Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Find out how scrapbooking online stores would serve you in designing your memorable scrapbook.

 

Scrapbooking is being treated to be one of those kind of works that generally guys like since this gives them a kind of achievement. Generally a few complaints would be heard in the activity of making to one the scrapbook. Even then, we would find pride and happiness you wear in your face when you have in your hands the final product.

Scrapbook guide has recently become a widely acclaimed hobby because of its simple nature. Most of the scrapbookers who try to design their scrapbooks as self made memories. But then, normally all might get a few memorables and pictures to join to create a scrapbook.


Where does you get things for scrapbooking? Everone should be thankful for scrapbook online stores. Quite a few stores might sell you several kinds of supplies related to scrapbooks. Here are some things you can get from scrapbooking stores.

1) Literature : scrapbook online stores sell manybooks and magazines which can aid any person to join a scrapbook together. All the books that are available give you wide range of tips about things to put in your scrapbook. While reading these books, you might get useful insights regarding the importance of making a scrapbook.

Several kinds of books that scrapbooking stores also give you great inspirational ideas to give you with the actual of your scrapbook. Scrapbooking online stores and scrapbooking blogs does  have books of well known quotations which you may use on your scrapbook to quickly convey an object or picture?s significance.

2) Materials : scrapbooking online stores even  have various supplies for your creation. The materials that are sold in scrapbooking stores start from:

a) Basic : Which materials include typical paper and cover materials to serve the scrapbook creation. Scrapbooking stores offer these materials to the scrapbook guys who will prefer to add their creations to the scrapbook. These materials act as a blank canvas to the interested person to create a rare creation on.

b) Add-ons : These supplies consist of the little bits of odds and ends which enhance a scrapbook’s finish. Many add-ons are kept in by scrapbook makers to stress a few points in the scrapbooks. They may even be
put to use to send underlying messages to the person about the significance of a picture or memories.


3) Tools : These supplies would be sold in scrapbooking stores for the very purpose of making scrapbooking much easier for people. These tools help make the materials together just to create a scrapbook. In the other sense, these tools have been created to bring right order to chaos.

Monday, October 27, 2008

How to Start a Scrapbook

Loads of people enjoy scrapbooking because it's a great way to appreciate the moments enjoyed with friends and family.  Begin with a simple project and choose a theme: a certain vacation, a single holiday, a child’s school career, a wedding.  There are many great scrapbooking ideas out there for you to try.

Don't get into the trap of using every single photo you have in your scrapbook, just choose the ones you feel tell the story the best. Leave the rest of the photos in the shoebox for future projects.

Let go of the pressures by not setting a deadline. Don’t make the story strictly chronological, don't go crazy with the colors you use, set out to design each page differently, or set any unnecessary goals.

What You Will Need

Start scrapbooking with the bare necessities or with all the bells and whistles according to your personal style. The basics of course involve having an album, so pick one that will go with the idea that you have or let the store supply inspire you. Whilst you are buying your album you might as well buy some re-fill pages that fit your album. It would be a terrible thing to happen that you are working away happily on your project only to discover that you are unable buy any refill pages for the album you bought. Get a good pair of scissors just for scrapbooking, and make sure they are comfortable in your hand and sharp, then keep them with your supplies.

Another thing to have on your shopping list is some adhesive. Find one in the scrapbooking aisle of the craft store. Make sure it’s acid-free and is good for both photos and cardstock, because you will want to choose cardstock and paper to accent your photos. Choose holiday colors for holiday scrapbooking and baby pastels for baby scrapbooking. And lastly, you will need a craft store that specializes in scrapbooking so you can find specialized papers that are available by the sheet.  There are just some of the scrapbooking for beginners tips.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Ideas for Setting Up a Desk for Scrapbooking

Having a separate desk for scrapbooking is an excellent idea and a good investment when you really love this hobby and indulge in it often.  Since there are so many small items you use for making scrapbooks, and because you need to keep the pages and paper nice and neat and free of damage, it is a good idea to have a separate area for your supplies.  To really make the most of your desk for scrapbooking there are some things you should consider.

For one thing you should always keep everything on your desk for scrapbooking neat and organized.  It's easy to let the small page elements and scrapbooking supplies get mixed up with one another but this can cause frustration when you're ready to actually make up some new page layouts.  There are many containers and organizers you can buy that are specially made for scrapbooking organization, but remember that you can use just about anything to keep your items separate and organized.  Egg cartons, paper cups, and even the plastic lids to things like hairspray can all keep those tiny embellishments organized (wash them out first of course!).

You should also consider keeping a trash bin near your desk for scrapbooking so that you can easily get rid of scrap paper, tape, and other discarded items so they don't get mixed in with necessary supplies.Keep things organized and neat by having a basket or drawer for your scrapbooking tools, like scissors and eyelet setters; it's very frustrating to have to hunt for your scissors or another essential tool when your desk is covered with paper and page elements.

Scrapbook paper storage is very inexpensive and can really help keep your desk for scrapbooking organized as well.  These paper sorters are like stacked slots for different colored paper and will keep them from being bent or marked up. They also allow you to sort your paper by color and by pattern or theme.

Remember that when you have a desk for scrapbooking you don't need to keep everything right on the surface of the desk.  Put a corkboard up on the wall in front of the desk; you can pin binder clips to it and use the clips to hold papers so that you don't need to use a pushpin with them.Pin envelopes to the corkboard and then use these to keep tiny embellishments and stickers organized and neat. Clear plastic Ziploc bags work well and allow you to see exactly what's inside. Be sure to use the space under your desk for scrapbooking as well; a small cart with drawers is usually affordable and can easily stay next to or under your desk for easy storage access.

Creating page layouts is easier and quicker when you have a scrapbooking desk that is neat and organized.You won't waste your time cleaning a space to work on your scrapbooking project, and it allows you to get started right away.  The time to maintain your scrapbooking organization will be well worth it when you are able to get more pages done.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Baby Shower Scrapbooking Layouts Easy Enough for Beginners

It's no wonder that most mothers are on the hunt for unique and original baby shower scrapbooking layouts, since a baby shower is probably one of the many memorable moments she'll want to capture during her pregnancy.Baby shower scrapbooking layouts are perfect for remembering those cute presents and visits by friends and relatives!

Of course there are many different paper packs and templates that a person can purchase when it comes to commemorating a baby shower.You can find scrapbooking pages that are already set with frames for photos, baby sayings and everything you need to make a baby scrapbook layout.  If you're new to scrapbooking or aren't creatively gifted then these baby shower scrapbooking layouts can be the right thing for you.  All that's needed are those pictures!  But some people aren't interested in having their pages already designed for them but still are a bit overwhelmed with what to do when it comes to making up their own baby shower scrapbooking layouts.

Remember that you are not limited to baby pink and blue colors, and you can go beyond these colors and use any colors that you like.Chocolate brown, rust red, and warm yellow- the colors of autumn, work well on baby shower scrapbooking pages.  One reason for this is that these colors are somewhat neutral and a bit easier on the eyes than strong blues, but aren't as washed out as pink can sometime seem.  You might also try these same colors but in primary shades, meaning red, blue and yellow.Baby toys are often in primary colors making these a good choice for baby shower scrapbooking pages.

Get creative with the wording and the fonts you use.  Many opt for "childish" fonts that resemble the writing of a child but there's no need to do this if you prefer something more elegant or something simpler.  You can put the child's name or a simple phrase such as "Baby Boy" or "Baby Girl" across the top of any baby shower scrapbooking layouts and some simple wording underneath in a smaller font for a nice touch.You don't always have to use the word "baby" on your pages- try other words like Cherished, Love, Welcome, and Precious.

Be the envy of your friends at your next scrapbooking crop.  Get more scrapbooking ideas and information on making scrapbooking borders.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Easy Tips for Back to School Scrapbooking Ideas

There's so much more to remembering going back to school then just scrapbooking a picture of the first day of school.Why not scrapbook a few pages that reflect the memories and feelings of back to school season?  Get your camera and your scrapbooking supplies ready, and try these school scrapbooking ideas.

Back-to-School Clothes Shopping

This is a ritual of the new school year.Shopping for back to school clothes is a traditional at the beginning of the school season.Try taking your camera along, and you'll capture the current kids' fashion trends along with some fun memories of your children shopping.  Be sure to include the good, the bad and the ugly of this year’s fashions.   Even if you have a less than enthusiastic shopper, it’s a back-to-school tradition that should be part of any school scrapbook.

School Registration

Standing in line to get your child’s class schedule and new textbooks is another common back to school event. If your child is young or this is a new school for him, take some pictures of his first impressions of the new school year.  Older children may not welcome photos during school registration, but you can still scrapbook their class assignment schedule after they no longer need it, or a picture of the stack of textbooks may make a nice addition to a school page layout. Registration is also a great time to snap a photo of the school building for a school scrapbooking album

Hopes for the Coming School Year


Have your children write down what they hope to learn in the coming school year. Ask them how they see themselves at the end of the year, and what they are most looking forward to at this grade level.  Maybe they are looking forward to learning how to read or long division or maybe just making new friends. You can scrapbook these thoughts in a page layout.Use each child's own handwriting to make it more personal.

The First Day of School

The morning of the first day of school is busy.  When you take a photograph of your children in their new clothes with new backpacks, pick the same place each year to take the photo.  You will get a better perspective of how they have changed in height if you pick the same location with the same background.

The School Bus

If your children take a bus to school, a fun moment to capture is leaving on the school bus on the first day of school. Take one photo of your children entering the bus, and then try to take one of them waving from the windows.

Reuniting with School Friends

Part of the fun of the back-to-school season is reuniting with old school friends.Take pictures of these moments in front of the school or at the school bus stop.  Remember to be sensitive to older children who many not want photos taken during this time. 

The back-to-school season is full of traditions and rituals.  You’ll definitely want to document them in a school scrapbook album.  Whether you choose to create one scrapbook that includes all of your children or an album for each child, these tips will give you lots of ideas to fill up those pages.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Don't Forget These Points When Hosting a Scrapbooking Crop

Are you planning on hosting a scrapbooking crop?You are definitely in for a world of fun!  Scrapbooking is a fun and creative hobby enjoyed by millions worldwide, and a crop is a great way to get experienced and novice scrappers together to share scrapbooking tips, get new pointers, and to create some great new pages and books.But as much as it is, when hosting a scrapbooking crop, there are a few important things to consider.

Your scrapbookers are going to need something more to do than just creating page layouts all weekends, even if they are the most diehard scrappers.  When hosting a scrapbooking crop be sure to provide other activities that attendees can participate in, or provide instructors and demonstrators of new products or techniques.This means your friends won't be exhausted from trying to create new page layouts for hours on end, and they can get a rest from the activity.

If you're hosting a scrapbooking crop and want to provide an instructor make sure he or she is very experienced with both scrapbooking and in presenting as well.Some people are very talented scrapbookers, but they may not be good at telling others how to do it!  It's awful for someone to be hit with stage fright when they're just trying to share tips on such a great hobby, and of course everyone will then turn to the person that is hosting the scrapbooking crop to get things rolling again. 

Showing the latest new products is also a fun activity during a scrapbooking crop, but make sure it isn't just a sales presentation.Your scrapbooking attendees will want to be able to create many page layouts while they are there, maybe even a complete album, and they need lots of time and space to do that.And be sure everyone has something to eat and drink as well!  If you're hosting a scrapbooking crop that is just one day you can usually provide a boxed or catered lunch; if this is a weekend affair you'll need to talk to the hotel or someone else about catering different meals or let your attendees know what restaurants are in the area.  If you keep these points in mind when hosting a scrapbooking crop you're sure to have a great time that is fun and enjoyable for everyone in attendance.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Why You Should Choose Creative Memories Paper for Scrapbooking

There's no doubt about it. Scrapbooking is a big business and because of it, there are many different scrapbooking supply companies you can choose from.  So why choose Creative Memories paper for scrapbooking when you have so many choices in front of you?  Let's take a look at what they offer so you can decide for yourself.

There are several reasons to consider.Creative Memories scrapbooking paper usually comes in coordinating packs or sets so you don't have to rely on your own artistic talent to choose your products.  Some experienced scrappers are perfectly fine with coordinating their different papers and sets but for someone that is new to the hobby or is just a little bit creatively challenged, they can rely on the Creative Memories product line to offer them just the right sets, colors, and designs.  This can be a great thing for those who are just a little bit intimidated with the idea of making up a scrapbook from scratch when they really have no idea where to begin.

Of course if you are comfortable with choosing your own papers or want a uniquely personal touch to your scrapbooks, Creative Memories paper for scrapbooking is also sold in individual sheets or packs as well.  You can pick the colors or designs that work right just for you and purchase only what you need, even if it's one sheet at a time.They offer a lot more than just paper - all the embellishments and page elements you could wish for are available on their site or through an independent sales consultant.

Speaking of independent consultants, if you really love Creative Memories scrapbooking paper and products you can also become a distributor or representative yourself and host parties or gatherings for your product.  Many purchase their own Creative Memories scrapbooking supplies through private parties and shows at home and being a distributor for these products is a great way to make some money while working with a product you love.It is also a lot of fun!

There are many scrapbooking companies out there but Creative Memories is a long-time favorite of experienced scrappers for a reason.You'll find the best in scrapbook tools, along with paper, embellishments and albums.They have a variety of products available and they organize them in a way that will make your scrapbooking hobby even more enjoyable and satisfying.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Tips for Using Mickey Mouse and Disney Scrapbooking Ideas

Did you just return from a Disney World vacation?  You'll enjoy these Mickey Mouse and Disneyland scrapbooking ideas.  Don't just use pre-made Disney papers and stickers.  Find ways to make your scrapbooking page layouts more personal and unique.

Start by thinking of the main subject of the page before you even think about what Mickey Mouse and Disney scrapbooking ideas you can incorporate.  If you start with your embellishments you may find that your main subject of the page is overwhelmed or overshadowed by your accessories.

You don't want it to look like you just scattered your embellishments on your page.  Choose them carefully so they accent your subject and highlight your page layout.  In most cases, less is more when it comes to page embellishments.

Keep this in mind when sorting through the various Mickey Mouse and Disney scrapbooking ideas you have as well.  It's tempting to try to add everything you have to the page but this won't look organized and thought out.

If you have too many Disney scrapbooking supplies, consider doing additional page layouts.  You can even make a gift album for a grandparent.  If you're short on supplies, make your own Mickey ears with two half circles in one corner of the page.  You can make a roller coaster by using curving lines in the middle of your page.

Making your own pre-made Disney scrapbooking embellishments is easy.  Consider your cost savings before you buy too many pre-made embellishments and accents.

You also can get more creative with your Mickey Mouse and Disney scrapbooking ideas.  Try drawing Mickey ears onto the photo of your child.

You can place a sticker of Mickey Mouse right into a photo and make it look like he is right there with you.  Take an outline or large sticker of the state of Florida or California and use it as your page background.

Use your creativity and imagination and you're sure to come up with some fun Mickey Mouse and Disney scrapbooking pages.

Be the envy of your friends at your next scrapbooking crop! Visit http://www.intoscrapbooking.com for more scrapbooking tips and creative ways to use a scrapbooking tag.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Why You Should Choose Frances Meyer Scrapbooking Supplies

Most experienced scrapbookers are familiar with Frances Meyer scrapbooking supplies.  This line of products offers stickers, paper, embellishments, everything you need to create beautiful scrapbooking pages.  Their scrapbooking supplies come in fun, creative designs and they all coordinate, making it easy for anyone to put together amazing page layouts.

One thing that really appeals to most serious scrappers about the Frances Meyer line of products is that she offers a wide range of stickers that can be used for so many different types of pages, something that many scrapbook suppliers leave out.  For instance, a quick internet search of her supplies will yield stickers for working out, fishing, barnyards, kids at weddings, and even some for a child's visit to the doctor's office.

Now you can scrapbook every day events in your live, as well as your hobbies and interests.  You aren't limited to the typical scrapbooking themes like baby albums, weddings and vacations.

If you're looking for a wide range of papers to use for your scrapbook albums so that you can create your own pages, Frances Meyer scrapbooking supplies product line is also a safe bet that you'll find just what you're looking for.  This line offers paper for each season, holiday, sport, vacation spot, and virtually any other theme you might want to scrapbook.

You can mix and match your papers easily since so many are designed to coordinate expertly.  Also, there are many page templates available in the Frances Meyer scrapbooking supplies line as well.  If you're a bit creatively challenged and need more direction and guidance with the creation of your pages, then these templates might be a better way to go for you.

Templates have suggested ideas for picture frames, journaling, layout, and everything else you need to create beautiful page layouts.  It's always a good idea to start with the templates and then add your own personal touches and embellishments to really dress up your pages and make them personal to you.

While the France Meyer scrapbooking supplies you might find are beautifully and expertly coordinated, they always leave some room for your own unique touches, which is a very important part of scrapbooking. They still allow for your to add your own scrapbook style. Remember, you want your finished product to be beautiful and to look polished, but to also be something unique and personal as well.

Christine Perry invites you to her website, http://www.intoscrapbooking.com for more scrapbooking ideas and information on scrapbooking organization.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Make Your Scrapbooking Pages Personal: Use Your Own Handwriting

Scrapbooking has joined the digital age.  We can now make complete scrapbooking pages on our computers. Even those of us who prefer traditional scrapbooking tend to use the computer for our journaling to print clean, neat captions and narratives on our layouts.

Handwriting on pages may not be as pretty as a computer font. Still, it is so much more personal and meaningful to our families.

Why don't we use our own handwriting on our scrapbooking pages more often?  We all have different reasons.  You might be concerned with how messy your handwriting is or that others may not be able to read it.  Remember those recipes written by a grandparent or handwritten letters from a loved one?  Those are more meaningful to you now because they are personal and unique.  Your family will feel the same way about your handwriting in your scrapbooks.

Are you worried that you will make a permanent mistake with your journaling? Handwriting errors aren't difficult to correct.  Try using a paper journaling block first.  You can use a second one if you mess up the first.  If you've already attached it to the page, just glue another one over it.  Use other page elements to cover your errors.  Stickers are a simple way to cover a handwriting mistake.


The right pen makes a big difference when it comes to handwriting success. Look carefully at the paper you are using, and choose the best pen for that type of surface. Many pens will smear or run on certain types of papers. Choose a pen with the appropriate width as well. Trying to write in a small space with a wide tip will be a definite handwriting challenge.

For handwriting success you need to practice.  Make a draft of your journaling before you glue anything to the page.  Read it to yourself and out loud. This allows you to spot any errors in spelling or grammar.  Having someone else proofread your journaling is especially helpful when you have a long, narrative block of writing.  Be sure to test your pen on the page you intend to use for your final journaling. Making a draft also lets you be sure your paper is large enough to handle all your journaling.

Do you write on a slant or uphill?  Many of us find it difficult to write straight on a blank paper. Try using lined journaling blocks.  These are available in your local scrapbooking stores or you can make them yourself with lined stamps or with a ruler and pen.  Try using the natural lines on your patterned papers.  Write with the stripes on your paper as your guide. Frames can be accented by printing along the edges.  You can even writes along the boundaries of your page borders.


There are few things as personal as our handwriting.  Handwriting is unique.  Like our signature, it is a statement of who we are.  When you use your handwriting on your page layouts it adds character to your scrapbooks.  It will tell your family and anyone who looks at your albums about your mood and your personality.  Your family is sure to treasure your scrapbooks even more.  Let your handwriting add depth and emotion to your pages, not a computer font.

Christine Perry is an avid scrapbooker and has more than 10 years of scrapbooking experience. Her favorite scrapbooking subjects are her reluctant teenagers. She invites you to her website, http://www.intoscrapbooking.com for more scrapbooking tips and information on Mother's Day cards for scrapbooking.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Scrapbooking Ideas to Chase Away Burnout

It happens to every scrapbooker.  No matter how long you've been scrapbooking, you're going to face scrapbooking burnout at some time.  There can be so many reasons for it.  Maybe you just can't decide what papers to use or which embellishments.  Here are a few tips to help you overcome your scrapbooking burnout.

1. A new scrapbooking technique may be just what you need to spark your imagination. Grab some photos and try one out today.

2.  Don't think you have to get through your entire photograph backlog.  Just pick one photo today, and showcase it on a page.  Just getting started may be just what you need. 

3.  Organize and clean out your photos.  Start going through your photographs and get rid of the blurry or poor quality ones.  Your backlog will start shrinking.

4.  Start organizing your supplies.  Just seeing all the cool materials you have to work with may spark your creativity.

5.  Scrapbooking magazines are designed to bring inspiration.  Read your favorite magazine today for new techniques or the latest products. 

6.  Enroll in a scrapbooking class.  The excitement of taking a class can often spark your interest to start scrapbooking again.

7.  Attend a scrapbooking crop.  Either sign up for one at your local scrapbooking store or plan one yourself and invite your friends and family.

8.  Go shopping!  Browse through your local scrapbooking store or craft store and get inspired by all the new products available.  

9. Stop trying to be perfect. Thinking every page you create must be a work of art only stops you before you ever get started.  Give yourself permission to make a less than perfect page layout. 

10.  Scale down your scrapbooking supplies.  Give away or sell some of your stash and cure supply overload. 

11. Don't try to make an album tonight.  Just make one single page layout.  One page a night leads to many completed pages over time.  

12.  Sign up for a scrapbooking challenge.  You can find these online in scrapbooking community message boards.  Joining the competition and excitement will start your scrapbooking creativity going again.

13.  Try digital scrapbooking.  Learning how to creative scrapbook albums on your computer can be inspiring.

14.  Read online scrapbooking message boards and peek in their members' galleries.  Just reading about the excitement of other scrapbookers may jump start your own creativity.  

15. Show off your scrapbooks. When was the last time you pulled out your scrapbooks when family comes to visit or let your children read through your albums?  When you see all the pages you have designed, you just may be motivated to create some more.  

Just a few of these tips will chase your scrapbooking burnout away.

Christine Perry is an avid scrapbooker and has over 10 years of scrapbooking experience. Her favorite scrapbooking subjects are her reluctant teenagers. She invites you to her website, http://www.intoscrapbooking.com for more scrapbooking ideas and how to find a scrapbooking crop online.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Scrapbooking Adhesives: Stick to the Basics

Scrapbookers have so many choices in scrapbooking adhesives. Manufacturers are offering more and more options to meet the needs of this hobby.  Scrapbooking techniques have continued to change over time, and now scrapbookers need adhesives that can handle the newest techniques and trends.

The primary concern when choosing scrapbooking adhesives is to make sure it is archival safe.  All adhesives used on scrapbooking pages must be safe for your photos.  You have a variety of options available to use on the back of your photos or scrapbooking embellishments.

Photo Corners: These are the pioneer adhesives of scrapbooking, and they still remain a popular choice for many scrapbookers.  When scrapbooking first began, photo corners were used because they would allow you to attach photographs to a page and still remove them.  Because photo corners are not permanent adhesives, they are ideal for heritage photographs and anything you don't want to permanently mount to a page.  They now come in a variety of colors and materials.

Glue: Whether in pens, bottles or tubes, glue is the most versatile adhesive option for scrapbookers.  Glue pens allow you to put a tiny dot of glue where ever you need it.  They come in permanent and repositionable varieties, as well as specialized glues made for fabric or metal.

Tape Runners: These are a basic supply for most scrapbookers.  Tape runners are double-sided adhesives and come in dispensers or on a roll.  Like glue, they are available in permanent and repositionable tape.  Tape runners are convenient and fast for quick page layouts. As you run the tape along a surface, it leaves behind a continuous line of adhesive. You use only as much as you need for each item.

Glue Dots:  What would we do without glue dots for our heavy embellishments?  Glue dots are ideal for ribbon, fabric and textured items as well.  They create a strong bond, and are available in many sizes on either rolls or sheets.

Glue Sticks:  Glue sticks provide a convenient, easy-to-use alternative to glue, without the sticky mess. You can cover a large area quickly, making them a great choice for creating fast layouts.  Before you buy a glue stick, make sure it states that it is photo-safe.  Some varieties, like those use for school projects, are not.

Adhesive Spray: The advantages of adhesive spray are even coverage and transparency.  They work well with vellum, unlike some adhesives that will show through the paper.  You do have to be very careful with over spray. Always put down paper to cover your work surface before using adhesive spray.

Tape: Most scrapbookers prefer double-sided tape for adhering scrapbooking page elements. However, one-sided tape is useful on the back of brads or eyelets to keep paper from catching on the prongs.

Foam Tape:  Dots and squares are common shapes for foam tape.  Double-sided, this adhesive gives your page elements a dimensional effect.  Try using them with letters and titles and add some interest to your pages.

With so many scrapbooking adhesives to choose from, you'll want to stock up on your favorites.  Watch your favorite craft stores for sales.  Make sure you pack a variety of adhesive options for your next workshop or crop.  You'll be sure to have the right adhesive for your next scrapbooking project.

Christine Perry is an avid scrapbooker and has over 10 years of scrapbooking experience. Her favorite scrapbooking subjects are her reluctant teenagers. She invites you to her website, http://www.intoscrapbooking.com for more scrapbooking techniques and creative memories scrapbooking.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

How to Create Digital Scrapbooking With Adobe

Modern-day software users have a variety of products to choose from now.  Adobe offers is range of software products that allows you to create documents and graphics.  Their photo-editing software is considered one of the best available, and offers the ability to enhance your photos in your digital scrapbooking.  Digital scrapbooking with Adobe gives scrapbookers a way to add more interest to their own scrapbooking page layouts.

Getting started with digital scrapbooking with Adobe doesn't need to be difficult.  You might have many questions about the basics and how to begin.  Taking the time to learn Adobe Photoshop can add more interest and variety to the page layouts in your scrapbooks.

When talking about digital scrapbooking with Adobe, chances are you're referring to the Adobe program of Photoshop.  Photoshop is a program that many people use to crop, edit, and otherwise work with photos on their computer.  If you have ever seen some funny pictures that have obviously been doctored - the President's head on a weightlifter's body or a dog riding the space shuttle - chances are that person used Photoshop.

Adobe Photoshop has many useful tools, including the selection tool.  With this tool you can remove any area of a photo or graphic from it's original file, expand it, or enhance it in many ways.  You many want to take a photo of both of your children and separate them into two photos with each individual child.  Now you can use these two new photos on your scrapbooking layouts.

An original photo can become entirely new photos with Photoshop.  You can manipulate any part of an original photograph and use it to make a new picture for your scrapbooking pages.  This is why scrapbookers love digital scrapbooking with Adobe.  You can expand upon the photos you have, and aren't limited to how the original pictures were taken.

Some of the most creative scrapbooking pages are those that have more than one copy of the same picture, or several shots that were taken right after one another, and so on.  When digital scrapbooking with Adobe Photoshop, you can copy your pictures, reduce their size, expand their size, and add as many other pictures as you want, all with the click of a mouse.  This way there is no damage done to your original photos, and you don't need to keep copying, cutting, pasting, and so on, until you get it right.

What is your level of computer experience?  When considering digital scrapbooking with Adobe Photoshop, you need to decide which version is right for you.  Most professionals use the full versions of Photoshop.  However, for most scrapbookers those programs are too expensive and more than they need for digital page layouts. Adobe Photoshop Elements is a much better choice. It's less expensive and easier to learn.

Digital scrapbooking with Adobe is a terrific and versatile tool for creating beautiful photos and attractive scrapbooking pages.  You can use the special effects to add interest to your layouts.  It's worth the time to learn Adobe Photoshop and add new techniques to your scrapbooking skills.

Christine Perry invites you to her website, for more scrapbooking tips and information on how to become a scrapbook consultant.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Digital Scrapbooking for Newbies: How You Can Get Started Today

No doubt you are familiar with traditional scrapbooking done with paper and printed photos. But there are a growing number of people who are using their computers to create unique scrapbooking pages. If you're looking for a way to artfully preserve your photos in a digital format, digital scrapbooking may be right for you.

In contrast to traditional scrapbooking, digital scrapbooking doesn't require very many supplies. All you need to get started is digital imaging software that supports layers (such as Photoshop Elements or Paint Shop Pro) as well as digital copies of your photos and digital scrapbooking templates. If you'd like to print out your own digitally created scrapbook pages, you will also need access to a high quality photo printer and photo paper.

While a traditional scrapbooker will collect piles of paper and dozens of types of embellishments, you can easily download free embellishments to your computer from different digital scrapbooking supply websites. Because there aren't any supply costs, digital scrapbooking can be a much cheaper alternative to traditional scrapbooking. Look for templates that will help you easily format your photos and coordinate your embellishments. Templates like these typically feature fonts, embellishments, and background layers. There are also paid templates and embellishment sites that offer better quality enhancements. You can build a large library of embellishments for a very low price.

Select the photos you want to use in your layout and then edit them if you need to. You can use your digital imaging software to crop your photos, reduce red eye and adjust the color levels. Place the photos inside of the pre-made templates and then add your journaling and other decorations.

There are no limits to the creativity that you can use with digital scrapbooking. The pages are easy to edit, so you can tweak and adjust your pages based on what looks best. You can even create you own embellishments and offer them for other people to download and use.

As far as storage goes, you have a few different options. You can keep all of your digital scrapbooking pages on your computer. You can share them online in their digital format and even burn them to a CD to share with your friends and family. If you'd prefer to have hard copies of your pages, you can print them off on your computer or send them out to be printed. Several online photo processing sites specialize in helping digital scrapbookers achieve the looks they want in printed form.

Many scrapbookers use a standard size of 12 X 12 inches, which is obviously larger than the standard printer. You can have your pages specially printed at that size, or simply create layouts on an 8 ½ X 11 inch template.

In addition to creating complete pages in a digital format, you can also combine your digitally created pages with traditional scrapbooking elements. This kind of scrapbooking, also known as hybrid scrapbooking, allows you to add dimension to digital scrapbooking pages with flowers, vellum and other 3 dimensional page elements.

No matter how you choose to use digital scrapbooking you can make use of this fun technique. It's easy to get started and relatively cheap. Whether you want to make entirely digital pages or use a hybrid scrapbooking technique, this is something that you owe it to yourself to try.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Handmade Bookbinding – How To Book Bind Yourself

Handmade Bookbinding is one good way of stirring and rousing the creative side in you. Instead of having the typical book bind in designing your own books, doing it yourself with the use of different handmade designs will not only let you choose your own draft but also create your preferred design.

You can easily utilize these designs by means of printing and binding your own paperback. You can also visit a lot of websites that teach you how to book bind yourself.

Handmade bookbinding specifically provides you with a step-by-step way of designing, crafting and binding your own books. If you want to engage yourself in different training and crash courses to develop your craft then you have to search for different sites that provide courses regarding bookbinding.

On the other hand, having an innate gift of creativity will hone you further through different instructional manuals and guides.

The emergence of a lot of e-books regarding bookbinding has proliferated online and so making a wise decision of choosing the best ones is imperative. There are other sites where designs are poorly demonstrated and pictured, the details are not clear and so you have to make a careful choice so as not to waste money.

Saving you with a good deal of money and time should be your primary concern in searching for the best bookbinding training program or course.

Thus, book binding need not be something that would require you to shell out a lot of money. With a little knowledge, resourcefulness and creativity you will surely create your own design effortlessly in coming up with a handmade masterpiece.

Who knows, maybe you can even make a living out of handmade bookbinding.

Learn how to do simple handmade bookbinding here. I will show you some of the best handmade bookbinding techniques you can use to do your own book bind.