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Scrapbooking Tips for Beginners

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A fun and creative way to preserve memories

Photographs are one of the most common ways to capture memories, and scrapbooking has quickly become a creative and safe way to preserve them. It also beautifully displays life’s moments to share with future generations of family and friends and increases the longevity of photos.

The following are some simple steps and helpful hints for beginners to make their first scrapbooking venture a success.

Tip 1

Collect Photos

Put all your photos into one place. Be sure to check junk drawers, files, closets and old and new albums. 

Tip 2

Organize

Organize all of your photos in the order in which you’d like them displayed in your scrapbook. The most common way to organize is chronological, but you can also organize by events such as holidays and vacations. Store them in archival quality photo boxes (not photo-safe).

Tip 3

Acid-Free and Lignin-Free

Any decorative papers, stickers, pens or scrapbooks used in scrapbooking must be acid-free and lignin-free to keep your photos safe and from turning brown with age.

·         Any adhesives used to adhere your photos to scrapbook pages must be acid-free to prevent it from damaging and aging your photos. 

·         Duck® brand Easy Stick™ is an acid-free double-sided adhesive that rolls on faster, easier and cleaner than glue.

Tip 4

Shop

It is very easy to go overboard when purchasing scrapbooking supplies for the first time. You can start your shopping at a scrapbooking store, craft store, or even at a mass retailer or office supply chain. Remember, buy the basics before anything else:

·         scrapbook

·         page protectors

·         colored cardstock

·         patterned paper

·         a few colored pens

·         decorative scissors

·         adhesive

 

You can add stickers, die-cuts (pre-cut cardstock shapes), or other embellishments if you’d like, but beautiful layouts are possible without them if your budget is tight. You can also purchase a storage container to house all your supplies, or use containers you may already have around your home.

Tip 5

Layout

The first page of your scrapbook should be reserved as a title page and can be decorated once your entire album is completed. The next two-page spread is where to begin. 

·         Each spread should have a theme (it can stay the same throughout the book, or change every two pages). 

·         Decide what pictures you’d like to display and lay them out to decide how you will arrange them. 

·         For the background, pick cardstock or patterned paper to accentuate key colors in the photos.

Tip 6

Crop

If the background of a photo is not important, you may crop (cut) the photo in a shape so the focus is on the subject. 

·         When cropping, use plain scissors as opposed to decorative ones, which tend to take your eye away from the photo. 

·         You may also cut your cardstock or patterned paper into fun shapes to add personality to your layout and arrange everything on your spread.

Tip 7

Mat

After you decide on a layout, adhere all the photos and paper to the scrapbook page using your roll-on adhesive. Add any stickers or die cuts that fit or think of a catchy title and apply it to the page.

Tip 8

Journal

Journaling is one of the most important parts of scrapbooking. Write about what is happening in the photos. Feel free to use your own handwriting; it gives a personal touch to the memories. Include names and dates and explain what funny things happened.

 

With experience, you will find scrapbooking to be a fun and relaxing hobby that will last for generations to come.  Not only will your great-great-grandchildren see what their relatives’ lives were like, but they will also see the creativity that runs in the family.

Average Rating:

(Based on 7 Rating(s) )


These are wonderful suggestions thank you!

juswakiforduckbrand | Date Added: 3/5/2011 1:40:00 PM

I love this stuff. I can tape anything into a scrapbook and it will stick - even things like buttons!

MommyDuck | Date Added: 7/10/2011 2:55:00 PM

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