Christmas vintage scrapbook pages can add a unique charm to your family album.
What Is Vintage Scrapbooking?
Traditionally, vintage scrapbooking referred to using techniques to mimic the look of pages from the early 1900s when creating layouts for a heritage album. Today, however, the definition of vintage has expanded to include a much broader time period. Many people also enjoy using vintage scrapbook techniques to give an old-fashioned look to their more recent images.
Pairing photos of family members from different generations engaged in similar activities is an especially popular theme for vintage scrapbook pages. For example, a page featuring separate photos of Grandma, mother, and child opening gifts around the tree at the age of five would make for a sweet layout that helps showcase family traditions and the similarities between different generations.
Some common characteristics of vintage scrapbook pages include:
- Sepia toned or black and white photos
- Handwritten text
- Typewriter fonts
- Paper tearing
- Sanding
- Distressing with walnut ink
- Buttons
- Lace
- Postcard or postage stamp embellishments
- Newspaper clippings
The colors used in vintage scrapbook layouts tend to be much more subdued than what is typically used in pages with a more modern feel. Good colors for Christmas vintage scrapbook pages include:
- Burgundy
- Hunter green
- Navy blue
- Cream
- Ivory
- Gold
- Tan
Contrary to popular belief, Christmas vintage scrapbook pages aren't just for crafters who enjoy making traditional paper scrapbook layouts. Vintage scrapbooking can be a part of digital scrapbook pages, as many of the techniques used to create paper vintage scrapbooks can be adopted to a computer-generated format.
Supplies for Christmas Vintage Scrapbook Pages
Craft and scrapbook supply stores typically begin to get supplies for Christmas layouts in during September and October. If you can't find vintage items locally, however, you can always buy Christmas papers and embellishments online. Here are a few products to consider:
- Kaiser Craft's Frosted line has 12x12 paper and coordinating embellishments in blue, gray, silver and whites to help you create beautiful vintage Christmas scrapbook layouts.
- Bo Bunny's Tis the Season Collection includes papers with old fashioned sketched Santas that are a work of art all on their own. Consider using your leftover supplies to make gorgeous handmade Christmas decorations.
- Prima Finnabair has vintage mechanical snowflakes that will make your pages look like they stepped out of a page from last century.
- Graphic 45 makes vintage chipboard tags that are great for adding a touch of flair and journaling to an otherwise simple layout.
- Bo Bunny's Double Dot Designs Collection features simple backgrounds that look a bit worn for mix-and-match appeal.
Free Downloads for Christmas Scrapbook Pages
If you're on a tight budget, LoveToKnow Scrapbooking suggests checking out the following resources for free scrapbook supplies for your Christmas layouts:
- Hub Pages has several vintage Christmas images that you could print off to decorate your scrapbook.
- Vintage Holiday Crafts has a nice assortment of vintage Christmas card images featuring children engaged in various Christmas activities.
- Free Christmas Scrapbooking has a download for a Christmas brocade scrapbook paper.
- Vintage Scrapbooking has a download for a vintage frame that could be used to showcase a special photo or journaling for your scrapbook layout.
