one page if you don’t watch them. Most scrapbooking essentials can be found in a bargain (cheap) store and if children can put a page together anyone can.

HOW TO MAKE A CHEAP SCRAPBOOK.



You will need:
Photographs
Scissors
Brightly colored acid free paper
Double sided sticky tape
Lead pencil, pens and Texas
Eraser
Three paper sandwich bags
Stapler
Glue Stick

STEP 1
Take one of the paper sandwich bags and fold it so that the seal end nearly touches the open end of the bag and fold it. Get the next bag and place on the first bag. Move the sealed end two centimeters away from the other sealed end and fold, repeat with the last bag. Staple bags in place. You should end up with a book with defined pages that will give a hint of what is too come.
STEP 2

Cut and glue colored paper on to the pages. Cut and stick photographs on each page. Decorate around photographs. You can use store brought materials such as rub-on, or you can decorate your paper with different papers and draw designs on your paper – a novel idea could be to get your children to draw a small self portrait and put your favorite picture of them next to it. Remember to write down comments or describe what is happening on the scrapbook pages – spelling should not be an issue. Creativity is the key and neat writing in a straight line is not a rule when scrapbooking.

Most importantly have fun.



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