If you have many different mediums and a lot of pictures, an easy but great way to go is with a d-ring album (I recommend American Crafts and you can buy those at Hobby Lobby... watch for them at 50% off!) then purchase photo page inserts (either vertical or horizontal or both!) and then you don't have to scrapbook ALL of the photos... maybe just scrap a few of them and then all corresponding or similar photos can just be tucked into to the photo page sleeves (like a regular photo album). I did this with my "year in the life" album. I have 4x6 photo pages - both horizontal and vertical - intermixed with 12x12 scrapbook pages and even some 8 1/2x11 scrapbook pages just for fun! If you go with a D-ring album, ANY 3-hole page protector will be able to be easily inserted where ever you feel it needs to go! There should be PLENTY of room left over if your son wishes to add to it later. GOOD LUCK!

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!

hi i havent posted on here in forever but you really should get your photos in acid free scrapbooks and there will be loads of space to journal about your photos also should be be done with acid free ink. Check out www.gracefulbee.com for some ideas or feel free to email me with any questions i have done 30 acid free albums in the past 6 years and i just finished my wedding album ( i just got married in oct).

I'm going to my second organized scrapbook get-together at a place that sells supplies this weekend. They charge $10 and supply a table, meal, soft drinks and snacks. You can use their equipment like punches, stamps, etc., but have to use your own paper, scissors, stickers etc. Of course, you are free to wander the store and buy more stuff. A friend and I got together at her house last month. We shared our equipment like cutters, etc, but we each had our own paper and supplies. I'd invite everyone over and have a simple snack like cookies and cake and coffee. Ask your friends to brink snacks to share also. Have everyone bring their equipment and personal supplies that they would need. I wouldn't be worried about being to formal or organized about it. Just have fun.