How To Make A Special Gift
How to make a special gift. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to find a gift for someone who has everything. A scrapbook is a solution to this problem that will be appreciated and treasured.
It is not difficult to make a scrapbook. The first step is to decide on a topic. Most of the time this is an obvious decision due to the nature of the gift. For example a birthday can be celebrated by doing a story of the persons life. Other topics may not be so obvious. Your friend may be having a birthday but a story about them can be replaced by commemorating an event of one of their loved ones, like a grandchild attending school for the first time.
The collection of photos and images that is chosen for the book is probably the most important element to be included. Use all the detective work you can in order to collect the items you will need. Employ friends and family members. Be sure not to use the original images. Scan then and print them and return the originals to the owner. Personal preference will dictate whether you choose to print them yourself or send them to a printer.
Next you will need to get a book to put all the photos in. What kind of book is completely up to yourself. Many people choose to purchase one for the specific purpose from a local craft shop. Others use photo albums. If you like to be environmentally friendly, you may even decide to use an old picture book. Anything will do really as long as your materials will fit in there and you can make it look nice.
The rest of the items necessary can also be found in the craft shop. There are no restrictions here either though. Fee free to use old magazines, newsprint, wrapping and tissue paper, or any other pretty scrap that will fit in. There are numerous hidden treasures to be found at home for free. You do not always have to use card stock.
It is also not necessary to use the special scrapbooking cutters that are available in the store. These cutters are often quite expensive. Exact-o knives and rulers and regular scissors should do the trick. You must always be very careful not to cut yourself when using sharp tools.
Take the time to plan out your story before you start. Invest in some artist tape so you can temporarily stick things in place. This will make it easy to make changes along the way if you decide elements will look better placed elsewhere. When you have determined where everything should go, firmly stick them in place so they will not slide or move.
The popularity of scrapbooking has increased in recent years. Do not be overly surprised if you get hooked on it after your first successful project. The act of giving the book to a friend and seeing the reaction of the recipient fills the heart.
