Why Opt for a Work at Home Scrapbooking?

Starting and growing a work at home scrapbooking business is relatively easier said than done. It entails a lot of dedication, time, and dogged determination. It's not a “get-rich-quick” idea, where many people who opted for a work-at-home businesses believed them to be.

However, work at home scrapbooking isn't hard either. It just needs proper management skills in order to keep the concepts behind work at home scrapbooking truly a success.

One of the best things about starting up a scrapbooking business at home is that it can offer more benefits and satisfactions that people who establish their scrapbooking business in the traditional market.

For those who want to know if work at home scrapbooking will work for them, here are some factors that they need to know first before deciding on it:

1. Are you still enjoying your present job?

If not, then it is high time that you divert your time to earning more income that is reasonable and still enjoy what you are doing. All of these things are incorporated in work at home scrapbooking.

One of the best things about home based scrapbooking is that you get to enjoy and spend more bonding moments with your family and at the same time earn the kind of income you have enjoyed in the past.

The fact is that the scrapbooking business is one of the fastest growing businesses in the United States. Statistical reports show that the scrapbooking business is now generating an annual income of $2.55 billion.

2. Would you like some challenges and still be creative?

If yes, then the scrapbooking business is an ultimate choice. The best thing to rekindle those fondest memories with a price is to set up a scrapbooking business right in the comforts of your own home.

The idea of work at home scrapbooking isn't restricted just to selling scrapbooking supplies. This kind of business also entails those creative works that are needed in scrapbooking. With a home based scrapbooking business, you get to share your artistic talents and earn from them.

You can easily make money by simply creating some colorful borders, creative backgrounds, or flashy embellishments.

3. Would you like an additional source of income?

Opting to earn additional income these days is not an understatement. With hard times, it is extremely important to have the means to earn extra money for your extra needs. One of the best ways is to engage in work at home scrapbooking.

With this kind of business, you can surely have fun while earning money.

Things To Consider Before Planning A Scrapbooking Retreat

Pastimes or hobbies are important when people want to divert their attention form serious work to a lighter part of life. This is to encourage relaxation and repose.

From the many types of hobbies or pastimes that have been introduced into society, scrapbooking seems to be the most common method of capturing the works of history and placing them in an area were their memories can be rekindled.

The benefits of scrapbooking aren't just a fad that people experience for a certain period. The advantages of scrapbooking are more than just the value of the work done but also the value of time that pictures, words, and embellishments have been used to put all those memories together in one collection.

Scrapbooking offers many benefits that people who are heavily engaged in this kind of activity would even resort to scrapbooking retreats just to get to that certain level of achievement as far as this hobby is concerned.

Scrapbooking retreats are usually done in order to give “scrapbookers” or “scrapper” some opportunities to finish their work without having any distractions from home.

Scrapbook retreats can also be valuable additions to a scrapper’s collection of memories. Usually scrapbook retreats are organized by scrappers themselves. They do all the planning and choose the best locations for their scrapbooking.

With scrapbook retreats, scrappers can acquire more ideas to include in their scrapbooks. In fact, the retreat itself could be a good addition considering the fact the usefulness of the chosen location.

However, before you and your group decide on a scrapbooking retreat, there are some factors that you need to consider first. Here’s the list:

1. Types of retreat

When planning for a scrapbooking retreat, it is best to consider first the type of retreat that you want to pursue. Will it be a beach getaway or a nature-trip adventure?

2. Reasons for conducting the retreat

Identify the reasons why you want to conduct a scrapbooking retreat. Some locations need certain amenities in order to supply your scrapbooking. It would be better to find locations that will provide you with the kinds of amenities that you will need in your scrapbooking.

Of Course, you don't have to worry at all why you need a scrapbooking retreat. As long as it provides additional ideas on your scrapbooking and as long as it improves your hobby, then, a scrapbooking retreat is a definite must for every scrapper.

The Ideal Scrapbook Kit

Years from now, the events that take place will just be a memory from the past. Historical battles sites and castles have become tourist attractions. The actions of people are recorded in history books and lectured to the young.

The life of an average Joe may not matter to the public but this is something you can look back on and smile about by flipping through the pages of a scrapbook.

A scrapbook kit can be purchased at your local bookstore. This will include a small album, some colored paper, stickers, embellishments and some instructions on how to begin.

Those who have been doing this for a long time don’t have to buy a kit but instead buy each of the items separately to add variation to the project.

The scrapbook should last for years so this should be made of strong material. The most important thing is to have an album. The bookstore has these in many different sizes and you can choose the one best for you. Magnetic albums aren't the best to use since they have been proven to cause damage to the contents in the long term.

A good pair of scissors and a cutter should always be around. This will make it easy to cut a photo or something out of a magazine. If you aren't sure about the layout on a certain page, there are two options on how to proceed. The first would be to use a dispenser and put tape on scratch paper or pin the cutouts first on a corkboard.

Making a scrapbook may take days or even weeks to finish. You can take some time to look at it before making a final decision. When a page is ready, you should use glue from the kit to put everything into place.

Scrapbooks aren't just about sticking things together. You can also make them interesting by putting some lettering on them. There are packs that hold numbers and the alphabet that are available in different colors that will also add some spice to the scrapbook.

You should also use colored pens and crayons. You can use this to add other things that come to mind later on during the creation of the scrapbook.

Is there such a thing as the ideal scrapbook? Definitely not! You can see how others do it and then add variations to make this something unique that others can also appreciate.

The Best Scrapbook Ideas Came From Popular Scrapbookers

Scrapbooking is more than just a hobby. It's more than just a collage. Creating scrapbooks is an art. Pictures and little things are artistically positioned to illustrate a certain theme or story.

It is a very useful therapy, to see the memories of the past relived in a beautiful journal. This is one of the many reasons to take scrapbooking seriously.

Start Doing the Scrapbook

Many beginners out there are interested in this creative expression. Many want to learn eactly how to do it. Making the decision is fairly easy. It can sometimes be overwhelming once they see what all it entails.

There are many products and choices when making a scrapbook. The best thing to get going is to narrow down the options and choose one that suits your taste the best.

The first step in making the best scrapbook the theme or a particular story. This could be your first vacation out of the country or your moments spent with a best friend.

Once the theme or the story is settled, you can take the next big step. You can now start putting that moment or story into the scrapbook.

Get scrapbook ideas.

Most scrapbookers simply explore their creativity. However, it is best to get the best tips and techniques. They often come from the popular scrapbookers.

Seeking the Popular Scrapbookers

Professional designers of scrapbooks can also give you good guidance. Popular scrapbookers can provide you many options. Aside from storing and organizing the photos, they have the basic techniques on layout, patterns and materials.

They can provide instruction books on the basics of scrapbooking. There are also videos to teach you.

It is also very easy to find a scrapbooker, especially online. Get the advice and help of popular scrapbookers on the Internet. Simply enter the keywords and you will find different sites dedicated to making scrapbooks. Choose the trusted ones and get only the best services.

These are ones who have been known for their good services. They are famous for their creative layout. Check out how many people are in the network of a particular scrapbooker. See if there are many satisfied clients.

It is best to look at the past works of the scrapbooker you find. This will give you a good idea if the skills and creativity of the scrapbooker suit your taste.

So, go ahead. Learn tips and techniques from talented people. Have fun with the activities. Happy scrapbooking!

Supplies You Need For Scrapbooking

You can create your own design of a scrapbook. First, you should be decided on what kind of scrapbook you would like to make. There are different sizes that are available in bookstores. The most common sizes are the 8x12 and the 12x12 inch formats. These formats are a little expensive but they have good qualities and can store a large amount of collections.

The 8x11 format works best since it can fit the inkjet printers that are generally of the same size. You can also use three ring binders even if the pages are in the process of printing. You may even place the pages similar to the format of a post type binder where you can create a double outline. The pages are attached closely so that they can be used as one outline. You may produce photographs on that format even if they aren't separately placed on the printer.

There are more inexpensive scads that you can get in the 8x12 format. They can be used as school supplies, art, and office supplies as well. You can have more space from the pages if your option is to use three ring binders for your scrapbook. However, it is better to have high quality binders to help you compile the collections on the pages before arranging them in a post type binder.

It isn't advisable to use a spiral non-removable scrapbook because you will be limited on one particular page and you may want to rearrange the pages. Some people are still buying this kind of format because they specialize on a specific compilation. This allows them to categorize the collections from each page.

There are also themed books that can exhibit those fun memories. Your children may enjoy looking at the pictures so they can see how styles and trends looked back then. Neighbors and friend who visit your home may have fun flipping through the pages rather than just looking at old photo albums.

It is always enjoyable to remember the moments in your life by looking at your scrapbook. Making a scrapbook with different themes is easy to organize especially if you use inexpensive supplies. Each page can be themed differently. In fact, you can save more time and money when you apply the same color on the background. Create a cover page in every event that you have visited to ensure that they will be kept safely.

Starting A Scrapbooking Career

Starting a scrapbooking career is easier than most people think. In fact, starting a scrapbooking career does not entail a big investment. Many people that have started a career in scrapbooking were once simple hobbyists that indulged in their passion at home.

But as the popularity and reputation of scrapbooking increased many people have opted to begin a scrapbooking career that is indeed quite profitable. At the same time, starting a scrapbooking career is a great way to get the lifestyle every person deserves. Scrappers can have the benefit of having the free time they need to spend more time with the family.

Plus, the continuous rise of living costs has prompted many people to seek alternative sources of income. Many people who have taken up scrapbooking as a hobby have also realized the potential of their pastime as a profitable business. Although some may only play at scrapbooking as a career, others have gone head on into it as a permanent line of business.

As a bonus, many scrapbooking businesses offer substantial discounts for individuals who have decided to embark on a scrapbooking career. People interested in starting a scrapbooking career can get help and advise from various scrapbooking companies. Different companies also offer various forms of support for people starting a scrapbooking career such as step-by-step training to build the business.

There are a wide variety of career choices in the scrapbooking industry. A dedicated scrapper interested in starting a scrapbooking career can either be a scrapbooking instructor, a direct sales consultant, an event organizer, a product manufacturer or designer.

In fact, many people who have started a scrapbooking career have gone on to become scrapbooking experts and professional artists who have even developed into scrapbook retailers. Many of these scarpbooking experts often have online retail sites that not only sell scrapbooking materials but also feature project ideas and tips on scrapbooking.

Tools Needed to Start a Scrapbooking Career

Any scrapper can easily start a scrapbooking career with just the basic tools and materials. Creativity is the main key that any scrapper would need to start a scrapbooking career. To start a scrapbooking career, you will need to have an album to work with along with refills for the album. A good pair of sharp scissors is essential in having a scrapbooking career.

In addition, having the right adhesives are also important as well as a variety of printed papers and cardstock. A scrapper will also need to have an assortment of journal pens to help add an artistic touch to any scrapbook project. Additional items that may be included are a paper trimmer and die cut machine.

Scrapbooking Techniques You Can Easily Learn

A scrapbook should be made with creativity and presentation in mind. There are many ways on how you can bring life and color to the themes you display on your pages. You may consider applying these techniques to ensure that your scrapbook will be admired throughout the years.

1.Make sure that the pages contain specific titles. You may think of simple but catchy titles for each theme on your scrapbook. Many believe that it's better to have shorter titles. They can stand out better than other themes when they are presented with different approach.

2.Decide on the theme you would like to use for the pages. The theme you use is very important to ensure a presentable compilation. Most of the time, the theme you use may create an interest to people who want to look at your scrapbook.

3.You have to specify the details you have noted on the pages. Detailed information can add life to the pictures displayed. You can create a simple date and location format to ensure that your viewers aren't guessing and arguing about the place and time of the places that you have visited.

4.Try to follow the trends used nowadays on most scrapbooks. Colors like pink and black are the most common colors seen on pages and themes. They create a colorful combination that makes your scrapbook more attractive and alive.

5.Apply neutral colors using a black background to complement the vintage theme that you place on the pages. This color is best for those who have classic tastes.

6.The color blocking technique can help you create a portrait-like design by attaching the layout to your design. You may print the design using a cardstock made of ivory and spicing up the entire background with a copper inkpad.

7.Combine black backgrounds with luminous colors. Use rich yellow colors in theme layouts with dark gray and black backgrounds for a great combination. You may sand all the background edges before coloring them with vibrant elements such as red, orange, and mint green.

Using these techniques can bring life and creativity in your scrapbook. Always think of new ideas that you can apply in your themes and titles. Always be up to date with the latest trends and colors that are commonly used. You may even try to experiment with new combinations of colors to creat a unique approach on your scrapbook.

Scrapbooking Skills To Master

It has long been accepted that hobbies don't just form one kind of diversion but they also provide means of enhancing the personality of the hobbyist as well as his or her personal improvement. This is because hobbies don't just entertain but they also motivate people to develop their talents and hone in on their skills.

Take for example scrapbooking. Scrapbooking doesn't just motivate people to become creative and resourceful. This particular hobby also motivates people to improve their skills and to instigate ways on how to develop them further.

However, it's also important to note that scrapbooking also takes some skills in order to do the job well. Therefore, for those who wish to engage in scrapbooking, here is a list of some of the skills that every budding scrapper needs to develop:

1. Motor skills

In scrapbooking, it is extremely important to develop one’s motor skills. This is because scrapbooking mostly entails the use of scissors, because there will be plenty of cutting activities. The delicate cutting of mini flowers and ribbons that are perfectly detailed from the loops down to the twirls should be finely cut in order to create a more artistic impression.

2. Logical skills

Mixing designs and matching colors don't just involve creativity. It is more on the logical capacity of the brain to rationally harmonize colors, shapes, and designs, thereby creating a well-balanced appearance. It is important to cultivate your logical skills if you really want to succeed in making quality scrapbooks.

3. Confidence

Building confidence is considered to be one of the most important skills children and adults alike need to develop. With scrapbooking, you can simply master this skill by creating a masterpiece of your own. That simple work is enough to build confidence because it makes a person realize that he or she can do something really well if they just put their heart and mind to it.

Building scrapbooks is a special ability that can truly make somebody proud of themselves, because most of the ideas incorporated in scrapbooking are all originals.

The bottom line is that people just have to develop these skills in order to succeed in the scrapbooking activity. With these skills, you can simply surmise that anything is, indeed, possible as long as you develop your talents and hone in on your skills.

Scrapbooking Ideas

Even if you don't have a creative bone in your body, you can still come up with something which is pleasing to the eye when making a scrapbook.

Just go with whatever it is that you feel like doing, have fun or do it with somebody else – a friend or a younger member of the family.

You can look at samples online or have a scrapbooking enthusiast show you his or her work. Then you can gather concepts to apply when you make your own.

Here are some great ideas for you to use when making the ultimate scrapbook:

1. Album

You can buy these online or at a local crafts store. The album that you choose will dictate the overall design of the album so take your time in picking one.

Look at the material used in the paper. If you plan to make a collage and include heavier materials, look for a thicker paper. The regular thickness of craft paper will do if you just want to stick many different photos in your scrapbook.

There are various sizes to choose from, beginning from a letter-size album which is 8 ½” x 11” or the smaller square-sized paper of 6” or 8”.

For a smaller format, you can use just one or two pictures to showcase on each page and just add on embellishments.

2. Themes

Look around you and you will surely find an inspiration when it comes to the theme of your scrapbook.

The weather is one example, look for a bright-orange or yellow-based color. Then, you could cut out photos of sunflowers and loop a yellow yarn and glue it on to represent the sun.

Next, paste the pictures on the pages of your scrapbook and finish up with writing a personalized quote or paste a clipping from a newspaper. Glue on additional memorabilia of a different medium then your scrapbook is as good as gold.

3. Borders

You can use the same theme for the borders as the page itself or the borders of the photos.

Pasting a picture on top of a paper which will serve as your border will add depth to your scrapbook layout.

You can also cut a big shape then inscribe another shape or pattern – like a square inscribed in a circle, then place the photo underneath the border.

4. Design and Layout

You can either go with the theme and coordinate it with the design or make a completely different design altogether.

Within the layout, you can go with the standard photos or memorabilia items in the middle or you can put them on either side of the page.

Scrap Booking Heritage

More than 200 years ago, many different people migrated to the New World. These individuals were pioneers who have made what America is today which is a country with much diversity.

People hardly remember their ancestors. Their memory is only limited to their great grand parents. This doesn’t have to be the case anymore since there is a way to trace one’s family history. All you have to do is conduct a little research, get all the clippings and photos then make a scrap book about the family heritage.

The first thing that needs to be done is go to the attic. There are surely tons of boxes filled with memorabilia, photos and letters. Each of these highlight a moment in the person’s life and by arranging these in chronological order, a story can be formed.

Do people have to be in the photos? Not really. Some of the most important moments in a person’s life could be the picture of the first car ever owned, the home that was built by hand or the first paycheck the individual got after graduation.

Not everybody will get to appreciate this but those in the family should understand that this was the beginning of something big which later on will contribute to the history of the family.

Another important item for the scrapbook could be a marriage or a birth certificate, newspaper or magazine clippings, pieces of cloth or a strand of hair. These symbolize the character and the accomplishments of the person which is also worth sharing with the next generation.

The scrapbook shouldn't have these simply compiled in an album. You can be creative by adding colorful layouts using different kinds of paper. Stickers and encryptions on the side can add an explanation to that special event.

People who have a hard time finding good backgrounds can go high tech by searching through the web. You just scan this photo with the image then paste this together before printing it.

The scrapbook portraying generations of the family heritage will take a long time to finish. You can get the help of relatives and siblings to piece everything together before showing the final result to everyone.

The album should be made of a durable material so that this can be shared with the next generation.

Everyone has a story to tell so no one in the family will ever forget them when put in a family scrapbook.

Scrap Booking By Page

The art of scrapbooking has changed. People no longer have to think about making the same layout or different one per page. This is because templates found on the internet can take care of that for you.

The template for the scrapbook is very similar to the kind used in PowerPoint. You select a certain page then just add different details per page.

Is this free? On most websites yes but there are others who will require a small fee to become a member. This works well for those who make scrapbooks often because discounts and special promos are given to those who join the group.

If the you don't know where to find these sites, the best thing to do will be to use the popular search engines. Within a few seconds, the various sites will be shown then you can start checking each out.

The page you want may not be available on just one site but there is no need to worry. Some of these websites have links which makes its easy to be directed.

After finding the right template, it is just a matter of downloading this into the computer then adding the picture or clipping for the scrapbook. Most of the material is on .pdf for malt so if the person doesn’t have it, then it should be downloaded immediately.

Another important item is a scanner. These machines are very affordable and uploading this into the template should not be a problem. When everything is ready, you can start printing them out and adding them to the scrapbook.

An important part of making pages for the scrapbook is the type of paper used. You can use bond paper which is so dull or trying those that have color. The ideal one should be acid and lignin free. This will preserve the contents for a long time so it can be shown years later to younger generations.

Scrapbooking is a hobby that takes time, dedication and imagination to be able to make the idea come to life. You can ask others for help or read up on how to make them and then create one that is totally unique.

You can get the special paper from the bookstore which is available in different sizes then just get some ideas from the internet for pages that will look good in the scrapbook.

Printable Scrap Booking For Free

There are many creative and talented people in the world and this talent can be used in making sentimental scrapbooks.

A scrapbook is a moment captured in time. The you can use a variety of things such as old Christmas cards, photos, magazines or newspaper clippings and much more. There are many ways to do this and if you don't have the time to look for layouts and backgrounds there is a place you can get them for free.

Did someone say free? Oh yes. This is all thanks to modern technology which has made all of these resources available via the internet. This can save time and money buy getting the necessary things to put this all together by simply downloading them off the computer.

Are there a lot of websites? Yes again. Programmers have provide more than 100,000 images to choose from that cater to any occasion from Graduation, to the birth of a baby, Easter and Christmas.

A single site may not provide everything you need which is why most of these sites have links to others on a variety of topics such as arts, crafts and sports. They cater to all ages regardless of gender even if you are just a beginner or someone who has been making scrapbooks for a long time.

The images on the web simply provide a guide. This will only be complete by attaching a photo into it and for this, a scanner must be needed. When the photo has been combined with the selected image, you can start printing this onto paper then compiling it into the scrapbook.

Most of the pictures are in .pdf format which means this can only be printed by opening this in Adobe Acrobat Reader. If the you don’t have this program yet in the computer, this would be a good time to get this and start enjoying the benefits of free printable scrapbook images.

Has this made the traditional way of making a scrapbook obsolete? Certainly not. This has merely provided you with the means of finding better layouts from the existing ones that are available from the bookstore.

There are individuals who combine the old and new methods to create scrapbooks and these are still regarded as works of art. There is no harm in checking the websites out especially since it can be printed for free.

Paper For The Scrapbook

Making a scrapbook is an art. This is because it takes more than just photos and newspaper clippings to express the personality of the person. If none of these are present, then it's just an album.

One of the most important things that the scrapbook needs is paper. This can be made of different material so you can stick photos or clippings and also a good background to match the layout on each page.

The paper used for scrapbooks are acid and lignin free. This means this they can accept writing using pens, chalk, pastel and crayon. This is also used for other things such as the background for picture framing.

Where can you get them? The best place which has more than just paper and pens is the bookstore. These are often sold in packs that may come in different designs and colors. Another good source is the internet,this is because of the increasing popularity of making scrapbooks that has prompted people to sell some of these items inexpensively online.

Scrapbook paper is not only available in plain prints. There are also some designs available that have floral and striped prints. There are also seasonal designs that are launched in the summer or in the winter which may depict special events in a given year.

The scrapbook can be done in different sizes which has also prompted manufacturers to also have this available in a variety of sizes and shapes. You can cut them to fit in saving time to be able to do other things.

The paper used doesn’t always have to serve as a background to feature those special moments. You can also print some great layouts from the internet. After finding the right layout then scanning a picture which will be inserted on it. When this has been completed, this can also be added to the scrapbook.

There are many ways to make a scrapbook. There is no ideal or proper way to do it. Some prefer to make a story like those seen in a comic book. There are others who start from end then go back to the beginning.

The paper used plays a big role in making the scrapbook complete. You should first think of what is needed then buy them either from the bookstore or off the web. After a few weeks, the final design can be shown to the public where friends and family will praise you for a job well done.

Online Material For Scrap Booking

The scrapbook is like an encyclopedia. This highlights the special events in the life of a person. Though some may think it is similar to an album, the contents inside prove this to be different.

The scrapbook is made up of different materials while an album is just made up of pictures. You can start by buying these from the bookstore, getting cutouts from magazines and other sources then adding pictures on the page.

The growing popularity of making a scrapbook has finally reached the web. This means you can buy things, download templates and even post them on the internet.

One of the most important things to make the scrapbook is the template. This is the background on each page. There are two ways how this can be done. The first is to do each manually which will take time and will be very difficult to replicate.

This gives way to the second option which is to get this from the internet then just change the layout per page. There are many websites on the internet that have more than 100,000 templates to choose from that suit any occasion.

These websites also sell pens, paper, stickers and other decorative things to make the scrapbook look good. You will notice that some of those available online cannot be purchased from the bookstore and vice versa. In such a situation, you should compare the prices then choose which one is the best to use for the scrapbook.

There are many techniques to make a scrapbook and online sites may provide helpful tips for the beginner. This can be from the kind of material used to what product is best. This also works for those who have been doing this for a long time but have somehow got stuck somewhere along the way.

Online sites have open forums where people can post questions, share problems and discuss different ways of working on a scrapbook.

You should find some time to explore this avenue and be open to the ideas presented to be able to improve one’s skill in making a scrapbooking that people will appreciate later on when it's finished.

Scrapbooking can be done by people of all ages. The information and the products offered by such online sites merely serve as a guide and not the solution to getting the task done. This also does not replace the traditional way of making a scrapbook.

Making Memories More Memorable With Creative Scrapbooking

People are such nostalgic creatures. Keeping souvenirs of important, and even not-so-important events in life is a universal past time. Who doesn't have a mom, dad, aunt, uncle, grandma, or a grandpa who keeps on lugging a camera around to take pictures of practically any occasion whether it be as significant as a graduation or as mundane as one’s 234th Quarter Pounder? People like keeping as many memories as they can.

Unfortunately most mementos go to waste. Photographs just keep piling up on boxes and drawers (or in the hard drive, to be digitally appropriate). Luckier pictures may end up in stacks of albums but most people rarely care to view them. As much as most people want to reminisce about important milestones in their lives, keeping tokens becomes so much of a routine that their value sometimes end up forgotten. This defeats their purpose.

Luckily, such a situation can be avoided with an emerging hobby called creative memory scrapbooking. Mementos are given back their significance, keeping the memories alive.

Creative memory scrapbooking is basically an inventive approach to keeping memories. Creative memory scrapbooks are beyond typical photo albums. They are hybrids of albums, journals, and scrapbooks. The combination of these kinds of memoirs makes personal stories and reminiscing more interesting. This makes sharing treasured moments to others or just recalling them alone more fun and exciting.

Normally people just collect pictures and souvenirs randomly. Once they pile up, they end up in the attic or the basement and then they are completely forgotten. The rare chances that they might be viewed could be just as boring as they are nothing but random clips of memory that do not tell anything.

With creative memory scrapbooks, memories come back to life when the books are viewed. Pictures make more sense as they are paired with words or laid out in an organized fashion. Reliving moments preserved in the scrapbooks could be a good way to keep family ties and strengthen bonds. Additionally, well kept books could serve as heirlooms that would keep a family’s legacy throughout the coming generations.

Making creative memory scrapbooks is quite easy. Nowadays most craft stores have creative memory sections dedicated for the making of such scrapbooks. There are also some scrapbook-making kits available in bookstores and online.

Memories are special and their preservation should be special as well. With, creative memory scrapbooking, memories can truly be more memorable.

How To Keep Your Babys Memories Forever

A baby never fails to bring joy in any family. The fun and excitement the baby brings is simply priceless. Parents, especially first timers, can't help but be nostalgic about everything concerned with the new baby. Perhaps if there was a way to freeze time and keep all those memorable moments, they would gladly do it to cherish such an important milestone in life.

Unfortunately life goes on and precious moments cannot be frozen forever. Nevertheless memories can still be preserved for a long time by keeping mementos that help people reminisce life’s treasured highlights. This is commonly done by making scrapbooks.

While most people have desired at least once to keep a scrapbook, many of them simply never succeed. Admittedly, scrapbook making is quite tedious and time consuming, but those who have kept scrapbooks swear by their worth. In reality, making scrapbooks is not really that complicated. One just needs to know the things needed to make one.

For making scrapbooks of baby’s firsts, it is important to keep pictures of key events related to a baby’s development. Among the commonly treasured occasions may include simple moments like the baby’s first smile, yawn, nap, sitting up, crawling, walking, bath, hair cut and so on.

One could also take pictures of first things such its bottle, bed, chair, diaper, toy, solid food, and the like. Another important moment to catch would be the baby’s first special occasions such as Halloween, thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukah, Easter, birthday, vacation, and other noted affairs.

To make the scrapbook more interesting, it would be nice to include small, mountable items in the collection. This might include a lock of hair from the first haircut. There could also be pieces of clothing such as a sock, a bonnet, a bib, or a mitten.

One common item would be birth announcements, the baby’s hospital tag, an invitation to the baby shower, and so on. Some parents can even include a dried piece of the baby’s umbilical cord. There are thousands of possibilities when one’s imagination is set free.

Those who are new to scrapbook making should not be alarmed. There are baby scrapbook kits available in bookstores and craft stores. You may also choose to do it from scratch by just fastening special paper together, or by getting a multi-purpose album, then decorating it with baby-related stuff.

Keeping a baby’s treasured moments can be so much fun with the right things and know-how at hand.

How To Create The Best Layout For Your Scrapbook

Creating the individual pages of your scrapbook is definitely the most exciting about the hobby. You get to choose pictures, images, items and other paraphernalia to put onto your page. However, with all the items, papers and letters that you want to include in your page, you usually end up confused. You don’t have to worry about that now, here are simple tips that you can keep in mind while starting to layout that page for your scrapbook.

Balance

Make sure your design has balance. If you have a large picture on the left page, make sure that it doesn’t look like it's hanging when you put the other elements on your page. Also, if you would like to create a two page lay-out, evaluate the items on the pages and make sure that they compliment each other.

Items

Always make sure that you have at least one theme in your layout. Sometimes the items greatly affect the layout of your page. So be sure that they are related. Items definitely have some commonality. Always evaluate them before designing your page.

Crowding

It is best that every item on your layout is distinguishable. If you put too much on a single page, the layout will surely suffer. Be sure that items are just enough for a page. Managing the page for its layout will be easier if you only have enough items for the space.

Variations

Be sure to make variations in your layout. If you can, make a dummy set for all your layout designs and put them on a list. In that way, you can immediately distinguish the styles that you have used on your pages. A really interesting scrapbook is one that varies but maintains a general theme.

Flood yourself with samples

One of the best ways to learn a great layout style is to look for one. Busy yourself in browsing the internet and comparing your scrapbook to others. When you are flooded with samples of good layouts, you can be sure that your own style will come out naturally.

The best way that you can do this is invite your friends who have the same hobby to join you while you are making pages for your scrapbook. In this way, they can also help you out in deciding what layout to make.

Be sure to remember these things when you start your layout. It is still best to create a dummy before starting the real one. Just take a moment to look at your materials and be sure to ask for some comments before putting them on your pages.

How Can Scrapbooking Quotes Brighten Up Your Scrapbooks?

Scrapbooking isn't just merely keeping fond memories and maintaining the freshness of events right in the pages of your scrapbook. It is more than just remembrance. It is history itself.

Moreover, nothing could be better in your scrapbook than to have quality quotes to enliven the sprit and rekindle the thoughts that were once part of the memories.

Indeed, scrapbooking quotes are necessary in any kind of scrapbook. Scrapbooking quotes are devices that can take your scrapbooks to new-fangled and creative altitude.

For so many years now, scrapbooking has been an all-time favorite hobby, and creativity has made it more attractive than ever. Thanks to the wonderful additions of scrapbooking quotes that continue to perk up different scrapbooks.

It has been a well-known fact that pictures can speak for themselves. However, there are so many instances where words are still the most powerful means of communication. When pictures can't convey the message, words are important to express the total meaning of the image in the picture.

In scrapbooking, pictures aren't the only main attractions. Quotations are also considered as one of the most important parts in scrapbooks. This is because even if there are many photographs, magazine articles, news clippings, etc., that are worth remembering, there are also some statements or words that are worth cherishing. These words don't merely explain the material but can also add drama to the subject in focus.

Most scrapbooking experts contend that scrapbooking quotes are actually words that speak from the heart. These are the sentiments of the hobbyist who would like to express his or her feelings through words as much as he or she would like to express them through images or any other scrapbooking materials.

The very essence of scrapbooking quotes is that they intensify the beauty that hobbyist forms and establishes on every page that captures every single moment as history itself unfolds. The beauty that it creates is something that is priceless.

For those who are interested in getting fresh ideas for quotations, they can easily acquire beautiful quotes to live by on the Internet. All they have to do is browse the web, look for quality scrapbooking quotes, add them into their scrapbooks, and rekindle the memories once more.

Indeed, scrapbooks and quotations are perfect combinations to keep those memories well appreciated and full of life.

From Hobby to Multibillion Dollar Industry

The scrapbooking business has come a long way since people started making scrapbooks as a hobby in their homes. No one could have guessed how big the scrapbooking industry would become over the years. The annual sales of the scrapbooking business have turned this favorite homegrown pastime into a thriving multi-billion dollar industry.

To date, there are numerous companies that are dedicated to the craft of scrapbooking. In most cases, some scrapbooking businesses even offer an extensive line of scrapbooking materials. Scrappers, short for scrapbooking enthusiasts, can easily get any type of material or equipment they need from a variety of resources.

Scrappers have their choice of paper, cardstock, embellishments, stickers along with stamps and stamp pads. In addition, beginners in the scrapbooking industry can get their first taste of the business from scrapbooking kits that contain step-by-step instructions on how to get started. Enthusiasts have their choice of special scrapbooking paper as offered by various companies like Daisy D’s, Design Originals and Hot off the Press Paper Pizzazz.

Scrapbooking paper is available in plain or patterned styles. The assortment of colors and designs will surely render any scrapper speechless with excitement. Embellishments for scrapbooking are another top seller in the business. Many scrapbooking companies like Adornaments, Brads Scrapbooking and Bo Bunny Press offer a wide variety of embellishments that are designed to make scrapbooking fun and interesting.

Tools have become big business in the scrapbooking industry but these can be quite expensive. Fortunately, scrappers can get the right tools they need from any number of companies where the values range from the reasonably priced to the most expensive. A scrapper would need to have several types of tools such as cutters, scorers, scissors, punches, paper trimmers and perforators for creating their masterpieces.

Paper Shapers Corner offers punch tools with intricate designs while Cutterpede and Cutterbee offer a variety of cutters and straight edge trimmers for the perfect crop. Fiskars® is a recognized brand name in the scrapbooking business. Fiskars® offers everything from mini-craft scissors, decorative blades and rotary cutters.

The Latest Trends in the Scrapbooking Business

The Craft and Hobby Association Trade Show featured the latest trends to hit the scrapbooking business in 2006. These include the newest embellishments for chipboard as well as fashion paper colors. The colors of these papers are inspired by the latest colors used in the fashion industry. In addition, the show also showed how the scrapbooking business has invaded the home décor industry by presenting various ideas on how to display scrapbooking projects at home.

Starting a Successful Creative Creative scrapbooking Business, Part III

Every scrapbook is unique and inviting; as a creative scrapbooking professional, your marketing should be as eye-catching and irresistible as your creations. Even if you have only a few hundred dollars to spend, you can absolutely woo clientele using grassroots methods to showcase your creative scrapbooking acumen.

Educate Others in the Art Form of Creative Scrapbooking

One of the fastest ways to turn yourself from an unknown scrapbooker into a creative scrapbooking “expert” is to teach a class on the art of creating a fabulous, memorable scrapbook.

Though you might initially be wary that if you tell others your creative scrapbooking “secrets”, they won’t use your creative scrapbooking business, that usually doesn’t happen. Instead, what occurs is that your students see you as a professional in the arena of scrapbook design and development. Thus, when they want an important scrapbook (e.g., for their daughter’s Bar Mitzvah or husband’s retirement celebration), they will immediately think of you. After all, they might enjoy creative scrapbooking, but they don’t necessarily feel confident enough to construct a special scrapbook on their own.

You can work with many community centers, schools, college campuses, and libraries to offer your creative scrapbooking courses. Expect to spend a bit of money on advertising, room rental (though you can often snag a free space if you’re a start-up), and creative scrapbooking paraphernalia, though it’s still much less of an investment than if you paid for a full page, 4-color ad in the Sunday paper.

Write About Scrapbooking

Another way to become an instant creative scrapbooking “guru” is to write articles or tips about creative scrapbooking. Sometimes, smaller community papers will print such items as “filler” for their circulars. Alternately, if a local sewing center or arts and crafts store offers a newsletter to patrons, you might be able to become a “guest columnist.” (Or perhaps you can offer to write your own “creative scrapbooking newsletter” gratis if they agree to pass it out to consumers.)

Will you receive a ton of creative scrapbooking business from this type of subtle “marketing”? Probably not. But you will be building your reputation as your area’s premier creative scrapbooking authority. You will also be able to tell prospective customers that you’ve published items on the topic of creative scrapbooking, always an impressive credential to tout (and a resume booster as well.)

Start a Scrapbooking Blog and/or Web site

In today’s cyber society, blogs and Web sites are fairly inexpensive, so there’s no reason not to get online and start talking about your creative scrapbooking know-how and burgeoning creative scrapbooking company.

For example, you could quickly set up a blog 100% devoted to the tricks of the creative scrapbooking trade in an effort to attract persons from around the world to your site. Though most of them won’t become clients, you stand to gain instant exposure. And who knows? The family down the street may wind up stopping by your creative scrapbooking Web site and hiring you to redo their three sons’ baby books!

Never Stop Selling Yourself or Your Scrapbooking Abilities!

It’s critical that you never stop selling yourself and your creative scrapbooking business if you are serious about succeeding in this infant industry with huge profit potential.

This may mean stepping out of your “comfort zone” and becoming a master at self-promotion. If you have an innate fear of networking, it’s time to overcome your worries and learn how to shake some hands. Remember that you won’t be the first entrepreneur who took a plunge into the unknown.

To become a better press generator on behalf of your creative scrapbooking business, you’ll have to force yourself to try again and again. However, if the process becomes achingly difficult and hampers your desire to scrapbook, it may be time to hire someone to promote your business on your behalf. Yes, this is a “last ditch” measure, but if it keeps your dream alive, it’s worth the cost to bring on a partner who isn’t afraid of a good sales pitch. (And many individuals will work with start-ups on a commission basis, which is terrific news for your budget!)

A Final Note about Ethics and Your Scrapbooking Venture

Though it’s imperative that you keep up standards and operate ethically and legally (the tax man will cometh whether you like it or not!), that doesn’t mean you can’t be innovative. Constantly seek out ways to differentiate yourself from other scrapbook artists and allow yourself to grow personally and professionally.

Love your work, and that positive attitude mingled with creative scrapbooking talent will draw customer inquiries and have you wondering why you didn’t begin your creative scrapbooking company sooner.


Michele Cardello, director of marketing and creative for Life Imprints, a creative scrapbooking supplies company also offering contemporary picture frames, in Cleveland, Ohio, has worked in the photo packaging industry for 10 years. Cardello helps customers find creative ways to preserve and appreciate a lifetime of memories.

Starting a Successful Creative Scrapbooking Business, Part II

It’s ironic; what makes a creative scrapbooking business unique attractive to entrepreneurs seeking a work-at-home venture is also what makes it so incredibly challenging. After all, there are no definitive “rules” when it comes to pricing your scrapbook creations or determining where and how to advertise your services.

However, there are general business planning techniques you can use as a starting point to give your creative scrapbooking company the best chance of long-term success.

Setting Your Creative Scrapbooking Price Rates

Whether you specialize in wedding scrapbooks, memory scrapbooks, award/honor scrapbooks, or other creative scrapbooking creations, you’ll need to develop a price guideline. Otherwise, it will be difficult to negotiate with clientele.

Determining your creative scrapbooking business price guideline may seem daunting at first blush, but it’s actually not that complicated when broken down into “bite sized” pieces.

Hourly Rates or Standard Price per Scrapbook?

First, you’ll need to determine whether you want to set prices per project or per hour.

One huge advantage to charging per creative scrapbooking project is that consumers are accustomed to paying for products this way. After all, people don’t purchase a pair of shoes based on how long it took a cobbler to make them; they simply look at the price tag or retail value and decide if they feel it’s a worthwhile investment.

That being said, setting a price per creative scrapbooking project may not always be beneficial for you. If you discover you’re spending inordinate amounts of time on each scrapbook you create, your originally quoted price might not match your efforts. (Remember the old adage: Time is Money.)

Essentially, you can expect to experiment with your creative scrapbooking cost methods at first. Perhaps with some clients, you could offer a “per project” rate, but with others, you might try an hourly approach. There’s no “right or wrong” process–you simply want to find the best one for your creative scrapbooking business.

Remember to Consider “Hidden Costs”

Before “going public” with your scrapbook price structure, make sure you’ve accounted for the many costs (both direct and indirect) associated with owning a creative scrapbooking business. Be certain to include the amount you expect to spend on basic creative scrapbooking supplies such as specialty paper, a scrapbook, adhesives, stickers, markers, and fabrics.

Add into your creative scrapbooking price figures telephone calls, mileage (if you’ll travel for consultations), babysitting costs, and any overhead.

At this point, your initial price estimates may seem too high or low. Consequently, you can modify them accordingly, although you should never underestimate what people will pay for a one-of-a-kind scrapbook.

Selling Your Creative Scrapbooking Services

You’ve determined your basic scrapbook price. Creative scrapbooking supplies are on hand and on order. You’re organized, primed, and ready to go. But wait! You still need to attract that first key customer.

Advertising and marketing are stumbling blocks for many creative scrapbooking business start-ups; consequently, plenty of scrapbook enthusiasts shy away from becoming entrepreneurs because they assume they’ll never be able to publicize their talents. However, if you approach the selling of your creative scrapbooking services pragmatically, you’ll have an excellent chance of attracting clientele.

Initially, you may want to try a technique that has worked for many other creative scrapbooking aficionados – scrapbook “parties”. These get-togethers are akin to the “tupperware” gatherings made famous in the 70s. Put simply, a friend offers to host a scrapbook party at his or her residence for several persons interested in the world of creative scrapbooking.

Your role at the scrapbook party will be to introduce them to creative scrapbooking and to talk about what you can do for them. Obviously, it will be crucial to bring along business cards (why not design handmade “mini scrapbook cards” for the occasion?) as well as sample scrapbooks you’ve created. Coupons for discount scrapbook services make nice add-ons and will encourage scrapbook party guests to hire you. From this party, you can expect to get a few “nibbles” and perhaps one or two customers.

Naturally, it’s essential to do a fabulous job on your first scrapbook assignment. You must give it “your all”; that way, your client will have a reason to brag about and show off your customized (and exceptional) creative scrapbooking services to friends, family, and coworkers. You can also use your satisfied customer (if he or she agrees) as a “spokesperson” for your creative scrapbooking business in future advertising campaigns.

Next … Beyond Marketing 101

In the final article of our three-part creative scrapbooking business piece, we’ll examine particularly creative scrapbooking business marketing ideas and provide hints on running your creative scrapbooking company wisely, ethically, and efficiently.

Michele Cardello, director of marketing and creative for Life Imprints, a creative scrapbooking supplies company also offering contemporary picture frames, in Cleveland, Ohio, has worked in the photo packaging industry for 10 years. Cardello helps customers find creative ways to preserve and appreciate a lifetime of memories.

Starting a Successful Creative Scrapbooking Business, Part I

Creative scrapbooking has taken the world by storm. It’s relaxing, fun, social… and, let’s face it, incredibly addictive! After all, what scrapbooker doesn’t smile with pride when she or he finishes a decorative project?

If you have the talent to create eye-catching, creative scrapbooks, you can actually turn your hobby into a lucrative creative scrapbooking career. In this three-part series, we’ll show you some of the secrets to running a home-based creative scrapbooking company that regularly adds extra coins to your coffers!

Why Creative Scrapbooking?

People from all walks of life have photos and mementoes cluttering their homes. They’d love to organize and arrange them, but don’t have the time (or, in some cases, the ability.) That’s where you, as a professional scrapbooker, can step in!Through creative scrapbooking, you can create delightful, entertaining, and touching memory books that will be certain to have a very long shelf life. Imagine… your scrapbook creations could someday become precious family heirlooms passed down from generation to generation!

What Types of Scrapbooks Sell?

Creative scrapbooking is an incredibly versatile field because you have virtually no boundaries. Graduation scrapbooks, family tree scrapbooks, baby scrapbooks, wedding scrapbooks, and achievement scrapbooks are only a few of the countless styles of creative scrapbooking inventions you can market.Use your imagination; anything that’s relatively flat can go into a scrapbook, so the sky’s the limit.

Can Scrapbooking Really Be Profitable?

Creative scrapbooking, as with any legitimate business, won’t make you rich overnight. But if you’re determined and plan your creative scrapbooking operation pragmatically, you can absolutely make money from this burgeoning industry.Best of all, creative scrapbooking is a low overhead industry. You’ll need to start with a modest amount of scrapbooking supplies, but you can build your stock over time thanks to fast shipping and wholesale prices offered at Internet scrapbooking supply stores.

How Can I Start Professionally Scrapbooking?

Obviously, the first step to starting a creative scrapbooking company (even one with a single employee, aka “you”) is to develop a business plan. This document should include an overview, financial information (including income and expense projections, marketing ideas, local competition statistics, and realistic growth rates. Though you may not be able to find exact data to work into your creative scrapbooking business plan, try to be as complete as possible. The more information you include, the better your chances of success.

Do I Need Any Formal Training?

Though there are no credentials needed to call yourself a creative scrapbooking pro, you may want to take a few community courses on scrapbooking design. Doing so will keep you “in the know” as far as the latest products and trends are concerned; it will also provide you with fresh ideas to propose when working with clientele.

What Do I Need in Terms of Stock?

One of the most essential items you’ll need to start a creative scrapbooking venture is scrapbooking paraphernalia. Chances are, you already have some supplies around your home, but if they aren’t organized, it’s time do so.Invest in some bins (dollar stores have a plethora of options) and label them according to scrapbooking supplies, such as stickers, papers, backgrounds, adhesives, albums, markers, scrapbooking magazines (for inspiration), and borders. This way, you’ll always know exactly how much of each scrapbooking necessity you have and can order more before you run out.

Do I Need to Rent a Space for My Scrapbooking Business?

Though it would certainly be wonderful to have an “offsite” locale for your creative scrapbooking enterprise, it’s more likely that you’ll need to make due with your current digs.Anything from a corner of your family room to a renovated closet can serve as your creative scrapbooking “headquarters”. Just make certain that you have enough space and light to work your magic and store your scrapbooking supplies!

What Will I Tell My Family?

If you’re worried about “breaking” the news to your family that you’re setting off on an entrepreneurial scrapbooking journey, you’re not alone. Many first-time business owners are reticent to reveal their plans to loved ones for fear that their significant others will not be supportive.With that said, it’s critical to the long-term success of your creative scrapbooking business that you have the “buy in” of your kin. So take a deep breath, muster up all your courage, and boldly state, “I’m going to become a professional scrapbooker! And when the money starts coming in, the first dinner out is on me!”

The Next Step

are you eager to start your creative scrapbooking adventure? in our next article, we’ll explore how to set your prices and market and advertise your home-based scrapbooking services…

Michele Cardello, director of marketing and creative for Life Imprints, a creative scrapbooking supplies company also offering contemporary picture frames, in Cleveland, Ohio, has worked in the photo packaging industry for 10 years. Cardello helps customers find creative ways to preserve and appreciate a lifetime of memories.

Free Ideas For Your Scrapbook Design

Sometimes it's easy to create a scrapbook out of existing materials. You need to consider the season and occasion when designing a scrapbook. Most scrapbooking supplies stores even sell stickers and die-cut items with a specific theme such as Halloween, Christmas, or Thanksgiving.

But what about for other events like a child's first step, or one's trip to an exotic country? What colors should you consider when designing scrapbook pages? What should you consider in creating a scrapbook design?

Ideas for scrapbook are easily available on the internet, if you have the patience to surf hundreds of thousands of web pages showing themes and designs. Some scrappers choose to go it alone and rely on on their imagination to create their pages.

If you have selected the above mentioned method, it will be important to take note of some do's and don't's in designing scrapbook pages.

1. Gather all items

By selecting the photos and other material to be used, you can get an idea of how the pages will look. Some items may need to be prepared before mounting, so it will be best to gather everything first for more organization.

2. Create a layout

You can lay the materials on the mounting page, to make sure that everything will fit. There may be a need to get several copies of a particular item, such as a map or brochure, so you can cut it up and paste it on the scrapbook page.

3. Decide on what colors to use

The colors of the page can come from the colors of the photo, or they could complement the photo to make it stand out. The color wheel is used to create a color-combination. There are several tried and tested combinations that you can use to enhance the page's design. You can use a combination of blue and orange, for example, to highlight a photo, because these two colors complement each other.

One tip is to put dark colors against white, or light colors against black, for easier visibility.

4. If all else fails, there is always help online

As mentioned, you can go online to search for different designs for your scrapbook. There are several websites that offer free downloadable designs that you can just print out and cut.

There are several magazines that you can purchase or read also, to get more ideas regarding page presentation and design.

Finding The Best Scrapbook Materials

Scrapbooking is one of the newest hobbies sweeping the country. One out of four people in the average household is involved in golf, one out of three is involved in scrapbooking. Scrapbooking is a great hobby; it releases the creative side of your personality and lets you keep memories at the same time.

Choosing the materials to use in your scrapbook is also one of the exciting parts in making one.

Here are some tips that you can consider in making sure that the materials you have are perfect.

Experiment and expand your creativity

The best thing about scrapbooking is its personalization. There are no limits if you have a creative mind, even old tattered jeans can be used in your design. Just make sure that you have a general theme. Don't dispel items that most scrapbookers aren't using, who knows you might be the one to start a trend?

Significance

Since you are making a personal scrapbook, the best materials that you can use are the ones that have significance in your life. Remember the first ticket concert that your husband bought for you? Putting it in your scrapbook adds some romance and memory. If you’re making one for your child, you can even put some of the hair from his or her first haircut. The options are endless.

Preservation

Ensure your materials can be preserved for many years to come. Most people make scrapbooks to remember events and people, so it’s definitely a plus if you make sure that the materials you will use can be preserved. Make sure inks don't fade easily and your papers are acid free. Read about ways you can improve the preservation of materials to ensure they will last long.

Shop

Scrapbooking has become so popular that most stores have it in a seperate section. Visit a local store and you can be sure that there will be plenty of material to choose from. They are also releasing designs and materials in kits. All you have to do is buy one design kit, and your scrapbook will all be set for production.

Browse

Browsing the internet for tips on materials is also one of the best ways to get quick information. There are many sites that give instructions on how you can create your own materials. Some of them even offer products that are definitely useful for your scrapbooking.

There are tons of materials that you can use on your scrapbook. There are no cardinal rules that will stop you from choosing almost anything. Just be sure that the materials will last over time and it agrees with your whole concept. Enjoy designing!

Far Out Tips For The Scrapbook Fanatic

Scrapbooking is one of the most popular hobbies around the world. People like doing scrapbooks because it enables them to explore their creativity and store precious mementos that have become part of their lives.

Any scrapbook fan already knows the basics of making the books. This article will provide additional tips that they might have not discovered yet.

These will help enormously in making scrapbooks even more creative and special.

1. Using the computer for writing journals or page titles

Handwriting has always been the method commonly used to create headings, but many users nowadays turn to the computer for the task. To make it more special, use other colors available in Microsoft Word to write the fonts, instead of using the standard black ink. Present editions of Word offer a huge variety of fonts, colors, and special effects that can make texts much more attractive.

2. Creative use for paper scraps

Think twice before throwing out those bits and scraps of leftover paper. They can still be used to make decorative titles by cutting them up into odd shapes and use them as mats. These scraps can also be used as great-looking page accents, confettis, photo corners, collages and so much more.

3. Neat way in lettering page titles and journal layouts

This is a good tip to make sure that there are no pencil outlines visible after the letters are cut out from the paper. Do it in reverse! Put the paper on its right side, so that you can draw the letters backwards.

4. Make use of photo mosaics

This technique will add a funky look to the pages of the book. Cut a photograph into different shapes and sizes, then mat a photograph on a cardboard, putting even spaces around each piece as you paste them. Just make sure to keep a copy of the photo that you've cut up.

5. Safe way of removing old photos

Everyone knows that it's hard to take out pictures from those magnetic albums. To ace this, try using dental floss for the removal.

6. Baby footprints

A cute and adorable way to design a book. Just apply washable ink to baby's foot and firmly press on the paper. Just make sure to wash the ink off the baby! For another twist, handprints can be used.

Easy Tips For Scrapbooking

A scrapbook can store your collection of pictures, notes, postcards, and special moments of your visited places and events. You may cherish those moments by looking at your scrapbook while remembering those times where you have experienced lots of fun with your family or friends.

Here are some useful tips on how you can start a scrapbook.

1.You should write down anything enjoyable and funny that you have experienced during the trip.

2.You should make a list of photographs you take. It is important to cherish special moments and places you enjoyed the most. You can take some shots with the whole group in front of the hotel or in the lobby. Some people also take shots of significant images like the plane and their favorite attractions.

3.You should always keep receipts from your meals. There are restaurants that issue receipts with special characters on your orders. You may attach them to the pictures taken from the restaurant. Your grandchildren would be amazed looking at them especially the prices during the time they were issued.

4.You should keep all your character autographs. You may acquire each autograph on different pages, since they will be cut from the book to separate those significant autographs.

5.Before you go, you should store all the papers you used as information to prepare your trip. Brochures, pamphlets, and details from the travel agency can be used to start your scrapbook.

6.Be sure to keep at least four good copies of guide maps and park maps. Guide maps and park maps are very good attractions on your scrapbook. You may cut them out into two separate pieces where you may place one on the front page and the other on the last.

7.You may also purchase postcards displaying the landmarks and most favorite attractions. Don't forget the best souvenirs are the quality shots taken from the places you visit.

8.Make a rough outline of your adventures from the trip. You can create simple stories and a few notes that are meaningful. Make sure to highlight those significant events on your reservation letters and ticket receipts.

Scrapbooks may contain those moments that you treasure most during your trips. Many believe that when they look at your scrapbook, you bring back the fun and adventure you have experienced during those times.

Do-It-Yourself Scrapbooking Tips

Vacations and out-of-town trips provide opportunities to take photos. Aside from these, everyone has to deal with birthday celebrations, wedding anniversaries, Halloween parties and Thanksgiving get togethers. After all the festivities, most people are left with stacks of photographs and memories tucked away in the attic to be organized later.

Due to the popularity of scrapbooking, many people have taken up the hobby as a way to preserve their memories. While some go order ready-made custom designs from the internet, most have taken the DIY or do-it-yourself route, which is more fulfilling.

There are thousands of websites that offer ready-made materials for your scrapbook. DIY scrapbook enthusiasts prefer creating decorations from scratch. This way, they are sure that the designs for their scrapbooks are unique and personal.

While some DIY-ers create designs from normal colored paper, tape and markers, some take it a step further by using natural material such as leaves, dried and pressed flowers, rocks, wire, egg shells, and the like.

Though you are only limited by your creativity when designing your personal diary, there are some considerations for the diarist who prefers to preserve his memories using photographs.

1. Use acid-free, PVC-free and photo-safe paper

Many companies put "acid-free" on the label to indicate that it can be used to for a scrapbook. Paper that is not acid-free fade fast, and may not be safe to be used with photographs. Acid can lead to the yellowing and deterioration of photographs.

2. You can print straight from the computer

Those who are not too confident of their designing skills can use their PCs to design their layouts, but it is important to note that not all printers can be used to print the designs. Non-laser printers use ink that is water-soluble, which may bleed into the paper. It is therefore advised that you use laser or ink-jet printers in printing custom designs, or to use printers sparingly to minimize deterioration of scrapbook pages.

3. Use of materials which are not photo-safe

Again, while there is no cut-and-dried rule regarding the use of materials which aren't photo-safe, it is advised that they be used sparingly. There is an invention called an Archival Spray, though, that will let anyone create photo-safe and acid-free decorations for scrapbooks. It is inexpensive and works like a spray laminate. The Archival Spray is useful if you wants to include brochues, menus, and tickets in the layout.

Font-free scrapbooking

A font is described as a digital typeface. Therefore it follows that font-free scrapbooking is creating a scrapbook without the use of a computer.

It is relatively easy to create a scrapbook page using downloaded and printed fonts, but it would be more personal and unique to write journal-style entries for your scrapbook. There are some who aren't confident with their penmanship, though, but with the popularity of scrapbooking, they can now choose from wide selection of templates and stickers to create great-looking pages.

There are four basic items that a scrapbooker can use if he or she wishes to do a font-free scrapbook.

1. Templates

You can choose from several variations of alphabet templates. They are available in different sizes, and you just need to select the most appropriate template for your scrapbook. Once you have selected a theme, you can layout the page first and trace the letters from the template using a pencil. After making sure that you have created a good layout, you can then use a marker with archival quality ink to trace the letters permanently.

2. Stickers

There are several companies that produce letter stickers that you can use for the scrapbook. Some companies create sets of words for theme pages, such as "It's my birthday," or "Graduation day," for the more common themes. All you have to do is select the design to match the theme in mind and stick the labels in the appropriate places. It should be mentioned though that not all companies produce acid-free stickers, so you should check the label for "acid-free."

3. Stamps

Stamps are created in a variety of designs. Most stamps also use archival-quality ink in different colors. You need to make sure that you are using acid-free paper for the photos and the stamp designs, because even if you are using scrapbook-safe ink, the paper may easily deteriorate and become brittle if it is not photo-safe or acid-free.

4. Die-cut designs

Similar to stickers, die-cut designs are glued onto the scrapbook page. There are several die-cut designs available online. The designs are printed on thin sheets of paper, plastic, or thin rubber matting, and you only need to cut the design and paste it onto the scrapbook page.

While these materials are easily available online and at various arts & crafts stores nationwide, you can also "go commando" and write your entries using markers or special pens to make your scrapbooks more special.

Digital Scrapbooking

Scrapbooking has remained a popular craft thoughout many generations all over the world. The desire to preserve precious moments has urged people to collect mementos such as pictures and small souvenirs, and then arrange them in a creative manner to help reminisce about memorable times. While several scrapbookers prefer traditional methods of memory preservation by using good old paper, scissors and glue, a lot have ventured out into the hi-tech world by making digital scrapbooks.

The popularity of digital scrapbooking is growing steadily. In fact, many of the traditional scrapbooking magazines have released special issues featuring the making of scrapbooks with computers. Some hobbyists have introduced themselves into the digital art by just making parts of their scrapbooks on computers and then printing them out to attach to their normal albums. However, others have ventured into hardcore scrapbooking, i.e. making scrapbooks entirely on the computer, as it saves time and materials, plus it provides many more capabilities not available with traditional methods.

Many digital scrapbookers are photographers who use digital cameras and have their pictures stored in their computers. The beauty of their work would go to waste if they are just stored there in folders, so they came up with interesting ways to showcase their photos. Not only are digital scrapbooks quick to make, they can also easily be distributed and used as portfolios. Otherwise they can be quickly shared to just about anyone who has a computer.

Digital scrapbooking is quite simple. There are few things needed to make digital scrapbooks. First of all, you need a computer with a decent graphics card. Next, you need digital imaging software such as Adobe Photoshop. Such software is not only designed to edit pictures but also to make layouts such as scrapbooks. Obviously, you need photos. You may also use scrapbook templates such as Simply Digital, which helps beginners with design ideas. For those who want to print their work, a good quality photo printer and photo paper is needed.

With these materials, digital scrapbooking can be easy. Like traditional scrapbook making methods, it basically involves designing backgrounds, adding pictures, inserting accent designs, adding texts and titles, and so on. The good thing about digital scrapbooking is everything can be easily edited and mistakes can be easily removed.

With digital scrapbooking, you can be nostalgic without being passé. Memories can be easily preserved and cherished with digital scrapbooking.

Choosing The Best Scrapbooking Company

Along with increasing popularity of scrapbooking is the establishment of numerous companies offering scrapbook material all over the world. They are offering different patterned and color papers, punches, magazines, embellishments, decorative scissors, adhesives, albums, stickers, and scrapbook pens.

These scrapbooking companies provide products made from quality materials to ensure that photos and other special items are preserved. They also make themed scrapbooks perfect for birthdays, weddings, and holidays.

In choosing the best scrapbooking company, it is a must to do a thorough research to get the best deals. With hundreds of companies attracting scrappers, prices and quality couldn't get any better. Below are some tips on how to choose the company for scrapbooking.

1.Determine the theme of the scrapbook. Most people create these mini-albums for weddings, babies, sports, holidays, travel, and friends. There are scrapbooking companies online that offers discounts for these themes. Anyone can order a complete package to finish a themed scrapbook.

2.When buying scrapbook supplies, know the brands that offer quality materials and find the companies that are selling them.

3.Choose companies that offer idea books that include proven techniques in creating scrapbooks.

4.Look for companies who are offering discounts and freebies. Don't forget to compare shipping and handling cost to get the actual amount when paying for the whole package to be delivered.

5.Ask the experts for recommendation. Most experienced scrappers have companies they like best. They are guaranteed to deliver good products for lower prices.

6.Take advantage of trial offers being offered by scrapbooking companies. They usually allow prospective buyers to download clipart for free for a specified number of days online.

7.If the scrapper is good at selling, he can join the company’s direct sales to get discounts for the scrapbooking supplies.

8.Check local newspapers that includes 50% coupons at craft stores. These can be used in purchasing bulk orders in order to get bigger discounts.

9.Read scrapbooking magazines that usually contain tips on how to get the best deals in town. There are some companies that run contests about scrapbook making and prizes can range from scrapbook materials and money.

10.Order from scrapbooking companies that are operating within the United States to save on shipping and handling fees.

Scrapbooking is fun and exciting. With hundreds of scrapbooking companies offering quality materials and idea books, coming up with a great scrapbook couldn't get any easier.

Benefits of joining A Scrapbooking Club

Scrapbooking has been long introduced to bring out the artistic skills of most people. It was formally introduced in 1826 through the publication of the first how-to create a scrapbook in Germany. Since then, it has become part of history that eventually brought people together who share the same hobby.

Scrapbooking clubs started with friends and family members who enjoy creating these mini-albums. However, as scrapbooking became more popular, several organizations and clubs were introduced worldwide. Scrappers can join these clubs by simply locating their websites and register. Once registration has been completed, a scrapper will have access to forums, projects, and other scrappers’ profiles.

In choosing the best scrapbooking club, it is recommended to pick the one closest to the scrapper’s residence. These clubs are usually organizing get-togethers to meet the other members personally. It would be convenient for any scrapper to join the club nearest them.

These clubs organize social events to keep the people interested in scrapbooking. With these clubs, scrappers stay together and form friendship that starts with the love for scrapbooks. They also make sure that activities are filled with fun by engaging members to competition against each other that aims to encourage scrappers to create fine looking and quality scrapbooks.

The best part of joining these clubs is the opportunity in getting fresh ideas and meeting people that share the same passion.

Below are some of the benefits in joining a scrapbooking club:

1.Scrapbooking clubs let its members share their resources and knowledge for free.

2.Members find new friends they can talk to, not just about scrapbooks, but anything under the sun. There are life-long friendships that were built because of this hobby and they continue to increase.

3.Members, especially moms and teenage girls are excited because these clubs provide a girls night out. They see this as a break in their daily routine, letting them unwind and enjoy what they love doing with people who share the same passion for scrapbooks.

4.Most clubs hire professional scrapbookers as guest speakers to their workshops to teach members the latest and proven techniques. Speakers often provide materials that members have to pay for a small amount of money.

5.There are also scrapbooking clubs that are established to help non-government agencies in raising funds to help other people who are in need worldwide through selling hand made scrap books online or through garage sales.

Scrapbooking clubs bring people together not just to improve their skills and learn new techniques but more importantly form friendships and help others who are in need.

Being a Professional Scrapbooker

Scrapbooking is a good pastime. More than that, making scrapbooks are also an art. To top it all off, scrapbooking can make a good business too.

Making scrapbooks used to be a thing done in the household. It is something you could be proud of, yet doesn't offer much as far as the financial aspect. Today, scrapbooking can be a moneymaking endeavor.

Professional Scrapbooking

More and more people are starting to recognize the importance of scrapbooking. They recognize the creative value of such works of art. They also want to put privacy in the special moments they spend. Yet, with so much thing going on in their lives, many busy people don't have enough time to make one.

They can only wish to have their own scrapbook. Now, they can actually have their own personal scrapbook. They can keep the memories in beautiful collages filled with artistic details. This is made possible with the help of professional scrapbooking.

Professional scrapbookers are the experts in the field. They are the ones that get published for their wonderful ideas and techniques in making a scrapbook.
There is a high demand for them, to get their advice and help. Some professional scrapbookers even have their own following.

Professional artists who make scrapbooks for others have an even higher demand.
These are certain professional scrapbookers who hire out their services. These are people considered professional organizers of precious memories. They provide creative designs and beautiful details to photographs.

Providing services this way is just like being an interior designer, just as personal and just as creative. A typical scrapbook artist can earn from $50 to $150 an hour. Just doing the craft can bring in so many opportunities.

Meet professional scrapbookers online. They can provide the best tips and techniques, from the strictly art of scrapbooking down to the business side of it.

Be a Professional Scrapbooker

Being a professional scrapbooker is a great option for many scrapbookers out there who want to earn extra money. They can work at home as well as at their own time. They can bring out their own creative juices. At the same time, they get to earn lots of money.

You may choose to be a professional scrapbooker too. Just like any craft, it requires passion, time and some good work. Just learn the craft well and join the scrapbooking industry. Look up the business resources of scrapbooking sites and take the first step to being a professional scrapbooker. Before you know it, you will be out to satisfy a happy client.

A Guide to Scrapbooking Software

Making scrapbooks is definitely one of the most well-known hobbies that people engage in all over the world. There are many kinds of scrapbooks, and various ways to create them. One who is seriously interested in scrapbooking will be amazed at the amount of creative choices that can be afforded to them.

One of the tools used in scrapbooking is software that can make the process easier and make the book look more creative. Hobbyists have many software tools to choose from to aid them in making that perfect scrapbook.

Here are examples of the most popular scrapbooking software available on the market:

1. American Greetings Crafts! and Scrapbooks & More! 7.0 from Broderbund

There will be no end to creativity when you uses this software released by Broderbund, because it allows you to make crafts in 3D. You simply select a scrapbook format, then the software can personalize it all throughout, using items such as stickers, photos, backgrounds and borders.

2. Nova ScrapBook Factory Deluxe 2 from Nova

It has everything needed by a scrapbook fanatic to create books with awesome design, and can be used for other projects as well. Customization is a breeze with its extensive templates and graphics, finished with truly beautiful and unique fonts. Other projects that this software can be used for are trading cards, journals and photo frames.

3. Nova Scrapbook Plus from Nova

Another software wonder from Nova, makes it easy for scrapbookers to create and share precious albums to families and friends. It has all the tools and applications needed to produce professional looking albums. Its features include templates and custom projects, customized lettering, special effects, amazing graphics and borders and drawing tools.

4. American Greetings Crafts Version 7

Another of Broderbund's amazing products, it can create an incredible array of projects aside from the scrapbook itself, such as bags and buttons. Creativity is never a problem with all the tools available for the user-photo frames, button, pop-up cards...and more! It is a very flexible tool because it can be easily used by beginners but also serve advanced crafters well.

These are the projects that can be created using the tool:

-costumes
-bags
-home decor
-bookmarks
-ornaments
-stickers and labels
-book covers

There are many different ways that users can utilize to create their scrapbook. Aside from the usual materials, there are many software tools available that will enable the user to explore his creativity. By producing breathtaking designs, more and more people will be encouraged to get into scrapbooking.