Capture inspiration, irony and humor with clever tidbits for your scrapbook pages.

Compile a file of phrases

If you're looking for a quote on an unusual subject, search the web by topic instead of going specifically to a quotations site. That's how I found a quotation for a page about Panama (www.czbrats.com).

3. Amass magazines. I read a stack of magazines each month, and they're one of my best sources for quotes. I found a great quote for my "Colorado Sky" page in Reader's Digest: "It is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream." — Bern Williams, Reader's Digest, Quotable Quotes, Oct. 1998, p. 61.

4. Borrow from books. Whether you're reading fiction or non-fiction, keep your eyes open for aphorisms to use in your scrapbooks. While reading Barbara Johnson's Splashes of Joy in the Cesspools of Life, I copied this for a forward to an album: "The memory is a wonderful treasure chest for those who know how to pack it."

Even storytime with your children will yield useful quotes. For a page about hiking with friends, I used this quote from Pocketful of Pooh-isms: "Walking together helps a lot when you're lost in the woods." And this quote from Alice in Wonderland works for the first page of a photo album: " '. . . and what is the use of a book,' thought Alice, 'without pictures or conversations?' "

5. Pick some poetry. Because many of the themes used in our scrapbooks—home, family, faith, patriotism—have been themes favored by poets, a poetry anthology is a good resource to keep on hand. One of my favorites, The Best Loved Poems of the American People, is where I found these humorous lines to use on a Thanksgiving page: "I like good bread, I like good meat, Or anything that's fit to eat." "Dried Apple Pies," author unknown

Another source I turn to when I need a poem is Ideals magazine (available at most public libraries). Each issue focuses on a theme such as friendship, motherhood or the current holiday.

6. Pay attention to advertisements. As previously mentioned, ads can be good sources of journaling ideas. Companies pay ad agencies thousands of dollars to come up with short phrases that communicate well. For example, the Pacific Trail outdoor clothing ad from Walking Magazine states simply: "Tall trees. Tall mountains. Tall campfire tales." Why not do something similar on a camping layout?

Another idea? Use the Parker Brothers ad slogan "The best part of playing is playing together" for a sports layout, a page that shows siblings playing, or a layout of a family enjoying a board game.

3. Amass magazines. I read a stack of magazines each month, and they're one of my best sources for quotes. I found a great quote for my "Colorado Sky" page in Reader's Digest: "It is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream." — Bern Williams, Reader's Digest, Quotable Quotes, Oct. 1998, p. 61.

4. Borrow from books. Whether you're reading fiction or non-fiction, keep your eyes open for aphorisms to use in your scrapbooks. While reading Barbara Johnson's Splashes of Joy in the Cesspools of Life, I copied this for a forward to an album: "The memory is a wonderful treasure chest for those who know how to pack it."

Even storytime with your children will yield useful quotes. For a page about hiking with friends, I used this quote from Pocketful of Pooh-isms: "Walking together helps a lot when you're lost in the woods." And this quote from Alice in Wonderland works for the first page of a photo album: " '. . . and what is the use of a book,' thought Alice, 'without pictures or conversations?' "

5. Pick some poetry. Because many of the themes used in our scrapbooks—home, family, faith, patriotism—have been themes favored by poets, a poetry anthology is a good resource to keep on hand. One of my favorites, The Best Loved Poems of the American People, is where I found these humorous lines to use on a Thanksgiving page: "I like good bread, I like good meat, Or anything that's fit to eat." "Dried Apple Pies," author unknown

Another source I turn to when I need a poem is Ideals magazine (available at most public libraries). Each issue focuses on a theme such as friendship, motherhood or the current holiday.

6. Pay attention to advertisements. As previously mentioned, ads can be good sources of journaling ideas. Companies pay ad agencies thousands of dollars to come up with short phrases that communicate well. For example, the Pacific Trail outdoor clothing ad from Walking Magazine states simply: "Tall trees. Tall mountains. Tall campfire tales." Why not do something similar on a camping layout?

Another idea? Use the Parker Brothers ad slogan "The best part of playing is playing together" for a sports layout, a page that shows siblings playing, or a layout of a family enjoying a board game.

Gather meaningful quotes and let them help you communicate everything from encouragement to humor to heartfelt thoughts. As Emily Magleby of Springville, Utah, says, "A great quote can help you put your thoughts and feelings into words. The quote I used in Figure 4 was perfect for letting Jacob know that, even though he's adopted, he's very much a part of our lives and always will be."

Search out quotes and use them effectively, and you'll touch people with the magnificent power of words. Others will connect with what you're hoping to communicate, and you can quote me on that!