Stickers, acid-free paper, fine-line pens, cricut, stamps, stencils, sequins, ribbon, twine … the list is endless of the tools and intricate items you’ll want to buy when you start scrapbooking.

My sister and niece are avid scrapbooking fans, and they have the craftily designed photo books to prove it.

Me? I have a scrapbook my sister made for me when my son was born, another she made for my husband’s birthday, and pages that she mostly assisted on. Even with years of buying paper, stickers and special scissors … and making sure to collect tickets and items from vacation destinations and snap photos to fit a theme page … my scrapbooking efforts are primarily a “scrap” heap.

So, I decided this past weekend to do something a little crazy.

I uploaded our vacation, family and first-day-of-school photos to Walgreen’s, picked up the photo order, bought a photo album and spent 5 minutes carefully sliding the paper memories into their protective sleeves.

Voila!
Not exactly crafty — although I was tempted to buy sticky sequins and place them haphazardly throughout the album – but I was done.

Later that day, my daughter was sitting on the couch, and she was flipping through the photo album.

So, the next day, I did it again. I ordered more prints and bought two more albums.

My kids love looking at family photos. Instead of making these family memories accessible, I had been storing them on discs or my computer desktop or stuffing them in envelopes with plans to crop and scrapbook.

I just needed to realize that sometimes a simple approach is still OK.

– Linda Lynn

LLynn@opubco.com

Also, children can get a free picture taken with the Easter bunny.   Instead of dropping big bucks at the mall this year, get a free 4X6.  Pictures will be taken 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, and 6 to 8 p.m. on weekdays from March 27 through April 4.

For more information, click here.

-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com

With technology a staple these days, some parents are taking a different direction when documenting how fast their kids grow. 

One couple tracked it using a camera, taking a picture each day during their baby’s first year.  The result?  Click here.

-Erica Smith
esmith@opubco.com

“Be Creative @ Your Library” is a free program for children and teens. Just to get you and your child started, you’ll get a packet with all kinds of free goodies: stickers, a coupon for free tots at Sonic, a couple of bookmarks, a reading log, free admission to local attractions and a chance to win tuition from Oklahoma College Savings Plan.

Then all you need to do is read 8 books to your child to reach your first goal.   Do that, and your child gets a really nice award ribbon, and coupons for free food at area restaurants.

For each goal met (8 books, 8 hours or 800 pages read) , your child is entered in drawings for really cool prizes.   There isn’t a list of books, and you don’t have to just read books checked out of the library (although kids do love getting new books to read). 

So sign up today at your local Metro Library branch or go to www.metrolibrary.org  for more information.

~Erica Smith, copy editor

esmith@opubco.com