| Believe it or not, the hobby of scrapbooking is now | | | | wonderful format for events like birthdays, weddings, |
| more popular than golf! A scrapbook used to be a | | | | and anniversaries. The basic layout is columns. |
| simple collection of newspaper articles, cut-outs from | | | | Depending on the size of your pages, you can use |
| magazines, or a group of related photographs. In the | | | | from two to four columns to create an interesting |
| old days, you wouldn't see nice borders and designs in | | | | newspaper-like impression. You can choose fonts |
| a scrapbook. | | | | resembling those in the news for further effect. Times |
| Today, scrapbooking is an art form and a billion-dollar | | | | New Roman is an accepted and easy-to-read font, |
| industry. Where once it was hard to find scrapbooking | | | | and Old English is wonderful for bold titles and |
| materials and accessories, an overwhelming variety of | | | | headings. |
| albums, papers, designs, and embellishments is available | | | | 2. Handprint Approach. Best in albums about your |
| to scrapbookers. And the community of collectors and | | | | children, you trace their hand or foot to use on every |
| vendors continues to grow. | | | | page. You can use the outline on the pages as a |
| As the craze grows, more and more websites | | | | background. You can use it as a frame for photos and |
| devoted to scrapbooking are popping up on the | | | | mementos. Or you can use it to make a stick-on for |
| Internet. They offer free advice and items for | | | | your pages to frame your favorite pieces. |
| purchase. Some sites make free page templates | | | | 3. Rub-on Transfer Technique. Rub-ons have long |
| available and contain many great suggestions for | | | | been a favorite of scrapbookers. They create a |
| theme-based scrapbooks. | | | | textured effect that make your page layouts special. |
| If you're new to scrapbooking, the Internet offers all the | | | | You can apply them to card stock and a variety of |
| information you need to build a beautiful container for | | | | papers. Whether patterned or solid, the rub-ons add a |
| your precious memories. And whether through a local | | | | special flare to your pages. Be aware that it takes |
| retail or the web, you can find an endless variety of | | | | some time to get good at making rub-ons. You'll want |
| supplies to accent your personal photos, decorations, | | | | to practice the technique before using it in your |
| and embellishments. | | | | scrapbook. But once you've mastered the technique, |
| In fact, the range of products is amazing. You can find | | | | you can incorporate other media like ribbons, mesh, |
| anything from scrapbooking software to help you | | | | and glass. A tip: rub-ons need to be adhesive enough |
| create your own pages electronically to stick-ons that | | | | to create a lasting effect. |
| add sparkle to your scrapbook pages. | | | | 4. Chalk for Texture. Chalks add a nice texture to your |
| One basic step in scrapbooking is deciding on your | | | | paper. They give color and dimension, and they adhere |
| layout - the basic design or format for your | | | | well to most surfaces. You can use soft colors for |
| presentation. A good layout helps you carry your | | | | your baby's scrapbook and deeper dark colors for |
| theme throughout the scrapbook and brings your bits | | | | your memorial scrapbooks. Chalks add a unique effect |
| and pieces together to tell a story. Your layout | | | | you can't duplicate with any other medium, but they |
| expresses your personality and style and helps you | | | | can be messy. You'll need to use a fixative spray to |
| organize every page. | | | | be sure they don't rub off your page onto your |
| Here are some popular layout plans that you may | | | | treasures or your hands! |
| want to try for your first scrapbooking adventure. The | | | | These are just a few of many layout approaches. |
| possibilities are limited only by your imagination, so | | | | You can combine layouts to make the scrapbook |
| review these descriptions for ideas. You may come | | | | more interesting, but be sure that you use your final |
| up with some original layout plans of your own. | | | | layout plan consistently throughout your scrapbook to |
| 1. Newspaper Style. Newspapers have worked on | | | | maintain your theme. Layout design can be as simple |
| efficient layout for hundreds of years. The layout is a | | | | as a page border or as fancy as you can imagine. |
| great way to tie pictures and text together. The layout | | | | They bring unity to your photos and mementos and |
| creates the impression of a newsy journal, and it's a | | | | add your personality to your pages. |