Basic Materials for scrapbooking

One of the hobbies that has the whole America in a frenzy is scrapbooking. From ordinary cutting of photos and putting ribbons, the craze of scrapbooking have gone beyond the simple and developed into one sophisticated operations. Gone are the days when you have to dye the paper, cut the graphics and paste the decorations. Most people do not even draw anymore. And certainly, only a few ever stitch their own scrapbooks. All they need to do now is buy blank scrapbooks that are already prepared, pick some really nice stickers and decorations in the craft stores and voila, they are well on their way to a great scrapbook. Still for the newbies in scrapbooking, the basics tools are still the best. In fact, in getting started with scrapbooking, you may want to stick to the old and basic materials first just to be able to get the feel of how is it to really do scrapbooking. Although the new trends and materials provide great convenience, it somehow does all the work for the scrapbookers, leaving the essence of creative creations behind. To get you started, here are some of the basic materials that you've got to have in hand. Scrapbook paper You can't get started with scrapbooking if you dont have a scrapbook to begin with. There are blank scrapbooks that you can find in your craft stores. You can use those to get you started. You can also start with pieces of specialized papers, recycled ones, colored papers, art papers or construction papers that you can compile after. Some scrapbookers do this because they dont want to make all the pages uniform. After which you can make a cover and then you can stitch the pages and the cover together. Scissors You can never make a scrapbook without a good old scissors in your box of tools. This is perhaps the most basic of your tools as this is the one that you will be using in cutting shapes and graphics as well as putting designs on the pages itself. You can also buy scissors that cut designed lines and not just your usual straight lines. Much like the pinking shears used in sewing, these specialized scissors can be real handy when cutting graphics and decorations for your pages. Cutters and cutting boards Not all cuttings can be done with a scissors. Sometimes, you need a cutter to make your work a little easier. When using a cutter, make sure that you have a cutting board underneath to avoid cutting papers underneath or worse putting cut lines on the surface of the table. In addition to the cushion, cutting boards also have guide lines that will help you cut paper in a straight line. This will save you a lot of work in sketching and using the ruler just to be able to cut it straight. Cutting boards also have measurements that will help you when you need to cut paper at a certain length. Sticky stuff This is another tool that you cannot go without when doing scrapbooking. Most people use the glue gun especially when trying to put on decorations that are really bulky such as buttons or gemstones. When dealing with paper, you can use ordinary glue and even paste. Glue gun will only make the paper look bulky and wrinkled.

Getting into magazine scrapbooking

Through the years, more and more styles and themes have emerged when it comes to scrapbooking. Since the craft doesnt require formality, anything goes as long as the person enjoys the outcome of the product. One of the most common themes when it comes to scrapbooking is magazine scrapbooking. This theme mimics the layout usually seen in different kinds of magazine in the market. Magazine scrapbooking involves the use of photos along with texts and embellishments scattered all throughout the scrapbook pages. Aside from the photos, texts, and chosen embellishments, magazine scrapbooking also includes the use of patterned pages with matching theme and colors. SCRAPBOOKING 101 Before you start making your magazine scrapbook, you have to consider first what are the materials you will need. Here is a basic list of must haves in order to be a scrapbooker. 1. Album. The first thing you need to consider is the place where you will place all your photos and embellishmentsthe album. You will need to decide what is the size of the album you want to work in order to determine the amount of materials you need to use in making the scrapbook. The usual size of scrapbook albums most scrapbookers use is 12 x 12 but it is up to you how big or small you would want your scrapbook to be. Aside from the size of the album, you will also need to consider the color you want to use and the pattern that will work for the theme of your chosen album. 2. Refill pages. Since you still dont know how many pages you need for your album, it will really pay if you have refill pages of your chosen album. In the market, refill pages are usually sold in different sizes, so it is best if you pick up a couple of packs when buying album refills to ensure that you get the same quality of the of the album you already purchased. 3. A pair of sharp scissors. Scrapbooking requires a lot of cutting so it is best that you purchase a nice and high quality of sharp scissors. It is advisable if you use a pair of scissors that have very fine tips and is comfortable to hold or to use. Fine scissors might be a little more expensive compared to the ordinary pairs out there but this will ensure that you can use a pair scissors that are dedicated exclusively to your scrapbook. 4. Adhesives. In the market today, there are so many kinds and styles of adhesive that come in different sizes and styles. For beginners, it is best if you use an acid-free adhesive that is perfect for cardstock and photos. You might want to consider brands such as 3L Click 'n' Stick Mounting Squares, Herma Dotto Removable, and Herma Vario Wheel Dispenser. 5. A variety of cardstock, printed and specialty papers. Just like in choosing your scrapbook album, you need to select papers that will work well with the colors and the theme you have chosen. It will also pay if you choose colored papers, cardstock and accents to highlight your photos. (Tip: Try to buy papers and cardstocks at several local scrapbook stores because they sell individual sheets for each page.) 6. Several journal pens. It is best to use acid-free, permanent, pens that have fine tips for hand writing especially if you are doing magazine scrapbooking because you will need it for your journaling. You can buy pens that have different sizes.

Layout Scrap Booking

Scrap booking is not an old art. People have been doing this for years which is much more fun than putting everything inside a photo album. The difference between a scrap book and an album is that the hobbyist can make changes to the background. These designs can vary per page and there is no limit to what can be done to make it look impressive. Scrap booking is similar to any other activity the person chooses to engage in. This is because everything has to be ready so there won't be any interruptions later on. The first thing needed for the layout will be the materials. These include the pictures, scissors, glue, magazines, newspaper, writing material and of course the paper that makes up each page in the scrap book. The best scrap books are made of paper that are acid and lignin free. Those who have this will not have a problem sticking pictures and cutouts as well as writing on the side when using chalk, crayon, pastel or a pen. Scrap booking paper can easily be found in the bookstore. These are not only available in plain but also in floral or striped designs. This will surely help out the person who has no idea how to put the desired look for each page. Manufacturers have also made the paper in different shapes and sizes. This gives the hobbyist the chance of making each one both memorable and unique compared to the previous project that was just finished. There is no right or wrong way to come up with a layout. This goes to the imagination of the person. Things to keep in mind are the color scheme, the message the creator wants to convey and how each one will be seen in every page. Those who having a hard time thinking about the type of layout for the scrap book don't have to worry because there are websites that can help make it happen. There are templates that can be downloaded for free or a small fee which can be saved in the computer's hard drive and used whenever these are necessary. The first thing that people pay attention to when looking at each page of the scrap book is the center. So, the hobbyist should put a picture and then put the other stuff on the sides working outward or using the top to bottom approach. A story can even happen as the layout is happening especially when there are three photos or more on a single page. The only way for several pictures to fit in one page is to make the others look smaller. This involves using a pair of scissors or a cutter. Since nothing can be done when this has been done, it will be a good idea to practice this first with the accessories to make each one look perfect. If the layout does not fit in one page, perhaps this can be done spread over two pages. The concept itself is still the same but in a much larger scale. Layout scrap booking is a lot of fun. There are no limits to what can be done so the person should try one today or with others to get a feel of this hobby and then show this off to friends.