Scrapbooking Spring Sports

I love the feeling of spring in the air. At my house, spring inevitably brings busy schedules because it is the start of the soccer season. Between all the games, practices, carpooling and looking for lost equipment, I can't find any time for scrapbooking. But that doesn't keep me from plotting and planning pages I can create when the lazy days of summer--without all those schedules--come rolling in.

Since I've got soccer on the brain, I thought I'd share some fun ideas about how to create themed pages for all the sports your children play.

The first thing to consider is your photographs. It is important to use the right settings according to the lighting. A bright outdoor soccer game would be photographed differently than a nighttime football game under the stadium lights. Also, think about classic sports shots you can take: The team high-fiving after scoring a goal, the football huddle, the focus on a player's face, the batter sliding into base. Also, don't forget the fans and the quiet moments in sports. One of my favorite layouts is of my family huddled together under blankets and umbrellas watching a game in the rain.

Let's move on to the design of your pages. The first consideration is color. A good idea is to match the colors of your team. Especially if you are creating a themed album for one particular sport, it is fun to see the same colors throughout. Take a look at the wide range of sports-themed papers and products available as well. Many of the major paper companies have developed whole product lines around most major sports. Many have accompanying embellishments to further enhance your design, such as football-shaped charms or stickers.

One approach that is especially fun is to create a layout with the look of a newspaper or magazine cover. Many digital scrapbooking products include pre-made templates for this type of layout, or you can create your own. Younger kids in particular enjoy seeing themselves in that context.

Use these ideas to capture and create team memories. Enjoy the process, but don't get so caught up in saving the memories that you miss your child's first goal or touchdown.

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