I had never thought about scrapbooking until I became a parent. All of a sudden I wanted to know about it, but where to start? I took hundreds of pictures right off the bat. Being the proud parent that I am I wanted to show them off to everyone who came over but I hate sitting around the computer to show them off, or worse yet leaving them on the camera for people to try to decipher. I knew people that scrapbooked but I had no idea what it was all about. You mean you just glue pictures to pages? Where will I find the time between cooking, cleaning, and feeding my new baby?

Then I realized, everyone needs a break. After listening to the 'cute' baby noises all day I didn't even want to turn on the television. I needed peace and quiet. Scrapbooking is a great way to just relax and spend some me time doing something that I enjoy. At first I felt guilty for sitting and doing something I didn't consider productive, but then I realized even when I had a full time job and took care of the house I still got breaks. I don't think I worked this hard even when I was working at a job. I never thought I was very creative, which to me seemed to be a big part of scrapbooking, but you don't need to be. There are a lot of ideas on the internet and free downloads as well. Starting out with a baby book has been the easiest because I knew I wanted to record all the firsts. I did each section by month, with point format of what my baby weighed, height, and any new developments, that way I can look back and remember.

Sometimes you think you will just remember, hey, this is the first time he ever rolled over but soon he does something else and you are trying to remember when that time was. Writing it down and pasting it in your scrapbook is the ideal way to never forget. I thought scrapbooking was going to be an expensive hobby, but with all the free stuff out there it can cost almost next to nothing. All you need to do is buy some paper and glue to start. Quite often the craft stores will have sales, so be patient and wait for those days. There are also some good deals on the internet for the things that you want that are not free.

There is also digital scrapbooking which I have not tried yet but would like to. All you need to do is invest in 1 program and you're good to go. That way you can keep your albums on your computer or save them to disc. You can also print them out if you choose. Make sure to buy acid free paper so it doesn't ruin your photographs. Another great album to start with could be your wedding day or maybe your graduation. Make a copy of your wedding certificate or diploma and use it as a background for your page. Anything with a theme is a good place to start, and then when you get braver you can get into all those old photos.

You don't have to use every picture you ever took either. Just use the best ones that make you look like a super great photographer. Digital cameras are the best thing that ever happened to us people that love to take pictures but don't always get it on the first try. No more waiting for pictures to get developed that didn't turn out right anyway.