You, on the other hand, are lucky to print out the photos you take. You lost that cheap digital camera (though it is probably in one of those heaps in the closet and one day you’ll dig in there to find out but it doesn’t matter anyway because it’s probably outdated by now). Hell, if memory serves, that thing is bigger than your head! Summoning up enough creativity to crop those photos (the ones you didn’t print out) and paste them on a page with colorful captions and fringe is enough to make you wince.

No, your mode of preserving family memories is less showy. You just pull out your iPhone and snap your kid playing in that fountain in the park –the one the security guards say you should stay out of. Then you e-mail it to yourself and, when you get home, post it on your personal blog, the one whose address you share with family who are less apt to visit it than some complete strangers who are nice enough to sympathize and comment.

Don’t fret. Those family blogs are just as precious a keepsake as your best friend’s Creative Memories books. And now you can preserve your blog in book form, too! The folks at Blurb.com can pull your blog posts from WordPress, TypePad and a number of other blogging platforms and turn them into a book. Your book can have its own hard cover, dust jacket and even paper choice. And your book can be delivered to your door in just seven to 10 business days for as little as $12.95. You can even place your blog book in Blurb’s bookstore for fans to purchase.

So there, no more feeling less-than-adequate because you don’t scrap. Your blogs can be keepsakes, too.

Photos, www.Blurb.com (lower right) and JWJourney, (upper left)

Post from: Blisstree

Cool Keepsake: Turn Your Blogs into Books

My daughter gave me the coolest Valentine (we celebrated early this year for many reasons).  Of course, it came via my wife, since the munchkin is only 10 months.

As you can see, the ladybug is has some translucent wings–but what you probably can’t tell is that they are made from tracing paper that I cut to the wrong size.  Instead of throwing it out, I gave it to my wife to put in with her scrap-booking stuff.

Little did I know that she would use it to cover my daughter’s card to me.  What a double cool card, don’t you think?

(The wings pivot on decorative fasteners at the top corners, near the eyes.)

Post from: Blisstree

Junk Man GETS a Valentine Made with Love

Something I do often is use scraps of paper–especially photo paper.  Several years ago I printed pictures on 8.5 x 11 sheets of photo paper, but didn’t need the last 2.5 inches from the bottom.  I spent more than I wanted to on paper, so I wasn’t about to throw it out.

The above bookmark illustrates what I do with the scraps (you could easily use pieces of scrapbooking paper and/or card stock).  It is important to figure out how small of paper your printer will print on, or you may not be able to use your computer.  Hand drawn bookmarks are sometimes even better–especially if they are from your kids, right?

If you can use your computer, measure the paper’s dimensions and then change the paper size in your word processing program to match.  Set the margins to around .25 inches to accomodate for any wavy cutting lines, and design away!  Print when you are done. 

Some of these have turned out very nicely.  I hope yours do too!

Post from: Blisstree

Scrap Paper Bookmarks