Scrapbooking question

[pampaul]

I am really into scrapbooking and CANNOT wait to take our very first cruise and take TONS of pictures. Problem is, I really cannot find too many scrapbooking items (alteast around my area--NE CT) I know Creative Memories had a little cruise sticker kit, but I didn't care for it. I looked on stickerplanet.com but only found 2 sticker sheets.

 

Are there anything "cruise scrapbook" related on the ship (Norwegian Dawn) that I can purchase or maybe in the ports? (Kings Warf & Nassau)?

 

I'm gonna hit our SMALL local scrapbook store this afternoon and see what I can find. I haven't been in there since winter, so maybe now that summer is here, they'll have something I can get.

 

Any other websites that you can think of? Where did you get your stuff?

[ute_fan]

I bet this thread gets moved, since it's not directly NCL related. Here's a link to a thread on the "cruise memorabilia" board: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=199222

 

There are some good suggestions in there. The website I use to order cruise related stuff from most often is http://www.scrapyourtrip.com, and I've also ordered from http://www.tropicalscrapbooking.com.

 

At the moment, I'm one cruise and one trip to disneyworld behind. My goal is to have our last cruise scrapbook finished before our next cruise in November, but that would require actually working on it instead of reading these boards :D .

 

Happy cruising! (and scrapbooking)

[chessie68]

I didn't make a scrapbook of this past cruise. I'll tell you what I did instead. I made an altered paint can. You can buy an unused paint can at Home Depot and cover it with decorative paper ( Not cardstock) and embellishments. Inside I put one of those $ photo books that you get at Michael's that holds 100 photos along with my daily papers, coasters, napkins, key card, tickets, a medicine bottle of sand and whatever else I saved from the trip. I tied some ribbons along the handle and one of those paint can openers. I closed the top and now I have a great what not to sit on a shelf. The stuff is there if I want to take it out and play with it or it can stay in the can where I know it is safe but yet I am reminded of my cruise each time I notice the can.

[Cotton]

Pam, I've been into scrapbooking for several years, and love it. I've done all my cruises in one HUGE book. I use the boarding photo (the one with the ship's name, date of cruise, etc.) as the title page of each cruise.

 

I get all my supplies from either Michael's or Hobby Lobby. They have SO much on travel in general (entire sections), and a LOT about cruising. They also have a lot of stickers, etc. on different itineraries, i.e., MX, Bahamas, Bermuda, Virgin Islands, etc.

 

A good thing, too, is to keep copies of your ship's daily newsletter. You can cut some of the stuff out of that for fillers, as well as the little brochures you can pick up at the various ports, and of course postcards! Have fun.:)

[MadamG2U]

I am a scrapper also and I've started looking for things for my book. I did find a few embellishments at Targets. Also thanks for the links I will check them out. I can't wait till August to board the Crown.

 

MadamG2U

[kitty9]

The best website for scrapbooking and cruising is

 

http://www.scrapyourtrip.com

 

They have so much in the way of cruise-related items. I've purchased stickers, paper, embellishments and all that kind of stuff, and it's all cruise themed.

[shawilson]

Wow, that is so awesome. I checked out the website and already have over 60 bucks in my shopping cart! I have never scrapped booked before, so my question is, how do you glue all your stuff to the pages? Is there a magical way or what? Do I buy blank pages and glue stuff on, with what kind of glue? It looks like a lot of fun, but I don't get what kind of glue to use. Sorry for the ignorant question. Please help!

 

Sha

[hilltopfamily]

Wow, that is so awesome. I checked out the website and already have over 60 bucks in my shopping cart! I have never scrapped booked before, so my question is, how do you glue all your stuff to the pages? Is there a magical way or what? Do I buy blank pages and glue stuff on, with what kind of glue? It looks like a lot of fun, but I don't get what kind of glue to use. Sorry for the ignorant question. Please help!

 

Sha

 

Yes, there is special "glue" known as "adhesives" in the world of scrapbooking. You can get photo mounting squares, special archival-quality glue sticks, tape runners, glue dots, 3-D pop dots, etc. ----lots of choices to fit each unique need. I suggest you go to some general scrapbooking sites to help you get started. One would be www.about.com and do a search for scrapbbooking....there are MANY articles there about it from beginner to more advanced. Also, you could go to www.addictedtoscrapbooking.com for more info, www.twopeasinabucket.com, and do a google search for scrapbooking....you'll find tons of sites with info as well as tons of sites that are selling the stuff. Even www.qvc.com has a area with information about scrapbooking (of course that's because they also want to sell you stuff! LOL).

 

Make sure and watch for coupons to Michaels or Hobby Lobby if you have these stores in your area....they often will have a 40% off coupon and I ALWAYS take advantage of those when they come out. Your local scrapbook store (known as LSS in short hand on message boards) will have the greatest selections for paper, embellishments, etc. but will also have the greatest prices. Walmart is really increasing their inventory in my neck of the woods for scrapping so I'd check them out if I were you. Also, Dollar Tree and Big Lots have great deals on scrapping, including embellishments (little decorating-type things that add pizazz to your pages). I do purchase some Creative Memories items, but they are fairly costly also. CM is the shorthand for Creative Memories and they are sold by "consultants" in your area....kind of like Avon or Tupperware used to be. They often offer cropping nites or weekends which is a fun way to learn and get going on this hobby.

 

I really love scrapping, and got started in it after coming back from my 1st cruise. Now, 4 cruises later, I have scrapped the cruises, as well as many land-based vacations, family albums, holidays, and have a seperate album for each of my 3 kids. In all, I think I have 8 albums going right now! It is tons of fun, doesn't have to be expensive if you shop carefully, and allows for your "creative side" to come out and play as well as preserving all of those terrific memories for not only you, but all of your family to see! Have a blast!

[chessie68]

sha

 

Check out this store locator for a local scrapbook store near you. They usually have classes or demos and there is always someone there that can help you with questions and how to's

 

 

 

http://www.makingmemories.com/dealers/

[Cotton]

:D It can be SO addictive. In the past five years, I've put over 20 scrapbooks together.

 

For my daughter's recent 40th b'day, I gave her HER scrapbook (176 pages of her life). She broke down in tears. I was almost ashamed of the fact that I didn't really want to 'let it go'.:rolleyes:

[shawilson]

Thanks so much folks! It sounds like a lot of fun, not to mention productive. I will aspire to be like Cotton!

 

Sha

[MadamG2U]

Ladies, after reading this whole thread I went to the sites you all recommended. Let me say that I was shopping fiend! I think I've got everything I need for my scrapbook, short of boarding the cruise. Can't wait for the boxes to arrive. Thanks again!

 

MadamG2U

[waterbound]

I have a few local scrapbook stores that have wonderful stuff.. I supplement my supplies at Michaels also.. they have a pretty good variety there.. I have bought from scrapyourtrip.com before and they're stuff is awesome.. You should take a look..

[kitty9]

I am hugely into scrapbooking and turned half of my lower level walk out into my scrapbooking area. I've also begun to make all my greeting cards---made all my Christmas cards last year.

 

As for scrapbook glue, I highly recomment getting something called a Xyron. They come in a few different sizes and it's the best, and easiest, method for adhering anything into a scrapbook. All you do is put the item you want to stick on a page into the Xyron machine and it comes out sticky on one side. Unlike using gluesticks that are messy and sticky dots that only adhere a portion of your object, your entire photo or whatever is entirely sticky. Xyrons are acid free and you can use them for photos or anything else you put in a scrapbook.

 

Has anyone used a CriCut? I just bought mine and it's the best lettering machine out there. Much better than any of those die cuts systems. It's all automatic and you use it just like a typewriter. All you do is type in the letters you want, and the machine does the rest. You can make letters in different fonts, anywhere from 1" to 5 " in height.

[hilltopfamily]

I am hugely into scrapbooking and turned half of my lower level walk out into my scrapbooking area. I've also begun to make all my greeting cards---made all my Christmas cards last year.

 

As for scrapbook glue, I highly recomment getting something called a Xyron. They come in a few different sizes and it's the best, and easiest, method for adhering anything into a scrapbook. All you do is put the item you want to stick on a page into the Xyron machine and it comes out sticky on one side. Unlike using gluesticks that are messy and sticky dots that only adhere a portion of your object, your entire photo or whatever is entirely sticky. Xyrons are acid free and you can use them for photos or anything else you put in a scrapbook.

 

Has anyone used a CriCut? I just bought mine and it's the best lettering machine out there. Much better than any of those die cuts systems. It's all automatic and you use it just like a typewriter. All you do is type in the letters you want, and the machine does the rest. You can make letters in different fonts, anywhere from 1" to 5 " in height.

 

Saw the Cricut machine at the store....and started drooling right away! It looks great but I'm trying to save $$$ for some neat excursions on our next cruise, so I'll have to skip the Cricut for awhile (my kids want to swim w/dolphins at one stop, w/stingrays at another, and visit some falls/river rafting on another, so all 3 ports will have pricey excursions! :D ).

 

Agree about the Xyron, but for a brand new beginner scrapper I thought they might want to start a little "lower tech" just to get their feet wet! First few times I scrapped were with a glue stick....something I never use now but it helped me get started back in the beginning! But your right, the Xyrons are great. Right now I'm still liking my CM tape runners (regular one and really narrow one for tiny things) a lot for my basic scrapping. And I only use my sticky dots for tacking down my ribbons/fibers. Seems they hold them better than most anything else I've tried.

 

And how funny~~~ I, too, have just started to "branch out" and do greeting cards! I made my mom's card for Mother's Day this year (first card I tried) so my DD 8 saw me and made one for me, which I will, of course, keep forever! I may try my hand at a few other cards since it went well. I've done some "photo sharing" cards to friends out of state which they have really loved. Anyway, scrapping, whether cards or albums, is just SO MUCH FUN!

[hilltopfamily]

If you have any children, they have fairly inexpensive scrapbooking kits you can get (really a good deal if you have one of those 40% off coupons I mentioned earlier) for your kids. They have an album, a few die cuts, a few stickers, some paper, etc. in them. I got both my girls their own kit and of course they use all my things with me while we scrap together. My son loves checking out all of my "crafting" as he calls it, but I can't get him interested yet in doing it with me.

 

So now when I print off my pictures from Sam's Club, I often print doubles (or triples) of ones I know they need for their own books. Makes for some fun times scrapping together, plus they get to write exactly what they want in their book in their own hand, which will be a WONDERFUL thing to look at in years to come. And I have the book I made for them, which may have similar things, but says the things I want/need it to say that they would possibly leave out of theirs.

[Trevoli]

Whatever you choose to display your photos and such (an altered paint can or a scrapbook), be sure you use archival-quality and lignen-free products.

 

Chessie68, I have used altered art (paint cans and lunch boxes) too. Is the album inside archival-quality? I'd hate for your photos and other mementos to go bad over the years.

 

I'd been making scrapbooks for many years, and am afraid I've run out of steam. Unfortunately, right in the middle of a project! My last big trip was to D.C. in May 2005 and I've made about 18 12x12 layouts, but, after 7 scrapbooks, I'm out of formatting ideas. I put everything away last November so I could decorate for the holidays, and here it is June, and everything is still put away. I know I need to about 10 more pages to complete the book.

 

I'm lucky enough to have two very good scrapbooking stores in my area, and one of them has a lot of wonderful classes, just nothing that I can apply to my project.

 

Hopefully, I'll get inspired enough to at least finish the D.C. book. Next big trip is to DisneyWorld in November. Now, that's a cropper's feast!!

 

T

[Trevoli]

As for adhesives, I use hermafix (what some people refer to as 'sticky dots', I think). You can lift up and reposition items, and you can rub off the dots from the paper if necessary.

 

I have three hermafix applicators, as I can never figure out how to refill them, so whenever I go into the scrapbook store, I take along my empty applicators and ask somebody there to refill them. That way, I never run out.

 

T

[shawilson]

Thanks for all the great ideas! I've never done this, so def "low tech" right now. What is the difference between the sticky dots and tape runners? If you say "oh crap" are the sticky dots the only ones that are removable? I know no one is going to die if something isn't perfect, but I'm a Virgo, LOL.

 

Sha

[hilltopfamily]

well, in my experience the tape runner is the most forgiving of the adhesives if carefully lifted within the first few days or so. I've gone back even longer than that (maybe a few weeks) and very carefully used a flat tool, like a butter knife, and pried up a picture in order to move it. Photo squares were tougher to lift. They make "temporary" tape runners which I mistakenly purchased one time thinking it was a permanent one (the type I usually use). Problem with that type was about a couple days later all my pics had come off the layout that I had worked so hard on creating! I couldn't figure out why until I looked at the side of it and saw the word "temporary"! ;)

 

Glue sticks are often disliked for exactly that reason----things don't seem to "stick" well for very long. Plus they can be kind of messy and less precise. The glue dots I've used are REALLY tough to move. That's why they work so well with fibers and ribbons. Ribbons are difficult for me to get "stuck" on the pages but the glue dots really does the trick for them. I've never used glue dots on anything but "embellishments", not on pictures or for paper products. Others may have different experiences than that.....I'm by no means an expert! Just an enthusiast who has a family that really enjoys looking at my finished albums/layouts!

 

PS. If you want to see some REALLY nice, elaborate layouts, go to http://www.twopeasinabucket.com and look at the gallery. There are some really professional types there. Mine aren't of that caliber but are a bit more reflective of our casual family.

[Happy ks]

Darci, Can I please ask you some questions about the Xyron?

 

First off, I've looked at this model:

 

 

It's listed at $24.97 on QVC, is this a good price?

 

How long do the cartridges last? I know it depends on how much you use it, but do you have an idea of how many photos, say 4X6 I could "do" with a roll?

 

I have purchased from scrapyourtrip several times and they are wonderful.

 

I have to admit, though, it takes me a couple of years to finish an album, I'm just not that crafty of a person. I do a nice job, but I don't get the thrill out of it that some ladies do, I just want to get the job done.

 

Some day, I keep promising myself, I'll get the kids growing up scrapbooks started!

[Buddysmom10]

Wow, can't believe there are so many responses to a scrapbooking question on this board! I spend much of my time on Two Peas but I'm going on NCL Star to Alaska in July. You would be surprised at the number of "major scrappers" on board. We were on the Mariner of the Seas in 04 and our other tablemates were couples, one couple in their twenties and one couple in their 30s, we're in our 40's. Well, one of us mentioned scrapping and the husbands just rolled their eyes and it turned out all of us ladies were really into scrapping. We had a great time!

[Trevoli]

I don't know if there are any places on your side of the hill that offer scrapbooking classes, but there is one I can recommend in Sunnyvale.

 

It's called Scrapbook Dreams and is partly owned by a friend. They have tons of classes, including a basics class that they offer at the beginning of each month. In this class, you'll learn all about what kind of materials to use (including every adhesive product known to man). Plus, they're nice people!!

 

I live in Mountain View and work in Cupertino. If you're ever inclined to come over, I'd be happy to introduce you to this wonderful store.

 

Check it out at http://www.scrapbookdreams.com

 

T

[McDebbie]

Just thought I would mention that last week on the Freedom of the Seas the photo shop had scrap books already loaded with back drops of the Freedom so all you had to do was put your pictures in. (not as creative I know) The album cover had Freedom and pictures on it also. Very nice. I think it was about $30 which is a little high for a scrap book but might be worth it. They also had a kit with extra stickers, etc that were cruise related, I didn't check the price on that. Not sure if any of the other cruise lines do this yet but I'll bet it won't be long until they do.

[shawilson]

I appreciate the invite! However, I no longer drive, so over the hill is not doable for me. Too bad. That sounds like a lot of fun.

 

Sha