Scrapbooking with QR codes: Putting videos on your pages

So recently I've been super busy with summer and my son's 2nd birthday that I haven't be able to scrapbook a whole lot but I still love the facebook scrapbooking groups I'm a part of. They are full of so many talented people and even though I haven't met most of these people I have made many friends. A few weeks ago I was looking at some layout posts when I saw a few super cute ones that a girl had done of her son and his milestones. I noticed that the pages also had QR codes on them. The curious crafter I am had to ask what they were linked to. She was happy to share that they were linked to youtube videos she had uploaded of her son. So on a page done of his first steps she had a QR code that linked to the video of his first steps! GENIUS!!!! So of course I had to try it out and then share it with you all! I have also made a video that walks through this process for all you visual learners (like me). Enjoy!!

Youtube video for this blog post

http://www.qr-code-generator.com/#info_dynamisch

So if you are asking yourself, "what the heck is a QR code?" Here you go  

Now, how do you create them and add them to your pages? It's simple. First you need to upload your videos to youtube. Then google "QR code generator". There are a lot of online sites that will create QR codes for free. I have been using this site http://www.qr-code-generator.com/#info_dynamisch ... you can pay for the site but I'm just using the free part. Open your video in youtube, copy the web address and then enter it into the QR generator. Then click "download" (circled to the right - choose JPG). Your QR code will download down at the bottom of your screen. 

Click on the downloaded file at the bottom left of your screen and when it opens look at the top of your screen for the "extract files" button. Click it and extract all files. Then choose where you want to save your QR code. I have made a file in my pictures labeled "QR codes" and then I rename the code so I know what it links to. 

To print your QR codes - I open word and choose my 4x6 document so that I can print my QR codes on photo paper. You can print on regular paper or cardstock. Now you have to insert the QR code just like you would a picture. Since I printed a few I labeled which QR code linked to what video. I edited each code to be 1in x 1in. You can make them any size you want. 

Now you just have to print, cut and add to your layouts. The layout below is of my son's 2nd birthday. It is 1 of a 2 page layout. The QR code links to the video I took of me walking into his room that morning and singing happy birthday to him. 

This was a layout I had done months ago and remembered I took a video of him playing in the mirror. I just added the QR code right up in the corner. 

Now... you might be asking yourself "well how do I make the QR code work?" All you need to do is download a free QR code reader app to your phone. There are a lot so read the reviews to find a good one.  As I was uploading the video I did for this blog I saw that I had a video of my son going down the water slide at Great Wolf Lodge. I am so excited to add that to his GWL page.