Our best tips for beginner scrapbookers!

[LisaTx]

LisaTx:

This is a compilation of posts copied over from the old boards. It includes tips and ideas, posted by many DIS scrapbookers, to help get started in scrapbooking.

If you don't know any Creative Memories Consultants (cm's) just go to www.creative-memories.com and they will send you the name and number of an experienced cm in your area.

Another good source is www.gracefulbee.com .
The have a section called newbees just for new scrappers.

There are also several posts here from new scrappers. Just scroll through the subject titles. You'll get lots of great ideas from the experts here.

Let us know how you're doing and be sure and post any questions you have.


POLLY ANN:

I started out at a Creative Memories workshop and purchased their whole bag of goodies! It came with a 12x12 album, stickers, diecuts, paper, scissors, oval and circle templates with cutters, tape runner, markers, and an edge rounder?(I don't know what you call it but it rounds the edges of the picture!)
I've also gone to Michaels Craft Store and purchased more stickers, paper, and I bought a glue stick for diecuts. The tape runner doesn't work very well with small diecuts. I know there are alot of other fun things out there you can purchase, but this has given me a good start.

I know there are a ton of websites to go to that you can order things from. If you go back a few pages you might be able to find some topics on that.

Good Luck and welcome to the Recipes and Scrapbook forum!!


Jessie The Cowgirl:

I HIGHLY recommend the Fiskars 12 inch paper trimmer. If you're working with 12x12 paper and you need to cut it, you're going to be in trouble without the 12" paper trimmer!!!! I started off w/the 8" trimmer and the next day I purchased the 12" one ... wish I would have realized how important that 12" one is!!! HTH!




Where do you get all of the paper? I have been to Michaels and AC Moore. They don't have any disney paper. Should I try to find a scrapbook store?

<font color =blue> The only Disney paper I have seen is from Hot Off The Press and comes in a book. I've never seen it in single sheets. I've seen the books at Joanne's Fabrics, Target, Michael's and I think Walmart. </font>


Layouts in the book and magazine are amazing. My first page is quite plain.

<font color=blue> That's ok. Starting simple is the right thing to do. As you get more into it your pages may become more involved or you may decide you like a simple style. I do both depending on my mood at the time.</font>


I bought a kit that came with two sided tape. Do you use the tape for the paper too or just photos? Would a glue stick be better for the paper?

<font color=blue>You can use the tape or the glue as long as they are acid free. I prefer to use tape for everything except pieces that are too small to get tape on. </font>


What are crop classes I have been reading about on other threads?

<font color=blue>Crop classes are held at a store of scrapbook consultant's home. You go there and work on your pages. You are able to use their supplies and ask questions. There is usually a small fee and you pay for consumables you use like stickers, paper and die cuts. To find a Creative Memories consultant near you go to their website at Creative Memories and fill out a form. They will send you a name to contact.</font>


Do you write your journaling on the scrapbook page or on other paper and glue it on?

<font color=blue> You can do it any way you prefer. I like to write directly on the page. Of course when you mess up, and you will, sometimes you can correct it by writing on another paper and gluing or taping it on. Whichever way you decide, do it in your own handwriting, not on the computer. Remember it's a memory book and part of the memory is your handwriting. I have some things that were handwritten by long gone relatives and they are very special.</font>



Here's what I would do ... check your area for local scrapbook stores. If you have any art supply type stores, check those as well. If you don't have any locally, you can order on-line. Some good places to shop are:

www.jwatsonarchivals.com (*free shipping!)
www.scrappershaven.com
www.dmarie.com
www.memorymavens.com

They have a great variety of goodies (die-cuts, paper, stickers, etc.) to choose from!

I am not sure where these places are (if they're a long drive from you or not ... I am not familiar w/New Jersey) but here are some stores in NJ:

Snap Happy Scrap'n
Route 513 Victorian Square
Califon, NJ (phone 908-832-0985)

Tomorrow's Memories
PMB316 270 Sparta Avenue Ste 104
Sparta, NJ (phone 973-300-1330

Crop & Shop
267 Amboy Ave.
Metuchen, NJ (phone 732-744-9494)

The Scrapbook Station
219 Burnt Mill Road
Voorhees, NJ (phone 856-616-1735)

Sparta Stationery Plus, Inc.
8 Main Street
Sparta, NJ (phone 973-729-8787)

You can always go to www.jangle.com or www.creatingkeepsakes.com and click onto their store finder/locator. Enter your Zip Code and it'll find stores near you!

Good Luck! Your pal, Jessie

 

[4merlurkerchris]

Thanks for all of the great information!
Chris

 

[jennabel]

Hey..I am new to this board, just discovered it today! I have been wanting to put together a scrapbook of our honeymoon. We did the Disney Cruise line land and sea package. I saved our room keys and a post card I really liked that looked like "our family" with Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto sitting on a bench with their backs towards the postcard looking at the sun. I thought that would be neat to put on the last page. I have never put together a scrapbook with a theme. Can you give me any suggestions? We are going in May again but I just want the honeymoon pic in the book. Thanks. Also, do you reccomend buying a plain scrapbook like creative memories or a disney one? Thanks!
Jenniferinkbounc inkbounc inkbounc

 

[LisaTx]

Welcome to the DIS and to the recipes and scrapbooks board, Jennabel.

I think it's a matter of personal preference. I like to use Creative Memories books. I know many people have used the Disney books and been happy with them.

The one thing I would recommend is taking a scrapbooking class. Contact www.creativememories.com for a local consultant and give her a call. A two hour workshop class can be a huge help to get you started.

 

[BevS97]

bump

 

[*Robin*]

Lisa, this is great stuff, thanks for taking the time...I think I may go to that local scrapbooking store today!

 

[going2wdw]

 

[travelbug24]

The thread title caught my eye. I have been wanting to make a scrapbook of my Disney 2000 trip. I bought all the makings from Creative Memories and brought home my bag of goodies and pictures. It is still sitting there. I just returned from another trip to Disney 2001 and here I sit with another bag of goodies and pictures again.

What do you do to get motivated? I feel overwhelmed. Maybe I'm not a scrapper?

 

[BevS97]

travelbug -

you need to dive in. Choose a couple of pics, nice one's but not the absolute best ones, and dive in. if you have doubles of the pics, or negatives, then you will be more confident, and I find repositionable adhesive gives me a lot of confidence, as I can always change my mind easily.

Once you have done one page, you will find it easier to do another and another and before you know it you will be hooked! The first page is definitely the hardest, and in 6 months you will probably have a completely different style, but you need to start small and then you will get more ideas and confidence.

you can see my album (link in signature) and I bet you can spot my first page, and probably my second and third - but I till like those pages as it shows that I am learning!

Bev

 

[travelbug24]

Thanks Bev. I hope I can live up to your expections. I will get a page done and let you know how it goes.

 

[dizfamily]

travelbug,

ask the consultant you bought your supplies from if she has regular workshops that you can attend to get started. IF not (although most likely she does) then here's what I recommend. First, sort your pictures by theme, how you want to do the layouts in your album. For instance, if you were doing a WDW vacation, you could sort your pics by park (MK, Epcot, etc.) or by day. Pick out which pics you want to use and which you don't. I like to crop all my pics before putting any of them in the album. It makes the actual layout part go much quicker. If I have all my pics cropped, I can easily do 10 pages in an evening. Start SIMPLE. I had a crop last night with 2 newbies. They've both scrapped a little on their own. But both were feeling overwhelmed, especially 1 in particular. I kept telling her that it doesn't have to be difficult. I personally feel that CM makes it really easy to get your albums done without much effort or creativity (that's what this person was concerned about...creativity or lack thereof!) It can seem overwhelming at first, but you'll catch on and will absolutely LOVE it! Scrapbooking is my outlet. I love to scrap at night after the kiddos are in bed....no interruptions. It's my way of winding down at the end of the day.

 

[Olaf]

As CM Consultant who has been at this since 1992 (yikes) I think the best advice is to take it slow. Baby steps. My customers who stick to simple layouts are the ones who get albums finished. You can have too much stuff. I've found all the stickers, papers, diectus, etc., stifle my creativity. Keep in mind that the pictures and stories behind them should be the primary focus. It sounds so simple, but the more stuff that's available makes it harder and harder for me to focus on what's really important.

 

[travelbug24]

Great advice. I am getting excited!

 

[going2wdw]