Craft shops stock an amazing array of accessories and people who never thought they were creative are turning out masterpieces.
A New Baby
A new baby is a wonderful subject for a scrapbook. They change and grow so much in their first year that they are an endless source of material. Add to this their cuteness and appeal and you have the perfect subject.
Photos
There are many ways to photograph a baby. Experiment with your close-up setting and take shots of baby’s nose, eyes, mouth, ears, hands and feet. Take shots from unusual angles like lying on the carpet looking up at baby or from directly overhead.
Baby’s Room
Take a photo of your little one’s room and place it centrally on the page. Now take up close ups of features in the room. Look for things like a soft toy, a duck on the cot quilt, an unusual bottle of lotion or a mat on the floor. Paste these around the central photo.
Film Strip
If your camera allows you to take a series of photos in quick succession, capture baby’s unsteady steps or attempts to feed himself. Paste the pictures across the page like a film strip.
Quotes
An appropriate quote can be the final touch to a page. Do a google search for “baby quotes” and you will be amazed at what comes up.
Fonts
Be creative with the fonts used in your scrap book. Use ones that are easy to read and fit the theme. A lacy cursive will suit a page for a girl’s first party dress but will look wrong on a boy covered in mud after emptying a potted plant. Something blocky and chunky would look better in that case. If you are not sure, print out a few samples and jiggle them around until you find one that looks right.
Themes
A theme can work for the whole book or more commonly for a page. For babies, think teddy bears, pastels, bubbles, a day out, visiting the farm, me at the clinic, pet shop fun or bath time. The ideas are limitless and it’s great fun to work with baby themes.
Baby’s Character
Similar to themes, create a page for each of baby’s moods. Collect photos of her smiling, laughing, frustrated, tired, having a tantrum or exploring a new toy. Their little faces are very expressive and this type of page is always a hit.
Scrapbooking is a satisfying past time and a wonderful tool to record a child’s early years. When baby is old enough to appreciate it, she will be delighted to see such a beautiful memory book of her first year.
