Help! Digital Scrapbooking, printing pages or photobooks??? Need to get started

[cadek]

I am years behind. I got hook on traditional scrapbooking with Creative Memories when my son was 1. My boys are now 6 and 9 and I have done albums in years! I have CM Storybook Creator, and I've been trying to do some pages. I'm still learning. Any tips anyone can offer?

My biggest dilemma is how to get things printed. Disney trip or vacation can easily be their own album or photobook... but what about everything else throughout the year? We do lots of small trips. I take photos every month... but I don't want to wait until the end of the year to print a photobook. What do others do. Print 12x12 pages, then put them in an album? What album? Should I continue making my pages in 12x12 layout, get 8x8 pages printed, put in an album, and then at the end of the year print a 12x12 photobook?

I always overthink things and get overwhelmed.

 

[PrincessNancy96]

I'm a true novice when it comes to digital scrapbooking... so I usually only do photobooks for events when I do them digital..

I have considered trying more digital and printing them monthly to put into my albums w/ my traditional pages...

I am so far behind I need to figure out something... but I have photos printed that need to be scrapped now so I can't do them digital because I've already paid to have them printed to traditional...

I did find one site that does 8x8 for 99Cents and 12x12 for 1.99 each...

 

[JohnsonsLoveDisney]

Whats the site Nan? PersnickityPrints has been recommended alot. There pricing is close I think. Cheaper than costco.

I scrap chronologically and I scrap for all 4 of the kids + have a family album and a vacation album for each vacation/trip over 3 days. So I usually scrap an event (holidays, vacations etc) 4-5 times. But I am weird that way and want them to have their own books to take with them and hopefully they wont rip mine apart when I die cause they all have everything.

I am in the same boat as Nan. I have 2 years worth the pics already printed. I am getting them into books now. However I have been collecting loads of Free ( i do have plans to buy some kits soon as i need them) Digital kits, papers, elements etc, through various designers through blogs and facebook. I have done a few pages using these both in CM software and in GIMP-its a free photo editing program. CM has more templates for drop and go. GIMP is all free range.

When I get my stack finished I am going to go through my pics and start scrapping some digital and then print the pics to scrap traditional that I already have paper/embellishments for. Then just put the digital prints in with the others as I move along. This will help move things along since I can just print the digital layout 4-5times and its done, instead of re-scrapping it again and again.

So I think its just what you want to do. Mix digital and traditional pages as you go. Do photo books for big things like Disney. But I would say if you already have albums going then I wouldnt switch over to just photo books. I like things to match

 

[PrincessNancy96]

I'll look for it.. I saved it but of course can't find it in my "favorites" quickly.. DRAT....

We have a basketball game tonight (I do NOT want to go)... but I have to cook dinner because we are NOT eating out... and we have to pay for admission even though it's at home because it's a county tournament.. BLECH!!!

 

[JohnsonsLoveDisney]

I'll look for it.. I saved it but of course can't find it in my "favorites" quickly.. DRAT....

We have a basketball game tonight (I do NOT want to go)... but I have to cook dinner because we are NOT eating out... and we have to pay for admission even though it's at home because it's a county tournament.. BLECH!!!

Ok no hurry. Still working on stack.

Bummer. hopefully its a good game.

 

[mlktwins]

I print mine at Costco, but the store is right down the street -- no shipping fees. They always do a great job.

I use 12x12 CM albums -- love them. I had asked my CM consultant about mixing digital pages (printed and stuck to a traditional 12x12 page) and traditional pages. She showed me an album she did that way and it looked GREAT! She printed in the matte finish for her page prints though (not the glossy finish). After seeing it, I will do the same!

Good luck getting caught up. I have 7.5 year old twins and have yet to do even their baby album. Always seem to be doing something picture related for everyone else. This year is my year I've started on their only Disney trip we took last December.

 

[MarieS]

I have been doing more pages digitally. I print the pages out and put them into albums. Some albums are only digital but some are mixed and I think it looks fine. I like to use Persnickety Prints. They have sales on 12 x 12 prints a couple times a year--sometimes as low as $1.49. They have a flat shipping charge so I wait to print until I have a bunch and there's a sale.

 

[3pletprincesses]

I get them printed at Costco. It's about $2.99 and sometimes less.

 

[3boyz]

I get them printed at Costco. It's about $2.99 and sometimes less.

Eeeeeekkkkk! Don't print at Costco! The colors are horrible and they don't look at borders- mine are always chopped off.
Persnickety Prints all the way for me. Cheaper and better! And they ship same day usually!

 

[PrincessNancy96]

Ok no hurry. Still working on stack.

Bummer. hopefully its a good game.

Finally, sorry it took so long... longer than I expected...
it was Persnickety Prints.. found it in my favorites again when I cleaned and reorganized.

 

[3pletprincesses]

Eeeeeekkkkk! Don't print at Costco! The colors are horrible and they don't look at borders- mine are always chopped off.
Persnickety Prints all the way for me. Cheaper and better! And they ship same day usually!

I guess I've been lucky. So far I've had no problems at all. I guess it depends o nthe tech working.

 

[mlktwins]

I guess I've been lucky. So far I've had no problems at all. I guess it depends o nthe tech working.

Me either. Color has been awesome and never anything cut off or any other problems. I did print some 4x6 pictures and had them printed at a different Costco (near my dad's house). The color was bad on them and I won't use them again. The Costco closest to me has some really good people working the photo center.

 

[JohnsonsLoveDisney]

Finally, sorry it took so long... longer than I expected...
it was Persnickety Prints.. found it in my favorites again when I cleaned and reorganized.

Ya! I'm getting back to my next stack this weekend. Been working too much.

 

[dogcarbon]

just to throw out another option to those just starting to get back into scrap booking, look at Becky Higgin's Project Life. Not that this is an endorsement to her products, but her thinking really gets things done.

I have moved away from full page scrap booking to more divided page protectors and I mix it up a lot with both PL pages and We R Memory Keepers page protectors.

I am really loving it and the freedom.

AND if i have the desire to do a whole spread, i have the freedom to do that too.

 

[savannahcat]

just to throw out another option to those just starting to get back into scrap booking, look at Becky Higgin's Project Life. Not that this is an endorsement to her products, but her thinking really gets things done.

I have moved away from full page scrap booking to more divided page protectors and I mix it up a lot with both PL pages and We R Memory Keepers page protectors.

I am really loving it and the freedom.

AND if i have the desire to do a whole spread, i have the freedom to do that too.

I just wanted to say THANK YOU! I came here looking for some information on digital scrapbooking because I just do not have the time for traditional 12 x 12 layouts, yet I was feeling guilty because I have so much in the way of traditional scrapbooking supplies just sitting unused in my basement. This is the perfect compromise! Thank you so much!

Anyone want to place bets on how long it will take me to finish albums for 15+ Disney trips????

 

[luv2mickey]

I am also doing the same debate whether to digital scrapbook or a more project life approach but using my supplies.

I don't know why I am agonizing over this so much.....I am way behind in my scrapbbooking and should just get started. I haven't scrapped in several years and I see pro's to both styles.

 

[lynner]

You can do both Project Life and digital. Britt-ish Designs and Sahlin Studios just came out with a program called Project Mouse. I have purchased it and printed a number of the title and journaling cards for my Disney scrapbooks!

 

[DisneyDreamer0610]

I haven't tried Creative memories digital scrapbooking but I have tried Studio J by Close to my Heart and I'm hooked on it! You don't have to buy any software its all online, I can use all their products and not have to buy any additional boost packages for additional fonts, designs, etc, and the best part is I pay $5 bucks for a 2 page spread! It's really great! I love it so much! If you want the info just send me a PM and I'll hook you up!

 

[DisneyDreamer0610]

sorry - $5 for a 12x12 2 page spread, plus no matter how many 2 page spread's I order the shipping is only $5.95 and it ships SO FAST! Top quality!

 

[nocomment711]

Question. Using PP, what designation do you use?