Documentation plays an important part in keeping important moments in someone’s life. Life cycle has its dynamics and what has passed are worth remembering. It serves more than just a tale of life history but it is evidence that can be passed from generation to generation. In the old days, these memories were captured and arranged in photo albums. Nowadays, with the influence of digital technologies and the taste for unique decorations, craft ideas are combined with documentation techniques to bind all the memories together in loving, thoughtful themes. This makes the scrapbook is more than just putting pictures with decorations of personal belongings but it brings back the real scrapbooking essence, i.e. keeping legacy of a historical moment. Legacy will document both the ups and downs of life curves. Yet, when it is presented in a sweet way even the downside of someone’s life such as the loss of the loved ones will bring back good memories instead of the hurting ones.
Craft Ideas in Making Unique Collages
Putting various elements into one harmonious frame or space is a method commonly known as collage. This technique opens up more possibilities of combining several craft ideas and materials on one space as long as the theme is kept. Take for instance, in making a seventeenth birthday historical scrapbook. One could design the photographs and other documentations that capture moments from birth to the most recent event, i.e. the seventeenth birthday party. The theme chosen would be around the elements that she or he loves, such as favorite color(s) or graphs that represent her or his interests like cars or bunny. Collages of cars drawings, pictures from magazines or cloths, even craft ideas from origami papers can be put into one design of photo frames or background of the documentations. Various materials are collected and made into decorative pictures of different cars. This will make the scrapbook unique and very personal. The shape of the scrapbook can also be cut into a specific car type, and special attention to inclusion of private belongings such as notes explaining each stage of life from infant, toddler, kids and teen. Historical approach toward scrapbook will result in a growing documentation that follow the timeline of someone’s growth chart.
Common Techniques in Craft Ideas
Some common techniques in putting together many craft ideas into a united scrapbook theme include : cutting and pasting, cloth quilt and paper quilling, spreading natural elements on a drawing or space such as sand, seed, dried shredded coconut dyed in various colors and punched papers. The most important factor in making collages is colors, textures and shapes harmony. The more elements used on one page or space, the richer texture effects will be. The challenge of making collages is in the pasting several parts like putting chunks of puzzle into one complete picture but it is made of different elements and materials. Special attention is needed in the finishing stage of collage making in order to make the scrapbook last longer. The finishing part includes checking out that all elements are well glued and intact with the background as well as binding the whole parts into one. An easier way to bind all the parts is using sewing technique or using a photo album right from the beginning. For more craft ideas in enriching both collage methods and material ideas, get enough reference before starting.
Photos : Wikimedia Commons