Scrapbooking Tips Information and Techniques

By Stephanie Boyle

Scrapbooking, why do we do it? We all have different reasons as to why we scrapbook and what we get out of it. Your reason for scrapbooking is very personal. Here are a couple different reasons as to why people scrapbook and may even give you some ideas on different scrapbooks to start.

This is what started me in scrapbooking. I started a scrapbook for my grandparents 50th anniversary. So I was making the scrapbook as a gift to them. Gift albums have become very popular over the last few years as it is a very personal gift that you've worked very hard to make for the recipient. This is a very treasured gift that can be added on for different occassions that have come to pass.

This kinda ties in to how I started my scrapbooking as well. Many people do this to document a family history. Photos are a great way to document these events and keep them in an organized fashion as well as the journaling which talks about key points as to why this is important. Long after the people are gone, the scrapbook keeps their faces and words familiar for the entire family.

Many people enjoy scrapbooking to tell stories. All you have to do is record small bits of information which could be a joke, a part of a conversation or anything like that. Use those pieces of information in the hournaling and it will continue to tell your story long after the event has passed. Use the photos as your starting point, then fill in essential info such as when, where and why the picture was taken. Most of all in any scrapbooking, do not forget to write who is in the pictures.

Scrapbooking is a great way to get your photos organized. We all have boxes of photos that we haven't put in albums, haven't sorted out and most of all haven't looked at in years. This is a good reason to start scrapbooking. It will get you to sort through your photos and pick out your favorites to make scrapbook pages.

Another reason people have begun scrapbooking is to help heal themselves after a tragedy. A loss of a loved one, or a personal illness is hard for anyone. When the pain has passed or even to help you move on from the pain may be to start a scrapbook. Scrapbooking helps you to relive the good times shared, tell the stories of those times so everyone can remember the good times. This can be very therapeutic to help the healing process.

Many people start baby albums. We used to buy the premade books that our parents used to fill in for us. I'm sure we have all had one of those from our childhoods. The baby albums in scrapbooking are much better. You can input the information you want in it. Document your feelings and thoughts as the birth approached as well as post birth. These make great memorabilia albums for the future.

Whatever your reason for scrapbooking, it is a beautiful hobby to get into. This gives you a feeling of accomplishment as you work through the pages and tell the many stories.

By Stephanie Boyle



Journaling is just as important to your scrapbook as the photos and the memorabilia you add to it. Too many people add the photos but forget the planning of where the journaling is supposed to go. Plan ahead so you will know where everything is supposed to go before you start attatching anything that will not be able to be removed from the pages. Journaling can be placed anywhere's on the pages. They can go across the top or the bottom, down the sides or even go around the photos. Some may partially sit over die cuts, or part of photos. With a little creativity you can find space to even out or add a few well chosen words to a page that will make a huge difference.



First step is GO AROUND IT. Journaling around photo mats is the easiest solution to a page that just seems like it has no space left, but you have a few words you want to place on it. It takes up virtually no space at all and looks great.



EXTEND IT, page extenders work great for some pages which you have a little more information you want to put on it so people really understand the story. These are especially useful for monumental occasions, or even just something that was important to you. All you have to do with these is fold the pages shut back into the book.



These are two options of how to make room on an already crowded page. I know we all even the most avid scrapbookers have had many pictures you wanted to use and when you got to the point of journaling had to use one of these steps to get it in.

By Stephanie Boyle

There are many types of journaling out there. Each works well for different types of pages. Some work well with pages that need little information, others work well for pages that require much more information.


Bullet journaling is a quick and easy way to get the facts on the pages without having to make sentences and paragraphs. The bullets will supply the basics such as who, what, when, where and why the photos were taken. This is good if you have alot of information you want to get on the page, but making it into sentences and paragraphs would make to much information to read.


Short Caption Journaling is a way of telling a story briefly and concisely without writing out a long story. Sometimes so much information can be spoken in very few words. Include information such as who, where, what and when and then add a few interesting details. Basically say the information you need to say and then move on to the next one.


Perspective journaling reflects the memories, feelings, thoughts and impressions of others. Ask friends and family members what their thoughts were on an important occasion. A few sentences are fine from each person. The more perspectives you include in your scrapbook, the more stories and voices you will be adding to your album.

Poetic journaling uses songs, bible quotes, stories, book titles and any published piece of writing and uses it in your journaling. This can rhyme or be free verse, be published or written by yourself. Either way by using poetic journaling this is helping you depict a story and this is a natural choice for historical, holiday, wedding, anniversary, travel and even children's theme albums. Poetic journaling can be as simple or as complex as you want and can easily just be a sentimental saying.


Storytelling journaling goes beyond the basic information and goes deeper into the history behind the pictures and the memorabilia. These are normally narrative. Just like a novel, this type of journaling brings out sense of light, smell, sound and touch to establish a mood and carry your story from there. Text in this type of journaling tends to be longer and offers a deeper description of things. Some good tips for storytelling journaling is write like you would speak. Choose a story beginning that gets the readers attention and makes them want to read on. Make sure the end of the story leaves the reader feeling content with the ending. Don't be afraid to tell the whole story, the good, the bad and the ugly.

Rebus journaling uses words and small pictures in the same sentence. Some example would be instead of the word "I" some would draw an eye. Instead of the word love, they would draw a heart. Get the idea? Rebus journaling takes some time and planning but will end up with a very unique page for you and your family.



So basically there are so many different types of journaling you need to look and find which would work best for your page.Where there are so many different types, make sure you try using all of them in your scrapbook. By switching the journaling types around it creates a very special scrapbook that allows you to show off your family's achievements as well as your creativity.

By Stephanie Boyle



Journaling, when we start journaling we all have our fears about it. They vary from your handwriting to not thinking you'll have enough information written on the page. There are so many things that people think and worry about that they need not worry.



I hate my handwriting, I've heard that alot over the years. This is what I tell people about their handwriting. Handwriting is as individual as the person writing the words, no two people have the same handwriting. Your writing says so much about you and the times we live in. Throughout times different periods have placed different importance in penmanship than others. There is something very special about looking at a handwritten journal from decades ago especially when the family members have long passed. The strictness in writing of some and the uneven swoops, swirls and crooked writing say alot about of personalities.



I'm a messy writer and don't want that in my scrapbook. If you can't write straight or wanted to do something a bit fancier, this is a trick that I've used, because I for one cannot write straight on an unlined sheet of paper. Plan out what you're going to write, and how you're going to write it. Clean writing is often the result of good planning. Use a ruler using vanishing ink or try a template, both work really well and turn out great writing. Remember take your time, writing will turn out much better if you relax and take you're time, why are you rushing for?



So remember, writing does not have to be perfect because it is an extension of you. If your writing really does bother you though, there are many computer programs out there you can buy to use. Some have realistic writing which could work well if you want to have something that ;looks like you could have written it. Either way have a great time and your journaling will be perfect.

By Stephanie Boyle



Heritage scrapbooking may be some of the most important scrapbooking you can do and may also be the most difficult. In Heritage Scrapbooking you will have to research information and where it is not about yourself you will want to make sure you have the most accurate information you can find.



There are a few tips as to where information can be found that I figured I'd share. I know many of us out there would like to start a heritage scrapbook to show where we came from, but we do not know where to start, here goes.



#1. Ask family members or friends, this is the easiest most effective way if possible. They can share their memories or share memories of stories they had heard over the years.



#2. Look in family Bibles, sometimes dates of weddings, births and deaths may be noted.



#3. Read old family letters, diaries and other documents. What better way to learn about the people we are scrapbooking about than reading their diaries and other documents that may have pertinent information.



#4. Visit cemeteries of where family members were buried. See if there are any special quotes on gravestones, or something noted that may be of importance.



#5. Search newspapers for references of family members. Online searches can prove to be very effective as well to find any reference of your family member, just be sure it is the correct person.



#6. Find school yearbooks to find pictures of them in high school. That way you can also find out if they were the members of any sports teams, student government, the newspaper, or any other clubs at school.



#7. Go through old family documents, you may be able to find some very interesting stuff in and old box of papers.



#8. Contact and join a genealogical or historical society in the area in which you are interested. These societies have tons of information that becoming a member will give you access to.



#9. If you are a U.S. resident, use the census information. Pick up a genealogy book in order to find out how to access it and what types of information it may give you access to.



#10. Search county courthouse records for information on weddings, divorces, property records, wills and deeds.



These are great places to start to look for information. Parents and grandparents houses are often full of information that has been gathered over the years. Old photos that can be scanned and reprinted, just keep an eye out for anything you may want to use.

By Stephanie Boyle

Journaling is a very important feature in scrapbooking. Scrapbook journaling isn't about how much you write, it's about the quality of information you share with others through the journaling. Well journaled scrapbooks reinforce the pictures by telling their story rather than just showing what is displayed. Before you begin to write you will need to know what to write. Make sure you have all the facts before you try to proceed. Here are a few questions you'll want to ask yourself when trying to figure out what to write.

First of all you must ask "What?", What is going on in the pictures?, What event is taking place in the pictures?, What was being said?, What happened before, while and after the photo was taken?, What inspired the expressions in the pictures? If you can answer these questions by your journaling, that is a good start.

Second of all, you must as "when?". When was the photo taken? (day, month, and year are all important factors) Was this a special holiday or celebration and which one was it?

Third of all, and a very important factor for future generations is "Who?". Who are the people in the photos? Make sure to give their full names both first and last. Are they friends or relatives? Who was at the event but is not included in any of the photos.

And last of all, "Where?". Where did the event take place? Why was this event important in your life, or something you want to remember? How did you chose to use these photos?

In addition to these questions you may add many other things. Describe how you felt at that point in time. Add poems, quotes, or sayings that are important or illustrates the theme of the page. Include thoughts, feelings, and words of those shared at an event. Share parts of conversations that happened at the occassion or even jokes that were told.

I know this can seem like a lot of journaling that will have to take place, however some of the questions can be grouped together quite nicely and not all of the questions are required. You just want to make sure the story is being told to it's full potential. You want to make sure it is effective journaling and decades from now, your scrapbook will be able to be enjoyed and many of the questions the onlookers may have will already be answered by the journaling.