When you own scrapbook albums of the most important things to remember is to protect your scrapbook pages. Protecting your scrapbook pages correctly will make certain they just as good in years to come. It is false economy to buy a cheap scrapbook album so always buy the best one you can afford.

There are many things you can do to help preserve you pages and this article will explain which the best ways are.

1 – Remember to only use acid free paper and card. Do not assume that all paper found in craft shops is acid free. You may also find that a pastel piece of paper made by one company is acid free and a brighter colour is not. Always check the packaging to make sure the paper or card is acid free. If in doubt ask someone in the craft shop for assistance.

2 – Certain liquids can destroy you scrapbook projects. You will need to take care when using harsh substances when creating you scrapbook page layouts and never eat or drink around your project.

3 – Sunlight will diminish paper, photos and your album quality so take care by making sure the storage for your scrapbook is in a dry place away from sunlight.

4 – Try to avoid getting fingerprints on your photos. Over time the fingerprints will become more visible and really alter the look of your photos. Handle your photos with care touching the outer edges only.

5 – Store your scrapbook upright. Laying a scrapbook flat will cause the pages to become flat and will render your embellishment to flat and lifeless.

6 – Be extra cautious when purchasing ready made embellishments second hand or from auction websites. You can never be absolutely sure what materials have been used as they may not be acid free or may include harmful glues and adhesives.

7 – Wash your hands! This may seem obvious but it is easy to forget when you are busy thinking about your new scrapbook ideas to stop and wash your hands. On more than one occasion I have totally ruined a scrapbook page when I have forgotten to wash my hands after using ink.

If you want your scrapbook album to last a long time it is worth looking after it. After all, what can be more frustrating than spending huge amounts of time creating a fantastic scrapbook album only to find that in a year the pages have become worn and tatty.

By looking after your scrapbook you will know that your scrapbook ideas will be preserved for years to come. A scrapbook album is something to be cared for and to be cherished so it looks a good as the day it was made.

Vicki Churchill writes for a site that specializes in Scrapbook Ideas providing you with excellent tips and ideas for creating stunning Scrapbook Page Layouts. Vicki also specializes in Card Making.

It is evident by the sheer amount of people that surf the internet that the world has gone digital. It is a digital world filled with cameras, phones and other electronics that drives people to greater heights. Even those scrapbook albums have gone digital.

Digital scrapbooking is now a very popular form of scrapbooking that puts everything you want and need right at your fingertips with the click of a mouse. If you are unsure of how to proceed with your digital scrapbook, then you have come to the right spot.

Step number one, if you want to undertake digital scrapbooking, involves gathering all of your pictures together. You are going to have to convert them to a digital format. You can do this in several ways. The first way is through a cord from your camera.

The second way is to scan them onto your computer with a high definition scanner. The third option is to take your memory card from your camera into Walgreens, Wal-Mart or some other photo lab and have them put the photos onto a disc.

Next on the agenda is finding the right photo editing software. This will allow you to digitally alter your photographs and enhance some of the features. Once you have done this it will be time to look at scrapbook ideas to create your digital scrapbook.

Just as with traditional scrapbooking, you are going to need scrapbook pages to put your photos on. There are great templates on the internet and you can go to “Free Digital Scrapbooking” for some wonderful ideas.

Once you have either purchased or gotten the layout pages for free, it is time to assemble your album. Take your time and have fun playing with the embellishments and stickers that can be found on free websites. There is plenty of free stuff out there if you take the time to do a simple web search.

The final step for your digital scrapbook is to share it with your friends and family. You can make a compact disc, post it on a webpage or even print out the final product for your loved ones to see.

Digital scrapbooking is just one of the ways that technology continuously aids people in their everyday lives. You will love being able to email your pictures and digital scrapbook to friends and family that live far away.

They will enjoy seeing how your life is going. The best part of a digital scrapbook is that you can always change it and update the album. Have fun with it and see where it takes you!

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What will you do for National Scrapbooking Day? Here are some ideas:

1. Have a scrapbooking party with your friends! No scrapbooking friends to invite? Teach a friend your love! Tell them to bring some pictures and you’ll share your supplies! What more could you ask for than companionship and scrapbooking!?

2. Or, scrap alone! The point of National Scrapbooking Day is to celebrate our hobby!

3. Spend some time rearranging your scrapbook area to optimize your space. We all know that organization is the key to efficiency and storage of supplies tends to be overwhelming to every scrapbooker. So, taking time to organize your storage will reap huge returns when it comes time to make a layout or card. Plus, you’ll probably get inspired by unearthing forgotten scrapbooking embellishments!

4. Get inspired to learn a technique. Look through some magazines to find something you’ve always wanted to try and apply it to a scrapbooking layout. To get you started, here are some ideas of scrapbooking embellishments you could incorporate into your scrapbooking layout:

* Buttons – line clear buttons with coordinating paper
* Ribbon – thread ribbon around chipboard, add it to journaling spots, or use it to frame a picture
* Brads – use brads to make an initial or monogram, as the center of flowers, or to anchor mini-albums, accordion albums, or fold-out albums
* Embossing – make it the focus embellishment by layering embossing powder into a mound (heating between layers) and pushing a rubber stamp into the still-hot embossing powder
* Stamping – make a new background paper using 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation stamping (first impression is stamping with a freshly inked stamped, second impression is stamping immediately after the first stamping without re-inking, and third impression is stamping a third time without re-inking)
* Distressing – using white core Close To My Heart cardstock, score your paper with your scoring tool on your paper cutter and then sand the top layer off to reveal unique patterns
* Chipboard – use chipboard as a scrapbooking embellishment in titles, as photo corners, to spruce up tags, and cover mini-albums
* Liquid Glass – add Liquid Glass to the top of stamped image for a polished scrapbooking embellishment
* Stitching/sewing – either free hand or with a sewing machine, stitching gives projects a handmade touch
* Doodling – add a little of yourself to your work by doodling along to accent your page or cut out the doodles to use as scrapbooking embellishments
* Jewels, glitter, sequins, and rhinestones – add some sparkley bling to your layout and turn up the intensity of your design!
* Hidden journaling – if you don’t like your handwriting or you’d rather not highlight it on a layout, hide it behind a paper flap or photograph
* Painting – use paint to create a multi-dimensional effect on otherwise plan cardstock or use texture cardstock to add further dimension!

5. Or, if you simply can’t get motivated to create a scrapbook layout anew: scraplift! Find inspiration in the Close To My Heart (CTMH) Summer 2009 Idea Book or browse a gallery of scrapbooking pages and put your layout together!

6. If all else fails, there is nothing like SHOPPING for new products to motivate you to create!

Happy SCRAMPING (SCRArapbooking/StaMPING)!

Copyright (c) 2009 Tara Hamilton

Tara Hamilton is a scrapbook aficionado! Learn new techniques, get great tips, browse the scrapbooking gallery and be inspired at her blog, Scrapbooking Release. Or join her on Facebook [http://tinyurl.com/thamilton] to meet other scrapbookers and cardmakers just like you!

You love scrapbooking as a hobby, but staying within your budget can be a challenge if you want to indulge in all the latest paper and embellishments for your page layouts. It’s important to balance your passion for making beautiful scrapbook pages with your need to stay out of debt. Scrapbooking with office supplies can be a cost-effective alternative to high-priced scrapbooking embellishments.

The first thing to consider when using office supplies in your page layouts is the overall topic of your scrapbook. For example, is this the kind of scrapbook that has a very informal theme to it – a way for you to chronicle events shared with family and friends? Or, is this a more formal scrapbook that will be presented to someone as a gift? It’s easier to use readily-available office supplies in an informal album than a formal album, like a wedding scrapbook.

Visit your local office supply store or even a large discount store, and shop for the basics first. Does the store carry archival safe pens and paper? Check for essential tools like scissors, adhesives and paper cutters. You often will get a better price at these types of stores than the local scrapbooking store.

Now get creative with possible embellishments. Look for colorful paper clips, brads, simple stickers, and staples. Don’t limit yourself to the standard sizes either. Large paper clips and brads can become accents for photos or journaling blocks. Staples and brads can be used in much the same way as adhesives. Use them to attach die cuts to a page or add a larger page element like a decorative tag.

Office supply stores sell a variety of tags as well. In fact, when tags on scrapbooking pages first became popular, I could only find tags in office stores. They are so versatile on your layouts. Tags come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Look for circle tags, rectangular tags, and square price tags. I especially like to use the tiny price tags that come attached to a piece of string. Tags from office supply stores usually only come in white or beige, but you can overlay cardstock on them to give them more color, or you can paint, ink or chalk them. I use tags in my page titles, journaling blocks, and as a unique page element all its own.

You can find a lot different envelope options when scrapbooking with office supplies. Check the aisles for mailing and shipping materials, as well as the stationary section. A few years ago I learned about bank envelopes. These are small little envelopes that make fun pockets for a short note or photo on your page. They can be a little difficult to find, but I usually found them in the section where cash register tape is sold.

A little imagination can go a long way toward stretching your scrapbooking supply budget. Adding office supplies is just one option. Look around you for more everyday items that can be used in your scrapbooks.

Christine Perry is an avid scrapbooker and has over 10 years of scrapbooking experience. Her favorite photography and scrapbooking subjects are her reluctant teenagers. She invites you to her website, http://www.intoscrapbooking.com for more scrapbooking ideas and scrapbooking Seaworld tips

Every scrapbook is unique and inviting; as a creative scrapbooking professional, your marketing should be as eye-catching and irresistible as your creations. Even if you have only a few hundred dollars to spend, you can absolutely woo clientele using grassroots methods to showcase your creative scrapbooking acumen.

Educate Others in the Art Form of Creative Scrapbooking

One of the fastest ways to turn yourself from an unknown scrapbooker into a creative scrapbooking “expert” is to teach a class on the art of creating a fabulous, memorable scrapbook.

Though you might initially be wary that if you tell others your creative scrapbooking “secrets”, they won’t use your creative scrapbooking business, that usually doesn’t happen. Instead, what occurs is that your students see you as a professional in the arena of scrapbook design and development. Thus, when they want an important scrapbook (e.g., for their daughter’s Bar Mitzvah or husband’s retirement celebration), they will immediately think of you. After all, they might enjoy creative scrapbooking, but they don’t necessarily feel confident enough to construct a special scrapbook on their own.

You can work with many community centers, schools, college campuses, and libraries to offer your creative scrapbooking courses. Expect to spend a bit of money on advertising, room rental (though you can often snag a free space if you’re a start-up), and creative scrapbooking paraphernalia, though it’s still much less of an investment than if you paid for a full page, 4-color ad in the Sunday paper.

Write About Scrapbooking

Another way to become an instant creative scrapbooking “guru” is to write articles or tips about creative scrapbooking. Sometimes, smaller community papers will print such items as “filler” for their circulars. Alternately, if a local sewing center or arts and crafts store offers a newsletter to patrons, you might be able to become a “guest columnist.” (Or perhaps you can offer to write your own “creative scrapbooking newsletter” gratis if they agree to pass it out to consumers.)

Will you receive a ton of creative scrapbooking business from this type of subtle “marketing”? Probably not. But you will be building your reputation as your area’s premier creative scrapbooking authority. You will also be able to tell prospective customers that you’ve published items on the topic of creative scrapbooking, always an impressive credential to tout (and a resume booster as well.)

Start a Scrapbooking Blog and/or Web site

In today’s cyber society, blogs and Web sites are fairly inexpensive, so there’s no reason not to get online and start talking about your creative scrapbooking know-how and burgeoning creative scrapbooking company.

For example, you could quickly set up a blog 100% devoted to the tricks of the creative scrapbooking trade in an effort to attract persons from around the world to your site. Though most of them won’t become clients, you stand to gain instant exposure. And who knows? The family down the street may wind up stopping by your creative scrapbooking Web site and hiring you to redo their three sons’ baby books!

Never Stop Selling Yourself or Your Scrapbooking Abilities!

It’s critical that you never stop selling yourself and your creative scrapbooking business if you are serious about succeeding in this infant industry with huge profit potential.

This may mean stepping out of your “comfort zone” and becoming a master at self-promotion. If you have an innate fear of networking, it’s time to overcome your worries and learn how to shake some hands. Remember that you won’t be the first entrepreneur who took a plunge into the unknown.

To become a better press generator on behalf of your creative scrapbooking business, you’ll have to force yourself to try again and again. However, if the process becomes achingly difficult and hampers your desire to scrapbook, it may be time to hire someone to promote your business on your behalf. Yes, this is a “last ditch” measure, but if it keeps your dream alive, it’s worth the cost to bring on a partner who isn’t afraid of a good sales pitch. (And many individuals will work with start-ups on a commission basis, which is terrific news for your budget!)

A Final Note about Ethics and Your Scrapbooking Venture

Though it’s imperative that you keep up standards and operate ethically and legally (the tax man will cometh whether you like it or not!), that doesn’t mean you can’t be innovative. Constantly seek out ways to differentiate yourself from other scrapbook artists and allow yourself to grow personally and professionally.

Love your work, and that positive attitude mingled with creative scrapbooking talent will draw customer inquiries and have you wondering why you didn’t begin your creative scrapbooking company sooner.

Michele Cardello, director of marketing and creative for Life Imprints, a creative scrapbooking [http://www.lifeimprints.com] supplies company also offering contemporary picture frames, in Cleveland, Ohio, has worked in the photo packaging industry for 10 years. Cardello helps customers find creative ways to preserve and appreciate a lifetime of memories.

Even if you are new to scrapbooking, you have probably seen the trend towards digital page layouts. Scrapbooking has been a popular hobby for hundreds of years. While it has continued to change over the years, the most significant change is the addition of technology. The trend towards digital pages blends technology with the creativity of traditional scrapbooking.

The first thing you need to think about when it comes to traditional vs. digital scrapbooking is which method interests you the most. While both have their advantages and disadvantages, initially choose the one that seems the most appealing to you. After all, you certainly have to choose the method that is going to result in a fun experience for you!

If you are having trouble choosing, consider evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of each option. Start with traditional scrapbooking methods. The most obvious advantage with the traditional method is that it is more personalized, because you have to cut out, paste, and write all of the information in the scrapbook yourself. The traditional method is definitely more tactile and hands on than digital.

When it comes to the weaknesses that traditional scrapbooking might have, there are two main ones. First of all, in order to properly scrapbook your photos, you will need a significant amount of workspace to spread out all of your materials. Also, materials such as glitter and glue can make the traditional option rather messy.

Digital scrapbooking is, of course, a newer way to scrapbook. The advantages that this form has are mainly in terms of all the unique things that you can do with images and designs. When it comes to the disadvantages, there is one main one, and that is purchasing the right digital equipment. You will need a digital camera, digital scrapbooking software, and a digital photo printer that will meet your photo album needs.

In the debate between traditional vs. digital scrapbooking, there are many pros and cons. If you are still having trouble deciding, you can always try both of them. In fact, there is a trend towards digi-fusion which is using both traditional and digital elements on your page layouts!

If you would like more information on the different methods available to scrapbook your photos, you can find lots of resources in the various craft magazines that can be found at your local bookstore. There is even a new magazine specifically for digital scrapbooking. You can also check out the many scrapbooking websites that are available on the internet. Researching the advantages and disadvantages of traditional vs. digital methods will help you choose which option is best for your page layout style.

Christine Perry is an avid scrapbooker and has over 10 years of scrapbooking experience. Her favorite photography and scrapbooking subjects are her reluctant teenagers. She invites you to her website, http://www.intoscrapbooking.com for more scrapbooking ideas and circle journal themes.

Let’s face it, many women are just so sentimental about a lot of things in their life. They cherish both memorable events involving their loved ones and personal things they receive from special people. Photos and souvenirs are among their most treasured possessions because they are things that remind them of their journey in life.

Now when it comes to preserving these memoirs, nothing beats scrapbooking – a hobby which has become so popular among many women of all ages around the world. Countless young women including housewives, mothers and professionals to even the golden girls are engaged in this paper craft hobby these days. What makes this popular is the fact that scrapbooking can bring out the creativity of women in preserving photos and souvenirs instead of just the usual stuff of pasting or slipping your photos in the traditional album. With scrapbooking, women can let their imagination run wild. They can design each of their album pages in the most unique way they can think of using a wide range of materials. It can truly be fun, too, especially when they can get together and share ideas as well as paper materials.

In fact, scrapbooking has also become high-tech nowadays. It has evolved from the traditional practice of using different types of paper, trimmings and markers for journaling to the latest computer software that lets hobbyists create and design album pages on their PCs. The software normally contains numerous templates, fonts and other tools for computer scrapbooking. After creating your pages on your PC, all you need is to just print them out and compile them together and voila! Your personalized scrapbook is done.

In the U.S., scrapbooking events and conventions for hobbyists and manufacturers of papercrafts are being held every now and then. The yearly MemoryTrends Conference and Expo is said to be the most comprehensive event on scrapbooking and papercrafts in the world. This event which features exhibits involves companies that sell, make, market or promote scrapbooking and papercrafts products and services. The 2006 conference led to the creation of a magazine especially geared toward the scrapbooking retailer and manufacturer.

Across the U.S., weekend scrapbooking retreats are also being held on a regular basis offering an outlet for women to have fun, meet friends and express their creativity. Normally, these events include free demonstrations on starting and enhancing your projects. Organizers also provide the venue and some of the basic materials which attendees can use during the entire duration of the event. Booths selling paper products and other craft materials are also available. Some of these weekend retreats offer all-inclusive packages complete with food and accommodation. The others provide more exciting perks like on-sight spa treatments that include massages and manicures for those joining the workshops.

Meanwhile, for those who enjoy digital scrapbooking via the computer, you can avail of free tutorials from various sites on this papercraft. Scrapbooking sites like Scrapjazz.com, Scraptutor.com and CreativeMemories.com provide information on the latest products and techniques for hobbyists. Plus, they have online contests on a monthly basis that offer fun and exciting prizes. Sometimes, they also have special promotions that give exclusive discounts to loyal subscribers. So join in the fun and expand your creativity via scrapbooking.

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Scrapbooking is a well loved hobby that allows us to share a few of our favorite moments with others in a fun way! Creating a scrapbook gives us the opportunity to tell a story, share our lives, or document our family history in an interesting and visually appealing manner. Technology has improved to the point where most of our hobbies are affected by it, scrapbooking is no exception!

Taking your scrapbook hobby from paper to digital is a fantastic way to not only better preserving your memories, but it is also a very effective means to sharing your scrapbooks with others with a few simple clicks of a mouse. Imagine being able to easily share your family tree scrapbook project without the need to send off your original and only copy! Family tree digital scrapbooking is an extension of the scrapbook hobby that is gaining immense popularity as more people become familiar with all that the technology-aided hobby can offer their projects.

Take, for example, the extreme ease of use that comes with using many of the available photograph editing software packages. You no longer need to be a digital photography or design expert to make changes to your own photographs. Family photographs that have been handed down through the generations can often be in very rough shape; with a few minutes spent editing a digital copy of the photograph you can restore it fairly close to what it must have looked like when it was first printed. This digital restoration will ensure these images are available for more generations than the original photograph would have been.

When creating a family history scrapbook using traditional methods, you often have no recourse of action if you make a mistake and glue a photograph or other decorative piece in the wrong place or even on the incorrect page. Using digital methods you have the ability to adjust and move items around in a virtual format; no changes need to be made permanent until you are completely satisfied with them.

Purchasing all of the items needed to create a scrapbook can be time consuming and oftentimes very expensive! Stickers, colored paper, stamps, glitter pens, and even pre-cut theme pages can turn into a pricey shopping trip. However, creating your family tree scrapbook in a digital format means that all of these items are no longer necessary to create the perfect scrapbook. There are thousands of free themes, images, and even fonts that can be utilized to ensure your digital scrapbook creation is as perfect as you envisioned it to be.

Do not be turned away from family tree digital scrapbooking if you are still in favor of a family history scrapbook to sit on your coffee table. Using one of the many offered professional printing services available on the internet, you will still be able to create a physical copy of your family history scrapbook at a very affordable rate. The ability to create a physical copy from the digitally created family history scrapbook also allows for printing multiple copies that can be distributed amongst family and friends.

Jeff Sallee is a hopeless genealogy enthusiast and also the author of “Family Tree Secrets: Guide to Creating Your Own Family Tree”. Jeff truly enjoys helping others get started in this satisfying pursuit. For more information regarding his ebook or to see other scrapbooking articles check out: http://www.SecretsOfGenealogy.com.

Want to spruce up your scrapbook without spending a lot? If you are not too keen on using the ready-made scrapbooking materials out there, well you are of course more than free to find your own way of making your scrapbook more unique and appealing by using home-made materials.

Here are some tips that will hopefully help you come up with a more creative scrapbook:

· Paper “glitter”: although technically without the so-called glitz. Use your paper scraps to come up with multi-colored specks of paper that you can either use as add-ons or a new way to create borders for your scrapbook’s picture frames. This can get pretty messy though but you can easily save whatever’s left of your paper glitter, put it in some neat canister so that you can use it again for your next arts and crafts project.

· Get creative with cutouts: you can use different colored and textures of paper to create some unique paper cutouts that you can use to spruce up your photos, or even serve as creative adornments on your scrapbook.

· Recycle, recycle, recycle: save on scrapbooking materials by becoming more resourceful. Before putting out stuff for trash, try to see if there are still things that you can use especially for your scrapbooking projects. Old magazines, scrap papers, cardboard, old cereal boxes can all be recycled and use for decorations. You just have to think more creatively and be more open to trying out new things this will definitely help you produce a scrapbook that is truly unique and one-of-a-kind.

Lisa is the owner of Modzy.com, the #1 online scrapbooking supplies store. Find thousands of scrapbook products and low prices everyday at http://www.modzy.com

If you’re like most people, you went into your scrapbooking hobby with many ideas for creative pages full of memories, and layouts of photos that perfectly captured the moments they showed. And if you’re like most people, you ran through those ideas in a focused flurry of cutting arranging, and pasting, and then discovered that you didn’t have any ideas left.

For many people, this is the time when those photos sometimes get put back in the closet to not be seen again for many years. But you don’t have to have all the ideas in your head to begin with; there are many places that can help you come up with new ideas tailored to your memories and your needs.

• Scrapbooking classes. Many scrapbook supply stores and hobby stores offer scrapbooking classes. In most cases, you can sign up and pay by the class, so you don’t have to commit to a long-term arrangement, either of your time or your budget. You can also meet other interested scrapbookers here and share ideas with them.
• Websites. A quick Google search for “scrapbooking layouts” turns up over a million sites. A small fraction of these, the ones on the first several pages, offer new, creative ideas for presenting your memories. Many of these come with print-outs and downloadable material for you to use either in your computer or your hard copy.
• Books. A quick browse through your bookstore or your library will offer dozens of books with scrapbooking suggestions and techniques. Some are ridiculously advanced, but the idea isn’t to copy them, it’s to get inspiration for your own layouts.
• Newsletters. Many of the best scrapbooking sites offer newsletters that come with daily or weekly tips about your hobby. Just sign up for one or two of these, and new ideas will be delivered right to your inbox!

Lisa is the owner of Modzy.com, the #1 online scrapbooking supplies store. Find thousands of scrapbook products and low prices everyday at http://www.modzy.com

You can also read the scrapbooking blog for the latest tips, tricks, ideas and articles at http://blog.modzy.com