A Mickey page, designed by Marisa Kristovich.
Normally I avoid Tupperware-style gatherings that sucker you into buying products you don't need. But, one Wednesday night, three friends and I gathered at my place in hope of learning how to create scrapbook pages. All we needed to bring was six or eight of our favorite photographs and a hint of creativity. Party time!
By Nancy Arcayna
narcayna@starbulletin.comAll of the other materials were provided by Creative Memories consultant Amie Lydgate, who provided each of us with one album page to decorate. We used her supplies, including stickers, triangular corners and geometric shapes cut from colored paper, and cutting boards.
The class, an introduction to scrapbooking, covered topics such as the different means of photograph layout and design and documentation, a process called journaling, which turns albums into storybooks. Paragraphs of text can be used capture the who, what, when, where and spirit of the moment.
Lydgate said scrapbookers shouldn't be ashamed to use their own handwriting, even if they consider it to be imperfect compared to typewritten or computer-printed pages.
"Handwriting is good because it's something that comes from you," she said. "Your kids and grandkids will appreciate your hard work."
Scrapbooking doesn't need to be an elaborate or extravagant project. Books can be as simple or lavish as one chooses. Photo-safe albums, mounting papers, acid-free adhesive and a good pair of scissors will get you started on your own. But the parties present an opportunity to use a variety of cutters, tools and die cuts that may be unfamiliar to a newbie.
Sample layouts are provided for those with no knowledge of scrapbooking. "Some people like to copy designs to make them look professional. Others like to work from their creative mind," Lydgate said. A detailed layout book is available to purchase for $10.
I decided to organize photographs from a trip to Disneyland and Universal Studios eight years ago.
Madelyn Batangan-Cabuslay, a party attendee, had already created a few scrapbooks for her 6-year-old son, Robyn. She now plans to work on a wedding album, and continues her "School Days" scrapbook that shows her son's growth and accomplishments, from kindergarten to grade 8. "It will be a gift for him, a keepsake. He will be able to recall the happy days in his childhood," she said.
Anna Cottrell said it was fun to look back at old photographs, adding the session "helped me to unwind after a hard day at work."
Karen Gibson said, "I love stickers, so that was the highlight for me. And, the templates make it super-easy."
When the session's over, the hostess receives gifts just for throwing the bash. Can you think of a better way to support your scrapbook habit?
This hula girl goes for $2.50. It comes with 12 pieces and must be assembled.
Allen and Estrella Wolfe are definitely "scrapper's friends." The couple's love of scrapbooking led them to start a business, turning island imagery into page-ready designs that give scrappers' work a boost of color. New Hawaii-themed materials coming soon
Estrella was a successful scrapbook consultant for three years, Allen explained, when people started asking her where they could find Hawaiian-style die cuts.
"We started with some flowers and a hula girl," he said. "They were such hits, I started to create my own designs."
Over time the designs became more complicated, and eventually, a simple die-cut maker was unable to capture all the detail Allen wanted. The Wolfes decided to try laser cuts.
Among the intricate designs the Wolfes now offer are an array of Hawaiian flowers, leis, borders, bamboo, Japanese lanterns, parasols, green sea turtles and hula girls. Prices range from $1.50 for simple flowers to $9.95 for intricate borders.
Photo-safe, acid-free and lignin-free papers are used. Hawaiian printed papers and stickers are also available.
The Wolfes lived in Mililani with their three children for 11 1/2 years before moving recently to Napa Valley, where they still carry on their business. The hibiscus border continues to be their best-selling item. Flora and fauna are also popular choices.
Allen is currently working on developing Hawaiian words like "hula," "halau," "mahalo" and island names for people to work into their pages. The new die cuts should be available at the end of the month, said Allen.
To order products, call Marisa Kristovich at 623-5873. A Mickey page, designed by Marisa Kristovich.
Call Amie Lydgate at 681-8143 to schedule a party booking. Cost is $10 per person. For more experienced scrapbookers, cropping sessions cost $7.
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