3 Ideas to Celebrate Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year falls on February 19th this year, and if you want to celebrate or document the holiday here are three quick and simple ideas you can use. The first comes from Hattifant, and is this delightful fold out dancing dragon card to share with friends and family.

You can download the free template in two versions: one is already colored in, or you can get a blank dragon to color yourself. Manja explains exactly how to construct the card and envelope before sending.

Use this printable red gift giving envelope with gold apple blossom design from Lia Griffith for cash gifts. The envelope is sized to the US dollar bill and the printable PDF is on one sheet of letter sized paper. I think it would make a great pocket for holding journaling on a scrapbook page.

Follow Tara’s instructions at Unsophitcook to make these decorative paper fortune cookies. A great way to use up some of that stash of patterned papers!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Halloween scrapbooking is honestly one of my favourite seasonal projects. There’s just something playful about mixing pumpkins, ghosts, stars, bats, spiderwebs, and all the spooky-but-cute shapes that come out this time of year. Even if your Halloween looks more like a quiet night in with chocolate and a movie (mine often does!), the photos we take around October always seem to have a little extra sparkle.

To help you turn those snapshots into magical, memory-filled pages, I’ve designed a brand-new set of 10 Halloween scrapbook layout templates, all based on bold shape elements. These are single-page sketches featuring fun, layered Halloween shapes — pumpkins, moons, stars, webs, ghosts, spooky circles, doodled accents, and chunky graphic outlines.

These layouts work perfectly with:
• trick-or-treat photos
• kids in costume
• pets in costume (we see you, reluctant cats and overexcited pups)
• haunted house visits
• pumpkin carving nights
• classroom dress-up days
• Halloween parties
• October everyday moments
• goth, witchy, or “year-round Halloween” scrapbookers (a real category!)

Each sketch includes space for one or two photos, depending on the design, and lots of room for embellishing — because Halloween invites just the right amount of chaos on a page.

Here’s a closer look at the shape-focused layouts included:

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Layout 1 – Spiderweb Circle + Ghost Accent
A striking centre design with a Halloween glow.

Layout 2 – Pumpkin Stack + Layered Title Banner
Cute, cosy, and perfect for family or kid-friendly photos.

Layout 3 – Witch Hat & Stars Cluster Behind Photo
A magical page that adds instant whimsy.

Layout 4 – Crescent Moon Frame + Bat Swirls
Ideal for moody night shots or black-and-white Halloween photos.

Layout 5 – Haunted House Silhouette + Layered Arches
A fun backdrop for spooky events or costume parades.

Layout 6 – Ghost Arch + Falling Stars
Works beautifully with soft pastels or classic Halloween colours.

Layout 7 – Pumpkin Patch Scene + Journaling Tag
A great “story heavy” layout for documenting your October traditions.

Layout 8 – Starburst Frame + Spooky Swirls
Energetic and modern, perfect for bold coloured papers.

Layout 9 – Candy Corn Cluster + Tilted Photo
Playful, graphic, and great for kids’ photos.

Layout 10 – Full Circle Web + Drippy Banner Title
A dramatic, high-impact layout that makes one photo pop instantly.

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How to Use These Halloween Shape Layout Templates

Use black cardstock behind bright colours for instant contrast
• Try glossy accents, glitter glue, enamel dots, or metallic pens for sparkle
• Ink edges with orange, purple, or lime green for that Halloween pop
• Add real thread for spiderwebs or “witchy” texture
• Layer vellum ghosts or moons for translucent effects
• Use leftover costume fabric scraps as embellishments (yes, really!)

Halloween pages are such a joyful mix of cute and spooky — and these shape-based sketches are designed to help you lean into both. Whether your scrapbook vibe is whimsical, gothic, modern, or kid-friendly, these layouts give you the bones (pun intended!) to create pages that feel full of personality.

If you create with these Halloween sketches, tag CraftGossip on Facebook or Instagram so I can peek at your spooky masterpieces.

Have you read?