anyone make a babybook for a gift?

[lynetteSC]

Hi guys! Don't usually post on this board ... I have gotten out of SB for about a yr but really have to jump back in now
I decided to make a baby book for my best friend who is expecting her 1st baby, She doesn't SB so, I decided I would do all the layouts and just leave places for pictures .... the hardest part is that she doesn't want to know if it is boy or girl!!! I decided I would just try and make generic pages with mostly months ... example baby is due beginning of Nov .... so that will be 1st month .... then next page would be babys 1st Christmas. I also plan to make some pocket pages so she can keep some momentos in them?

We have no children and I haven't done a baby book before, so I am not sure where to start looking for ideas!

Also, I wanted to do a small book. I am used to doing 12x12, so this will be big switch!

Just curious if anyone has done a book to give away ... any advice or things you would have done differently?
Thanks bunches for any tips!

 

[BevS97]

I've done gift albums before, but not without the pictures. I actually think it might be easier to do with no pictures, because it would be less limiting - you wouldn't have to worry about what colors the baby is wearing etc.

I've used the little Dalee album (6x9), but I also like the look of the Mrs Grossman's 8x8 album's (in fact I've bought one, no idea what i will do with it!)

sounds like a lovely gift

Bev

 

[lisaschu]

Well, I guess I had it easy cuz my friend knew she was having a boy. I did a CM Sentiments album with a Snap Pack. I had the whole book done in less than two hours!! I gave her the book, adhesives and a pen for journaling.

It will be a bit more difficult not knowing the gender of the baby, but I'm sure you could use the same concept. Just create "generic" borders for each month. Then your friend will be able to put the photos in and journal the stories. You could make a title page saying "Baby's first year." Then proceed with the months of the year. November - Thanksgiving page. December - Christmas. January - a New Year's page. February - valentines. March - Saint Patricks. April - Easter. May - Spring. June - Summer. July - 4th of July. August - more summer. September - fall. October - Halloween.

This is just one idea. Anyone else?
Lisa

 

[MerryPoppins]

I like the idea. I would leave room at the beginning for pregnancy and hospital, homecoming photos, too. Everyone gets pictures of those times and it's nice to have them documented in an album.

There are so many cute borders and titles I have seen for holidays. I think this could be a really cute album and it sounds fun to make. What a lovely idea for a gift. I'll have to remember this one!

Good luck and share your success with us when you get it done!

 

[MICKEY M0USE]

I did matching 6x9 Dalee albums for both grandparents with baby pictures of my son. The albums are really nice, but I have only seen them in blue and pick checks. One idea I stumbled upon was the border stickers called Stickers by the Yard by Mrs. Grossman's. They made easy quick borders and were color-coordinated. Good luck!

 

[lynetteSC]

Thanks EVERYONE!!! What wonderful ideas! I really wanted to find an album with bears on it b/c my friend is doing her nursery in bears ... particularily THIS one ...
http://www.kandcompany.com/Products.html

But, everyone in my area was sold out. I lucked up (BIGTIME) on a white album at Hallmark on the 75% off rack .. It is really nice looking .. it has the word BABY embossed on it and also little booties on the back of the album .... really pretty ... with the album (almost 12x12) and pages .... GRAND total $9.19!!!!!!!!!!
YEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I started the book with a layout for ultrasound pics and titled it , "Baby's first photo" ... I did that with black & white & lady bugs pics .... I knew the u/s pics would be black & white, but I also wanted some color to jazz it up so it didn't look to boring.

Second page was a page for shower, I used the cutest Suzy's Zoo stickers made for a shower and yellow Suzy's Zoo paper!

Third page was Welcome Little One...my background was that really light green (maybe seafoam). My local scrapbook store had some neat frames that had a baby print around the border, so I bought several of those frames and added a quick title, Welcome Little One and voila page done!

Fourth page was done with printed paper with little blue/pink/light green baby feet prints. I used the left over green paper from the page right before it, and put a strip of anout 2 inches down each side of paper ... for journaling and also to break up the HUGE pattern (lots and lots of feet).

Next page will be bringing baby home and then I will start on the months until 1st bday. I will stop at 1st bday, but enclose extra pages in case this prompts babys mom to start scrapbooking!!!

It is actually moving along very quickly and easy! Its alot fun as well! Thanks for alll your ideas!
I think my biggest hurdle will be title page! I want to write something mushy, "made with love by...". But I am not really aunt .. just moms best friend ...
Need to get online and read some Scrapbook sites!

Any other idea's would be great!!!!Thanks ladies!!!!

 

[yummy72]

I made a baby gift album for a friend a few years ago. We knew it was going to be a boy however, so I had a lot of boy-themed things on there. I did all the titles and borders and put the paper down in squares, circles, ovals, etc... so all she had to do was crop the pictures and adhere them. I made one layout look like chocolate chip cookies and the title said "A Chip Off the Old Block" and I also had a "Cute As A Bug" page with bugs. Her husband plays golf so I also had a "Daddy's Caddy" page. She is also a scrapper, but she was so happy to have most of the work already done for her.

Hope that gives you some ideas,
Candi