A timed challenge to find as many photos in their group based on a certain theme. For example, 2 minutes to find as many photos of people at the beach. Or 2 mintues to find as many photos cropped as ovals. A challenge to find something based on a holiday that isn't a recent one. For example, the holiday is Halloween. So which ever team finds a Halloween sticker, die cut, back ground paper, etc. wins. I am thinking these ideas are kind of like lets make a deal. Maybe which ever team has a certain type of adhesive with them? Type of sticker(s)? Color of background paper? Anyone with dried flowers? certain die cuts or pictures in geometric shapes (like the puzzles they play on Survivor)? About prizes...maybe food...picnic papers, stickers and die cuts? Fishing themed items? Bug themed items? Camping themed? Wild or jungle animal themed? I'm not a scrapbooker, but I hope these ideas are helpful to you.

I found some really great "calligraphy" pens at Michaels. I can't remember the name or brand, but they have a pen tip at either end...for a smaller and larger calligraphy look. You have to practice some to learn how to hold the pen but I really love the look much much better than my plain hand-writing (which I HATE when I journal). They provide a more personal touch (look) to the page then printing calligraphy style on the computer (which is also a nice idea). Like Jill, I usually like to matt what I journal, depending on the page. If your cousin just graduated from Med school, could you somehow incorporate something from her "soon to be profession"? Perhaps you could make (scrape) a nice looking professional business card with her name, the date she graduated, her title etc.? I'm not too up on graduating med students so maybe she has to complete her residency, but maybe you could include smaller photos of where she will work or complete her residency on the page (in the background or superimpose photos of her on top of these smaller ones)? For something a bit more comical, maybe you could get a photo(s) of her with friends or family "using" her medical tools from her black bag with a humorous title page or a funny lyric or poem? I love to matt a lot of my photos and I also love to try (try being the key operative word here)and make up poems or rhyme when I journal. I think you could have a lot of fun and still have some very elegant and "fun" pages. Good luck! Send us a link for your completed pages so we can save the ideas...I'll need one in about 14-16 years!

moving down

Debbie, check all the postings on the forum you will find tons of information and links to sites for lots of pictures. Pam