School Report Themed Scrapbook Page Idea

This week, scrapbook page designer, Jennifer Schmidt, shares one of her school themed scrapbook page ideas in the article School Report Scrapbook Page Idea Using a Mini 8 Punch. The great thing about this layout is that the basics of it are so simple that it could easily be transformed into a scrapbook page for any theme. Jennifer used the basics of inking and layering to create a great scrapbook page design that would be perfect as a the basis for a layout for your own family album.

View the original article here

Organizing Your 12x12 Scrapbook Papers

One of the most popular articles here on About.com Scrapbooking is all about ideas for organizing your scrapbook supplies, especially 12x12 papers. This week, I have updated that article,?12x12 Paper Storage Solutions - Ideas for Storing and Organizing 12x12 Patterned Papers and Cardstocks,?with new links and information for 2012. This is the place to get started if you need some new ideas for getting your patterned papers and solid cardstocks organized and ready for scrapbooking.

View the original article here

Scrapbook Albums

Pictures and memories just as the first ticket to the film as a couple are just some of our most cherished memories. We all want to keep those memories alive and cherish for the rest of our lives. We all want to share these memories with the people we love, one day, perhaps with our children or grandchildren.

Scrapbooking is only one way to keep alive these memories and presenting them so masterful. Scrapbooking is a method for preserving personal and family history in the form of an album. Typical memorabilia for scrapbooks are photographs, works of art and of course, paperless. Scrapbook albums are often decorated with various embellishments.

History of Scrapbooking
Scrapbooking is a pastime largely practiced not only in the United States, but also in other parts of the world. Has its history in the fifteenth century in England. Trivial books were a way of compiling information including but not limited to, letters, poems, quotes and recipes. In the 16th century friendship albums became the trend. These were often created as souvenirs of tours in different places. Photo, then became available and the brownie camera invented by Kodak entered into mass production. This camera was inexpensive and simple, even a child can operate it. This allowed the average person to incorporate photographs on their album scrapbook.

An old scrapbooking album had generally photos mounted with corners of Mount photos and notations of who was in the photo or where it was taken. Among these also often bits of memorabilia as business cards, newspaper clippings and other things.

How to decorate Scrapbook pages
Pages decoration is one of the largest works when it comes to scrapbooking. This is what makes this album special and personal. There are numerous ways of decorating a 12 x 12 scrapbook albums or albums of any size, for that matter. There is also an abundance of materials available for scrapbooking fans to use. Learn how to decorate the album to make it stand out among others.

· Decide on a theme. Plan in advance the topics so that you can get an idea of which items and embellishments for purchase. This can help you decide which provides decoration and scrapbooking tools are needed. If your theme is Christmas, then you can use paper plotter and Christmas. If you are doing baby scrapbook album then [maybe you can buy pictures of baby shoes and the like.

· Get the right supplies of decoration. Always use acid-free items. This will help you to maintain the quality of your scrapbook. These items will cause the least amount of damage to scrapbook pages and photos over the years.

· Create the border. This is the first thing you should do when starting to decorate the edges of the drawing page album after the photos were put in place is very difficult. This can also cause inadvertently marks on photographs or other memorabilia.

· Place the photographs. Use an adhesive corner photo if it is available. You need a square fitting adhesive or tape stock.

· Attach paper cuts piercing or die. These pieces of paper are used to decorate pages. You can also draw or colour them. This can be done either before or after their affixing to scrapbook album.

· Add drawings, journal entries or little known. Try to give information about the photo on the page. Include when the image was taken and that the people in the photos are. They can also be arranged in such a way that will add extra decoration on album pages. You may also accent smiley coatings or other designs.

How to make Scrapbook album last

1. use a good quality album. Scrapbook album is the single most important material for preserving precious memories. Is the backbone of the entire collection. Is the framework in which your memories of home. There are many choices when it comes to an album. Most modern scrapbooks are rectangular, the size of a piece of paper (8 1/2 x 11 "), or they can be square. Select the size is a matter of personal choice. Just keep in mind that children are more portable and larger ones allow you to use more decorations. Make sure you buy the album with good quality, so that they can last the test of time. Might be a bit expensive but you will get your money's worth.

2. be careful. Spill is the worst thing that can happen to the album. Keep your albums from liquids. They not only ruin the album cover, will destroy the pictures and other memorabilia. Make sure your work area, as well as any place where you will be putting your scrapbook is clear liquids.

3. prevent fading. Put your album in direct sunlight fade the lid and reduce the quality of the album itself. Surface modifications will change from extreme temperatures. Low temperatures will cause mildew and warm temperatures can cause deformation. It is extremely important to use protectors to prevent the damage.

4. avoid patches of oil. Fingerprints leave oily spots or signs. It is better to wear cotton gloves, when looking at albums or wash your hands with detergent to neutralise the acid before handling the album. Always handle albums with care.

5. store the album as decoration materials properly. Don't let the album and decoration materials out in an open area where they can be vulnerable to damage. Keep the material in a cool, dry place to lengthen the duration of their lives. Use robust bins and containers and make sure that the envelopes that you use are acid free.

For more information about scrapbook albums and Christmas Stamps, follow the link and find out what you can do to preserve memories for years to come.

Scrapbook stamping and inking techniques

With all new acrylic stamps set out there, certainly makes scrapbook stamping much more interesting. Your scrapbook layout are unlimited; You can choose from dozens of variants and combinations to make the backgrounds stamped perfect. Here are some tips on making some fun background pages.

First of all, chose the right set of stamps, blocks and ink pads. Once you have done, chose the paper with ink colors that you use.

Mud edges is one of my favorite techniques. This is a simple thing and gives a touch antique weather on out your lateral edge mattes or the entire length of your layout. Just keep your stamp pad in his hand at an angle of 45 degrees and swipe your card edges. This will smear a thin layer of ink on the edges. You can do so by laying the flat card and swiping the ink on the paper at a glance inwards. In both cases will be created the same effect.

Merger of pens and pencils, colored water are another fun way to add a little character to your pages. Tag the image with any color of ink you selected. Use the color of the water and the color that you want to add additional color. After you finish taking the pen of mixing and smooth on the color of the water to bleed and the colours blend together.

Second generation injection molding is a fun way to add different shades of the same color of ink you pages. Simply apply ink to the stamp as usual and you stamp on a piece of scrap paper and then once again stamp on your page. Repeat this process until you get the look you want.

Using a brayer and stencils you can create pages. Using a stencil, lay it flat on your card and keep closely. Use the brayer and roll you ink and apply it on top of your stencil leaving the image below. This is a perfect way to get that one kid card that you are looking for.

Stamp kiss is another entertaining twist on the molding. As usual the stamp ink and take another stamp and "Kiss" for the stamp inked and twist. When you turn it, and remove some ink and gives a unique look.

Use a sponge Dauber and ink to create a softer boarder mineral mats on your card. You can also use these to build an image printed as a flower. Rub your Dauber in ink and simply issued along the area that you want.

Stamping ink pads and give you unlimited possibilities when using them in your layout. Be creative and try new things. Try them on tapes to add character, use ink to paint the tape to match your cards. You can use ink and stamps on almost everything. You will be amazed of what they will bring to your pages.

Close to my heart offers a complete line of Scrapbooking stamps and acrylic blocks to make your Scrapbooking faster, easier and more fun.

Using Scrapbook Techniques For Unique Christmas Ornaments

Have you been searching for an idea to do family or classroom ornaments on a budget? Making CD photo ornaments is the perfect project. It requires very few tools and supplies.

First you will need to take pictures of the subjects you are wanting to create the ornaments for. If you want to get really creative, you can manipulate your photos for a different look. One suggestion might be to turn a photo into a black and white and then highlight one color or subject in the photo. An example of this might be to take a picture of a child wearing a red Santa hat and turn the photo to black and white and then highlight just the red portion of the hat. This can be done with many photo editing softwares and is very simple with a little practice. The resulting picture is unique and impressive.

Second, you will need to take the pictures to your local photo lab, or print your own 5x7 prints if you have a quality printer. If you print your own pictures, you have the ability to experiment with different types of paper to see which outcome you like best. There are a variety of different papers from heavy weight matte, semi-gloss, glossy, and portrait paper. After your pictures have been printed they will need to be cut down to a 4.75" circle to fit on the CD. If you have a circle cutter this step is very easy. Circle cutters are very inexpensive and can be purchased from most craft stores. If you do not have a circle cutter, just take a CD and trace around the outside edge and then cut with scissors. Adhering the photo to the CD is quite simple. You will need a photo safe acid free glue stick. Using the colored glue sticks that dry clear are helpful in seeing where more glue is needed on the CD. Just cover the CD with glue and adhere your photo being careful to make sure it is centered. It is best to wait at least 30 minutes before handling the CD's once you have adhered your photo's.

The next step involves punching a hole in the top of the CD for the ribbon hanger. Many scrapbookers already have a handy tool called a Crop-a-dile. If you own one of these, punching the holes in the CD's will be effortless. Crop-a-dile tools may be purchased at craft stores for approximately $20 and have a variety of uses. Just set the punch to the desired distance using the 3/8' hole and squeeze down on the CD. Using this tool helps prevent the CD from cracking while punching the hole.

If you do not have a Crop-a-dile, a sharp object or awl will be useful for you. You will have better results if you heat your tool prior to punching a hole through the backside of the CD. Once you have your hole punched, just thread some ribbon through the hole and your ornament is complete. These can be further personalized by writing a message or the year on the back using paint pens. This is wonderful idea for preserving the handwriting of a child. You now have a personalized ornament to hang on your Christmas tree. Find other ideas at http://txmemorymaker.blogspot.com/.

Mendy Warwick

Scrapbook Techniques - Paper Tearing

Scrapbook Techniques - Paper Tearing

Ripping and peeling paper is a fun way to add warm, hand crafted accents to you pages. Almost any paper scrap can be turned into a cute accent. Mastering a few tearing techniques will turn your "regular" pages into "wow" pages. You can create beautiful boarders, backgrounds and shapes by tearing paper. Here a few versatile and whimsy ways to decorate your layouts.

Practice with scrap paper to get the feel of how different papers well tear. Once you get the feel for it, you will become a pro and enjoy doing this technique over and over again.

To make a basic tear, hold the paper in your non-dominant hand. Tear with your index finger and thumb, going gently and slowly for you a straight tear or rapidly for a modern look. If your paper is jagged, you may be tearing against the grain. Rotate the paper about 90 degrees and try again.

To tear strong paper, wet the paper with a small paint brush or cotton swab. Once the water soaks in, gently tear the paper. When the paper dries, you will not be able to see the water marks. Using water will make it easier to tear shapes such as circles and hearts.

To tear intricate shapes, sketch your design first. Brush with water to weaken the lines. To make it a little easier, use a scoring blade or stylus and firmly push against your cardstock to weaken it. Tear you paper along the lines.

Remember that different papers result in different looks. Heavy cardstocks are usually died and the color will stay the same with the tear. Patterned paper typically has a white core or light colored edges vellum is so shear that the edges are not visual. Try adding chalk to the edges to give extra dimension. By trying these few techniques you will be amazed at the different looks you will add to your pages.

Scrapbooking by Close To My Heart Consultant Marcy Larsen. Scrapbook Layouts, stamping techniques and more at marcylarsen.com.

Use Ranger Distress Inks to create Scrapbook Paper Backgrounds In minutes

What happens when you have wonderful photos or the perfect piece of paper, but you can't find another corresponding document for your project? Well, make your background, of course! Sounds like a daunting project, but here are some ideas that you can complete in a few minutes using Ranger Distress Inks.

Ranger Distress Inks are unlike other ink pads because they react with water. This quality enables you to mix your colors and control the depth of colour too. All you need is a craft mat, some cardboard and some ink pads in colors that work for your project.

The first technique, stamp directly on your mat craft with your pad ink distress, randomly here and there. Then grab another matching or contrasting ink stamp pad and in some places. Next, use a mini-mister and sprays water over inks. You will see the inks on how to react with water. Use a rubber ink brayer inks for roll-over protection structures and mix them around. Grab the paper and press it into the mix. I will lift up your paper and watch the results! If it is too dark or runny, simply DAB with a rag to remove the excess. Let it dry and ready for use!

The second technique is a similar idea, only this time the ink is applied directly to your card. This technique looks nice on a glossy paper or glitter, although it will take more time to dry due to the glossy surface. It also seems great on any normal paper. Grab your distress ink pads and a brayer ink. Roll the brayer directly on ink pad, trying to get all the brayer covered with a light coat of ink. Then roll the brayer directly on your card in one direction. Now your brayer again in a contrasting color ink and roll on your card in the opposite direction. Spray on your card inked with a mini misters to melt inks, DAB away the excess and let to dry.

Both these techniques allow you to do your own background papers to make your projects. Saves a lot of time hunting for just the perfect book and also allows you to add an extra personal touch to your project. You can see these ideas have proven step-by-step YouTubeon.

Ranger Distress ink pads, mini-mister and other scrapbooking supplies are available from Scrapbooking to Dinglefoot.

My name is Deborah Leaverton. I was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and then I went to college he received a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Pedagogy in 2000. I immediately after college he married and now I'm living in Iowa with my husband and children. I've always been interested in arts and crafts and used to make wishes using my hand-drawn art. When I became a stay-at-home mom, soon turned my attention to scrapbooking and cardmaking, using all the fabulous scrapbooking supplies that are on the market today. Now I own my business by selling these products that I love so much.

Free Digital Scrapbook Templates

Digital scrapbooking presents a unique way to capture special memories for posterity. Whether you are a computer veteran or a novice, you can create digital scrapbooks that go a step beyond conventional photo albums. You can add to the photos: small notes, embellishments, and stickers to tell the story more fully.
Free digital scrapbook templates can make the job easier for you. The scrapbooking paper, frames, titles - even embellishments or stickers are already placed for you. You don't need to find or prepare each element. Just slip your photographs into place, add a journaling note or caption, and you have finished pages. Free digital scrapbook templates are, in a sense, scrapbooking kits.
Free digital scrapbook templates are a great way to learn digital scrapbooking. They are also a great way to see, before you invest money, whether you enjoy digital scrapbooking. Templates show you what you can do, and take the work out of it.
These free digital scrapbook templates are often provided as samples, with themes that appeal to a large number of people. The hope is that you will enjoy your experience and return to the website to purchase more materials.
Understanding Free Digital Scrapbook Templates
Free digital scrapbook templates are nearly-finished scrapbook pages. Some call them pre-made pages, or pre-made layouts. To use free digital scrapbook templates, you follow a few easy steps.
1. Download your free digital scrapbook templates. They should be in "png" format. Many will be zipped to reduce size. Unzip your downloads, and place them in a computer folder.
2. Open the software program you will use with your free digital scrapbook templates. Many programs you may already have will work well. Microsoft Word, PhotoShop, and similar programs are good. You may have purchased digital scrapbooking software.
3. Scan photos for your digital scrapbook pages.
4. Open the free digital scrapbook template you want to use. Open photo files, and place your photos on the page. Crop photos, if necessary to fit the opening. Send them to the back layer, and slide them into place.
5. If the colors of the papers in your free digital scrapbook templates do not complement your photos, simply use your

paintbrush" tool to change the colors.
6. Add a small box on your page, and type in a note about memories that go with the photos. This "journaling" might be as short as a caption, or a paragraph that will help viewers understand the photos.
7. When you are satisfied with your page, flatten all layers, and save it as a new file.
8. Now you are ready to print. Use acid-free paper so your colors will remain bright and true for years. Print it as a page of a larger scrapbook. Or print your page as a scrapbook card.
9. Optionally, you may want to save your pages to a CD - or send a finished page to a friend or family member. You might even want to send your completed free digital scrapbook templates to a "print-on-demand" company to have them bound into a permanent book.
Free Digital Scrapbook Templates Changes
As mentioned above, you may want to make changes to your free digital scrapbook templates. At first, those changes may be as slight as changing the color of the scrapbooking paper. As you learn more about digital scrapbooking, the changes may take in other elements.
You may want to add digital charms to empty spots - or place charms across corners or edges of your photos. If you have a photo of a child receiving a skateboard for Christmas, you might want to place a couple of skateboarding embellishments on a page. These extras add a personal touch to the themes of free digital scrapbook pages.
Helpful tip: Even if you are a veteran scrapbooker, you will find free digital scrapbook templates a help in getting fresh ideas. Start with downloads of free digital scrapbook templates, and customize them to your creative satisfaction.



©2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart invites you to read more of her articles about free digital scrapbook stuff at http://www.scrapbooking-for-fun.com. Anna is posting new articles regularly on that site. You won?t want to miss her recent articles on digital scrapbook free downloads.

Your Wedding Scrapbook - Preserving Your Special Occasion

There are many events that are perfect for archiving such memories, and what better occasion to do so than your own wedding. Whether you had a small, intimate wedding with only a few guests present, or opted for a large celebration with everyone you know, and perhaps some you didn't, there are plenty of items you could include in your wedding scrapbook, and many ways to arrange them in order to recapture that very special day over and over again.

Selecting Photos for your Wedding Scrapbook

The first items you will probably want to scrapbook will be your wedding pictures. Photos can, and often do, tell a story. They can walk you through the events of that special day every time your scrapbook is viewed. The only difficulty may be choosing which ones you should include, since you will probably have many from which to choose. They will also give your children and grandchildren something to talk about as the book is passed down through generations.

Your wedding scrapbook would not be complete without pictures of the building where the ceremony took place, you walking down the aisle, and, of course, the wedding ceremony itself. You may also want to include photos of the reception, the cutting of the cake, and you and your new spouse leaving the building. These special events will then be cataloged for years of enjoyment in your very own special wedding scrapbook.

Choosing a Theme

Creating a theme that depicts your thoughts and feelings you had on your wedding day is important. A distinctive wedding scrapbook or album is essential, as it will help you to always remember the people who helped to make your day what it was. Writing down the events and the emotions you had when they occurred will also serve as a record or journal, and will supplement the pictures quite nicely.

Organizing Your Memories

There are several ways to organize a wedding scrapbook, and many layouts from which to choose. When putting together your wedding scrapbook, color is extremely important, as it will accentuate the photos and other material. Many people choose to use their own wedding colors, but you can choose other color combinations if you prefer. Even if you do choose to use your wedding colors, you may want to use other colors to add variety to your scrapbook pages and layouts. For example, if your colors were burgundy and green, you could add cream, light pink, or yellow to accent the darker colors. Putting different colors together will give your layouts a distinctive look and set them apart from other wedding scrapbooks.

Your wedding scrapbook should look elegant and charming, so you might want to add embellishments. These, as well as the right color scheme will make your wedding scrapbook unique and appealing. One option is to use vellum paper. Vellum looks elegant and is easy to find. Eyelets, brads, and ribbons are also suggested embellishments that will add character and personality to your wedding scrapbook.

Floral patterns also work great for wedding scrapbooks. They tend to match well with wedding décor, and lend themselves to the overall wedding theme. Your choices are numerous, so don't be afraid to experiment until you find the color scheme, embellishments, and patterns that work best for you.

There are many different themes you can use to capture the love and affection felt by everyone on your wedding day. One idea is to include marriage tips from more experienced individuals. These tips may serve as simple ideas or advice that might be useful to you and your spouse on down the road. Interesting anecdotes may also serve as a fun read. You can even incorporate this as an activity at your bridal shower or bachelor party, whereby, other married people write down their tips and give them to you for the scrapbook. You can also include photos of the married couples that will serve as captions for the tips.

Another wedding scrapbooking idea is to incorporate any interests of the bride and groom that may have been a part of the overall wedding theme. For example, some couples choose to make personal interests a part of their wedding. If you or your spouse to be enjoys playing golf, you may depict this at your wedding reception. Guests may be provided with wedding favors that are golf-related and have been customized for the event. You might want to devote a page or two in your wedding scrapbook to this, and include photos or items small enough to fit on a page. This is your opportunity to be as creative as possible, while making a wedding scrapbook that will truly record your very special day.

A More Personal Approach

You may want to create a wedding scrapbook that is not considered to be traditional. There are many ways to set yours apart from others, thereby, taking the untraditional route. When planning your wedding scrapbook, you should focus around your lives together, while catering to your individual personalities. If desired, you can include pictures of memorable events that took place before your marriage, their respective dates, and any photos you may wish to add. You may also want to include your spouse in the scrapbooking activities. This will allow both your personalities to come through, and will be something the two of you can work on together.

You can add mementos and items such as the wedding invitations, reception napkins or cards. Scrapbook stores sell memory pockets for these types of items, and are easy to incorporate in your wedding scrapbook. You also might want to include any congratulatory notes or cards from friends and family you may have received during your engagement. This will add a more personal touch, and will further personalize your scrapbook. It will also serve as a reminder of your feelings during such an anticipatory time.

No matter what you decide to include in your wedding scrapbook, choose carefully. Take as much time as you need when deciding on colors, a theme, and the various photos and items you will include. Your wedding scrapbook will be a very important part of your new family, and will help preserve memories for many years to come.

Michele Cardello, director of marketing and creative for Life Imprints, a wedding scrapbook [http://www.lifeimprints.com] and scrapbooking supplies company 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.

Top 10 Reasons to Digitize Your Scrapbook

Digital scrapbook pages have become all the rage in scrapbooking. Even diehard traditional scrappers have begun to integrate some digital scrapbook pages into their layouts and albums. More and more, they're realizing it's an exciting, yet simple way to expand and enhance creativity while helping to preserve their memories for generations to come.

To create your first digital scrapbook pages, you don't need to be a computer guru, nor do you have to learn complicated software.

Moreover, unlike traditional scrapbooking, digital scrapbook layouts enable you to easily try out different types of backgrounds, designs and embellishments before you commit. Anything you do to your page can be redone many times over without wasting time, effort and money. And that's only the beginning of the advantages that going digital has to offer the modern-day scrapper.

Top 10 Reasons to Go Digital

1. Timesaver

Implementing digital scrapbook pages will save you time. It's no longer necessary to print your pictures before you put them into your scrapbook pages. Just download your digital pictures to your computer or scan your hard copy photos. You can buy premade scrapbook layouts with spaces for your photos and then simply drag and drop your digital pictures onto the scrapbook pages. No need to redo handmade scrapbook pages; no need to spend hours going from one store to another looking for the right color paper.

2. Tidier

Traditional scrappers have required a permanent space in their homes for their volumes of paper, ribbon, lace and other embellishments, along with unfinished projects vulnerable to accidents. Digital scrapping means no mess on your dining room table, no need for extra physical storage space, no cutting your photos. Save all your layouts and supplies directly to your computer or external storage device.

3. Greener

Digital scrapbook pages allow you to literally reuse any digital scrapbook element as many times as you like, so say goodbye to buying extra paper to avoid running out of a certain pattern or color. Goodbye to the glue and piles of leftover paper scraps and unrecyclable materials. Good riddance, reject scrapbook pages- you can quickly fix them before printing!

4. Cheaper

If you already own a computer, all you need to buy is the scrapbook layout software and digital scrapbook kits, which are fairly inexpensive and include paper and embellishments. The equivalent in physical materials is far more expensive, and once you use them, they're gone. Digital kits can be used indefinitely. And because there's no need to spend hours going from one store to another looking for the right color paper, you'll save money in gas too!

5. Goof Proof

Photos are often the most precious items in your scrapbooks, so why risk butchering them with scissors? With digital scrapbooking, there's no chance of destroying the only photo you have of your mom's mom's mom. Scan the photo and make as many copies as you like. Digital scrapbook pages allow you to experiment with infinite combinations until they look just the way you want. And if you misspell a word in your journaling, you're free to correct it without damaging your scrapbook layouts.

6. Photo Doctor

Basic photo editing programs allow you to restore old photos to make them look just like new. Conversely, you can take current photos and make them looked aged. Vanish wrinkles, blemishes and moles, and fix that pervasive red eye. Resize, crop, sharpen, and correct lighting. Nearly every photo you take can be improved with a little doctoring.

7. Professional

Cropped photos always have perfect edges, computer text is always straight, and computer font is always legible! Digital scrapbook pages look professional and boost the pride we feel in our creations.

8. Versatile

Take any design you like and turn it into just about anything you want. Adjust the colors, sizes, patterns, arrangements ... your options are limitless.

9. Easy to Share

One of the biggest advantages of digital scrapbook pages is that they can be easily shared in so many ways. Print multiple copies to share with family, upload pages to a family Web site or blog, or e-mail pages to relatives wherever they live.

10. Endless Supplies

You'll always have what you need in the right size, color and style, and you'll never need to worry about running out of glue. With digital scrapbook layouts, you'll always have the supplies you need.

With both traditional and digital scrapbook layouts, you're limited by only one thing: your imagination. If you're a scrapper, you owe it to your craft to try digital scrapbooking! An infinite assortment of exciting new scrapbook layouts awaits, and it's only a few clicks away.

Digital scrapbooking diva Sasha Byers explores the world of documenting memories digitally, providing insight and ideas on how to create digital photo collages and scrapbooks. She offers tips on scrapbooking important events, travels and major life periods such as childhood, school athletics and a child's transition out of the nest. She also debunks common myths about digital scrapbooking and addresses frequent questions on this popular new hobby. Sasha's blogs provide answers, tips and digital scrapbooking ideas to help you create sharper, more attractive scrapbooks in half the time. Learn more about our photo collage maker at the Artopia Photo Collage Maker Community. Connect with others and share your scrapbook layouts at the Artopia Photo Collage Maker Community.

Scrapbooking Techniques For Your Scrapbook Albums

Lets begin by asking ourselves, "What are Scrapbooking Techniques?". Let's distinguish this two-word phrase. Scrapbooking is a way of preserving,keeping and saving your precious memories in the form of scrapbook layouts or scrapbook pages. This layouts ranges from different sizes but the 12x12 and 8.5x11 layouts are the common choices of scrapbookers. I personally like 8x8 scrapbook layouts.

Techniques,in any case, are steps/ways implemented to perform or materialize a definite objective.

In short, Scrabooking Techniques are formula and application needed to put your scrapbooking into fulfillment/attainment.

Observe that I put emphasis on fulfillment/attainment. This explains that these techniques fulfill your need to scrap those memories in your scrapbook pages.

And because you are the one who determine on what to capture from your moments in daily lives, scrapbooking techniques that can be applied in your scrapbook layouts are infinite. The only limit is the sky! You make unique scrapbook layouts, hence unique techniques.

Scrapbooking Techniques dismay many scrapbookers specifically tyro scrappers. You must take into consideration the following points to assure to yourself that these are for everybody.

1. Scrapbooking Techniques are explained as techniques used to make scrapbook layouts.

If you used embossing in your scrapbook page, then you just helped yourself and dove in the world of scrapbooking.Where I am pointing at? You are the only person who can determine what techniques are perfect for your scrapbook pages. Therefore, rooms for improvements are inspired.

2. Remember that YOU are the artist of your scrapbook page.

It is common to artist to have own definition and techniques on how a scrapbook layout should be finished. Hence, your techniques are always accepted and heartened.

3. Don't compromise to try techniques that is not your cup of tea.

Even though a specific technique is the current trend,who cares? You are constructing your "life memories scrapbooks" and your variety should not be reliant on what others are making but with how you visualize your scrapbook layouts. Scrapbooking will not be as advance as it is now if all scrapbookers would work on same techniques.

4. Refine old scrapbooking techniques.

People are incomparable with each other. Thus, scrapbookers have specialized groove and inclination. Harness your own choice, preferences, priority and scrapbook page ideas on your scrapbook layouts. Don't ambition to perfect these techniques. Instead refine scrapbooking techniques to match your inclination and creative talents.

5. Be persistent with scrapbooking.

Be understanding to yourself while you study and research more about scrapbooking. Don't frustrate yourself by expecting to learn everything in one night.

6. Provoke yourself by making your own Scrapbooking Techniques.

Increase your awareness by letting yourself in creating your own techniques. Moreover, time is an important factor. Don't be discouraged if you couldn't make outstanding and excellent techniques.

7. Rejuvenate the scrapbooking techniques in you.

Scrapbook page ideas that uses scrapbook techniques set your mind and body to produce and execute more of these techniques. Therefore, focus on reinforcing your talents and work on your impotent aspects. I will discuss more on establishing these skills in my next article.

My name is Ramintessah Aihara. I mainly blog about scrapbooking techniques for scrapbook layouts and my other crafty ideas at Scrapbooking Techniques For Scrapbook Layouts.

Evolution of the Scrapbook

What are the roots of today's digital scrapbook? A scrapbook is a visual method of storytelling to preserve a legacy of history in the form of photographs, printed media and memorabilia presented artistically in decorated albums. The digital scrapbook can be traced back to ancient Greece, where a special notebook known as a "hypomnemata" was used to record events people had heard, seen or read that they wanted to preserve and remember.

In early America, some of the most well-known scrapbookers included Thomas Jefferson and Mark Twain. An avid scrapbooker, Mark Twain devoted entire Sundays to the hobby and then sold his books through Montgomery Ward.

In the 15th century, books called commonplace books, often used by students, were used to record prayers, poems and information such as weights and medical formulas. Eventually, commonplace books also held illustrations, newspaper clippings and recipes, and proved to be a valuable way to share information.

With the advent of photography, scrapbooks began to feature mounted photos with handwritten captions. A scrapbook layout might include letters, newspaper articles and other mementos. Young women in the Victorian period created memory books, friendship albums or visitor's albums containing signatures, cards, locks of hair, poetry and pictures of their family and friends to give as gifts or preserve memories.

The Traditional Scrapbook

In the United States, Utah's Marielen Christensen is often credited with reviving interest in scrapbooking. She began designing creative pages and three-ring binders for her family's photo memories and displayed them at the World Conference on Records. She and her husband published a how-to book, Keeping Memories Alive, and opened a scrapbook store in 1981 that remains open today.

The traditional art of scrapbooking has often brought women together socially to make scrapbooks and share their work and memories. These hobbyists, known as scrapbookers or scrappers, still gather at each other's homes, local scrapbook stores, scrapbooking conventions and retreat centers. The term "crop," a reference to cropping or trimming printed photos, was coined to describe these events.

In the late 1990s, many U.S. scrappers opened stores to turn their hobby into a business. Between 2001 and 2004, the scrapbooking industry doubled in size to $2.5 billion, with more than 1,600 companies creating scrapbooking products by 2003. In America, the hobby has surpassed golf in popularity: One in four households has a golf enthusiast; one in three has a scrapbooking enthusiast!

Scrapping Goes Digital

Naturally, scrapbooking has modernized with the computer age. Creating a digital scrapbook is the process of using a scrapbook layout to create pages using photo- or image-editing software. Digital scrappers import electronic photos and scrapbooking graphics into their image-editing programs and arrange them to create digital scrapbook pages.

Digital scrapping was inspired by the methods, style and culture of traditional scrapbooking. Today's scrapbook layout and computer programs are designed to capture the look and feel of traditional scrapbooking and provide creative control over all the elements--even ones on premade templates.

And the social element remains intact in the digital scrapping world. Many digital scrappers get together to share their digital resources and knowledge about editing programs. They read blogs, attend scrapbook conventions and meet others in online digital scrapbooking chat rooms and forums. It's easier than ever to share a digital scrapbook with anyone, anywhere!

Time and money savings are among other benefits digital scrapbookers realize over glue-and-paper scrapping. In addition, while a traditional scrapbook layout and photos can fade or yellow over time, a computer-generated scrapbook layout is archived in a digital format where it's kept safe from the effects of time, heat, oxidation and other factors. A digital scrapbook layout never loses its detail or color.

Another feature people love about the digital scrapbook is that they can add small notes or embellishments to each photo in the scrapbook layout to convey the story more vividly. This allows them to add their own creativity to the scrapbook layout.

With digital photography rising quickly, many scrapbookers edit all their photos on the computer before they ever put them in an album. They remove red eyes, crop distracting backgrounds and enhance the color of images, sharpening the overall effect of their digital scrapbook and giving it a professional look.

Traditional scrappers are realizing they don't have to learn programming to create a digital scrapbook or photo collage. This part of the digital scrapbook has been catered to by professionals and is served to the scrapper on a platter in the form of a premade template and scrapbook layout, often featuring themes carrying mass appeal.

Scrapbooking has come a long way since ancient Greece, but its purpose and effects remain the same, and the digital scrapbook will only boost the popularity of this ancient art, helping preserve special memories for centuries to come!

Digital scrapbooking diva Sasha Byers explores the world of documenting memories digitally, providing insight and ideas on how to create digital photo collages and scrapbooks. She offers tips on scrapbooking important events, travels and major life periods such as childhood, school athletics and a child's transition out of the nest. She also debunks common myths about digital scrapbooking and addresses frequent questions on this popular new hobby. Sasha's blogs provide answers, tips and digital scrapbooking ideas to help you create sharper, more attractive scrapbooks in half the time

Learn more about our photo collage maker at the Artopia Photo Collage Maker Community

Connect with others and share your scrapbook layouts at the Artopia Photo Collage Maker Community

Digital Scrapbook Flourishes

A digital scrapbook is an exciting project. With minimal mess, you can gather photos and memories into an electronic scrapbook. From there, you can share individual pages or the entire digital scrapbook via e-mail. You can save the digital scrapbook on CD. You can print your digital scrapbook - as many copies as you desire.

Digital scrapbook flourishes make your work look professional. Well-placed and limited in number, digital scrapbook flourishes can soften sharp corners and add feeling to any page.

Define Digital Scrapbook Flourishes

Digital scrapbook flourishes are decorative touches added to photos on the page of a digital scrapbook project.

As in writing, a flourish is an ornamental embellishment, added to make the page showier. Such embellishments appeared frequently in Victorian writing, but are now reserved for things such as certificates where calligraphy appears.

A digital scrapbook flourish might be a sweeping stem of flowers placed across the corner of a photo. It could be a circular "doodle" of intricately interwoven lines. Sometimes, digital scrapbook flourishes take a free art form, flowing loops of color or black sweeping onto the photo from opposite corners.

Brushes or Rubber Stamps

The forerunners of digital scrapbook flourishes are done with "brushes" in conventional scrapbooking. The term "brushes" can be misleading, however, as no artist's or painter's brush is involved. These decorative touches are added with rubber stamps in conventional scrapbooking.

Since digital scrapbooking is done solely on the computer, the "brushes" or "rubber stamps" may be previously created designs placed on the electronic page atop the photo. Another way of producing digital scrapbook flourishes is to use a digital brush to doodle or swirl a design onto the finished page.

Advantages of Digital Scrapbook Flourishes

Many advantages can be gained through the use of digital scrapbook flourishes. A page that is other wise little more than a simple photo album page gains interest, and tells a more complete story through the addition of flourishes. How do flourishes accomplish that?

1. Digital scrapbook flourishes give cohesiveness to a page. For example, a page that features two similar photos can look bare if the two photos sit alone on the background. Look at what a digital scrapbook flourish can do. A flourish can sweep between the photos, crossing one corner of each, and tying them together. A flourish can be echoed from one photo to the next. Place identical flourishes across matching corners to show the photos' relationship. A few small flourishes can flow between the photos, overlapping each photo slightly at one or two spots. All of these, and more, are ways to pull page elements together with digital scrapbook flourishes.

2. Digital scrapbook flourishes can also be used to convey emotion. A photo of a young girl, just home from her first dance, can become wistful and nostalgic if a spray of flowers floats across one corner. A photo of a boy's first baseball game recalls his excitement when a flourish of a trophy is added.

3. Finally, a digital scrapbook flourish can simply make a dull page showy. Think of an official royal decree. It would carry as much power on a plain piece of paper, provided it had the proper seal. But a flourish or two makes it showy - gives it importance. Digital scrapbook flourishes can do the same for your electronic page.

Sources for Digital Scrapbook Flourishes

The best source for digital scrapbook flourishes may be your own skill and a good computer graphics program. If you are comfortable with using such a program, and know your way around it, you can find many built-in flourishes, as well as tools to create your own flourishes.

If you do it yourself, you can create digital scrapbook flourishes from a bit of your digital scrapbook paper design. Simple capture the flower or design element you want for a flourish and "clean" it, removing unwanted background colors. Place the finished flourish on your page and see how well it ties in with the background. Change its color, if desired, for more contrast.

Most digital scrapbook software includes flourishes and embellishments. If you are using such a program, look for "brushes" or "stamps" to use.

Websites that retail digital scrapbook supplies will also have digital scrapbook flourishes. Look at their samples to get ideas. Purchase packages of digital scrapbook flourishes from them.

Helpful tip: When you come across a term such as "flourishes" in your digital scrapbook work, pursue it until you understand it. Understanding the "technical talk" is a big part of making a great digital scrapbook.

©2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart invites you to read more of her articles about digital scrapbooking at http://www.scrapbooking-for-fun.com. Anna is posting new articles regularly on that site. You won?t want to miss her recent review of digital scrapbook software.

How To Scrapbook For More Than One Child

Scrapbooking can be a delightful way to corral those family photos and memories into an exciting book. Scrapbooking can be relaxing for you as you do it, and a pleasure as you share it.

Books and articles on scrapbooking for 1 child abound, but suppose you have more than 1 child. Suppose you have 7 children. Then you need a book or article on how to scrapbook for more than 1 child.

You Have Scrapbooking Options

Those who want to scrapbook for more than 1 child have several exciting options.

1. Make a full-blown scrapbook for each. If you have many photos and memories to preserve, this allows the most space for each child. Your scrapbooking will require more time and money, but will be a labor of love.

The book's theme will focus on that one child. Place his or her photo and name on the front, and theme every scrapbooking page to that child's life.

You will use family photos, of course, to show the place the child held in family activities. But you will want pages that focus solely on that child: baby "firsts"; first year of school; favorite hobbies; favorite toys; dreams; birthdays; awards; graduation; etc. If a photo shows two of the children together, focus your journaling on that one child's part in the photo. How did the world look from his eyes or her eyes? Our memories are always, I have found, as seen through our eyes. Do mention the second child, but spotlight the first.

As each child becomes able, he or she can help add new pages to his or her scrapbook. Scrapbooking can be a time of bonding and love that will long be remembered.

When they leave home as young adults, they can take their individual scrapbooks with them. As they mature, they will come to realize what it meant in time, effort, and cost for you to provide these treasured scrapbooking memories.

2. Make a mini scrapbook for each. If you have fewer photos, want to be more selective, or simply have very little time for scrapbooking, a mini scrapbook will still provide individual, tangible memories that can be carried into adult life.

Select just one theme for each double-page spread, with one or two photos on each. Tie the photos together with your theme, mounting them on the same color of torn paper or using identical frames.

Mini scrapbooking will not allow for as many family or sibling photos, but remember that this is a book about one child. When you make a mini scrapbook for each child, you can rest assured that each will get full attention. There will be no "left-out" feelings.

A mini scrapbook can be no larger than 6" x 6". Or it can be half the size of a standard letter: 5.5" x 8.5". You can read details about how to make your own mini scrapbooks in my article entitled, "How to do Mini Scrapbooks".

Digital mini scrapbooks would be interesting for children, since they live in a computerized world. Digital mini scrapbooks can be less expensive to make, and people who are comfortable with one of the computer graphics programs, such as "Adobe PhotoShop", will be able to apply interesting effects that are not possible with conventional scrapbooking.

3. Make a family scrapbook for each. A third way to scrapbook for more than one child is to make a family scrapbook for each. Less attention will be paid to individual children, in such a book, and focus placed on the entire family unit.

Your scrapbooking theme is your entire family, including every family member. Place the family name on the cover, and a nice family photo, if you wish. On the title page, write a note about the family as a whole.

Scrapbooking a single volume of memories will call for both family memories and individual memories. Theme your pages to focus on high lights of family life. Begin with Dad and Mom - the wedding, especially. You will still have a scrapbooking page for each child's birth, but there will probably be insufficient space for every "first" of every child. Try to include true highlights of each child's life. Include amusing times as well as those that were less pleasant. Include school events; sports; musical interests; birthdays; awards, graduations, and family pets.

You may still want to include your children's scrapbooking efforts as they become old enough to take part in the process. Scrapbooking family memories will give opportunity to discuss those memories, and solidify them in each one's mind.

When each child leaves home, for college attendance, to marry, etc., make a copy of the book as it is at that time, and present it as a going-away gift. Office supply stores or copy centers can copy each page in color on heavy paper or cardstock, and bind them with s durable spiral binding. Covers can be copied in color or black and white on cover stock.

Your scrapbooking gifts will vary for each child, according to when they leave home, but personal family memories of their time at home will be preserved.

4. Make a Perpetual Digital Scrapbook. If you want to scrapbook for more than 1 child with the least time involvement, you may want to consider a perpetual digital scrapbook.

Digital scrapbooking may contain hundreds, or even thousands, of pages, and yet take up no more space than a small computer CD. Digital scrapbooks allow you to add pages, even when the family is grown and dispersed.

Digital scrapbooks need never be printed. You can include individual pages of every child's "firsts" as well as all of your family photos. Throughout life, you can continue to make pages. As each is completed, simply attach it to e-mail and send it to every family member. They can add each page to their scrapbooking CD, and continue the family album.

TIP: A digital scrapbook on a CD in a bank safe deposit box is the safest way to store your family memories. Your digital scrapbook will be safe from fire, floods, and other disasters.

©2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart invites you to read more of her articles about scrapbooking at http://www.scrapbooking-for-fun.com Anna is posting new articles every week on that site, each one dealing with a scrapbooking topic. If you decide to solve the problem of how to scrapbook for more than 1 child by doing a digital mini scrapbook as suggested above, you won?t want to miss her article on the subject.

Scrapbook Albums and How to Construct One

Your honeymoon was delightful. You spent 11 days in Bora Bora, and now you'd like to capture those memories in one place. A friend suggested a scrapbook album, but you don't know how to construct a scrapbook album.

Honeymoon scrapbook albums can be fun to make, even if you have never tried one before. Tropical scrapbook albums also are exciting. When one combines the best of tropical scrapbook albums and honeymoon scrapbook albums, the results can be amazing. But how do you make scrapbook albums?

Let's look at the steps.

How to Construct a Scrapbook Album - Step 1

Scrapbook albums come in a range of materials, sizes, and styles. The first step in constructing scrapbook albums is choosing the album itself.

1. Materials: Leather scrapbook albums are likely to be the most expensive. Honeymoon scrapbook albums are precious, however, and you may want to choose durable leather for yours. Cloth-covered scrapbook albums are also a good choice. Some have a window opening on the front cover for a special photo. The cloth used is usually book cloth, so it is strong. Cheap scrapbook albums are also available. These are usually made of heavy cover stock, plain or covered with paper.

2. Sizes: Standard scrapbook albums have a useable page size of 12x12 inches. The scrapbook album itself may measure 13x14 inches or more, but part of that is the book's spine. Some scrapbook albums are larger - as large as 18x20 inches. Smaller scrapbook albums are as small as 4x6 inches. As a novice, you may want to select from the standard scrapbook albums, since scrapbook supplies are made to that standard.

3. Styles: As the popularity of scrapbooking has increased, the variety of styles in scrapbook albums has mushroomed. Plain cover scrapbook albums come in many colors. Some scrapbook albums have a military-themed cover, featuring the military branch and a gold plated service medallion. Others have a Disney theme, with Mickey Mouse and friends adorning the cover. Tropical scrapbook albums, which you might choose for a honeymoon in Bora Bora, would be attractive in scrapbook albums with a bright red or blue Hibiscus-patterned cloth cover. You might even find unique Bora Bora scrapbook albums.

How to Construct a Scrapbook Album - Step 2

Once you have selected a scrapbook album, you need to sort the photos and memorabilia you will use. Pay attention to the theme of each piece as well as the colors.

How to Construct a Scrapbook Album - Step 3

Honeymoon scrapbook albums already have an overall theme - the honeymoon. Your next step will be to decide sub-themes for each 2-page spread. For example, you might have a theme of arrival at Bora Bora, with approach photos of the island from the air. This theme could also include photos taken upon landing. First impressions are important memories. Lay out your photos, deciding a theme for each page or 2-page spread. Then move to the next step.

How to Construct a Scrapbook Album - Step 4

Background papers are a good way to tie pages together. Scrapbooking paper in standard 12x12 inch size comes in a multitude of colors and patterns. Plain paper is also available. Be sure you purchase paper that is acid free to protect your photos and memorabilia. Choose paper to complement the photos on each page.

How to Construct a Scrapbook Album - Step 5

With your scrapbook album paper in place, arrange photos. Resist crowding your pages with photos. You will need space for notes and other elements. You might want to add a bit of torn paper beneath photos to set them off from the background. On come pages, you may want to put a paper frame around the photos. Such scrapbooking supplies are available at scrapbooking stores and websites.

How to Construct a Scrapbook Album - Step 6

After you arrange and affix the photos, it's time to add journaling. "Journaling" is nothing more than notes or captions that help explain the photos. You may have a memory of what was said when a certain photo was taken - or a comment about what happened immediately before or after. Journaling can be done on small pieces of paper that are added to scrapbook albums much as photos are added.

How to Construct a Scrapbook Album - Step 7

The final touch in constructing scrapbook albums is to add embellishments, charms, stickers, and other small pieces that add interest. Honeymoon scrapbook albums might include small hearts or kisses. Bora Bora scrapbook albums, or other tropical scrapbook albums, might include small sandals or seashells.

The Easier Route!

If construction of scrapbook albums "from scratch" sounds too complicated, or too time-consuming, you may want to purchase a scrapbooking honeymoon kit!

©2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart invites you to read more of her articles about scrapbooking at http://www.scrapbooking-for-fun.com. Anna is regularly posting new articles on that site, all dealing with scrapbooking topics. If you would like scrapbook layout information, you won?t want to miss her article on the subject.

The Amazing Page: 650 Scrapbook Page Ideas, Tips and Techniques (Memory Makers)

This book takes two of scrapbooking's bestselling topics, page idea galleries and page layout sketches, and combines them into one block-buster book! "The Amazing Page" offers readers even more top-notch scrapbook pages under a wide umbrella of popular, tried-and-true themes including family, homes, falling in love, babies, toddlers, kids, teens, husbands, travel, sports and much more. This book offers a wealth of page ideas for any scrapbooker, beginner to advanced, plus a CD-ROM with 75 of the best page layout sketches based on the pages in the book. A colossal gallery of never-before-published, contemporary artwork from our Memory Makers readers, "The Amazing Page" is sure to inspire any scrapbooker seeking to capture precious memories and everyday moments in their scrapbooks.
Price: $24.99

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The Scrapbook Embellishment Handbook

Your Go-To Guide for Embellishing Layouts

Oodles of embellishments can leave you overwhelmed, wondering how to use them on a page. Or maybe you're just tired of using the same ol' techniques. What you need is a resource full of fresh ideas for us

Price: $24.99

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Scrapbook Page Maps: Sketches For Creative Layouts

This title provides perfect solution to help busy or aspiring scrapbookers with a new project. With over 90 sketches and corresponding pieces of art for scrapbook layouts, readers can select photographs, choose papers and embellishments, and then bring the page together quickly and easily.This title includes a deck of cards which doubles up as a helpful resource tool, with a supply list and page number cross-referencing that sketch back to the book.
Price: $24.99

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601 Great Scrapbook Ideas

Something for everyone: The sheer volume of layouts broadens the market for this book to scrapbookers of any skill level.

Includes 500-550 all new, never-before-publishes layouts, plus sidebars, callouts, and tips for 601 great ideas.

When it comes to having layouts in a scrapbooking book or magazine, more is definitely better. With layouts and tips contributed by readers in a general call and by our cast of paid contributors, 601 is brimming with information and ideas. Supplies lists are included for each layout, and notable techniques and stories-behind-the-page are featured in callouts. Sidebars and tips are scattered throughout the book.

Price: $24.99

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Cherish : Scrapbook Layouts Made Beautifully Simple

A stunning collection of two page scrapbook concepts from Close to My Heart Founder Jeanette Lynton. Features 50 brand new designs with detailed dimensions and cutting diagrams. Step by Step assembly instructions and tips for learning unique art techniques, and recipes for each layout.

Price:

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