Carnival of Genealogy: My Top 2 Websites for Digital Scrapbooking Resources and a few of my own pages

Today's post is Part 1 for the Carnival of Genealogy.

Before genealogy took a hold of me, scrapbooking was my primary passion.  I've spent many days and many hours scrapbooking, taking scrapbooking classes, watching scrapbooking tutorials and videos, and reading scrapbook themed blogs.  I used to post my scrapbook pages on Scrapbook Flair (find me as curlymelb4 on the site) but I've spent so much time on my genealogy research, I haven't created a lot of new pages lately.  If you are interested in doing digital scrapbooking, I'd highly recommend Scrapbook Flair.  Through Scrapbook Flair you can upload your scrapbook pages, download free images to use on your pages, participate in challenges and discussion boards, and comment on other peoples pages.  If you do a search for the keyword "heritage" on Scrapbook Flair, you'll get a lot of great ideas and hints on making your own pages.  My favorite use of Scrapbook Flair is the ability to print your pages, so you can add the pages to a traditional scrapbook for usually $0.99 for a 12x12" print (which is one of the cheapest and best quality prints I've found over the last two years)

My second favorite site for digital scrapbooking is Two Peas in a Bucket.  Similar to Scrapbook Flair, you can upload pictures, download free and purchased elements for your pages, participate in discussion boards, and view other pages.  Unlike Scrapbook Flair, the site also features traditional (paper) scrapbooking and card making.  The site also has great lessons and tutorials. Again, a search for the keyword "heritage" is a great place to start.

You don't need Photoshop or a fancy image editor program to start digital scrapbooking (I started by using Microsoft Power Point).  Digital Scrapbooking is a lot cheaper than traditional scrapbooking as you don't need to buy the paper and elements or print out pictures.  There are many free resources available online for downloading elements, backgrounds, and word art for your pages.

CAUTION: Digital Scrapbooking is extremely Addictive!  (don't say I didn't warn you...)

The pages I share below were created in 2009 using Photoshop.

My paternal grandpa, 1931

My paternal grandpa, abt 1948

My paternal grandpa's mom, Ruth M. Brown, abt 1930

95th Carnival Of Genealogy "The Annual Swimsuit Competition": Swimsuits from the past, Let's Hear it for embarrassing myself

My first posting for the Carnival of Genealogy!  This month's theme is "The Annual Swimsuit Competition".

It was so much fun going through my stack of photos looking for swimsuit pictures of my ancestors.  While the two photos I found of my ancestors on the beach were not in a bathing suits.....unless bathing suits have changed that dramatically... I found it remarkable seeing the changes over time.  Here's my family's bathing suits from 1909 to 2008:

Depicted below is Clarence and Elizabeth Brown (nee Galligan) and child, my great grandma, Ruth Margaret Brown.  Ruth was born in 1908, so this picture is taken in 1909, most likely on the beaches of Lake Michigan in Chicago, IL.

 My grandma:  1950's vs. 2008

Unknown location, circa 1950's

Phoenix, Arizona, 2008

While pictures of my ancestors in bathing suits is limited, I have plenty of myself in bathing suits....I'm sure my future descendants will be proud...lol.  So while, I'm younger (26) than most genealogists and people interested in family history, here's a view of swimsuits in the 1980's in Illinois for your viewing pleasure and my personal embarrassment:

Yep, that's me with the squirt gun....also pictured is my mom and two sisters, 1987

Me...climbing the ladder, other three children unknown, 1988

Taking the plunge, 1988

Cheap sprinkler fun in front of the house...me in front, followed by neighborhood friends and my two sisters, 1990.    

We made up a game for the sprinkler, sort of like HORSE for basketball or Truth or Dare...whatever the one person in the sprinkler did, the others had to follow....no matter how silly or crazy.  Memories...