Scrapbooking. 3 Secrets to Scrapbooking

Scrapbooking. 3 Secrets to Scrapbooking

There are 3 secrets to Scrapbooking: organizing your photos, planning your layouts, and claiming a workspace. If these 3 steps go smoothly, you will be able to spend more time making your scrapbooks, and less time trying to track things down.

Simple Steps to Making a Scrapbook from Existing Pictures:

Decide on your theme
Choose photos
Plan your layout
Plan and write your journaling on scrap paper
Plan your cropping to fit the theme and focus on the photo subject
Lay everything out on your page
Crop and mount
Journal
Embellish
Done!

Simple Steps for Planning a Scrapbook For Upcoming Events:

Consider the theme.
Plan your layout.
Get an idea of the types of embellishments you would like to use, and start keeping an eye out for them.
Plan the photos you would like to take and make notes
Take your photos and write something down in short form about the moments you captured for journaling later.
Exchange addresses with other people who may be attending the event so you can get copies of their photos if yours don't turn out.
Get your photos developed

Claim Your Scrapbooking Space

Once you have all of your tools and supplies to begin scrapbooking there is one more thing you have to consider before getting started, space. You need to have a table or area upon which to set up your scrapbooking stuff safely and where you will feel comfortable leaving your materials out without the risk of anything getting disturbed. You also want to be able to sit comfortably in this space for the amount of time you will be working there if you are really in the scrapbooking groove.

I feel if you have to keep setting up and taking down your materials because the space is being used for something else it will interrupt your creative flow when assembling pages. When you have played around with the layout and arranged your photos in an order that satisfies you, having to take it all apart and set it up again the next time might ruin the effect you were trying to create or worse, you might forget what you did and not be able to recreate it exactly the same the next time.

If you are unable to keep a space solely for your scrapbooking purposes, keep track of your progress in a notebook. Roughly sketching out the layout and which pictures go where in the layout is a good idea so you won't break your creative flow or lose the progress you have made.

It also helps if you have the support of your family members. Their support and consideration for what you are doing and the space you are working in will keep your scrapbooking table or area intact. Talk to them and make sure everyone will respect your space, explaining to them how important scrapbooking is to you. Explain that it is essential this area won't be disturbed because it may interrupt your creative flow.

You may also want to include your family in your scrapbooking process, especially if you are working on the family or individual children's albums. They might have some unique insights or ideas that will work perfectly with what you are working on that you might not have seen or thought of. Sometimes if you are too close to something you can't always see what is right in front of you. A fresh eye may give you a new perspective on what you could be doing with your page layouts and embellishing. You should use all the tools available to you including the Internet, fellow scrapbookers' insights and any different tools they can share with you.
Source: http://www.mycraftbook.com/The_Secret_To_Scrapbooking.asp

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Cutting Tools for Scrapbooking. Video Cutting Tools for Scrapbooking

Cutting Tools for Scrapbooking. Video Cutting Tools for Scrapbooking

Learn about cutting tools for scrapbooking and record memories in this free video on arts and crafts. Get scrapbooking and journaling ideas.

Speed Scrapping In 11 Steps. Organize Your Scarbook Supplies

Speed Scrapping In 11 Steps. Organize Your Scarbook Supplies

Here is a way to organize your supplies for speedy scrapping even if you have no previous page kits stockpiled. You can get an album done in a week or two this way if you want to! But you need to really follow the instructions or it ends up not being so speedy! In other words, don't deviate so much from the speed scrapping instructions that you are no longer saving yourself time. After all, a finished album that highlights the photos in a creative way is the goal.

1) Plan and Do Only ONE Album at a Time. Here is what I would do for each album I wanted to speed scrap. This is speed scrapping from scratch so to speak. Being able to focus on one project at a time is vital. It is just as important to getting a finished album as good intentions or vast arrays of supplies. Don't get distracted or overwhelmed. The keyword today is FOCUS! :)
2) Get a Container or Tote. Find a big sturdy tote bag or Rubbermaid box with handles to keep your supplies in it JUST FOR THIS ALBUM! There are many great smaller totes designed for scrapping. Any of them would be wonderful. Just make sure it will allow an album and all your papers and tools to fit. However, you don't have to have a new bag for this.

Use a canvas tote bag or plastic bin if you have one. It will need to be big enough for a binder, and album, your photos, and several basic supplies. You will not need 90% of your other supplies for this job! Also try to find a large 3 ring binder for short-term storage of the speed scrapping page protectors as you work.

3) What is Your theme? Is it a specific year? vacations? a child? your heritage? sports events? holidays? Decide on whatever theme you want to put into this particular album.. Pick an album style (top loading, strap, binder, 8.5x11, 12x12) and the cover color. Try to choose this cover and color to further the theme of your album photos.

The album type should be one that allows you to move pages. I prefer binder or post bound for this. They usually come with 10 pages of page protectors. (This means 20 ages for photos if you count both sides. ) I automatically add another set of ten page protectors in the same style/manufacturer. Now you know you will have 40 pages to create for this specific album. Spiral bound albums are a hard one to use for speed scrapping but if you really want to, it can be done! You will need to REALLY plan out the layouts of the pages a little more thoroughly using a spiral bound album.

4) Plan for the Inside of the Album. Based on the album theme and perhaps the color of the outside cover of the album, decide on the album's interior. This is where we keep it harmonious, SIMPLE, and focused!

A) Choose two colors of solid cardstock that are coordinating and harmonious with the cover. Buy at least ten to twelve sheets of these two colors of cardstock. And if you want all the background paper to be identical, buy 40-45 sheets of one color.

B) Choose two kinds of patterned papers that coordinate in color with the two colors of cardstock already chosen in step A.

C) Pick two template shapes for photos to be cut into. Keep it simple. Squares, rectangle, oval or circle. Don't choose cutesy pillow shapes or intricate stars. If using a cutting device, put this in the speed scrapping tote now. If you are doing heritage work and do not want to cut the photos, skip this one step. I kept my shapes very basic... rectangles with some corners rounded and one or two pages with ovals.

D) Select two types of corner treatments . Photo corners come in many styles (corner punches, stickers, laser cut, clear plastic, black, gold, white, etc) . But pick just two that coordinate. You can also decide not to include photo corners at all. Just mat the pictures. For heritage work, I say use corners. Someday a great-great grandchild will have to redo your work-- so use corners and make it easy on them! No adhesives go directly on heritage photos. Save the adhesives for mats and other embellishments.

E) Pick two pen colors to use for journaling. These pens should show well on both solid cardstocks in Step A. Many speed scrappers choose black and white. Put all the other pens away except the pens you choose here. If you like to journal ion matted squares of paper, cut about 10 pieces of each color solid cardstock measuring 2 inches by 3 inches. Use a paper trimmer or see scissors tips in Step G. When it comes time to actually journal, keep it simple. Who, What, When, and Where. Never just put the title "Grandpa". Make sure that three generations from now, they will know his full name, date, and location! Speed scrapping doesn't mean being incomplete!

F) Embellishments should be kept simple. Only use the colors you have already chosen in Step A to create the borders, punch art, paper piecing, etc. Don't get too carried away on embellishments. The same simple flower or two or border throughout a whole album looks elegant and classic and harmonious. AND it saves you time! After you get this far, you might take a look through your sticker binder or punch art stash and be surprised how many things do coordinate with the colors you have chosen. Try to use what you have. If you have to make something extra, keep it simple.

Designate just a couple of pages for being extra-artistic. Do those time-consuming technique pages at the end of the speed scrapping process. You can certainly do a page or two or three that can be time intensive and 'artistic' within each speed scrapped album. Those can take longer and have pop ups, lovely punch art or paper piecing, etc. No problem. . What I refer to here as speed scrapping is for the BULK of the album. That means get 34 pages done in the speed scrapping style and then go back to do about 4 to 6 later in a more 'artistic" way.

G) Chose one Decorative Scissors that You Love. Or perhaps the same scissors in regular and jumbo cut--like deckle regular and deckle jumbo. This keeps the eye from registering the cuts used as too "busy". Using straight edge scissors on some pics and mats and one decorative scissors on others is enough variety in the scissor dept. I chose the mini postage stamp to echo the Norwegian postagestamps on my title page.

5) Clear the Floor! Now for the fun!! Clear the kitchen table or your scrapping desk! Get rid of the family! You will need lots of space for this. Pets and small children love to "help" so this may be a good time for them to be out of the house. :)

6) Lay Out the Page Protectors on the Floor. Place two pieces of cardstock or pattern paper in each protector to be the background. Hurray! You are making progress!

7) Get Out Your Photos. Whether in a box or an old album, bring it to the work area. Arrange them in the sequence you want to use. Most albums are chronological within the event theme. Start taking out 4-6 photos to go into each page protector. How many will fit on each page depends on the size of the photos. Keep it as an estimate for now. You don't have toactually lay them out on the backgrounds exactly yet. Just loosely place them in the protectors. Poor pictures can be weeded out at this time. Keep going until you have all the photos divided up.

8) Use that Binder! Now put the page protectors with the background paper and the photos into a large 3 ring binder if possible. Don't put them into the final album until the END of the scrapping process. This will give you flexibility to move them easily or work with them more than once until you get the page sin a 'final' sequence that you like. The 3 ring binder is only a temporary sequencing aid to a quicker final album.

9) Tuck Your Simple Embellishments into the Page Protectors. This includes any poems, stickers, die cuts, pre-made page toppers or other additions you already have on hand. Save the time intense embellishments for other albums or do a minimum of them when speed scrapping. Need something? Make a master shopping list. Go for the quicker embellishments. Shop for only the items on the master list. You have not actually started scrapping pages yet but you are getting ready.

10) Now Pack Up that Tote. Pack your bag, box, or tote (chosen in number 1) with the adhesive of your choice, scissors, binder of photos and papers, pens, journal squares, extra corners, and the extras of the papers you chose to coordinate in step A and step B. Add your photo corners to the tote. Terrific! You are ready for cropping either at home or at a cropping party!! Put everything else away for a while! Your speed scrapping kit is ready to go!

11) Set Aside Some Time and Enjoy Your Speed Scrapping! Now you know that you are focused. You have all your supplies together. You have a goal in mind. Go Girl! Have fun with it! As you work, keep in mind that you want to FINISH this album. Focus, Focus, Focus! Set aside time to work on it on a regular basis. :) With a start like this, your album will be done in no time!

Source: http://organizedscrapbooks.com/

Scrapbooking Page Layout Beginners Tips

Scrapbooking Page Layout Beginners Tips

If you are creating a scrapbook page for a magazine cover, then that's one thing, but, if you are interested in organizing a bunch of photos into meaningful scrapbook pages keep this in mind:

KISS--Keep It Simple Sweetie--KISS

The scrapbooking magazines are full of scrapbook layouts that look great and take several hours each to complete. And if you'll notice, they often have only one or two photos per page. Most of us have way too many photos we want to include to take that approach.
So here is a compromise; why not make an elaborate 'cover' page that only has one or two photos & describes the events and behind it include several very simple pages of many more photos and maybe a sticker or two. If you use the same colored background for all these pages it would 'group' them nicely. Or just include plastic sleeves of photos after the cover page if it is a big trip and you have lots of photos.

Scrapbook Layouts

Generally, I find that I can cut (crop) alot of boring or repetitive background off of photos without loosing any of the impact of the picture. In fact, it is just the opposite. Good cropping makes a photo look better. This also lets me get more photos on my page. Generally photos look best with straight edges and a narrow colored mat that 'picks up' one of the colors in the photo. Save the fancy edged scissors for decorative borders or the mat around the photo.

I find rectangular photos lend themselves to a page arrangement with the corners of some pictures overlapping another photo. I can hide clutter or unsightly background and give a movement to the layout with a path for the eye to follow.

Scrapbook Page Titles

I find it easiest to make my title cut-out letters or title box a separate piece of paper that I attach to my layout. That way, I can move it around and see where it looks and fits best and if I goof-up, it is easier to fix. If I'm using alphabet letters I printed from my sets, and it looks a bit too big, I can print another sheet at 75% size. You can use my Free Instant Scrapbook Page Title Maker.

Scrapbook Journaling

This is 'scrapbook talk' for the text or writing that you put on the page to describe the event. It is easiest by far to do this on a separate piece of paper and attach to the layout than writing directly onto the page. You can draw light lines to guide you or use a light-box with a piece of lined paper underneath. I love using a glass topped table with a lamp sitting on the floor underneath for a BIG light-box. A sunny window works too but you'll have to write upright like a teacher on a blackboard !! Many of my sets include text boxes made especially for journaling with light lines on them. Remember that you can print them in different sizes to suit your page. One of our sets is all journaling boxes in lots of colors and sizes. Remember you can always print them in pastels by using your printer's 'draft' or 'economy' setting.

You can also do your journaling on a computer or typewriter and cut out the text to attach to your layout. There are a gazillion free fonts on the internet that you can download & install on your computer, just go to www.Google.com and do a search for 'free fonts' and spend 5 days looking at the results!! Your computer probably already has fonts that would be fine.

Scrapbook Ideas for Your Baby Album

Scrapbook Ideas for Your Baby Album

A scrapbook album of your babys first year is one of the most special albums youll ever complete. There are so many magical memories, beginning with the pregnancy itself and continuing right through your babys first birthday. Below are a number of scrapbook page ideas to help you capture those precious moments.

Title Page

A great way to start the album is by matting a 5x7 or 8x10 of your babys hospital photo on the first page. Then add the babys name and birthdate as the title and subtitle respectively. This makes a very simple yet very beautiful page.

Baby on the Way

How did you celebrate the news that your baby was on the way? Maybe it was a quiet dinner just for you and your husband or a gathering with family and friends. Either way, remember to include some pictures of the celebration. Capture peoples reactions to the annoucement in photos. In addition, you may even want to take a picture of the pregnancy test showing the positive results.

The Ultrasound

If you had multiple ultrasounds during your pregnancy, include pictures from different points in time so you can see how your baby was growing. You may also want to include one that shows the graph of the heartbeat. In addition to journaling about the ultrasound pictures, this is a great place to journal about any nicknames you may have had for your baby before it was born.

The Belly

Starting at three months, when the pregnancy bulge is just barely noticeable, have someone take a monthly side-view picture of you. Pose in front of the same background each time so that the pictures are consistent. Try to fit all of the photos on one page (or a two-page spread), so you can really appreciate the month-by-month progression.

The Nursery

Include photos of the nursery all ready and waiting for baby; take pictures from different angles to show everything in the room. Be sure to include pictures of anything that has special meaning such as a bassinet that has been in the family for multiple generations, a special blanket made by Grandma, etc. Also, if you have one, include a photo to show what the room was before it became a nursery.

Welcome Baby

Those first pictures taken of your baby after the birth are some of the most precious ones youll ever have. Rememer to include your baby being weighed, having his/her footprints done, being examined, getting a bath, etc. You can put memorabilia such as the footprint card, bassinet name tag and baby id bracelet on these pages. Include key information/statistics in your journaling babys full name, date, day, time, weight, length, details about your labor, name of the doctor/midwife, etc.

Mom, Dad and Baby

Its wonderful to have a page with pictures of just the three of you Mom, Dad and Baby and then include siblings, grandparents, etc. on other pages. Journal about how you felt upon meeting your baby for the first time, whether your baby resembled anyone in the family, how your baby reacted to hearing your voice, etc.

The Rest of the Clan

Once you have a page or two of Mom, Dad and Baby photos, its time to include the siblings if your baby has any. Capture how excited they are to meet their new baby brother/sister and how proud they are to be big brothers/big sisters. This is also a great page to put any little cards, drawings, etc. that siblings may have made to welcome your new baby.

Visitors at the Hospital

Your new baby is sure to have many visitors at the hospital such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and more. Include a picture of each one holding the baby and write an interesting fact and/or anecdote about each person in your journaling. Also, you may want to include pictures of the doctor/midwife who delivered your baby, the labor nurse and/or the doula.

Going Home

Going home from the hospital is a big event! On this page you can include pictures of leaving the hospital, a photo of the outside of the hospital, and the birth announcement. Journal about who took you and the baby home, what the weather was like for your babys first time ever outside, what he/she was wearing for a "going home" outfit, and what he/she did during the car ride home.

The New Family

Its nice to have a couple of pages showing the new family settling in at home over those first few days. Be sure to include a picture of everyone (Mom, Dad, siblings) with the new baby, plus a picture of the whole family. Put some of the flowers and balloons received as gifts in the background of the pictures to add a special touch. This is a great place to journal about how the family dynamic changes when the new little one joins the clan.

Visitors at Home

In addition to having photos of the visitors that came to meet your baby at the hospital, youll also want to have pictures of the visitors at your home. Again, include a picture of each one holding the baby and write an interesting fact and/or anecdote about each person in your journaling.

Siblings

If your baby has siblings, you can make a separate page for each sibling with lots of photos of the big brother/big sister with the new baby. Depending on how old the sibling is, he/she may be able to help you create the album page by arranging photos, picking out embellishments and providing input for the journaling (e.g., what is the best thing about being a big brother/big sister).

Heritage

If your baby is lucky enough to meet his/her great-grandparents, have a page or two with pictures of them holding the baby. Ask the great-grandparents to share some of their most cherished childhood memories so you can include them in your journaling. When your baby is older, he/she can read their stories to get a glimpse of childhoods long ago.

Source: Author Lisa Fleming is an avid scrapbooker and the owner of Scrapbook Town, LLC

How Can I Plan A Scrapbook Album

Planning a scrapbook album - Pencil titles on pages
When planning a theme album you need to think about where in the album your groups of photos will go and what decorations and title you should use. I find the easiest way to remember my choices is to write them in light pencil directly onto the album page. For example - Title Baby´s first bath - lemon and sky blue card, CM girl first years´ bath stickers. Once the page is assembled the pencil writing can be erased. It is a good idea to write the title on the outside of the photo packet as well.

Tribute Scrapbook Albums
Tribute albums can be created to celebrate a birthday, engagement, anniversary or just because you care about someone. If the tribute album is to be presented at a special gathering ensure that you leave a page decorated only at the margins for all guests to sign. Tribute albums lend themselves very well for showcasing something special about the recipient or for adding that extra special touch using journalling, exceptional photos and tribute letters from friends and relatives. At a 40th birthday recently I put together an album for a friend. His wife chose a beautiful baby photo of him holding a toy lamb to use on the title page. At the celebration my friend´s mother presented him with the same toy lamb (still in one piece after 40 years). A perfect photo opportunity to complete the album.

This Is Your Life Scrapbook Album
Whereas a tribute album can concentrate on a certain area of an individual´s life or hobbies a "This is Your Life" album is usually restricted to chronological order starting at birth (or even before if you wish to include pictures of the individual´s parents and continuing to the present. Choose the size of album to suit the number of photos you have. A few photos suit a small album while more will mean a larger album. If there are photo gaps fill in with journalling even if it is only anecdotal. Stories from special friends are also nice to include. Don´t forget that there is also a place for school reports, certificates, resumes and dreadful driving licence photos and a sense of humour in a This Is Your Life album.

12 by 15 inch scrapbook albums
Finding border embellishments for this size album can be difficult as standard album size is 12" by 12". Thinking laterally you can make your album easier to decorate by turning it sideways. Yes it makes them more awkward to read but the landscape pages are wonderful to work on and you will not have to search for extra length borders. A sideways 12" x 15" album page is perfect for the display of panoramic photos.

ABC SCRAPBOOK ALBUM
An album assembled using layouts representing each letter of the alphabet. For example: the A layout would have a large A and photographs, stickers and diecuts along with journalling and labelling highlighting the letter A.

Showcasing Your Scrapbook Albums

Where are your scrapbooks? Often they are lying in our scrapbook rooms (if the pages are even put away) and not immediately accessible. We have finished the pages, but have we finished the album? Have we made it available for others to peruse? After taking so much time and effort creating our scrapbook albums, we should take equal care to display them. Here are a few ideas of how to display your scrapbook albums, pages and mini-books.

Shelves. The most common way of displaying scrapbook albums is to store them on shelves. Remember to store them upright and side-by-side. Do not squish them, which will avoid causing the embellishments to press into the pages. If you have the luxury of purchasing new bookshelves, measure your albums before choosing your shelves. Deeper shelves are best for 12" X 12" albums. If you do not have room for an entire bookcase consider single shelving units. These are single shelves that are attached to the wall with metal brackets.

For children's albums consider putting them on a lower shelf so they can have easy access to them.

Many of my albums are arranged on a bookshelf. I arrange my family albums by date and then I have miscellaneous albums in another section. I add albums, even if they are not completed yet.

The visual look of albums together can be striking and it will show off your efforts. For a fun look intersperse mini-albums on the shelves as well.

Tables. Coffee table books are common so why not add your scrapbook albums to the mix? This is particularly attractive for albums with striking covers or albums that cover a single subject or event. Arrange the albums nicely and keep the table as uncluttered as possible. Add mini-albums to the table display if desired.

Display Stands. Do you ever have to prop up books or special framed photos? When I'm cooking, I often have a cookbook open on a stand. In the same way, you can display your scrapbook albums. Use picture frame holders, cookbook holders, etc. They come in wood or metal and can hold various sizes. Chose a size that fits your album when open. It should rest comfortably without any tipping. Leave it open to a special page or one you particularly enjoy.

Page Frames. Page frames are acrylic holders for individual scrapbook pages. Some manufacturers such as Clear Scraps have acrylic page displays which allow you to display one scrapbook page. You can place several next to each other for a two-page layout or artistic design. The acrylic displays can be put in a stand or hung on the wall. They are available in various sizes. While a page frame will not display an entire album, it will allow a few of your pages to be displayed. Consider different spots in the house where they can be displayed. Also consider different locations such as a work place.

Alternatively, you can get a custom-made frame for your scrapbook page.

I have three page frames in the kitchen. They are on an otherwise bare wall. Whenever we have visitors they always see it as they pass through the kitchen! Narrow hallways also make great display areas.

Baskets. Empty shelves, tables, windowsills, etc. are all great places to tuck an attractive little basket. In the basket, arrange several mini-albums. Larger baskets can be purchased and set on the floor for larger-sized albums.

Here are a few more hints on how to make the most of displaying your albums, mini-books and pages:

• Keep Things Clean. Before displaying an album make sure it is clean. Wipe any dust or dirt off the album. Periodically, check the albums and clean them as necessary to keep them in good condition.
• Finish the Album. Before displaying an album, finish it as much as possible. While you may be waiting for photographs or for a page to be finished, go ahead and display it. Just don't forget to add the pages you may have done already. If the album has a window display on the cover, remember to take out the manufacturer's picture and add your own.
• Match the Décor. If you are unsure of which album to display, consider the décor of your room. Will it match the color and/or pattern scheme? Will it fit the mood of the room?
• Change Albums and Pages Regularly. For albums in a stand or pages in a frame, consider changing the albums and pages on a regular basis. You could change them monthly or seasonally.

Look around your house. Find those spots where you could put some shelving, display stand or a basket. Maybe you have a great spot for hanging a page frame. Find that space and get your scrapbook albums displayed.

While I do not have a traditional coffee table I am still able to use an old family cedar chest that is located in the family room. Use whatever flat, uncluttered surface that would make a good display area.

• Wall-hanging display shelf - I've found this is a great way to display mini albums or smaller themed albums.
  
  
• Podium - I'm still on the lookout for one of these, either desktop or full standing podium, but wouldn't that be a great way to display your albums? Use the lower shelves to store them, and then the top can display a most recent album in a place where people can easily flip through them. You could even add a stool for your album viewers.
  
  
• Plate rack - I don't collect plates, but I love to put framed photographs into plate racks on the wall. As I was contemplating what photographs to put into this plate rack, it dawned on me that an album might just fit. It has to be a thin one, but this theme album from a close friend of mine fits and looks great!

• Lower shelf of a console table- My entryway is screaming for a console table, where I would store a row of my larger albums in the bottom shelf. Then perhaps I could find a desktop podium to put on top of it for easy viewing...

Slowly, I'm finding places for all my albums. The sheer number of them has required some creative displays. But in the end, it's been nice to have them displayed in different rooms, in unique ways. Then they're looked at and enjoyed more frequently-like they should be!

Basic Scrapbooking Tips

Basic Scrapbooking Tips

Scrapbooking has become one of the most popular crafts in the country as it is both creative and practical. It is both easy and fun for anyone to create exciting, artistic pages to enhance their photos. In addition this rewarding hobby provides a family treasure that will endure for countless generations. To get you started try to think of planning a scrapbook page or layout like planning a greeting card. All this craft requires is a theme, a bit of time, and your creative ideas. So if you are looking to get started on creating your own beautiful album here are some basic scrapbooking tips-

•It all starts with organization! The first thing you need to do is get those pictures out of shoeboxes and onto the coffee table where they can be enjoyed. Begin by organizing and sorting your photos by subjects, such as Activities, Events, People, Places, Things, Time, etc. Then move on to sort each category into chronological order. Many people begin with a memory book for each child, a Christmas book, a birthday book or a vacation book. After your photos are organized then gather your decorating materials. This can be as simple as gathering some basic tools and supplies around your house or a visit to your local craft store can show you everything you need. Just remember that everything that touches your photos should be of archival quality and photo safe.

•Create your pages-Since you have decided what your theme will be you want to make sure that you select photos that reflect that theme for your page. If needed or desired, crop photos to desired shapes, using die cut templates, scissors, corner borders, craft punches, etc. Then you can select enhancing papers or stickers, or create a background with rubber stamps. Make sure that before adhering anything to your page you experiment with the layout by moving things around until you are satisfied with the results. After you are fully satisfied then assemble and glue the page.

•Now is the time to assemble your finished pages into your scrapbook. Make sure that you assemble your finished pages in chronological order to tell the story. Then it is fun to add memorabilia to facing pages, such as letters, awards, programs, tickets, etc. in order to more fully tell your story. Just make sure that you leave room for journaling. Be sure to add information and details that will enhance your pictures.

Now that you know the basics of assembling your pictures here are some tips to help you with the composition of the pages in your scrapbook.

•Color is the basic premise of any scrapbook. So be sure to keep your eyes open to look all around you for great color palettes and colors that work well together. Be sure to pay close attention to advertisements, nature and even interior decorating samples and clothing combinations; this can give you great ideas for you scrapbooks.

•It may be helpful to keep an "Idea Journal". Many scrappers find it useful to keep a small notebook in their purse or bag and jot down ideas as they see them. You can even sketch a layout and then use colored pencils to convey what you would like the color palette to look like when finished in your scrapbook. This works well when you are stuck for ideas; you can just pull out your idea journal and get to work.

•Remember the feelings and emotions you felt during whatever you are scrapbooking. Be sure to pay special attention to your color choices so that you give off correct emotions.

•Keep in mind that busy isn't better. You may want to avoid busy background papers with lots of colors and objects scattered all over them. Remember that the key is to keep the focus on the pictures, and when you use distracting colors and objects, you lose sight of what the main intent of the layout is.
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Paper Bag Scrapbook. How To Make A paper Bag Scrapbook

Paper Bag Scrapbook. 3 Tips Unique to the Paper Bag Scrapbook

Can you guess the best way to make a scrap book? Out of scrap, of course! I’ve been enamored with paper bag scrapbooks ever since my son’s pre-school teacher made one for each of her students a couple of years ago. Such a great use of materials and the results are a weight and feel that I just love. Surprisingly, we don’t see very many of the around so I thought I’d try to spread paper bag scrapbook love by offering some simple instructions.

Making a paper bag scrapbook is very easy and would make a great project to do with your children on a rainy day. They generally make a good project for just about anyone!

Simple Instructions:

Place a few paper bags – no more than 4 or 5 – on top of each other in alternating directions (alternating open ends and closed bottoms).

Fold your stack of paper bags in half.

Staple along the fold about ½” from the crease – this creates the spine of your paper bag scrapbook.

Embellish the spine to hide the staples – options:
Cover the staples with a strip of ribbon, paper, cardstock, fiber or other embellishment that you think suites the theme of the paper bag scrapbook you are creating.

Punch holes along the spine and run with ribbon or fibers – tying knots and/or weaving in and out of the punched holes.

Sew a line through the fold in the paper bags (note: this is my favorite way to bind a paper bag scrapbook)

Be creative – eyelets, snaps, rivets and other scrapbooking tricks can be used to make an excellent binding for your paper bag scrapbook.

Once you have embellished your spine, you’ll want to get creative with the use of your scrapbooking skills. Photo treatment, journaling, embellishments including decorative papers, borders, rub-ons, paints, fibers, ribbons and fabrics can all be used just as with a traditional scrapbook project – to create lasting memories in a unique presentation.

3 Tips Unique to the Paper Bag Scrapbook:

Most importantly, remember that a paper bag scrapbook is essentially made of very cheap paper that is not acid free. So this will not be an archival quality project. Be sure to use copies of your original photographs or inkjet prints on photo paper.

The open end of each paper bag ‘page’ can be used as a unique pocket space for journaling, photos, slide out cardstock pages and other dimensional items.

The closed end of each paper bag ‘page’ can be utilized in much the same way by lifting the folded flap to reveal your additional journaling, photo, etc. You could also trim the closed end of the paper bag ‘page’ to make another open end

Chemicals That Can Destroy Your Scrapbook

Various chemicals in your scrapbook materials that can damage your scrapbooks over time

Once you spend your precious time and energy creating a scrapbook, make sure it lasts! There are a few simple things you can easily do to ensure that your scrapbooks look just as good as the day you finished them, for years to come.

The first thing to avoid is paper that is not lignin-free. You've probably heard that before, and it is true, but what is lignin anyways? Lignin is a stiff component of a plant that quite literally holds it together. Although lignin is necessary for plants and trees, you want nothing to do with it! After a while, lignin will cause photos, fabrics and other paper that touch it to turn brown. Yes, lignin-free paper does cost more, but it is a vital part of preserving your cherished scrapbooks.

If the paper is not lignin-free, it will eventually discolor your photos and other materials touching it. So when buying paper for your scrapbooking projects, be sure to look for packages that say "lignin-free," because if it doesn't say it, then it most likely isn't.

Fabric is a big concern for preserving your scrapbooks, but unfortunately it is often overlooked. Many people assume that all fabrics are acid-free, but they aren't. Silk actually goes through an acid bath during the manufacturing process, as well as many tie-dyed fabrics. This isn't to discourage you from using it, not all. Just try to make sure that no photos directly touch fabric, and if you need them to overlap, make sure there is a layer of paper between the two.

Another consideration when using fabrics is if the color will bleed off onto your page and other things touching it. To test for this, cut a square inch off and soak it in a glass of water over night. If there is no color bleeding from it the next day, then there isn't any risk to your scrapbook. But if you do see color in the water, or collecting at the bottom of the glass then don't use that fabric in your scrapbook at all.

When using glitter, be sure there is a top layer of spray adhesive to lock them down, or better yet use special glitter glue where the glitter is mixed right in. If this is not done right the glitter will slowly fall off, and loose glitter means scratched photos.

After you have planned the layout for your photos, be sure that you are using the right kind of mounting tape for them! Regular mounting tape is fine for buttons and bottle caps, but when it come to mounting photos you need to use special photo mounting tape which is completely acid-free. If you don't, your photos will slowly discolor. The tape should say "acid-free" right on the packaging.

These are just a few simple things you can do to ensure that your scrapbooks last and last.

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Scrapbooking Tools for Beginners. Cropping Corner Tips

Cropping Corner Tip: Scrapbooking Tools for Beginners

If you are new to scrapbooking or just have not done many pages you are considered a beginner. To begin your scrapbook regimen you should be armed with some essential scrapbook supplies before you get started.

1. Eyelet setter--eyelets are common embellishments and you cannot use them with your an eyelet setter tool. They are fairly inexpensive an entire set that includes a hammer will probably cost you around $20.

2. Decorative scissors. These scissors can be used for many purposes. They can be used to cut photo mats, pictures, etc. The scissors can be purchased at any scrapbook supplier or craft store. They cost about $3-$5.

3. Paper Trimmer. This is essential for anyone attempting to scrapbook. A personal paper trimmer will help you cut straight and make square mats for your page layouts. Paper trimmer are available wherever scrapbooking supplies are sold. A quality paper trimmer will probably cost $15-$20.

There are so many scrapbooking products to choose from. As you become familiar with the products and get a feel for what you want to use you can buy more tools. The products mentioned above are some suggested scrapbooking starter tools.

Easy Page Layouts for Scrapbooking Beginners

Easy Page Layouts for Scrapbooking Beginners
Scrapbooking for beginners should include simple page layouts.

Here are step-by-step instructions for constructing an easy scrapbooking page layout.

· Select 1 or 2 pictures for your page.
· Pick out 2 or 3 colors of scrapbooking paper that match and accent each other and your photos.
· Plan your page by using elements that balance each other.
· Add your “Title” or “Header” to your page.
· Now crop your photos, by removing unwanted backgrounds and unnecessary space.
· Create photo mats and choose your embellishments.
· Use your adhesive to glue your photos and accents on your page.
· Leave room for journaling.
· Finally do your journaling. Record your feelings and tell your story.

Creating a simple, yet appealing page layouts will assist beginners in starting out on “the right foot.” As you become more experienced you can attempt to create more complex designs.

Originality in Scrapbooking. Including Quotes on Your Scrapbook Pages.

Originality in Scrapbooking. Including Quotes on Your Scrapbook Pages.

Originality in scrapbooking is essential. You can create original pages with exclusive ideas. Including journaling on your layouts is one way to tell about the photographs and help you remember what was going on during that time period.

Srapbooking quotes for your pages are a wonderful way to add some "elegance" to your page layouts. Famous quotes for your era are fun to have in your books. You can also include quotes from family members about the people in the pictures.

For baby books you can quote your child or record "first words" and funny sayings and phrases.

Including quotes in on your pages will make them unique but make them interesting for others to view.

11 Scapbooking Beginner Tips. Getting Started With Scapbooking

Scapbooking Beginner Tips. Getting Started With Scapbooking

Scrapper Block
You know what this is, kind of like writers block. The best solution for this is to pick up a Scrap booking magazine or go online and search for page layouts. My e-Book also has some very creative ideas.

Storage Idea
With Scrap booking, you will have small craft items such as eyelets, ribbons, buttons or glitter Try storing them in your empty film canisters.

Picture Placement
Always make sure that all your pictures and stickers fit onto your page and are placed exactly where you like them best. Some types of glue are very adhesive and you may have a hard time pulling them up once they have been
glued down.

Cheap Embellishments
Check out the gift-wrap department at your local Target or Wal-Mart store. You can find some really cute die cuts with sticky foam already attached in may themes and colors.

Duplicate
If you are nervous about cropping your original pictures, an easy solution is to always get duplicates when developing your pictures or copy them on a color copier.

Postcards
When traveling, record your experiences by mailing yourself postcards that detail your trip that can be used later in your album or store them in a minialbum with a picture from your trip.

Information
Always use a photo-safe marker to record who, what, where and when onto the back of each photo.

Rubber Stamps
When using a new rubber stamp, always test it 3 or 4 times on a scrap piece of paper to ensure even distribution of ink.

Titles
Your title should immediately identify the subject of the page or of you book. They can be done freehand or you can use stickers or letter templates to add texture and color to your title.

Journaling
Journaling brings your album to life. Your journaling piece should include who’s in your photo, what they are doing and when it happened. It should tell a story that will bring back your memories for years to come.

Storage
Never store your photo or memorabilia in a cardboard box. They are not good for photos. Always store these precious items in archival-safe photo boxes or page protectors.

Scrapbooking Sticker Placement

Scrapbooking Sticker Placement

Scrapbooking stickers can either make a page or ruin it visually. Sticker placement can be tricky and if you put a sticker in the wrong place it may be hard to move it once it is stuck to your paper. When using small stickers you want to refrain from using a large amount. This prevents the page from looking cluttered. You can make a large sticker look neat and more noticeable by outlining it with a solid color of paper that matches your original scrapbooking paper (this can also be done when using letter stickers).

Another sticker placement solution you can try is to cover strip of cardboard with waxed paper. Arrange stickers or letters on it and place it on page to see how it would look and/or fit. Stickers and letters can be easily removed from waxed paper.

Also, with your sticker sheet you can cut each section apart, keeping your backing intact and rearrange the pieces until your get them where you want them. Then, peel off the backing and adhere the sticker to your page layout.

Fast, Easy Page Layouts for Scrapbooking Beginners

Fast, Easy Page Layouts for Scrapbooking Beginners
Scrapbooking for beginners should include simple page layouts.

Here are step-by-step instructions for constructing an easy scrapbooking page layout.

· Select 1 or 2 pictures for your page.
· Pick out 2 or 3 colors of scrapbooking paper that match and accent each other and your photos.
· Plan your page by using elements that balance each other.
· Add your “Title” or “Header” to your page.
· Now crop your photos, by removing unwanted backgrounds and unnecessary space.
· Create photo mats and choose your embellishments.
· Use your adhesive to glue your photos and accents on your page.
· Leave room for journaling.
· Finally do your journaling. Record your feelings and tell your story.

Creating a simple, yet appealing page layouts will assist beginners in starting out on “the right foot.” As you become more experienced you can attempt to create more complex designs.