That's a Scrap!: Preserving Your Disney Vacation Memories (Part Two) About This Page:

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That's a Scrap!: Preserving Your Disney Vacation Memories (Part Two)
by Bay Loftis, Guest Columnist and Scrapbook Aficionado


Before You Start Spending Those Disney Dollars
Now for the really fun part -- you've done your preparation in terms of camera choice and a list of photos you really want to get while you're in the middle of the magic. Now you get to think about shopping!

When I started scrapbooking, Disney offered two sheets of acid-free stickers that were appropriate for scrapbook use. That was it! They did have photo albums, but they were filled with the least archive-friendly PVC page protectors, or worse, magnetic pages.

Disney has caught on to scrapbooking, and there are now tons of products available in stores all over the World. You can buy albums, printed papers, pre-printed title blocks, decorative stickers, and even cute, Mickey-icon-shaped paper fasteners (often called "brads"). Entire scrapbook kits are available in an array of styles and prices, with colored, acid-free/lignin-free cardstocks (acid-free/lignin-free papers will not "yellow" or turn brittle as quickly as regular paper) and paper die-cuts of Mickey balloons and Cinderella Castle.

Keep in mind that many of the patterned papers and embellishments available in the World aren't available at your local craft store, so if you see something you just can't live without, go ahead and buy it while you're there. Worst case scenario, you can probably find it online or on eBay for a slight mark-up.

[Note from Jennifer: Another excellent source for Disney-themed scrapbooking supplies is Creative Memories, which has Mickey albums, a disney package of stickers and papers for quick scrapbooks, and a new Princess collection. You can get more information and find a Creative Memories consultant who has these supplies at http://www.creativememories.com.]

If budget is a concern, you should know that you don't have to make your scrapbook using only Disney-themed papers and embellishments. You can find cheaper supplies close to home, and use your own creativity to make your scrapbook pages. The same applies to your individual taste -- if Pooh stickers aren't your particular "pot of honey", use colored pencils to sketch a border that suits your style.

Before You Fill Your PassPockets
The last -- and most critical -- step in preparing to scrap your dream vacation is collecting memorabilia to fill your scrapbook. I'll warn you -- Walt Disney World is full of things to cram into a book. Just the freebies alone will make your head spin and the binding on your album bulge and groan.

One memento to consider taking with you is your door decoration. If you're the sort of person who decorates your door anyway, think "archival" before you start. Using long-lasting, acid-free, lignin-free papers and decorations makes it much easier to pop that sign into your scrapbook. Don't forget to take pictures while it's on the door!

Also take some small envelopes with you for small items. You can buy pixie dust (Mickey-shaped glitter), but the sentimentality of actual pixie dust collected at the back of Cinderella Castle is unparalleled. If you put pixie dust in your suitcase, it may or may not make it into your scrapbook, but if it's sealed in an envelope, it's much harder to miss later on.

Similarly, a large manila envelope or expanding folio for large paper items is invaluable for keeping things safely flat and un-crinkled. If you're really picky, take a shipping tube with you and roll large menus and maps for shipping home.

[Note from Jennifer: Our readers tell us that PassPorter's PassPockets are also excellent for storing items during a trip, plus it keeps them organized chronologically for scrapbooking when you get home.]

A good rule to follow is the "rule of threes": If it's an item you may want to put on a page, get three -- one to cut up, one to mess up, and one to remain intact. Park maps, entertainment guides, festival guides, resort maps, and menus all fall into this category.

Many items that you just want to keep are not strictly archival and may, in fact, turn yellow and brittle over time, but I'm going to recommend that you get them, anyway, for sheer novelty in later years. Napkins, coasters, parking permits, shopping receipts, meal receipts, and paper or plastic bags fall into this category.

Once you get home, you can do several things to try to "fix" the acidity and lignin in these items, to varying degrees of success. The scrapbooking market has a spray that you can purchase (which is really very expensive) called Archival Mist. You can try to buffer these items (except the napkins, which would disintegrate) in a bath of one part water to one part Milk of Magnesia or you can color laser-copy the less "archive-able" mementos.

But truth be told, you can simply tuck these things into one of many clear envelopes or "sleeves" to affix to your scrapbook in its original condition.

Some things you might like to pick up as additions to your scrapbooks:
- Postcards
- World Showcase Passports
- World Showcase KidCot crafts
- Stickers (the individual sort that Cast Members give away all over the World)
- Character autographs
- Swizzle sticks from resort lounges
- Safety trading cards (We first encountered these during our November, 2003 trip and got them from Cast Members at various attractions -- they're illustrated safety tips on baseball-card sized snippets of cardstock)
- Character meal priority seating slips
- Attraction photo slips (the kind you get after you've had a photo taken on a ride, but haven't decided yet if you're going to buy it)
- Pleasure Island wristbands
- Special ticket event wristbands (Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, etc.)
- Pressed pennies and quarters
- Pixie dust

These are just a few things to help you get started. Your own tastes and fond memories should dictate what you collect for your scrapbook, so don't hesitate to start a collection that deviates from this list!

Websites & Other Sources for Scrapbooking Tips
- The PassPorter Message Boards have a forum devoted to crafts! http://www.passporterboards.com/foru...-scrapbooking/
- An excellent beginner's how-to article by Maureen Spell is at http://www.scrapjazz.com/topics/Scra...tting_Started/
- One of the most popular scrapbook websites, Two Peas In A Bucket -- http://www.twopeasinabucket.com
- Magazines and periodicals that you may want to read are often available at stores all over the U.S. Check out Creating Keepsakes, Better Homes & Gardens' Scrapbooks Etc., Memory Makers, Paperkuts, or Simple Scrapbooks for lots of advanced technique instruction and inspiration.

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Bay Loftis is a free-lance writer whose art and articles have appeared in publications such as "Better Homes & Gardens Scrapbooks Etc.", "Legacy" Magazine and "Memory Makers" idea books.

[Sanacrow]

Great article! I'm sending a few folks over here to read it...

Also, a note about Postcards and World Showcase Passports - the folks who stamp the passports will sometimes also stamp postcards, and can write greetings and notes specific to a particular occasion on request.

One of my favorite momentos of our honeymoon years ago is our Passport with stamps and traditional wedding blessings from every country. Since then we've also done them with birthday notes for kids (and a couple of adults), anniversery congratulations, and even "get wells" for our son when he visited in fixators and casts from his accident.

Sana

[jude411]

Great article, I love all the ideas of momentos to pick up. That Archieval Mist is expensive, but the sleeves are a good idea. I am going to have to stock up on those. I am hoping Creative Memories comes out soon with a 12x12 Disney album. Though I have an album from Disneyland that I just love. Thanks for all your ideas Bay. Hope to see more.

[gwugirl03]

I loved this article. Now that I have all of stuff ready to scrapbook, I need the energy and patience to sit down and do it. It was great fun collecting things all over the park to keep.

[QV09VVP]

This is great! I've done our 2002 & 2003 trips....and am preparing for the 2005 trip & am definately interested in any new ideas etc...

[stitch_fanatic_592]

thx a lot... im doing and academic fair project on Disney and im making a scrapbook for my model and this has been extremely helpful... thx a bunch!!!

~eRiN~

[YOLANDA]

A.C. Moore now has a 12X12 album featuring Mickey and 6x6 albums with Mickey,or Ariel,or Cinderella. They also have a wide variety of papers,stickers,and rub-ons. I also saw some of the papers at JoAnns Fabrics. I almost broke down in the store because I was so excited when I saw them!!!!

[Helenn]

Thank you for all the wonderful ideas!

[travelinsara]

Hi, Just an FYI for anyone, about the programs, maps etc that you pick up at the park. I recently was able to mount a map of the Animal Kingdom (with just a little trimming) on a 12x12 piece of cardstock. I remarked to my cropping gals, hey a scrapbooker must of designed this map, I didn't lose anything but a little water and a couple of trees, when I cut this down to fit!! So now I will do the same for every title page for each park. I love the PassPorter, however for the larger memorabilia, I take a accordian style vinyl/plastic folder with usually 12 pockets (from the dollar store) and put everything in a daily pocket. Next trip I am going to take lined acid free paper and pens to write notes at the end of the day or whenever.

I also cut white (usually) acid free paper into 4x6 rectangles for character signatures. After I start working on the album pages, I usually trim the rectangles into shapes to cut down on size and give my page a little more interest. For instance, the Minnie autograph I cut into a heart shape and put a little ink around the edges. I keep the blank paper in a baggie with a set of pens, after a character has signed, that piece goes to the back of the pack and at the end of the day it goes into the daily file. I hope some of these tips will help everyone with getting their albums together!

In case the person that was wanting a 12x12 Creative Memories Disney Album, there is a new one as of May 1, cover only, so you can put in your own choice of pages. I want to use this new album for my 50th party at DL's 50th celebration!!! It seems fitting to me!
S

[Minnie Lor]

That's good to know. I'll be starting my album on Sunday afternoon.

[LeapDayBaby]

That's good to know. I'll be starting my album on Sunday afternoon.

Cool! I just spent part of my Sunday afternoon at AC Moore stocking up on supplies for my first album (highlighting our trip to WDW last November)! If I'm lucky, I'll have it done by my next WDW trip in August...but probably not [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] I'm definitely going to be more attentive in August to gathering stuff to put in my next scrapbook!!

Speaking of AC Moore, my local store is having a scrapbooking festival on June 25th...I don't know if it's part of a chain-wide event, but anyone with an AC Moore in their area may want to inquire about it!