Useful Scrapbooking resources and links

Srcapbooking is a wonderful hobby that is favourite pastime of millions. This post would help you learn about scrapbooking as a beginner and for experienced scrapbookers there are many useful links and resources.

According to 'Wikipedia': Scrapbooking is a method for preserving personal and family history in the form of photographs, printed media, and memorabilia contained in decorated albums, or scrapbooks.

In addition to preserving memories, the hobby is popular for the strong social network that scrapbooking can provide. Hobbyists, known as "scrappers" or "scrapbookers," get together and scrapbook at each other's homes, local scrapbook stores, scrapbooking conventions, retreat centers, and even on cruises. The attendees share tips and ideas as well as enjoying a social outlet.

Modern scrapbooking began in the early 1980s when the first scrapbooking store opened in Utah. But the hobby really exploded about 10 years ago, turning into a $2.5 billion annual industry. Scrapbooking is bigger than golf; 'addicts' say the hobby enables them to document their family stories.

One in four households has a scrapbooker, compared with one in five households with a golfer, according to Creating Keepsakes magazine.

As the hobby has grown, it has evolved. It provides a growing market for women entrepreneurs, a way to celebrate faith and a way to raise money for charities.

Scrapbooking also provides a spiritual outlet for a growing number of people.
Scrapbooking has long had a strong spiritual component, said Brent Plate, an assistant professor of religion and visual arts at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas.

We live in a world that has gotten rid of many of its rituals, Plate said. Scrapbooking has provided a new kind of ritual.

Sources:
- WikiPedia
- The Freelance Star

Useful links for scrappers:

* A search engine for scrapbookers: 'Creative Klix'

* "Better Homes and Gardens" pages for scrapbooking

* "Scrapbooking ideas for kids"

* Information for beginners "Learn 2 scrapbook"

* Helpful tips and tricks for using your computer to enhance your scrapbooking. Free scrapbooking clip art, fonts and page layouts available. 'Computer Scrapbooking'

* Dmoz Directory 'scrapbooking sites'

* Dmoz Directory 'Scrapbooking Chats and forums'

* Scrap of mind is an online magazine for paper, digital and Hybrid Scrpbookers.

Scrapbooking ideas and tips

Scrapbooking ideas and tips can help us learn more about this fascinating hobby. The more we are involved in creating projects from it, I believe more ideas would come to mind and the process of creativity would be very satisfying. This article would help you learn from other peoples and sites enabling you to start this hobby or develop more ideas for scrapbooking. Beside many benefits of this craft or hobby, scrapbooking maintains links among the past, present and future.

Scrapbooking ideas:

Cheryl Menders is one of the women who have broken into the scrapbooking business. Two years ago, the longtime scrapbooker created the Croppin' Companion--plastic folders for pages in progress. They have a large pocket for storing a scrapbook page and two smaller pockets--one at the top and one at the bottom--for photos, memorabilia and other items.

The mother of three runs the business from her Stafford County basement. The folders are available at croppincom panion.com.

Menders, who has a master's degree in physical therapy, never expected to become a business owner. But she's glad scrapbooking has provided the opportunity.

"It's a God-sized project. It's been his since the beginning," she said. "I couldn't do it on my own."

• DO scrapbook the pictures you most recently developed and then work backward as you get more comfortable.
• DON'T buy too many supplies before you actually need them.
• DO be sure all materials including the adhesive are acid free and photo safe. 
• DON'T scrapbook every photo--just use the ones that help you tell your story. File the rest.
• DO make photos the focus of the page. Be careful when choosing decorative papers and embellishments like stickers, which can easily overwhelm the photos.
• DON'T forget to include not only details like the place, date and the people involved but also emotions attached to the photos, when appropriate.
• DO use photo corners to position photos or documents--like birth certificates--you might want to take out of your books later.
• DON'T be afraid to crop your photos to emphasize the person or detail in them.
• DO scan or take photos of 3-D items like trophies, medals or school projects so they can be used in your books without adding bulk.
• DON'T wait until you think you have enough time--start today. 

Scrapbooking trends:
The trend these days is toward simple and clean pages, said Kanak of The Cropper's Corner. Many scrapbookers are using fewer photos and fewer embellishments per page, she said.
The emphasis is on photos and backgrounds that capture a feeling. "It's the less-is-more approach," she said.
Black and white pictures and geometric shapes are other big trends, said Theresa Buzsta, a manager and buyer for Scrapdoodles in Central Park.
Embellishments made with felt and velvet ribbons are also popular now, Buzsta said.

Source: Fredericksburg

Sites with scrapbooking ideas and tips

* All Scrapbooking Ideas offers useful stuff for not only beginners but for intermediat level scrapbookers who are in need of new ideas or tips for their favourite hobby. There are catagorized ideas like as baby, christmas, military, wedding, vacation, computer, graduation, and valentine.

* Scrapbooking Ideas provides ideas and tips for many occasions.

* Your Scrapbooking Tips has around 100 tips for scrapbooking.

* 'Texas Scrap Mania'

* A scap Affair A blog for scapbooking lovers.

* "We Scrap" is an online scrapbooking community with full of resources providing wholesale discounts to members and promote scrapbooking in a fun, friendly environment.

"Computer scrapbooking" - A creative way for scrapbookers

Scrapbooking is a combination or art and crafts as you can create many scrapbooking projects with a little help. Sometimes your imagination and a bit of creativity is enough to create a project.

You can easily use computer for your scrapbooking hobby, which is called computer or digital scrapbooking. Computers bring all kinds of new possibilities to scrapbooking letting you create everything from simple journaling to entire scrapbook pages.

Advantages of Computer Scrapbooking

- Computer Scrapbooking is cheaper than traditional paper-based scrapbooking.
- You can correct your mistakes
- There is unlimited supply of scrapbooking materials
- Computer scrapbooking means that whatever you make, it's already going to be in an electronic format that is suitable for electronic distribution, so you can email it to your friends without even needing to go near a scanner.

"Computer Scrapbooking" is an online resource which is about computer scrapbooking. There are articles, fonts, layouts and links to other sites helping you with your scrapbooking hobby.

What is computer scrapbooking?
(In their words)

Computer Scrapbooking is anything related to using a computer to enhance or create scrapbook pages!

Print, Cut, and Paste
Most people begin the adventure into Computer Scrapbooking by using their computer to create design elements that are printed, cut out, and then attached to regular scrapbook pages. Creating text for journaling (captions) and toppers (headlines) is an easy first step. There is a huge variety of computer fonts available that are great for scrapbooking. Using computer clip art is also very popular and economical too. Two big advantages with both computer fonts and clip art is that their supply is unlimited (you can always print more) and that there is much more flexibility in sizing them to best fit the scrapbook page designs.
For more details: Articles archive

Related post: Creating Your First Computer Layout

- Digital Scrapbooking – Scrapbook with a computer!

How to save money with your holiday 'Shopping' ?

Holiday shopping is an occasion when we have to spend big amount of money for gifts, parties, gatherings and may be for our travel and other expenses. It is mostly difficult to keep our expenses in the budget range, but still we can try to save money with our holiday shopping.

Cash back credit cards can be a good way to earn money while you spend! Instead of making your everyday purchases with standard cards, you may apply for credit cards with cash back bonus, as with these plastics you will get some money spent on purchases back.


Cash back cards with credit rewards are different. Make sure that you have read all the terms and conditions to learn what cash back percentage you will get, whether there is a limit that can be earned in a year and so on.

More tips to save money with holiday shopping

- Visit the stores online of offline with a list of exactly what you need.
- For every holiday season budget household and other expenses. Make special envelopes for every spending.
- It is advised to not watch television shopping channels or visit sales or discount news.
- Pay for your purchases by cash or cheque. Use plastics for big purchase or where you get cash back offer.

- Shop online: Many websites have exclusive holiday sales that aren't available in stores. To get the most bang for your buck, many sites offer free shipping -- even on returns.

- Scour the web for coupons: Type the name of your chosen retailer plus the phrase "coupon code" into your search browser, and you're likely to find deals that range from a percentage off the total purchase to gratis shipping.

"Etsy" - A place to buy or sell home made products

There are many people who love the home made products. Some say that homemade gift is a special one, because it is made with care and personal touch. Many make products to sell online or offline. I also search the net for home made products as those products are different and due to a love for uncommon and crafty stuff I prefer to buy those items online.

Etsy is an online marketplace where you can buy and sell items that are handmade, as well as vintage goods and crafting supplies.

Their mission is to enable people to make a living making things, and to reconnect makers with buyers. Since their launch in June, 2005, over 100,000 sellers from around the world have opened up Etsy shops.

The catagories of home made products you can sell or buy from the site are:
Accessories, Art, Bags and Purses, Bath and Beauty, Books and Zines, Candles, Ceramics and Pottery, Children, Clothing, Crochet, Dolls and Miniatures, Everything Else, Furniture, Geekery, Glass, Holidays, Housewares, Jewelry, Knitting, Music, Needlecraft, Paper Goods, Patterns, Pets, Plants and Edibles, Quilts, Supplies, Toys, Vintage, Weddings, Woodworking.

To know more about the site: 'Help guide'

Registration is free, 'Sign up'

"What the craft" - A place for sewing and crafts lovers

"Sewing" comes into the do-it-yourself catagory, and it is one of my favourite hobbies which I am enjoying from an early age. Sewing any cloth or piece of craft is like creating something. Sewing yourself also gives you a satisfaction of saving money which you have to spend for tailoring or ready made garments. Sewing is one of the favourite hobby of many women who love to spend time with this creative activity.

"What the craft" is a site for sewing and craft lovers who like "Do-it-yourself" projects. You can find many step by step Free tutorials and craft resources at the site. What the craft is from Alexis who is self taught seamstress and crafter.

You can learn sewing basics and many handy tips+ guides from the site. Few titles are:
bleaching
painting
stencilling
screenprinting
fabric markers and pastels
Measuring, fitting, patternmaking
Seam allowances
Back stitching

- Tutorials and guide page

- The forum has 1479 members and you can share your tips with other members.
- The blog from the writer is also a place to search for updated posts