Hello and a question...

[Taylor'sMom]

Hi guys. I'm an avid scrapbooker and am on the Dis nearly every day, but for some odd reason I only check out your "cozy little corner" from time to time and never post. So I just wanted to say HELLO to everyone on this board! (And I DO have a question, sorry this is so long!)

We go to Disney every year and just started the autograph book thing last year for my then 3-yr-old daughter. Before we went I made her an expandable 5x7 album that normally has photo sleeves in it. I removed the photo sleeves (for the trip) and cut out different colored cardstock and punched the appropriate holes to put into the album. On the edge of each page I decroated with a particular character's clip-art, sticker, etc. and some background patterned scraps. The characters LOVED the personalized pages! Once we got home I added the photo sleeves back in (in between each autographed page) with my favorite picture, which my DD loves and still shows to EVERYONE.
I'm reconsidering my approach for upcoming trips though, and here's why:

1. It got slightly annoying searching for the particular character's page (not when in line for 1 character, but when you go quickly from 1 to the next in a room of 4 characters, well... the pressure was on! (I did have blank sheets in the back just in case)

2. The book, while not large, got heavy in my backpack.

3. I'm now thinking of disassembling the book and turning the autographs and pics (more than 1 in most cases) into an 8x8 Scrapbook, but I have sigs on boith sides of the pages... plus some characters signed OVER the clip art or stickers, which limits how I can decorate and assemble the new pages.

So anyway (SORRY I'm so long-winded!!!), I was seraching for better ways to go about this character autograph thing. I searched for homemade autograph books, but only found a few pics. I saw the "clipboard" and "tag" tecenique which sounds very appealing (except that my DD will miss showing the characters the page that's "just for them")

Can someone either give me some links for more homemade autograph books that my search function isn't finding and/or explain a good approach for all this.

Thanks!!!!

 

[PrincessNancy96]

I don't know where the link is off hand but several of the gals around here have made tag books for autographs (I'll include a link momentarily)..

They cut the tags at 5" with the cricut... Than they add the tags to the pages to complete the scrapbook page..

BTW, to our cozy little corner!!!! BRB w/ the link to the tag books we have done previously!

 

[PrincessNancy96]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1571733

on the back of the tags the ladies add little accordian fold or mats to adhere photos and such.

You can see on some of the tags there is room for a autograph!

I made family friends autograph books and the characters loved it... What I did for them was color code the characters.. some had stickers on them for specifics but other than that.. gray was eeyore, blue was cinderella...

 

[Taylor'sMom]

Thanks Nancy, I'll go check them out right now!!!

 

[Taylor'sMom]

I just checked out all the AMAZING tags.... waaay too cute!!! you guys ROCK!
I have GOT to get in on one of these sawps!!!!
So if I understand the concept correctly, you guy get O-Ring types things to keep all the tags together? I would think that all the cool according folds and slide-outs would get caught up and fall out when you wouldn't want them to, etc. Plus I'd hate to have a 4-yr-old "play" with them unprotected like that.
I LOVE the tags though... maybe I'll use the same concept for the autograph portion only and attach them to a 8x8 page when we get home???
Are the 5" tags you guys use too small for the characters to sign in, especially with the embellishments? I would think many of them, especiually with the big badded hands, wouldn't be able to sign in the small space porivided??? Just wondering...if anyone has pics of their assembled ring, I'd love to see it!

ROCKIN' tags guys!!!!!

For Happypooh- I used some stencil paste on a brass Ciniderella-head stencil and sprinkled white glitter on it (on pale pink cardstock) and it looks really cute and its HONESTLY, not that messy! I use a small frosting spatula form papmered Chef to spread the paste. I may try do the same thing on a flash colored cardstock and chalk in her facial features like rosy cehaks, eyeshadow, etc. I'll post a pic if it comes out cute...

 

[123SA]

One year I pre-made 8x8 pages -- 3x5 photomat, embellishment and a tag for the character to sign -- I made around 100 I think. One set for each kid and I brought extra tags which we did need. Like you said, it was a great character meeting trip...but way too much work. Last trip we did the altered clipboard and blank tags. DD's was Mulan & Mushu, DS5 dinosaurs (not disney I know) and DS2 was Cars. People commented on them where ever we went -- both CMs, characters and other disney guests. I thik my DD got more attention over the clipboard.

Mulan esepcially mad a fuss. She found out what time Mushu was coming back and had us promise to come back. We did and it was so worth it. Mulan remembered DD's name and told Mushus that here is Emma the girl I was telling you about...something like that. It really made my DD's trip! Now DD is making her own book with the tags. We will probably do the same thing for our next trip.

 

[Taylor'sMom]

Thanks for sharing Susan, that’s an adorable clipboard!!!! Isn’t it nice when all your hard work is noticed by the CM’s???!!!
I think I’ll do just as you’ve said. The special clipboard will still get my DD that added bit of attention that we all enjoyed last trip, and going armed with a stack of multi-colored tags seems to be pretty hassle-free.

 

[PrincessNancy96]

Yes, the "O" ring binder clips is what I used and tied ribbon around them. I personally haven't utilized the accordian style on the back of my tags for characters to sign but I see the point of them falling open...

5" was plenty of room to sign but you could make them any size you would like.. I do know that my friend's children said the characters were thrilled to sign them with no issue and room to spare.

 

[soccerchick]

I plan to do something similar to the tags for our next trip. I'll make tags (using up so much of my scrap paper) and take them in a plastic baggie with a small clipboard that I already have.

My tags will be plain, simple and basic. I'll add them to the kids' Disney albums when I scrap the trip afterwards.

I have the large red tag from Sizzix. Has anyone used this size? I *think/hope* it will be big enough!

 

[party of 3]

taylor's mom! we did the same thing with the clip board and i can't believe the people that made comments on it. some people asked where we bought it! my son just loved it. i think it's a great idea.

and soccerchick i used the big red tag from sizzix and it was the perfect size. or at least i think so. i worked great for us. i put the tags on a ring and when we got in line i picked out the color that matched the character and then when we were back in the hotel at night i took the used ones off the ring and put some new ones on.

 

[KatDisney]

Welcome Taylor'sMom!

I have a question about the clip boards & Tags.. Did you just wip out a tag for each character and after it was signed put it in a safe place? I so want to make a clipboard but have no idea how. Can we get a tutorial

 

[123SA]

Kat--

I made my clipboard following a tutorial from BAMB. It was much easier than I expected it to be -- I had never altered anything before. I'll see if I can find it.

Traveling to the park, I kept the clipboard and tags in a 2 gal ziploc. I attached shrpie markers with ribbon. The clip part always had a stack of 5 - 10 tags ready to be signed. We took the clipboards out when we saw a character and then just left them out unless it was raining. I replenished the tags from the bag throughtout the day as needed. I put the signed tags in a separate place so I didn't get them confused. At night, I took out the signed ttags and left them in the room and I stocked up on more tags for the next day. It was much easier than the previous yeear when we had the 8x8 pages.

One thing I would do differently -- I didn't use a sealer as my final coat. September is so hot, the board would get a little tacky in your hand. I was also concerned about getting it even a little wet. Next time, I will definitely use a sealer.

 

[123SA]

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1497522

Here is the link to the clipboard tutorial

 

[party of 3]

i also carried mine in a zip lock bag. i left mine on the ring and just took them off as we got in line. or got them ready at the character meals. i worked really well for us.
i mod podged mine and i don't know if it was to humid the day i did it, but it was tacky for days and eventually pealed off. so i bought a sealer that you spray on from krylon. (triple thick crystal clear glaze) i got it at michaels. it worked great! not tacky at all.

we were at liberty tree tavern and my ds had goofy on the back of his and goofy was so excited that he signed the back of the board and his tag on the front. and when pluto came he saw goofy's signature on the back, so he signed the front and his tag. really, everyone loved it! it was good for my son, who got a kick out of everyone making a big deal over it!

 

[MyLittlePiglet]

just wanted to say welcome to taylor'smom!!!

 

[Taylor'sMom]

Thanks for the warm welcome from everyone, you guys are so sweet!