A n n us M i r a b i l i s
A guide to the NJCL
Traditional Scrapbook contest
Rebecca Bush
IJCL Graphic Arts Chair
and former NJCL Scrapbook Co-Chair
Rev. August 2013
Table of Contents
Scrapbook Checklist ......................................... 2
Stage 1: Theme .................................................... 3
Stage 2: Content................................................. 6
Stage 3: Layout .................................................... 9
Stage 4: Structure ............................................. 10
Useful Latin Quotations ................................. 12
NJCL Scrapbooking Guide
Rebecca Bush, IJCL Graphic Arts Chair
Scrapbook Checklist
 The scrapbook covers events since the last convention (state or national) only, with no materials reused from a previous scrapbook or past years.
 Events from the whole year, convention to convention, are included. This is a historical document!
 Pages are no larger than 22x28”.
 Every page of the scrapbook ties into the theme, through use of artwork, quotations, borders, layout,
etc.
 The book has a handmade cover—no purchased books!—which is sturdy and easy to turn the pages.
 Photos all have captions; events and student names are clearly labeled. This is a historical document!
 All writing is done by hand, very neatly, without stray pencil marks or erasures.
 Double-check the spelling! Have another club member proofread it too!
 The book includes:
 Photos—use the highest quality possible, photo-weight paper, not grainy or blurry photos
 Memorabilia (programs, menus, brochures, agendas, notes, etc.)
 Student-drawn artwork that ties in to the theme
 Latin or Greek quotations that tie in to the theme
 A Table of Contents (it’s the last page you should make!)
 Page numbers
 NOTHING COPYRIGHTED unless you have written permission to use it
~2~
NJCL Scrapbooking Guide
Rebecca Bush, IJCL Graphic Arts Chair
Stage 1: Theme
Theme is worth 20 points. A good theme unifies your scrapbook and sets it apart from every
other year’s book. Everything you do with the book should tie in to your theme, so it is important to think about the theme early in the year.
The best themes are more than just a quotation or title. A well-planned theme can open up avenues for your creativity to shine!
Get together with your club members or scrapbook committee at the start of the year and
brainstorm possible themes. Take into consideration:

Can we find good Latin quotations relating to this theme?

Can we create graphic elements such as borders, page number designs, etc. that go
along with this theme, as a subtle way to tie the pages together throughout the book?

Can club members create eye-catching artwork related to this theme?

Is this an original idea, or an original take on a common theme (e.g. the year’s convention theme)?
Think about the following possibilities as you brainstorm:

Stories from mythology

The year’s NJCL convention theme

Favorite Latin quotations

Games and hobbies

Organizational themes, e.g. alphabetical sections
“A is for…” or geometric arrangements

Historical events

Famous Romans and Greeks
~3~
NJCL Scrapbooking Guide
Rebecca Bush, IJCL Graphic Arts Chair
Three Sample Themes
Walnut Hills’ scrapbook was arranged as a game called “The Friendly
Hand of JCL,” complete with rules, playing pieces, etc. It is important
to include a Theme page at the beginning of the scrapbook which explains the idea behind your theme and describes how you have carried
the theme throughout the book.
Handley’s “Tour of Ancient
Rome” theme lends itself
well to creativity as well as
classical connections. Officers are characterized as
“tour guides” and the Table
of Contents becomes the
“Itinerary.”
Van Alstyne chose a mythological theme: Jason and
the Argonauts. A myth which, like this one, includes
many characters is a great way to present the many
members of your club! Note also the Argonauts
quote, suitably applied to the adventure of JCL, and
the 3D artwork of Jason’s sandal.
~4~
NJCL Scrapbooking Guide
Rebecca Bush, IJCL Graphic Arts Chair
Everything should tie in to your theme...
Cover...
Theme page and
Table of Contents...
Officers and
Members...
Section dividers
and Event pages...
~5~
NJCL Scrapbooking Guide
Rebecca Bush, IJCL Graphic Arts Chair
Stage 2: Content
What should go in a scrapbook?
Try to cover everything your club does in a year (from convention to convention). Start with this list and add to it any other events you do.
 State Convention
 National Convention
 Election of club officers
 Initiation of new members
 Certamen or other competitions:
 Event:
 Event:
 Cultural activities such as Roman cooking, Toga fashion show, etc.:
 Event:
 Event:
 Fundraising activities:
 Event:
 Event:
 Social activities such as pizza parties, picnics, pool parties, dances, etc.:
 Event:
 Event:
 Guest speakers or outings to museums, plays, etc.:
 Event:
 Event:
 Other events:
~6~
NJCL Scrapbooking Guide
Rebecca Bush, IJCL Graphic Arts Chair
Develop an Eye for a Good Photo Op!
A historian’s job is to acquire photos and arrange them in the scrapbook. Here are some tips for getting
good photos.
 Take lots of pictures! Some shots may not come out, so
give yourself better odds for having some gems that you
can use.
 Know Thy Camera. Most digital cameras have presets
available for indoor or outdoor lighting, motion, portraits, macro (up close) or distance shots, etc. Practice
with your camera’s settings so that when a good shot
presents itself at a JCL event, you won’t end up with a dud photo.
 There is a time and a place for the candid shot. There is also a time and a place for posed pictures. A good scrapbook knows when to use each. For example, posed pictures may be best
for your membership pages, whereas you might want a variety of candid or action shots illustrating various events.
 Print your pictures on good quality photographic weight paper, or have them printed professionally. Use the digital photo prints kiosks at your local drugstore or department store, or
order prints from one of the many online photo storage sites such as flickr.com.
 Before printing your pictures, use Photoshop or similar photo editing software to get rid of red
eye, crop out unneeded parts of the photo, adjust the colors and contrast, etc.
You can’t be everywhere with your camera, so you will need to solicit photos, memorabilia, artwork, etc.
from club members to round out the book. If you are a state historian, contact your state’s local chapters—get in touch with chapter historians as soon as possible—and beg for photos. If you are a chapter
historian, organize your group. Enlist members or sponsors to bring their cameras to events. Arrange to
have other people’s pictures sent to you via email, CD, or by posting them online. You may want to create
an online account for your chapter at a photo sharing site, so that all members can contribute photos to a
pool from which you can choose the best.
Don’t just take pictures at events. Memorabilia are an important part of your scrapbook’s content, too.
Collect anything that will fit between the pages of a scrapbook: menus, brochures, stickers, wrappers, napkins, graffiti, feathers, pretty pebbles...whatever will remind your group of an event!
Keep track of your photos—make a list of what photos you have, what photos you need to get, and who
or what is in each photo. You will need to write captions for each picture eventually, so don’t be left with a
stack of pictures of unidentified people or events!
~7~
NJCL Scrapbooking Guide
Rebecca Bush, IJCL Graphic Arts Chair
It’s More Than Just a Photo Album
Memorabilia
 Programs, Brochures, Maps
 Stickers
 Menus, Napkins
 Letters
 Tickets, Receipts
 Ribbons and certificates
 Lanyards and name badges
 Anything that will fit on a scrapbook page!
Be a pack rat—you can sort it out later and throw out what you don’t need.
Artwork
Ask any artistic members in your club to contribute artwork to the
scrapbook. Based on your theme, suggest subjects that they could
draw, paint, etc. Quality and Quantity of artwork are both important to your scrapbook’s score. You’re going to need a variety of
artwork to decorate event pages. It’s also great to have larger artwork for section dividers, and of course you need something really
eye-catching for the cover. Artwork must be original student work.
Quotations
Scour through books of Latin quotations, mottoes, etc. to find
some pithy sayings that fit with your scrapbook theme. These can
be used along with artwork on section dividers, especially if you can
find quotes that could also relate to specific sections. Quotations
also work great on event pages to help tie every page in to the
overall theme.
In addition to Latin or Greek quotes, you might like to include fun
quotes uttered by club members throughout the year. Keep a list
from the start of the year so you have material to work with!
~8~
NJCL Scrapbooking Guide
Rebecca Bush, IJCL Graphic Arts Chair
Stage 3: Layout
As you collect your photos, memorabilia, artwork and quotes, decide how much space to allot to each
event. If some events will require more than a single 2-page spread in the book, how will you make it clear
to readers which pages go together? You might need a “Continued on the next page” symbol—use original
artwork for it if you can—or section dividers between major events. Don’t forget to plan the following
types of pages:
 Table of Contents
 Statement of Theme
 Membership list
 Club officers, perhaps with bios or quotes from each officer
 Pages for each event throughout the year (chronological
order is good, unless you have an alternate arrangement that
ties in to your theme)
Be creative with layouts! Your
main event pages should include
lots of pictures, all with neatly
written captions, but don’t stop there. Find new ways to put pictures on the page, such as tucking them into envelopes or layering
them on flaps cut out of stiff paper. To make a more interactive
scrapbook, layer tissue paper over pictures or fold a picture behind
a secret door! Memorabilia can also be tucked into envelopes or
otherwise creatively arranged. Instead of using every picture as the
rectangle that it was printed, some can be cut out and arranged as
a collage or as highlights between the main pictures in a layout.
~9~
NJCL Scrapbooking Guide
Rebecca Bush, IJCL Graphic Arts Chair
Stage 4: Structure
Cover
You’ll lose points if you start with a purchased book. Since you have to
make the cover for your scrapbook anyway, put all your creativity into
it! Maybe you could make it in the shape of a game box…
Or a temple…
How about a wax tablet, a shield, or an amphora?
A mythological creature—or a book of a very different kind!
~ 10 ~
NJCL Scrapbooking Guide
Rebecca Bush, IJCL Graphic Arts Chair
A Practical Cover
Your book doesn’t have to be as fanciful as the previous page, however. You can build the cover from
wood, plastic, fabric or other materials—just make sure it is sturdy enough to stand up to being reviewed
by multiple judges as well as viewed by the adoring crowds!
You might decorate your book cover with a mosaic...or a pillow!
Or, just decorate the cover with student artwork appropriate to the book’s theme.
Practical handling of the book is an important consideration. Make sure it will last for a long time...it’s a historical document for future members of your club to look back on in awe, and nobody is awed by a cardboard cover tearing apart and patched with random bits of duct tape.
Give careful consideration to hinging the cover or lid of the book, as well as rings or other structures to
hold the pages. Make sure the pages will turn easily without tearing or getting caught. You might also want
to install a clasp to keep the book from opening accidentally during transit.
~ 11 ~
NJCL Scrapbooking Guide
Rebecca Bush, IJCL Graphic Arts Chair
Quidquid bene dictum est ab ullo, meum est. –Seneca
Latin quotations are an important detail in a JCL scrapbook. Here are some good ones to get you started.
“Ab ovo usque ad mala.” - From eggs to apples, i.e. from beginning to end. Appropriate for a scrapbook from start to end of the year!
“Aut viam inveniemus aut faciemus.” - Either we’ll find a way or we’ll make one.
“Per aspera ad astra.” - Through difficulties to the stars.
“Fugaces labuntur anni.” - The fleeting years slip away.
“Facta, non verba.” - Deeds, not words.
“Minima maxima sunt.” - The smallest things are most important.
“Non est vivere sed valere vita est.” - Life is more than just being alive, it’s being well!
“Nosce te ipsum.” - Know thyself.
“Parva leves capiunt animas.” - Small things amuse small minds.
“Perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim.” - Be patient and tough; someday this pain will be useful
to you.
“Respice, adspice, prospice.” - Examine the past, examine the present, examine the future (look to the
past, the present, the future).
“Docendo discimus.” - We learn by teaching.
“Mirabile dictum!” - Wonderful to tell!
“Aspirat primo Fortuna labori.” - Fortune smiles upon our first effort.
“Rident stolidi verba Latina.” - Fools laugh at the Latin language.
“Acta est fabula.” - The play has been acted out.
“Fortes Fortuna iuvat.” - Fortune favors the bold.
“Non scholae sed vitae discimus.” - We learn not for school but for life.
“Sermo datur cunctis; animi sapientia paucis.” - Speech is given to many; intelligence to few.
“Exegi monumentum aere perennius.” - I have erected a monument more lasting than bronze.
~ 12 ~