Learn How to Make A Scrapbook

Step-by-Step Guide

This series will elaborate on how to make a scrapbook in quick and easy steps.

First off, let's talk about scrapbooking and its definition.

Scrapbooking can be defined as preserving memories by arranging photos, journaling and embellishments in a creative layout, that's then put in an album for the family and loved ones' enjoyment.

Remember how you used to do scrapbooking as a kid where you simply pasted photos on colored papers, stuck on your mementos and scribbled some wordings on? That's scrapbooking in it early years.

In recent years, scrapbooking has evolved so much so that there's a whole scrapbooking industry just to cater to scrapbookers.

There's tons of acid-free papers, acid-free adhesives, acid-free embellishments, and many scrapbooking supplies for you to choose from.

Each creative layout you created is called a scrapbooking layout. And a scrapbook is simply a collection of scrapbooking layouts or pages put together in an album.

To make a scrapbook album, you'll have to start creating scrapbooking pages.

So let's look at the basic essentials scrap book supplies you'll need for your "Step-by-Step Guide on How to Make a Scrapbook".

Scrapbook Supplies for
How to Make a Scrapbook

Patterned Papers
Acid-free papers with designs or prints. You can use them as photo mats, as background papers, as part of your embellishments and such.

Scissors
Crafts scissors or a pair of straight-cut scissors you can use to crop your photos and to cut down your papers to desired sizes.

Adhesives
Acid-free glue. There's liquid glue, glue-dots and glue-tapes.

Journaling Pen
Pens used on your scrapbook layouts should be pigment ink, acid-free, waterproof, fade proof and non-bleeding. Such pens are easily available at scrapbook stores.

Scrapbook Album
A scrapbook album is the "house" for your layouts. After completing each scrapbook layout, just slot them into your scrapbooking album for protection and viewing.

Embellishments
You'll be amazed by the variety of embellishments available to the scrapbookers. From buttons, ribbons, fibers, beads to metal frame, It's really an eye-popping experience shopping for embellishments.

With these basic supplies, let's move on to the step-by-step guide on how to make a scrapbook.

Step-by-Step Guide on
How To Make A Scrapbook

If you're selecting more than two pieces of photos, please select photos from the same theme or occasion to make things simpler.

As you scrapbook more, you can start to select photos from different time periods or combine different theme photos together.

2) Rough placement
You'll have to have an idea of how to arrange your photos, journaling and embellishments in an eye-pleasing manner on your background papers.

A little planning will save you from cropping the photos into the wrong sizes, or realizing you've run out of space for your journaling.

So have a good idea of where your photos, journaling and embellishment should go before you start cropping and pasting.

3) Crop your photos
Make fade pencil markings on the back of the photos and then crop the photos to your desire sizes with your pair of scissors.

4) Mat the photos
OK, you can choose to mat or not mat your photos. Matting will make your photos stand out more, draw your eyes to the focal photo, and add a pretty border around the photos.

You can use cardstock, patterned papers, fabric, and other materials as your photo mats.



5) Adhere the photos
Since you already know where your photos should go, adhere them to your scrapbook page with acid-free glue.

6) Page Title
A page title can highlight or support the page theme.

You can handwrite your page title, add swirls or creative extras to make your title into a decorative page topper.

You can also create computer-generated titles. Stamped letters, sticker letters, stenciled letters or other embellishments are great as page titles too.

7) Journaling
Journaling helps you to tell the rest of the story. You can choose to add in names, dates, captions, lyrics, quotes, heartfelt letters and such.

You can either print out your journaling using computer fonts or handwrite them.

OK, when I first started, most of my journaling is handwritten because I didn't want to buy the ink refill for my printer. ;) Later on I did experiment with computer fonts for a short period of time before I ran out of ink again. That's when I went back to handwriting my journaling.

So if you want to save money or add a more personal touch, handwrite your journaling.

Computer fonts can be very fun to use as there's limitless variety of fonts you can use. You'll have a tough choice choosing among so many gorgeous fonts.

8) Put on your embellishments
Embellishments enhance your page as interesting decorative pieces that catch the eye. Remember to include at least one piece of embellishment to adorn your page and to add dimension, glitz or texture to your page.

You can glue your embellishments, sew them or tie them with ribbons to your layout, it's up to your imagination.

9) Protecting you layouts
After you've done your page, it's ready to go into your scrapbook album so your page is protected from getting torn and such.

I hope that these simple tips on how to make a scrapbook will start you off scrapping right away.

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