Scrapbooking

My great-great grandmother started a scrapbook in 1862, but despite family tradition, I myself panic when I try to work on my son’s album. Modern scrapbooking seems to feature so many “rules”­—and requires so much expensive paraphernalia—that it’s downright intimidating. Taking a kinder, gentler tack, host Sharyn Pak reminds viewers here to “have fun—don’t stress” as she demonstrates scrapbooking with six different project themes (birthday, baby, pet, Christmas, “little boy,” and vacation) using a wide variety of materials (card stock, rulers, X-ACTO knives, scissors, glues and stickers) and techniques. Pak progressively brings more complexity to each layout, eventually adding ribbons, raffia, rope, die cuts, paints, tags, feathers, beads, slide mounts—even a tiny bottle—as embellishments (she also points out how to make letters on vellum using a home printer). A solid production that employs overhead camera angles, as well as close-up shots to clearly illustrate Pak’s work, this is recommended. (3 stars)

Craft expert Sharyn Pak comfortably hosts this tutorial. Pak begins by discussing necessary materials (paper, binders, embellishments, tools) and offering basic safety tips. She recommends organizing pages and photographs by theme, choosing six (birthday, newborn baby, pets, Christmas, little boys, and vacation) for her lessons, which begin with a captioned list of supplies and tools. As Pak carefully selects background paper, crops photographs, and adds stickers and other embellishments to the project, she demonstrates how to safely use a cutting knife and paper punches and how to add paint to the designs. The camera moves from over the shoulder to front to fully capture the instructor’s work. On screen titles reinforce important points and recap necessary materials. Easy to follow and packed with professional tips, this will be popular with scrapbooking enthusiasts.