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.
By Stephanie Boyle
Here is a an example of a scrapbooking page I have done. As you see there is no scripting on this page, however it is very easy to see what I was remembering.
By using the hockey ticket as memorabilia, it showcases the date, time and even location of where I was so there was not much of a need for scripting.
As a tip you always want to have the date somewhere's on the page, so looking back you will be able to know when the day is you were trying to remember. Remember, you are making the page to singnify a special occassion, or something memorable to you. Everyone may have something different that they find meaningful, but what is important to you about the page is what you want to signify. The scrapbook is made up of your memories, not everyone elses.
This is another scrapbooking page I did. I actually have a full scrapbook dedicated to this trip as it was very important to me. I had never been on a plane before so these were the first photos I took while up in the air, and my airline tickets are placed here to show the date. This is the first page out of the scrapbook, so this is like the introduction page, explaining what is to come.
Remember, scrapbooking is telling a story. You want someone to be able to read, understand and follow through with everything even though you may not be there to explain this to them. I will give you some more tips and ideas in my later posts.
By Stephanie Boyle
When I start scrapbooking, how do I know what not to do? I know we all ask ourselves those questions when you start a new project or a new hobby. There is so many things you can do, and nothing is wrong in the scrapbooking world. There are just a few pointers of things that will help you save time along the way and create a better scrapbook to keep your memories.
First of all digital prints for cameras is the only way to go. You can use a regular 35 mm to take your pictures however you will not be taking as many photos. In which case you may lose out on some vital moments and photos that would have worked great in a scrapbook. By using digital photography, you end up taking more pictures of an event so you have more to choose from. Another benefit of using digital prints is that way if you end up cutting a photo and changing your mind, you can always throw that away and all you have to do is go to your computer and get another copy of the same photo printed. No worries, no loss. You can also minimize or enlarge you pictures on the computer to fit with the page you are looking to make.
Second of all, make sure you have all the tools you will need and of good quality. They do not need to be the most expensive tools but they need to work well. If you try using a product that does not work well or scissors that are not sharp, you will have difficulties along the way creating your scrapbook. It also will not look completely finished unless you have the right tools.
Third of all, look at books for ideas, don't use them as a step by step guideline of the page you are looking to do. Use your imagination, have fun making the page as these are your memories, not anyone else's.
By Stephanie Boyle
Starting off I was a little unsure of what I needed for scrapbooking. There are so many tools out on the market it's hard to decide what you need sometimes. To start scrapbooking all you need is a regular pair of scissors, photo safe glue, paper, some photos and of course your scrapbook. I started off buying all my needs at a crafting store and then as I continued, I realized you can find your materials almost anywheres now.
Your local dollar store is always a good place to start. They normally have a wide variety of stickers and items you can use for scrapbooking. I buy almost all my stickers there because they are such a good price and work very well. They also have the cardstock and accessories that you may need as well. You can always go to Walmart as well, their crafts section is always expanding.
As you proceed you can always pick up items along the way. Craft scissors are always nice to have as they can turn a page into something very artistic. An exacto knife can also help to cut photos in a straight line by just using an exacto knife as well as a flat ruler. If one side is raised a little bit, flip the ruler over to make sure you have a perfectly straight line. Remember to keep stuff from around the house and memorabilia as they are great accessories to put on a scrapbooking page. I will show you some of my scrapbook pages later on and show you how the things you keep from around the house can help you along your way.
By Stephanie Boyle
Scrapbooking, we've all wondered how to get started before and this is how I started my scrapbook. Go through your pictures and start picking out the ones you would want to make a page for. Pick a story you want to tell, something that is important to you. Whether it’s a birthday party, anniversary, vacation or any event that’s special in a person’s life. I’ve made various scrapbook pages, some of which I will show you later on.
First of all set up a space in which it makes it easy for you to do scrapbooking. Making it too difficult to get started makes it easy for you to not follow through, just like any diet out on the market. If you cannot find a space that you can set up your scrapbooking. Get a plastic container the 3 or 7 drawer ones. Place all your scrapbooking stuff in there, that way all you have to do is wheel it out into your kitchen or any other place in which you could do your scrapbooking. For Scrapbooking it’s just like crafts. Keep items you will find around the house such as: Scraps of ribbon, buttons, and string. Also keep items from your special occasions such as a wedding invitation, a napkin from a birthday or anniversary, a key card from a hotel you may have visited, airline tickets, the options are endless.
Now lets get into the good stuff, shopping for supplies!
By Stephanie Boyle
Scrapbooking I know myself sometimes it is hard to get started at a hobby or any project, but Scrapbooking is definitely a worthwhile hobby to get started in. I myself had a hard time starting until I started making one for my grandparents for their 50th anniversary. After completing the scrapbook I realized how much I wanted to get into it myself and how it is a great way to tell a story.
We have all heard of scrapbooking in magazines, television shows and from family and friends, but has any of us stopped and wondered what scrapbooking actually is? I had before I got started so I'm sure others have as well so let's look into that.
Scrapbooking is basically a way of story telling. Taking photos, media, memorabilia we arrange them in a way we would tell a story to someone who was not there when it happened. You want to have a combination of written work, and photos, so if you weren't there to explain what was going on in the photos to someone they would know exactly what you were trying to get across through reading the scripting and looking at the pictures.
Sound Interesting?
Next we will look at how to get started at making a scrapbook of your own!