They can use their image editing software to arrange their pages just about any way they
want without have to glue and remove. Computers bring all kinds of new possibilities to scrapbooking letting you create everything from simple journaling to entire scrapbook
pages! And, it’s all fun and easy to do!

Computer Scrapbooking Software 

There are many different photo or image editing software programs. Adobe, Paint Shop Pro, Photolightening and PhotoElf are just a few that are available. Shopping around for one of the programs is mostly a matter of personal preference. You will still have to keep in mind what type of computer you have and whether the program you choose will be
compatible with you system.

With computer scrapbooking, you can create beautiful pages that come to life with music, photographs, graphics, video and more. You can choose to keep your digital scrapbook
on your computer, or you can use the pages you have created as a design template for the actual paper pages you will be putting in your scrapbook.

There are a wide variety of online resources to help you out whether you’re a beginner or a skilled scrapbooker. These sites offer everything from designs, images, digital embellishments, tutorials and even digital “communities”. So if you are just looking for a little help with a page, ideas for a whole new scrapbook, or a group of online scrappers to
chat with, you can find it all on the web.

Benefits of Computer Scrapbooking 

Some of the greatest benefits to computer scrapbooking are saving time, money and space.  Instead of having to create several different pages for each individual, you can make a template that can be used over and over again. The same applies to your supplies. Instead of buying consumables over and over, you buy your materials once and can
use them forever and they don’t take up space like piles of paper and tools.

So try computer scrapbooking. You’ll save time, money and frustration. You’ll be glad that you did.

I’ve found there are five simple steps you can followto get started scrapbooking.

1. Gather Your Supplies. No, you don’t need one of everything. Start simple. Choose an album, a few sheets of acid-free paper, acid-free adhesive, maybe some stickers, rubber stamps or embellishments and the pens you’d like to use to add captions or journaling.

2. Organize. Take out your photos and memorabilia (if you want to use them) and sort through them.  Discard any photos that you simply cannot use. Next you’ll want to choose which ones you’ll include in your scrapbook.

You may also want to take a little extra time to sort other photos into shoeboxes or organizers for future scrapbooks.

3. Take a Class. Taking a class is an excellent source of inspiration and motivation.  You’ll also learn techniques that are sure to make your first scrapbooking experience more enjoyable and memorable.

4. Be Creative. You’re scrapbooking for fun so go ahead cut away, hearts, stars, whatever you like. And don’t be afraid to crop your photos.

You may even want to try a pair of edgers to add some decorative edging to your photos.  Add some stickers or try out rubber stamps. Then lay everything out and play with your arrangements until it’s just the way you want it.

You may want to check out some of the layouts that can be found in galleries on scrapbooking web sites. Remember, it’s your scrapbook, so why not make it what you want it to be. There’s no right or wrong way to make a scrapbook, the choices are personal.

5. Take Your Time. Set aside a little time every day, or a couple times a week, to work on your scrapbook. Doing this you’ll be less likely to lose interest since you’ll be able to see your scrapbook coming together with each session. Equally you’ll be less like to rush through it and end up disappointed.

First and most important, follow all the same safety precautions in making scrapbooking purchases that you would when shopping for anything else.  Just because the
scrapbooking community is generally close-knit and honest, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t still people out there waiting to take advantage of you. Look for BBB logos, VeriSign, or other safety or security logos on the websites you’re considering.

Next, take your time and read through the information on the websites. Don’t be in such a rush to make a purchase that you overlook things like shipping times, methods and
costs.  If you’re in need of a particular tool for a crop that’s 3 weeks away, you surely wouldn’t want to find out after you’ve made your purchase that you’ll have to wait a month or more. 

Likewise, you wouldn’t want to pay an exorbitantly high shipping charge for a tool that only costs five or ten dollars.

Some people don’t mind shopping at several places to get what they need, while others are much happier to find one or two places to get everything. 

When browsing for online sources for your scrapbooking supplies you would be wise to
spend the extra time to look over the entire site, one site at a time.  You’re much more likely to find the sites that meet your needs the best when doing this.

There are a couple of sites that I would recommend you check out when considering purchasing scrapbooking supplies from the web. 

Shopping online for your scrapbooking needs is not that unlike shopping around town.  You want to make the smartest purchase possible and like your shopping to be convenient.  If you take time to get to know sites on the web like you do your local shops, you’re sure to have a pleasant shopping experience online.

The purpose of this article is to help you organize and plan out what will surely be one of your most treasured scrapbooks.

The first thing you’ll want to do is pull out any baby books and journals you’ve kept since your baby’s birth. Next, you’ll want to choose what special mementos and other items you want to include with the photos. Third, you’ll want to choose just the right album and layout.  This is another example of a scrapbook that you may want to lay out chronologically.

After you’ve chosen your album and layout it’s time to pull out those photos.  Be sure to take your time so that you’ve selected just what you want to include.

Don’t forget those all important first- feedings with dad or grandma, first trip to the park,first solid food or first haircut. These are all moments that sometimes slip by us when we’re thumbing through those cherished photos.

After you’ve selected your photos it’s time to choose the mementos you want to include. These can be anything from the keepsake hospital birth certificate with the baby’s footprints on it to clippings of hair from baby’s first haircut. Don’t forget the hospital bracelets and crib cards, too.

Now it’s time to think about what you want to write. You can write facts like the baby’s weight, length, eye color, hair color and other observations at birth. Maybe you’d like to write about your labor, dad’s reaction to finding out you were in labor and other experiences of that nature.

Other possibilities are baby’s personality, how she slept, her favorite song or her favorite toy. You may also want to include more personal content like your feelings and thoughts about having this new little person in your life and how you’ve felt when each of your baby’s firsts have occurred.

No matter what you choose to include in your scrapbook it will be something that you’ll
cherish forever.  So, take your time, and most of all, have fun!

Either way, it’s a program well worth discussing.  If you’re familiar with digital scrapbooking then you may already know some of its applications. If you’re not familiar with digital scrapbooking you may be looking into it more after reading this.

PhotoShop, as it’s more commonly called, is a digital photo imaging and editing software.  It can be used for tasks as simple as storing photos for viewing on your computer or for
more complex tasks like creating slide shows or digital scrapbooks.

If you’re new to this, the word complex might scare you, but don’t be scared. Let me take a few minutes to explain to you what PhotoShop can do and how easy it can be.

PhotoShop makes simple work of tasks like creating backgrounds, cropping photos and journaling. You can literally sit down to your computer and in minutes have an original background, cropped photos and your journaling finished in a beautiful font of your choice. Along with these tasks you can use PhotoShop’s Custom Shapes feature to create shapes like you would with Die Cuts.

One of the most important aspects of your scrapbook is the background you choose.  If you’re tired of trying and coming up empty-handed, then PhotoShop might be right for you.

You can create a custom background with just the tools offered through the program or you can even create a background from one of your own photos!  Imagine this, you’ve taken a family vacation to Hawaii and now you want to put together a vacation scrapbook. 

You’ve looked and looked and  none of the backgrounds are just right for your scrapbook.  You want something tropical, like the island with a realistic touch.  No problem, simply load your vacation photos and choose the background you want.

And remember, you’ll want to add  touches of the couple’s personality, taste and style to make the scrapbook more personal and meaningful. This is much simpler to do than
you may think.

If you’re scrapbooking a wedding there are a number of steps you can take and items you can include that will really enhance its intimacy and reflect the couple.  First, consider the theme of the wedding.  Whether it is a simple color scheme or a full-blown theme, add elements of this to the scrapbook. 

Next, if there was a poem read or personal vows exchanged you’ll want to add it to your scrapbook.  You can type and print them in a nice font or hand write them, either way it will be very special. 

Third, add items like place cards, gift lists, invitations and pressed flowers to your layout. 

Last, but not least, place a photo of the happy couple either on the first or last page of the book.  You will have created a scrapbook that will be cherished forever!

When creating an anniversary scrapbook one of the most important things to remember is to use colors to embellish the book that represent the number of years the couple has been married, especially if it’s one of the more symbolic anniversaries such as the 25th or 50th. 

If you’re unsure of what colors to use or if you think the couple simply wouldn’t like the color, you may revert to the colors used at their wedding.  When filling the scrapbook try to gather photos of special occasions like previous anniversaries, honeymoon, special trips or parties and the like.

You may also want to include a copy of the lyrics to “their” song and an invitation to their anniversary party.

You may also want to consider a chronological layout for this type of scrapbook.  Years from now when the couple looks through it, it will be like a stroll down memory lane.

And last, but certainly not least, try to include at least one photo for every year they’ve been married.

If they’ve not been married for many years or you don’t have the space for many photos, select the ones that you believe are most precious and significant to them.

The sizzix machine has a lever and a sliding cutting mat. You place a piece of card with the die face down onto the cutting mat underneath the pressure point then simply pull down the lever and you will have the perfect die cut.

The sizzix machine comes with full instructions and do not worry they are really easy to read and understand. The machine its self is heavy stopping it from moving around when in use it is also extremely sturdy.

The cutting part is done quickly and easily by simply pulling down the lever. The cut is perfect and precise. You will be amazed at how many different dies sizzix has produced it really will cover every hobby passion or theme.

You can also adapt the sizzix machine to use additional templates called sizzlits. The converter is easy to install and easy to purchase giving you access to loads more dies that are available.

The sizzix machine can be expensive and the average cost is about $65 it is also heavy and quite a large tool however it is one you will use time and time again due to its versatility.

The dies that you can purchase for your sizzix machine can vary in size but they come in a neat little box that can be stored easily.

The sizzix machine can not only cut through paper and card it can also cut through rubber, felt, metal and many other materials.

The die you produce from your sizzix machine can be used for embellishments, toppers and may other things.

One of the most popular sizzix dies is the alphabet, although you may feel they are a big expenditure once you have purchased the die you will be able to cut any word you wish, this is perfect for scrap booking and card making.

Over all the sizzix machine is a versatile easy to use addition to any crafters tools the cutting is easy and the adapter means you really can create anything you want. Storage may be a problem but it is worth clearing out that cupboard for this stunning machine.

Having used a sizzix machine for a few years now I would strongly recommend that this is a great buy, something that will be used over and over again. It is also something you can use with your children, although it is wise to supervise as the blades in the dies themselves can be extremely sharp.

Purists who take their scrapbooking very seriously argue that journaling must be done in your own handwriting, since it represents you and who you are. Others favor digital journaling. They point out that handwriting is sometimes less than exemplary and that the quality of the scrapbook is improved when the journaling is accomplished courtesy of a computer and printer. It’s your call. There’s no right answer here.

However, it doesn’t have to be “either/or”. There is a third choice. Did you know that you can duplicate your own handwriting in a digital picture? Yes, your own handwriting! Not just a fancy script font that looks a bit like your handwriting, but your own handwriting.

You will need an item called a Wacom art tablet. Check them out at http://www.wacom.com. The tablets come in various sizes. A small 4” x 5” tablet with pen costs about $85 at Amazon and works quite nicely for our purposes. Once you become familiar with this item, you will use it regularly when editing your digital photography.

Wacom tablets are computer peripherals. They resemble small writing pads that you attach to a computer port, or connect wirelessly if you have that capability. You will notice that a special pen comes with the tablet.

This pen is a mouse in disguise. You hold it like a pen and then by placing the pen’s point on the art tablet, you can use it for all the regular mousing functions.

However – and this is the important point – the tip gives a much finer connection than a mouse provides. Also, you can adjust the pen for several levels of pressure.

These two features allow you to create handwriting.

It works like this: you open your digital photo editing software. Open a new file, creating whatever color background you want. Next, locate the toolbar and select the pencil tool or a tool that allows you to draw freeform lines. Change the color to whatever color you want the writing to be. Then, holding your mouse/pen the same way you hold a pencil, WRITE (or print) your journaling on the Wacom tablet.

You now have a digital image file containing your own handwritten journaling. You can print it out as is, or copy and paste it into any other image. Since this is a digital image, you can resize the image to get any size handwriting you want.

Later, when you become skilled at using the Wacom tablet and pen, you can write your journaling directly on your digital photography.

How cool is that?

The sky’s the limit when you combine digital photography, scrapbooking and digital journaling.

Focus on the Basics

Just as in doing artworks and crafts, scrapbooking does require a lot of materials and supplies, but this doesn’t mean that you have to spend a huge amount of money to begin scrapbooking. Today, many different products are being offered by the scrapbooking industry and I think these products can be very beneficial when you are scrapbooking, However, when you are first getting started they can also be quite expensive.

If you are just a beginner, don’t let yourself be overwhelmed by these products. Instead, just focus on buying the basic scrapbook materials and supplies like:

• Papers and Cardstocks (the foundation of the scrapbook page)

• Album and Sheet Protectors (comes in different sizes and colors)

• Scissors or Paper Trimmers (allows you to cut lines without hassle)

• Adhesive (that is inexpensive but easy to use)

• Photo Tabs / Photo Splits (keeps the back of the photos clean and easily removed)

• Journaling Tools (such as a wide variety of pens)

Don’t forget… all your supplies should be acid-free and lignin-free to ensure safe preservation of your photos.

Learn the Basic Scrapbooking Techniques

Scrapbooking magazines can be quite expensive since they are created for a special segment of the market. If your budget is tight at the beginning but you still want to create scrapbook, it will pay to start pumping out your creative juices and creating your own style.

Although you do want to create your own style, you can still get some great ideas from the Internet about the basic techniques used in scrapbooking. Here are some basic scrapbooking techniques that you can use in creating your D-I-Y scrapbook.

Inserting Eyelets

Eyelets are a great means of attaching things to an album or a page, or to add color and embellishment to your pages. Eyelets usually come in various shapes and sizes that can help focus attention to a point in the page.

To insert an eyelet, you need a puncher, an eyelet setter, a hammer and a mat. Select the place where you would want to insert the eyelet and lay the paper on the mat face up. Hold the punch upright and use the hammer to hit the top of the punch. After this, you can now insert the eyelet and turn the paper over. You can also place the eyelet setter on top of the eyelet and then tap the top of the eyelet setter using the hammer to flatten the eyelet ridge.

Paper Piercing and Using Patterns

Another basic technique that you can use for your D-I-Y scrapbook project is paper piercing and the use of patterns. To use patterns, lay a piece of tracing paper over the pattern. Draw over the outline with a pencil and transfer the pattern to paper. Now place the tracing on the patterned paper and slip the transfer paper underneath to draw over the lines. To create a paper-pierced embellishment, just follow the steps in using patterns then cut out the pattern pieces.

In addition to the two techniques mentioned above, using chalk and vellum papers can also create some wonderful scrapbooks.

As you can see, you can get started scrapbooking and not break your budget. So get started and enjoy yourself!

Most scrapbookers are happy to share their ideas with others because they realize that they too have received inspiration, motivation or ideas from others in the past. Scraplifting can be the highest form of flattery when the person being copied views the
“scraplifting” as an opportunity for someone else to have a creative experience with the help of another.

Other scrapbookers don’t see scraplifting the same way. They believe it to be unethical and call it CASEing (copy and stealing everything).

For those scrapbookers who believe scraplifting is okay, they say there are unofficial guidelines that should be followed. Scraplifting is a complicated subject too. The general rule of thumb is: if you use 70% of another person’s scrapbook, it’s a scraplift, under that it’s an “inspired by you”.

If you do scraplift, you MUST credit the original artist in your comments, possibly even linking back to the original, but do not try to pass it off as your own, unaided work.

This of course also means that you need to keep some kind of track of who the original poster was. Some will ask the artist’s permission first before scraplifting.

Scraplifting allows many a “starting point” when they are otherwise at a loss for where to
begin. It is also a way for others to get ideas for color, placement, materials and embellishments they can use on their own pages.

Some scrapbookers view themselves as “creatively challenged”, but don’t want to give up on wonderfully unique way to organize and display their family photos, memorabilia, history and journals. Scraplifting can also be used as a time saver.

Rather than spending your precious time wracking your brain the whole night without any output to show for the next day, scraplifting is an option. There are scrapbook magazines and gallery websites that exist to allow scrapbookers to showcase their work, for inspiration and to allow others to scraplift.

Finally, remember that if you have copied a layout or a design, especially in full, do not submit the idea as your own to a magazine, idea book, layout contest etc. for any type of publication or compensation. Scraplifting is meant to share ideas and to be a fun and easy way to get your photos and mementos organized in a quicker fashion.