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Basic Scrapbooking 102: Supplies
by Rockester
(Apr 16, 2003)
Albums and Supplies: What to Buy  Choose an Album: Think Ahead Let's talk about albums. How much do you really want to do, what are the choices? And how do we find one that is just right for our needs? First of all, there is no right way or wrong way to scrapbook other than keeping things in safe acid free and lignin free environments as much as possible. Decide how YOU like your albums to be set up for viewing. Imagine that they are ALL DONE and on the shelf in albums. Do you want them viewable by year, chronological, by sentiment, by person, or by holiday, etc. Perhaps you want them set up by emotion and sentiments. You have to have some idea in your head of how you would like these to be on the shelf. How do YOU want them organized as far as your viewing pleasure later? This will affect the types and amounts of albums you use. Read on to see how many choices you have in the volume that you decide to scrapbook. Now that this chronological sorting is done, you know you have ALL the photos in one place. If you are doing every photo you own, you will need more albums in the long run than if you only do selected photos into albums. You can even decide to put your photos into simple basic slip in sleeve type albums in chronological order instead of storage boxes or photo boxes. Slip in sleeve albums can be for short term or long term use. This way the family can find and view and enjoy the photos while they wait for the 'official' scrapbooking of those photos to be completed. (I believe Becky Higgins does something like this too) You can pick and choose how much to actually SCRAPBOOK more elaborately into layouts. If you feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the number of photos you have to scrapbook, you can always JUST scrapbook the first opening page or two page layout for each major event or each year of the slip in sleeve album. This cuts down by 1/100th the amount of page you need to do over a lifetime but yet still sets the theme for that photo section and you are still creating a legacy and giving info for those events. When I suggested this option to a dear friend recently, she almost cried with relief. For her it was the perfect blend of getting caught up, having photos viewable and safe, documenting the events, and still enjoying the creative side of scrapbooking a few layouts a month with her friends at crops. Remember, how much you want to do is entirely up to you. :) Decide on a Type of Album ALBUM SIZES 5x7 and 6x6 - small- This is the new hot size for this year. Great for gifts, grandparent gift albums, short trip albums or coworkers. Not recommended that you choose this size for ALL your family scrapbooks as you would end up needing so many to cover all the years. Usually these fit only one or 2 photos per page. 8x8, 8.5x11, 10x10, 12x12 -regular sizes- These are the backbone of the scrapbooking industry. Great for getting more on the page and these are my recommendation for any family album. The smaller sizes fit about 3 photos per page and the larger can accommodate up to 5 photos per page with cropping. I love these! 12x15 and larger - large - These are usually found in stationary stores, industrial use and businesses. You can get a lot on a page here but it is also much harder to find papers, refills, and to store them. Some people love them. ALBUM TYPES Post Bound- Bound by 2 or 3 steel posts or screw pins. Some page protectors are included. Easy to add more page protectors and move page order. 3 Ring Binder- Bound with 3 steel rings. Sometimes includes page protectors. Clips open and shut and allows more pages to be added with ease. Spiral- Spiral wire metal ring holds book together similar to a cookbook spine. Cannot add pages. No page protectors included. Strap Hinge-Metal staples embedded in metal jeeping is glued to thicker pages and held together with flexible plastic strapping. Protectors available. Glued Spine-Used for short term journals. Even though I have seen these sold in photo depts. I would not advise for photo use over the long run. Sewn Spine-Some people make these by hand and use them for photos or gifts. Be sure that your choice is sewn with a long lasting fiber. However, keep in mind no fiber is as long lasting as steel. :) View these as short term only.  Start Shopping My "Dollar" Tip -- I am often asked how I know what to avoid in scrapbook land. How do I avoid tool fads or duds? There is SO MUCH tempting stuff to buy, try, and use! My rule of thumb is that I need to be able to use that tool or non consumable item to get at least one page per $1.00 spent on it. For example: Want a $25 template? Will you want 25 pages in your albums that are all done with THAT template? This informal 'rule' keeps me from buying some templates, punches, dies, and other tools I will ONLY really want once or twice in my album. Another example: I may love the cute new Sizzix die for a locomotive but if I am not willing to say yes I want 9 pages with that locomotive on them to equalize the $9 cost of the die, then I will find another way to add trains to my page. I will either cut my own (thus paying myself the equivalent of $9 an hour or more!) I could also buy a ready made die cut from another company, swap for the cutout I want with another Sizzix owner, or use another alternate train themed supply. Some tools and items are useful over and over again without looking the 'same' on every page. (lettering templates or paper trimmers, flower shapes, or some decorative scissors, etc) Others are not. Just remember the $1 spent for 1 page tool guideline. Tools SHOPPING TRIP #1: The Basics
SHOPPING TRIP #2: Optional Items
----- Remember, don't buy out the store the first year...you will regret it later! But do have FUN! Papers Buy as you Plan! I used to have a big stash of pattern and solid papers: sort of a BIG stockpile. I had about 4 standard file drawers full. Then, I decided about 3 years ago I better get busy USING this stuff. I could see some of my pattern papers were getting 'dated' looking. So use them up I did. I am at the point now where all my papers fit into ONE file drawer. I currently let the store dust and store 'my' papers for me. How? I buy as I go. I buy for the upcoming next 10-20 pages instead of grabbing every paper that I think is beautiful. This method it is not for everyone --especially if you have limited stores available to you. But it will be more economical for me in the long run. I think I will use what I buy and buy what will really get used all a little closer to the actual date that I crop that page. I still end up shopping for paper almost weekly. Now I buy for upcoming short term use rather than "someday". I am happy to say I don't have to sit and watch last year's 'someday' papers turn into next year's dated looking 'has-beens'. All the companies change the designs almost yearly anyway and so many lovely new ones come out each spring and winter with ACCI and HIA trade shows. BUYING PAPER Printed papers- buy as you go. These become 'dated' quickly Note: Patterned papers with very generic floral, plaid, stripe, or textured designs can be sorted by color since they have no theme. I file mine by color in folders right behind the cardstock of the same color family. This way, making monochromatic pages is a breeze and I tend to use this paper more often. To organize these paper supplies you can use: Decide on your paper storage based on how you feel you will most often be scrapbooking. If you feel you will only scrap at crops and away from home with friends, invest in the rolling totes or accordion style filing paper holders. If you work mainly at home or perhaps organize page kits ahead of time before crops, consider the industrial cart or the cubes. Do you like to get up a lot or work completely sitting down? Consider these factors when you choose between a filing cart beside the desk or a wire rack or cube system that is standing elsewhere. Give it a little thought before you buy. You decide what is right for your work style. To organize these items you can use: Think about what you like to use. Then think how much of it you have to store. Lastly, buy the container that fits the need. If you scrap at home, spinning racks may work better for your hardware. If you crop away from home, an Artbin or tackle box may be the ticket for you. Think first. Organize second. I organize all my page additions by theme together in the same place. This was it is easy to see at a glance ALL my options for any one theme or page. More information on how to set up your page additions organization is available here. What Else to do? Take a beginner class and ENJOY it! Don't worry your pages aren't as fabulous as another persons yet. This should be a no-guilt, stress-less hobby. Do it all YOUR way. Learn as you go-- but don't stress. Start with 4 to 6 photos that are not life or death important. Accept the fact that your style will evolve. That's ok! Don't try to make the PERFECT page. Just aim to make a nice page! Learn techniques from home via the Internet or a tutorial CD Rom such as the Scrap Tutor Interactive Learning CD created by Scrapjazz. Join a Yahoo group. A Yahoo group is a large email loop. When one person writes in, all the members see the post and any replies. Choose a large group or small informal close knit group--either one will help answer questions you have. I'd say start with a small group so you don't get overwhelmed or sidetracked. But big groups offer even more ideas and tips. Large Group: Layouts Happy Scrapbooking! (Be sure to read “Beginning Scrapbooking 103: Speed Scrapping for Beginners” coming soon to this same website!) Post It* is a trademark of 3M Corp. =================== Rockester is my pen name, but my real name is Kathy. I make my home in the upper Midwest but I was raised in the beautiful state of Oregon. In Oregon, we had rain and now I have SNOW! :) I have kept scrapbooks and photo albums all my life, but just discovered archival methods within the last 8 years. I have been married to the same wonderful guy for 23 years now and we have two great kids. I also love crafting, genealogy, and reading. Scrapbooking is the perfect hobby for me as I can combine my 25 to 30 years of crafting experience with my English/Writing BA degree. I can tell the story of our family while being creative. I have won several punch art and page layout competitions at regional and national levels, had my work in several Memory Makers books, in CK magazine and I have written for over six years online about my hobby. But my best measure of success is when my teenage kids pick up the scrapbooks, page through them, and say, "I remember when we did this!" My hope is that all of you will love scrapping as much as I do! ~Rockester |
We refer to albums by their construction type. How they are bound on the left side is the construction style. Each style has benefits and drawbacks. Decide what is best for YOUR personal needs. When deciding on size, don't forget to consider what will actually FIT on your bookcases at home. Measure the depth of cases to make sure your choice will not hang over the front edge of the shelving. Albums come in many sizes and here are some of the most common.
My basics supplies are:
How to store and organize it all?
Cardstock - multi-pack or a variety of colors
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