Scrapbook Ideas - Five Steps on Putting Your Memories Together to Make Your Perfect Scrapbook

So you are interested in scrapbooking and want to make your very first scrapbook. That is wonderful and I am sure that you will find scrapbooking to be a lot of fun. Although the decision may have been made, I have found that for many first time scrapbookers, it can be difficult to get started.

Walking into a craft store, it can be overwhelming, to say the least. There are hundreds of items to choose from and even choosing the scrapbook itself can be daunting. Purchasing the supplies can be very expensive, especially if you are unsure what you need and many first time scrapbookers get pulled into buying things that they only use once or twice.

To avoid this, there are a few things that every new scrapbooker should do before they head to the scrapbook store.

Step One: Get Organized

Before you make a scrapbook, it is important to really get organized. Go through all of your photos and find out which ones you want in a scrapbook and which ones you don't. Remember that not all of your photos will be in a scrapbook so don't feel the pressure to put them in.

Once you have pulled out the photos you want in a special book, start organizing them into themed pages. Birthdays, vacations, special events or special memories that you want can be the themes that you sort by. Place them in a photo box with dividers identifying the theme or the event so they don't get mixed up.

Step Two: Decide on the Scrapbook

Next, decide on the scrapbook before you get ready to make it. This means that you will need to decide on whether you want to have a large 12 by 12 page scrapbook or a smaller one. You can find them in many different sizes, although most scrapbookers prefer the larger 12 by 12 paged books. The smaller books are more cost effective and may be a better way to start out in the world of scrapbooking.

Once you have the size, determine if your scrapbook has a theme. You could do a couple's scrapbook, a baby's scrapbook, family memories, family trips, the dog's scrapbook and so on. There is no wrong theme and if you simply want one big book with everything, don't hesitate to make it.

Step Three: Find a Scrapbooking Group

While you don't need to do this, it does make scrapbooking more enjoyable. In addition, there are many crop meets and stores that offer crop nights so you can gain some experience and help with ease. The main reason why I recommend that you find a scrapbooking group or crop night is because many scrapbookers will share materials and tools with new scrapbookers. This will help cut down on the overall cost until you are sure this is the hobby for you.

Step Four: Purchase the Main Supplies

Go to the store and purchase the bare necessities for your scrapbook. Start with cutters, glue, double sided tape and a few embellishments that you enjoy. While the first few pages may not be as cutting edge as your later ones will be, it helps to start small and then slowly build up your supplies. It is also healthier for your wallet.

Step Five: Make your Scrapbook

Finally, sit down and start making your scrapbook. Use other people's scrapbooks for inspiration or use a scrapbooking kit for the first few pages. When you are making a scrapbook page, cut all your photos and paper and then place it on the main page before gluing. This will help you get the layout that you want without wrecking the paper. In addition, this habit will save you a lot of heartache over the years as you create pages after pages for your scrapbook.

In the end, making a scrapbook is very easy; however, being organized, finding a good group to scrapbook with and finding your inspiration will make it even easier.

Emma Taylor is Chief Editor at http://ScrapbookingOnlineTips.com an information site that discusses scrapbooking ideas, layouts and how to create scrapbooks.

Scrapbooking Organization - Keeping It All Together

Scrapbooking is one of the fastest growing hobbies in the United States. It is a wonderful way to preserve your precious photographs and most important memories. For many, scrapbooking is also a way to relieve stress in their hectic lives. But, if you've ever spent two hours trying to find the perfect embellishment for your scrapbook page, you soon realize that without organization, your wonderful hobby can actually be a cause of stress instead.

If you are a beginner scrapper make sure that you start the organization process immediately. If you are a seasoned pro but things have gotten a little out of hand in the scrapbooking supply area, there is hope. Commit yourself to taking the organization process one baby step at a time.

Keep in mind that your scrapbooking organization system should work in harmony with your personality and living conditions. If you are the type of person that likes things out of sight then an open shelving system probably wouldn't work for you. Likewise, if you live in a tiny apartment and only have a small space to work in, large filing cabinets just won't fit the bill.

The first step in your scrapbooking organization process is to arrange your photographs and memorabilia. Many people assume that the best method is to put them in chronological order, but a better way might be to organize them by events such as holidays, vacations or birthdays. Whichever method you choose be sure to store your photographs in "photo safe" or "acid-free" containers, like photo boxes, to protect them from light damage, curling or discoloration.

Of course, technology has made it much easier for us to organize our digital photographs with paid and free computer software programs. In fact, digital scrapbooking is fast becoming a popular method of enjoying the hobby due to its convenience and efficiency.

When beginning the organization of your scrapbooking supplies, start by gathering all of your items in one place. Group each similar item together to determine exactly how much storage space is needed.

For organization of smaller scrapbooking supplies, a simple and inexpensive method is to use plastic Ziploc bags. This is especially useful for leftover scraps of paper and small embellishments.

Scrapbooking pens, markers and glue sticks can easily be organized and stored in drawers and stackable trays.

Organizing your scrapbooking papers will probably take up the most space as you are sure to have a large variety on hand. If you have the space for it, open shelving is a great option for being able to see and quickly retrieve the necessary paper for your particular scrapbooking project.

If your scrapbooking work area is small, baskets can make convenient and beautiful storage for your scrapbook papers and supplies.

Another very popular option for organization of your scrapbooking supplies are plastic carts on wheels. You can have them handy next to you while you are working and roll them out of sight and into a closet when you're finished.

If you have the budget for it, there are many products available in craft supply stores and online that are made specifically for organization of scrapbooking supplies.

By using some of these ideas, you can spend more time scrapbooking than looking for lost supplies and photos. Keeping your scrapbooking supplies organized is the key to creating beautiful albums while remaining stress-free.

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