Friday, November 4, 2011

Twenty-One Tips for Scrapbooking

1. Use Creative Memories products!!  My favorites are the CM Tape Runner, Albums, and Trimmers!  Check them out at my website - www.mycmsite.com/marybreeggemann
2. Use a CM Personal Trimmer to crop your photos - you will get crisper cuts and more exact measurements.
3. Choose papers and embellishments from a "themed line" of products - you can find these at CM, Stampin' Up, and Archivers.  This makes choosing coordinating papers, stickers less time consuming.
4. Sort through your photos before heading to scrapbook - it gives you less photos to work with because you've already sorted out the "bad" ones.
5. Occasionally take a favorite photo and blow it up to a 5x7 or 8x10 to use as a single photo layout.
6. Pick out fun embellishments that you'll enjoy working with.  Examples might be ribbons, glitter, buttons, or brads.
7. Take time to look online or in idea books for new layouts that you can "scrap-lift."
8. Even if you're not "current" with what you're scrapbooking, choose something that you're excited to work on - it will make the scrapbooking experience more fun!
9. If you're just getting started scrapbooking, start with current photos and keep those up-to-date, then work backwards as you have time.  It will feel less overwhelming!
10. Journal often!  Even if you don't think you'll "forget" who is in a photo or what was going on...trust me, you will!  Also, when you pass these albums on to your children and grandchildren and you're not around to share the stories, journaling is important so they can know what is happening in the photos.
11. Take the time to make a heritage album for your family.  It is such a special way to remember your family and where they came from.  You can do this traditionally or digitally.
12. Use ACID FREE products in your albums.  This will help protect the life of the photos and memories you are preserving.  All Creative Memories products have been tested and are Acid and Lignin Free.
13. When trying to figure out what colors will look best with a series of photos, turn the photos upside down and look at them.  Now that they are upside down, you're focusing on the colors that pop out at you and not on the subjects in the photos!
14. Use quotes when you're at a loss for words.  Many times I will Google various subjects, looking for quotes that would be appropriate to add to an album about siblings, weddings, families, etc.
15. Handwrite your journaling - even though you may not like your handwriting, that handwriting will be very special to your children and grandchildren when you are no longer around.
16. Mat your photos with card-stock to make them "pop" off the page.
17. Lay your photos, embellishments, journaling, title, etc. out on the page before permanently adhering it to the page.  This allows you to shift things around until the layout looks exactly how you wanted it to look!
18. Share your albums with your family and friends.  It is so much fun to see the joy and excitement on other's faces as they look through all the hard work you've put into preserving your memories!
19. If you're not interested in scrapbooking your own photos, but would like them put into albums, contact me at smulheran at gmail dot com to talk about hiring me to complete your albums!  I charge $10/hour plus cost of supplies.  I'd love to help you preserve your memories!
20. Join my Premiere Club - you commit to purchase $50 of products every other month for 10 months (spending $$ only 5 of those months) and one month you receive the hostess rewards without the work of hosting a party!  We just need 5 members to start up a new Premiere Club!  Contact me at mbreeggemann at yahoo dot com for more details!
21. Always scrapbook with good friends!!  Then you're scrapping memories and making memories at the same time!!

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