Unique Scrapbook Ideas for Graduation 2011

What better way to honor your child's 12-13 year achievement of graduating than by creating a personalized book of memories?

As any good scrapbooker will tell you, it is important to have a theme in mind before you begin any scrapbook. Ordinarily, it is also a good idea to take a few of your most important pictures with you, to make sure you only get paper that will match them. However, if you plan to do a school days theme throughout the scrapbook, you probably won't end up with much paper you won't find a way to use.

There is a large selection of school-related paper, stickers and embellishments from which to choose your personalized lay-out. You want to include things that speak specifically to your graduate's likes and strengths, rather than a generic school theme. In other words, if your child didn't participate in sports, it's probably best to leave out the paper with the soccer balls all over it. If they excelled in choir, use a lot of papers with a musical theme. Focus on family trips that were particularly fun, significant events and the child's accomplishments, but don't forget to include their friends and hobbies, too.

Here are a few basic ideas on which you can build with your child's personal tastes and achievements. Use sheets with notebook paper, graph paper, and even chalkboard motifs to write notes and thoughts about particular times of your child's life. Use more colorful patterned papers, such as sports papers, music papers, etc, to feature items like report cards, ribbons, ticket stubs and other memorabilia of childhood and school life. Use plainer or solid papers in your child's favorite colors to show off photographs. Add stickers and other decorations to embellish the pages. For an idea, see the tutorial here.

For the very best scrapbook, you will need a 12" x 12" scrapbook album and enough refills to hold all your pages. You will need an assortment of 12" x 12" scrapbook paper in the themes discussed and any others you feel appropriate. These can be purchased individually or in tear-out book assortments. To make your scrapbook really special, get acid-free markers, letters, stickers, ribbons, 3-D embellishments, rubber stamps, decorative brads, and acid-free glue sticks or double-sided tape. You can also purchase scrapbook kits with most of the bits and bobs included. If money is an issue, shop the clearance section.