Five Easy Steps to scrapbooking

STEP 1 - ORGANIZE YOUR PHOTOS (DO IT LIKE A PROFESSIONAL)

The first step in learning to scrapbook is to swiftly organize your photos.  After all, scrapbooking is all about showcasing your photos.  You want easy access to the pictures that you’ll be using rather than having to paw through hundreds of photos. Using manila file folders, write down one category per folder.  You might want to consider folders for:

Relatives

Friends

Birthday celebration

Graduation

Wedding

Baby arrival

Vacation

Baptism

Wedding anniversary

Sort through your photos and place them in the suitable folders.  As you begin sorting, you’ll most likely come up with added categories.  Toss out any blurry or poor photos.  Once all of the photos have been organized, place the folders in a portable file bin or even a cardboard box.

STEP 2 - CHOOSE AN INSPIRATIONAL THEME

The next step in learning how to scrapbook is to choose the theme for your scrapbook.  This is the fun start of becoming imaginative!  Do you want to recapture your wedding day? 

Did you and your family have a great trip to the zoo and you can’t wait to do something with all of the pictures that you took and the postcards that you purchased?  Did your husband run his first 5K and you want to document the experience?  The great thing about scrapbooking is that themes are limitless!  Whatever it is that you’re excited about, can be used as a scrapbook theme.

You’ll also need to decide if the scrapbook is something you’re making for someone else or for yourself.  A scrapbook album makes a much tailored gift that will be treasured by the other person for years to come.

STEP 3 - BEGIN WITH BASIC SUPPLIES

As you learn to scrapbook, you’ll want to have some basic supplies on hand.  Some of these items you may already have and others will need to be purchased:

Scissors

Easy stick adhesives or glue sticks

An album with sheet protectors

Paper trimmer

Markers

Coloured cardstock

Themed or pattern scrapbook pages

Ruler

Oval template

Embellishments such as stickers and buttons

You’ll find these supplies at most any craft supply store, a large store that has a craft department or some items can even be found at a dollar store.  Exercise caution while walking through the scrapbooking aisles!  You’ll see a lot of fun items, but stick with the basics and over time you can add to it.

STEP 4 - CREATING SCRAPBOOK PAGES WITH OVERWHELMING APPEAL AND LITTLE SWEAT

Now that you have a theme in mind and basic supplies on hand, the next step in learning to scrapbook is having fun forming the pages!  Govern in advance, how many pages you want to work with.  For your first album, you might want to keep it small–the front and back of five or six pages.

Most scrapbook albums contain pages and protective covers.  Pull out the pages and set the protective covers aside.  As you design each scrapbook page, choose one photo as your main focal point for each page.  Then decide if you want to add one or two other smaller photos to the page.  Keeping your pages to three photos or less will help viewers to focus on the main picture; otherwise it can be too overpowering.

Choose a pattern or themed paper for each page and cover the entire page.  To keep your scrapbook album from looking “too busy”, use the same paper for each side-by-side page.  Using the oval template, make a border for your main photo.  Trace the template over the other photos and cut the photos into oval shapes.  Place the pictures where you want on the page and add a few words to the page.  You can use a black marker, type the words and cut them out, or use words from a magazine page.  Keep it fun.

STEP 5 - ADDING YOUR PERSONAL TOUCH

The final steps as you learn scrapbooking is to add your personal touch.  Trim the pages with paper borders or ribbons.  Add add-ons such as buttons, confetti, ticket stubs or sequins.  These little touches will make all the difference!  Place the pages in the protective covers and then into the scrapbook album.  You now have an album that others will “ouu” and “ahh” about!