Holy Scrap! Check Out This Week's Scrapbooking Escape

In this day and age it seems as if everywhere you look there is a computer screensaver or digital picture frame with a slideshow of family pictures. I may be old-fashioned, but there is something magical about opening up a photo album and looking at memories. It takes time to sit down and really reflect on feeling and experiences associated with pictures. I love to scrapbook because I can jot down little narratives and I can glue in ticket stubs or programs associated with the different events.

The photos I had lying around the house had stacked up for long enough that I knew it was time to start scrapbooking again. As much as I love it, it is a rather daunting task to sort, edit and organize the pages of my life.

Naturally, I headed over to the  to help me get started; for anyone who has not visited this store, you are missing out on an adventure in creativity. Paper for my scrapbooking pages in every size, pattern, and color overflow from every wall inside the store. Another long wall is lined with rolls and rolls of stickers to accent any scrapbook page, from sports to dance to family vacations, they are sure to have the theme are looking for. I especially love the stickers that are for each one of the 50 states because they also include stickers of "points of interest" from every state. Additional embellishments for your pages such as stamps, ribbons, and various punches are also to be found in abundance.

On top of their scrapbooking materials, the Paper Rabbit has become legendary for its personalizing services. At the entrance of the store there is an assortment of keepsake items that you can have personalized, such as piggy banks, jewelry boxes, water bottles, and even gumball machines, to list a few. The staff there is on hand with their trusty paint pens to decorate and personalize any item. There is a huge wall of sample pictures and "doodles" to go on your item as well as several different styles of writing for personalizing.

Owner Danielle Smith stated that "our doodling and lettering classes have become our most popular class that we offer here. Anyone can be an artist as we teach them simple ideas and techniques for drawing animals, people, flowers, and other accents. Some people say they can only draw stick figures; well, this is the class for them as we can teach anyone."

Paper Rabbit has a large room in the back of the store that is used for their classes, but this room is also used for birthday parties and kids' camps. Additional information about classes and parties can be found on their online store.

"Here you can place online orders for hand painted, personalized gifts. Any product you chose can be personalized with a name and painted with one of over 100 designs! A Paper Rabbit personalized item is always a unique and memorable gift. We will be starting free Friday deliveries of our items to La Crescenta, La Canada, and Montrose starting soon," said Smith.

Come visit Paper Rabbit with your children and let them be inspired, as well. One great piece of advice I got from a friend is to let your pre-teen and teen children make their own scrapbook. It is great for them to reflect upon their adventures and accomplishments and they can exert their independence in putting together their own keepsake albums.

See you at the Paper Rabbit!