Learning how to make a scrapbook will take some commitment and it is really like a piece of art. When you learn the techniques of how to make a scrapbook you will need to get to know a few basic tools, supplies, and learn some skills before you get started. While some projects are difficult, start at the beginning with simple layouts and designs and before you know it you will end up with something like a family heirloom. It can be enjoyable to do and then the memories that you gather can be passed down among generations.
To get started, you first need pictures to fill you scrapbook pages. Everyone has boxes filled with pictures, but you may notice that some are discolored or warped because of the poor storage. Our homes are full of acid and moisture which breaks down the chemical balance used to produce photographs and causes them to change appearance. When learning how to make a scrapbook, it’s important to use acid free supplies so that you can preserve the pictures for many years and decades to come.
There are some basics tools that you will need to get before you start on this great hobby of scrapbooking. Every good scrapbooker needs a cutting tool. You will need to get sharp scissors and specialty scissors that will cut scalloped edges, but you may also want something that will cut a straight line and circles. You will also need some form of adhesive. Beginners may find that the easiest products to buy are photo mounts, which are tiny pre-cut pieces of tape, and glue dots, which are pressure-sensitive strong spots of glue to hold larger embellishments. Beyond a cutting tool and adhesive, you really don’t need any other tools to get started, but if you want to create fancier pages, many options are available including rubber stamps, paper crimpers, punches, stickers and other embellishments. Start with a few smaller items and increase your inventory as you learn more and more scrapbooking skills.
When learning how to make a scrapbook, you will also need a few basic supplies – the most being the album itself. Make sure whatever you purchase is large enough to hold all the pictures you want to include two to five pictures will fit on a standard 8 x 11 page with cropping, with the most balanced layouts having three pictures. You can also choose from larger or smaller albums. Really, the only other supply that you will need to get your scrapbook album started is some paper. Most albums come with a white piece of paper in each sheet protector, but there are many colors and designs to choose from to help spice up your album. Other supplies that add interest to your pages include paper dolls, stickers, die cuts, and three-dimensional elements.
You can find scrapbooking inspiration from things that you see in a magazine or online and mimic it in your art. If you would like to learn some skills the fast way, you will want to attend or join a scrapbook workshop or club. Many craft shops also have classes that you can attend.
Learning how to make a scrapbook does require some sense of creativity but I am hardly a creative person and I can do it – practice makes perfect!
