Opening Pages: The "Opening Ceremonies" of Your Albums

Hey there! Are you watching the opening ceremonies for the Olympics? Millions of viewers around the world will be tuning in tonight and over the next two weeks to catch ceremonial fanfare and incredible feats of athleticism. If you like to scrapbook while you watch TV, you’re in for a fantastic two-week stretch of scrapbooking bliss—what a great opportunity to flex your creative muscles and achieve your scrapbooking goals!

Tonight as you’re watching the Olympics from the front seat of your living room, think about special ways you can celebrate the contents of your albums and mini books. Decorative album covers and opening pages are the “opening ceremonies” of your album, providing an introduction to your topic or theme, setting the stage, and building excitement for the content yet to be viewed in subsequent pages.

Following are great examples of album topics where decorated album covers and opening pages are particularly effective. All images are from the Quick & Easy Photo Albums special issue from Simple Scrapbooks magazine.

1. An album about a loved one. If you’ve made an album about someone special in your life, embellish the album or the photo opening of the album to make it extra special.

"Bill" by Angie Lucas

Choose a favorite photo to introduce the theme of the album. Be sure to include your thoughts about why the person featured in the album’s pages is so special to you.

You can add specific details and share more in-depth stories on the album’s interior pages.

2. An album about an event. If you’ve created an album about a special event or celebration, take time to make the album cover reflective of that topic.

"Happy Birthday" by Wendy Smedley

Tell the who, what ,and where on the opening pages on an event-themed album. Select a photo that includes either the star of the show or all the participants.

Include memorabilia on the interior pages.

3. An album documenting a set period of time. If an album covers a specific time period, be sure to note it either on the cover, the album spine or the opening page. In this album, it’s included on the opening page.

"My Childhood" by Erin Sweeney

Notice how the same patterned papers were used on the interior pages to add a coherent feel.

More Olympics Fun

We’ll be commemorating the Olympics here on the blog with Olympic-themed scrapbooking inspiration and ideas spread over the next two weeks. We hope you’ll enjoy the celebration with us!

–Lori Fairbanks, product editor

P.S. In honor of the Olympics, our Free Font Friday download celebrates the Olympians from all over the globe, including the Netherlands. Download the CK Holland font for free here.