Scrapbooking 101

Making scrapbooks is a hobby relating to pasting newspaper clippings, magazine articles, photos, usually personal, or other memorabilia into custom-decorated albums, or scrapbooks.  You don't have to be talented or artistic by any means.  You really can't mess up.  People tend to get overwelmed, because they may have too many pictures or not enough pictures to get started.   It's not about racing to get done, it's a precious keepsake for yourself or to pass down to your children.        

It can be a fairly inexpensive as you like.  The best albums I've seen are with crumpled paper and little odd's and in's found around the house...nuts, bolts, caps, yarn, buttons, paperclips, and so on.  I've even seen beautiful albums made from brown paper sacks.  The main supplies to get you started are: scissors, glue, and paper. Paper , scissors, and more. That's under $5.00! Click Here

Listed below are a few steps you may want to take to get started:

1.  Find a shoebox and organize pictures.  According to date, occassion, person, etc.  You may not remember when picture was taken, and that's o.k. You can look and see what is in the back ground and get a good idea (maybe by a car, or house you used to live in, or baby, etc)  Label these groups of pictures and place in shoebox so they will stay organized and you can get to them later with out having to repeat this step.

Albums and Scrapbook Kits

2. Next, decide if you want to make your own album or if you want to purchase one.  There are many different sizes and styles, and colors.  It's doesn't really matter which you purchase.  If your just starting out you may want to try the smaller sizes so you can see it all come together easier.  Here's a little tip for a more eye pleasing page, use die cuts frames

3.  Arrange your photos on the page and decide where they will look best. 

4.  Crop.  To crop a picture is cutting away part of it.  It sounds scary, but come on, do you really need half a head or a wall filling up the entire background?  Unless the background is important to the picture go ahead and crop it or at least some of it.  I find by tracing a cup with a pencil then cutting it out, you can really have some nice round cropped pictures.  You will soon see how much more noticable the main object in the picture really is look here 

5.  Don't get caught up on themes.  If you want to make a page with dog photos, you don't have to use dog paper, and dog stickers etc.  However, if you are doing a dog page you wouldn't want wedding, or baby shower items(unless your puppy is getting married ; )  Mix and match your items, and make do with what you already have.  It will all come together. themes

6.  Glue everything down once you know where it will all look nicely.

7.  Journaling is the last step.  Since you have everything organized in your shoebox it may come together a little easier.  If you can't remember the year, at least tell who the people are in the photo.  After your gone, your kids may want to show it off to there kids, and not have a clue who they used to play with etc.

More Ideas

8.  Enjoy your self.  Scrapbooking has become very popular through the last couple years, and you will see why once you give it a try. There are many ways to design your pages.  Here is a link to an Ebay store with awesome prices and huge invetory .  Cream of the Crop Scrapbook Store

Cream of the Crop Scrapbook Store FAQ'S