An Introduction to Scrapbooking

A scrapbook is literally a photo album made out of scraps for re-living your happiest memories hence it is often refered to as a memory album. That is how it started initially. People wanted to do more with their pictures and started to decorate their albums with all kinds of scrap material they could find, buttons, fibres, stickers, fabric left over’s, coloured paper etc. Nowadays still a lot of people keep all their left over’s but you can also buy hundreds of specially made paper lines and embellishments to make your scrap album even more attractive. A new hobby was born.

But why do people scrapbook? You might have seen it or it might have happened to you. Several years ago you went on a holiday, upon coming back you've had all your photo’s developed and arranged them in a flip album. Your friends are going this year and you want to show them all the beautiful places you have already seen, but want to make sure they see them too. Very quickly you realise you don't quite remember where the places are situated, when you where there or even the name of the places you visited. You do recognise your "camping neighbours" but their names are forgotten. Or you flip through your own baby album and realise you don't know half the people that held you as a baby, because your parents didn't write down the names and relation or your age on that specific picture? You just don't know it.

A good scrapbook prevents these kind of things happening. In a scrapbook you can put all your memories. For example you can include your entrance tickets (just adhere them to the page or put them in an envelope, you can write your own story down (why was I there and who with), in short: in a scrapbook you can put anything that is important to you and what you still want to remember in 10 years time or longer. Scrapbooking can be done in regular albums, but you can also choose to use the special scrapbook albums which are available and specially designed for the purpose with expandable albums.  

You need to consider the size of the album you require and this may depend on how much material you have to catalogue, we recommend the 12” x 12” size because the range of papers in this size is vast and the size makes it easier to compose all the items you want in it.

A scrap album can be made for different styles and subjects. You may  want to make a separate album of your holidays, or choose to make an album for each of your children (book of...). Everyone develops their own style, you can scrap "basic" or very vibrant, you can use cardstock or designer papers. Every album gets its own personality. There are many different materials available for scrapbooking, like different designer papers, fibres, embellishments etc. for you to make your scrap album even better looking.

How to begin

Obviously you need pictures. No pictures, no album.

If you start scrapping your holiday, gather all your travel documents. Also find your entrance tickets to museums, amusement parks, correspondence with the travel agency, hotel and restaurant bills. All these items can be put in your album. If you are going to scrap your (or someone else’s wedding) don't forget the wedding invite, place card, order of service, a copy of the marriage certificate, speeches by family/friends, a piece of cloth that the wedding dress is made from... anything you decide. If scrapping a baby album what about the ultra-sound scan, name tag, birth weight, copy of birth certificate, midwife's comments – what was she called? cards for congratulations on the baby.

For every album you can write down a list of items that should be in your album. Consider answering the 5 “Wh” questions to make sure you capture all the information. Write down where you were, who was present, when you were there, what you were doing there, why you were there.

Once you have gathered everything, it is time to gather the materials and tools you need.

What do you need

Scissors, ruler, pencil and (acid free) adhesive are tools you definitely need, a cutting mat is advisable. Are you a card maker all ready? Use the materials you use to create your cards as well (punches, paper edgers, rubber stamps, acrylic paint, decoupage pictures etc. An album and backing paper are needed as well. If you decide you like scrapbooking you can consider buying extra tools like a Cricut machine, Cuttlebug machine, eyelet setters, stamps, punches etc. It is certainly not necessary for the beginning. The most needed tools are: scissors, ruler, pencil, adhesive, crafts knife and paper, cutting mat

Choosing paper and embellishments

There are different kinds of paper available. You can choose plain cardstock or designer papers or you can choose vellum (parchment paper). Papers and vellums are available in flat plain or designer paper or embossed designs. All the papers available can be embellished to your own personal liking using ink, chalk, sanding paper etc.Once the paper is chosen, you can look at the embellishments that will finish your layout. Embellishments are widely available in all kinds of form (paper, metal, acrylic, leather, fabric, felt and also fibres, ribbons and from paper off-cuts to die cuts). If you are an absolute beginner, layout templates can provide the start you are looking for?

Begin… Once you've finally arrived home you can start scrapping. Place everything you want to use in front of you, make sure you've got a good overview of all your materials and have a good light source. Take a good look at your pictures, can you crop (cut) some? Are they all of good quality? If you've got pictures you need to crop, this will be the first thing to do.

Done that? Then start matting your pictures. A mat is a small edge along your picture that makes your picture jump out of the page as though it has been framed. If you have matted your pictures, you can start the layout. Try not to place too many pictures at once on your layout. Start with 2 or 3 pictures (normal size approx. 4” x 6”). Keep an open space for your title and think about the form you want the title in (handwritten, punched, alphabet templates). The form of the title (and the length of it of course) decides the space you need for it. Arrange all the items you want in your layout on the background paper. When everything is at your liking, adhere them, consider using repositionable adhesives or photo-glue so you can always move them without damaging your photo’s. Do not adhere in between if you're not fully satisfied! This leaves you no room to change things.

Tips & tricks for scrapbooking

Tips for Holiday Album 

• When visiting more than one city (a tour through a country for example), first take a picture of the name plate of the city. You will then have a clear image of where you were then and what you have done there. Repeat this for every city you visit. This way you will never have to ask yourself "what did I do in what city". 
• Consider keeping a journal as you travel that contains dates and what you have done on that date.

Tips for Baby Album

• Have a nice overview of everyone that has come to visit and hold your baby. Compiling also prevents taking a lot of (valuable) space in your album, without losing information. Don't forget to put the names with the pictures! Some people you are close with now sometimes disappear out of your life. And although you know who's who, your child doesn't!
• The first picture taken of your child, is when your baby is still inside the womb (at least if an ultra-sound is performed). Usually you get a copy of this picture. Try to include this picture in your pregnancy layouts. This way, this very special first picture won't end up in drawers or even worse lost or thrown away.

Tips for “Book of…”

One of the most common albums is a "book of ...". This can be an album of yourself or an album of (each of) your children. If you have more than 1 child, it is nice to create an album for each child beginning at birth and ending when he or she leaves the house. One choice is to create spreads containing one year, another choice you can make is to create spreads containing the most memorable moments (of course you can also combine it). Just think about the following moments

• Baby Bath
• First day at school/nursery;
• First birthday party and/or coming of age party;
• First Holidays
• First Christmas
• First night over at/with...;
• First love
• School Leavers /Prom

Tips for a wedding album

An album on your marriage is an album everyone flips through. The problem with this album is that you don't have any insight on the pictures that are taken; you are one of the main participants and can't be bothered with making pictures. You have two options: let the photographers/guests surprise you with their pictures (and risk not having the pictures you want) or try to make a compromise with the photographers on what kind pictures you want for your album. Think for example about the following subjects.

• Dressing of the bride and groom;
• Usher/maid of honour, bridesmaids/groomsmen, ring bearer/flower girl;
• Close up taken from the flowers that are spread on the floor;
• Bouquet;
• Family pictures with bride/groom;
• Presents and congratulation-round;
• Acts that are performed during the ceremony;
• Officials that take part (vicar/priest for example);
• Rings and wedding-act;