Top 5 Tips to scrap those Magical Memories

As I'm finishing up my 2010 Disney Scrapbook and prepping for our 2011 trip, I often think about how I came back to digital scrapbooking just this past spring. I'd taken a bit of break since getting pregnant in 2008 and having the baby and going back to work full-time. I just didn't give myself any ME time. I ran back into the Mousescrappers site and I was hooked. The challenges got me started scrapping again, and I quickly realized that scrapping those magical memories was different that scrapping our everyday life.

I saw this post on the Daily Digi this week and it got me thinking about how to scrap those REALLY big things. Maybe that's why I haven't printed any layouts yet - it would make them so permanent and I want them to be perfect. Here's my Top 5 tips for scrapping those big trips - and especially Disney.

1. Plan your pages BEFORE you go. It doesn't have to be a college-style outline, but if there are photos that you know you want to get when you are on the trip it's okay to take a little notebook of must get shots. If there something you REALLY want to experience? Write out your thoughts now - that journaling can be incorporated into an amazing layout when you get home.

2. It's okay to take pictures of your food - your husband may think you're crazy but the mom across the restaurant TOTALLY gets it. We spend a lot of time at Disney eating. Connor is a three meal a day kid, and we know that we will be sitting down for all three meals somewhere. It's part of the trip, and can be some fun pictures for you to enjoy down the road.

3. Stock up on free fonts. There are several free font sites out there that can be used for titles, journaling, detail work and more. Mousescrappers has some great challenges where you can earn kits and other Mouse-related scrapbooking items, but if your budget doesn't allow for a huge investment in purchased kits then use the free tools to add to your creativity. Clip Art can be your friend too! The Daily Digi has a great post of free fonts for journaling here.

4. *Disney Specific* Check your non-Disney stash for kits to use in your layouts. I adore my Disney specific stuff. However, I've also found that I have some very versatile kits that can be used for several different things. I'm a big fan of Suzy's A Life Expressed Collection in monochromatic colors of pinks, reds, black, gray, orange, blue, green, purple and more. It's great to mix and match or throw with some black and white versions of those out of focus photos like I have since, ya know, the mobile two year old. Here's one I've previously shared on this blog:

CREDITS: A Life Expressed...{Simply} by SuzyQ Scraps.

5. *Disney Specific* Buy the Photopass CD before you go! If you even think you want the Photopass CD, buy it before you go. Photopass is a great opportunity to get photos of everyone on your trip in that iconic setting. I love that the photographers got pictures of me and the hubs interacting with C. We have some fantastic photos of us watching the parade and I could never have gotten those myself. You can pick up the pre-order CD for $50 less here. Also fun? Adding all the Disney borders to photos! Edit all you want, it doesn't change the cost of your photos. Here's some of our edited photos from the 2010 trip:




There you go! What would you add? I'd love to hear any of your tips and tricks for scrapping those big vacations and especially those Magical Memories. Leave a comment or link me up to a layout of a big moment you love!