This series is dedicated to Meltonya who told me she really wanted to start scrapbooking and cardmaking on a regular basis, but she didn’t know how to get from A-Z. Meltonya, this is A. I hope by the time we get to Z, you’ll be a scrappin’ machine!
Welcome to Scrapbooking 101! This series is a basic primer for all things scrapbooking. Because there’s so much information to share about this craft, I’m chunking the information down into digestible posts. By the time we’re done, you’ll know everything you need to make great layouts.
When I first started scrapbooking in 2002, there wasn’t much information on the internet about the hobby. I remember thoroughly studying The Joy of Scrapbooking by Lisa Bearnson, the founding editor of Creating Keepsakes magazine. As time went on, I learned a lot from the scrapbooking magazines and blogs that sprang up on newsstands and across the Web. Those resources have helped me develop my own style and approach. I hope that this Scrapbooking 101 series does the same for you.
What Is a Scrapbook?
A scrapbook is essentially a photo album that includes photographs, special decorations and journaling. Your pictures are arranged in an attractive, pleasing manner that tells a complete story and makes people want to look at them.
Scrapbooking has become extremely popular in the last decade. Yes, people have been putting pictures in photo albums for over 100 years but it wasn’t until 1980 when archivally-safe albums and materials came on the market.
Basic Scrapbooking Supplies
Scrapbookers are the biggest collectors of tools. It’s part of the fun of the craft. Most of us have tons of paper, stickers, pens and more. There are so many cool products on the market that you could get overwhelmed when you decide to get started. What does a beginning scrapbooker need to get started? I recommend:
- Album with refill pages – this is where you store your finished layouts
- Microtip scissors – for cutting small items
- Trimmer – for cutting sheets of cardstock
- Adhesive – for adhering paper, cardstock and photos to your layout
- Paper kit – contains color coordinated patterned paper and cardstock (Close To My Heart has great scrapbooking kits for beginners)
- Pen – for journaling and photo captions
OMG! You’ve hit the nail on the head! I’ve been “collecting” supplies for sometime, so I’m all set there. What’s the secret to finding (or should I say making) the time to sit down and start my first layout? I hope that’s “B”! Thanks so much for making it plain. You ROCK!!
For finding the time to scrapbook, I would say pick a time when you won’t be disturbed. I know that’s easier said than done, but it’s works. It may be 9:00 p.m. on a Sunday night after all the kids have gone to bed. It has to be scheduled or you won’t do it–like everything else in our overly-scheduled lives. I have some more suggestions, but this is a great idea for a future post, so I’ll save them for that!