Scrapbooking can be defined as an activity of preserving memorabilia and legacy through notebooks called scrapbooks. The person puts down his thoughts, ideas and feelings in the scrapbook and decorates it in a cheery and beautiful manner. The whole idea of a scrapbook is to create a visually attractive book whereby, a person can combine his thoughts and ideas with a touch of beauty and glamour. Instead of keeping a mundane daily diary or journal, one can make a cheerful scrapbook.

Today’s digital age has taken over almost every walk of life. Scrapbooking is no exception to this occurrence. Digital scrapbooking is now rampant and is serving as a tech-savvy way of keeping a scrapbook. Printers, scanners and desktop publishing have all taken scrapbooking by a storm. The internet is providing the scrapbookers with a wide range of scrapbooking options and aims to accrue the benefits of online scrapbooking in the dozens of social networking websites available before us.

Scrapbooking is now a commercial activity. It has lots its small-scale status and is expanding by the day. Scrapbooking has evolved greatly over the past few years and this has given rise to an interesting variety of scrapbooking techniques. A scrapbooking technique is not something that fits in a set mould. In fact, all of us can devise our own scrapbooking techniques. But certain techniques pertaining to the various aspects of scrapbooking are truly beneficial.

Various websites outsource scrapbooking techniques. Some books have been compiled for the same. The whole process of scrapbooking is a great learning process and we can find discover interesting techniques whilst making a scrapbook. We can share these with our friends and learn some techniques from them. But all in all, certain standard techniques can prove advantageous to our scrapbooks in many ways.

The first most important aspect of scrapbooking is the choice of paper. A variety of paper that has a long life is sturdy and acid-free should be preferably chosen. Thereafter, one should design a plan for scrapbooking. All the materials to be used in the scrapbook should be carefully planned and selected. We should have a clear idea of the entire design of our scrapbook. The correct variety of pens, inks, stencils and embossing material should be used.

Most sources outsourcing scrapbooking techniques emphasize on the need for creating an index page or highlight pages to locate them properly. Special pages should be decorated in special colors and symbols should be designed for such pages. Bookmarks with tassels can do wonders to your scrapbook. Tassels can be used in various areas of your scrapbook.

Decoration is perhaps the most important aspect of scrapbooking. Most sources outsourcing scrapbooking techniques suggest the need for choice of the right type of decoration. Decoration should be chosen carefully and should be minimal but sufficient. Too much of decoration can make your scrapbook look gaudy and overdone. Stamps, ribbons, embellishments, stickers, rub-ons, snow globes etc can add a dramatic touch to your scrapbooks, provided they are chosen carefully and used appropriately.

Pop-up pages for your albums, papers pierced with interesting trinkets, peek-a-boo pages, punch craft, panoramic pages, layering etc can do wonders to your scrapbook. The world of scrapbooking techniques is huge and diverse. You can explore some of these to add a touch of versatility to your scrapbooks.



Thanks to Muna wa Wanjiru for contributing this article to our Scrapbooking blog:

Scrapbooking Ideas For Wedding

Can you answer Cherise B’s question about Scrapbooking?:

I am just getting into scrapbooking due to the new addition in my family. I am wondering, when you go out and purchase the nice pretty background paper, do you glue that to the provided white paper of the scrapbook or do you omit the white paper and just use the pretty paper?

Digital Scrapbooking How To

Americans love scrapbooking! And why wouldn’t this be a popular hobby? You get to recall and preserve your special memories by doing something really creative. It’s addictive! There’s no wonder so many people enjoy scrapbooking.

But scrapbooking can really put a dent in your pocketbook. You have to get the scrapbook itself or an album, usually from craft store. And then you have to find plenty of special papers and decorations to add some flare to your scrapbook. Tools like glue and scissors add to the cost. If you’re an avid scrapbooker, you can invest a good part of your spending money.

Scrapbooking doesn’t have to be expensive, though. In fact, you can turn into a cost-free hobby. We already know you’re resourceful because you’re a scrapbooker! Now, apply that resourcefulness to your hobby and find the things you need around your house. Here are some ideas that may help you turn scrapbooking into a cost-free pursuit.

Don’t Buy Your Paper - Recycle It

You can buy a prepared scrapbook or album for your scrapbooks, but you don’t have to.

You can create most of the books that you find in craft stores today. Just give it a try.

If you have the time and patience, recycle your own papers. Use newspapers, loose papers from around the house, or scratch paper from your kids’ school. Recycling is easy, even though there are many steps to the process. All the materials you’ll need are scrap paper, a bucket, water and bleach, a blender, an embroidery hoop, and some netting. Create your own colors and textures for a truly unique scrapbook.

It can take some time, too. First, you have to tear the paper into smaller pieces. Then you have to dry the pieces after the recycling process. Imagine your pride when you respond, “Oh, no. I did every bit of it myself, even the paper!” If you’re interested in how to recycle your own scrapbooking paper, do a little research on the Internet, and have at it!

If you don’t have the time or interest in recycling your own scrapbook paper, you can use plain bond or pages from magazines or newspapers. They don’t have to be recycled to add some real flare to your scrapbook. For example, you can use photos and ads to add color and graphics to your pages. You can find photos and articles related to your scrapbook theme and add some interesting touches to your scrapbook pages.

Don’t Buy Embellishments - Go Through Your Cabinets, Drawers, and Closets

Most of us are pack rats. We keep everything just in case we’ll need it for a scrapbook. Well, now’s the time to hunt all those treasures down. You don’t have to buy fancy new decorations for your scrapbook. You can make your pages look great using items in your home. The benefit of doing this is that it adds unique personal touches to your scrapbook that you can’t buy from a craft store.

Examples include old buttons you’ve saved to put back on that old blouse or shirt, lace from old lingerie, or ribbons you’ve been saving to wrap gifts. You can get faux gemstones from old or broken costume jewelry. You can use scraps from old clothing to add texture to your scrapbook pages. You can use broken chains from old belts, jewelry, and clothing to add interesting borders.

Personalize Your Scrapbook with Paper Memories

You can literally fill a scrapbook without having to buy anything. Use old tickets for movies, busses, and concerts to mirror your theme. You can use reminders like old parking tickets or receipts from the time of your page focus items. Old programs from school plays, greeting cards, party invitations, old shopping lists, and personal notes add to the memories and make great decorations and graphics.

Scrapbookers are creative people from the start. Apply that resourcefulness to finding your own scrapbook materials, and you save a bundle while you create a family heirloom!



Thanks to Abhishek Agarwal for contributing this article to our Scrapbooking blog:

Scrapbook Supplies Online