Scrappers - what started it for you?

[MeanLaureen]

Okay scrappers, tell me about your addiction

How did you get started scrapbooking? Was it seeing all the cool stuff in stores? Was it a friend or relative that got you hooked? Did you see a tv show on scrapping and you thought it would be a cool thing to do?

And was the addiction an instant thing for you or did your interest in scrapping just grow and grow? How long have you all been doing scrapbooks? How many actual albums do you have in your collection now?

How did you learn all these terms and what they mean? I look into the swaps and go huh? Of course I could probably rattle off some bead terms that would make some scrappers scratch their heads so it's all the same in the end

As you see, I'm a scrappin' virgin and I am chock full of questions

 

[disneysnowflake]

How did you get started scrapbooking?
In June 1996 I was watching a tv show that used to come on around noon. It was a craft show called Aleene's Creative Living. They showed scrapbooking. I loved photography. I was hooked instantly.

Since I'm in a mostly rural area and the internet wasn't here for me yet my first pages were made using white and colored cardstock I bought from WalMart. My first album was a ring photo album with butterflies on the front. I took out the photo pages and replaced them with 8x11 sheet protectors from the office supply section of WalMart.

I saw a copy of Creating Keepsakes and instantly subscribed.

My first online purchase was from a store in Utah. I telephoned them and was thrilled when I got my cheesy looking paper.

By 1997 JoAnn Fabrics was selling Hot Off The Press patterned paper books. I remember going there on New Year's Day because they were 50% off. I was thrilled and bought all of them.

We didn't get an actual scrapbook store here until 1999. By that time I was already online and buying online. The store is closed now.

I have so many books done I've lost count. I have a 6 feet tall bookcase filled with books. I do one or two books for each year. I began making yearly books in 1997. Photos before 1997 are mostly in the books for my kids. I've also done heritage books. I borrowed photo albums from my parents and relatives in other states. I spend a small fortune getting copies made. I'm so glad I did that.

The funny thing is I'm a solo scrapper. I can't get any of my siblings to scrapbook. No one else cares about taking family photos except me. My parents, who are in their mid 70s, think my books are odd. I sometimes go to scrapbooking crops, but maybe once a year. Mainly I work at home and order my supplies online. None of my family have hobbies except my dad who likes to make little wooden things in his spare time.

I've been on Two Peas since 2001. Most of the terms I learned by reading articles or just discussing scrapping with others online. In time you'll get the hang of it.

I don't know anything about beads. What do you do with them? Do you make jewelry? Just curious.

 

[reinita1002]

Okay scrappers, tell me about your addiction

How did you get started scrapbooking? Was it seeing all the cool stuff in stores? Was it a friend or relative that got you hooked? Did you see a tv show on scrapping and you thought it would be a cool thing to do?

And was the addiction an instant thing for you or did your interest in scrapping just grow and grow? How long have you all been doing scrapbooks? How many actual albums do you have in your collection now?

How did you learn all these terms and what they mean? I look into the swaps and go huh? Of course I could probably rattle off some bead terms that would make some scrappers scratch their heads so it's all the same in the end

As you see, I'm a scrappin' virgin and I am chock full of questions

Well I guess I consider myself fairly new to scrapbooking. I've been scrapbooking for a year now. However, I haven't had much time with school and all but I still manage to tie scrapbooking into projects and stuff. I actually just worked on a GIGANTIC scrapbook for Beta club last week for a contest. (I worked with other members) That was a lot of fun since I got to miss some of my classes to scrapbook.

Anyways...back to your questions. Ummm I remember just randomly walking into a scrapbook store one day just to see what "scrapbooking" was. I remember walking in and seeing rows and rows of papers. I felt kind've stupid when I went up to the cashier and asked what they used the pages for. She explained to me that it was a way to preserve and decorate your memories in a fun way. I got interested so I decided to take a beginner course....the rest is history. My interest at the time was instant and has grown much bigger since then. I have just a theme that includes my 8th grade memories. I am planning on doing a scrapbook on the band and field trips to Disney and IOA last year too. I also have been trying to a create an album just for my chihuahua.

It took awhile for me to figure out what the difference between brads and eyelets were but coming on this board helped me. This was actually the first scrapbook board I visited. I have no idea how I got here actually. I remember going crazy over Disneyfreakjackie's ABC book.

Its funny because I helped my friend the other day with a scrapbook that she has to make for a history project so of course I had to help her with shopping since she doesn't scrapbook. I was using all these scrapbook terms like brads, layout, matting and she had NO idea what I was talking about. What can I say...its part of my vocabulary now. lol (also....she isn't into crafts that much but I think she wants to start scrapping for fun after that day YAY lol)
Oh and she thought I was kinda crazy when I got excited over new disney paper they had at joanns.

 

[graygables]

My mom had told me about CM (saw them at a home show) in 1997, so I got the contact info of a CMC near me (come to find out, she was new in town). A few days after I had emailed her, I took a bad fall (while carrying my then-18mo) and in trying to save her from the tumble, badly damaged both my legs which landed me in a wheelchair and on some good drugs, baby! So, the CMC offered to bring me some basics to get me started. In a weekend, I had completed my first photo-safe scrapbook of (where else?) WDW! I look at it now and but I still love it. That's back when I used jars and bowls as circle cutters.

I used part of my insurance settlement to buy into the CM business and did OK for the first year or so, once my mom got hooked on SBing, she was my best customer for awhile. I used to watch shows and look at magazines and say, "I'll NEVER use [insert non-CM technique here]!" Then, I started looking more closely at those techniques and experimenting. It wasn't long before I broke out of the CM box. I started dabbling in other things, paper bag albums, altered items, and then began my own business designing scrapbooks for other people. I've lost count how many I've done, but for myself, I have about 11 completed (with 90 pages each) and another 6 in the works. I've really gotten so busy with outside projects, I don't have nearly the time or creative energy to focus on my own right now.

I learn just from reading a LOT and spending a lot of time on scrapbooking sites. The thing that confused me the most was the Circle Journal, but I've gotten past that, now that I've done 2. :grin: Most swaps seem like a bit too much work for me and I'm afraid I wouldn't have time to do it justice.

 

[New England Eeyore]

Hi Lauri!

My addiction started very slowly and very innocently. I took a trip to WDW in 2000 and came back with very few good photographs. I wanted some way to remember the trip, so I decided to use park maps/brochures/tickets everything I could think of to make a scrapbook. That book is not a scrapbook like I would do today - I did so many things "wrong" - mainly using rubber cement which is a HUGE no-no for preservation. I made one trip to AC Moore for patterned paper and cardstock and all in all did things very simply. I didn't know what I was doing - I never took a class or read a book, I just winged it.

Even without good photos, I was still really happy with how the book came out, and really happy with the reaction I got from it from my family so the addiction began in earnest. I scrapbook everything but Disney trips are my favorite things to scrapbook. I have 12 completed "albums" on my shelf, but since I used 3-ring binders for some of those, some of those are mega-books with a LOT of pages. And I could easily rattle off another 12 books I have the ideas for floating around in my brain. I'll never be caught up and I like it that way.

My shopping habit has taken on a life of its own. If my DH only knew how much I've spent over the years.... My latest scrapping project has been deciding how to completely take over my den/office to make it a 100% scrapping room because right now I have stuff all over the place and it makes it hard to work.

I have to say that this forum has really expanded my horizons and I've learned SO MUCH from all the ladies here. Before I found this board, I didn't know anyone else who scrapped (as much as I tried to get my friends into it, it just never quite took) so it was kind of a solitary hobby and I didn't make as much time for it as I could have. Now, it seems like I'm constantly thinking about scrapping, working on my Circle Journal, or doing something for a swap. I swear, I dream about scrapbooking sometimes!

I started scrapbooking to preserve memories, and that's definitely still the #1 priority, but I ended up being surprised at how much I enjoyed the artistic side of it. I thought I had zero artistic ability, but somehow I've found my niche. I work in a field where there is no creativity involved, so it's wonderful to have this outlet. So, there's no going back for me, it's going to be a lifelong thing, but it definitely started gradually. So I really suggest just jumping in and trying it. Don't be intimidated by the variety of options - just start small and go from there. That's the great thing about scrapbooking - you can do it any way you want, as simply or as elaborately as you'd like.

 

[bettyann29]

I had talked and talked about scrapbooking but just never did it.. I decided for this past Christmas to scrapbook pictures of my 3 children for my parents.. They have very few pictures of my kids and I wanted to give them something they would treasure.. It took me about a month.. I worked on it full force but got it done in time for Christmas.. I bought a starter book that had some things in it and then spent about $300 on various items, paper, stickers, etc and did it on my own.. about a week or so into it I went to a free scrapbook class at a local scrapping store and learned so much.. It was funny because you could tell at what point I realized what I was really doing it and not winging it anymore.. Once I finished that book then I began my first Disney book and the rest is history... I havent been scrapping too long, but have learned so much and made up some of it as I go along.. I have done one of our cruises.. well Im at least almost done with it.. I go back to it every now and then and do a little more.. I will be done with that one soon.. I had to break my last Disney pictures up into 3 different books.. I still have all the kids baby pictures and family pictures that I need to do.. I have 2 more cruises that I need to scrap.. Our family cruise last year will take me forever because I took tons of pictures and then we just got back from WDW and of course more pictures.. I have enough to get me for years Of course it doesnt help that I keep adding more..

 

[soccerchick]

I have an evil friend who got hooked and then reeled me in My daughter has 1 1/2 albums (if I ever sat done long enough, I'd get her second one complete). I also have a Disney album for her organized, just not put together. I have three family albums and one holiday album. Ds's "baby" album is also organized, just not completed. I did complete his 7x7 Disney album though. I've made two gift albums as well. I try to get 3 years in each of the kids' albums.

There is certainly a lot of cool stuff in the stores, but I'm better now about spending $ because something is cute or on sale. I wasted a lot of money doing that.I'd rather spend $ on a quality album and then a reasonable amount on the embellishments. (Though I admit to being a Jolee's addict). The most important thing is to get the pictures in the albums where they bring enjoyment to people. My family doesn't crowd around the computer to scroll through our files; we sit and share an album between us. THAT's cool.

There are plenty of terms and techniques I still don't know and I've been scrapping for 4 years now. I tend to go in cycles. Lots of journaling, no journaling. Mat everything, mat nothing. I went through a border period, which I still like as the pages get done more easily. Right now I'm into color blocking. I'd like to try a mosaic (if that's the right term). Maybe this summer. I'd also like to learn to stamp well. I guess I like the slow and steady approach to learning how to do all this.

 

[MeanLaureen]

I don't know anything about beads. What do you do with them? Do you make jewelry? Just curious.

I used to make jewelry - mainly earrings and necklaces. But the crafting market is overwhelmed with beaders that do that and it's hard competing so I wanted to figure out something uniquely my own.

Then one day it hit me, I was beading a bracelet and put it on my dogs fur to check the color (the dog was black and I wanted to see how it showed up on black) and I thought WOW! Someone should make dog collars with beads instead of these ugly paste rhinestone things you spend way too much money on. Then I had a huge DUH moment and thought.. why don't I make collars like this?

So I started stiching these lenths of beads onto nylon collars. I gave some to friends dogs to get "advertising" and signed up for my first craft show as a pet supply vendor instead of a jewelry vendor and its history from there. I currently have a stock of over 250 collars I did myself - my husband and I do local shows and I'm currently looking into branching out on the web.

Actually, Lewdyan1, one of our fellow mods on this board and scrapper extrordinaire was a customer of mine back when I sold some on the DIS auctions

Here is a picture of some of my collars. They don't photograph as well as I would like them to because I use a lot of Czech. Crystals and they reflect light so well. They look much nicer in person Guess I better pop over to the photog board and get some tips on how to take better pictures of them!

Thats my story and I'm stickin' to it

I love reading these stories though! It's inspiring me to get out and start scrappin'. I think I might try to do something with pictures of my dogs. Maybe do an album for each of them. Hmm.. have we done any pet swaps?

 

[MissBubbles]

I got into scrapping via rubber stamping, which I started doing in 1998. Went to a Stampin' Up party and got hooked. After a while, I got bored with stamping and moved sideways into scrapping in 1999. My first album looks really dull when I look back on it, but I don't want to change things because I think it shows your progress as a crafter.

I honestly couldn't tell you how many albums I've done. I don't have children but have had an assortment of fur babies over the years (currently 3 dogs) and I make an album per vacation (since 2000 at least 1 a year). Since 2004, I have made a "Yearbook" style album for those pictures you take all year - birthdays, holidays, get togethers, cute pet pics - and then separate ones for vacations.

I've taken Creating Keepsakes off & on for several years. IMO it's the best magazine on the market. I recently subscribed to the BH&G Scrapbooking magazine because I got such a great deal on it (2 years for $19.95 I think) but I still take Creating Keepsakes. I don't order much on-line, since we have such nice local scrapbooking stores (LSS) as well as Michael's, Joanne's and Hobby Lobby.

I love my hobby and my best friend is also my scrapping buddy (among other things, like vacation buddy). Another poster mentioned that she can't get anyone else in her family interested in her albums. It's too bad - I love looking at pictures (mine and others) and since hitting my 40's, I've grown real nostalgic and want to have more old pictures. I have a Heritage Album planned, but haven't started yet.

I don't think we've done a pet swap. I know I would be interested in one (either a make item swap or a simple eyelet/sticker/embellishment swap). Also, do you sell your pet collars through the internet or mail. I know I would love to have some for my pets and I have friends who would as well, Laureen.

 

[Pooh Crew]

Mine was a sappy beginning:
When my children were born seven weeks early, they had to spend some time in the NICU until they were ready to come home. A family member had given me a calendar-type baby book and I used that to record all the precious memories that I knew I'd never remember--the first time we held them, who fed each one first, good days and bad--just to continue to feel close to them each night when I had to go home from the hospital. Once they were all home, I kept up the calendar and started to add pictures.

For their first b'day, I found a great calendar-type scrapbook from Hallmark and my scrappin' hobby was born. I used the pages in the calendar, but used patterned paper and embellishments to make each one unique. I used these great books for two years--including adding a fourth book for our fourth child, then they discontinued them so I had to buy a "real" album. I still keep a calendar page for each child each month detailing activities, accomplishments, funny sayings/doings, etc. The facing page has pictures and mementos. I scrap field trips, b'days, and other "many picture" events on seperate pages, but in the same book. All my pages are in chronological order. I will probably have to get a new album for each at the end of this year, but their current albums have the last three years in them.--they're HUGE!

This is getting long, so I'll wrap by saying I've never been to a crop, never done a swap, never taken a class, and don't shop online because I have TWO fantastic scrapbook stores near my house in addition to Hobby Lobby, Jo-Ann's, and Michael's. I would love to be able to spend more time on it, but with four young children, I'm lucky to be fairly current (working on December right now).

P.S. I love seeing others' pages for inspiration!!!

 

[MImom]

I blame my sister
When she visited me after my 2nd child (ds) was born in 1997, she gave me a scrapbook for each kid and the addiction started.

I started with mostly CM stuff, but now have mostly non-CM items.
I scrap with my sister, friends, mom, nieces, and now my 10+ yr old dd, 9 yr old ds not at all interested.
I take classes at the Great Lakes Mega Meet every May. DD takes classes at our LSS and will attend to Mega Meet with me this yr for 1st time. I learn new stuff all the time and that is part of the fun for me. I love scrapbook idea books, magazines and web sites.

I have gone to many crops but now have so much stuff here that it is easier to crop at home or at my well stocked sister/friends places.
I shop mostly at my LSS and Michaels/JoAnn with coupons. I have enough stuff that I do not need to shop, but that doesn't stop me.

So that's my rambling story. Have fun scrappin'

 

[pjlla]

Okay... here goes....

I starting scrapping in about 1974!! But it was the "old fashioned" kind of scrapping. Someone bought me a large book (about 12 x 12) with some construction paper type pages. I glued in my "memorabilia" and hand wrote on the page about my trips (the the book was used for a few family vacations to Florida and Michigan mostly). Wish I could find that now!

Then in high school I did some "scrapping" in those magnetic type albums. Mostly pictures, newspaper clippings, and high school keepsakes. I also hand wrote journaling for most important pictures.

When I met DH in college I continued with using magnetic albums, but also used colored paper and magazine cutouts to embellish my pages. (I really need to get those taken apart before they are totally deteriorated!). Lots of cutsie little things, mostly done with construction paper and markers! Lots of "word bubbles" over my pictures!

When DD was born in 1995 scrapbooking was a little-known craft around here. When I look back at the papers I used (and shapes and decorative scissors) I cringe, but I know that was all that there was!! And like another poster mentioned, I don't want to re-do those pages, because they enable me to see my progress as a scrapper. There was VERY LITTLE information around about scrapping in those days. I do remember seeing a website, but since we had AOL dial-up at the time, it was slow and expensive to look at much stuff. I learned by doing. And I DEFINITELY have gotten better. And as I am not a "natural" artist, it is so nice to have magazines to learn from now, like CK and SS. I have never taken a class of any sort and have only ever been to two small crops. I have only ever attended two CM parties.

I stopped scrapping for a few years when DS was born, but got back into it with renewed vigor in about 2000 and I am UNSTOPPABLE these days!

I have made it my personal mission to be completely caught up (except for our 2005 DL trip and 2006 Washington trip) by the end of this year.

So I guess I have "always" been a scrapper at heart. (Mostly because I am a pack rat and I need a place to put my "treasures!!). Actually, scrapping probably started for me more as a place to keep my memorabilia than a place to put my photos. My early books don't have many photos at all, if any. Mostly just "stuff" and journaling. (I didn't own my own camera until I was about 22 and my folks have never been big picture takers.)

I learn as I go and I have learned a LOT from the ladies here on the Dis. Thanks for asking!.......................P

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

I've been "scrapping" since before scrapping was cool.

When I was in highschool, I used to make books for family and friends - I'd cut silly sayings out of ads in magazines and glue beside pictures. People raved about it and I had a great time doing it.

That's before I knew about "acid free" products and such.

So I guess I startef really scrapbooking in college and I've been doing it ever since.

 

[scrappinmom]

ok..here goes...but remember you asked!

I've been scrapping for 7 years. I started after my son was born. He was born on his due date in August 1998. He died 2 days later. He was born with a rare lung abnormality that the u/s didn't pick up. Anyway....I also had a 4 year old dd at the time...Once I got my fat butt off the couch and decided to be a participant in life again, I was at a McDonalds playland with her...I saw a lady there writing in her scrapbook...she was a CMC. She asked me if I scrapbooked...I said No...& tried to walk away...& then she said.."It's really a great way to preserve your memories of your children" WHAMMO! She had me ...We sat there for 2 hours while our daughters played...she listened to me, cried with me, and offered to help me put together a book to celebrate my sons life. I have 3 entire album of his pregnancy, and short life. I then later became a CMC because I was tired of giving her all my money! lol

 

[bsbkmacgowan]

Here is a picture of some of my collars. They don't photograph as well as I would like them to because I use a lot of Czech. Crystals and they reflect light so well. They look much nicer in person Guess I better pop over to the photog board and get some tips on how to take better pictures of them!

Hi Lauri!

Your collars look great! That's a great idea - the pet market... really hot right now with all the boomers who have pets and the like! You go, girl!

I don't know if this site will help you out or not, but I'm seriously thinking about getting one or more of these sets somewhere down the road... http://store.tabletopstudio-store.com/index.html.

Good luck with the shows and all!

Sandy (and Brian, Bonnie & Kellie, too!)

 

[Queenie]

Well, I can only say I have YOU GUYS to blame for my scrapping addiction!!!! I joined the DIS about a year ago and I'd never heard of scrapping as it was only just taking off in the UK. I was trawling through the different boards on here and found this one. I had a look at some of the links to 2peas and that was it! I'd just been to WDW for the first time so I started scrapping on sheets of a4 but it looked awful. I found a local store selling a couple of low quality 12x12 albums so I got one and the rest is history.

At the moment I've completed 3 albums; a wedding 12x12 as a Christmas present for a couple I know, a 2005 family album and a paper bag minialbum on my kittens. I've also completed WDW 2004 but it's in the same physical album as 2005 (the albums cost a fortune - minimum about $20 for a very very low quality one - in the UK so I have to be very careful on what I spend.) I'm also working on the family album 2006. My family albums are all the LO's I've done that year except Disney, not just events that happened that year, simply because of the cost of buying albums.

I learned the terms by subscribing to a scrapbooking magazine and spending a frightening amount of time on here and on 2peas! My magazine had a beginner's guide with pictures of each item (brads, eyelets etc.) I only got the nerve to join a swap this year when the newbie ones started but now I'm loving it!

Lauri - my cat needs a new collar, can you PM me with a link to your site as I know we can't advertise or sell on here

 

[KAMommy]

My habit began with my digital camera. I started doing all of my own pictures and, since I NEVER put loose pictures in an album, I just got a binder and page protectors and printed my pictures with different layouts on photo paper. Then, I got new software and started adding text and other things.

Once we got addicted to Disney, I started doing my version of an album each trip. Each one got a little more detailed as I inched my way toward "scrapping". The final "straw" was hanging around with a good friend who does beautiful scrapbooks. The more I saw of her albums, the more excited I got. Now I am just addicted.

 

[sakura-panda]

When I was in college, I managed to get my hands on some colored cardstock that I put into a binder and stuck all sorts of things to that I wanted to save -- with little penciled in notes around the margins. I guess you could call it my first scrapbook, but it wasn't pretty or organized -- it was just a hodgepodge of stuff I wanted to save.

I have always enjoyed taking pictures, and for a while I was using an APS camera -- with 4x7 and panoramic prints -- and I had a very tough time finding photo albums with pockets that could hold those sizes. About four years ago, my friend took me to JoAnn's, and in the recently added "scrapbooking" section, I discovered 12x12 albums. And pretty papers. And fancy adhesives. Oooh.

These were perfect for my larger prints. Plus, since I wasn't fitting the prints into pockets, I could trim off any extra stuff on the sides of the photo and keep the focus where I wanted it! I was hooked!

Here's an example of my third page ever, with a panoramic photo as the center one. This is actually a joke layout -- I had a bunch of pictures of flamingos from our trip to WDW, and I decided to fit as many of them on one page as I thought it could handle!

I only scrapped about five pages back then (mid 2002) -- after ds was born in 2003, I picked up scrapping again. My friend and I try to meet once a month or so to crop -- I think I'm only about 18 months behind right now.

Here is a more "recent" layout. I did it a couple of months ago; the picture is nearly two years old. I picked it because Baby Einstein is owned by Disney -- it seems fitting.

I have three albums and about two dozen layouts that are floating around because I need to buy another one. (I also do some digital scrapbooking, but that is another whole story in itself.) I am a member of several scrapbooking boards, and that is where I have learned more than I ever thought I wanted to know. I'm new to DIS -- I found this board while searching for some ideas for the autograph book that I want to make for our trip this month.

--Katie

 

[MeanLaureen]

Hi Lauri!

Your collars look great! That's a great idea - the pet market... really hot right now with all the boomers who have pets and the like! You go, girl!

I don't know if this site will help you out or not, but I'm seriously thinking about getting one or more of these sets somewhere down the road... http://store.tabletopstudio-store.com/index.html.

Good luck with the shows and all!

Sandy (and Brian, Bonnie & Kellie, too!)

SANDY!! Hey girl!! How are you??

Matt saw me reading this post and said "What are you doing over on the Collectors board?" I told him, "No way.. Sandy's coming over to play with us on CCS!!

That camera equipment is too cool but waaaayyyy out of me price range right now!

 

[bsbkmacgowan]

Hey right back, Lauri! Not doin' too bad - busy trying to make a living (bummer how that tends to interfer with posting on the Dis, though!)

Yeah, I hear ya about the price of those... about the only one I would consider right now would be the set for coin photography... but then Brian just figured out today that we can flip our tripod's center post end-for-end and we can use it to hold our camera upside down just like the copy stand they sell... SWEET! Saves us a whole buncha dough!

Okay, I'll admit it... I've been lurking over here on the CSS for awhile now... I started a digital scrapbook using PaintShop Pro almost 5 years ago (egads!) after our first trip to WDW... it's very rudimentary, but what's really pathetic is... I have about 50 pages finished... and I'm still on Day 1 in the MK!!! Okay, I guess brevity was never my strongest suit!

Needless to say, I sorta bombed out on that (considering we've been back to WDW 4 times since!) I've never scrapped any other way than digital... (even though my sister is BIG time into CM.) Now, I really want to re-do a lot of my old layouts and have Brian turn the whole thing into a DVD movie. <sigh> There's never enough hours in the day!

There... I filled you in a bit and I kept it mostly on-topic, too!

Oh, and Hi Matt!

Sandy (and Brian, Bonnie & Kellie, too!)