Beginner's Guide to Scrap Booking

Getting started with any new hobby is always the toughest bit. here we give ideas and tips to get you up and running in no time.

By Sam Russell

Fancy a new hobby ? Bored just sitting at home watching tv - well take up scrap booking, one of the fastest growing hobbies worldwide. Its easy to do, requires no real training and specialist equipment and can give you a real sense of satisfaction & purpose. Check out any of your friend's scrap

books  you will feel slightly  bored with your own plain photo albums.

Ask your Family & Friends

First check with some of your friends you'll probably be very surprised how many of them are scrap booking or have done from time to time. Sometimes the hardest bit is to decide what subject matter you are going to choose for your first project. Once decided  you will need to start searching for the material – generally those old photographs stuffed  in a draw are terrific material.

For added help check out  Beginner scrap booking on the internet you'll be surprised how many

websites there are giving information about  scrap booking.but do remember don't be too ambitious to begin with, start with a fairly simple project.  To keep your enthusiasm up, your fist scrap book should be simple and small, you don't need to be an artist all you really need to get started are a few basic things like scissors, glue, few pieces of coloured paper and a simple album.

 Day by day you will improve your skill of designing and decorating your scrap book.

Start with a Plan for your scrap book

Remember the concept is that a Scrap books tells a story. So it should be arranged in such a manner that it will give nice presentation of the central idea. Mostly the photos or the clippings and drawings are arranged in a system or sequence. In case of photos they are normally arranged date wise thereby allowing people to follow the story through like a wedding scrapbook would start with the bride getting ready & going off to the ceremony and possibly finish as the happy couple leave for their honeymoon.

Get Organised

Once you have decided the subject for scrap book you must decide the method of sorting.

Suppose you are preparing a family album then you have to decide whether to present the

photos of each individual separately or to show the photos as per the important events

and occasions. You have to sort them accordingly. Then you have to select the central

photo. This has to be decorated nicely, experiment with the different layouts of presenting the scrapings.Then you have to add some simple colour papers to each photo. Once you have fixed it

then it is time to write down something about every photo

.Finally  give your personal touch with few striking additions of paper and other trimmings like ribbons etc.Add some writing which  gives meaning to your scrap book hence you should write your feelings, thoughts and observations in  short captions just to give a feel for the overall theme of the project.

Remember Practice Makes Perfect

While preparing your first project as a beginner you can be the  only judge of your scrap book until you feel. you satisfied with your work and then show it off to your friends and family.When  its well received. you will feel the satisfaction and  fulfilment of a project well done.

But before you get too involved remember  simplicity is best thing to start with your first scrap book. Adding a  few  pieces of coloured paper,strips, stamps or stickers which will give your scrap book a nice and artistic look. But whatever you do don't go overboard and over decorate and make it too messy.

Finally. Don't do any analysis of your first scrap book. Just look it as a first experiment.

You will be inspired to continue with the other scrap book and this time you are experienced.