Free Scrapbooking stuff at your fingertips

Online is the best place to access free scrapbooking stuff. For all types of sites can even be printed out online scrapbook may be used in or on a high-quality computer and used on typical scrapbook pages. Different websites to check out for free Scrapbook stuff are Escrappers, free scrapbooking fonts, Scrapbook, Scrapbook MOM's Break and Keepsakes. Certain websites with free scrapbooking stuff are linked to great scrapbooking and craft shops, as well as tv stations for a wealth of scrapbooking ideas: Joann, Michaels, AC Moore and HGTV.

Many Web sites can help to learn about the fear and scrapbooking, even for a beginner. The pages relate to typical mistakes beginners make scrapbook and explain the free scrapbooking stuff and various fundamental principles of designing a ClipBook page, choosing an album to view the pages and using archival-quality scrapbooking materials. Not only will different sites give you the possibility to acquire free Scrapbook stuff, but you can even receive a free scrapbooking education. Beautiful scrapbook project ideas, as well as scrapbooking technique ideas and descriptions for digital and traditional scrapbooks are accessible. A directory of online shops--with free Scrapbook stuff--is available for the purchase of scrapbooking supplies.

The online sites with free scrapbooking stuff also offer easy to install Scrapbook fonts. Normally, all you have to do is click on the picture of the font you want to download, and it will download directly to your PC. Some free scrapbooking stuff on sites even contain fonts in zip files, unlike with the paste book font download itself. Once the Scrapbook fonts installed, you must have access in the program for titles, journaling, decoration or another way that you want to get.

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Preserving Memories - A Basic Training About Scrapbooks For The Kids

Memories express the events that had happened to people in the past. They try to remember them often. Such memories must be preserved so that they are easily recollected. Parents had realized its necessity and they started encouraging their children to involve in scrapbooking at an early stage. They encourage them to make their own scrapbook in to preserve their childhood memories.

Want your memories to be safe and funny to look at? Scrapbooking is one of the effective methods to do so. Anyone can narrate a story with their photo collections. The reason is memories are always intact. These experiences and practices can teach something to children. They can learn on how to be patient, how to be creative, value of resourcefulness and how to persevere, etc?

The Initial Phase:

Your work on scrapbooking can be shared with your kids. It is a pleasant activity. Scrapbooking is restricted to kids when it comes to sharing. They can be shared with your friends and co-workers too. But there are few essentials that you have to imbibe before you start sharing your scrapbook works.

Make sure that your kids develop some liking and interest for arts and crafts. This is very essential in making a kid work on scrapbooks. Kids who have interests in arts and crafts can be easily are the perfect ones to learn the activity. This is because they already possess the talent of creating wonderful works.

But it does not matter if your kid has no interests in arts and crafts. Do not conclude that they can never be trained for scrapbooking. It is now time to expose them to a completely new world of fun and joy.

The next thing that comes into consideration is the workplace. The work place should be spacious for the children to do their work. Scrapbooking needs a lot of papers and other materials. It comes easy when they can find the required things from the scattered materials. This thing is very essential for developing the habit or interest of scrapbooking. The kids can leave their work as it is so that they can continue it the next morning. The work is left undisturbed.

The kids need materials to work on a scrapbook. They should be provided with sufficient amount of materials. To start with the basic, basic materials must be made available to them as they are common. The most basic materials that are required for training kids for scrapbooking are: scrapbook paper- size of 12x12, color pencils, pens, pictures, scrapbooking die-cuts, rubber stamps, cut-outs, tools like punchers, scissors, trimmers, rulers, foam, glue, removers, stickers of various designs, color, tags, templates, totes, organizers, and transparencies, albums or old scrapbooks, alphabets, books or scrapbooking magazines for inspiring ideas, old cards, eyelets for adding beauty, brads, nails, tacks, colored, some specialty papers, and few apparels like as scrapbook kits that can be used as starters.

Some parents cannot afford to buy some scrapbooking materials and supplies that are expensive. But they have a desire to involve their children in scrapbooking. Here are some tips that make scrapbooking a low-cost activity.

1) Collect old pictures and hand them to your kids so that they can make use of it in scrapbooks. Make sure that they are not important.

2) Get some double prints for your kids from the developing center whenever you visit them. Ask your kids to use them on their scrapbooks.

3) Usually, there are some materials left over after the completion of a project. Do not throw them. Instead collect them for so that your kids use them in their next project.

4) Inspect your old usages so that something can be made use of it.

5) Teach our kids the value of time. Teach them on how to make efficient use of the time available by discarding the unnecessary materials, supplies that are of no use.

Abhishek is a Scrapbooking expert and he has got some great Scrapbooking Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 73 Page Ebook, "Scrapbooking Made Easy!" from his website http://www.Fun-Galore.com/821/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

How to Get Started on a Scrapbook Project (Organizing and Cropping Your Photos)

After learning how to find the albums and materials for a scrapbook project, the next thing that beginners should know about is how to organize and crop their photos. This may seem like a trivial thing at first, but the longer you do scrapbooking, the more you will realize how important it is to have a properly-organized system for your photos, as well as knowing how to crop them according to your needs.

It is recommended that you work on your scrapbook project in a workshop or area that has enough space to accommodate several piles of photos. You will not need all of this space every time you start a project, of course, but having a regular available space set aside for scrapbooking purposes would really help in the long run. Just set aside a portion or area of your home that is not usually used, such as a spare bedroom or maybe an area next to the garage. Of course, you need to keep in mind that the area you choose will have to be free of humidity, and well-lit (although free from direct sunlight).

Now that you have a pile of photos in front of you, what's the first step in organizing them? Well, you pick out the ones that are obviously damaged or those that are blurry (out of focus). You should also separate the Polaroids from the photos that were taken by a common film camera (or those that were printed from digital copies). Polaroid pictures can contain a type of acid that may eventually ruin your photographs, so it would be best if you separate them right from the start.

If you could produce copies of the photos that you do like, it would be great. This will save you a lot of grief when you are working on a scrapbook project and you make a mistake. When you already have a copy of the photo you are using in your scrapbook, then it won't be a problem replacing them.

With that said, I totally recommend making copies of the original photos and using those instead. Can you imagine using an original black and white photograph of your great-grandparents in your scrapbook, only to find that you've dropped a teeny weeny bit of glue on them, or maybe finding a few spatters of ink from the stamping you did the other day? Now you've ruined an original heritage photo of your ancestors, and you've got nothing to replace it. Totally unthinkable, right?

Alright, now that you've got some usable photos for your scrapbook project, you will want to organize them in chronological order. Don't be overwhelmed, though, because you really don't have to know the exact dates of when these photos were taken. Just sort them by year, or even by decade if you cannot identify them all by year. Separate the photos from the 1960s, the 1970, etc. You get the idea. You can then go back later on and sort them some more, like photos from the early '80s, late '80s, early '90s, etc.

You can also sort them out chronologically according to whatever your purpose for scrapbooking is at the moment. For example, if you're creating a scrapbook for your daughter who's about to get married, you may want to start with the earliest photos you can find of her, up until the most recent picture. If your scrapbook is about the different holidays or festivities of the year, then the best thing to do would be to sort the pictures starting with the holiday or occasion that is nearest to the start of the year (starting with New Year, for example, then moving onwards until Christmas Day).

Some scrapbookers stop right here already, but if you have the time, I suggest that you move on and organize your photos according to events or occasions. This arrangement could include birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, sports, etc. and not only for holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas. Different strokes for different folks, of course, so it's up to you to find and use the system that works best.

Here are a few more suggestions and ideas that you can use to organize your photos, depending on the purpose or theme of your scrapbook project:

-- If you're sorting photos for a wedding scrapbook, start by sorting the individual pictures of the bride and groom first. Use the baby pictures of each partner and go right up until adulthood. The couple will have lots of pictures that show them together, of course, so you should place those in a separate pile. If one of the couple (or both) has children from a previous marriage, you should also separate those pictures in a different pile as well.

-- For a project such as a family tree scrapbook, you can start by collecting pictures of each member of the family from both sides (mother and father). It's up to you how extended you want your family tree to be, but make sure that you will have photos for each of the family members, or else your family tree would look terribly lopsided. Start with collecting pictures for the most current family members, then work your way downwards.

-- The size of your scrapbook album should also be a factor. Remember that most scrapbook pages can comfortably hold an average of 4-5 photos (more if the picture sizes are small). However, you should also take into account the space that you will need for journaling or embellishments. A scrapbook page can hold more than 7-8 photos if you really fill it up from border to border, but you won't have room left for anything else.

-- Now that you have a collection of photos that have been sorted by type, date, and/or occasion, it's time for you to decide what the main photo will be. Scrapbookers usually pick out a single photo to serve as the focal point for all the other stuff that they put in a page, whether it's journaling, embellishments, or more photos. The main photo should have a larger size than the other pictures, with great color and sharp focus. Ideally, it should be the best photograph among all the others in your collection.

-- You can edit your main photo if you feel like it, so that the resulting picture will have that feel and look that you are going for. You can use your computer and a good photo editing software to enlarge or reduce a photo, add some borders or framing to it, or convert a colored picture into black and white for a classic or vintage look. If you don't have a computer or the skills to do this kind of work, you can just bring it to a photo shop and have someone do it for you (or ask a friend).

-- Sometimes you will finish the organizing part of the job, but won't be able to actually mount the photos on your pages until some time later. If this is the case, you should store your selected photos into an archival-quality container. This will ensure that your photographs will be safe until you are able to mount them in your album. You can buy good-quality photo cases in department stores or a crafts shop, or use any airtight container that is also acid-free. For a quick solution, just get some Ziploc bags and place your photographs in those, then keep them in an airtight container until you can use them.

Okay, now we're done with the organizing part. Let's talk about cropping your photos and how to do it the right way.

If you're not familiar with cropping photos, don't worry; it's not as complicated as it may sound. When you crop a photo, you're simply cutting away the elements that distract the viewer from the subject of the photo itself. For example, you may see a lot of pictures that have distracting backgrounds, so it would be a good idea to trim the photo in such a way that the distracting background is minimized and the attention is more focused on the subject.

However, do be careful when cropping away the backgrounds, because some of those photos might have backgrounds that are essential to the overall message or story of the photo itself. As an example, you might have some photos of your grandparents, with an old house or building in the background. That old house might be the house that your mother grew up in, or that old building may be the place where your grandparents got married. These backgrounds, therefore, have a sentimental value to them that can contribute more to the story behind those photos, so it would be foolish to crop them out.

For the fastest and easiest way to crop photos, use a tool with a straight edge, such as a ruler. Sometimes it may seem fun to crop the photos into a variety of shapes, but remember that too many assorted shapes will just make your pages look messy and disorganized. You just need a pair of sharp scissors, a ruler, and a pencil. Use the pencil to trace the line where you would want to crop the photo off, and then wipe off any residue after you finish the cropping, so that your photos will be protected from deterioration. You can also buy a small paper cutter if you can afford it. This way, you can accomplish a cleaner, smoother crop even faster.

You can try using photos that have been cropped into different sizes and mount them all in one page. If you have a photo that you really like, or maybe one that has several persons in it, you can produce several copies of that single photo and crop them all into different ways before mounting on the scrapbook page. This technique also works really well with landscape photos.

You may also have lots of photos with colorful backgrounds, like a field of blooming flowers or a beautiful lake scenery. These photos don't really deserve to get cropped closely, because they can add a lot of brightness and color to your designs. Put away those scissors and try to find ways to work these photos into your layouts instead.

If you do want to get creative with your cropping, you can use a pair of decorative scissors or shears. There are several varieties of these tools now available in office/school supply stores, or you can go to your crafts store and see if they have them in stock. Aside from creative cropping, you can use these decorative scissors to trim the borders of cardstock, frames, etc. in a variety of shapes.

Special occasions or events can be exceptions to the "straight edge" rule. For example, when you're creating a page for Valentine's Day, you can be forgiven for cropping your photographs in heart shapes of different sizes. When you want to crop your photos like these, I suggest using a cookie cutter as a template to get the desired shapes that you want. Trace the photo using the cookie cutter and mount it on cardstock. The cardstock can also be cropped or shaped in this way if you prefer. Using cookie cutters for this purpose can be a lot less expensive than buying die cut embellishments, especially when you're using them for just one event or occasion.

Aside from a straight edge crop, there are lots of scrapbookers who vary their styles and use a few other shapes, like an oval and a square. A round or oval shape is quite difficult to produce precisely, especially for beginners, so I would recommend that you buy some templates. Using templates for cropping your photos will let you produce clean, smooth results again and again, with less effort than you might expect.

However, templates can be a bit expensive, so I suggest that you stick with two or three basic shapes. Avoid buying the other specialized template shapes, because even though you think they look "cute" now, there are not too many projects or photographs where you can use "heart" or "Christmas tree" templates.

The one type of photograph that you must never crop is the Polaroid photo. Photographs taken with a Polaroid camera contain a type of chemical inside the paper itself, so when you crop or trim these photos in any way whatsoever, you run the risk of having the chemical leak out and destroy the other photos on your page. There are other ways to attach and display Polaroid photos, such as using photo corners to mount them on the page, or attaching pocket sleeves on the scrapbook page and then inserting the photos inside the sleeves.

Remember, though, that even if we're talking about cropping your photos now, there are some pictures that look great just the way they are. Don't get trigger-happy with your scissors and take some time to analyze each photograph. Look at the photo and try to understand what it is in that particular image that grabs your attention; what the main subject is trying to tell you. Is the background distracting you, or does it add more to the story? Would it work better with a different shape, or is it just fine the way it is right now?

You should crop your photographs depending on the layout and the project, but don't go around thinking that all photos should be cropped. When you do decide to crop, you can try using special shapes and different sizes, but remember that working with a clean, straight edge will produce the best results at all times.

Aside from being an accomplished artist and art/design teacher, Kimmo Hakonen is also the author of "Scrap Ideas". You can read more about Kimmo and the "Scrap Ideas" e-book here: http://www.scrapideas.net

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3 Great Scrapbooking Templates - How To Use Them To Emphasize Your Theme

When you're creating a scrapbook, you'll want to use a scrapbooking template that reflects your overall theme. If you're not sure what theme to apply, then here are some ideas that may help you find a ready-made scrapbooking template or create your own.

1. Environmental

Environmental themes are very popular these days. Scrapbooking templates with an environmental theme include natural motifs incorporating plants, animals, and the basic elements - soil, water, and air. They portray the natural beauty of our planet and are perfect when your photos and memorabilia are related to outdoor and environment-related activities. Perfect embellishments for your environmental scrapbooking template could include that small pebble you found at the beach, a dried leaf or twig, or an Earth Day button or decal. This template is a perfect to present your nature trips, safaris, hiking and camping adventures, and wildly successful fishing trips.

2. Technological

Using a technological scrapbooking template are a great way to illustrate the passage of time and how much things have changed. They incorporate images and memorabilia related to any number of technologies - computers, cell phones, microchips, vehicles, space travel, and gadgets. A scrapbook with a technological scrapbooking template is perfect for that techno-geek in the family. It can document his or her evolution through different stages of techno-geekness. Or you can use the technological theme to showcase the houses you've lived in, moving up from a black-and-white portable television to a giant plasma wall-mounted screen. Your technological scrapbooking template will prove how tech-savvy you are and make your friends envy your modern attitude.

3. Athletic

One of the most popular scrapbooking templates reflects sports and fitness. Often selected to document a man's life, it makes a masculine scrapbook free of ribbons and lace. Most sports-oriented scrapbooking templates reflect one of three elements:

Persona - A very popular scrapbooking template, this type of template showcases sports personalities popular to avid fans. You create a scrapbook for your favorite player or team. You can track their career, including photos, newspaper articles, and game reviews. If your man has a favorite sports celebrity, this scrapbooking template will make a great gift that you know he doesn't have.

Team - This sports scrapbooking template can be based on the team's symbol or mascot. You can showcase individual team players and stars. Demonstrating support for your favorite team or college, the team scrapbooking template is embellished with ticket stubs, treasured pieces of uniforms, and a color scheme based on team colors. This scrapbooking template is a great gift for team associations, alumni groups, and school classes.

Equipment - Based on the type of equipment used in sports, your equipment scrapbooking template can be designed around equipment for many sports, relying on the equipment for a more general sports theme, or the equipment for a specific sport with that sport as your focus. Cut-outs and die-cuts in the shape of the equipment makes great frames for photos and documents.

3. Emotional

Scrapbooking templates designed to represent the emotional nature of events rely on color and design to complement your photos and memorabilia and tell the whole story. Wedding-oriented scrapbooks tell a story of love and married life. Career-oriented scrapbooks describe challenges, struggles, and successes. Memorial scrapbooks express grief and sorrow for the loss of a loved one. You illustrate the emotion with color or characters.

Color - Bright and dark colors express different subtle emotional intensities that you can't usually describe with pictures or scrapbook embellishments. And specific colors represent different emotions. Red denotes passion, courage, and action. White denotes innocence, love, and purity. Yellow represents energy and enthusiasm. Blue speaks of inner peace and spiritual love. You can use different shades or saturations of the same color to express different intensity of emotion.

Characters - Using characters is an effective way to express emotions. Facial expression is an easy way to communicate feelings. You can have your characters involved in different activities related to the photos and memorabilia on the page. Complementing your characters with background illustrations is also effective. For example, showing your character taking a walk in the rain could communicate solitude, sorrow, or sadness. Showing the same character on the beach in full sunlight would speak to joy, playfulness, and adventure.

Abhishek is a Scrapbooking expert and he has got some great Scrapbooking Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 73 Pages Ebook, "Scrapbooking Made Easy!" from his website http://www.Fun-Galore.com/821/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

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.

What to Expect From a Scrapbooking Website

Completely you get a number of creates and reminiscences which you want to fixed independent of the rest. Continuing to keep them at the old fashioned album probably would never necessary give them your contact they need. Let's look at look into performing a scrapbook of the photographs? Whenever the latest thing. scrapbooking has arrive at your thinking's, you tend to check out a lot of options for example, newspapers, printing advertising campaigns, tabloids, periodicals, and lastly many on line web-sites.

These types of options none the less provide you with a open up image of precisely what your own completed unit is going to especially indicate relating to.

It's possible you've discovered your mates sharing the things they're doing contemplating scrapbooking projects or the professional photographer in the course of wedding ceremony have said always keeping these types of images in such an amazing technique.

Do not be described as an impressive digital photographer and it might be your very first time to use scrapbooking. Do you think you're just a little worried? You will discover numerous of scrapbooking website pages that will help you out of trouble in your program.

Finest is going to truly create tastes to your own scrapbook? Exactly what elements are going to accentuate your pics? How will you work on the ways of making a good solid scrapbook?

Thinking of how you could get started can go on for the days. Appearing in all of them challenges, the scrapbooking sites that you'll speak with could have display options for almost all required assist and tips you search.

Guiding a significantly created scrapbook is the fill of essential scrapbooking provides that have been attractively compounded plus harmonized. Without the need of a lot of these scrapbooking delivers, there could be nothing to cherish inside the scrapbook, so to speak. Personally, the scrapbooking supplies which might be distributed by loads of internet vendors could take your breath away.

They are available for sale in quite a few colorations, concepts, shapes and sizes of numerous options. Anytime scrapbooking is all you get on your mind, you only need to must opt for and decide on which scrapbooking delivers to make usage of.

Select the colorations that could satisfy your concept as well as the clothing posed by people for the mages. A combination of all of the designs from the components ought to enhance the colors contained in the portraits.

The most basic designs that suit your wedding and reception themes will be gold, silver, and also bright white. However you are able to adjust it as you opt for it. Throughout the first internet site you'll be able to composite wedding ceremony party invitation so the storytelling will be began with. Most of the photographs definitely will go along with inside the succeeding internet pages.

Keep in mind to make usage of appealing edges and embellishments. However, that scrapbook may or may not be able to include all those wedding ceremony photographs. Scrapbooking Online pages in Action

On the internet searching just for scrapbooking tips is a very a great deal acclaimed way through many of us. Just by going to scrapbooking web sites, you would run into with the bunch of ready-made styles and example of articles for your scrapbook.

It's possible you'll similarly produce them is the scrapbooking webpage allow for it. If you know methods to make best use of the capability of your personal pc including your internet, you for sure can discover countless useful creative ideas by scrapbooking internet sites. Of course, they perform such function.

Scrapbooking internet sites can also be training internet sites that will instruct anyone about what stuff are often simply made right into a wonderful scrapbook product or service, just what easy steps could possibly be accompanied by inexperienced traders, what plans can be cool, and much more.

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Scrapbooking Your Travels

Vacation scrapbooks are one of the most popular albums to make. Whether you're scrapping a weekend camping or a trip around the world, the wealth of digital scrapbook designs make it easy and fun to organize, share and preserve the memories of your trip.

Today's travelers are discovering that the easiest, most innovative and enjoyable way to chronicle their vacation memories is through digital scrapbooks. Many busy travelers don't have the time, space, materials or patience to create paper scrapbooks, or simply may not be interested in making the investments required. Plus, in our digital age, most people want to download their digital pictures and share them over e-mail.

The booming popularity of the digital scrapbook is no surprise when you consider the user-friendly software programs and digital scrapbook designs available and ease of sharing electronic photos with others.

Photographing Your Travels

While a digital camera is most conducive for a digital scrapbook, you can also use a film camera and then scan in your photos later or have them put on a CD.

If you visit many places on your trip, you might benefit from journaling or even just keeping a small notebook of the places you saw along with a short description, so you won't have any trouble noting the details when you create your scrapbook. Think about the five Ws: Who, What, Where, When and Why.

Many destinations offer signs welcoming tourists to the area, and some travelers make a point of photographing these signs to feature in their digital scrapbook rather than writing a caption. Some traveling scrapbookers find it useful to take a general background shot of an empty beach or other basic scenery to use as the background for a digital photo collage. Small details such as decorations or landscaping can also make nice accents for your digital scrapbook.

Of course, you'll want shots of you and/or any traveling partners enjoying vacation activities, as well as photos of you in a setting depicting a unique aspect of your destination. Often these will comprise the star images of your digital scrapbook to help you look back on your vacation. Take your outdoor pictures on a sunny day if possible.

Getting Started on Your Vacation Scrapbook

Create your digital scrapbook while your trip is still fresh in your mind if you can. The best way to begin is by organizing all of your pictures how you see fit. Some vacationers prefer chronological order, while others prefer common themes. After you've sorted the pictures, begin filtering out the ones you don't want to use, such as any blurry, dark, repetitive or unflattering photos, and create a subfolder of your favorite pictures for your digital scrapbook.

Next choose scrapbook designs and background colors that match the pictures. Some of the most successful layouts match the background with the color in the photos. For example, use blue and green scrapbook designs with beach layouts, and green and brown designs for nature layouts. An easy way to stay organized is to keep the pictures in the same folder as the background you've selected for those pictures.

Now start arranging the pictures on the pages. Make sure to leave enough room in between pictures to avoid crowding the page. After you've placed the pictures on a given page, consider using embellishments to further liven up your scrapbook designs. You can also scan in related memorabilia such as museum or plane tickets or include them on a homemade page created with paper and glue.

Journaling Your Vacation Memories

The images of your trip tell only part of your story. A popular technique in a digital scrapbook is journaling, which enables you to give a personal touch to your scrapbook designs. Journal writing can be either typed or handwritten and scanned. You can then incorporate it into your layout as you see fit. Take note of your thoughts and the little details, such as a hotel name and room number. Many scrappers bring a small notepad with them on vacation to write down any notes or ideas that they would like to incorporate into their digital scrapbook.

When you're satisfied with your digital scrapbook, it's time to share your vacation memories with your friends and family who are interested. Be sure you include a description of your vacation destination and date somewhere in the e-mail, such as in the subject line, if you have not already noted this information in your scrapbook designs. Print copies of select photo collages for your contacts without Internet access.

As you settle into the daily grind at home, your digital scrapbook will help keep those special moments of your trip from fading, and seeing this reminder about your favorite destinations will help you relax and maybe even plan your next trip!

Digital scrapbooking diva Memory Lane explores the world of documenting memories digitally, providing insight and ideas on how to create digital photo collages and scrapbooks. She offers tips on scrapbooking important events, travels and major life periods such as childhood, school athletics and a child's transition out of the nest. She also debunks common myths about digital scrapbooking and addresses frequent questions on this popular new hobby. Memory's blogs provide answers, tips and digital scrapbooking ideas to help you create sharper, more attractive scrapbooks in half the time.

Learn more about our photo collage maker at the Artopia Photo Collage Community.