Dan's Papers - July 13, 2007 - Preserve Your Memories

The summer is here and more than likely you'll have tons of friends and family visiting to get a taste of what summer is like in the Hamptons. During a time when most photographs are saved on your computer it's nice to have a select few memorable photos out on display. Instead of sticking these photos into plastic sheets in a regular, store bought photo album, opt for making a scrapbook that you can personalize to keep those summer memories alive for years to come.

The most important thing when it comes to scrapbooking is to use the proper tools. First, you'll need small scissors because they are easier to maneuver and a paper trimmer. A ruler is also a useful tool along with a pencil and some sort of adhesive. According to one scrapbook expert, Manco Easy Stick is among the best of the adhesives on the market. Try and avoid glue sticks as they dry out over time, and wet glue can warp your photos. You'll also need to buy paper as the basis for your design on each page. Basic solid color cardstock along with patterned paper are essential for your summer scrapbook. Many craft stores sell paper in packages with different colors, textures and sizes, which can make your life easier. But you can also buy sheets of paper separately to create your own look. Gel pens and markers are optional in the scrapbook-making process, but can add a nice dimension to your album.

One of the important things you'll want to think about is a theme for your scrapbook. You can create a scrapbook for almost any occasion whether it is a wedding, summer fun or the holidays. While looking at your photos, make sure that you choose ones that are high quality because more than likely you won't have room to put all of the pictures in the album. Then, start thinking about how you'll lay out the pictures on the page. Keep in mind that one picture with sharp images and vivid colors should act as the focal point of your page. Then, start choosing a color scheme. Try and pick colors that are found in your photos. If you're doing a summer album you might want to try using blues, greens, yellows and oranges. Try to stick to around four basic colors for your scrapbook, otherwise your pictures may get lost in the abundance of colors.

Another important aspect of scrapbooking is journaling. This technique is up to your discretion, but many find that adding a little bit of writing to describe what is going on in the picture adds a nice touch. You can use your own handwriting or adhesive letters or stenciling. Try not to have too much writing, but just a little blurb about what's going on in the picture, or maybe a favorite quote from that day, if you can remember.

After the basics of your scrapbook have been laid out you can embellish with all kinds of things. Memorable objects from the day can be easily glued onto your pages. You can also embellish them using paper cutters, special scissors, stickers, buttons and even fabric. Remember that this is a book of your memories, so make sure you add things that are meaningful to you.

Lastly, it can be very overwhelming to make a scrapbook for the first time. Try not to get intimidated by the many products and techniques out there in scrapbook land. When buying your supplies, go to a store dedicated to scrapbooking or one that has seasoned scrapbookers on hand to help you pick out the basic tools needed to make your first scrapbook. Start out with as little tools as possible and then once you feel comfortable move on to more advanced techniques. Also, if your thinking about really getting into scrapbooking there are tons of scrapbook clubs that you can join that will give you great ideas and advice such as www.thescrapbookclubonline.com, www.scrapjammies.com or www.scraplounge.com. If you're feeling adventurous, start your own scrapbook club and invite all of your friends. This is a great social hobby that you can do for years to come.