Scrapbook Look #11 - September 2026

 "Scrapbooking isn't just re-living memories.  It's re-loving them."  ~Janna W.

Welcome back to Scrapbook Look!  However you like to do it, we can all enjoy the relaxing and therapeutic benefits of scrapbooking, including a quick pre-designed yearbook that doesn't require extra software.

This month, I'm starting off with a pretty simple page layout that uses a couple of features I really like about digital scrapbooking. 

First, I really like using arrows to point out hard-to-see things in photos that you might otherwise miss.  In this page, I took pictures of a day gone wrong.  We set out to do a little local sightseeing but everything changed when we got a flat tire.  (We made the best of it with milkshakes while we waited for new tires.)  It's a little hard to see the 3-inch gash in the tire if you don't know what you're looking for, so I added the yellow arrow to point it out.

Second, I have a digital art embellishment that spelled out ADV-ENT-URE DAY just like this, only it didn't go with the colors I had chosen for this page, so I used this great tool in my Artisan scrapbooking software called Alphasets to just make my own embellishment (so easy!) in a matching color.  Here's how it works:

Isn't that cool?!  They're really great for titles, but it was just perfect to use them for this little embellishment (which is kind of a title for this page, now that I think about it).  

Next up, we have a fun two-page layout of a family visit that included a Cinco de Mayo themed birthday party (along with a few pictures from earlier in the day--I'm more of a chronological scrapbooker than a strictly-themed-page scrapbooker).

I don't always have events that require two-page layouts, but since my digital scrapbooking ends up in a bound book, it's a fun thing to be able to do.  

I used a blueprint from my Pixels2Pages membership (the free April 2026 blueprint) which I filled in with colored papers of my choosing, and I really like how this particular layout is kind of divided into sections.  It makes it easier to see groups of related photos, I think--especially because I put so many photos on the pages.

The Mexican-themed paper I chose for the background was bright originally, and I felt it competed with everything else going on on the pages, so I used the opacity/transparency tool in Artisan until the colors were muted just right!

My last share for today also uses an exclusive blueprint from my Pixels2Pages membership (the free May 2026 blueprint this time).  Because of the nature of the event (which was spending time in nature!), I thought a layout design that highlights a photo as a background across two pages was perfect! 

The large title font is called Adorable Signature, which I downloaded from my favorite 1001freefonts.com, and the journaling font is Rockwell.  

Don't you just feel like scrapbooks bring everything to life in a way that photos on phones and computers just don't?  Just can't?  

I highly recommend scrapbooking as a self-care activity!  Truly.  I love how I feel when I'm doing it, and I love that I have something lovely to show for it after, too.

Join me again next month for the last Scrapbook Look of this year-long series!

CREDITS

• Scrapbook pages made using Artisan software by Forever.  (information | subscription | digital art store)
• Digital book printed here (in gorgeous, high-quality pages I fall in love with every time), with the digital version PDF also kept forever there in my private account.  
• Digital art credit:  Bring Me Family Yearbook 1 by Michelle Bell for FOREVER Digital Art, Cottage Fields Scrapbook Kit by Katie Pertiet Designs, Mexican Adventure Papel Picado by Lucky Girl Designs, Around the World Latin America by FOREVER Digital Art, Perfect Palates - Dove White by FOREVER Digital Art, USA State of Mind - 12x12 Spreads by Seatrout Scraps, Escape to Colorado Collection by Seatrout Scraps, All Things March Mixology by FOREVER Digital Art, All Things May Mixology by FOREVER Digital Art

NOTE:  I am a Forever affiliate called an Ambassador (a decision I made because I love it so much), so you will find affiliate links in this post. I earn a commission from anything purchased at my website, and being your Ambassador means I'm here to help you with questions, too.  If you're new to Forever and open your free account here to give it a try, you'll get a $20 welcome coupon towards anything mentioned in this post, along with 2 GB of private Cloud Storage (a $50 value).

FAQ

Why digital?

First, there's no "right way" to scrapbook, except for two things:  1- quality so your book will last for many, many years to come, and 2- something you will love and therefore do.  

I personally choose digital because it's faster and easier, taking up less space in my house than the papers and scissors and stickers (and table space) I needed when I was a paper scrapbooker.  I like that instead of having to crop (cut) a photo to make it fit, I can easily resize, zoom in, etc.

I also love the ability to print multiple copies with just the click of a button, and for safety reasons I like that my scrapbooks exist both digitally and in print.  (I have scanned my old paper scrapbooks for the same reason.)  

And you print it, too?

Yes!!  Aside from what I mentioned above:  Print has increased accessibility!  I print my digitally-created scrapbooks because print is an easily-accessible form of seeing and also sharing (and gifting!) photos and memories.  Print doesn't need a full battery in an expensive gadget.  Plus, photo experts still recommend print as an important way to store photos and memories, in addition to digital forms.

Thanks for stopping in.  See you at next month's Scrapbook Look!  (Or, first click the Scrapbook Look tag at the bottom of this post to see more scrapbook pages.)  

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How to Read a Child a Story When You're Not There: a treasured gift idea

You have never seen a gift idea like this before, and I'm so excited to share it!  I have done this "audiobook for kids"-type of recording, but a friend came up with this absolutely genius QR code idea that takes it to the next level.

And makes an incredible gift. 

If you have a child in your life, you are going to love this amazing gift idea!

It's ideal for grandparents with faraway grandkids, but it's also ideal if they live in the same town.  And there are other possibilities, too, like a church class, someone you work with, or even a neighbor child. 

NOTE:  I am a Forever affiliate called an Ambassador (a decision I made because I love it so much), so you will find affiliate links in this post. I earn a commission from anything purchased at my website, and being your Ambassador means I'm here to help you with questions, too.  If you're new to Forever and open your free account here to give it a try, you'll get a $20 welcome coupon.  Although everything mentioned in this post is free, you can secure all your digital memories for your lifetime + 100 years with a purchase of additional FOREVER Cloud Storage.

What You'll Do

I'll give you some step-by-step directions on the best way to do this below, but here in a nutshell is this wonderful gift idea for kids:

• Choose a book you want to gift to a child (or multiple children).  I'm a Dr. Seuss lover, but there are so many wonderful books out there for kids.  Choose a fairy tale, an early reader, or one special to your family.  
• Using your smartphone, record yourself reading the story as an audio file (not video).  Read in a clear voice with good pacing (not too fast, not too slow).  It's extra fun if you have a bell you can ring when it's time for the child to turn the page, but it's not necessary.
• Upload the voice recording file to your (free) FOREVER account so that you can create a QR code (again, free) that goes directly to your storybook recording.  The reader can scan your QR code and listen to you read them a story!
• You'll print the QR code on sticker paper, cut out the code, and place the sticker in the front cover of the book.
• Wrap the book and include a note about where the QR code is located, telling your recipient to scan it to hear you reading the story to them!  (Or, tell them there's a fun surprise at the QR code.  Your call!)

Again, I'm giving specific instructions below, so if any of these steps made you say, "Cool, but I don't know how to do that," don't worry.  I've gotcha.

Scan the QR code here to hear my mom
reading the story!  She passed on in 2015, but
her grandkids (and now great-grands) can still 
hear her read to them.

How You'll Do It

Here are the specifics to make this incredible idea both possible and easy for you.  Your little recipients are about to receive an absolute treasure.  You're literally making an heirloom.

STEP 1

Choose a children's book, and choose your recipient(s).  This would make a fun gift for one special child, your church class, or all the grandchildren.  Purchase the book, or multiple copies of the book.  Or, use an heirloom book if you have one to share!

STEP 2

Next, you'll read the book aloud.  Read in a clear voice with good pacing that's understandable.  Using your phone, record yourself reading the story.  If you haven't made an audio recording on your phone before, here are the instructions for iPhone and the instructions for Android. 

If you want to practice it first before recording, that's fine, but I'll caution you to not think about perfection.  If a kiddo were sitting on your lap reading this book right now, you might trip over a word, and it will 100% not matter at all.  Just be human.  😉

Note:  After recording your story, it will automatically be named "New Recording," but you will probably want to change it to the name of the story.  (This is especially important if you are making more than one storybook recording.)  To change the name, tap on the completed recording.  You'll see 3 dots at the right.  Tap those dots and there will be an option to rename your recording.

STEP 3

Next, you'll need to put that audio recording into a secure, private, but shareable space.  This particular space will also allow you to make a QR code linking directly to the audio recording.  

To do this, set up a free, private FOREVER account here.  That's our safe, shareable space.  While there is a FOREVER app (also free) for your phone to simplify the process of uploading photos and videos, it's limited to just those things.  So, for audio files like your recorded stories, you'll need to record using your phone and then utilize email to get those files to your computer.

Here's what that looks like on an iPhone.  Once you have recorded your story, tap the "Select" button at the upper right (which I've circled in purple).

Then, tap the circles at the left (which I've circled in red) to place a checkmark on all the stories you want to preserve and share.  

Last, tap the "Upload" button (a square with an arrow coming out of it, which I have highlighted in yellow).  You'll be given options to email the selected file(s) to yourself.  Follow the process and send the email.

STEP 4

Now it gets exciting because you're ready to get that storybook recording privately shareable so your recipient can easily access it.  FOREVER is designed as a permanent home for photos, etc., so there's a host of organizational tools available.  However, for your storybook purposes, you don't have to set up an organizational system (Albums, mentioned below) unless you want to.  

Just follow these simple steps.

Congratulations!  You're almost ready to share your storybook!

STEP 5

Now that you've completed Step 4, you can listen to your storybook reading, which is so cool.  But here's where it gets even cooler.  Next, you'll create a QR code for this recording.  This is what's going to make your storybook reading accessible from anywhere.

QR code stands for "quick response code."  It's basically a readable barcode that will take you directly to a website or other online location when scanned.  You can get a QR code reader app on your phone, but newer smartphones have the capability to read QR codes right from the camera app and take you to the online location from there.

My digital business card has a QR code.

Here's how you create the QR code for your audio file you've saved in your private FOREVER Cloud Storage.

First, you'll need to get to a computer or tablet and login to your FOREVER account.  There's a lot you can do with just the app, but you get "full service" on your audio file (and photos and videos) from the website.  So, login.  Click "Gallery" at the left, then double-click your audio file so it opens.  It will look something like this: 

Now, click the "share" icon at the upper right, which I've highlighted in yellow (above).

That "description" section over at the right is editable, so I definitely suggest including details (the name of the book and who's reading it) and even a personal message.

Next, you'll see several options for sharing this audio file.  You'll want to select "QR code," which I've highlighted in yellow (below).

After clicking "QR code," this is what you'll see:

FOREVER has generated a QR code for your audio file!  See?!  How cool is that?!  You'll need to click the little "click to download" underneath it, which I've highlighted in yellow (above).  

The QR code downloads as an image, just like a picture.  So you'll save it to your computer.  Just be sure you save it in a place where you can find it again.  😁

STEP 6

Now you'll need a computer program such as Word (I use Publisher) where you can create a document so you can print the QR code onto sticker paper to put inside the book.  This is what's going to make your accessible-from-anywhere storybook reading conveniently located right in the book!

Create the document and insert the QR code image file you just saved to your computer, with the QR code being no smaller than 1 inch so that it's easily scannable.

I highly recommend not only the QR code in the book but also a note or description about what the QR code leads to.  In the future, people may not know that it's you reading the story (because QR codes are on everything these days).  This could be part of the sticker (as I did above), or just a handwritten note in the book.

OPTIONAL:  You can see in the photo above that I have the name of the book and a "read by so-and-so" note on a cute, designed image.  With FOREVER, you can organize and preserve video, audio, photo, and PDF files into Albums (like folders on a computer) and Nested Albums (like subfolders)--and they have this awesome capability of creating an Album Cover (the thumbnail image you first see)!  So I did that for all the stories in my family story collection.  (If you'd like to do that, you can see how it works here.)  Then I downloaded those Album Cover thumbnails to include them on my stickers.  Reach out to me if you have questions on how to do this.

Now, print your document where you've put the QR code(s) on sticker paper.  I typically use Avery full-sheet sticker paper.

STEP 7

You're almost done!  And this step is easy.  Just cut out the QR code with description/message, peel off the back, and stick it in the front of the book!

Gifting Your Storybook

Be sure you include a card with a message that points out the QR code.  It may be easy to overlook if the recipients don't know it's there.  

You can certainly giftwrap it to your liking, but since this is such a special gift (an heirloom, really!), you might want to get some ideas for really special, beautiful wrapping from Stephanie over at Crazy Little Lovebirds!

Share this idea with a parent, favorite aunt/uncle, or grandparent you know!  Make connections with a little one through story, even when you're not there! 

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Scrapbook Look #10 - August 2026

"Scrapbooking isn't just re-living memories.  It's re-loving them."  ~Janna W.

Welcome back to Scrapbook Look!  However you like to do it, we can all enjoy the relaxing and therapeutic benefits of scrapbooking, including a quick pre-designed yearbook that doesn't require extra software.

I'm celebrating my 16th blogiversary with this  year-long series.  This month for Scrapbook Look #10, I've got a variety of page layouts to share.  

First is a pretty simple layout I created to leave lots of space for journaling.  It's kind of a different look, which I think is fun, and I've used minimal embellishments to make the photos the highlight.  

I love the digital scrapbooking software I use (credited below) for many reasons, but one is the ability to resize photos to make a design like this, then zoom in or adjust the photos as needed.  I also love being able to use fonts from my computer--I'm kind of a font collector.  I used the "glow" effect for the title which makes it stand out a little more.

So far, I have been sharing my everyday yearbook pages.  That's where the majority of my photos go.  However, I periodically make other books as well.  I am currently working on two books of special collections.  The designs on each page throughout each book is exactly the same, only made as mirror-image pages (which I can do with a click in my awesome software).

First up, my Christmas ornament collection.  I have a "title page" at the beginning of the book:

I really love that Christmas carol sheet music digital art!  (credited below)

And then the layouts of the Christmas ornament collection book look like this:

I wanted a subtle, neutral design that would go with whatever colors or styles of ornaments I have.  I love those frames!  This will be a little 8x8 softcover book, so one picture per page will highlight each ornament nicely.

And each nativity, too!  I collect nativities as well, and this is the current book of my nativities that I'm working on.  

Here's the "title page"

And then the layouts of the Christmas nativity book are again all the same throughout the book, with mirror-image (almost) pages.  Here, too, I wanted mostly neutral colors since my nativity collection is so varied.  

I really like being able to tell the stories of each piece of my collections.  I think they're valuable to me just because I like them, but they'll be more valuable to my children and grandchildren when they know the history behind them.

CREDITS

• Scrapbook pages made using Artisan software by Forever.  (information | subscription | digital art store)
• Digital art credit:  Travel Tidbits USA 2 Puffy Stickers by Designs by Mandy King, Summer Vacation Digital Embellishments by StoryBook Legacy, Christmas Wishes Scrapbook Kit by Katie Pertiet Designs, Snippets - Christmas Music by Designs by Mandy King, Star of Wonder Collection by Across the Pond, Today's Your Birthday by LJS Designs, All is Bright Kit by Seatrout Scraps, See the World Page Kit by FOREVER Digital Art, 
• Digital book printed here (in gorgeous, high-quality pages I fall in love with every time), with the digital version PDF also kept forever there in my private account.  

NOTE:  I am a Forever affiliate called an Ambassador (a decision I made because I love it so much), so you will find affiliate links in this post. I earn a commission from anything purchased at my website, and being your Ambassador means I'm here to help you with questions, too.  If you're new to Forever and open your free account here to give it a try, you'll get a $20 welcome coupon towards anything mentioned in this post, along with 2 GB of private Cloud Storage (a $50 value).

FAQ

Why digital?

First, there's no "right way" to scrapbook, except for two things:  1- quality so your book will last for many, many years to come, and 2- something you will love and therefore do.  

I personally choose digital because it's faster and easier, taking up less space in my house than the papers and scissors and stickers (and table space) I needed when I was a paper scrapbooker.  I like that instead of having to crop (cut) a photo to make it fit, I can easily resize, zoom in, etc.

I also love the ability to print multiple copies with just the click of a button, and for safety reasons I like that my scrapbooks exist both digitally and in print.  (I have scanned my old paper scrapbooks for the same reason.)  

And you print it, too?

Yes!!  Aside from what I mentioned above:  Print has increased accessibility!  I print my digitally-created scrapbooks because print is an easily-accessible form of seeing and also sharing (and gifting!) photos and memories.  Print doesn't need a full battery in an expensive gadget.  Plus, photo experts still recommend print as an important way to store photos and memories, in addition to digital forms.

Thanks for stopping in.  See you at next month's Scrapbook Look!  We've only got 2 more in this series. (Or, first click the Scrapbook Look tag at the bottom of this post to see more scrapbook pages.)  

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My Process for Preserving Photos - 5 duplicatable steps

I have a specific process for keeping my photos (and videos) organized, easy to find, and preserved in each of the 3 ways photo experts recommend.  All without breaking the bank or losing my mind.

The whole process is really fun, but it also gives me such peace of mind!  I worry much less about fire, water leaks, natural disasters, etc.  

Everyone’s preferences are a little different, so not everything I do is automatically the way everyone would love doing it, but there is a lot to be said for learning a proven process and then using it yourself. 

So I have decided to share my own process for preserving my photos and videos using FOREVER since it’s permanent, private, and the best quality I’ve ever seen in 20+ years as a memory-keeping guide.

The step-by-step pieces of my process are here, but I also made a video where I show you (around minute 15) the nuts and bolts of what my process looks like. I take a selfie and walk that photo all the way through the process in 11 minutes!

If you feel like your photos are getting the best of you and you can't quite keep up, the document above and the video below can help! I include the two blocks of time I use (one daily, one weekly) and their purposes so that I am always on top of my photos. Maybe they'll work for you, too!

Whether you do exactly what I do or just take a few nuggets with you, I hope it makes a huge difference in your photo preservation. Because this is what's waiting:

What was your biggest takeaway from seeing my process?  I'd love to know in the comments.

NOTE:  I am a Forever affiliate called an Ambassador (a decision I made because I love it so much), so you will find affiliate links in this post. I earn a commission from anything purchased at my website, and being your Ambassador means I'm here to help you with questions, too. 

Photos should always be accessible to the people who love them, so please share this post with a photo-lover you know.

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Scrapbook Look #9 - July 2026

"Scrapbooking isn't just re-living memories.  It's re-loving them."  ~Janna W.

Welcome back to Scrapbook Look!  However you like to do it, we can all enjoy the relaxing and therapeutic benefits of scrapbooking, including a quick pre-designed yearbook that doesn't require extra software.

I can't believe we're already at #9!  I'm doing a year's worth of Scrapbook Looks in celebration of my 16th blogiversary, so that means there are only 3 more coming.  Time sure flies.

First up, I've got another hodge-podge of events instead of one thing on this page.  I have used a technique I like to make sense of a page like this:  numbering.  Just add numbers to the photos, then describe them by those numbers in your journaling.  The numbers are in brown circles at the edge of each photo.

I wasn't sure what papers and color scheme I'd go with on this one, but as soon as I put the papers from this collection together (credited below), I LOVED it!  

And I used a "design map" for this page (also called a blueprint).  It's essentially like a template, pre-designed for me and all, but everything on a blueprint is gray.  The design is there, but then I can add the papers and embellishments of my choice, depending on the theme of my page.  Super easy!

I used MRF Lemonberry Sans (font) for my journaling.  I LOVE using Artisan digital scrapbooking software for many reasons, but being able to use any font on my computer is a big one.  I'm a font addict.  

Next, I'm sharing a fun page!  We helped my daughter move to a new apartment in March.  Again, I wasn't very decided on the color scheme for this, and after searching through the digital art I own so far, I wondered if there might be something cute that was specific to moving.  There was!  And I know I'll be able to use all those cute flowers and buttons for non-moving pages in the future, too.

For the journaling font, I wanted something bold for contrast, so I just used Berlin Sans FB.  I also wanted a really thick font for the title, so I used Cooper Black and this fun feature for making titles.  Because I used this method, I could fill the title with a matching digital paper.  

I think the red and yellow is so fun!  The frames were part of the digital art collection, too. (credit below)

The last scrapbook pages I'll share today are two-pages layout that I'm loving, pages from a trip to my beloved San Diego.  Again, I used a blueprint for the design, then filled it in with digital "papers" and elements of my choosing.  I really like this particular blueprint set because it's designed with two facing pages, so the photo you highlight in the middle goes across both pages.  *love*

The font I used for "San Diego" and "California" is called Violet.  

I've mentioned this before, but I enjoy using blueprints (and templates, for that matter) because the layouts are often set up in ways I personally wouldn't have come up with on my own.  It's nice to shake things up now and again. 

Honestly, the hardest part was picking which photo to have as the large one in the middle.  But that rose with the palm trees behind is just my heart, so there we go. 

And if you're wondering, the background "papers" are actually digital papers, not the use-a-picture-as-a-background technique I showed in Scrapbook Look #6.  It's from the "Summer Blues Bundle" digital art collection I've credited below.

CREDITS

• Scrapbook pages made using Artisan software by Forever.  (information | subscription | digital art store)
• Digital art credit:  Forever Design Maps 3 by FOREVER Digital Art, All Things March Mixology by FOREVER Digital Art, Krafty Flair Alphaset by Alphabet Soup, Moving Day - Kit by Seatrout Scraps, FOREVER Design Maps 56 for 12x12 by FOREVER Digital Art, Summer Blues Bundle by Little Feet Digital Designs, and City Break - San Diego - Signage by FOREVER Digital Art
• Digital book printed here (in gorgeous, high-quality pages I fall in love with every time), with the digital version PDF also kept forever there in my private account.  

NOTE:  I am a Forever affiliate called an Ambassador (a decision I made because I love it so much), so you will find affiliate links in this post. I earn a commission from anything purchased at my website, and being your Ambassador means I'm here to help you with questions, too.  If you're new to Forever and open your free account here to give it a try, you'll get a $20 welcome coupon towards anything mentioned in this post, along with 2 GB of private Cloud Storage (a $50 value).

FAQ

Why digital?

First, there's no "right way" to scrapbook, except for two things:  1- quality so your book will last for many, many years to come, and 2- something you will love and therefore do.  

I personally choose digital because it's faster and easier, taking up less space in my house than the papers and scissors and stickers (and table space) I needed when I was a paper scrapbooker.  I like that instead of having to crop (cut) a photo to make it fit, I can easily resize, zoom in, etc.

I also love the ability to print multiple copies with just the click of a button, and for safety reasons I like that my scrapbooks exist both digitally and in print.  (I have scanned my old paper scrapbooks for the same reason.)  

And you print it, too?

Yes!!  Aside from what I mentioned above:  Print has increased accessibility!  I print my digitally-created scrapbooks because print is an easily-accessible form of seeing and also sharing (and gifting!) photos and memories.  Print doesn't need a full battery in an expensive gadget.  Plus, photo experts still recommend print as an important way to store photos and memories, in addition to digital forms.

Thanks for stopping in.  See you at next month's Scrapbook Look!  (Or, first click the Scrapbook Look tag at the bottom of this post to see more scrapbook pages.)  

To save and share this post, Pin this image.

Follow Photo & Story Treasures on social media here: