Getting Started With Scrapbooking

Here are some things you probably already have that can help get you started

Clothes. If you have clothes that are too worn out or stained to make good hand me downs or donations, why not add pieces of them to your layouts. Not only will you be saving money and making less trash, you'll also be reminded of great memories of your loved ones even if you didn't manage to get a picture.

Jewelry. Have an earring that's missing it's mate? A necklace with a broken clasp? What about a bracelet your child has outgrown? Instead of getting rid of them or just filling up space in a box, why not use them to add a little sparkle to your scrapbooks?

Gift decorations. Think about all the birthday, Christmas, baby, wedding, and any other gifts you've ever given or received. Now think about all the money you spend on wrapping paper, bags, bows, ribbons, and other decorations. Sometimes old decorations can be reused, but often they just get shoved in a closet or thrown away. Using them in your scrapbooks can make beautiful layouts and bring you back to the special occasion where you got them. Just watch out, some of these products can have high acid content.

Trash. Yes, some trash belongs in a trash can (or a compost heap), some might just make for a creative new layout. Next time you go to throw something away, take a good hard look at it first. It might just make a great background, border, or embellishment.

Souvenirs and Memories. Pictures aren't the only way to spark your memories. Add to pictures of your ski trip by using your lift ticket or trail map in your scrap book. If your son won the science fair, use his blue ribbon to add a special touch. Remember good times with friends by scrapping the tickets stubs from a movie you saw together or a matchbook from the restaurant you always eat at

Storage. You can not only use things you already have to put in your scrapbook, you can also store your supplies in items that may be taking up closet (or trash) space. Old jars and cups work great for storing ribbons and other embellishments. Did your husband get a new tackle box and hasn't gotten rid of the old one? All those little spaces are great for organizing buttons are even different adhesives.

Creativity. The only limit you have when you scrap is your own imagination. There are all kinds of things you can use in a scrapbook that aren't found at a scrapbooking store; you just need to teach yourself to recognize them.

So get up, look around your house, and start scrapping.

The internet has become a haven for scrapbookers all over the world to share their ideas, layouts, opinions, and pretty much whatever they want to say about scrapbooking. While hearing what people like you have to say is a great learning tool and shouldn't be ignored, don't forget about researching scrapbooking in books as well as online.

Books give you an expert opinion from someone you can know and trust. They can get your started; give you techniques, inspiration, ideas, and whatever else you need to make great work.

When you get started in scrapbooking, you're very likely to get overwhelmed. You want to scrap everything and make every layout perfect. Eventually you're so stressed over your books; you're not having fun anymore.

If you want to keep beautiful memories without

The Big Picture... Scrapbook Your Life and a Whole Lot More

making scrapbooking a chore, check out "The Big Picture: Scrapbook your life and a Whole lot more" by Stacy Julian. It also includes some great layouts to get you started.

The Amazing Page:
650 Scrapbook Page Ideas, Tips and Techniques
(Memory Makers)

If you're just looking for a little inspiration and a lot of sample layouts, then "The Amazing Page: 650 New Scrapbook Page Ideas, Tips and Techniques" is just the book to get you started. It has ideas for every style and occasion. There is sure to be something in there to get you going and give you endless ideas.

While it's easy to focus on your pictures, fancy backgrounds and flashy embellishments, the words in your scrapbook are just as important as all the rest. The journaling is what tells the story of your scrapbook and gives it true depth. By reading "What About the Words: Creative Journaling for Scrapbookers", you can learn to add character to your scrapbooks by improving your writing quality. It can teach you how to tell your story better with words AND pictures.

What About the Words? Creative Journaling for Scrapbookers
(Memory Makers)

These books are great to get your started, but you don't have to stop reading once you've got the basics down. There are more advanced books out there for every facet of scrapbooking for simple or elaborate books. Once you get started and develop your own style, it's easy to find something to help you do what you like as well as you possibly can.

Want to get started right now without having to go to a bookstore or wait for your order to arrive in the mail? There are also some great e-books your can purchase to get yourself jumpstarted right away. The best part about ebooks is that they generally cut to the chase and give you the bare essentials you need to get started.

There are e-books on every topic, from quick and easy layouts, poems, quotes and journaling suggestions, organization tips, and even e-books on how to get rid of "scrappers block" and get the creative juices flowing again. E-books are quick, easy, and usually pretty inexpensive.

No matter what your style, skill level, or price range, there are books out there to turn you into a high quality scrapbooker.

Do you love the idea of scrapbooking, but have not a clue about where to begin? Have you been envious of the beautiful scrapbooks your friends have created? Or do you want to learn, but not know any scrapbookers who could teach you the basics?

You could go to a local scrapbooking class. But those can be somewhat expensive, and you have to attend on the teacher's schedule. And unless you're the only one in the class, it's quite possible that it will move too fast for you, or maybe even more slowly than you would like. Besides, scrapbooking classes are not readily available in all areas. Wouldn't it be much easier to have a comprehensive reference that you can go to at your convenience, and follow at your own pace?

The Scrap Facts Guide contains all the information that someone new to scrapbooking needs. Whether you know the basics but can't seem to master the more complex techniques or haven't even gotten together the courage to try, this ebook can help. It covers everything from organizing your photos to creating great layouts to adding lovely embellishments.

Unlike some scrapbooking guides, the Scrap Facts Guide is written in terms that even the greenest scrapbooking novice can understand. There's no incomprehensible, complex terminology to wade through, just clear, easy to understand instructions written in plain English. Yet there are tips included that more experienced scrapbookers can use to make their projects even better. Click here to view more details

The Scrap Facts Guide even comes with a 30-day money back guarantee. If you don't learn everything you need to know to add beautiful embellishments to your scrapbooks, you get a full refund. So you truly have nothing to lose.

If you want to learn everything you need to know to get off to a great start with scrapbooking, this informative and easily digestible ebook is for you. It can get you on the road to making the scrapbook you've been dreaming of in no time. Click here to view more details

When you decide to get started in scrapbooking, it's very exciting. You research as much as you can, then head off to the scrapbook or other supply store and buy the tools and supplies you know you need. The problem starts when you get home and try to get started.

To be really successful and not get overwhelmed, you should take extra steps to get your stuff organized. In the long run, it will save you time, leaving you free to work, brainstorm, and of course, do more shopping.

The first thing every scrapbooker needs is shelves. You can organize your odds and ends into all kinds of containers, but it you don't have shelves to put them on, that stuff will still be all over your table or desk, taking up your work space. Make sure your shelves are sturdy so you don't end up trying to sort through a giant pile of paper scraps, buttons, and ribbons.

Next, you need storage containers to put on your shelves. You can find all sorts of different drawers and containers at your local scrapbooking store, craft store, fabric store, and even hardware store. If you don't do all your scrapbooking at home, the best way to organize is in containers than can be easily transported without spilling your supplies out everywhere.

If you're not looking to spend a fortune, why not use items you find around the house instead of expensive organizers and drawers you find at a craft store? You can use jars, small boxes, and even old baby bottles. You can also re-use old toolboxes, tackleboxes, or plastic sealing jewelry boxes (caboodles). Just as long as what you're using has enough space for separating different items and is easy to get into, there's really no rule about what you can and cannot use.

Files are a great way to organize paper, cardstock and anything else that's flat. The easiest to use are plastic expandable file organizers. They usually have a harder plastic on the outside to keep your stuff safe, several pockets to keep it organized, and a securing device like an elastic band to help hold everything inside.

Scrapbook Organizer
Holds Pages, Photos and Supplies

If you go to scrapbooking meetings, or do your scrapbooking anywhere that isn't at home, you need to have a convenient way to transport your materials easily and safely. Remember, you don't need to take EVERYTHING with you when you go, just enough to work on a few layouts.

You will want to get a bag bigger than you think you need, because you'll inevitably remember something you haven't considered. Then you'll be grateful for the extra space. Another good idea is to label everything you take with you. That way your can easily find your cutting tools or ribbons without having to sort through the whole bag.

The most important thing for keeping your stuff organized is to pick a system and stick with it. You can organize by color sizes, themes, patterns; you can even use multiple schemes to organize. Someone you know might have a system that's great for them, but that doesn't mean it's great for you. All that really matters is that it's organized in a way you can easily find what you're looking for.

Scrapbooking is a great way to spend your time while preserving your memories. If you're not careful, it's also an easy way to spend a lot of money. If you're thinking about starting scrapbooking, but are afraid you'll rack up too big a bill, or if you've been scrapbooking for a while and just want to cut costs, there are some great places to find products without spending a lot of cash.

Thrift stores. These are great places for all kinds of finds. You could find fabric, buttons, silk flowers, ribbon. The only thing limiting what you find is your own imagination and creativity. You may even get lucky and find scrapbooking supplies that someone didn't think they wanted to use or keep around.

Discount department stores. While stores like Wal-mart and Target are probably not the best place to find the products you're looking for in a high quality (paper, sheet protectors, adhesive), you can probably find great embellishments and decorations to spice up your layouts. Wrapping paper, ribbons, flowers, even discount greeting cards. Just like thrifts stores, the only limit to what you'll find there is you.

Fabric stores. When it comes to ribbons, bows, buttons, and even tools, you may be able to find what you're looking for cheaper at a fabric store (or fabric section of a department store) a whole lot cheaper than at a scrapbooking store. Plus, they have a variety to fit every style.

Your own home. Finding great stuff for your scrapbooks doesn't always mean going to the store. Old clothes, broken jewelry, spare buttons, old birthday cards, kids arts and crafts projects, even trash can be used in your scrapbooks.

Carter's First Friends Keepsake Starter Kit

Online. While you don't need to spend a lot of money on many things in scrapbooking, there are other materials you don't want to cut corners with. These include quality acid-free paper, glue, cardstock, and sheet protectors. Cutting corners in these areas will likely cause damage to your photos and leave you upset. The good news is, the internet is a great place to find quality products at a discount.

There are thousands of places to find scrapbooking tools and supplies online. It's not hard to find what you're looking for, the challenge is finding what you're looking for in good quality at a decent price. Do some research on scrapbooking websites and message boards. You'll find there are a lot of people who have done the legwork for you and are willing to help you out, you just have to ask.

The biggest concern with finding supplies online is that, when they show up, they might not be exactly what you're looking for. The best way to remedy this is to find items you want at your local store, and then check online for discount prices. That way you'll have no surprises when the box arrives.

With a little time and searching, you can get your scrapbooks started for pennies a day.

Black and white photographs have a certain timelessness to them, whether they were taken fifty years ago or last week. They may be missing the element of color, but they more than make up for it with the nostalgia they evoke. It's no wonder that despite the advances in photo technology, many photo buffs still opt for black and white.

Black and white photos are great for scrapbooking. The whole point of a scrapbook is to preserve memories, and the classic feel of black and white works well with that. Here are some tips for making your black and white photos the center of attention in your scrapbook.

* Group old and new black and white photos together. Consider using an old photo to get ideas for a new one. For example, if you have an old wedding photo of your grandparents, take a picture of your newly wedded sister and her husband posing in a similar manner. Then use them together to create a charming page.
* Use the best colors for evoking the mood you want to convey. You don't have to worry about anything clashing with your photos, so feel free to use any color that you think will work well.
* Resist the temptation to make your layout too busy. While it's good to have the freedom to use colors and embellishments as you choose, it's important to keep the focus on the photos themselves. The idea is to adorn them, not to overpower them.
* For a really classic effect, make your layout black and white as well. It's especially important to take care not to overwhelm your photo when you use this approach, but if embellishments are used sparingly, it can produce a nice, sophisticated look.
* Consider hand coloring certain elements of your photos. This is the technique used by some professional photographers to make a certain element stand out. If done correctly, it can really make your photos "pop" while keeping the focus on your subjects' faces. Try coloring hats or favorite objects that your subjects are holding for contrast. Photo oils are designed for this purpose.
* You can also create a lovely effect by applying only small amounts of color to your layout. Do the majority of it in black and white, and add just a few elements in one color, or perhaps two complementary ones.

Scrapbooking with black and white photos is easier in many ways, but it's also easy to get carried away and make your layouts too busy. Moderation is just as important as it is when working with color photos. By using color to your advantage, you can keep your photos at the center of attention while accenting them beautifully.

So, you're bought all your scrapbooking gear, set up a space, researched scrapbooking techniques and now you're ready to get started. Before you can start putting your first layout, you have to actually choose one. This seems like a simple task, but there are so many styles and options it's hard to know where to start. Here are some great ways to find possible layouts for your scrapbooks.

Easy Scrapbooking:
Use Your Home Computer to Create Stylish Layouts for Weddings, Holidays and Other Cccasions
(Quarry Book)

If you're looking for possible layouts, the first place you should look is online. There are hundreds of scrapbooking websites, many with free layouts and how to's on how to make them. Simple to complex, budget to expensive; there are ideas for every person and every occasion.

You can also find inspiration from scrapbooking layout sites and message boards. People can submit pictures of their layouts, and they do so on a regular basis. This means there's a constant supply of new layout ideas one pretty much every topic (and every budget) you can think of. Plus people are usually nice enough to give you tips and tricks about how they put it together.

Books are a great place to get started while choosing a layout. With just a little searching, you can find books with hundreds of sample layouts. But there's so much more you can gather from books than just layouts to copy. Many books help get you started on creating your own layouts by sharing scrapbooking philosophies and ways to spark your own imagination. You may even find inspiration from a book that has nothing to do with scrapbooking, like a beautiful picture, poem, or quote.

If you want more original ideas without pulling them straight from a book, why not have a get together with friends and family who scrapbook? You can get ideas from their work, or they can give you tips on a layout you're already working on. You never know, you may just get inspiration from a random conversation, story, or shared memory.

Sometimes the best layouts don't come from friends or web pages; they come from you. Scrapbooks are supposed to showcase your life and interests, so why shouldn't they come from your very own inspiration. If you feel like you can't seem to come up with ideas, just get out your supplies and start playing. Soon you'll find yourself with too many ideas for you to make.

Once you start working on layouts, be sure not to get carried away. You don't need to have every idea all slammed into a few layouts. You can start simple with a picture, journal, and a small embellishment, then work your way up as you buy more tools and gain more skill. Remember that scrapping is an art, and sometime simple is better.