How did you START?

[CinRell]

There is likely a thread about this but for the past couple of months, my search feature hasn't worked on these boards.

I'm really interested in starting to scrapbook.. my Michaels (across from where I work) craft store has expanded their section and everything looks so FUN! Expensive.. but FUN!

I consider myself somewhat creative but I have no idea where to start.

When you started, how did you start? By picking photos first and knowing the theme of what page they are on? How did you narrow it down? What did you BUY? I know I'll go overboard on the buying part... I don't want to get TOO financially into this as I'm sort of broke...

Any tips on how to start and do this without breaking the bank would be really appreciated!

Sorry if this is a repeat.. if anybody has a similar thread bookmarked, can you share? I don't know what is wrong with my search feature.

[pjlla]

Well.... I'm fortunate I guess that when I really started seriously scrapping, in about 1995, the market didn't have much. My selection of papers, etc was so limited that it actually made it easier!

I TRULY suggest only buying the basics to start. And get started on a "finite" project (in other words, nothing with no definite start and end point), such as a particular event or vacation.

For basics I would suggest an album with a few page refills, a good paper trimmer (Fiskars is good and reasonably priced), a good pair of scissors (Cutter Bee is nice), adhesive (Dotto is a good one), and buy patterned paper and card stock as you use it (at least to begin with). Same with embellishments.... start with just a few. Get a good journaling pen (black is a definite, especially if you only want one), a sharp pencil and a good eraser, and a good ruler and you are set to go.

You will find your personal style and what you like and don't like to use. And if you buy a lot in the beginning you will probably end up with stuff you don't want.

Buy a copy of a good scrapping magazine to flip through (Creating Keepsakes is good but the layouts are usually not beginner style.... maybe Simple Scrapbooks). Check out the layouts here on the Dis (LOTS of great scrappers here!), and www.twopeasinabucket.com for lots of inspiration.

Only use copies of your photos (or things that can be easily reprinted) so you don't have an overwhelming fear of making mistakes with originals.

You may want to go to a crop or class at an LSS and have the folks there help you get started. Or just JUMP IN!!

Good luck...............P

[jmc_in_disney]

Honestly, I had resisted the idea of scrapbooking for a long time - it just seemed so involved, I guess. Then a friend invited me to a Creative Memories party last summer and that was all it took - I was hooked! I already had our pics from our Disney 2005 trip that I wanted to do something with, and I knew we were planning another trip, so I jumped in with both feet! I ended up buying CM's whole scrapping kit, plus a Mickey album that very night. I also agreed to host a CM party myself, which was a blast and now I've got my friend and SIL just as hooked! It was hard to find the time right away to really get into it, and since I take over the dining room when I do scrap, I ended up putting all my stuff away from November until March. But, now I'm back into it and since borrowing my friend's Cricut, I've really gotten a lot done. Since I got the main tools I needed when I bought the CM kit, I've just picked stuff up here and there, usually when ACM has a sale - lots of cardstock, mats and stickers. I'm a big lurker on lots of scrapping sites to get ideas - I feel doing that has really helped and I feel more confident about my more recent pages than the earlier ones.

I didn't know where to start at first, but I just sat down and went through my pictures - I grouped how I wanted them to go into the book - WL pictures, Misc pictures (towel animals, etc), then restaurants, parks, MVMCP, photopass. I don't do them by day, just by theme I guess, so on my "what a ride" page, it's pictures from all the rides I have pictures of, not just one day, if that makes sense. It's funny, too - I definitely took better pictures of our trip after starting scrapbooking, then the one before (which is the album I'm still working on).

I did just order the Cricut, which was a huge buy for me (both financially and commitment wise) but to really start, I only really needed the cardstock, Disney papers, Alpah stacks, stickers, straight edge trimmer and tape runner - oh, and journaling pens.

It is a very expensive hobby, but so worth it! I think about the fact that 30, 40 years from now my son will have these books to remember our special family moments by and that thought makes me happy and willing to put the time and money into it.

[Littlegirl]

I agree with JMC. This can be soo expensive if you really get into it, but I've always been able to justify the expense. This is a hobby I truly enjoy and can be therapreutic when I can find a big chunk of time just to sit and scrap. And all the money spent is going toward family heirlooms that your family will enjoy for years to come. My kids already LOVE to sit and look at my books and learn about their past and they are only 8 and 11.

If you have some friends you think would be interested I would contact a Creative Memories consultant to come out and you can host a party. That way you can learn about it all as well as get a discount if you want to buy anything. Or just call a consultant and ask if you can attend someone else's party nearby to to learn a bit.

[CinRell]

Thank you all SO MUCH for the thoughtful responses.... I can't wait to get started now!!!!!

[Yzerbear19]

I started in 2003 with an album for my brother and his future wife. She was really into scrapbooking and since she didn't have a lot of pictures of my brother when he was younger, etc we decided to make them a scrapbook that they could then add on to. At the bridal shower we had each person in my family make a page about their family so that she could get to know them a little bit better. It was a huge hit.

I think the Die Cuts With a View stacks are great for beginners because you get a wide variety of paper. They also have theme ones that include printed paper, cardstock, stickers, vellum, and a couple of other things.

And all of the supplies pjlla listed are a must! I didn't get a cutter for the longest time and it has made a huge difference.

I also suggest just looking at other people's layouts. I get a lot of ideas from what others have done. Its also neat to see how others combine things

And be sure to look to see if there is a scrapbook store in your area. They tend to carry things that JoAnns and Michael's don't. I usually go to my local scrapbook store for paper because they tend to have a better selection than JoAnns and Michael's.

Good luck and have fun!!!

[Jennifer Hemric]

I knew I was going to want to do a Disney scrapbook from our trip. One yer from the date of my trip I started buying a few things each time I got paid. It worked out very well. By the time we were back from the trip, I had enough to do two 12x12 albums and 2 8x8 albums. I sold the rest to someone who was wanting to do a disney book. I figured by the time we went again there would be so many new things to choose from that I would buy all new stuff anyway. After I finished these albums, I want to scrap everything. It is an addiction.

[Macca1111]

I started out by progressing in. I have been making photo albums since I was 5, and was just fine with them until my sister started scrapping. Now she did all of the cropping and placing and borders and stickers - I loved all of the cool paper and stickers, but I didn't want to cut any of my photos (I had the impression that that was a large part of the scrapping process) and the books were really expensive. I started by adding stickers to my photo albums, then borders and other little embelishments, and it's grown from there. I love spending money on this stuff (i know it's bad) so I have more than I need, but what I do is buy stickers, papers, etc for certain areas that I know I can always use (Disney & Hawaii being the two big ones) and then when I've done something else neat, I go look for stickers and such for that. That's where being so far behind is beneficial, plenty of time for shopping. I also keep around basic colors and patterns that I like and think will look good. Have fun!

[MazdaUK]

I started by hosting a CM party, as I had no idea where to start. I ended up buying the concultant kit (as I wanted so much!) and became a CMC - I only buy for myself and my firends, and have NO trouble keeping to the minimum purchase I also have no trouble spending loads elsewhere despite living in scrappers desert (AKA UK )

I point out to DH this is creating memories for the family - my mum has boxes of old photos we have no idea about, and I don't want mine to end up like that. I'm up to date on Christmas and vacations since the boys were born, and I'm doing individual books for each boy (up to 2001 now - so not too far behind ) plus I did recipe books for when they leave home.

Joining in swaps is a great way to get cool stuff, and helps you learn how to put different elements together - my early pages were very boring but I've slowly got more adventurous

I'd also say, if you see a new tool or product you're not sure about, ask on here as someone is bound to know!

[Fran98765]

If you enjoy the computer, you may wish to do digital scrapbooking instead of paper. Except for the graphics program, it is much cheaper then paper scrapping. You can find hundreds of free papers and elements on the internet, it would at least be worth a try.

[mrsbornkuntry]

I just started scrapping a couple of months ago. I started with a definite project, an album of my DH's Army career. So...

1. I got on the DIS and started asking newbie questions
2. then I gathered up all of the photos and memoriabilia that I was sure I wanted to use
3. I scanned and printed photos, etc. that I wanted to use so they were ready when I needed them
4. I started shopping for paper and embellishments (my favorite part)
5. I bought basic supplies (paper trimmer, scissors, etc.)
6. I scanned website after website of layouts for ideas
7. I decided how I wanted my album, chronologically in this case
8. I chose the photos for my first page, got an idea in my head of how I wanted it to look (a theme) then jumped in

It has been slow going for me, but I really enjoy it

[CinRell]

I'm so excited! I went to Michael's and got adhesive (2 kinds), scissors that cut in shapes (3 pack for $3.99) , some great disney stickers I LOVED and...
a scrapbooking SET.. it was $49.99 and comes with over 400 stickers, paper, a book .. and I don' tknow what else. I had a 40% off coupon so it was only about $30. It looks really nice.

I'm going to do a scrapbook of disney. But of my past 2 vacations (maybe even dig up older photos to scan). So it won't really be one vacation. And will mostly be things.. not me. They were vacations with ex's and I don't really look so much like that anyway.

Mostly the book will be to get excited about future trips (if that ever happens) and to show my niece and nephew was disney is.

i can't WAIT!!!!!

[Faerie]

That's it, you're hooked :D

[CinRell]

I know! I can't wait.. I'm so scared I'll mess up (I'm a perfectionist)... I'm looking at sites at what people do for layouts.

A question... how do you know what paper to use? Do you buy a bunch then pair it up, or get photos and think "ok, a mardi gras paper" or "a forest type paper" would look good THEN shop??

[aroyer]

Originally Posted by CinRell

I know! I can't wait.. I'm so scared I'll mess up (I'm a perfectionist)... I'm looking at sites at what people do for layouts.

A question... how do you know what paper to use? Do you buy a bunch then pair it up, or get photos and think "ok, a mardi gras paper" or "a forest type paper" would look good THEN shop??

I have been working on my Disney album and when I am out shopping I usually have my pictures in mind for my paper. So like I found some Hawaiian themed paper I bought that for my Lilo and Stitch pages. Or I buy papers that I know I will eventually scrap- as in I know eventually I will scrap about when my daughter was bit by a dog- I have paper that has band-aids all over it. Sorry if that is confusing- its one of those days where I feel like I am rambling because I am not all here!