Favorite Photos Album

When your going through your pictures deciding what to scrap, do you ever come across a really special picture? You know what I mean, the one that makes you go tap someone on the shoulder and say "Hey look at this one. I just LOVE this picture!" Then, your scrapbooking creative juices start kicking in, and you start thinking in your mind what you can do to make that picture really stand out on the layout. You start to calculate the dollars and dollars of scrapbook supplies you might spend to create a masterpiece worthy of supporting that special picture. Or you may dig that extra special patterned paper out of your stash, that paper you've been saving for something really special.


I'm sure you can relate. We all have them - Our Favorite Pictures. A few years back after hearing the suggestion from a fellow scrapping friend, I started a "Favorite Pictures Album". I must admit, this is my favorite album. The one I break out first to share with family and friends. The one my own family enjoys the most.


My first step was to decide what size album I wanted. I knew I didn't want a 12 X 12 album, thinking that would be too big, since most of my layouts would only have one photo. I also thought that, for me, a 6 X 6 would be too small. So, just like Goldilocks, I found the album that was "Just Right!" I selected a 8.5 X 11 album with a landscape (horizontal) orientation.


Selecting the album was probably the hardest decision in this process. From there, all "rules" from my other family albums were put aside. In this album, the layouts aren't chronological, I don't do double page spreads, and I don't even journal on all the layouts. I just find that photo that "speaks to me" and I scrap it! Simple and easy as that! At first I started off simple getting used to the new orientation. I found it so fun to whip out a quick layout in a matter of minutes.

Then I got to thinking more about this album, and a way to make it even more special. I decided that in this album I'd take the opportunity to tell my kids how wonderful I think they are, what I think is special about them, or give them words of advice. I direct the journalling right at the subject, saying "You, we, us" Where as in my other albums I tend to summarize and journal in the 3rd person. I also decided that on this album, even though I hate my own handwriting, I'd write some of my own journalling. Have you ever ran across a note or letter handwritten by a loved one. You know how it makes you warm and fuzzy inside, and makes you think of that person, actually "feel" that person - I wanted to do that here. So someday when my kids look back on this they'll be able to feel Mom's love.

Sometimes, when I create a layout all I have to do is just enlarge the photo to 5 X 7 and plop in down onto some beautiful patterned paper! I love how quick some of these layouts go!

I hope this blog entry inspires you to maybe consider making your own Favorite Photos Album! If any of you out there have a similar album, we'd love to see your layouts too! Please e-mail them to info@iceescape.net. Also please share your comments, ideas, and feedback on our blog or message board!

Happy Scrapping!

Tracy