Scrapbooking - how and why?

[Dimplenose]

I've been rubberstamping and cardmaking for a few years now but I'm very curious about scrapbooking. I keep seeing kits advertised on QVC but it seems it could become a very expensive hobby. (Not that I've got time for a new hobby!!)

I'd just like to know why keep a scrapbook? Does it replace your photo album or is it a more personal extra?

How should I start? Just a few pages and then get an album or are kits the best bet for a beginner?

I'm sure there are as many answers as there are people scrapbooking but I'd be interested in hearing your views.

Libby

 

[Spinning]

Scrap booking is about preserving the past. For some it can replace the traditional photo album and for other's it is just for special moments, trips, events etc...
I am a mixed bag I would love to scrap every photo but I know that won't happen. I keep very up to date on the kids school and sports album. I think back when I was a kid so many people came in an out of my life but I don't remember their names. So it just adds to the memory by writing stuff down along with the pictures.
Or those cute things kids say or some one did you have a space to write about. Journalling is very important in my books.
As for style:
you can be very simple just mat and adhere photo's but chances are since you already sound creative you will want to do a lot more. I like some embellishments but not an over amount.
As for cost....
Well again up to you but as you can see by many of the threads it is expenive. But to start up you need a good album, adhesive, sissor. I also feel I couldn't scrap iwth out my paper trimmer and 12 inch cutter!
I would look around for a class if possible. Either at a craft store or even if you locate a at home sales person, such as Creative memories, close to my heart etc....
Also look at web site such as http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/

 

[MikeScott8]

I will try to answer some of your questions. I am a fairly new scrapper 1.5 years so take my thoughts with a grain of salt

I'd just like to know why keep a scrapbook?

Scrapbooks are kept as a way to preserve more than pictures of events. When you journal and add other embeliishements to set the mood it adds to the impact of the pictures. And if you add actual mementos like tickets or napkins, etc from the place in the picture it adds as well.

Does it replace your photo album or is it a more personal extra?

You will not scrap every photo you take, so scrapbooks are more a personal extra for highlights of the events in your photo albums. You will still (probably) have photo albums for the pictures you don't use or even copies of ones you use.

How should I start? Just a few pages and then get an album or are kits the best bet for a beginner?

Tough question. I started by taking a intro class at JoAnns my DW pointed out to me after seeing me watching Scrapbooking on DIY a bunch times. You can take an intro class at a Local Scrapbook Store (if you have any) or at one of the chains. You could also find one of the many books/magazines out there on the subject.

from the class or the information you find you will probably find or be given a list of supplies and basic tools needed. Many of them you may already have from your stamping so it may be inexpensive to get started and try it out.

HTH,
Mike

 

[bananiem]

I'll answer the question about cost first. Depending on how into stamping and card making you are you probably have a bunch of stuff already. Also you can keep the cost down by doing simpler pages. Less embellishments means less cost! I tend to be a simpler style because 1) I'm cheap and 2) I'm not that creative. I do use embellishments when I think it will really help the page.
Now for why I scrapbook. I'm afraid my reason is somewhat morbid. After a friend died, leaving 5 and 8 year old children I thought "They aren't going to know her or remember her." So in a way I use scrapbooks as a diary with pictures. Even if I live to a ripe old age when I do die my kids will know that picture was taken on which vacation and who those people with the bad fashion sense are! My dh's great aunt died last year and since she had never had children or married there wasn't anyone to ask "Where were you guys?" We could recognize some family members but some had changed so much I couldn't tell it was them.
I have done scrapbooks about our vacations, building our house, and each of the kids' first years. Since they're 7 1/2 and 9 you can see I'm way behind!! But I only plan to do special events or ones I think need to be journalled. If I did every picture I ever took I'd never get done and I don't think the albums would be very interesting.

 

[aunties]

Why scrapbooking?

Because it reduced my BF of 20 years to tears this morning. I went back through all our pictures and took the most romantic and memorable ones and put them into a scrapbook for his anniversary present. I added the words to "our song", my comments on some of the most memorable times we had, etc. He loves going through our trip scrapbooks, etc, but this one brought tears to his eyes.

I am also doing books for each of our nieces and nephews, with pictures of the things we have done together. My 16 year old nephew makes sure I keep all kinds of momentos for his book. He gets really excited when I add new pages to his. He also saves me the Michael's coupons from his paper so I can go twice a week! My niece loves hers so much, she has started scrapping too! She is working on a book commemorating her senior year in HS.

Yes, it is expensive, but worth every penny. I too keep my pages pretty simple. I haven't used many embellishments, etc. I do love stickers though!

 

[Twigs]

I just started scrapbooking this summer. I had always seen some of the very beautiful and elaborate layouts on TV shows etc. and swore I would never get into scrapping because I would not have room for albums with just 1 or 2 pictures on a page. Then a friend invited me to a CM party she was having and I went mainly for the socialness. I brought a few pictures and then I was hooked! I realized that with cropping the pictures, you can sometimes fit 5 or 6 photos on one page! I don't think I will scrap everything, but special vacations or events I will definately do. I have also started to take apart my twin sons baby albums to make those much more special. I am finding it can be expensive, but that is mainly because I am staring to play with embellishments. The first pages I scrapped I did stamping and embossing, and I think they came out well, so it all depends on how you choose to do your pages.

 

[DiznEeyore]

I scrapbook instead of having photo albums. I'd always kept both, albums for photos and scrapbooks for memorabilia, but about 9 years ago I saw an episode of "Aleene's Creative Living" on TV where they showed this nifty new way to jazz up your photo albums, and they called it "scrapbooking".

I remember being so enthused about the whole idea that I jumped up and called my mom to tell her to watch, LOL!

So for me it's a way to have really neat photo albums that capture pictures *and* the stories behind them.

 

[Dimplenose]

Thanks for all you replies. I've just come back from my local craft shop that has a very small section of Scrap Book supplies. I bought some refil pages to dabble with (I think I'm getting some ideas for my Christmas list ). The pages were marked $6 but they cost £6, I suppose it's the duty and tax.

Some of the albums were marked "Digital" but they didn't seem any different from the regular ones.

I'm off to surf the net for some ideas.

Thanks agin,
Libby