Welcome to the Gotta Craft them all Blog hop. Today I have partnered with some fellow craft bloggers to bring you some inspiration based on our love of Pokemon ( BTW, I am not affiliated in any way with Nintendo or Pokemon. We’re just a family who happens to love video games and video game characters). As I sat down to plan out my craft project, it occurred to me that I often find the process of documenting our geeky pursuits to be a bit challenging.There isn’t always a perfect scrapbook kit ( especially if you are a paper scrapbooker) and often, this is the time in which I do want a themed kit. I decided to share with you how I find a way around this issue but first, I needed the perfect photo to document.

Gotta Catch the Prize by Christy Strickler |Supplies Cardstock: Bazzill; Digital Scrapbook Kit: Catch ’em All by Traci Reed Designs and Studio Flergs; Letters: American Crafts; Other: Glitter glue

I settled on a photo of my son with his friends. For my son’s birthday, we held a party at a local arcade. As the party neared completion and the kids counted their tickets, they realized that a few kids might not have enough for a nice prize. The kids pooled their tickets and went back to win a few more so that each kid could go home with the prize they wanted. Two of the kidsv( my son included) wanted a stuffed Pikachu which you see in the photo. I decided this was a perfect photo for a Pokemon themed scrapbook layout but I did not have any traditional Pokemon themed scrapbook supplies. I managed to gather some resources to create a quick kit which really isn’t that hard. In fact, you can use these tips to create a scrapbook kit for any of your hobbies and interests.

3 Tips for Documenting your Geeky Pursuits

1.Use Licensed Product. It’s highly likely that you have or will purchase clothing with your favorite character. It’s also quite likely that the clothing has a themed tag. Be sure to set those aside. They make fabulous scrapbook embellishments. If you look within my scrapbook layout, you will see a Pikachu on a Pokemon tag. I got that from a hat my son received as a gift.

Apparel isn’t the only resource for officially licensed product. You can buy stickers, bookmarks, key chains, fabric patches and countless other items. Try to look for flat items that are not to heavy or too chunky. You may need liquid adhesive to glue it to the page.                                                                                                                                                                    

If you are hosting a birthday party, look for themed items that you can use as scrapbook embellishments.In some cases, you may wish to set aside a few items for yourself before the party begins. Napkins can be used in place of themed scrapbook paper. Characters can be cut out of paper plates. Small toys may be light and thin enough to glue onto your layout. You can also use banners or pieces of the tablecloth afterwards if they are in good shape.                                                                                                              

 If your child receives gifts, check to see if you can use the toy packaging in any way. Can you cut apart the box and use it for patterned paper? Can you cut the name of the character from the box and use it as a title or embellishment? Also consider wrapping paper to be used in placed of scrapbook paper. Hang onto any greeting cards which can double as a scrapbook embellishment.                      

2.Use the Color of Your Favorite Character to Choose Scrapbook Supplies from Your Stash.  I chose cardstock to match the colors within the Pokemon tag. I also chose my letter stickers with that color palette in mind. Don’t be afraid to consider patterned paper if the color fits with the theme. Stripes and dot patterns are always easy to mix in with just about any theme.                 

3.Consider a Digital Scrapbook Kit.  Going hybrid will give you more flexibility. Digital scrapbook kits are often made and released faster than those available in paper collections. This means that if a particular character is trending right now, chances are you can find a digital kit with a tribute towards that trend. For my layout, I chose a tribute kit from Traci Reed Designs.                                  

Now that you have an idea for how to create a themed kit to document your geeky pursuits, you are going to need some photos!

• Takes pictures with favorite collectibles and toys
• document your loved one playing the game or reading books/comics pertaining to that genre
• interview your loved one about their favorite character or why they love this particular franchise so much
• take photos of them creating drawings or crafts featuring their favorite game characters

Speaking of crafts, it’s time for you to hop on. Don’t forget to snap photos of your family making these cute crafts so that you have pictures for your scrapbook pages!

Gotta Craft Them All – Pokemon Kids Craft from My Very Educated Mother

Bulbasaur Hooded Scarf Tutorial from Morena’s Corner

Pokemon Craft Ideas from Morena’s Corner