Autograph book/scrapbook dilemma

[b-1]

Here is the concern:

I bought 2 7x7 CM albums with the red cover and the Mickey head on the bottom corner. ONe for each of my daughters (8 and 2). I was thinking that we would use them for autograph books, have the character sign on the left side and put the picture on the right. Here are my questions:

1. What kind of pen should I use? The characters need something bigger to grip and I would like to have a larger tip so that the signatures are bold. Could I put some pencil grips on a regular CM bold tip marker? WOuld that be big enough?

2. Maybe these books are too big ( and expensive) to haul around the parks. But I kind of like the idea of having the signature right on the page instead of attaching a seperate page into the book. Has anyone else carried these books into the parks and used them like an autograph book?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[pattyT]

I haven't done it yet -
I have ben pondering it for our April trip -
I bought 3 of them for the 3 kids (10,4 and 6 months)
and I do not want to lug them around either!

I was thinking that it might be easier to use a different auto book (maybe the dis one and the dis pen - they weren't that expensive it I recall and I LOVE that pen - I can still always find it in my purse - lol)
then scan or photocopy them all and print them and put them on the appropriate page in the cm album..

It sounds like a lot of work but I tried really hard to get all the autographs on the 'right' page last trip and It is amazing how many were upside down - on the same page as another -
and even at the back of the book past blank pages! I don't think I can deal with the stress of MAKING sure they are where they need to be!

hmmmm now that I said that - only 2 kids HAVE to get the autographs (because they HAVE to you know) I can juse use theres for the 9 -at time of trip-month olds album (of course we will still torture her with the pictures - she doesn't get out of it that easy!)

hth's at all

 

[jennyL]

While I was in line during our Dec trip the people behind us had this album. The mother had already decorated it all and was only havign the charater sign on the correct page. She had one page per character/couple and then some generic pages in the back. It seemed to be working pretty well. The only thing I saw wrong was that there was no room for a picture. My siste rhas to have the picture with the autograph so that wouldn't work for us. I made her a homade one from a book I got at Michaels. I decorated the front and she had the characters all sign the right page and we are going to add the pictures and stuff when she is visiting for MLK weekend.

 

[Twigs]

The only problem I can think of is, in the past when DS's handed their books to the character, they sometimes did not grab the book right and then opened it to a different page to sign, and then there were some characters that flipped thru the book and chose their own page even if the book was handed open to them. It didn't matter to us, but I remember thinking if we were trying to keep them in some kind of order that it wouldn't have worked.

 

[bskts4bj]

My son just used one on our latest trip -- worked just fine. I had him use a Zig Writer w/the bold tip for the "large handed" characters and the other tip on the other end (fine tip) for the princesses and other "human" characters. They loved it. He was able to be sure the book was "right side up". He let the characters sign on any page and we plan to add pages to the album for pictures. The book fits well inside a gallon size ziplock to keep it from getting dirty too. I think he ended up getting about 30 autographs this trip!

Good luck!
Brenda

 

[PoohBearLovinMama]

I just did this for my last trip but I only have one Dd so we only had one book. I used the CM bold markers and they seemed to do fine with it. I did uncap it for them though and I also opened the book for them. Each character had their own pages and none were signed upside down. If they do sign upside down, just pull out the page and flip it over and it should be the the right way up, unless someone signed on the back side of the page. The only thing I wish I had done was to decorate before hand because lots of pages with the autographs won't be able to be decorated.

 

[AWorldofMemories]

I used three (10,6 and 2) of these for my trip last summer. I took refill page with me and took the signed pages out each evening so the books were not that bulky and hard to manage. I used the round tip CM markers and they worked perfectly. The autographs were colorful and most signed in the center of the page so we could decorate the corners. The characters were very good about signing on the page we had the book open to.

When we came home we added blank pages between the autographed ones for pictures to be added. My DDs are scrapping their own and I did my DS' (he's 2). I was able to get an additional 2 1/2 packs of refills into the book and it looks great.

I am very pleased with how ours are turning out. I plan to buy more for our trip next year before they are discontinued.

 

[Twinkies]

Disney book - but I took a spiral bound notebook to collect the autographs. Must easier to carry around the park. Then I cut the autographs out once I got home and backed it on coordinating paper - the autograph/decorations are on one side, the picture is on the opposite side.

I like having the autographs separate, so you can order the way you want them in your book. Just be careful and not have a character sign on the back side of an already autographed page.

 

[nursetink]

jennyL That may have been me in early Dec. I had my DD's books basically decorated, with extra blank pages in the back. I added one blank page between each set of decorated/autographed pages when we got home, which gave me a place to put each picture beside the autograph.

I did this for my girls and am now in the process of adding the pictures. I just had them processed today, and this is my weekend project with the girls. They were a little cumbersome to carry around, but we were celebrating my oldest DD's 5th birthday with the grandparents too. So I wanted her to have a special autograph book to remember the trip. Good luck with your decision.

 

[jennyL]

jennyL That may have been me in early Dec. I had my DD's books basically decorated, with extra blank pages in the back. I added one blank page between each set of decorated/autographed pages when we got home, which gave me a place to put each picture beside the autograph.

I did this for my girls and am now in the process of adding the pictures. I just had them processed today, and this is my weekend project with the girls. They were a little cumbersome to carry around, but we were celebrating my oldest DD's 5th birthday with the grandparents too. So I wanted her to have a special autograph book to remember the trip. Good luck with your decision.

I was there from Dec 18-22 but I don't think it was you the family I saw the daugther was a little older 10 or 11 maybe. I didn't think about adding the pages that would make sense for putting the pictures in.

 

[diznygirl]

DH was a Character Greeter and he saw lots of the CM albums. If you give the album to the character open to the right page and say "please sign here" they will. A lot of the characters have their own pens too - but if want them to use yours just tell them. Speak up - sometimes they have a little fluff in their ears but they can hear you and will do as you request.

FYI - some characters are supposed to sign upside down. For instance, Tweedledee will sign right-side-up, then TweedleDum will sign right underneath, upside down.

Take your time - don't get flustered and have fun!

 

[b-1]

for all the great advice. I think I am going to bring the books and I think they will turn out great. now if I could get the two year old not to pull her shirt over her head whenever I want a picture of her, we should be in business!! ( I have been to every photo studio in town trying to get her passport picture done, it is not going to happen, sigh) Thanks again.