10 tips for the beginner scrapbook enthusiast
Being a beginner scrapbook enthusiast can be a hard thing at first, since you usually don't know where to start. You're looking at scrapbooks other people have made and you're thinking to yourself "how did they do that?" or "I wish I could scrapbook like that". But as a beginner scrapbook enthusiast you also have a few benefits like you get to learn so many wonderful new scrapbooking techniques and the whole world of scrapbooking slowly unveils itself to you.
I will show you 10 steps to make it easier for you, as a beginner scrapbook enthusiast, to get started with your scrapbook. Just remember to have fun and play around with it.
1. Get your scrapbooking tools together
You will need a photoalbum, photoframe or piece of paper that you'll use as your scrapbook.
An exacto knife or other sharp knife, scissors, a very sturdy mat so you won't cut in your table is also needed.
The next thing is rather optional for scrapbooking but is is handy, a tape runner (preferably one regular and one
double sided. It's a roll-on tape if you're not familiar with it. Glue for paper can be handy as well.
You'll need pictures as well and some decorative objects like ribbons, dried flowerleaves etc.
2. Don't tape or glue everything right away
One of the ways most people screw up their scrapbooking project from the start is by glueing everything as
soon as they've cut the shapes they want. Cut everything in the shape you want but DO NOT glue or tape it to
the scrapbook just yet.
3. Consider using copies of your pictures.
At first you may want to get copies of the pictures you're going to use, that way if you discover you've made a
mistake you can get another copy and there'll be no harm done. This doesn't only apply to beginner scrapbook
enthusiasts though. Advanced scrapbookers might find this helpful as well.
4. Don't be afraid of copying scrapbook layouts.
At first you may find this scrapbooking event a bit daunting, but when you look around on the internet for
some scrapbook layouts, you will notice that once you have the layout you want. It gets easier. You can
always chance the colors and the layout a bit yourself.
5. Put your stories on seperate pages
When you're adding stories to the scrapbook, put the stories on different pages. It's easy to make a spelling
mistake and if you do you'll have to start all over again. Not something that is desired, working for hours on
your latest scrapbook project and then making a spelling mistake. Ouch!
6. Use your pictures as a guide for your story
When taking pictures, be sure to take them as if you are making a movie. Get the basic overview on photo,
some nice details, what is going on and the end result. You can also take pictures of the surrounding
environment. This way your scrapbook will start of with the proper guiding pictures.
7. Reuse old literature for your scrapbook project
You can use an old book as a scrapbook, with the text of the book itself as the background of your
scrapbook. Nobody would expect a beginner scrapbook enthusiast to do something like this, so go
ahead and suprise them!
8. You can sow your decorations to the paper
You can sow dried leaves, fabric or other pieces of material to the paper with a regular sowing machine.
This can give a very nice effect, just make sure not to make the stitches too small or the paper will tear apart.
9. Everything is usable!
As a beginner scrapbook enthusiast or any scrapbooker for that matter, you must keep in mind that
everything is usable. Sand, buttons, feathers, old stamps, hay, pieces of the curtains. Everything is
usable for scrapbooking. You can even use the letters and numbers of scrable and rummikub.
10. Don't take it too seriously!
Scrapbooking is about having fun and making it a memorable event. You could scrapbook with your kids,
spouse, friends or family and make it a fun evening, or series of evenings. Just do crazy things with
scrapbooking and don't think about stuff too much.