Getting started with Scrapbooking

**PHOTO'S**
Photo's are what makes our scrapbooks our prized possessions! It is always best to make copies of the pictures you are going to add to an album, be it print two copies or Burn to Cd's, Keep on an External Hard drive etc. Most scrapbooking layouts will have at least one or multiple photos on them. This is totally up to you how you want to set up your albums, creating one page layouts is a great way of highlight a specific photo, but this can end up with you having a mountain of albums before you know it! I tend to add maybe 2-3 pictures per page, with keeping a single photo layout for special photo's or a picture which I want to include alot of journalling. This is entirely up to you.

** ALBUMS**
Albums can come in a variety of colours and sizes, you have Top loading, side loading, 6x6, 8x8 and 12x12 to name a few. the 6Inch and 8 Inch are great to get started as you don't feel so overwhelmed on how to fill up the entire page, or These are alos great for holiday snaps and gift albums. Some people just love the 8x8 size for everything, this is a personal choice.

** PAGE TITLE **
This is not a must have in any way, but some times adds a bit of fun to your lay outs. This describes your page/pictures your going to do on the page. Where were you? Theme as in Summer, Winter, Birthday Xmas etc You can put it anywhere you like on the page, horizontal, vertical, in between pictures any where you like. There is many ways to creating page titles. You can handwrite, Print fonts from your computer, use stencils, scrapbooking stickers even paints! Or as I prefer use a Provo Craft Cricut or Expression machine! These machines were a blessing when they were made!!! Even the Cuttlebug has some great dies and best of all your not limited to colours, grab any piece of paper or card stock you have and cut away!

** JOURNALLING **
Writing that explains the story of the photo. Could be date, location, something funny the kids said, something that you really want to remember about that day or picture. Even use song lyrics, a funny quote, entirely up to you. I found as time went on, the minute I took a picture, already in my head I knew how I was going to do a layout, and journalling I would be using! You can place your journalling on a block directly onto the paper or card your working on, vellum, you can hand write, or again use your printer. What is great about journalling is who ever is lucky to view your special albums, they can see and feel how memorable that event was, that every day picture that held a special moment in your heart they learn the story about the photo, instead of seeing a photo and wondering, who was in it, where were you, your journalling is what explains all of that.

** PAGE ACCENTS **
Also know as embellishments, these are items used to decorate your page layouts, this includes, flowers, buttons, ribbons, stickers, chipboard, brads, eyelets to name a handful! These can be picked theme wise, or take colours from your pictures and work in what suits best, You can be a Busy scrapper which over loads a page or a simple scrapper with just a few items, there is no right or wrong way to scrapbook, it is your art and how you want it to be. I do find however, the more page accessories you use can sometimes take over the main important thing on that page, Your photo! But in saying that, I am a Bling queen and tend to over decorate everything :)

** MAT **
You have probably heard this term before, Matting just means the layer underneath a photo which leaves an all-around border that helps the photo to stand out more. You can use cardstock, patterned paper,paint and other decorative elements. Adding a card stock mat and using an edge punch is a fantastic way to create colour and a fun pattern! You don't have to mat all the photos or any. But if you do, you can chose how many layers of matting you want to do, as in using a two matting for two coloured effect, or how ever many you are wanting.

These are just a few starters I hope you will find of help or interest. Remember there is no right or wrong way when scrapbooking. and you will be forever learning and changing your way of scrapbooking! Do not be alarmed if you look back at your albums you created 5 years ago, you probably won't like how you designed them but they are a great way of seeing how much you have learnt and grown along the way! I hope these few simple steps will help you with your scrapbook Journey!
Happy Scrapping!