Please tell me about scrapbooking

[mommyofangels]

Our neighbor recently showed me a scrapbook she made and it was very beautiful. It looks like an interesting hobby, but I feel intimidated because it seems to be a lot of work and preparation. Is this something I could jump into? How do I start?

[2sunshines]

Would your neighbour be willing to scrap with you sometime? Because it's easiest to learn the trade from someone who already does the trade, kwim?

I totally think that anyone can scrap. You can be as detailed and artistic as you want -- or plain and simple. Or start plain and simple and become detailed and artistic. Don't be overwhelmed by long-time scrappers work -- know that they have been at it a long time.

Go to a local scrapping store, or even Walmart or Michaels -- pick up some paper, tape or glue, maybe a few cutters and stickers, and pull your pictures out and start with one page.

Once you get started, it's really not that much work.

[Iarwain]

My MIL is always showing me her scrapbooking stuff. She's shown me some nice kits where you can buy everything you need for a page in one set. She said they were good for beginners and tried to get me to try it. That might be a way for you to get your feet wet. I didn't go there because I've seen the dangers of the addiction in her and cannot afford such a compulsion at this phase of my life. She had to start dealing to support her habit. It's pushers like her that really know how to lay on the peer pressure. ;)

[Aisling]

I'm a scrapping addict, and I've found that my favorite pages are simple ones with my favorite photos, and written-in journaling about a special day or memory :grin You don't have to have a huge budget to make a memorable scrapbook. The best reason to scrap is to make a simple memory book for your family to look through together! :heart My favorite places to shop are Hobby Lobby, WalMart, our local discount scrap shop, and clearance items on several scrapping websites. www. twopeasinabucket and www. lifetimemoments.com are a couple of my online favorites :tu

[Katydid]

I have been scrapping ds's first two years (actually I'm only on 4 mos. :O but two years is the goal...) and I just use a value pack of decorative paper, a nifty archival quality tape dispenser and a good pair of scissors. I cut boarders for my photos from the paper and use cut outs from old greeting cards as embellishments (if I use any - I like to keep it simple) I enjoy looking at all the cool things available for scrapbooking, but I simple can't afford to pay for $5-$10 worth of supplies for one page! :jawdrop :shrug I really need to get back into it, though.... as ds is already over two, I am a little behind!... not to mention my two month old dd who I want to make a book for, too! :phew

[mommyofangels]

My neighbor has offered to do it with me, but she is so knowledgable and seems to be doing things that are very complicated and I would like to start out at a beginners level. ;) Those kits sound very interesting, I think I will check Micheal's for them.

But isn't there a concern about ruining pictures? What if it doesn't turn out right and I cut pictures up and spoiled them? :(

[Katydid]

But isn't there a concern about ruining pictures? What if it doesn't turn out right and I cut pictures up and spoiled them? :(


If it's the only pic you have and you don't have the negs or digital file to make more, then I would make a copy! I take mine to Sam's Club and they do scanned copies for 17 cents! :tu

[mommyofangels]

Oh that is a very good idea! Thank you so much. :)

[butterflyqueen71]

Hi,

I just started scrapping last summer. And let me tell you, it is fun, fun, fun! Here's what I did at first.

I picked a simple project for my first. For me, that was my wedding. I bought an album for, like, $15, and then I went on freecycle (have you heard of that? LMK and I'll put in a link) and got some free scrapbooking stuff. I got tons of stickers, paper, and die cuts. I even got a few adhesives...I didn't get any tools, though, because as I've discovered, people don't give those away. :grin Anyway, through freecycle, I met a Creative Memories Consultant who gave me a whole bunch of their discontinued stickers and kits, adhesives, and idea books. And then I learned about the wonders of Creative Memories products! :)

Then, we got a Hobby Lobby. If you have one of those in your area, they are AWESOME! They have great sales, especially the 1/2 price sales, and great selections on paper and stickers, and albums. They are SO much cheaper than a specialty scrapbooking store. If you can catch one of their scrapbook sales, they are well worth it. I got a wonderful photostorage box from them.

Anyway, I started simple at first...I used a lot of the stuff I got free on freecycle for my wedding album, I used pretty scissors. Overall, I'm happy with it, although I wished I knew more about scrapping by then. Especially Creative memories stuff!

My new Creative Memories lady friend invited me to her home to learn about their products. They have some wonderful cutting tools and albums. If you can find a CM consultant, they should let you try out their products for free...they'll have a class or something that will take you through the basics. This lady has regular "crops" at her home where you can use all her stuff for a small fee (like $5). Or the local scrapping store would have a class. The nice thing about most CM layouts is that they are very simple. I haven't seen alot of fancy embellishments and it's not as intimidating. And I have yet to find cutting tools, square and circle makers, etc., or albums that come close to theirs. :tu I found some cheap online on a board where someone was selling some. I think I even bought some from somebody on this board! You might want to ask on swap n shop. (Yes, I am a BIG CM fan, can you tell? :D) They have a website, too...www. creativememories .com

Another thing to do too is to maybe start with a smaller album, say 8x8 or something. It's not as intimidating as the larger 12x12 where you feel like you have to fill up the whole page with...something.

It is very addicting, and pretty expensive! But it is the best hobby for me...I find it very relaxing and rewarding. I tried sewing, and it was way too stressful for me! Hooking up with someone who is a pro is a great place to start. So far I've completed my wedding and my dd's first 2 years up until 2006. I'm working on organizing my next massive project, for some missionary pictures from when I was a missionary. Here's my photo box filled with pics...I got it from Hobby Lobby for like $25.00:



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v302/cvswirl/100_0239.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v302/cvswirl/100_0238.jpg

[butterflyqueen71]

Oh, yes...believe it or not, you can get some cute stickers and paper and page kits at the Dollar Tree too!

Just look for "acid free" or "acid and lignin free".

[mommyofangels]

Oh my what have I gotten myself into? :lol

I also did not care for sewing so maybe we are similar personalities. :) I just found out that Micheal's sometimes does scrapbooking classes. They say you have to purchase your own materials and they show you how to put it together. Does that sound like a reasonable deal?

I will visit the website. It looks like it would be easy for me to understand.

[apmommy]

:popcorn

[butterflyqueen71]

Oh my what have I gotten myself into? :lol

I also did not care for sewing so maybe we are similar personalities. :) I just found out that Micheal's sometimes does scrapbooking classes. They say you have to purchase your own materials and they show you how to put it together. Does that sound like a reasonable deal?

I will visit the website. It looks like it would be easy for me to understand.


Cool! On the CM website, you can find a local consultant in your area.

I really love the CM albums. A cheap way to start if you can't afford an album from them is to buy the pages loose. I've done that until I got an album, and it is well worth the wait, because they have wonderful albums.

[Piper2]

I am a cheap scrapper! :O All of my pictures are printed out either on regular paper or cardstock (I have a printer/scanner), and I've printed out titles and clip art on regular paper and just cut them out and arranged them on the pages. I got a digital scrapbooking program last year that I've used some -- mostly to do pages for our church's special needs ministry, but I also will use the "journal in a shape" thing, print it, and cut it out to use on handmade pages.

I do have lots of stickers now, just from buying them here and there, I got some scissors (that cut, like, zig-zag and curvy shapes) and some different design hole punches for Christmas. When I can catch sales at Michael's or Hobby Lobby, I'll buy stickers and different design backing pages. This weekend, I'm getting together with a friend (Teribear :mrgreen), and we're going to work on some pages together. We're planning on doing a little shopping at Michael's first, and I think I'm going to finally buy myself an exacto-knife. ;)

It can be as simple or complicated as you want to make it. :)

[Omamarian]

I would suggest finding a Stampinup! demonstrator that does scrapbooking. Not all of us demonstrators do that a lot. You can go online to StampinUp.com and find a demonstrator in your area. Most of them have events where you can go and learn and scrap. Just remember that you don't have to be an expert and keep it simple. Enjoy!
OmaMarian

[MomToDM]

I used to be a Creative Memories consultant, I :heart their products! I really think the best way to learn is to get in touch with a CM consultant, there are 4 steps to completing a page and she will take you through them, then you alter it to include as much or as little embellishing as you want. It is a very fun hobby and can be expensive but so worth it. :grin

[mommyofangels]

Thank you all ladies for good information. :)