by Susan Rice

Created on: February 22, 2011

Can you remember your very first scrapbooking project? It was likely done when you were quite young. It may have consisted of newspaper clippings and keepsakes you pasted onto scrap papers. It might have even been decorated with ribbon and odds and ends that were available to you. When it was finished, your scrapbook probably was made up of a stack of pages that you had stapled or glued together to form a book. Lots of times those pages included your own drawings and art work to complement your mementos. Even though that project was a little rough and unpolished, it introduced you to the basics of your scrapbooking hobby.

Today, scrapbooks are a little more refined and have more embellishments and tools available, such as clear rubber stamps, that help you make scrapbook pages that will endure through the years. The reason for scrapbooking really hasn’t changed since you were small. It is still involves the process of placing photos, newspaper clippings, and mementos together with pictures and textures to create beautiful, enjoyable works of art. Since you were a child, scrapbooking has evolved from saving and placing existing items into your scrapbooks to now creating your own enhancements to decorate your pages. As such, scrapbooking techniques are used to create beautiful gift cards and gift card holders, add detail and texture to art work, create messages, create fun party invitations, compile family recipe books and much more.

Scrapbooking Implements

The tools you will need most in as you create your scrapbooks include an x-acto knife which allows you to cut out lots of shapes without fear of ripping the paper in tight areas. It is perfect for cutting out pictures or designs you have created with your clear rubber stamps. Be sure that you use a cutting mat or old magazine under the papers you cut to protect your work surface. Another essential scrapbooking tool that comes in handy is a pair of tweezers. With a pair of tweezers you can easily place tiny papers or small items onto scrapbook pages without getting sticky fingers. Tweezers help you keep glue only where you want it to be on your projects.

The Designing Process

The first thing you will need to decide in your design is the idea or theme you wish to carry in your scrapbook art. Plan your scrapbook pages in sets of two so that when the scrapbook lies open, both pages work together to tell the same story. Fun themes to use in scrapbooking include birthday, baby, and holiday themes as well as

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