By: Mark Washburn
Like most things, scrapbooking isn’t always easy to learn right off the
bat. It can take patience and a development of your own creativity to
get the most out of it.
Learning all about the various tools and techniques can also take some
time. Scrapbook paper patterns and styles run the gamut of designs.
Paper punches, rubber stamps and even the glues have a unique purpose,
so it pays to know how to work with all of them.
If your just starting in scrapbooking, try not to get overwhelmed. Our
advice is to focus on one project, and a single task and learn to do
that well. You don’t have to tackle learning everything it once and
there’s no worry or hurry. Simply enjoy the process one step at a time.
If you work on the process of creating your scrapbook project, with an
eye on the end result, you’ll find yourself getting pulled in the
direction of completing the project. One of the greatest challenges is
staying motivated when you can’t finish everything at once. It’s what
stumps a lot of beginners in a world where quick gratification only
comes through some work and effort.
Stick to it though and you’ll find yourself greatly rewarded. My sister
was always one to put off starting a new project on her kids. She used
to say, "They’ll be grown up and moved away before I finish this baby
scrapbook!" Amazingly though, one day she simply buckled down and got
to work and in a few days,the book was done. Today it stands proudly on
a mantle where friends and family can view it and it really is a
showpiece of sorts.
If you need motivation in the challenging times be sure to visit some
online scrapbooking forums and talk about your project there. Not only
will you get some terrific support but you’ll also come away with some
new ideas you may not have thought of before.
The same goes for picking up some good scrapbook magazines or dvd’s.
While it’s true, they won’t finish the job for you, they can help get
you back on track and fire you up enough to finish the job at hand.
Afterall, it’s never an issue of you not being able to create the
greatest journal ever…it’s just a matter of being motivated enough to
focus on it and finish it.
Getting started in scrapbooking isn’t always the easiest thing in the
world to do, but with the right guidance and the right attitude, you’ll
be looking at some wonderful memories on your mantle sometime soon.
About the Author:
Mark Washburn is a freelance writer with experience on creative memory scrapbooking and scrapbook instruction.
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
By: Tom Ambrozewicz
Scrapbooking is a fun pastime, but don’t lose sight of the main goal
any scrapbooker is trying to achieve: to produce a quality product that
can be shown to friends and family and eventually passed on to future
generations to provide a record of your life. Therefore, one of the
most important steps to creating any page is the journaling.
Unfortunately, this is also one of the most forgotten steps. Journaling
is important because it is a written record of what is happening in the
pictures for people who weren’t there or don’t know you.
I like to begin by creating a title for each page. This can be
something simple and straightforward, such as "Mom and Dad’s 50th
Anniversary" or it can be creative, heartwarming, or funny. Think of
your page as a story and then name it. Use big bold letters for the
title to draw attention to it, but make sure it does not overwhelm the
most important elements of the page-the pictures.
Each picture on your page should have a few words as a caption. Name
the people and/or places photographed; although it may seem obvious to
you right now, you may not be able to remember names when you look at
your album 20 years from now. Others who do not know all of your
friends will also benefit from these labels. Captions should be small
elements on the page, and occasionally two similar pictures will not
each need a caption.
Work a block of text into your page design. I like to keep this text
around the same size as the smallest photograph, but of course this
depends on the page layout. Many pre-made layouts will already include
a space for text. Use this element of the design to record the "story"
behind the pictures. Pretend you are looking at your photographs with a
friend-what would you say as he or she flipped through the pictures?
All of this information is readily forgotten, so it is important to jot
down a few words on a piece of notebook paper and save it with your
photographs if you think that you won’t get the chance to create your
pages right away. Always include a date if relevant, because as time
goes on, the years run together.
Occasionally you may forget your camera at an important event, lose
your pictures, or not be allowed to use a camera in the space. Whatever
the case may be, if you don’t have photographs of an important event in
your life, you can still create a beautiful scrapbook page to document
the day. These pages will be mostly journaling. Use descriptive words
to take the place of the photographs.
If you have a fear of hand-writing, don’t let that stop your from
journaling. Letter stickers or cutouts provide fun options for titles.
For smaller letters, you may be able to trade skills with someone who
had trouble with something that you can do, such as cropping. I tend to
believe that personal handwriting, even if it is not perfect, give the
page character. A final option is to use your computer to print out the
journaling elements on your page. However you choose to do it,
journaling is one step in the scrapbook process that needs to be
important to help create a first-class album.
About the Author:
Tom Ambrozewicz is one of the pioneers in using breakthrough audio technology on his web sites. You can read, you can listen to professional narrator reading to you or having MP3 files ready to download if you hate to keep printed files. You can check all scrapbooking tips at Ask-How.info now.
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
By: Tom Ambrozewicz
Scrapbooking starts when someone has a lot of pictures that he or she
wants to organize in an eye-pleasing way. To do this, you can start
creating pages on a whim and produce a random collection of photographs
mounted on paper, or you can take the more effective approach and plan
out a theme to your album. There are many album themes to consider when
choosing the option that will best fit your needs.
The most often used theme for your album really isn’t much of a theme
at all-chronological order. Most beginning scrapbookers use this method
of organization because it is convenient to use if you are trying to
get all of your photographs out of boxes and into acid free albums.
Chronological scrapbooks also make it easy to keep up with the album as
you get new pictures developed. However, this is not the only type of
album that can be created, and you should weigh all options before
starting to scrapbook.
Consider creating a birthday or holiday album, which work especially
well for scrapbookers with children. Rather than including pages with
all your pictures throughout the year, choose one holiday and start an
album with one layout for each year. The result will be a book that
shows the progression of a child from year to year, and these make
excellent graduation gifts or can become keepsakes as your children
move out of the house. These are on-going projects, so you will need to
devote many years to an album before it is complete.
Another theme that makes a beautiful album is people. This works nicely
with the random pictures you may have that were not used in your
chronological album. To make this kind of album, create one layout for
each person, and show them throughout the years. Alternatively, if you
take many pictures, you can create a single album all for one person.
An album themed by people makes a good gift for someone with many
grandchildren or for someone moving away from a group of friends.
However you chose to theme your album, think of its function before you
start. Who will be looking at the album? Are you giving this album as a
gift? What kind of pictures do you have available? Scrapbooking
according to theme creates well-organized albums, and by choosing a
theme before you start creating pages you can make an album that works
well in your collection or as a gift.
About the Author:
Tom Ambrozewicz is one of the pioneers in using breakthrough audio technology on his web sites. You can read, you can listen to professional narrator reading to you or having MP3 files ready to download if you hate to keep printed files. You can check all scrapbooking tips at Ask-How.info now.
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
By: Tom Ambrozewicz
You’re never too young to learn the art of scrapbooking. In fact,
teaching kids a few simple skills can help you create time in your
schedule to scrapbook while still spending quality time with your
family. Different ages can learn different scrapbooking techniques, but
all ages should be able to help you make an album or produce albums of
their own.
Toddlers
Even the youngest age group can learn beginner skills to scrapbooking.
One way to get them involved is to have them try their hand at choosing
colors and embellishments that they like. You may be surprised at how
quickly a four-year-old picks up on concepts such as color schemes and
layout design. You can also ask your child to help with the journaling.
This works especially well when you create pages where your child is
the main focus-ask for his or her thoughts on the day and include this
in your journaling. You might be surprised at what they say, so be
ready to write down some great quotes! Toddlers can also be given paper
and markers to draw pictures about the event, and these can make
heart-warming embellishments to your page.
School-age Children
As your child learns basic motor skills, such as how to use scissors,
you can let them practice at making their own pages. Let them use the
doubles of your pictures or pictures from the roll that are fuzzy or
otherwise undesirable for your own album. Scrapbooking paper can be
expensive, so unless your child has a genuine love for the craft, you
may want to have them use construction paper, which is not acid free
but will help you save money if all your child wants to do is play. At
this stage, your child may be able to help you choose all the elements
for a page or look through scrapbooking layout ideas to pick some of
his or her favorites that you can then create. As a pre-teen, your
child may have the skills to begin creating his or her own album and
using real scrapbooking paper and supplies. This is an investment that
will depend on your child’s particular interest and skill level.
Teens
If your child continues to scrapbook at this stage, he or she probably
can handle creating a beginning album. A good start is to use the
school pictures your child has surely acquired over the years from
friends. Encourage your child to be creative and to design pages that
interest him or her. If you do digital scrapbooking, this is also a
good time to introduce your child to some of the programs available
online. The love of scrapbooking may continue past the teen stage and
into adulthood, and soon your children may be creating albums that
rival your own and teaching their own children how to scrapbook.
About the Author:
Tom Ambrozewicz is one of the pioneers in using breakthrough audio technology on his web sites. You can read, you can listen to professional narrator reading to you or having MP3 files ready to download if you hate to keep printed files. You can check all scrapbooking tips at Ask-How.info now.
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
By: Tom Ambrozewicz
With the hundreds of thousands of scrapbooking papers and
embellishments available on the market, it is easy for your craft area
to become overwhelmed by scrapbooking supplies. This becomes an
especially difficult challenge for scrapbookers who live in small
spaces such as apartments or dorm rooms. Never fear-with a little
effort you can follow a few easy steps to create a space for your
things that is organized, clean, and beautiful.
You will likely need the most time and space to organize your papers. A
good option for this is a paper saver, as made by most of the larger
scrapbooking companies. Usually made from plastic, these folder-like
portfolios are large enough to hold hundreds of papers and include tabs
to separate your pages into categories for easy organization. If you
find that you do not have enough room in a paper saver, you might also
find it useful to invest in a filing cabinet or one of the sets of
drawers made especially for scrapbooking. These are available at all
craft stores and online.
Once you own a tool for organization, the next step is to decide how
you want to categorize your supplies. The option most often used is
color, but you can also separate your paper into themes (holidays,
wedding, etc) or by marking, such as solids and stripes. You can also
use this system to organize flat embellishments, such as die cuts or
stickers.
You also need a place to store your tools and embellishments that are
not easily filed. One good way of doing this is by using baskets and a
shelving system. Store cutting tools in one basket, glues in another,
markers and paint in a third, and so on. By buying baskets in bulk, you
will save more money then if you use photo boxes, and the display will
be uniform and attractive. Remember to label your baskets so you save
time when you’re looking for a particular item.
If you need to save space, however, a basket and shelving system may
not work for you. Instead, keep all your tools and supplies stored
somewhere safe and out of the way and keep a "kit" of your most used
items close at hand in a photo box, basket, tote bag, or other
container. That way when you only have time to do a quick page or two,
you can use your kit to complete it and then quickly clean up. On the
other hand, when you can devote an entire day to scrapbooking, you can
pull your supplies out of storage to complete many pages of your album.
Try to remember that keeping your space clean and organized will make
scrapbooking easier and more enjoyable in the future. By labeling your
storage containers and sorting your papers, you will be able to quickly
find the tools you need. Organization is the key to stress-free
scrapbooking and creating beautiful albums.
About the Author:
Tom Ambrozewicz is one of the pioneers in using breakthrough audio technology on his web sites. You can read, you can listen to professional narrator reading to you or having MP3 files ready to download if you hate to keep printed files. You can check all scrapbooking tips at Ask-How.info now.
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
By: Tom Ambrozewicz
One of the most fun ways to network with other people who enjoy a
similar hobby is to attend a convention. Scrapbooking is no exception.
Every year, venues across the country hold state, national, and
international conventions for scrapbookers from beginners to experts.
Going to a convention can be a great way to immerse yourself in your
hobby along with others who also feel passionate about the art of
scrapbooking-it truly is a scrapbooker’s heaven.
A huge part of any convention is the showroom. Here, you’ll find
products that are old standbys as well as stuff new on the market. Grab
a bag and be prepared to purchase some supplies and tools. If you’re on
a budget, go freebie hunting-many booths offer idea sheets or samples
of their newest products at no cost. You also get to see these new
products being demonstrated by representatives of the company.
Beware-this people have been trained extensively on how to use a
product, so they may be making it easier than it looks. If it’s not too
crowded, don’t be shy. Ask to try the tool to see if it really is easy
and effective to use.
You can also talk to companies who sponsor scrapbooking parties. There
are many opportunities to become a hostess for a party, and depending
on how far you are from home, you may be able to book a party during
the convention. If not, they will be able to give you a phone number or
website to find a local representative. You can also get information on
how to start a scrapbooking business of your own. Much like Avon or
Pampered Chef, scrapbooking companies train individuals to teach
classes at parties, and if you have free time and want to make some
extra money, this might be a good idea for you.
Another part of any large convention is classes. Here, the experts show
you tricks for creating perfect pages and demonstrate new techniques or
products. Sign up for classes or arrive early, because seating is often
limited and classes fill fast. Some classes are taught in
workshop-style. For a small fee, you receive all the supplies you need
to follow along with the instructor and create a page of your own.
Scrapbooking conventions are most useful for networking purposes. You
will meet many people from all walks of life who are interested in
scrapbooking. By meeting some people who live in your area, you can
create local clubs or discuss other scrapbooking-related issues in the
community. These are good people to invite to your scrapbooking parties
where the hostess can earn free products for every person invited to
the party. Keep these people in mind for carpooling to more conventions
in the future or for advice about new products or layout design. By
attending conventions, you can make lifelong friends while learning new
skills and seeing cutting-edge products being demonstrated.
About the Author:
Tom Ambrozewicz is one of the pioneers in using breakthrough audio technology on his web sites. You can read, you can listen to professional narrator reading to you or having MP3 files ready to download if you hate to keep printed files. You can check all scrapbooking tips at Ask-How.info now.
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
By: Tom Ambrozewicz
Scrapbooking takes three things-time, space, and dedication. Anyone
interested in this craft has the dedication needed to complete an album
masterpiece, but what about time and space? With the countless papers,
stickers, and other supplies (not to mention photographs), scrapbooking
requires room, both for creating pages and for storage. The sheer
volume of supplies is part of what makes scrapbooking so time
consuming; by the time you get everything out and organized, you’ve
already wasted 15 minutes or so, and the time spent looking for that
perfect stamp leaves you little time to create a page before you have
to clean up. It can be frustrating, and if you’re nodding your head in
agreement, the perfect solution for you might be digital scrapbooking.
Don’t be intimidated by this concept if you have no computer skills.
Digital scrapbooking is easy to learn and can make designing pages and
creating albums go more smoothly, leaving much more time for the other
things in your life. By following a few simple steps, you can begin
digital scrapbooking in less time than you think.
First, you need to find a way to put your pictures online. This is
easily achieved with a digital camera, but hard copies of photographs
can also be put onto your computer. Even if you do not know how to
transfer pictures from your digital camera to your computer, you can
put your pictures onto a CD at any photography center. At one of these
centers, you can also scan your printed pictures and put them onto a CD
as well. If you want to take it a step beyond the basics, you can
register for a website on the Internet that hosts photograph sharing.
You can also use photo-editing programs to change the look of your
picture, but this is not necessary for beginners. In any case, once
your pictures are on your computer, you can use them to create
scrapbook pages.
There are many programs available that help you design and print pages.
You can buy a program at the store, or you can purchase a downloadable
program on the Internet. This is an especially good option if you want
to share your album online. Compare prices and services on the programs
before making a purchase-not all programs are made the same way, and
you’ll want to find one that’s appropriate for your skill level. When
you’ve chosen and purchased a scrapbooking program, take some time to
go through the tutorial. Learn to use all the functions of the program
from the start, and you’ll save yourself a lot of time when you’re
trying to create pages.
Every program works differently, but after you’ve created pages you can
print them out or post them on a website. This is not only easy, but
also convenient for family members and friends who many want to print
their own copy of your work or view your entire album. Having your
pages online is also security-if anything ever happens to the hard copy
of your album, it is simple to print the pages again. Digital
scrapbooking is worth the initial cost and time to learn for beginners
who have little space or time to create hand-made albums.
About the Author:
Tom Ambrozewicz is one of the pioneers in using breakthrough audio technology on his web sites. You can read, you can listen to professional narrator reading to you or having MP3 files ready to download if you hate to keep printed files. You can check all scrapbooking tips at Ask-How.info now.
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
By: Tom Ambrozewicz
You don’t have to spend hours every day creating painstakingly perfect
pages, but scrapbooking does take a certain amount of time and care.
Don’t despair if you’re already busy with your family and job-there are
ways to make beautiful albums that don’t require as much of a time
commitment as traditional scrapbooking. By learning some alternative
options, even the busiest person will be able to scrapbook in the few
spare minutes of the day.
The first step to quickly designing pages is organizing your tools and
photographs. Take an afternoon to sort through your supplies and throw
out anything that is unusable or unwanted. These items might be good
candidates for things to use when scrapbooking with kids. Sort your
tools by use-cutters should be placed in one spot, while adhesives
should have a place of their own. Sort your papers as well, either by
color, type, or design. This way, you’ll be able to easily grab the
paper you need instead of searching throw unorganized piles. Also, take
a few minutes when you get a set of prints to categorize them or even
group them into sets of three or four to put together on a page.
You can create a very simple and quick kind of album without much work
simply by using a solid colored background and matting your photos
uncropped. This option looks similar to the photo albums you can buy at
the store, but your photographs will be safe on acid free paper and you
have room for journaling. You can also create a brightly-colored and
more pleasing album this way for not much more time than it would take
you to slide your pictures into the slots of regular albums. This way,
you can also add more embellishments if you have time later on and want
to get more creative.
If you want that traditional scrapbook look however, pages can still be
created in a short time. Many kits are available in craft stores to
create ready-made pages. These kits come with all the elements of a
completed page, so all you have to do is cut your pictures to size and
glue everything together. For a more inexpensive option, look for
papers that are conducive to quick layouts. These pages will not need
much embellishment, so again you just need to cut your pictures to size
and stick them to the page. A step beyond this is to create pages by
yourself by using other people’s designs. The Internet, scrapbooking
magazines, craft books, and friends are all good sources for ideas.
This way the planning is done for you and you don’t have to make color
decisions; it is just a process of mimicking what you see.
Once you have mastered the art of quick scrapbooking, you might find
you have time now and then to sit down and design new pages from
scratch. Pre-made layouts will help get your creative juices flowing,
so in no time you’ll learn that creating your own designs does not have
to take long either.
About the Author:
Tom Ambrozewicz is one of the pioneers in using breakthrough audio technology on his web sites. You can read, you can listen to professional narrator reading to you or having MP3 files ready to download if you hate to keep printed files. You can check all scrapbooking tips at Ask-How.info now.
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
By: Tom Ambrozewicz
Scrapbooking stores and online sites are popping up around the world,
and these are places scrapbookers can visit to take classes and buy
endless amounts of paper, stickers, adhesives, embellishments, and
tools. Unfortunately, not everyone has an unlimited scrapbook budget
for these products. Working with a small bank account to create a
beautiful album can be a challenge, but with a little effort and
creativity, you can scrapbook frugally and no one will know the
difference.
Starting an album is always going to be the most expensive part of the
scrapbooking process, because you have to purchase the empty album. One
way you can side step this expense is to create a digital album
instead. However, for those of you who want the traditional bound
album, my best advice is to watch the sales fliers at your local craft
stores. Don’t skimp on quality-you want to be sure you’re getting an
album that is well made and safe for your pages, but you can often find
albums at up to 50% off during annual scrapbooking sales. Stock up if
you are an avid scrapbooker; you’re sure to need another album before
sale season comes around again.
This is a good time to buy other supplies as well, but if finding store
sales is not convenient, another good way to save money during start-up
is to buy online. Many discount companies offer scrapbooking kits for
beginners that include an album, paper, and embellishments. Beware of
poor quality since you cannot physically touch the items you are
buying, but you shouldn’t have problems if you buy from reputable
companies or make sure the company has a good return policy. Television
channels such as QVC or catalogue companies such as Oriental Trading
also periodically offer scrapbooking specials, so keep your eyes peeled.
Once you have some starting supplies, use them frugally. Save your
scraps-my personal policy is to keep any piece of paper larger than a
credit card. Many times, I’ve used these scraps to create mosaic-like
pages, and I’ve been very happy with the results. Also save papers
which are slightly damaged. You may be able to create a page at a later
time to cover the mistake, or at least you can use the white back for a
simple page. If you have friends who also scrapbook, you may want to
organize a scrapbooking party. That way, everyone can use one another’s
tools and you might be able to trade some of your unneeded supplies for
things your friends no longer need but that you can use.
Lastly, stay organized and clean. Look at your supplies and albums as
an investment; all of the papers, tool, and other supplies you purchase
cost a lot of money, so they need to be protected from things like
water spills and over-excited pets or children. Acid-free boxes placed
on high shelves or in drawers work well for this. Clean your tools and
your space when you are finished for the day to keep everything in good
working order. By doing this, you can stay an active scrapbooker even
if your budget is small.
About the Author:
Tom Ambrozewicz is one of the pioneers in using breakthrough audio technology on his web sites. You can read, you can listen to professional narrator reading to you or having MP3 files ready to download if you hate to keep printed files. You can check all scrapbooking tips at Ask-How.info now.
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
By: Tom Ambrozewicz
Learning to scrapbooking is something that takes commitment, just like
learning any art. If you think that it’s a craft you’d like to enjoy,
there are a few basic tools, supplies, and skills you will need to get
started. Creating albums takes time, but the projects are rewarding and
the end result is a family heirloom that can be enjoyed and then passed
down to your grandchildren, along with your love for scrapbooking.
To get started, you first need pictures. Almost everyone has boxes or
photo albums full of pictures, and you may notice that some of these
are discolored or warped due to their poor storage. The world around us
in our homes is full of acid and moisture, which breaks down the
chemical balance used to produce photographs and causes them to change
appearance. By scrapbooking with acid free supplies, you can protect
you pictures for many years to come.
There are only a few basic tools you need to begin. Every good
scrapbooker needs a cutting tool. Sharp scissors will work well, but
there are also tools on the market to cut scalloped edges, perfectly
straight lines, and circles, among other things. You will also need
some form of adhesive. Beginners may find that the easiest products to
buy are photo mounts, which are tiny pre-cut pieces of tape, and glue
dots, which are pressure-sensitive strong spots of glue to hold larger
embellishments. Beyond a cutting tool and adhesive, you really don’t
need any other tools to get started, but if you want to create fancier
pages, many options are available including rubber stamps, paper
crimpers, and punches. Start with a few smaller items and increase your
inventory as you learn more and more scrapbooking skills.
You will also need a few basic supplies before you begin, the most
important of which is the album itself. Make sure whatever you purchase
is large enough to hold all the pictures you want to include; two to
five pictures will fit on a standard 8 1/2 x 11 page with cropping,
with the most balanced layouts having three pictures. You can also
choose from larger or smaller albums. The only other supply you need to
get started is paper. Most albums come with a white piece of paper in
each sheet protector, but there are many colors and designs to choose
from to help spice up your album. Other supplies that add interest to
your pages include paper dolls, stickers, die cuts, and
three-dimensional elements.
Most of the skills you need to start scrapbooking can be easily learned
by mimicking pages you see in magazines or on the Internet. However, if
you are still unsure how to use your tools extremely well, you can
attend or host a scrapbooking workshop. Stores and companies offer this
option for people who are new to the craft, and it is the best option
to help you create your first page. Remember that learning to scrapbook
is a process, and you will learn new skills as you fill your album with
pages.
About the Author:
Tom Ambrozewicz is one of the pioneers in using breakthrough audio technology on his web sites. You can read, you can listen to professional narrator reading to you or having MP3 files ready to download if you hate to keep printed files. You can check all scrapbooking tips at Ask-How.info now.
Article Source: http://www.therealarticles.com
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