Crafty Belles

So you’ve probably seen that aisle before…filled with thousands of stickers, pieces of paper, scissors, and little scissor-like tools. What are you going to need when starting your scrapbook? Here are a few ‘must-haves’ when shopping for scrapbook supplies…

After picking out the size and theme of your book, you will need to pick up some acid-free paper. You will need to know the size of your book so you can get the right size paper. It is essential to get acid-free paper to avoid deterioration of photos over time. Remember, this is a keepsake, so you don’t want it to only last for a few years. Although the acid-free paper may be a bit more expensive than ‘regular’ paper, it will be a good investment in the long run. Pick a variety of patterns and colors that will fit your theme and that tie together a little. If you are doing a ‘beach’ theme, buy some simple shades of blue paper and you will be able to mix and match that with some pages with beach patterns.

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You’ve looked over several magazines, websites and books about scrapbooking, and you feel like you’re ready to go. However, in all these articles you’ve looked over, you realize there are a few words that you’ve heard your wedding photographer talk about…words that scare you a little bit…and cause you to doubt yourself with the thought, “I’m not a professional photographer…what have I gotten myself into?”

These frightening words you will find aren’t so frightening after all, and putting them into use will really spice up your scrapbook.

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Have lots of old photos lying around the house? You find one every once in a while in a book or under the bed. Occasionally, you even find those old packets from the developing with a few pictures. Why not start organizing those photos on your way to making an unforgettable scrapbook?

Many people assume that the best way to organize photos is to put them in chronological order. However, if you have many photos that are unlabeled or dated, this may be difficult. Rather than dealing with this, try organizing by theme. There are countless organizational themes including: Christmases, Vacations, Family Reunions, Children’s sports teams, an overseas trip, or a specific time period (college years). Try not to make them so broad that every photo will fit in, but also don’t restrict them too much.

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Everyone wants to make their scrapbook unique…to put their own special touch on every page. Here are a few tricks you can use to capture every memory and to make your scrapbook your very own.

One of the great things about scrapbooks is that anything goes. You have the ability to put anything you want in. A good start to a unique scrapbook is to become a collector of your family and friends memorabilia. Now that doesn’t mean memorabilia that we always think of. Be creative. Keep ticket stubs (movies, planes, museums), cards, cartoons, receipts, newspaper articles, pamphlets or brochures.

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So you’ve decided that you want to start scrapbooking. You head to the craft store and eventually wander to the aisle(s) filled with scrapbook supplies. Obviously, the first thing you need to but is the book itself. Then you realize something…you’ve never scrapbooked before…so what kind of book should you buy? No need to break out in a cold sweat or feel lightheaded in the craft store. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re shopping for your scrapbook.

You will find in your scrapbooking adventures that there are all shapes and sizes of scrapbooks. However, there are two general sizes that you will be able to find on a regular basis, the 12 x 12 inch books, and the 8 ½ x 11 inch books. To make your experience a little easier, especially if you are a beginner, you will probably want to choose one of these sizes. The scrapbook paper that you will use to fill your book is commonly sold in these sizes. Because of the larger size, the 12 x 12 paper is more expensive. But on these pages, you can fit more photos and writing. It’s your choice which book you want to use.

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