Getting started on Scrapbooking

[sarah81]

Hi,

I was just wondering what is the best way to get started with scrapbooking? I have millions of photos and keepsakes of the boys all in boxes but have no idea where to start :o I have some creative ideas but don't have the know how to follow them through.

Is it best to do a class first? I don't really want to go and buy a whole lot of stuff I don't need. My DP would kill me!

Thanks,

Sarah :D

[mykidzrokk]

The first thing i did was get all my photos and remove them from their albums and put them into photo boxes...this took me forever....lol...i put them into categories, each child, holidays...etc.....an then i bought a pack of cardstock from Big W and some stickers and just did a couple of pages. Once i decided i'd found a hobby i was going to be serious about, i bought a paper trimmer and checked out a few different scrap companies cos i found out from other friends who scrapped that it wasnt cheap. I found TLC and bought their starter kit, which had a cutting mat and a bag to store all my stuff as well as themed kits to get me started and that was that.....lol.....i found it overwhelming at the beginning and still do, sometimes, cos the supply of topics is endless and i just dont know where to start sometimes.....if u need any help, just PM me or MSN me at mykidzrokk@hotmail.com

Good Luck

Susie

[Hokey Pokey]

When I first started, I just picked two photos of my daughter as a baby. Making sure they were not anything toooo special so i could experiment a bit!

I then looked at the photo and asked myself is there a theme to the photos, special event. In my case my daughter was wearing pink so "pink" was my theme.

I chose myself a piece of pink cardstock from a scrapbook supplier store and then I bought a piece of pattern paper to match. I looked around the store and found myself cute little "tags" where on these I wrote my daughters name and age.
Also added a embellishment stickers with the words pretty in pink and so cute. Stuck these on the side of my photo and then layed the photo on an angel. I used the pattern paper and cut it in half, stuck half at the top of the page and the other half at the bottom and then bought some ribbon saying baby girl and ran that along the egde to blend it in with the cardstock.

There are many good websites that have ideas,just type in scrapbooking idea/layouts/pages.

Good luck!!

[Smurfette]

I would start by doing a beginners class. I did one the other day and it shows basic layouts to give you ideas and to get you started. They will explain all the lingo and tell you what you actually need and give you different ideas on how to use things like crayon, ink etc. Will actually do a page at the class. I would highly recommend this.

[LadyLauren]

Im an old school scrapper.... BEWARE its verrrrrrrrrryyyyy addictive hahahaha

but good luck! go to your local scrapbooking shop and ask around up there, they are always mroe than happy to welcome new scrappers and they will give you some great spread ideas!

[sarah81]

Thanks everyone, think I will do a class as I am completely clueless!

[mel2]

Hi I started off with buying magazines and getting ideas that way, you can also grab some cheap scrapbooking iteams from bigw etc to start off with while youre style changes have fun.

Melanie

[~EmsMum~]

I think I might start going to a class, over the past week I have become very addictied to buying scrapbooking things and want to get started :D

[Jolou]

I have just started as a Creative Memories Consultant. I have never done scrapbooking before but always wanted to but thought it was too expensive (can be but doesn't have to be). CM consultants can come to your house and do classes with a few friends and most don't mind if there are kids around too. Check out the website to find a consultant near you or PM me for more info.
Happy scrapping!!

[jessi]

I have been keen on getting into this lately... I just want to do up a book for my bub, to keep memories of all the important things in... today I went to spotlight and baught a scrap booking book, so I will read through this first and then just try start this book for her...

Im abit creative, so Im hoping I wont have too much trouble with this! (My sister makes scrapbooking cards also, and they are AMAZING!!) Im so excited to start!

[gillianf]

Ok can I just laugh at your siggie, Jessi! Baby Whale due... heeeheeee! :laughing:

Good luck! I'm sure you'll be great at it! Post some pics when you start on your layouts! I've been doing digital for about 8 months now and absolutely LOVE it! I've only recently decide to do paper, cos DS1's baby album was atrocious (we stopped updating at 5 months) and I felt that we should at LEAST get the first year done so I could get started on DS2! Only prob is, I'm in between digital projects, a digital baby album for both my sons and then the paper! Where to find the time! I've also signed up for my first ever crop session this Friday night and am SO looking forward to it!

:D Gill

[jessi]

haha, yeah, shes a little whale alright- people look like they are about to fall over when they ask how long I have to go and I say "oh, about 10weeks". This one lady was nice enough to say to me the other day that 'it could just be alot of fluid in there'... thanks love!

If your parents and grandparents births were all small, your pretty much gaurenteed to have a small baby, yes? I bloomin hope so!


This morning I started printing out pics of me and DF... one each of before we met and then I took 4 pics of us together and made a little slide thing- like the row of pics you get from those machines... looks cool as! Also printed out some of my belly shots to begin the book off with...

I feel a little clueless but I should be right!

[justchell]

Try out www.creativememories.com.au (http://www.creativememories.com.au) that have the best information on photo storage, scrapbooking and (in your home) hands on assistance to get a whole album completed.

I personally found that scrapbooking stores were pushy on buying heaps of 'stuff' to put onto a page. Then I discovered Creative Memories at the Brisbane Stitches and Craft Expo, a lovely lady came to my home, which was fantastic for someone who has littlies at home, I was shown how to start, plus the most cost effective way to complete a whole album. If you are like me and have thousands of photos that you want to do something with and a very limited budget so be wary of spending money on 'stuff' and just invest in a really good quality album, adhesive and photo safe pen.

[mccuens]

Try out www.creativememories.com.au (http://www.creativememories.com.au) that have the best information on photo storage, scrapbooking and (in your home) hands on assistance to get a whole album completed.


Ooh I'm going to check out that site. I'm really interested in getting all of the little things together so I can get started a few months after the baby is born, if I get time of course... :)

I haven't had a look at BigW or Spotlight yet, so I probably should check there for a starter kit or something. This is all so very exciting! :D

[gillianf]

Ooh I'm going to check out that site. I'm really interested in getting all of the little things together so I can get started a few months after the baby is born, if I get time of course... :)

I haven't had a look at BigW or Spotlight yet, so I probably should check there for a starter kit or something. This is all so very exciting! :D
Ooh have a look at the Warehouse too! I found loads of great bits and pieces there (dunno about starter kits tho) and they were really cheap! :D

[melbryan]

Some of the mags you buy now have some freebies in them . Yesterday my scrapbooking subcription came with a CD-rom with lots of ideas to print off.
Save all your bottle tops, some good circle and square punches are good for lettering. I am into embellishments so have lots of bits and pieces. It is very addictive and I think my supplies have got out of hand. I have to very quickly walk passed those aisles in the shops so I don't add to my already large collection.
Good Luck.
Classes are good if you have no idea where to start.

[sarah81]

Thanks for your replies everyone. I have just been invited to a scrapbooking party. Have no idea what this involves, gathering a bit like Tupperware? :o Or maybe we are actually meant to do some scrapbooking, no idea:confused: But it will be my introduction to scrapbooking anyway :smiliedance:

[Hokey Pokey]

Enjoy the party!! I do party plan for scrapbooking and we do make a takes... so hopefully you will do something similair! :D

[mccuens]

Ooh have a look at the Warehouse too! I found loads of great bits and pieces there (dunno about starter kits tho) and they were really cheap! :D

Great stuff! I'll add that to my list of places. Thanks for that gillianf :D

[KaM]

Im just delving into the depths of scrapbooking myself. I bought myself a smaller scrapbooking album then those huge ones because I figured a smaller space looks a lot less daunting to fill then the big pages. I spent a few weeks collecting bits and pieces from the little cheapy shops like go-lo and roni's and hot dollar etc. . .I also had a look in big W and spotlight and bought the little theme sets as well. my best buy I must admit was the pink box to put it all in!!. . lol . .One day I will sit down and do it . .just need to wait til little miss decides to let mummeh have a little time to put her mind on it. I bought a scrapbooking magazine but have also looked online and there as some great beginner ideas out there. Cause Im going to need all the help I can get!!

[Sarie]

I started out with Creative Memories 7 years ago, not long after it started here in Australia. It's a great place to start and I highly recommend going to a couple of classes. But as you go along you will get your own style and don't be afraid to go to scrapbooking shops and by stuff from there also.
I usually only buy my albums from Creative Memories, they are the best. But most other products you can get from shops, and I find that CM can be fairly limited with papers and stickers, though they have got some great new things coming in all the time.
The only thing I don't like about CM is the pressure to only use there products, yes they are great but if you look around you find a lot of other great products also.
Best of luck and remember - as others have said, it is very addictive!

[tera]

:) Im a CM consultant and I must agree the albums are the best Ive ever seen. (not saying that because of what I do).Just the quality outrates the rest although they are more expensive.

Im not the pushy type to tell people what they can and cant use in their books, but I will suggest if you are using embellishments be very careful what you use because in a few years some of them will have ruined your photos if they are stacked in an album together.

Also make sure when you buy paper , cardstock and stickers they are acid and lignin free, there are still a few things around that arent thats all and we are talking our memories here.

I hope you all enjoy your journey into scrapbooking.


Teresa