Secret Scrapbooking Ideas Revealed . . .

For All Your Scrapbooking Ideas, Tips and Knowledge

2008-11-24T16:06:00.002+10:30

How to Start Making a Baby Scrapbook

2008-10-13T11:07:00.004+10:30

The blessed event. That long and painful journey that ends with unspeakable joy. The birth of a baby.

Babies are the authors of much change in our lives. Sleeping patterns are re-arranged, the sports car is traded in for the mini van, and people who never took a snapshot in their lives are suddenly in the throws of scrapbook fever.

And, along with the baby, the baby scrapbook is born.

However, there is a problem. Just as new parents lack much of the real world experience required to be parents, new baby scrapbookers are novices as well. And while there are many books and articles available for parenting, the baby scrapbooker is left out in the cold. We will try to bridge that gap with this article.

Step 1: Get a good camera before the baby is born.

While there are a lot of people who swear by the old school film cameras, your best bet is to go digital, for several reasons. First, it's cheaper. You will want to take lots and lots of pictures, and while only a fraction may appear in your scrapbook, you will be glad that you had a lot to choose from. Digital photos can also be easily re-worked before before being included in your project. Inexpensive and even free software is available that will assist with cropping the photos, enlarging or shrinking the image to fit, and correcting for problems like poor lighting and the red eye affect from the flash.

Digital also has the advantage of being automatically compatible with electronic formatting software used to layout and print entire scrapbook pages. Digital photos can be imported into the layout and will be printed onto the actual scrapbook page itself. This avoids the 'layered' effect that you get when you past photos or photo quality prints to the page.

Step 2: Start taking pictures.

So, now that you have the camera, what do you take pictures of? Everything. You have a digital camera, take pictures of everything that you can think of. You may annoy people at the time and incur their lack of smiles and scorn, but it will be worth it when you go to make your baby scrapbook and find just the right picture.
Then who will be laughing.

Step 3: Get your technology upgrade.

At this point, we need to talk about image storage. Digital pictures may not require film, but they do require storage space. The higher the resolution of the original photo, the more room you need for the image file.

Storage options include:

Get a bigger hard disc for your computer. This will allow you to store more stuff. Get an external hard disc. These devices are plugged into any USB port on your PC and will immediately be available as an external storage device. Once you have stored the images, the disc can be removed and stored in a safe place. This has the advantage of being able to protect the images should your main PC crash. Solid state USB drives are also an option. These are small, inexpensive and reliable and can store multiple gigabytes of information. CD Rom and DVD discs can also be used to burn copies of your images, but you should be aware that CD Rom discs have a history of fading with time, and should only be used as a short term solution.

Step 4: Start planning the baby scrapbook.

Now that the baby is sleeping through the night, and you have time between feedings to consider the baby scrapbook, how do you proceed from here.

First, consider and underlying theme. Don't just cram the thing full of every picture that you can imagine. If you used a digital camera, you can create PC based and online albums for that.

Most baby scrapbooks are chronological, starting with the first ultrasound pictures and continuing through the pregnancy, the delivery, the nursery, the trip home, and on through he next few weeks of infancy. This is a hard format to beat. But that doesn't mean that you can't liven things up a little.

Include sections on the rest of the family. The work on the baby's room. Furniture shopping. Trying to figure out the first car seat.

In addition to the 'and here is Jenny when she was 3 weeks old' shots, consider sections with specific sub themes.

For example: A sleeping section. One or two pages devoted to pictures of the baby sleeping. Not very exciting, but there are few things more cute than babies sleeping.

How about adventures in eating? As the baby begins to work with real food (or a strained and mashed thereof), include a montage of the more spectacular successes and failures in this key developmental process.

Some babies seem to have an inborn fashion sense and presence. A section on the cutest outfits is always good.

Step 5: Make it happen.

Now it when you begin putting all of those great ideas literally down on paper. You will need to choose the cover style, page color and texture, and other accessories that you will include in your baby scrapbook.

The layout of the scrapbook is as important as the pictures themselves. Choose papers and colors that enhance the theme and content. Accessories for baby scrapbooks are easy to find. Toy themes, boys and girls backgrounds, lace and other textures can add a lot of flare to your effort.

Spend some time planning, be willing to edit and be flexible with the format and you to can produce a baby scrapbook that people will really want to see.

Heritage Style Albums

2008-09-10T14:12:00.004+09:30

Scrapbooks and albums are not just a collection of photos of the family vacation and kid's first days at school. The scrapbook concept has been used in many ways to hold onto the past.

Heritage style albums are an attempt to preserve, record and honor the heritage of those who have gone before. While it is typically about your family, it can also be your home town, your nationality, or any aspect of your personal history.
Here are some thoughts and ideas on how to assemble heritage style albums.

First, come up with a theme that will be applied to the project. This will help guide you in your choices of materials, layout and, of course, content.

For family scrapbook, a genealogical outline cam be very effective. By combining the family tree with photos and memorabilia, you can add a new dimension to the study of your family history.

Genealogical outlines help you to remember the relationships among the family members included in the heritage style scrapbook.

In addition to naming and dating each photo, you might want to include a short paragraph about each individual. General information about family branches will also be useful for someone who wants a complete picture of the family.When creating a genealogical format, there are a number of software packages and services available that not only help you find your ancestors, but can store and organize photos and information about each family member. Many will allow you to arrange the material in a scrapbook like format, which can be printed and included in your heritage style albums. This can produce a very professional result with less effort on your part.

Another format idea is to include the history of specific individuals, families, or groups. This format is well suited to community scrapbooks or scrapbooks that less about a specific family and more about a larger group. This format is likely to include newspaper clippings, notices, reproduction of historical documents, fact pages and other examples of tangible history. For example, if your community was once a center of the arts and crafts style of furniture building, assembling a scrapbook featuring this heritage could include the following:

Photos of key artisans who worked in this industry, along with photos of their work.
Newspaper clippings featuring reviews, articles and interviews.
Historical facts about the arts and crafts movement and how it applied to your community.

Other community based themes for you heritage style albums could include:

Important musicians, artists or artisans in a particular style or location.
How a community responded to a significant event or tragedy, such as a storm, flood, or fire.
The history of a genre in arts, science or literature. This could include things like 'Stars of Detective Movies', 'Pioneers of Space Flight', and 'Important Artists of the Midwest'. As long as it is a subject that you feel passionate about, heritage style albums are a good way to literally collect your thoughts.

A scrapbook biography of a famous person or group of people.

A collection of memories of your home town. Often people who immigrated here would settle near other people from the same village or city. Heritage style albums can be made documenting the old town. The people who came here, as well as those who stayed behind. Preserving precious memories for the first generation transplants, and showing the next generations a little about their heritage and past.

Don't limit your content. Be creative.

As mentioned above, newspaper clippings are common elements in heritage style albums, but there are other items that can be included as well:

Tickets, programs and small posters or handbills. These can be from sporting events, plays or shows, speeches and conventions.

Formal marriage announcements and invitations to a wedding can also be preserved in heritage style albums.

Birth announcements, along with first photos.

Graduation programs, senior pictures, a scanned image of the persons diploma.

Maps showing the locations of important people and events related to your scrapbook.

Make sure that your media matches your subject. If your focus is on a historical period or people who lived in a previous generation, consider using bindings and pages that are reminiscent of that time. Lace and floral borders for a late nineteenth century/early twentieth century family book. Art Deco styles, backgrounds and illustrations for later in the twentieth century.

The sixties, seventies and eighties also had distinct design elements in popular culture.

Be careful about the paper and mountings that you use. Bargain albums and mounting supplies usually don't hold up as well as archival quality supplies. The cheaper stuff will dry out quickly and your layout will begin to fall apart.Also, common supplies and paper often have a high acid content, which can cause your photos and documents to decay more quickly. Since the point of heritage style albums are to preserve history for future generations, make sure that the supplies that you choose are up to the challenge.

The Easiest Cheapest Way to Scrapbooking By Hand or Digitally...

2008-08-25T11:21:00.004+09:30

Yes that's right folks, there is a way you can scrapbook easily, more cheaply and quickly!

Scrapbooking has been around for many years now and is one of the most fun-filled hobbies you can play at. Whether you're planning a quick digi-album or making a card or an elaborate hand made album for a loved one, we've got just what you need at your fingertips to help you create simply stunning scrapbooks in a flash guaranteed! Isn’t it about time that you gain back your precious time and start srapbooking like the pro's do with little or no effort.

You can SUPER-CHARGE your scrapbooking savvy with an abundance of easy to use scrapbook pages and templates that are of professional quality for all ages and ability levels, items that will also spark your creativity. Plus grab heaps of clipart graphics and embellishments to customize your scrapbook pages - INSTANTLY!

Can You image having all this at your fingertips with a touch of a button.

So is there an easy, yet sure-fire way to start implementing SCRAPBOOK MAKING (or digital scrapbooking) into your world today!

... Yes you bet and it's hassle free!

The 'Click or Print Scrapbooking Graphics DVD' Is What You REALLY Need, PERIOD!

It'll be launched very soon, so don't forget to check back here over the coming week and/or sign up to our newsletter in the above right hand corner of this page to be one of the first to hear when it is officially launched.

The Virtues of Firefighter Scrapbooking

2008-06-30T16:32:00.002+09:30

Scrapbooking is one of those activities that, while relying around a central theme, allow the person freedom to express him or her self. What does this signify? Well, scrapbooking revolves around one principle: organized chaos. This means that while you can practically put anything in a scrapbook, you should do it in a way that lets the objects relate to one another.

However, inanimate objects cannot really “relate” can they? What you need to do is build bridges between these objects as to let the viewer experience the bigger picture. You need to have a central theme upon which the chaos is based. For chaos that revolves around chaos is just plain, dare I say it, chaotic.

One popular theme among young boys is the firefighter. You see, these true to life heroes are admired by many people. Young boys are not the only ones fascinated by the idea of being a firefighter. In fact, many adults still find themselves wishing that they achieve their childhood dreams of being a firefighter.

So why not think of a firefighter scrapbook next time you are lost for ideas for young boys - they sure will love it.

Be the First to Find Out When the Official Scrapbooking Bible is Revealed

2008-05-27T15:53:00.005+09:30

To be one of the FIRST to know when the official launch of the 'Secret Scrapbooking Bible' will be, sign-up to our newsletter to the right of the screen now and you will also get access to a 5 Part mini-course (valued at $47) on everything scrapbooking absolutely Free.

Getting Started Scrapbooking with Basic Supplies

2008-04-28T11:12:00.001+09:30

Scrapbooking is one of the most popular hobbies in the country. Scrapbooking gives you a way to preserve not just your pictures, but the memories that go along with them. But with thousands of scrapbooking supplies out there, it can be very overwhelming to someone who is just getting started. While all the new scrapbooking supplies out there are fun, there are just a few basic supplies you need to get started.

Paper

The most basic scrapbooking supply you need is paper. Most people like to include a mix of cardstock (thicker, plain colored paper) and patterned paper in their scrapbooks. Scrapbook papers come in the same sizes as albums (with 12x12 the most popular) and are acid-free. Before using a paper in your scrapbook, make sure that it is acid-free; this will keep your photos and scrapbooks safe for generations to come. All of the open-stock scrapbook paper sold at major craft store chains is acid-free. Choose colors that you like and that go well with your pictures. There are also a multitude of themed paper for occasions (holidays, vacations, etc.).

Adhesives & Pens

Next to paper, the scrapbooking supply that you will use most often is adhesive. This is what you will use to glue down all of your paper and pictures in your scrapbook. Adhesive should also be acid-free, and comes in a wide variety of styles. I prefer a roller-type adhesive that comes in a refillable dispenser. Adhesive squares are also popular as are glue sticks. You will also want a pen to journal in your scrapbook with. A plain thin-tip black pen will go the farthest (of course, make sure that it is acid-free and designed for scrapbooking), but you can also buy a wide variety of tips and colors to add doodling, titles, and flair to your pages.

Albums

Finally, you need an album to put your scrapbook pages in. Choose an album that opens flat and that comes with refill pages, as few scrapbookers can complete an entire album in the 10-15 pages that come in a standard album. The easiest type of album to use is a post-bound album, which makes it easy to add extra pages and generally opens flat even when it is full.

Embellishments

Beyond the basic scrapbooking supplies are embellishments. These are the little extras that you can add to your scrapbook pages. Stickers are a very basic scrapbook embellishment supply that can add a lot to your pages. They come in every theme imaginable; there are also hundreds of letter stickers to create your titles. As you add more advanced scrapbook supplies to your pages, you can also incorporate brads, buttons ribbons, rub-ons, stamping, and more.

Scrappin is Made Fun with Smilebox

2008-03-30T10:07:00.003+10:30

I love Smilebox - it's so easy to use and you can have scrapbooking styles done in minutes.

What is Smilebox? Smilebox is a fun and engaging service that connects you with family and friends using your photos and videos. It's free, easy to use, and the results are amazing.

What can I make with Smilebox? With Smilebox, you can create animated scrapbooks, photobooks, slideshows, postcards, and ecards for any occasion, and email them to anyone.

Is it free? Yes, you can personalize and email or blog any design for free. You can also do more by purchasing the premium version of a design or joining Club Smilebox.

What are customers saying?

"It's a new and creative way to send messages to family and friends. It's much more personal and intimate."
- Smilebox customer

"Am I a Super Scrapbooking Mom? No, my secret is Smilebox."
- JoEllen Mitchell, Family Fun Magazine

Three easy steps and you have your art-piece ready, it's really that simple!

Choose a design - Choose from hundreds of original designs for special occasions, holidays, and everyday ecards.

Personalize it - Simply drag & drop your photos and videos into a design. Add music, captions, and embellishments.

Email, Blog, or Print it - You can email your creation or post it to a blog.
Your friends and family do not need to install Smilebox to view your creation. Print keepsakes and do more by buying a premium design or subscribing to Club Smilebox.

Create a free Smilebox scrapbook in 5 minutes. Just drag photos into amazing e-designs.

Scrapbooking Charms

2008-02-16T12:15:00.003+10:30

Indeed, scrapbooking has matured since your first trials on the filed during your grade school days. Many of the techniques, methods and materials used have all developed substantially that you can actually put all things that you want in an album, but of course with careful planning.

Because the plethora of scrapbooking materials have evolved dramatically during the past years, it is easier for us to use anything and everything in making masterpieces.

You may have tried using stick-ons, peel-offs and rub-offs. They all allow creative concepts, which are rather common. Or say glitters and chalk powder for added dimension and effects.

Charms are one of the many favorites among scrappers. Well they maybe the charms that you've been given since you were a kid or the charms you have bought some years back. Any of these two revolve around memories and that exactly what scrapbooks contain. They preserve memories of youth, of events or of things that are nearest to your heart. They are like memory keepers that you would one day visit.

Not all of us have these tokens though. Good thing, charms for scrapbooking are available in many local scrapbooking shops in wide array of pre-packaged designs, types and assortments. They are of course easy to find. Most craft stores have them and its just a matter of choosing the charms that you want to see a few years from now or choosing what you think will best fit your concepts.
Unlike bottle caps and a number of in the industry, charms will always provide the assurance that you get the worth of what you bought. There are certainly simple choices that would provide plain and basic designs that give you the advantage of manipulating them towards the goal you desire. And there are those that are intricately made that their mere presence in your album would be enough to consider them as parts of your memories. After all, charms have that touch of uniqueness that may never be had with ribbons, fabrics and bottle caps.

Charms are normally mounted on cardstocks, papers or on any mediums you use as your foundation for scrapbooking. Ensure though that when using charms, you are also equipped with strong adhesives and glues to assure better hold.

If you are not comfortable with this, you can try an alternative that is rather "cute". Turn your charms into danglies. Not only that they are fun to do, they also create less bulky pages.

So if your new layout theme screams for something cool, for something that is beyond papers, photos and markers. Probably, the album you working on requires embellishments, charms just might be the perfect fit.

Using Quotes on Your Scrapbook Pages

2008-01-16T10:10:00.000+10:30

When scrapbooking, it’s easy to choose pictures that you would like to save. But figuring out how to incorporate them into a page can be more difficult. This is especially true when you have a stack of unrelated photos, or pictures that you just can’t figure out how to do the journaling for. This is where using quotes in your scrapbooking can make your life a lot easier.

Using Scrapbooking Quotes as Journaling

One of the easiest ways to use quotes on your scrapbook pages is as journaling. This is especially helpful for those pictures that you just can’t seem to find the words to go with. A scrapbooking quote might be as simple as recording what your child has to say about an event (and dating both the picture and the quote) or doing a “he said-she said” type quote from you and your spouse. Another way to use quotes on your scrapbook page as journaling is to find a popular quote from a book, movie, or song that encapsulates the idea of the page. For example, a page with pictures of your children on Christmas might have a quote from your favorite Christmas carol instead of you writing what happened.

Using Scrapbooking Quotes as Titles

Another fun way to use quotes on your scrapbook page is to use them as titles. This is a great way to record those fun things that your kids say. A quote from your two-year old about their trip to Disney World is likely the best title your page can have. You can also use your favorite quotes from others in this way as well. For example, a touching line from a song makes a great title for a wedding or love page.

Using Scrapbooking Quotes as a Theme

Finally, a great way to use quotes in your scrapbook is as inspiration for a theme. This is an easy way to use all those random pictures that are too good to just put in a box, but don’t really fit anywhere else. There are tons of great websites devoted to quotes; many of them are organized by theme. So maybe a quote about happiness can accompany four or five happy pictures of your kids. Or a quote about love can frame those pictures of your spouse that you want to scrapbook. However you choose to use it, scrapbooking from a quote can be a great way to get your creative juices flowing.

How to Choose the Perfect Quotes for Scrapbooking

2007-12-29T11:32:00.000+10:30

Many people are taking interest in Scrapbooking. Scrapbooking is a simple activity that most people love to engage in because it involves creation. We all love to do something with our hands. Scrapbooking is an activity that is simple enough to be done by everyone and can show immediate and wonderful results.

You see, people engage in Scrapbooking because we love to reminisce.

Scrapbooks help people think about different events, which had significant impacts in their lives. You see, no matter how intelligent a person can claim to be, nobody can remember completely all the events in their lives.

In Scrapbooking, you collect objects or pictures that allow you to remember the different events. These objects or pictures touch you in a way that no diary can. These pictures and objects allow you to re-experience the moment of your history.

Many people say that a picture is worth a thousand words. However, dealing with memories can be a very difficult experience. Memories get clouded, and pictures can sometimes be interpreted in a thousand different ways. However, writing down your memories of an event can be quite boring and it takes the thrill of mystery from rediscovering your history.

So what is a good compromise between writing a diary and making a very vague scrapbook? Most people choose to find scrapbooking quotes in order to help them get the initial feel of a memory. Scrapbooking quotes give you the general idea of a memory, but let you fill in the blanks yourself. By making use of scrapbooking quotes, you actually have the advantage of touching hearts. Using the combination of photos, memorabilia, and scrapbooking quotes can prove to be a most effective way of initializing a good reminiscing session.

However, in order to have this effect, you'll need to choose your Scrapbooking quotes properly. So what qualities should you look for in a scrapbooking quote?

1. Mnemonic quality - a good scrapbooking quote should be easily remembered. It should have that quality that makes it stick to your head. By having this quality, you can be sure of at least one impact of the scrapbooking quote.

You realize, of course, that the best songs often have this quality. Ever wonder why some singers fade away after 2 albums while some old singers still remain popular even decades after their last song was released? You see, the mnemonic quality of a phrase helps people associate it easily with certain things.

2. Relevant - Of course, a scrapbooking quote should be relevant to what you intend to portray. The scrapbooking quote should be able to bring across your message and enable whoever is reading the quote to relate to the object or picture in your scrapbook.

The scrapbooking quote may come off as trivial to the reader. However, the meaning of the scrapbooking quote should not be so vague that the reader has to use all of his or her brainpower to understand it. That is, unless you intend for the scrapbook to take on an air of mystery and clue-finding.

3. Short - A scrapbooking quote should be able to get the message across with very few words. You see, the focus of the scrapbook should remain on the objects or photographs. In choosing a scrapbooking quote, you should make sure that the quote does not take the center stage from the other objects in the scrapbook. However, you should make sure that the quote is just enough to form a bridge of thought between the words and the objects.

4. Touching - a good scrapbooking quote should not only touch your brain, but it should also move your emotion. You see, scrapbooks trigger memories not for the purpose of giving your brain a workout, but to enrich your soul. Thinking about past events, whether delightful or forlorn, helps you rediscover yourself and what made you the person you are today.

These are just some qualities that you should look for in a scrapbooking quote. Never forget, however, that the most important factor is you. You should decide whether or not a quote is appropriate for your scrapbook. This is the reason why some people choose to write their own quotes instead of borrowing the words of another.

A scrapbook is a very personal item, which needs to relate to you.

Learn Scrapbooking Paper Storage Tips

2007-11-28T15:12:00.000+10:30

If there were one common denominator aside from their passion to scrapbooking, you would immediately know that theirs is the weakness on papers. From patterned and plain papers to unique cardstocks, we normally make use of the logic "buy the paper now and the inspiration will come after". And for the moment, your scrapbooking will lay scrap by scrap or page by page, waiting to be used.

If you don't have a photographic memory (which most of us don't have) it is best that you store you scrapbooking papers in more organized manners. Or else, you might find yourself lost with "out of sight, outs of mind" brain. You might already have a huge collection of paper stacks but not knowing it. A waste of an investment. And besides, it is always a good practice to get organized to really know what your resources are.

We can't forever buy papers and store them in disarray. And buy another set and go on with that same process. Somehow, clutter must stop.

We cannot exactly provide you with strict guidelines of storage. In scrapbooking, so long as the methods fits you, it will work. Let's move out from the box and do our own things in our own ways.

We have covered some general techniques here, which you may apply. Only you have to fill in the gaps if you require some modifications.

Most scrappers find it hard to know their organizing style. In general, you have two options. One, that is horizontal stacking and the other, vertical. It ill always be your preference to choose. There is no best way for everyone and you can do whatever fits your case.

Most stores keep their papers in horizontal stacking, either by racks or by shelves. This is largely because they are equipped with much space to work with. Unfortunately, most of us don't have that enough space so the best solution would be to furnish snap top cases for better organization. Not only are these cases great for paper stacking, they also work well for storing other scrapbooking materials that you normally or presently use.

If you have no other option but to store your papers in horizontal formats, you may always try using vertical solutions. Storing papers vertically works best for cardstocks and for papers that you often use. Storage papers for vertical positioning normally comes with dividers, thus the capacity to store multiple files all at the same place. Just be reminded though that this method will require you tall shelves.

Second, you must know what kind of scrapbooker are you when it comes to shopping papers. There are again, two types. One, the organized people and the other are those that adhere with any-thing-goes principles.

The organized group are those buyers ho take time to bring with them photos and memorabilias as reference for when buying. They browse aisles by aisle and choose specific types of papers according to their immediate needs, matching their choices with the materials that they have.

And these people will most likely gather sample die cuts and embellishments and stick-ons for each planned page. Thus, they tend to choose the right pieces together for their possible layouts. At the end, they will collect other stiffs that will match their themes.

The unorganized group though is the exact opposite. They arrive at the store with hardly an idea to focus to. They would grab random kinds of scrapbooking papers depending on what catches their eye. While tossing cool and pretty papers, they would soon realize that the cardstocks at the next eye "might" be of future use. Lastly, they'll run to the register and the whole thing is over. Once they start the project, they'll soon discover that several things are missing.
The second attitude is easier to do, however you must learn to accept the risks. The first one obviously will require you to plan prior to shopping but will create lesser chances of committing mistakes. If you are dealing with scrapbooking papers, it will always prove best to choose the latter one.

Organization of papers will require you to pay attention to details. The more chaotic your files get, the more attention you will have to invest. It is far less time consuming in the end to start organizing stuffs and keep things that way than to organize and reorganize over and over again. Besides, when your papers are arranged, you would have better pictures of what are available to you and you will be able to work on them better.

Make Scrapbooking Part of Your Life

2007-11-20T13:58:00.000+10:30

Making scrapbooking part of your life will help you to create some of the best things for you to remember your loved ones by. Luckily for you, you will find a wide range of helpful tips to get you through the first hard project and well on your way to making some very unique and perfectly designed scrapbooks. All you need to do, of course, is to come up with a few ideas to get you started. Then, you can work through the project, meeting all of your goals and creating for yourself or your loved one a book that they will cherish forever.

How To Get Started With Scrapbooking

2007-11-04T08:21:00.000+10:30

Whenever a big event happens in our lives, we grab a camera and take lots of pictures to put in our photo album. But there is a growing hobby that is being adopted by many more people every single day, and that hobby is scrapbooking. This hobby is doing away with the process of filing photographs away in an album, and taking them to a whole new level by adding extra elements to them to ensure that the memories are kept in much sharper focus.

The great thing about scrapbooking is that it enables you to create themed books that relate to different occasions. You could do a book dedicated to a friend’s wedding and give it to the bride and groom as a wedding gift. Another idea is to make one for your parents, showing them a range of photos from when you and your siblings were growing up. This would also make an ideal gift for Christmas or a birthday.

The possibilities with scrapbooking are endless – in essence they are limited only by your imagination.

Using Different Materials To Create Different Effects

Sometimes it’s good to create a certain mood when you are displaying your photos in a scrapbook. For example, photos that are taken at a certain time of year can be embellished as such. Seasonal pictures of your family opening their presents at Christmas can be surrounded by cut outs of trees, gifts and holly and ivy. You can also use stencilled lettering to add messages or notes to the pictures, as well as noting the date on which they were taken.

Scrapbooking allows you to add far more detail to your pictures than a standard photo album allows. You would often be restricted to writing the date on the back of the print, but with a scrapbook you don’t have to do this. You can also include notes on who is in the picture and what was happening. Embellishments will add to the overall theme of the photos and can transform a simple set of pictures into something really special.

Stocking Up On Craft Items

As you begin to delve deeper into the art of scrapbooking, you will start to build a collection of papers, rubber stamps, lettering, stickers, stencils and much more that you can use when adding a page to an existing scrapbook, or creating a completely new one. If you are new to the hobby of scrapbooking it can be worthwhile to buy a few ready-made kits, which usually include a variety of materials that adhere to a specific theme.

You can personalise your scrapbooks even more by including items other than photos in them. For example, if you want to create a scrapbook devoted to your summer holiday, be sure to keep anything related to it, such as brochures, tickets, and any other paperwork that could be used when you eventually make the scrapbook itself. If you go skiing you could keep the cable car ticket to tuck halfway underneath a picture of you on the cable car itself. This all adds further depth to your scrapbook and makes it more of a memory book than if you included nothing but the actual photos.

In short, scrapbooking makes more of our photos than an album would. The fact that we can add as much or as little to them as we wish makes them extremely versatile, and a great gift for someone else – either as a starter kit or completed by you as a memory of a specific occasion.

Finally, keep everything you can lay your hands on that you think might be good for a future page in your scrapbook. You never know when that bus ticket, cinema ticket or receipt for that romantic meal might find a place in your scrapbook.

More Scrapbooking Ideas & Phrases

2007-10-23T08:20:00.000+09:30

Here are a few more great phrases for you to use within your scrapbooks . . .

Advice is like castor oil, easy to give but dreadful to take.
A wise person cares not for what he cannot have but for what he can.
Advice is least heeded when most needed.
Actions speak louder than words.
Always forgive your enemies...they hate that !!

Scrapbooking Ideas Phrases & Quotes

2007-09-19T08:46:00.000+09:30

Here are some fabulous scrapbooking ideas for your album phrases and quotes.

A wee bit of heaven drifted down from above, a handful of happiness, a heart full of love.
Precious and priceless so lovable too, the world's sweetest miracle is a baby like you.
A smile is something you can't give away... it always comes back to you.
A smile is the light in the window of the soul... indicating that the heart is at home.
A good gardener always plants 3 seeds... one for the bugs, one for the weather and one for himself.

Scrapbooking Definitions Explained

2007-08-29T13:14:00.000+09:30

I'm often asked what some of the scrapbooking definitions actually mean, so here are a few key scrapbook definitions explained for you . . .

Acid-free: Means the product has a pH of 7 or higher. Acid is a chemical used to make paper. This makes the paper break down easily. The higher the pH in the paper, the more durable the paper is. If the paper you are using contains acid, it can discolor, damage, and deteriorate your photos.

Archival quality: This term is used to describe the quality of the paper or material. This insures the product you are using will not discolor or disintegrate over time.

Cropping: To crop a photo, means to cut out the elements you do not wish to display. This will take away any distractions from your subject. There are several ways to crop your photos. The most common way is to use a straight edge. This can be achieved with a paper cutter or scissors.

PS > Keep an eye on this blog for more scrapbook definitions explained in future posts.

The Super Scrapbooking Bible Coming Soon!

2007-07-17T16:28:00.000+09:30

Keep an eye out for the brand new 'Super Scrapbooking Bible' which will be launched soon.

Free Scrapbooking Paper To Print

2007-07-06T10:48:00.000+09:30

Scrapbooking paper forms the background for every page of your scrapbook. If you begin to do many scrapbooks, it can be a major cost. To save that cost, many people look for free scrapbooking paper to print from their computers. Below, we will tell you how to find free scrapbooking paper to print. We will also discuss important things to remember about your scrapbooking paper.

Why Special Scrapbooking Paper

At first, you may be tempted to use plain construction paper for your scrapbooks – or colored paper for your printer. Scrapbooking paper is higher priced than either of those, and it doesn't seem that special!

Preservation: Scrapbooking paper is special because it is intended for the best preservation of your photos and memorabilia. Scrapbooking paper is acid-free and lignin-free. What does that mean for you?

* Acid-free: Scrapbooking paper that is acid-free has a neutral pH. At most, the pH should be between 6 and the neutral 7. The wood pulp of which scrapbooking paper is made contains natural acids. These are neutralized in production by treating the paper with a substance such as calcium. The paper may be buffered also to keep additional acids from forming.

Acid-free scrapbooking paper is used because scrapbooks are intended to last a long time. Acid-free paper will not yellow and deteriorate as regular paper will. In addition, acid-free scrapbooking paper will not harm your photos, or cause them to deteriorate.

* Lignin-free: Lignin is another substance found in wood pulp. Lignin makes acidity even worse. It intensifies acidity. Scrapbooking paper that is acid-free, but not lignin-free, will not remain acid-free as long. Lignin can be removed in the pulping process, but adds to the cost of scrapbooking paper.

You may have a newspaper that has turned brown over time. That brownness is caused by the lignin, which makes acid form inside the paper fibers.

Scrapbooking paper that is lignin-free is not as likely to turn brown.
Problems with Free Scrapbooking Paper to Print
Free scrapbooking paper to print on your own machine may have drawbacks that will make you reconsider.

1. Scrapbooking paper you print will not be acid-free and lignin-free unless you purchase special paper for your printer. Such paper is available, of course. You simply need to check before you purchase. Acid-free possibilities at office supply stores online include: regular multiuse and copy paper; color copy paper; inkjet paper; laser paper; and business stationery.

2. If you decide to find free scrapbooking paper to print, you will probably have to settle for a smaller size. Scrapbooking paper is often 12" x 12" and few printers are capable of handling that size. Even if you use 8.5" x 11" paper, your printer's margins may prevent you from printing the next convenient size of 8" x 8".

3. Free scrapbooking paper to print at home is not likely to offer as many patterns and colors. You may want to look for digital scrapbooking paper, enhance it in a graphics program such as Adobe PhotoShop, and then print it.
How to Find Free Scrapbooking Paper to Print

Scrapbooking paper found online is sometimes totally FREE – no strings attached. At other websites, you may be asked to take a survey, or sign up for a newsletter before gaining access to free scrapbooking paper.

Begin a Google search by typing the search phrase "free scrapbooking paper to print" without quotation marks. You should find several websites at the top of Google's results. Usually, what you want will be in the first 10 or 20 sites only.

When you have finished looking at those sites, type the phrase "free digital papers" or "free digital scrapbooking" without quotation marks. You should get additional websites that offer free scrapbooking paper to print.

For even more choices, simply visit scrapbooking sites. Many offer several free items to lure customers to their store.

Finally, look on your computer software for free scrapbooking paper to print. Software programs often have patterned stationery templates that make good scrapbooking paper. If you are working with Adobe Photoshop or a similar program, create your own scrapbooking paper by repeating a pattern.

Let your imagination take over, and you will soon see free scrapbooking paper in many places.

About the Author: ©2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart invites you to read more of her articles about scrapbooking at http://www.scrapbooking-for-fun.com Anna is posting new articles every week on that site. You won’t want to miss her recent article on free digital scrapbooking frames.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anna_Hart

Free Scrapbooking Ideas

2007-07-03T17:59:00.000+09:30

Finding ideas to apply to your scrapbooking can be such a big pain. You are faced with the prospect of creating a masterpiece, yet you don't really know how to begin. Here are some suggestions for you to try out:

1) Color – The simplest idea for a scrapbooking page should be a color. Basing your scrapbook pages on a single color though, can be quite complex if you want it to be. There are shades to experiments with. By trying on different shades of a color, you can have variety and yet stick with the same scrapbooking idea.

Another fun scrapbooking page idea that involves colors has you researching their different interpretations. By using colors this way, you can actually have a message that means something special to you.

2) Literature – Think of your favorite piece of literature and base your scrapbook on that. Taking inspiration from books or a poem is a really good scrapbooking idea. You see, authors sometimes picture their characters and stories so vividly, that you can visualize them in your mind. By placing these images on paper, you can actually share with people something that so inspired you.

Basing your scrapbook on a piece of literature can be pretty deep for some people to take. You may have to do a bit of explaining before someone gets the message of the scrapbook. In doing so, you get to show a part of your soul to the readers. It may also inspire people to take up reading.

3) Characters –Characters abound in the world that people can take inspiration from. In using characters, you have two options: A. Fiction – this idea for scrapbooking pages involves you taking a fictional character and using that character as an inspiration for your scrapbooking page. Contrary to what most people think, fictional characters are actually harder to research on than actual, living characters.

One reason is the fact that different people have different interpretations of them. Take Batman, for example. In the sixties, the TV series portrayed him as this campy superhero who wears grey and blue spandex. In the 1989 movie, he's a bit more brooding, and wears protective armor. In the movie “Batman and Robin” he is portrayed as this not so brooding, talkative character who wears a rubber suit with nipples. See how different people's perceptions of a fictional character can be?

One advantage to this, though, is the fact that you can have more freedom with this idea for a scrapbooking page. You see, not many people will question your interpretation of a fictional character. B. Non-fiction – In this idea for a scrapbooking page, you take your inspiration from a real person. It doesn't really matter if they are alive or dead. However, remember that people change all the time. Just take a look at Britney Spears and you'll probably realize the meaning of this statement.

By using real persons as your inspiration, you are actually offered a whole lot of detail on their lives. However, you won't really have the same freedom as when you are trying to do a fictional character.

4) Activities – Try getting an idea for scrapbooking pages from your favorite activity. Most guys would choose sports and stuff, and nothing's wrong with that. However, you may want to try being different and think outside the box. Base your scrapbook on an interest which no one can really guess. In doing this, you'll get to have additional fun by having people guess the connection of the page to the activity.

Sometimes, people tend to categorize us through our activities. However, you might want to prove to others your true depth by showing in your scrapbook that a certain activity foes not define the “whole” you.

You might want to show, using your scrapbook that even though you enjoy a particular activity, it is only a minor part of your existence and that you have a deeper facet to your personality than being a computer whiz, basketball jock and other stereotypical labels.

There you go: those are just some ideas for scrapbooking pages you might think about trying out. By trying out different things before you actually use them, you can actually see if those ideas for scrapbooking pages fit your personality .

Digital Scrapbooking

2007-06-01T10:13:00.000+09:30

Digital Scrapbooking: Is it for you?

The digital artwork is making its way into the mainstream; so as the digital scrapbook. For sure, we have certain understanding about digital art, but what about digital scrapbook? Is it the same with digital art?

The two are both similar and different in many ways but we are not here to discuss deeply their differences and similarities. We are here to focus on the digital scrapbooking as an alternative to the traditional scrapbook making.

Traditional scrapbooks are make by hand with several materials such as papers, pens, letter cut outs, adhesives, and other embellishments you can think of. The main principle is; to create a wonderfully decorated page that would give better meaning on the message you want to address. Digital scrapbooking works on the same principle too. You create unique page with decorations to enhance the meaning of the massage you want to address.

What sets the two apart is the method of achieving this principle. As mentioned, traditional scrapbooking uses material such as papers, pens, letter cut outs, adhesives, and other embellishments. Digital scrapbooking on the other hand uses computer graphics that replaces these traditional materials. You may say it is harder to work on the page design on the computer than on the actual page (traditional scrapbook). But, to be honest, it is almost the same.

Take the following for example:

The traditional scrapbook will work on a background or layout (sometimes called a template), pictures, texts, and embellishments. The process goes like this: you place the pictures on the background, place some embellishments of your type, and write some texts.

The digital scrapbook will work on software with all the available digital embellishments and texts. You have scanned pictures to be placed on a chosen background. Put some texts and add more design. Then, with some more editing on the colors and borders, you have created a scrapbook page.

(Speaking of software. There are several software that would let you create digital scrapbooks. These are Microsoft® Digital Image Pro, Photoshop® Elements or Adobe® Photoshop®, Ulead PhotoImpact®, or Jasc Paint Shop Pro®, to name a few.)

Oftentimes, it is much easier to create a digital scrapbook than a traditional one. This is because software that lets you create digital scrapbook with ready to use templates for texts and backgrounds, not to mention the editing tools you need. These features make it easier to create one unique page. Downloadable templates are readily available over the internet to widen up your choices on text, embellishments, and background. This is unlike traditional scrapbook that every thing is yours to make; from the background to the cutting of the decoration.

To further illustrate how does a digital page is created, here are the steps to follow:

· Create a new image from a blank canvas

· Define the size of the page you will use.

· Enter the settings you want to adapt.

· Add the photo

Photos determine the color scheme of the layout, therefore, you may want to see first what picture will you going to use before determining the mat of the canvas.
To add a photo, you must first save one on a file. You can either scan pictures or take them from your digital cameras.

· Create the background

Now that you have a determined canvas and photo, it is time for you to select your background. Here, the choices are endless. You can download images from the internet or use your photos to be the background itself. You can edit the texture of the background to match the theme you want to achieve.

· Create the photo mat

Photo mats let the background and the photo meet on a certain point.

· Add the text and embellishments

Ready made texts and embellishments are one good feature of digital scrapbooking software. This helps you to put important touches fast and easy.

· Apply some finishing touches

Final editing is as important as placing everything in order. Make use of built in features such as shadows, emboss, effects, and others. This would help your page look more attractive as it highlights whatever you want to be highlighted.

Ideas for Scrapbooking Pages

2007-05-25T17:11:00.000+09:30

Finding ideas to apply to your scrapbooking can be such a big pain. You are faced with the prospect of creating a masterpiece, yet you don’t really know how to begin. Here are some suggestions for you to try out:

1) Color – The simplest idea for a scrapbooking page should be a color. Basing your scrapbook pages on a single color though, can be quite complex if you want it to be. There are shades to experiments with. By trying on different shades of a color, you can have variety and yet stick with the same scrapbooking idea.

Another fun scrapbooking page idea that involves colors has you researching their different interpretations. By using colors this way, you can actually have a message that means something special to you.

2) Literature – Think of your favorite piece of literature and base your scrapbook on that. Taking inspiration from books or a poem is a really good scrapbooking idea. You see, authors sometimes picture their characters and stories so vividly, that you can visualize them in your mind. By placing these images on paper, you can actually share with people something that so inspired you.

Basing your scrapbook on a piece of literature can be pretty deep for some people to take. You may have to do a bit of explaining before someone gets the message of the scrapbook. In doing so, you get to show a part of your soul to the readers. It may also inspire people to take up reading.

3) Characters –Characters abound in the world that people can take inspiration from. In using characters, you have two options:
A. Fiction – this idea for scrapbooking pages involves you taking a fictional character and using that character as an inspiration for your scrapbooking page. Contrary to what most people think, fictional characters are actually harder to research on than actual, living characters.

One reason is the fact that different people have different interpretations of them. Take Batman, for example. In the sixties, the TV series portrayed him as this campy superhero who wears grey and blue spandex. In the 1989 movie, he’s a bit more brooding, and wears protective armor. In the movie “Batman and Robin” he is portrayed as this not so brooding, talkative character who wears a rubber suit with nipples. See how different people’s perceptions of a fictional character can be?

One advantage to this, though, is the fact that you can have more freedom with this idea for a scrapbooking page. You see, not many people will question your interpretation of a fictional character. B. Non-fiction – In this idea for a scrapbooking page, you take your inspiration from a real person. It doesn’t really matter if they are alive or dead. However, remember that people change all the time. Just take a look at Britney Spears and you’ll probably realize the meaning of this statement.

By using real persons as your inspiration, you are actually offered a whole lot of detail on their lives. However, you won’t really have the same freedom as when you are trying to do a fictional character.

4) Activities – Try getting an idea for scrapbooking pages from your favorite activity. Most guys would choose sports and stuff, and nothing’s wrong with that. However, you may want to try being different and think outside the box. Base your scrapbook on an interest which no one can really guess. In doing this, you’ll get to have additional fun by having people guess the connection of the page to the activity.

Sometimes, people tend to categorize us through our activities. However, you might want to prove to others your true depth by showing in your scrapbook that a certain activity foes not define the “whole” you.

You might want to show, using your scrapbook that even though you enjoy a particular activity, it is only a minor part of your existence and that you have a deeper facet to your personality than being a computer whiz, basketball jock and other stereotypical labels.

There you go: those are just some ideas for scrapbooking pages you might think about trying out. By trying out different things before you actually use them, you can actually see if those ideas for scrapbooking pages fit your personality.

Starting Out With Scrapbooking . . .

2007-05-12T12:38:00.000+09:30

Scrapbooking is an ideal way for you to preserve memories and share thoughts. It is a great way to spend some time too. Every one of us has memories that mean so much to us and the thought of losing them is something that no one really wants to think about. Yet, when we get them together and get them on paper, they can be with us for a long while and they will be there even when we are not.

But, getting started in scrapbooking may seem overwhelming. If you walk into the local craft store, you are likely to see a wide range of products to purchase. You’ll find a lot of kits that you can use, stickers, papers and fun colored markers and paint. You’ll find a wide range of choices and this may have you thinking that you need to purchase all of this to create a great looking scrapbook. The fact is, though, that you really do not need to do all of that at all.

When getting started in scrapbooking, you should carefully consider the options that you have and the things that you really would like to use. You don’t have to use pricy products to have a great looking scrapbook either. Here are some tips that can help anyone to get started with their scrapbooking project.

What will you put your thoughts in? The first thing that you should consider is the book or album that you will use for your scrapbook. You can do these on the computer if you like. You can use a photo album or your can purchase a specific scrapbooking album. But, whatever you use, make sure it is what will give you the most freedom in design. This way, you can make it personal.
What will you use to personalize it? Adding pictures to the scrapbook is easy. But, from here, you’ll need to personalize it. Now, you can do this in many ways. If you enjoy stickers, you can use them. Or, you can take some colored paper, cut fun shapes and sizes out and use these. There are plenty of ways to add sayings and messages that are easy to do.
How will you preserve the images? It is essential that you use paper that is acid free and preserve your images. This will help you to get the best results and it will help you to get a scrapbook that is going to last for many years.