MAKE IT CUTE

Father’s Day is just around the corner, and what better way to show Dad some love then by putting a scrapbook together of all your favorite memories and special times! You know you have boxes of pics and other treasures, so why not put them on display and give Dad a loving gift! With your sentimental photos, and personal touch, you’re sure to bring a tear to his eye.

What You'll Need:

*Scrapbook or Photo Album. Get a hardcover with blank photo safe pages.
*Colored, Patterned, and Textured Paper. Cool paper brings blank pages to life. Cut pictures in different-sized circles and adhere to polka-dot paper—cute! Make paper pockets for loose items.
*Tape, Glue, Scissors. Use sharp straight-edged scissors to crop and trim. Fluted scissors make decorative edges. Use photo-safe sticky tabs for pics.
*Markers and Fine-Point Pens. Draw borders with markers. Use fine-point pens to identify photos, awards, notes, etc.
*Hole Punch. Create decorations with hole-punches. For example, four hearts and a circle make a flower.
*Stickers. Collect cute, colorful stickers to match the theme of your pages.
*Rulers. Using decorative rulers create unique borders like ocean waves.

What You'll Do:

Step 1: Hunt and Gather

Get to it! Start looking for some adorable pictures of you and dad, and even gather up those old movie stubs you saw with him or any award winning ribbons from games that he cheered you on! Organize the goodies into theme piles. For example, put everything together from one family vacation, season or sporting event. Keep in mind: you’ll need a few pages for each theme.

Step 2: Keep ‘em separated

Separate the junk from the keepers. Toss the junk; and separate the goods in piles that will 1) go into a handmade paper pocket, 2) go into a photo album page, 3) be glued onto photo-safe colored paper.

Step 3: Bring it all together

Say you want to forever remember a camping trip with dear dad? There’s your theme. Grab the best pics, some faux leaves, animal stickers and maybe that piece of shirt that ripped off when you caught got on a branch. Cut a couple of pics in the shape of a tent, and place on dark green paper shaped like a large pine tree. Make everything work toward your theme.

Use cutouts (even cookie cutters can be traced to make cool shapes) to make your page pop. Use your imagination—glue a photo from your soccer tourney your dad cheered you on for, right next to a pocket holding the article he clipped from the paper, because he was so proud of his little girl. Don’t forget to include a page dedicated to just how amazing your dad is, decorate it with all the things he loves and write a sweet Father’s Day note next to a pic of the two of you.

Step 4: Cover it

The outside of your book can display a theme too. Use markers, buttons, stickers or whatever fits your personality. Your dad loves cooking? Create a “best chef” theme complete with an image of your dad and you placing a silly chef’s hat on top. Or leave the cover blank, for a classic book look. Oh, and don’t forget to leave room for future memories with dad! Happy Father’s Day!

-Mary J. Davis & Cara Tedesco

6/10/2008 12:26:00 PM