Scrapbooking - Where To Start?...

I got a comment left on my blog the other day. By someone calling themselves "S", but there was no e-mail address so I can not reply. Instead I thought I would reply on here. The comment left read like this:

"Hey there. I've been looking through your blog and I really love your designs. I was just wondering if you had any tips for beginning scrapbookers. My teacher introduced me to scrapbooking of a sort - I started scrapbooking with notebook designs. I'm really excited to try a full layout but I'm not sure what to do... yeah, it'd be great if you could share a few tips. Take care and thanks."

First of all - thanks for the nice compliments :)

Starting scrapbooking? Hrm... tricky... where DO you indeed start? It's very hard to give advice as with everything, you learn as you go along. Your "style" develops and your taste changes. What scrapbooking supplies you bought when you started you will most likely not like once you have been scrapping for a while. Something that we all go through.

I wish I had a little more information on what you want to know. What is it you want help with? What supplies you need? Where to go for design ideas? How "to dare" starting on that first layout...? Anyway let's see...

Supplies (stash): My advice is not to buy too much until you find your own "style" and know what you really like. Basics you need: some cardstock (whites and krafts are good neutrals to start with), some patterned paper (in colours and patterns that appeal to you), a good black journaling pen (I love the American Crafts Precision Pen in 03 nib), scissors (or trimmer if you want to take it one step further), some glue and some embellishments (alphabet stickers? other stickers? flowers? chipboard?) You really don't need much. Plus some photos of course :)

Ideas: To get some ideas for layouts (and to work out what style you like) I would go out and buy some scrapbooking magazines. I'm not even sure in which country you are, but my favourites are Creating Keepsakes and Scrapbooks Etc.

Where to start: I would either pick a layout in a magazine that you like and try and "scraplift" (=copy) it. Use your supplies and do something similar. Remember that patterned paper and cardstock can be replacements for each other. Don't get hung up on details. A flower on their layout can easily be a sticker on yours etc. Play with what you have and have fun :)

Another thing would be to search online for step-by-step classes on layouts. I have lots here on my blog. Just look on the right side under "free on-line classes". Use whatever supplies you have and follow along. Start with your background. Add a few bits of papers, your photo(s), a title, some journaling and maybe some embellishments.

Important: The most important thing to do is to have FUN :) You CAN'T make "mistakes", it's all about what YOU want and like. Don't be afraid! You can't mess up! What's the worst that can happen? That you have to through a paper in the bin? Not the end of the world at all :) So be free and play - you'll soon get the hang of it. :)

And please get back to me if you have a more specific question after this. Hope this was of some help :)