American flags wave from front porches. They’re posted in car windows and on display in office cubicles. The events of September 11, 2001, have inspired a renewed respect for the strength and dignity of this American symbol.

So many of us have photographs that have also gained renewed respect in light of the September events. Perhaps your father served in the Armed Forces, or your child has just mastered the Pledge of Allegiance. These memories somehow have more meaning now.

Scrapbook specialists Teresa Nelson and LeNae Gerig were kind enough to share their scrapbooking ideas for patriotic pages.

Private Christenson

designed by LeNae Gerig

LeNae’s Tip: Black and white photos look wonderful next to primary colors. Just remember the Golden Rule when you use patterned papers: always mat photos onto a coordinating solid paper before placing them on a patterned background.

In LeNae’s Supply Box:

• patterned Paper Pizazz®
- American Flag, blue pin stripe -- Making Heritage Scrapbook Pages
- red stars 12"x12" Stripes, Checks & Dots
• solid Paper Pizazz®
- red Solid Jewel Tones
- blue Solid Jewel Tones

And this page is easy to do: simply place American Flag paper at an angle on red stars background paper. Mat photos on red, then on blue strip and add to page as shown.

Proud to be an American

Designed by Teresa Nelson

Teresa’s Tip: Combine colors that read light with those that read dark. The easiest way to tell how each color “reads”? Simple: squint! Here, the navy blue reads dark while the white stripes and stars balance with light. This page is also a great example of combining papers patterned with the same design in different sizes: the blue with white stars paper acts as an “echo” for the stars on the American Flag background sheet.

In Teresa’s Supply Box:

• Patterned Paper Pizazz®
- American Flag
- Blue with White Stars
• solid Paper Pizazz®
- red Solid Jewel Tones
- blue Solid Jewel Tones

Teresa cut a 2"x12" strip of blue with white stars paper, then tore one 12" side and attached it to the left side of the American Flag background sheet. (Tip: Tear toward you to achieve a white paper edge on the border.) The matted photos are decorated with strips of paper cut the width of a row of stars. Teresa matted them on white before placing them on the photos.

And as our special gift to you—a FREE Uncle Sam paper piecing pattern from our best-selling book, 201 Paper Piecing Patterns.

In your Supply Box:

• patterned Paper Pizazz®
- red stripes Part not in database (may have been discontinued): #3048
- navy checks Dots, Checks, Plaids & Stripes
• solid Paper Pizazz®
- navy blue, black Solid Jewel Tones
- white, tan Plain Pastels
• 1/4" star punch (Family Treasures)
• red acid-free chalk (Craf-T)
• cotton swab
• black Zig pen

What do you think? We hope you’re inspired to add a touch of red, white and blue to your album!