From Cindy Rushton's Desk(TOP!)!

What Ya Need To Get Started Lapbooking by Cindy Rushton

What Ya Need To Get Started...

Our Easy Shopping List!

by Cindy Rushton

Ready to get going? Just need to know what you need? Need to gather and organize those supplies?  Okey, dokey! Let’s look at what you need to get started…

Our Easy Shopping List!

Þ      File folders...Use plain or manilla. You can also use colored file folders to match the theme of your Lapbook. Another great option is to use 11 X 17 or 12 X 18 card-stock paper or posterboard. You may want to use those if you need a specific color to coordinate with your project.

Þ      Paper...ANY kind of paper is game. In fact, you will need a wide variety of paper for different uses.  We mostly use 110 lb. white cardstock for most of our children’s pages for their books and their artwork. We make the “hard-copy” of our book on this durable paper when there is a lot of artwork being used.  It is usually acid-free, economical, and the most durable for a wide variety of purposes.  As the years have gone by and their work has shifted to the computer, now we primarily produce their work on the computer (scanning in illustrations or using pictures taken on the digital camera as their clip-art. When books are prepared on the computer, all we need is 20lb. copy paper. We print the “hard-copy” on the computer printer and copy it on a copy machine. We have also been blessed by several of our local printers with scraps of brightly colored paper of all different weights. Most printers have so many different projects going that require different types of specialty paper. As they trim and cut those projects, they are left with an abundance of scrap paper.  We usually get a huge box of scraps.  The children use them for anything from  bright touches on little books to added dimension on pages that need a special emphasis.  The best part of it is that these scraps are FREE! I know, I just lost you...you are on your way to your local printer now!  J

      Still need more paper?  You can find bright colored, often acid-free cardstock paper at your local office supply store or Sam’s Warehouse for VERY reasonable.  We always have a big supply of paper on hand for our children since we use Notebooking and Book-making for all of their studies.  Plus, we are addicted to Scrapbooking, so we MUST have plenty of options on hand for those creative moments when they hit. We choose a wide variety of paper depending on what we need…

©      110 pound white…for an art project (great for watercolors and markers and glue projects), book or notebook covers, sturdy pages, and timeline notebooks/books.

©      110 pound colored…for book covers… for sturdy pages… for mounting specimens… for mounting backgrounds for pictures and text.

©      Any pound…any color!  Great for adding a touch of color and emphasis to any page.

©      Printed paper...for cute combinations and contrasts!  We also use cute stripes/prints/florals as backgrounds for our covers.  We have found MANY great options right at our fingertips!

©      Plain lined paper…use paper for their level of handwriting.  We cut out small strips for captions, titles, poems, labeling pictures and specimens.  I keep them on hand in our supply cabinet. All the children have to do to write is grab a page and WRITE!

©      Copy paper…for printing off of the computer and Internet. We also use copy paper for printing our “hard-copy” from the computer and for printing the inside pages of our books (covers are printed from cardstock).

©      File folders...fold in a shutter-fold to make a fun, lapbook/desktop project! Great way to safely produce a whole project book with all of your little books. See Dinah Zike’s books for how-to’s, information to include, and great ideas! Another great resource that is HOT off the press is Tammy Duby’s new book The Ultimate Lap Book Handbook. You CAN use 11 X 17 or 12 X 18 paper for nice desktop projects, but the file folders are very sturdy. Both can be stored in your Notebook or in a gallon size plastic bag.

Giving your children a wide variety and easy access BEGS them to get busy creating fun and easy books!  Turn them loose!

Þ      Pens, pencils, and markers…You probably already have these on hand! Encourage writing by having a wide variety of pens, pencils, and markers. For notetaking, you will need pencils, pens, and highlighters. Most any brand will work fine. For producing your books, look for acid-free, photo-safe supplies. They will last longer, look better, and be easier for your children to use. Your child may be like Elisabeth and have TONS of fun using Gel pens. Those are fun to use for journaling, labeling or hand-writing books. We keep a large supply on hand for Elisabeth to use on her little (and big!) projects! Also, another staple is brush markers! Elisabeth loves to use brush markers to illustrate her books, notebooks, and scrapbooks. The tip works much like a paint brush, making them great for coloring rubber stamps or adding color to their book sketches. Watercolor pencils are also great for this! Both of my children have loved to use watercolor pencils through the years. Watercolor pencils come in a huge variety of colors and can be used to add a touch of color to any page.                  

Þ      Scissors!!!  Who would have ever thought that there would be SO many options when it comes to scissors?  We usually keep many different kinds so everyone in the house (except me when I NEED a pair!) has easy access!  We have children’s scissors, fabric scissors, embroidery scissors, decorative scissors (For scrapbooking and, of course, book making!), and craft scissors.  You probably have some of these around your home. The key is having them in an accessible place when you are ready to create your heirlooms.  Use scissors to make the books completely unique. We apply many of the ideas we use in our scrapbooks to make the pages in our books very, very special. Check out some of the pages from Elisabeth’s and Matthew’s  books (on the previous page) for cute samples of how you can use the different edgings to make the pages just perfect!

Þ      Glue...Here again, there are sooo many options available.  Each has its own purpose.  We try to always have fresh glue. The beginning of the school year is the best time to buy fresh glue because there are so many great Back-to-School sales.  Stock up then on your Elmer’s or 3M glue sticks, 3M spray adhesive, Elmer’s liquid glue, rubber cement, mounting corners, and mounting tape.  Keep them accessible for your little ones to freely use. We keep ours in our supply cabinet, ready-to-use at any time!

Þ      Staplers…Although there are MANY, MANY ways to bind books, we bind our books in four primary ways: comb-binding, spiral-binding, 3-ring notebooks, and stapling.  The first two may be a bit out of reach for you, but staplers are readily available for beginning authors.  We recommend that most of you just have the comb and spiral binding done for you at your local printer, but you may want to purchase your own staplers if you want to keep your expenses down and encourage your children to make books at their whim.  We keep the regular staplers AND the heavy-duty, long-arm booklet staplers.  These are especially great for making books. They are well-worth your investment if your children get hooked on creating books. You will find them using them regularly!

Þ      Hole puncher…You probably already have one on hand. These are fairly inexpensive. If funds are really limited, buy a hand-held hole-puncher. You can line up notebook paper on top of your page as your punching guide. Of course, the 3-hole punchers are now so much more reasonable and save your time, making them well worth the investment. These can be used for a multitude of uses, but one great way to use them is to create your books in a 3-ring notebook binder style. Your children can design their own covers, hole punch the pages, and add the pages to the binder. Voila! Binding is DONE! Quick, easy, and inexpensively. If this is your option, you can find your binders reasonably priced at your local Sam’s Discount Warehouse or office supply store.

Þ      Notebooks...Speaking of notebooks… Our favorite notebooks are the 3-ring vinyl notebooks that have the clear pockets on the outside so the children can design their own covers.  We usually choose the white notebooks (Either 1 or 1 ½ inches thick, although some of the more beloved studies have required larger notebooks.) and fill it full of plastic sheet protectors.  Then, all our children have to do is add their work each day.  This is one of the greatest places to store your information while compiling your book. Of course, we LOVE Notebooking! Our homeschool notebooks have inspired many of the books that we have produced. As topics have grown in our notebooks, we have found PERFECT topics for our books. Everything from our notebooks can be used in our books too! Copywork, maps, narrations, letters, interviews and even illustrations can be used in books. Also, notebooks are the perfect place to store away your books to keep them safe!  If you need more help with notebooking, check out our best-selling book Notebooking! Yes! You CAN Be A Binder Queen Too!

Þ      Computer… Talk about turning a young writer loose! Our computers today invite our children into publishing their own books! Whereas you do not have to have the best and the most updated computer to produce your own books with your children, I am amazed at the prices for great computers today. They have become affordable for every home! We suggest that your computer have a good publishing program. Microsoft Office is our pick. It is the most versatile and is now available in a student edition—just show your local office supply your proof of enrollment with your homeschool. We use Microsoft Word (included in the student’s version of Microsoft Office) for writing our actual rough-drafts since it also has a built in spelling and grammar check. We use Microsoft Publisher (also in the set) for our actual book set-up. We operate Microsoft Windows XP for our operating system with our computers. It has a wonderful program that archives our digital pictures into files that are easy to use as clip-art.

Þ      Camera… Yes, you can use those disposable cameras if that is your only option.  However, I must share our mainstay: our digital camera!  Not only do you save money on film processing, but you can also “paste-and-clip” all of your pictures into documents that your children are writing.  Printing is as easy as the click of a button.  NOW…if you have a nice camera, you can still have your film processed in most locations so that you can request a disc with the pictures on it. Those pictures can be used as clip-and-paste into your documents as well. This unleashes those children who are hands-on into a whole new world of writing. If they are your children who are constantly building, cooking, creating, or tinkering; they can document what they are learning step-by-step in their books. Get those cameras out! Turn those little ones loose!

Þ      Comb-binder…I know, I know… This sounds like such an extravagance!  But, hold on! Comb-binders are now available in small, reasonable versions that are no larger than a 3-hole puncher. If you are going to make many books, especially if your children want to begin their own “business,” this is a MUST! You will save enough money on your very first books to purchase your own little comb-binder. These are available through our bookstore or at your local office supply.

Þ      Other “essentials” you probably have...The extras are what makes each and every book special in its own way, with the personality of the writer.  The sky is the limit!  Again, these are probably already in your home. Gather them together and turn your little ones loose!

©       Stickers!

©       Rubber Stamps!

©       Paper Cutters!

©       Cutting Mat!

©       Scrapbooking Books and Magazines!

©       Paints!

©       Ruler!

©       Paper Cutter!

©       Craft Knife!

©       Scrapbooking Supplies!

©       ETC!

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