There’s More to Scrapbook Supplies Than Meets The Eye

Well, how hard can it be to scrapbook? You only need paper, scissors, pictures, glue, and pens, right? It depends on how you look at it. You want the right kind of paper, theA�right kind of caterpillar equipment list glue, and the right kind of pens in order for you projects to last a long time. Have I got your attention yet? Good. The following list will help you know what to use and what to avoid.
Ink:A� Avoid dye-based ink. Instead, use pigment-based ink. Most scrapbook markers and pens today are pigment-based. But it never hurts to look the package over to make sure they contain the right ink. Pigment inks last a very long time (up to 100+ years), are waterproof, are fade resistant, and won’t fade if exposed to light.
Paper:A� When you buy paper, look for terms such as acid-free, pH neutral, neutral, lignen-free which has no wood in it, or buffered which neutralizes acids it may come in contact with. The more of these terms you find on the packaging, the better the paper will be.
Glue:A� It’s all about knowing your adhesive. Is it removable or permanent? You don’t want it to be permanent, especially when you’re trying to position everything on your page just right. Also, avoid white craft glue, duct tape, masking tape, and rubber cement. It would really be an interesting day to find other aspects of manufacturing someone working on a scrapbook project with duct tape, wouldn’t it? Do look for terms such as photo safe, pH neutral, buffered, and non-hardening. Again, the more of these terms you find on the package, the better. Oh, and don’t ever glue important documents down. Use corners to hold them in place instead.
Page Protectors:A� Remember to always look for acid-free and archive safe. Stay away from vinyl page protectors. They may not even make them anymore, but make sure you don’t end up with some old ones that got stashed away years ago. The good page protectors on the market today are made from the “poly” family, such as mylar, polypropylene, or polyethylene.
Don’t let your scrapbook projects become faded over time or fall apart for one reason or another. Make sure you have the right paper, glue, page protectors, and ink to do the job right.…

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How to Make a Scrapbook

My granddaughter is the reason I got hooked on. There was one particular camping trip Gord and I took years ago that had adventurously funny details she always loved hearing about. It would set her into giggling fits. Of course, the better I became at telling the story, the more she enjoyed it. And after she started to experience show and tell sessions at school, she wanted me to show her this memory as well.

Well, this piqued my creative appetite. So I decided to find some old photos from that particular trip and dress them up in a storybook theme that we could enjoy together again and again. Luckily I had organized my memories by year and season, so I was able to easily locate the photos.

Categorize Your Projects

Vacations, Our “Grand Babies”, Weddings and so on…

Pick or Create An Album Theme

Within the General category of Vacations I picked an Album Title which best captured the specific memory. In this case, I titled the camping trip “A Bear-ry Scary Story.” This helped me to better focus on what I wanted to express.

What you pick as your album and theme is completely up to you. You can spend money on ready-made themes, adapt them, or go completely recycle-conscious and use only existing materials and you find around the house.

When picking an album, keep in mind how many pictures you intend on using and if you will need or want to have an expandable album. The most common size of ready-made albums and papers is 12×12, but if you want to print out digital imagery pages from online album options, 8.5X11 is just as good.

Scrapbook Supplies

To get started, you only need a few supplies. When shopping for photo and paper supplies make sure that you use acid free and archival products. This insures that your precious family memories don’t disintegrate over time. Here’s the list:

Album cover and pages templates (or make your own)

Cutting Utensils (scissors, 7 different types of forklifts paper cutter)

Pen, Pencil, Markers

Card Stock/Photo Paper (acid free, archival)

Adhesives (glue sticks, double sided tape)

Stickers (old buttons, scrap ribbon, purchased stickers)

Embellishments (found fabrics and other interesting compositions)

Get Creative

Use your imagination. And, if you do get stuck in “no man’s land”, you can go to the internet for ideas layout and design help. Many people have shared their inspirational works online as examples to inspire you.

Remember that you don’t have to put every picture you have into your scrapbook album. Think of your scrapbook as your “greatest hits”. This will help you edit. And don’t forget, it’s sometimes better to keep it simple! Happy Scrapbooking to all!

P.S. My granddaughter loved the album so much, she insisted I lend it to her for a special show and tell at school on memorable family events. Needless to say, her machine breakdown report story was the hit of the class! We’ve gone on to co-create other projects and …

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