Learn to Scrapbook in 4 EASY Steps!

Scrapbooking is a fun hobby that many people are afraid to get into. If you walk into a scrapbook store you can easily get overwhelmed with all the products that are available and just walk out! Creating albums is an important way to preserve ones memories and can be handed down generation after generation. I have created a guide that will help you start scrapbooking in 4 EASY steps. You don’t need all the frills, fancy paper, stickers (although they are fun to use) to get started. Creating albums needs to be all about the pictures and the stories that are behind them. There are some basic things you need to know before you get started. You must use durable albums with pages that are acid-free, lignin-free and buffered. All of your papers, stickers and other embellishments (if you choose to use them) must be acid-free and pens that are used for journaling and/or decorating should be made with a pigment ink that resists fading and bleeding. 4 EASY Steps to Get Started:

1.) Select the best photos for your page. Sometimes we take so many pictures of the same thing. Just pick your favorite/best ones to use on your page. You may have to crop your photos down so that the object is centered, or to cut off part of the photo that doesn’t look good (for example, someone’s arm that you don’t know).

2.) After you have selected and cropped your photos, the next step is the mount your photos and enhancements using a photo-safe adhesive. Need page layout ideas?

3.) The third step is journaling. Many people don’t like this step but it is the most important one. Every picture has a story behind it and needs to be told. I believe journaling is best done in your own handwriting although you can also type your journaling or use stickers. If you use your own handwriting the album will mean so much more to future generations. Handwriting is like a fingerprint, it is unique to each individual.

4.) The last step is to add any extra enhancements or color to your page. This can be done using pens, stickers, and papers. There are so many products on the market today but remember less is more. Don’t enhance so much so that all you see are decorations because you don’t want to take away from what you are really creating – a photo album, memory album. If you follow these simple, EASY steps you will find yourself creating beautiful albums quickly and easily. Don’t be afraid to just jump into it. Once you get started you will have so much fun. Remember to focus on the photos and the stories behind them. You will have so much fun sharing your albums with friends and family.