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Making Beautiful Scrapbooks, Share Feelings, Friends, Family

By:  Genie Balfour

Looking for new ideas for scrapbooks? Here are some of the different ways people choose to use their scrapbooking skills - and no children necessary in the frame.

1. Expressing Your Feelings

We are emotional people. Good and not-so-good feelings can overwhelm us. Stages of life can be exciting or difficult.

What are you feeling just now? Anger, confusion, depression, discouragement? Journal them as you are scrapbooking!

Are you exhilarated, happy, thankful? Jot your thoughts and include them too!

Do you feel like laughing, crying, shouting, singing? Scrapbook it!

Are you on a stressful path in life at the moment? Think your way through it as you create a new scrap book page!

Many events in life, from everyday events to once in a lifetime opportunities can engender strong emotion. Scrapbook it!

Write a letter. Write a prayer. Express your feelings.

2. Build a Memory Book of the Things You Love

You can include people, siblings, vacations, pets, your first car, or your new bike. Favorite food, shoes, clothes, or scrapbooking tools! Basically anything you love and want to celebrate or remember.

Have you just bought your first home? Then make sure you take ‘before and after’ photos that show how you made it your own, and include them on a page or two.

Or have you just moved house or job? Scrapbook the things you loved about the old and are looking forward to in the new.

You can capture your hopes and dreams. Hmm! Not sure that one fits here, but we’ll leave it anyway to give you the idea.

3. Make a Journal of the Things You Are Thankful For

There are so many things in life we can be thankful for; it’s just that sometimes we take them for granted: like the smile of love and acceptance on a friend’s face, or the thoughtful card she sends on our birthday.

Edna has received many lovely cards in her lifetime. Her daughter has a knack of finding a funny one for many of the situations Edna experiences in life. They’ve had countless laughs together over them. So gathering these precious cards together in a scrapbooking album was not only fun, but a reminder of the things for which she was thankful.

Family members, significant occasions, gifts, and everyday events are among the things most people cherish. Scrapbook the things you are thankful for.

There we are then. 3 further compelling reasons for scrapbooking, and none requiring children - that’s not to say that none of the ideas could have included them; all could.

But you don’t have to have children to make beautiful scrapbooks.

 

About the Author:

Genie Balfour

Which precious memories would you like to relish most over the years? For more inspiring articles, ideas, tips and help to start scrapbooking, go to Genie Balfour’s web site at http://www.ScrapbookingGems.com/
http://www.scrapbookinggems.com

Learn To Quilt Online - You Can Do It In A Weekend by Mike Pedersen

There are many intricacies when it comes to learning how to quilt online. It is wise to start with a very basic idea and expand those ideas as you improve in your quilting skills. With a little bit of practice and some devotion, depending on the time you have to devote, you can create a well made quilt within a week or so.

Reading Patterns

One of the first things that you'll want to learn about is how to read a pattern from a pattern book. The best way to do this is purchase a book that has been designed for beginners. This type of quilting book will take more space of the book to carefully explain terminology that is used with quilting. There will also be a guide to any abbreviations that are used in quilting patterns. If you carefully study this book and perhaps create your first quilt from this book, it will be easier to read and follow other patterns that may be more difficult.

Making Color Choices

Having a basic knowledge of a color wheel will help greatly in choosing the colors that you will use in your quilt. A color wheel will help you understand the way that colors can work together with slight variations in hue. It will also show how colors can contrast nicely in a piece of work. A 'cool' color can work as a contrasting element to a 'warm' color in a quilt.

Blocking And Pressing Material

When your color choices have been made and you're beginning to understand a simple pattern, you will need to block and press your fabric. As most fabrics are cotton, it may not be a bad idea to wash your fabric before you set to cutting it into the squares that will eventually make the quilt. This will ensure that any shrinking the fabric will do will already have been done. Once this has been done, you will want to 'outline' your quilt by placing your material where you believe it should be and then pressing them down to make sure the size is correct and will still match out when it is sewn.

Batting And Sewing

You will add batting to your fabric squares before you sew them together. This is what will create the 'quilted' or cozy feeling once the quilt is made. Your fabric squares will be filled with batting and you will sew them together either by hand or with a sewing machine. Once this part is completed, the quilt is nearly finished.

Binding

The final step when learning to quilt is binding the edges of it. At this point it has been sewn together, but the sewn edges of the quilt are exposed. A binding can be created out of most any material. Its purpose is to cover and add a finishing touch around the edges of the quilt. It will surround the remaining exposed edges and be sewn on to those edges of the quilt.

For more information on how to learn to quilt, visit QuiltInAWeekend.com.

Article Source: Where to Find

Make A Quilt In Only A Couple Of Days by Mike Pedersen

When you decide to make a quilt, you have many options to consider. There are several materials to choose from in many different colors and patterns. There are books that you can choose patterns from. There are several materials that are used in the creation of a quilt. Knowing what is important to use and what is not really will make a difference as you put together your quilting project.

Navigating Fabrics

The first time you enter a quilting section in a fabric store, it may seem quite overwhelming. There is fabric in just about any color you can think of. The color wheel is represented with every hue in between. In addition to colors, there are many pieces of fabric that have patterns on them. In addition to finding the colors you'd like to use in your quilt, you'll need to find patterns that will either match or contrast nicely. Too much contrast in colors or patterns will make the quilt too busy, while not enough may make it boring. It is important to take your time and choose that fabrics that will work for you.

Special Materials For Quilting

For those that quilt, there are certain tools that make your job a bit easier. A rotary cutting tool is something that can be used to make quick cuts to fabric. If a piece is not sized right or a new cut has to be made, using the rotary cutting tool will make this quick and easy. Along those same lines, a rotary mat and rotary ruler will further enhance the cuts that have to be made. The mat will protect the surface on which the cut is being made. A ruler will ensure that the cut made is a straight one.

A design wall is another tool that will work nicely for a quilter. This is quite literally a space on the wall in which you can tack up your quilting pieces when you are in the designing stage and take a step back. This way you can see your design ideas from a few steps away which a lot of times can prove to be an honest view of the design idea proving whether or not it will work.

Fabrics, tools, and terminology are important when it comes to making a quilt. Without this knowledge, creating a well made quilt may reach near impossible. It is important to research a few of these types of things before you go to the store to purchase your fabrics, needle and thread, and all other pieces needed for quilt making.

For more information on how to make a quilt, visit QuiltInAWeekend.com.

Article Source: Where to Find

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