Scrapbook Crops

The best part of scrapbooking is that it doesn’t take too much money to get started. You will only need a few supplies to get started, and they don’t have to be too expensive. The most important thing for any scrapbooker (unless you are using the computer to do digital scrapbooking) is a place to begin storing all of your memories. So the very first thing you need to choose are high quality scrapbook albums.

The size you choose is really up to you. The most common sizes are 8 1/2″ x 11″ and 12″ x 12″ (inches) but you could go with 11″ x 14″ as a common large-format choice. For a truly unique gift idea, you can find even larger albums, or ones that come in unique shapes or themes. A basic 8 1/2 x 11 album will go for around and a 12″ x 12″ album is usually less than .

Larger and non-standard sizes can also be found, so don’t worry about finding paper and supplies. Paper is sold in sizes ranging from 1 inch Post-It notes to giant pieces of 3 feet or more. Try looking in art stores as a second alternative if you have trouble finding what you need in a scrapbook shop. Keep your eyes open wherever you wonder, because you’ll never know when you’ll find a perfect material to use in your scrapbook, in unexpected places. Use some creativity and resourcefulness and any scrapbooking problem can be solved.

Now you’re going to need something to slice and dice your paper, so a quality set of scissors and an Xacto knife are really helpful. A paper trimmer will also help you to slice edges if you aren’t very steady with scissors or knife.

Straight lines aren’t all you’ll be cutting though. Your design is unique to you, and so once in a while you are going to also be using special shapes; round, hexagon, diamond, heart-shaped. If you can imagine it, you can try it. Your unique memories need a unique background. In this case, a stencil or template will come in handy to you.

A good scrapbook design can be much more than just photos and stickers. It can include your own handwriting or calligraphy, illustrations and doodles. So some quality (acid-free) pens and pencils are a must. Several colors will be useful to have. You can start with basic black and buy more as your needs grow. For Christmas, you’ll want to have green and red, and maybe some other colors for the other major holidays. You should choose your favorite color(s) too. You may also want to choose colors that match with the cover of your scrapbook album.

One of the most basic things you’ll need is glue or other adhesives for attaching photos, embellishments, ribbons, locks of hair or other pieces of paper or designs…. Anything at all that you cherish and find memorable to go into your scrapbook! Old-fashioned bottles of paper glue with a small brush in the top still work well, but make sure that you get the acid-free type. But take advantage of newer technology and get yourself a glue stick, glue dots or double-sided tape.

If you plan on creating or finding layouts and designs on the computer, you can try different types of paper for printing. Hint: Try printing on patterned paper. CDs and CD burning software, while being a bit of an investment will give you many creative and technical options. With this digital technique, you could record baby’s first words or a favorite piece of music, or even videos of your family. You can store the CDs inside the scrapbook, coordinated by date (a much more personal touch than storing in a filing cabinet).

You don’t need to spend a lot to get started, and this is especially true if you get a little creative. However, if you are planning on making scrapbooking a lifetime hobby, you will find that having standard sizes that are compatible with each other will make life a lot easier in the long run, especially as you accumulate a large amount of scrapbooking supplies.

12x12 scrapbook paper storage

Display Dynamics - Perfect Paper Stackable Paper Trays - 12x12 - Lipped - 10 Pack
Price: 49.99
Display Dynamics