It’s Monday, friends! Last week I mentioned that I’m a scrapbooker and some people really connected with that so I thought it’d be nice to share some tips today! It’s a unique hobby but easy to do, and it’s one of my favorite things! That said, if you’re not into it I understand 🙂
(Before you click away, though, would you mind checking out the one-question poll at the end of this post?? Please & thank you!!)
I started scrapbooking when I was really young (like, first-grade-young). I used to attend all-night scrapbook parties hosted through Creative Memories with my mom and my aunt. There were always plenty of stickers and paper cutting tools to use buy on hand through a consultant. Think Pure Romance or Premier Jewelry parties, except it’s a 12-hour party and you get to chat, scrap, (buy,) and snack the whole time. (There was always a delicious food table filled with chips and pretzels and brownies, and it was stocked all night long. I had priorities as a child. And as an adult.)
Despite my 20 year love affair with scrapbooking, I will never claim to be the best. I enjoy it and I occasional put together a page I’m proud of, but my aunt and my sister-in-law are wizards. I worship at their scrapbooking alter. Seriously.
Anyway, after 20 years I have a little knowledge, so here are some tips for new and old scrappers alike:
Scrapbooking is a pack-rat’s dream. I’m that psycho that keeps every single concert ticket, wedding invite, movie stub, etc. And it all pays off when I go to fill out the scrapbook. Seriously, I’ve come home from vacations with napkins and tourist brochures, all for the sake of scrapbooking.
Keep a list of what you want to scrapbook: past, present, & future. I don’t always go in order when it comes to scrapbooking. I try to keep up with our marriage years but there are vacations from college that I haven’t gotten around to scrapping. I have a running list of all the things I’d like to record. This helps me remember what pictures I need to order or what stickers/paper I should look for next time I’m in Michael’s.
Journal while on vacation. I journal every single event from vacation, usually each night of the trip. (Sometimes it drives K nuts that I sit at the little hotel desk and write down our activities, purchases, and meals, but in the end I am SO glad to have spent an extra 10 minutes recording our adventures.) I love to track our spending and our food in my travel journals. I also tuck receipts and brochures/itineraries into the back cover of the journal. It helps a lot when it comes time to scrapbook!
Keep a planner! I don’t keep a diary (unless I’m traveling), but I always reference my planner(s) when scraping our marriage years. It reminds me what weddings we attended and where we went on a weekend get-away. I also jot down unusually things of significance (like a new car) so I remember what day/month it occurred.
Keep a folder for paper trinkets. I have a crate with hanging folders that hold different scrapbook topics, but one of those folders is always label “THIS YEAR.” Any time we get a concert stub or birth announcement or anything that might get lost in the shuffle I slip it right into this folder for safe keeping!
Keep a good inventory & buy things on sale! Scrapbooking can be pricey… Thanks to all my years on the force, I’ve built up a pretty solid inventory of paper and stickers and paper cutters and pens. But that doesn’t mean I don’t lose my mind at JoAnn Fabics when the paper is on sale 😀 In my experience it’s smart to keep a good stock of letter stickers, neutral patterned paper, accent stickers and textures (like buttons), and a spare book or two. Definitely buy books when they’re on sale. (I like Pioneer 12×12 books because the paper slides right into the sleeve without any cropping.)
Have I totally overwhelmed you…? Honestly, scrapbooking is wonderful because you can be as creative or simple or colorful or drab as you want! Some people put books together online and some people make physical books. Do what makes you happy- people will enjoy your photos and memories either way!
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I posed this question on Twitter a few days ago, but it sparked my curiosity… I always reply to comments on my blog, but since I don’t use Blogger or go through Disqus I’m not sure if/how you’re notified.
Thanks so much, my friends! Have a wonderful week!!
Life as Louise 
HAHAHAH “I had priorities as a child.” haha I loved this post and feel free to do more scrapbook-related ones because I need a good (cute, picturesque, etc.) reminder to get back into scrapbooking!
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Thanks, Julie! I’m glad you liked it. I wasn’t sure how it’d be received 🙂
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I used to scrapbook but man oh man – it takes time & LOTS OF MONEY – so many cute things to buy.
I ended up just getting a drawing journal & I just tape things in & hand write things now … a simple redneck version of scrapbooking. I do love to keep things for memories sake.
But also with the age of digital – I usually just end up ordering photo books from Shutterfly & leave space for tickets & such to tape in…
I love the fun of scrapbooking though. the personal touches of it.
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I like your way! Whatever works, lady! Scrapbooking is awfully expensive. I figure if K can spend money on drums, I can spend some extra change on stickers and cricut cartridges. Haha!
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oh man i want a scrapbook snack table right now! i could totalllllly see myself getting into scrapbooking. i love the memories being captured and small details we would all forget if they weren’t documented. for now, it comes down to space and money so perhaps this will be my hobby when i’m older!
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A snack table is a serious must! Usually when I work at home I have a tall glass of wine next to me 🙂 You’re right about space- when we were house hunting I kept my eye out for a 3-bedroom home because I KNEW I’d want to turn a bedroom into my scrapbooking paradise 🙂 Haha!
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My senior project in English was to create a scrapbook of my life. I took is very serious and ended up with two full books that I turned in and got an A+ on it. I made a small scrapbook for my sister on my nephews first birthday….and haven’t done it since. It takes a lot of work but it is fun!
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That’s awesome! It is a ton of work so I’m glad you got an A+!! I’ve made scrapbooks for K and for friends and they always seem to appreciate it!
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Oh so fun! Get your snack on girl! 😛 I started a scrapbook after I got married. I could probably still add pages, but it was from my years of living on campus in my hall. It was really fun, but there was always something about traditional scrapbooking that wasn’t my jam. I recently discovered a different way of doing it through Project Life that makes it look a little more up my alley! I’m super excited to get started. I’ve bought some supplies, but I need to figure out which way to print my photos so I can stamp on them… We shall see. Anyway, I was amazed when I found Kelly Purkey’s Youtube channel. Genius. I still love my traditional scrapbook I made though, and may make more like that too. I do have extra supplies left over there as well. We’ll see. I love to have a creative project though! So fun. I love how long you’ve been doing this and how organized you are!! Thanks for the tips!! 🙂 XO – Alexandra
Simply Alexandra: My Favorite Things
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I think the longer you do it the easier it becomes (especially since you start to collect a vast inventory of paper and tools), but you have to enjoy it 🙂 I’m glad you’ve found something that works for you to record your memories and experiences!! I’ve never heard of Kelly Purkey but now I’m off to check out her YT channel! Thanks, Alexandra!!
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I used to scrapbook all the time!! I still have all of my materials and a TON of pics printed… and I haven’t scrapbooked in probably 4 years 😦 This inspires me to get back to it though!
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Oooh, you should definitely get back into! If nothing else, it usually helps me unwind after a tough day/week!
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“I had priorities as a child” hahahaha love it!!
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Snack tables will always draw me in 😀
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I love scrapbooking too but it’s SO HARD to find time and a place to do it. I’m a MESSY scrapbooker so I can’t just have it out on the dining room table.
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I agree. I have a whole room that i can spread out in. Still, I’m often looking for random bookshelves or tables to lay my stuff on because I’m all over the place! Haha!
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I LOVE to scrapbook! I too have a ton of Creative Memories stuff that I’ve collected over the years. That’s awesome you take the time to write down all your adventures during the trip. I’ve never done that before, but that would be a good way to remember everything. I am super messy too, like Susannah, and one day it would be fun to have a room dedicated to it so I didn’t have to pack and unpack everything whenever I wanted to work on a book.
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I think creative memories were/are the best! I love my circular cutting tools. I also got a cricut a few years ago so I am all sorts of spread out in my little scrapping room 🙂
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I love scrapbooking! I’m glad I’m not the only one, Louise! I do a lot of these things already but for some reason I never thought to keep a journal, I’m definitely going to be using that. I’m sure my scrapping will go a lot easier with that tip.
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It’s so much easier to scrapbook a trip when I follow along with my journal. Especially for the longer trips! I’m glad there’s another fellow scrapper out there, too!! 😀
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