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Hide-and-Seek Journaling
by Sara Horton
(Sep 22, 2004)
When my children were babies, we bought them each a Pat the Bunny book. They loved interacting with the peek-a-boo blanket that flipped up to reveal a child’s face underneath, smelling the scented flower paper, and feeling the soft texture of the bunny. There is something enchanting about the interactive, tactile experience of this book. Creating scrapbook pages with the same elements makes them equally enchanting. The reader is drawn into the page because it requires an action and becomes an experience rather than a passive activity. One way to draw readers into your scrapbook pages is to create hidden journaling. I often hide journaling using tags, flaps, envelopes or mini-books on my layouts. Tags  Tags can also be tucked into a border strip. A simple straight machine stitch between tag slots creates snug pockets for the tags to fit in. Tags can be removed and flipped over to reveal journaling notes. A few other ideas for hiding journaling on tags include:
Flaps Hinges add an interesting element to flaps. Popular metal hinges can be adhered with mini-brads, glue or strong tape. Leftover scraps of ribbon make inexpensive and attractive hinges. Jute, fibers, string, fabric and jump rings can also serve as hinges. Page elements that lend themselves well to creating flaps include:
Envelopes Types of envelopes include:
Mini-books Tiny mini-books can be dangled from a page with ribbon, fibers, wire or string. Larger books can be contained in an empty CD holder taped to the page. Several companies now produce pre-made mini-books, eliminating one step in the process. To customize a mini-book to your layout, try creating one from:
Like a game of hide-and-seek, hidden journaling is just good fun. Adding interest and variety to your pages is easy with interactive journaling techniques.  Shop at the Scrapbook.com Superstore for all your Scrapbooking Supplies!Enjoy 5-Star service, HUGE selection and LOW prices! Click here to start shopping! Featured Scrapbooking Supplies (from Scrapbook.com):
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Tucking tags behind photos is a fun way to hide journaling (or extra photos). To create a niche for tags, use double-sided 1/16” thick foam tape behind a photo. Place the tag behind the photo, where you would like it to pull out. Flip the matted photo over and trace around the tag on the back side of the photo mat. Adhere the foam tape to the back of the photo mat being careful to follow the tag outline to create a three-sided box for the tag. Place the photo on layout, then slip a tag in the niche. The foam tape lifts the photo slightly off the page, forming a box for the tag. It is a good idea to reinforce the pull-out tab with ribbon or sturdy material so it will hold up to use and abuse.
Another fun way to hide journaling is to create flaps with page elements. Simply folding a piece of cardstock like a greeting card, then mounting a photo on the top portion is a quick method of creating a flap. When the “card” is adhered to a layout, the reader then must lift the photo to reveal journaling.
I love getting a personal message in the mail. It’s so much fun to open an envelope to see what secrets are held inside. Journaling tucked into an envelope is just as much fun for the scrapbook reader. 
Mini-books are all the rage in the world of paper arts. These little books are the perfect size for documenting an event and also make excellent places for hidden journaling on a layout. Simply create a small booklet and attach it to a layout with strong adhesive. A double stick tape with a red liner (“the type often used with beads and glitter) is a good adhesive for mini-books.
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