How expensive will digital scrapping be?

[Luv2Scrap]

I have a jillion papers and embellishments for regular scrapbooking. I have the Cricut and a slew of carts. Now I am learning Photoshop, and I'm dying to jump into digital scrapping! I have wanted to for quite some time, but now it's almost to the point of obsession.

I have downloaded a few free kits over the past year, but my collection isn't very big at all. I WANT everything I see, even if I don't need it for a project right now (that's how I've ended up with a jillion papers and embellishments! )

So my question is, for those of you that have been digital scrapping for a while now, do you do both, or strictly digital?

Oh, and how expensive is this going to get for me?

 

[labdogs42]

I haven't found it to be super expensive. I do buy some kits (I try to buy them when they first come out and they are usually on sale), and I have gotten page prints as well as photo books printed. But, compared to traditional scrapping, I think I spend a lot less on digital.

I still do both kinds of scrapping and I'm even thinking about having an album with some digital page prints and some traditional paper layouts (like for my DS's preschool album I might do this, so i can include some of his artwork, etc).

One thing I LOVE about digital is that my stash doesn't take up any physical space! It is SO easy to store all of the goodies! Feel free to check my blog for some of my favorite Disney kits!

 

[Luv2Scrap]

I haven't found it to be super expensive. I do buy some kits (I try to buy them when they first come out and they are usually on sale), and I have gotten page prints as well as photo books printed. But, compared to traditional scrapping, I think I spend a lot less on digital.

I still do both kinds of scrapping and I'm even thinking about having an album with some digital page prints and some traditional paper layouts (like for my DS's preschool album I might do this, so i can include some of his artwork, etc).

One thing I LOVE about digital is that my stash doesn't take up any physical space! It is SO easy to store all of the goodies! Feel free to check my blog for some of my favorite Disney kits!

Thanks for the feedback - I will definitely check out your blog tomorrow!

 

[kelseyll]

I did paper scrapping for YEARS and like you, own a small store of supplies! I had a Scrapbook club at the highschool I taught at and worked at my friends Scrapbooking store in the summers...DANGEROUS let me tell you! LOL

But, I have to say that I LOVE Digital Scrapbooking WAY MORE now and I never thought I would. The overall cost IS cheaper for me which is a plus since I'm a stay at home Mom now. You can nickel and dime little things here and there with paper scrapping and not realize how fast it adds up! There are SO MANY freebies and good sales with digital kits. You can use them over and over, "cut" things out of your papers and have NO MESS, and recolor your papers to match colors in your photos!! YAY!

With Digital you do have the cost of the program, and eventually extra hard drive space as you acquire more kits. Honestly if you make a collection of freebie items you can make a whole album and only pay for the book printing just to see if you like it. There are lots of companies to choose from. I won't mention names here but there is a paper scrapping company where for $50.00 (plus tax & shipping) I will get a 12x12 album, page inserts and plastic covers--basically the book! That's it, no photos, adhesives, papers, stickers, embellishes, etc. For that same amount I can buy a digital hard bound, image wrapped cover (meaning I got to "scrap it" and design it) with 20 pages in it all scrapped and DONE! =) I have gotten several 8x8 books for under $10.00 each at one particular site. I made it once and got 5 printed for gifts!! =) There is more you can do with digital that you just can't with paper. When you start discovering how addicting it is you won't look back! =)

I do all the scrapping for a local adoption agency and switched them to digital this year. I am printing each page I get done each month so they have an updated lobby book. I just slip them into 12x12 top loading albums. Then at the end of the year I will order them a final book. The overall cost is STILL cheaper for the year to do it this way than paper scrapping each page once and they were thrilled with the savings! They often offer the individual pages to the families as a gift! How cool! =)

I'm keeping a lot of my paper items as my daughter is 4 and loves to scrap with me. She can use the resources for when she is in school too. I have gone back and paper scrapped and it is such a hassle...set it all up, clean up all the mess. I love just whipping out my laptop...ANYWHERE...and getting busy! I've scrapped in the car, at Starbucks, on vacation, and even while camping. I've even gone on vacation and had most of it scrapped before I got back.....how cool is that?! And NO MESS..just shut the lid! LOL =)

If you'd like more info on places to get your individual layouts or books printed you can email me at sunnysummers at gmail dot com. =) I'd be happy to share some resources.

 

[Luv2Scrap]

I did paper scrapping for YEARS and like you, own a small store of supplies! I had a Scrapbook club at the highschool I taught at and worked at my friends Scrapbooking store in the summers...DANGEROUS let me tell you! LOL

But, I have to say that I LOVE Digital Scrapbooking WAY MORE now and I never thought I would. The overall cost IS cheaper for me which is a plus since I'm a stay at home Mom now. You can nickel and dime little things here and there with paper scrapping and not realize how fast it adds up! There are SO MANY freebies and good sales with digital kits. You can use them over and over, "cut" things out of your papers and have NO MESS, and recolor your papers to match colors in your photos!! YAY!

With Digital you do have the cost of the program, and eventually extra hard drive space as you acquire more kits. Honestly if you make a collection of freebie items you can make a whole album and only pay for the book printing just to see if you like it. There are lots of companies to choose from. I won't mention names here but there is a paper scrapping company where for $50.00 (plus tax & shipping) I will get a 12x12 album, page inserts and plastic covers--basically the book! That's it, no photos, adhesives, papers, stickers, embellishes, etc. For that same amount I can buy a digital hard bound, image wrapped cover (meaning I got to "scrap it" and design it) with 20 pages in it all scrapped and DONE! =) I have gotten several 8x8 books for under $10.00 each at one particular site. I made it once and got 5 printed for gifts!! =) There is more you can do with digital that you just can't with paper. When you start discovering how addicting it is you won't look back! =)

I do all the scrapping for a local adoption agency and switched them to digital this year. I am printing each page I get done each month so they have an updated lobby book. I just slip them into 12x12 top loading albums. Then at the end of the year I will order them a final book. The overall cost is STILL cheaper for the year to do it this way than paper scrapping each page once and they were thrilled with the savings! They often offer the individual pages to the families as a gift! How cool! =)

I'm keeping a lot of my paper items as my daughter is 4 and loves to scrap with me. She can use the resources for when she is in school too. I have gone back and paper scrapped and it is such a hassle...set it all up, clean up all the mess. I love just whipping out my laptop...ANYWHERE...and getting busy! I've scrapped in the car, at Starbucks, on vacation, and even while camping. I've even gone on vacation and had most of it scrapped before I got back.....how cool is that?! And NO MESS..just shut the lid! LOL =)

If you'd like more info on places to get your individual layouts or books printed you can email me at sunnysummers at gmail dot com. =) I'd be happy to share some resources.

Wow - great info! This is exactly what I am wondering about - I know that with digi scrapping you can use the same elements over and over again, so I can't see how it could possibly be as expensive as what I am doing right now! LOL!

I also love the idea of not having to take over our entire office at home just for my scrap stuff. DH has a hobby too, but no space for it whatsoever! I know it bothers him, and he's been great about it, but seriously, it probably is time for him to have a turn. I think I could probably sell what I have and have enough money to buy a small DVC contract! I am going to really think about it before I get that drastic, but it is something I am thinking about!

I even already have Photoshop CS3 on two computers and Photoshop Elements 6 or 7 on a third computer! We have all the hard drive space we could ever need - I have a 1TB external hard drive, a pocket media drive, and 6GB ram in my new Dell. I also have a 12x12 photo printer, so I think I'm all set up, except for some kits to get me started!

Oh, and maybe some extra time to actually sit down and play would be nice, too!