31 Days #13: How to Make a Collaborative Gift Album

by Lain Ehmann on July 13, 2012

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Hello, scrappers! We’re up to almost two weeks’ worth of questions and answers. Thank you for your support – keep those questions coming!

Today’s question is from Patty, who is planning a collaborative album for her father’s 90th birthday. She asks:

How can I create a birthday album for my dad with participation from our guests?

I’ve got some very specific suggestions for Patty in today’s video:

Have you ever done a group gift album? Got any tips for Patty?

simple scrapbooking layouts

P.S. If you are loving this series, I’d love a Retweet or Facebook like! :)

  • Claudia

    When one of my oldest friends became a mom for the 2nd time last year, she asked for my help to make a memory album in which everybody who came to visit could leave a message. It was a 3-up 4×6 slip-in photo album and I made some journaing cards in advance on which guests could write their message. One side of the page featured a photo of the guest and the other side their journaling card. It was a store-bought album, but I customized the cover with the baby´s name. My friend loved it!

  • Jeanette

    When my sister turned 50 (8 years ago), I wanted to do something similar at her party.  What I did was bring a Polaroid camera, some scrapbook paper, quotes, tape runner, and journaling pens.  I took a photo of each guest/couple at some point throughout the dinner, and I asked them to write a message to my sister on the bottom of the Polaroid, and/or choose a quote from the box on the table I had set up with all the maerials.  I also asked them to just stick their photo and/or quote onto the papers on the table.  Then all I had to do was slip the 12 x 12 papers into the scrapbook.  My sister loved it so much that she used the remaining 2 or 3 pages to hold the invitation, thank you, and a few special cards.  I love your ideas too.  Great series!

  • Angela A

    So love your answer to this one.  I really appreciate the suggestion to let people know ahead of time.  I am someone who can speak or write with no notice at all but my husband needs a lot of time to think through things so I now appreciate how helpful it is to give advance notice.  I also have another idea that I don’t think is a good one so I share it in case someone gets to thinking of the extreme on this one:  I was invited to a baby shower and the invitation DID give us advance warning about writing down a childhood memory/tradition to share with the mom to be but the host gave us exact details of what scrapbook paper WE had to buy to write our memory on and bring with us and what size it had to be.  It was just all way too much and ended up completely excluding the oldest generations and anyone who didn’t live near or couldn’t afford to track down a certain line of paper.  I know the host wanted a perfect looking album at the end of it all, but the idea went too far.  That being said your answer was just perfect!

  • Lainehmann

    Ah! The number one rule is if you want participation, make it EASY on your guests! That’s a pity. :(

  • Lainehmann

    Cute idea! I am going to remember that! 

  • Lainehmann

    SOunds cute and easy – and fun! :)

  • Dfitch54

    Our family makes  an album as each person turns 50.  We have found its easier to plan a few get together sessions, to make pages.  We start with a list of events we’d like to cover, ask for pictures from those who do not want to make pages but would like to contribute.  Events could be any milestone through your father’s life. Have each of his children make a double page of their family’s special moments with Dad.  I think this is
    so wonderful that you are honoring him while he is still with you, it is much harder to do this after they are gone.

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