Scanning Ideas

[KerryMac]

I'm trying to get inspired to scan more personal items to use in my family travel and heritage pages. I keep putting it off, though!
This morning I remembered that we have my DH's grandfather's sketchbook from the 1940's. It's full of different things that would look great on a page.
So that got me thinking about other items to scan: concert tickets, maps, train tickets, passport pages, my girl's artwork, etc.
How about starting of thread of ideas from people here? Anyone want to add to the above???

[blkcow]

I scanned the room key (credit card shaped) from a recent cruise. Also a "toilet voucher" from a restroom in Russia!!!! And entrance tickets into functions.

Here is a question I ask myself all the time....do I discard the actual "toilet voucher" after scanning it and using it in a page??? I have boxes of stuff like that.

Awesome thread!!!

[KerryMac]

I love that toilet voucher idea! When would you ever see one of those again? And I do hope that scanning things might give me permission to throw some stuff out

And I hadn't ever thought of scanning a room key. Great thinking!

[digigrandma]

Kerry, I scanned my paper dolls from the late 40's and early 50's. Then, I created scrapbook pages for each set of dolls. My most recent scan were some Valentine cards I received as a young child.

Can't wait to see what you do with your grandfather's sketch book from the 40's.

[anke]

I think that is a wonderful idea! I scanned in my kids artwork. I used to get so many wonderful drawings that I hated to throw out and this gave me a perfect way to preserve them!

[LisaD]

I'm currently scanning the kids artwork. But now that I'm thinking all sorts of tickets, maps to the places visited (zoo's etc.), receipts of special items (Anniversary dinner etc). Your passport stamps.
This is a great thread.

[lima]

I just scanned a diary cover and an autograph book I had when I was 13; I also have letters written to me by my younger sisters when I was in college that I want to scan.

[Chris]

Before Digital scrapping, I can't ever remember a page without something scanned - Apples from apple picking and also the cute bag with the orchard's name. New England fall leaves. Heaps of shells, cute rocks and stones. Grass, leaves and flowers (these make great brushes). Kids clothing for the prints to use in their layouts. Jewelry for bling. Embroidery motifs.
Overseas trips, I used the page in our passport that was stamped.

Be sure to place a nice bright colored (a color NOT in the item itself) paper behind the item while scanning so it will be easier to select and remove in Photoshop.

I used to scan a lot, but now with digital, I prefer a close-up with the camera because the items seem to have more dimension.

[KerryMac]

Maybe one of the gurus here can help me out a bit with something...
I just scanned an oddly shaped object (a retro needle book). What's the best way to crop/extract the object? I tried the magnetic lasso, but it was kind of imperfect. And do I save it as a png file? I always have trouble with this!
Also, I remembered that I have a ration book from WWII...off to find it!

Edited to say: I figured out how to extract!