Complete newbie to scrapbooking

[lil_miss_tree]

Hi, I want to make a scrapbook for my mum's 50th birthday present. I have just under a year so plenty of time. Problem is I don't really know what I am doing and what I need.

I have an album and bought some bits and bobs from poundshops, but I don't have any papers and am a bit lost really.

I have a 12x12 album that has a bright blue cover.

A few questions:

1. Do I stick to a colour theme to go along with the cover of the album?
2. Would I be able to decorate the cover?
3. Where is the cheapest place to get the patterend papers from?
4. What do you use as a base for each page?
5. How do you do the lettering for titles?


Sorry that was more than a few questions.

Appreciate any help I can get, thanks

[sparkysdad]

Hi, I want to make a scrapbook for my mum's 50th birthday present. I have just under a year so plenty of time. Problem is I don't really know what I am doing and what I need.

I have an album and bought some bits and bobs from poundshops, but I don't have any papers and am a bit lost really.

I have a 12x12 album that has a bright blue cover.

A few questions:

1. Do I stick to a colour theme to go along with the cover of the album?
2. Would I be able to decorate the cover?
3. Where is the cheapest place to get the patterend papers from?
4. What do you use as a base for each page?
5. How do you do the lettering for titles?


Sorry that was more than a few questions.

Appreciate any help I can get, thanks

Yes it certainly was! (just kidding!) though thankfully we dont "count" here, so you wont get a metaphorical spanking!...

1) Do you stick to a colour theme to go along with the cover of the album..

How many answers would you like for that? - first of all, I would say that whatever YOU decide is right! Scrapbooks are as much about you expressing yourself as a keepsake for the recipient.. there are no hard and fast "rules" you have to follow, but if it looks good to you, it's probably "right"..

If you lack confidence - perhaps because it is all new to you, following a colour theme can reduce the number of choices you have to make, but to my mind, it can throw up just as many new choices.. for example, the stuff you want to put in the book, will bright blue go well with it all? or would other colours suit the pictures and items you want to use.. A really simple option would be to buy one of the scrapbooking kits from somewhere like K & Co or any of the other big companies. You may pay a little more for supplies, but everything is co-ordinated and easy to accessorise.

As a rule of thumb, I would take your key from the items that go on the page, is there a colour or style that suggests the era of a photograph, or the time of year.. if you were putting in baby pics of your mum for example, pinks creams and other girly pastels make you think "baby girl" whereas something with a 1960's type theme would suggest to anyone looking at the page that your mum was born in that era. Browns reds and earthy tones might suggest Autumn. There is no harm in making each layout different, but you might like to make pairs of pages (double page spreads) so that when the album is open, the left and the right page look good together.

2) Would I be able to decorate the cover..

Yes of course! and how special that can make it! - depending on what the cover is made of, if it is a soft padded fabric cover you can sew beads and charms on, or a glue gun will stick small objects on almost any surface. just make sure that any glue you use is appropriate for the surface, and for the item you want to attach. I would say remember that the scrapbook is likely to be handled a lot, so make sure any decoration is truly secure!

3) where is the cheapest place to get the patterned papers from...

You can often find better prices online than in craft shops, just look at the many links on Craft Forum for the better value suppliers, but as you have a little time to make the album, you might want to look and see what is local to you too. Start off with your craft shops, seeing papers close to is far better than choosing from a small web pic - even if you end up buying it elsewhere! You can also find suitable papers in places like the discount Bookshops (we have one called "The Works" that sells a small range of craft supplies), Even your local market may have something, lots more people are getting in to paper crafts, and there are probably a few small outlets close to where you live. For Scrapbooking, you need to make sure the papers you buy are Acid and Lignin free, or marked as "Archive" quality. If they are not, it is likely that your photo's might fade or discolour badly.. You can buy a spray to make paper safe for scrapbooking, but it is just as easy to buy a proper paper in the first place.

4) What do you use as a base of each page..

Not sure what you mean by this - a physical base - as in something to put the page on? or a design base to come up with a theme??

The album you bought presumably has plastic pockets in it for your pages, often these come with a paper or card stiffner in them (normally white). you can if you wish make your layout direct on this sheet (assuming it is acid free etc).. a white background is just as good as any other. You could also use the white sheet as a stiffener between 2 layouts if there is enough room in the pocket to do it. Alternatively, and easiest - just remove the insert, and replace it with your scrapbook page - dont forget that buying a double sided background paper means you can decorate both sides, and you need fewer papers!

5 How do you do the lettering for titles..

How long have you got?? You can buy stickers in all sorts of shapes sizes and colours, plain ones patterned ones.. Rub on transfers, you can use your computer too - just print off the letters or words using something like Microsoft Word or openoffice just change the font to something suitable and make it the right size.. you can use the fonts already in the programs, but you can also find lots of funky ones on the web to download for free. The ones you print out you can cut out by hand, or make a nice tag by matting and layering (cut out your saying or word, then choose a card or paper that contrasts or tones with it, and cut a second piece the same shape but slightly larger, fix the word or saying to it so there is a nice border round the outside). You can also find sets of rubber stamps - the transparent ones are better for letters when you want to build up a word or phrase they are also usually a lot cheaper to buy. Another option is to buy some pre cut letters (called die cuts) - you can often find tins of random letters printed on card or chipboard at craft shops etc, or on ebay you can easily find people selling selections - either letters of your choice, or a mixed selection - these last two options are very easy to customise - you can colour them with inkpads, gel pens, use embossing powders on them and many other techniques to get a really good style.


I am sure that lot doesnt go anywhere close to answering all your questions, so keep asking, there will be some other suggestions too from other posters!

Dont forget there are also dedicated forums for scrapbookers that might be worth joining for other tips and advice, and if you are a complete beginner, you could look around locally and see if any of your craft shops do a craft club.. some can be rather expensive, but there is one local to me that just charges a couple of pounds per session, and you get to mmet some new people who share your interests, and use some new products for free.

Have a look in your local library too - there are a few handy books about scrapbooking, if they dont have any in stock, they can usually order some in for you

Don't be afraid to just "have a go".. you dont have to stick everything down until you are 100% happy with it, and even "accidents" can look good..

One other suggestion: DONT use original photos! take a copy - either scan them on to your computer and print them off on photo paper, or get copies made at your local snappysnaps type shop.. then you can cut and shape them however you wish, and not damage the original!

[lil_miss_tree]

Wow thank you so much. That's helped put my mind at rest so much and I now feel a bit more confident in giving it a go.

I've bought some stuff to get started with but just haven't had the courage to put it all together so thank you.

Now I just need to get all my photos sorted.

[autumn rose]

Wow thank you so much. That's helped put my mind at rest so much and I now feel a bit more confident in giving it a go.

I've bought some stuff to get started with but just haven't had the courage to put it all together so thank you.

Now I just need to get all my photos sorted.

Good luck with it, you will be amazed how your confidence will grow the more you do, Im sure its going to be fab, dont forget to show your work off as you go along

[Langara]

Well I think sparkysdad said it all! Goodluck with the album, it'll be nice to see the layouts when they are done.

[lil_miss_tree]

I am a bit of a planner before I am a dooer, so I am currently trying to sketch out layouts to give me a guide so I then know what to go out and buy and what I'm actually doing.

As soon as I have anything decent to show I will get pics up

[C Hupfield Ceramics]

Great idea for your mums birthday... that has actually given me the idea to do something similar for my mum for Mothers Day, but will I have enough time now??

Hope it all goes ok, im sure your mum will love it! This could be something good to share with us in your blog too

[lil_miss_tree]

Rather than do a whole book could you do just one page and maybe frame it? Will be a bit quicker than doing a whole scrap book, or you could do a mini one to go in her purse.

Also if you have a poundland shop near you they have a small scrapbook and accessories kit for yep you've guessed it a £1. So all you'd need then is the photos and some glue!

[sparkysdad]

Whatever you want to do is "right" )

There's no law that says "scrapbooking belongs in a book" - you can use the techniques for a book, a card, a keepsake, a framed collage.. and I am sure dozens of other ideas.. If you are going to frame it, you are not even limited to 12 x 12 or 8 x 8 layouts, as you can pick a frame the size you want to work with.

By the way, you mentioned a "small" purse sized keepsake.. Lots of card makers and scrapbookers also make Artist Trading Cards (ATC's) - there are even a few ATC swap clubs.. the idea is that you create a kind of crafters business card, and you put your contact details on the reverse, and swap your creations with others, then if you need a bit of inspiration, you can fick through, and if you see a technique you like, you can contact the person and ask them how they did it.. It is great for trying out effects without going to the time and expense of making a full sized layout too.

[lil_miss_tree]

Oh wow that's a brilliant idea, so many things on my to do list, where does the time go?

[sparkysdad]

Oh wow that's a brilliant idea, so many things on my to do list, where does the time go?

I wish I knew.. it certainly goes before I get to use it all!!

[Langara]

You mentioned you were sketching layouts first, there are loads of great sketch sites. My fave is www.pagemaps.com.

ATCs are fab. Great for embelishments on cards too, giving cards with an ATC attached on the front for the ATC to be kept.

[lil_miss_tree]

Oh brilliant, thank you

[nmstationerydesigns]

This has given me some fantastic ideas for presents. x

[abrilward]

As long as you made it all by yourself, your mother will probably love it..