How to Fight the Winter Blues with Scrapbooking

Article by Robert W. Benjamin

Why do some folks hate winter time so much? Is it the cold, the snow, the icy roads, or is it something else they truly fear, like getting the winter blues because they always think there’s nothing to do. I for one love winter, now I don’t care much for the heat bill, but as far as the snow, and the cold and the other things the season provides, it’s wonderful to me.

You should learn to use the cold, snowy winter to your advantage instead of a means for depression. One thing I learned years ago, is the more it snows, the happier it is for me. Your probably thinking this person is a lot different then I am, aren’t you? Will, that is what makes folks like we are, were all humans but we all have different likes and dislikes. Now, let me get back to this articles subject which is; ” How to fight the winter blues with Scrapbooking “.

In case you are not familiar with scrapbooking, let me explain simply what it is, scrapbooking is just a method of preserving personal and family history in a photo album or such other booklet form, called a scrapbook. Scrapbooking has been going on for a long time, since the 1800′s and maybe earlier, in recent years it has caught on a lot more, and now there are tons of more items available to make scrapbooking a lot more fun and unique depending upon each persons desires.

The one thing I believe that has really made scrapbooking take off big, is the era of the digital camera. Everyone used film to take photos a few years back, and the film was expensive to buy and develop. Photos were cherished and placed inside albums, and preserved. Once we entered into the digital era, photos are almost free, only costing as much as a sheet of paper and a little ink to print a copy when needed. Since photos have become so cheap and printable at home, folks started cutting, cropping and editing them in ways that were never possible back in the film era.

Today scrapbooking is a big business, and a great activity for anyone from children to adults. If you have a child that is into sports you can create a scrapbook of him or her, that has a sports related theme. You can place the photos in the scrapbook, then download and printout sports pictures, such as footballs, baseballs, banners, and more, these pictures are then cut and trimmed, and pasted near or even onto the child’s photos.

You can create a different scrapbook for every family member, and make each a different theme or subject, or you can just make one large scrapbook covering your entire family, some folks even make scrapbooks for their pets as a way of preserving the memories. The only item you need to begin scrapbooking with is a photo album, you can get a large sized one, or a small one depending on your ideas. Some of the neat things available to add themes and fun to your scrapbook are; colored paper, stickers, photos of any subject downloaded off the internet, felt, stencils, and numerous other items. This winter season when you find yourself with nothing to do, start working on scrapbooking, it’s a great way to preserve some awesome memories and to help fight the winter blues.

There is a website that describes numerous activities and other methods to help eliminate the Winter Blues, this website is called: Winter Activities – and it may be found at this url: http://www.winter-activities.com

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The Path towards a Thanksgiving Leather Scrapbook

Article by Larry Macdonald

Preserving your celebrations, dinners, and memories of Thanksgiving with your family and loved ones may be achieved not only through the use of photo albums, but also through a leather scrapbook. Scrapbooking Thanksgiving memories is actually all the rage nowadays – the proof: a gamut of scrapbooking materials such as acid free papers, page accents, and the likes sold in bookstores, specialty stores, and online shops. Here are some tips to follow if you want to be successful in storing your moments in a scrapbook:

The very first step you’ll have to do is to choose a scrapbook or an album of good quality. Look for scrapbooking albums that boast of acid free paper as well as adhesives that are ‘photo safe’. In this way, the photos, letters, and other souvenirs you place inside your leather scrapbook are sure to retain their quality even as many years pass.

A good Thanksgiving scrapbook should also have your family’s Thanksgiving recipes compiled in it. It is also required that you take some photos of the dishes once they are cooked. You may also take pictures of your loved ones while they are sampling the Thanksgiving dishes. Another good idea is to take some shots of yourself or other family members while the dishes are being prepared.

As Thanksgiving is an important celebration that entails decorating your home with Thanksgiving paraphernalia, it is also recommended that you take a few pictures of your house that is decorated with Thanksgiving decorations. Place photos of your center piece, wall decors, and other objects that add to your home’s Thanksgiving ambiance in your scrapbook. If you have family heirlooms that have been utilized for generations during Thanksgiving, it is also nice to take some shots and include them in your leather scrapbook.

Capturing and preserving your traditions during Thanksgiving is also an important inclusion in your Thanksgiving scrapbook. Make descriptions of parades or TV specials that you and your family never fail to watch during the said holiday. You may also include markers or some materials from any board games you play with your family during Thanksgiving, and place a few inside your Thanksgiving leather scrapbook. You may also proceed to documenting any unusual or funny events during the celebration e.g. a family member who has the habit of falling asleep during Thanksgiving dinner, and the likes. It is also suggested for you to include a record of those members who won the few games you may have played during the Thanksgiving celebration.

A scrapbook of your Thanksgiving celebration documented from the very start to the very end is something priceless. For as long as you utilize a quality leather scrapbook and ensure that you place the correct titles and photos, recipes, etc. on each page, as well as a short description of each and every activity as well as how your family members felt during the festivity, you’ll be able to successfully create a valuable Thanksgiving scrapbook. Of course, you also should not forget to place page accents, and utilize colored markers to make the scrapbook attractive.