Photo: Flickr/campbelj45ca

How to Scrapbook: Essential Tools for the Beginner

By Dawn Hall

If you are learning how to scrapbook, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that this is a fun hobby, and there really is no wrong way or right way to make your layout pages. The bad news is that since there is no clear cut way to do things, it can take some time until you find your own scrapbooking groove – it’s a matter of trial and error, and over time, you will develop your own style and way of doing things.

I do have a few suggestions, however, that will help you learn the ropes. In this article, I would like to talk to you about the essential scrapbooking supplies that you will need to begin working on your albums. If you have ever browsed the scrapbooking aisles at your local hobby store, such as Michael’s or JoAnn’s, you probably already realize that you can easily spend a fortune on supplies. You don’t have to buy everything you want at once, though. A few well-chosen supplies will help you get off to a good start, without overwhelming you.

You will need to invest in a good paper trimmer. This hobby involved a lot of cutting, and to get the clean, straight lines that you need for your projects, you will need a paper trimmer. Trimmers do come in a variety of style and sizes. For beginners, I recommend a portable 12″ trimmer. These are fairly inexpensive and the blades are easy to change.

You will also need card stock and patterned paper. Make sure that these are acid and lignin free, so that your pages last and your photos are not destroyed by chemicals that are in regular paper. I generally use the card stock as the base for my layouts, and then use the patterned scrapbook paper layered on top of the base for border trims and other details.

Elmer’s craft glue won’t do for scrapbooking. You will need to use acid and lignin free adhesives that are archival safe for your layouts. The sheer amount of adhesive types available can be very confusing. In the beginning, I recommend getting a permanent adhesive tape runner with a few refills. These can be used to adhere your photos, as well as all your different page elements, including mats and die cuts, to your layouts. As time goes on, you will probably add to your collection. For example, Zig glue pens and pop dots are handy to have, but you probably will not need them immediately and can add these to your tool arsenal over time.

Stickers are also handy for beginner scrapbookers. Letter stickers are great for creating page titles, and until you own a die cut machine, stickers can be used to add interest to your pages. You can also cut shapes out of your scrapbook paper or use rubber stamps to add interest to your pages. Make sure any stickers you use are safe for scrapbooking.

Journaling is a great way to explain what the pictures in your layout are about or to tell the story behind them. As with other scrapbooking supplies, you will want to make sure any pens that you use for journaling are acid free. Pens can also be used to add faux stitching and other doodles to your layouts.

Don’t forget to pick up an album and page protectors. As you complete your layouts, you will need a place to store them and keep them safe. Before selecting these, however, you will need to decide what size your pages are going to be. Many scrapbookers use 12×12 for their main albums, and then use mini albums to scrap special events, such as vacations.

The final tool that beginners will need to get off on the right foot is a little inspiration. There are many different magazines and books that provide ideas and tutorials for learning how to scrapbook, but you can also find a wealth of information online. There are many different forums and blogs, where people post their projects and discuss their experiences.

Do you need more ideas for putting together your first scrapbook layouts? Dawn Hall is the author of Easy Scrapbook Sketches. Visit her website to download a sampler pack of her sketches, which provide not only a visual aid for putting together layouts, but also gives dimensions for the page elements used.

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Photos Make an Impact

Tips To Choose The Best Photos for a Photobook

By Shawn Nag

The digital age has made sure that most of us click hundreds of pictures all year round. But when it comes to choosing the best shots for the photobook we are in a fix as to which ones would make the best photobook. It is always good to have problem of plenty as it will allow you to choose the best out of your pictures.

First and foremost you don’t need to be a professional photographer to choose the best photos for your photobook. All you need is some aesthetic sense and you will create the best of photobooks. Here are a few tips which will help you choose the best photos for photobooks:

• Subject: “Picture speaks a thousand words” and the photograph you select for your photobook should do the same. Make sure that the picture you select has a proper subject which has been emphasized in the picture. Your subject could be a person, object or simply a wide angle scenic lake.
• Composition And Size: Well composed photos have everything in detail. The background, foreground and the subject will speak volumes for itself. The size of the picture will also determine its quality as some pictures look good in long shot while others fare better as close-ups.
• Focus: It is one of the key considerations when it comes to choosing a picture. You can easily make out what a poorly focused shot is as it will have no center of attraction. Don’t get confused between a poorly focused shot and a defocused shot as the latter is done on purpose.
• Lighting and Exposure: Photography is all about playing with lighting. Make sure that the subject in your picture is lighted aptly. Overexposed or underexposed picture will make your photobook look dull. These days image editing applications allow you to increase and decrease the exposure of your images. You need to strike a balance between contrast and brightness in your pictures.
• Color: It is always ideal to choose bright colored pictures for your photobook as they arouse emotions however it is no sacred rule. If you are scanning old pictures for your photobook make sure the digitized images do not lose color as it is a common occurrence. Use color correction application to deal with problem of this nature.

Once you have designed your photobook you will need the services of a professional printing agency to give you a quality end result.

About the Author:

Shawn is an expert in topics related to Printing & Graphics. He is the VP of marketing for http://www.PrintPapa.com, a Printing & Graphics Firm, located in Santa Clara, CA, USA. PrintPapa’s experitse is in printing short runs of 50 to longer runs of thousands of sheets. So from Flyers to Brochures to Booklets we do it all. Order a FREE sample kit by going to http://printpapa.com/samplekit to checkout the paper and also the printing quality.

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photo: flickr/beth19

Scrapbooking Quotations – 3 Tips to Choosing Scrapbook Quotes

By Emma Jane Taylor

What to look for in a good Scrapbooking Quote.

Scrapbooks are greatly enhanced by having words or quotes to help convey the meaning or emotion associated with the pictures in them.

People like to scrapbook because the like to look back favourably on the past, such as family, and when new brothers and sisters arrive. Baby scrapbooks are especially popular. Babies do not pretend they are something else or put on false smiles. What you see is what you get with a baby photograph.

With photographs in a scrapbook you can as time goes by forget exactly what they were about. If you have hundreds or even thousands of photos, especially in this age of digital cameras, exactly what a photo is about or where it was taken can easily become blurred. If you use words or quotes which are funny, witty or have special meaning you can convey a powerful message in your scrapbook.

A scrapbook full of family photographs is OK, but it can become a much more powerful experience when reading through it is words are associated with some of the photos. It can give a better idea of what it is about and is much more pleasing.

Quotes alongside the photos in scrapbooks can give you a better perception of what is going on and this helps to understand the flow of information before you.

If you want to select some scrapbooking quotes, what do you look for?

1 – Mnemonics – helping you to remember an event Mnemonics is defined as “a sentence or poem to help remember something”. A quote for your scrapbook should be easy to remember. It should reside in your mind easily. If it does not then no matter how good it looks it probably is not for you. Follow your heart and not your mind.

2 – Relevancy This may seem obvious but the quote that you select has to be relevant to the message that you want to get across. If you wish others to read your scrapbook they will want to comprehend the meaning and enjoy the emotions associated with the pictures.

If the quote is not relevant to the topic the reader may be become a little confused, even bored. Looking through your scrapbook ought be an enjoyable experience for the reader. In a few years to come you yourself may forget what some of the pictures are really about.

3 – Be Brief and to the point The scrapbooking quote that you have chosen should be a relationship between the photographs and objects in it and the message that you are trying to get across. The spotlight should be on the photos and other content in the scrapbook, so the quote should be short and get the meaning across easily.

Appropriate quotes for scrapbooks should touch the heart; they should help you to recollect the good and interesting emotional experiences from the past. You will be able to look back on past events with joy.

Your scrapbook is a very personal item which has to have your individuality put into it. You have to choose a quote that is right for you no matter what advice you may get from someone else. If it doesn’t feel right for you then follow your heart and find another.

A number of people choose to write their own quotes to make their scrapbook more personal instead of finding quotes from others. This is OK after you have had some experience, but to start with do some research to see what others are doing. Learn to walk before you start running.

Your scrapbook needs to be your creation and you have to feel content with what you put into it.

Create beautiful scrapbooks at www.scrapbookingonlinetips.com.

For more information on finding quotes for scrapbooks take a look at my website.

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Photo: flickr:zcopley

By Marsha Brascher

People actually think that the cricut machine is the one tool that is responsible for the conceptualization of the designs that we see in scrapbooks. Actually, the designs come from the mind of the user and are made tangible by the cricut cutting machine.

In addition, there also other tools that help create the designs such as cartridges and software tools. The most notable software tool out there is the Cricut Design Studio. With this software, you can create and edit your own designs and even edit existing designs that are pre – loaded.

Life is good indeed! People also think that the usage of a cricut cutting machine is only limited to the world of scrapbooking. Not many people are aware of this but there the cricut machine along with the cartridges and the software tools can be used for a multitude of things. There are a lot of cricut projects that you can use the cricut cutting machine for and only your mind can limit what you can do.

Greeting cards are great cricut projects for anyone to engage in. With the designs that you can get from the cricut cartridge and the software tools that you have in place, you design covers that defy the unconventional. The problem that most people encounter when they try to purchase greeting cards in malls is that most of the time is that they cannot find the design of the card that they are looking for. This can cause stress and a lot of frustration on the buyer’s part. You are so much better off creating your own greeting cards.

Cricut calendars are also another great idea for a cricut cutting machine. A calendar is filled with 12 months. You can get creative and look for designs in your software or cartridge that can reflect the month that is within your calendar. So if we are in the month of December, you can look for designs that match the mood and atmosphere of December. Look for snowmen, reindeers, and Christmas trees. I guarantee you that you have all the designs that you will ever need inside of your software or catridge.

Remember, only your imagination can limit what you do. These cricut projects can be used either for personal satisfaction or revenue generating purposes. Be creative with your cricut machine. You never know what wild and crazy ideas can pop into your head.

Marsha Brascher is a seasoned Cricut Designer for many years and she would be happy to share her expertise about cricut projects. Here’s your chance to learn every single secret about cricut projects and learn the best, fastest and easiest way to learn the cricut concept, to give you the confidence and inspiration you need to complete a one-of-a-kind keepsake album, check out her popular eCourse at => http://www.cricut-projects.com

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vellum sheets

By Janette Miller

What is Vellum?

Originally vellum was made from the skin of livestock with it’s intended purpose being a smooth durable surface with which to write on. Early vellum received a vigorous treatment process in order to take it from the skin of an animal to the point where it could be written on and used to create significant documents.

Modern Vellum

The vellum that you’ll find in craft stores today is significantly different (and cheaper) to the early kind as it’s actually made from plasticised cotton, not animal skin. Today vellum is more commonly referred to as “paper vellum”.

Different Types of Vellum

Modern paper-vellum comes in many different shapes and sizes and for the most part will be translucent. You will also find there wide range of patterns and designs

Vellum Scrapbooking

Vellum can be used to create a slight shadow or shade change to background or embellishment colors. This can be used as a softening agent for baby scrapbooks, as a touch of elegance to gift scrapbooks, or to create dimension on a boring flat page. Vellum is available in both acidic and non-acidic forms, so make sure which type you are buying.

Vellum also comes in pearlescent colors and patterns. There are some beautiful floral types available, which can be laid over plain or subtle cardstock to produce a dreamy, romantic effect, which is beautiful in wedding albums. It is also possible to sometimes get paper stock and vellum in the same print, which can be used for different intensity on the same page or album.

To reduce the cloudiness effect caused by gluing, apply only a thin line of glue along the edges of the vellum. In this way, you will see a slight shadow only along the very edge. This will look like a border to the vellum.

Perhaps a better way to secure vellum onto a page is by using brads or eyelets at the corners. These add another decorative element to the page and increase the layered look by not sticking the vellum down all around the edge.

-Janette

To get more information about vellum scrapbooking check out Janette Miller’s site right now. You’ll even be able to download 10 FREE scrapbooking layouts while your there.

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Versatile Balloon/Egg Punch

Scrapbooks – Using Punches to Save Money

By Lynda Jeffs

After a while, scrapbooking tends to become expensive, especially when you consider all of the papers, embellishments, and extra items that you need. To cut down on the costs of my albums, I looked at ways to save money, yet producing beautiful one of a kind layouts, cards and altered items. One way that saves money is using punches in your creating.

Now, before you rush out and buy a bunch of punches you do not need, start to look at basic shapes you tend to use a lot. This will help you to save money as you find punches that are in those shapes. Circles and ovals are hard to cut out by hand, they are better if you use a punch or die cut machine! By using a paper cutter, or scissors and a ruler if you need to, you can easily cut a square shape, therefore saving the need to purchase things that are not cost effective.

Here are a few ideas that will help you get started in using punches more:

• Layer a circle or square with another punch shape to create a unique look on the bottom of your layout

• Use multiple squares layered as a border with different punch shapes in them

• Put on a tag with a bit of ribbon, fibers, beads or other items to create a one of a kind tag

• Cut a heart shape in half to use as leaves with flowers

• Learn to layer and use different shapes together to create your own style of embellishments

• Add a quick saying stamp with the same theme punch to create a quick and easy card, such as a balloon with a birthday stamp

• Corner punches in designs can be used with card making to create darling layered cards

• That same corner punch can be used in scrapbooking to focus a photo that is dear to your heart

• Flower punches with a button in the middle to create wonderful one of a kind embellishments

• Take a balloon punch, cut off the tail, making it an Easter Egg instead

Must have punches:

1. A heart punch in a variety of sizes and shapes

2. A balloon punch in a few sizes

3. Flower punches in different shapes

4. A corner rounder punch

5. A couple of your style of corner punches to use in scrapbooking and cards

6. A couple of leaves

7. Stars in various sizes

8. A sun punch

Tips when purchasing punches:

• Make sure to utilize your coupons from craft stores such as Michaels and Joann’s to save money on your favorites

• Take a thick mouse pad to use when punching out a lot of pieces, this will help to alleviate a bit of sound

• Place a wood piece on top of the punch to help your hands out when punching your pieces out

• Use a set of tweezers if you have a hard time gripping or picking up the punched out piece

• If your punches get so they can’t cut well, try cutting a sheet of aluminum foil to sharpen the blade a bit

• Try sharing punches with your friends and family that create, each of you get different “extra” punches

• Make sure when you go to crops to take your scraps, find people who have punches you do not have to punch out a few pieces in colors you could use

Punches can be a lot of fun, especially if you do not have a lot of money to buy stickers all the time. Use them with stamps to create a unique card, and use them with your scraps to save you money. Yes, you have the investment of the punch itself, but overall, the savings is much greater than the cost itself. I am all about saving money; it is about getting your memories out on paper…not about spending the most in your supplies!

You can get more ideas on http://memoriesintyme.blogspot.com/.

Lynda Jeffs is the designer and owner of Memories in Tyme, teaching others the art of scrapbooking and card making…the easy way! I have been able to scrapbook on what I have at home for over 7 years now! Join me while I give you all the tips I have learned along the way!

http://www.memoriesintyme.com/

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Baby's First ScrapBook

By Chris Stilez

Have you guessed it?

The number one best idea to use your cricut on is to make something about your little ones!

Kids love to hear all kinds of stories. But one story they probably would want to hear over and over again is the story of their birth. This is why, many would prefer creating baby scrapbook to tell in a more tangible way how they come out in this world. But it does not mean that baby scrapbook is limited to the “how” of giving birth. Even the minor details are important to create a more wonderful baby scrapbook your kid would enjoy and would be proud of as they grow up. And since baby scrapbook is somewhat a kid’s bibliography, your kids will appreciate how much they mean to you.

If you are planning to use your cricut machine to make a scrapbook for your baby to come, then here are the things you should consider so that you wont limit yourself from creating a statistical baby scrapbook (baby scrapbook that only tells the time, weight and size of the baby).

To create a baby scrapbook, you should define your starting point. It could be the baby shower or the day of his or her birth. You should also set when to end the scrapbook. Usually, baby scrapbook would cover the child’s first year but you can always go longer if you want to. In the process, you should collect things that can be included on the scrapbook like the gifts you receive on the baby shower. Some would even include the baby’s first haircut and other events that the child has experienced for the first time.

Choose a color that would define the theme of the scrapbook. The usual color of a baby boy’s scrapbook is powder blue while the baby girl’s scrapbook is pink. You may or may not adapt these colors and use another.

Now you ask: “What should I include In the scrapbook?”

Most baby scrapbook would include the details about the baby upon birth. These are, the length at birth, weight at birth, time of birth, the length of labor, the color of the eyes and hair, and doctor’s name and the names of the staff who assisted the doctor in giving birth. Plus of course, the pictures of you and your child at the hospital after you gave birth.

Some would include pictures of you while you are still pregnant. Moments such as this will keep your child reminded how you, as a mother took care of him/her while s/he was still in your womb.

Other moments you should include are the photos of the baby’s growth month by month with a size reference (usually a stuffed toy), photos of the house you live in and the nursery, photos of the family members including the baby, photos of the baby sleeping, photos taken while the baby is bathing, photos with his or her favorite toys, and other happy moments that include him or her.

As was mentioned above, many baby scrapbooks would include the baby’s firsts. These are the baby’s first smile, first bath first crawl, first roll over, first sat up, first steps, and so forth. Baby scrapbook can include his or her favorites like the favorite song, toys, bedtime stories, and the family tree.

The nice thing about this is that you can always add anything that is related to your baby as he or she is growing up.

For other significant events that may or may not be captured by memorabilia can be written.

You can write about the meaning and significance of the name, your length of stay at the hospital, other people who were present at the hospital, their reaction after you gave birth, their feelings after they carried your baby, and the way they entertain the baby. You can also write about stories that would further illustrate those events that are captured in photos. Stories like the baby’s first outings, babysitting, and mannerisms (did he or she often suck his or her thumb… and things like these).

You have the photos, the things to write about and the scrapbook to put it together; what else?

Well, creating baby scrapbook is really a personal thing so it is up to you what other things you want to add for as long as your child will know how did she grow up.

Chris Stilez

You’re probably head over heels about using the Cricut Design Studio… but do you really know all its potential? Learn how to make stunning cricut designs, join us where the fun is, follow the link Cricut Design Studio Tutorial

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Sorting It All Out

Creating the Perfect Memory

By Kristen Burgess

One of the benefits of scrapbooking is the organized and attractive way your memories are preserved. It’s important to take your time with the initial layout because that’s what really makes the core of your design. A good layout will be beautiful to look at and it will preserve your memories so you and the generations to come will truly enjoy them.

Your imagination is one of the best places to start your layouts. Just take a look at the number of pictures you have and the themes you’d like to create and go from there. But, if like everybody, you find yourself stuck for ideas sometimes that’s OK. There are lots of places to look for inspiration.

Scrapbooking idea books and magazines are great for getting ideas. They have lots of layouts and you can often find them centering around a theme, such as “baby’s first year” or “school days.” This will help jump start your own creativity.

You can also find lots of layout ideas online. Spend time browsing scrapbooking sites and looking at galleries of the pages others have put together. You’ll get some excellent ideas.

Don’t limit yourself to just scrapbooking resources, though. Pay attention to the layouts of your favorite web pages and magazines. You’ll find a wealth of beautiful layouts to draw inspiration from.

Kits and software are excellent sources of pre-made layouts. If you’re just getting started with scrapbooking they can help you create beautiful pages right away. You will find that you can come up with your own ideas more easily as you gain experience.

Start planning your layout by taking stock of what you have to work with. How many pictures are you going to be using? Do you want to add a lot of words (journaling) to this particular page or spread? Is there children’s artwork to be incorporated into the layout. How about mementos such as napkins, invitations, or programs? These things will all influence how you should lay your page out.

Are you going to have one picture be the focal point, or will you have many pictures and mementos working together to build your memory? Layouts often center on details of each photograph, in which case the pictures are cropped and several smaller pictures are used together. Then there are always classic pictures that deserve to be the focal point of your entire page.

Go with simple layouts. Pictures and words will get lost on a page that’s too cluttered. It also helps to have a consistent look and feel for an entire album, so consider what will be going into it. Don’t forget to leave space for journaling.

Remember that themed kits can be a great way to get started with scrapbooking. They’re also wonderful if you’re going to be creating your scrapbook as a gift for someone else. They contain a nice selection of stencils, card stock, and embellishments that match the overall theme of the kit. You’ll find kits for everything from babies, to weddings, to anniversaries, to graduations, to birthdays, and more.

Taking the time to plan out your layouts before you actually start working on your scrapbook pages will help you create the perfect memory in an attractive and organized way. So spend a little while thinking about it and trying different things to get the look you want.

Kristen loves gadgets and electronics. Check out her new site where she shares her opinions on the best headset and includes reviews of her favorites like the Logitech USB Headset.

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Photographs make a whole part of your scrapbook. For some, this is the whole point of your scrapbook. So when you’re making your scrapbook, take care not to repeat too many same layouts for your photographs because this will bore viewers and won’t help beginners get some scrapbooking ideas. Here are a few tips to make your scrapbook look unique and yet simple:

Focal Point Photos

Choose a focal point photo to front your scrapbooking pages. This photo has to be clear and the center of what you’re trying to say for your scrapbook. Best location for focal point photos is usually the top left of the scrapbooking page as this is how the viewer will be reading.

Accessory Photos

Accessory photos help to highlight the focal point photo, thus, these are the photos that just happened randomly, or at the event. Using the accessory photos as one of your scrapbooking ideas will show your scrapbook is in order and has a pattern for itself.

Mat

Don’t mat all the photos. Although matting is one of the important scrapbooking ideas that can be useful, not all photos need to be matted. Only mat those you really want to stand out like the focal point photo.

Sticking

Don’t just stick to glue and paste. Use creative means of sticking the photo onto your scrapbook. Use colored tacks, adhesive dots, stickers, ribbons or even yarn to hold down your photos for you. Sticking to glue and paste will drive you out of an even more creative outcome for your photos and scrapbook.

And now, I would like to offer you 5 Scrapbooking layouts and 5 free Scrapbooking video tutorials at http://www.oohlalascrap.com

And I also would like to share with you a special way to receive a 10% discount on our monthly Scrapbooking kit-club and a 20% discount on our monthly Scrapbooking video classes. Go to http://www.monthlyscrapbookingkits.com and get also cheap Scrapbooking supplies every month, delivered automatically to your door.

Bernadine Otis

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