Scrapbooking is a rewarding, relaxing hobby. Walking into a scrapbooking store, looking at magazines or browsing on-line sites can be very confusing to the beginner, so let me just take you through some of the basics. Layouts can be single or double pages, and range from very simple to very elaborate. You can spend a lot of time on each layout and make all your own letters and embellishments; or you can take shortcuts and use ready-made stickers, embellishments and letters. I would suggest that the beginner take advantage of what is already available; and once you have mastered the basics, then move on to making your own embellishments.
Rules
There is only one rule in scrapbooking - all papers, adhesives, stickers and albums must be acid-free. Acid-free will help preserve your photos. Good scrapbooking products will also be lignin-free. When lignin in paper breaks down, it causes brown spots and yellowing.
Supplies
Basic supplies include: an album and refill pages, a small paper trimmer (guillotine), a pair of craft scissors, a ruler, a craft mat, some coloured plain and patterned paper, and adhesive. There are numerous cutters, punches and various tools available if you want to make shapes - the most useful shape to begin with is an oval. There are a number of albums on the market, the standard size is 30cm x 30cm, and most scrapbooking papers will fit this size, although may need to be trimmed slightly. You can either cover the whole white album page with plain or patterned paper, (or a combination of both) or you can work on the white page and just highlight your photos with coloured mats and decorate the page with stickers.
Cropping
Cropping photos - refers to cutting off excess background so that the subject is central. You will fit more photos on a page, and won't be distracted by background that doesn't tell a story. Sometimes you will decide to leave the background in to give a sense of scale to the subject, particularly in a scenic shot, and this is fine.
Matting
Once you have decided on the photos you are going to use on the page, have a really good look at them, noting the colours. If any one colour pops out, this is a good one to use for a mat for your photo. A mat is a piece of paper or card cut slightly larger than the photo. It is not essential to mat photos, but is a good way to link the photos on your page. If you have several colours in the photos and can't decide which colour to use as the mat, hold the photo in front of it. One particular colour will usually stand out. A good choice of colour will make the photo appear brighter and cleaner, and a poor choice will fade the photos or overwhelm them. When you are satisfied with the mat colour, stick your photo to it. If you have several photos to go on a page, mat them all before you start arranging them on the page.
Heading
Use lettering stickers or print a heading on the computer - if you draw a heading, make sure the pens are acid free.
Completing Your Page
Arrange the photos on the page, leaving room for a heading and journalling. When you are happy with the arrangement, then stick your photos down. Next, add the heading, and then the journalling.
Journalling
Journalling is where you tell the story of the page. Journalling can be written directly on the page, or written or printed on small mats. Journalling should include who, what, where and when, and any comments about the day or event that stand out. If you are handwriting, use an acid-free pen.
Embellishments
Embellishments refer to any extras on the page - these can be stickers, lace, buttons, paper flowers, ribbons, tickets, programs - almost anything goes - but they should not be too bulky, and if not acid-free, should not come into contact with the actual photos. Embellishments should also complement the layout, e.g. toys would be perfect on a child's page, but not on a heritage page.
I hope this beginner's guide has been helpful. The great thing about scrapbooking is that the finished product is entirely your own, unique, production. Getting a group of friends together to scrapbook is also a good way to start. You can bounce ideas off one another, and on a practical level, share equipment and papers. I always thought I wasn't clever or crafty enough to scrapbook, or didn't have the time, but now realise that I am clever and crafty enough, because the only person I have to please is myself; and as far as having enough time - I usually scrapbook now instead of watching television. We all need some "me" time; and this is a perfect way to get that in.
About this Author
Sean Watkins is a freelance online journalist who written on subjects as varied as online gaming to Hiking Shoes. Following inspiration from a recent Tasmanian trek in his newest pair of shoes, his newest website can be viewed at www.hikingshoestore.com/Asolo-Hiking-Shoes.html.
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