Picking a Scrapbook!

Now that you have your supplies and pictures organizied, its time to pick a scrapbook that is going to work for you! There are many different styles of scrapbooks to choose from so take a moment to ask yourself a few questions before you just run out and grab one!

The first thing that I always consider before starting a new scrapbook is what is my theme? Is this a book for a specific occasion, or is it a collection of memories across a long period of time? Also think about how much you have to scrapbook. If you are doing a specific occasion such as a holiday or maybe a birthday or just have a small amount of pictures to document, I would recommend doing a smaller 6x6 or 8x8 book so you can fill up a book without making it look like you didn't have time to finish it! Now if you are doing a long period of time like babies first year or high school, I would recommend doing a large book like a 12x12 so you have more room to include all of the pictures you want!

Also when deciding what book to buy I recommend that you consider how many pages you want to inculde in your book. If it is going to be a lot of pages then I would recommend getting the extra page sleeves when you buy the book. This way you can ensure you are getting the right ones to fit the holes of your book!

Now that you have decided what size of book you want it is time to get down to the nitty gritty, and pick out the look you want! This to me was very hard when I began because I wanted to make sure my book was 'pretty'! After doing my first scrapbook, I realized that the outside isn't nearly as important as the inside! I now tend to go with solid color books, but love the ones that have the peek-a-boo hole so you can see a little glimps of whats to come! Also by picking a solid colored book, I feel there is no right or wrong decisions for the interior colors! I found with my first book I tried to make sure the pages coordinated with the exterior of the book! Crazy! The pages should coordinate with the pictures not the book!

Lastly make sure to go with what you feel comfortable! If you are unsure and just getting started I would recommend going with a smaller 6x6 book so you don't feel overwhelmed with a huge space to fill! Besided, a 6x6 page can easily be transitioned into a 8x8 or 12x12! Hope you can find the book that fits your needs to house your beautiful creations!

Stocking Up!

Tis the season to stock up on gifts, food, and supplies! When getting supplies it is very important to think about what you are getting prior to running out to the store! When you go to the grocery store you take a list to ensure you have all the ingredents for an excellent dish, so why wouldnt you do the same for your scrapbook supplies? Here are some tips and hints that I use for stocking up!

I like to have all of my scrapbooking things in one location so where ever that is I keep a note pad so I can write down things as they run out or get low! This way I have it down and ready to go at a moments notice and I don't have to try and take inventory each time I go out shopping! This is also handy to do as you look through magazines or idea books! This way if you see something you like you can jot it down and ensure that you take it home on the next shopping trip!

Along the lines of keeping a list of what I need, I also keep a list of what I have. This is especially important for reusable items such as stamps, inks, punches, and decorative scissors. The best way to do this is get a clearanced diary or journal and simply use the items you have on the pages! I use one stamp set per page in one ink tone and note the name of each. To take it a step further I recommend doing catagories together like birthday, holiday, words/sayings, ect. This way you can quick flip through and see what you have. By doing this you not only know what you have for shopping purposes, but it also makes it easy to flip through and pick a set for your projects!

Lastly while I am at the store I always try to compare all the items I am buying to eachother. Nothing is worse then getting a great item and not having any things that coordinate with it! I do this with paper, embelishments, and ink pads! This is a little bit more difficult to do at a store because everything is rather spread out, but take advantage of shopping in catalogs that color match everything for you! Make sure when doing this though you order more then what you need especially if the item is seasonal color! I highly recommend getting the papers, inks and refills all at once if possible so you ensure that your items match/coordinate!