What is Scrapbooking?

Recording the Stories of Your Life with Photos and Words

Dec 23, 2008 Adrienne Larocque

Scrapbooks document your personal history. The main thing that sets scrapbooks apart from simple photo albums is the stories that you include with the photos.

Many people organize their photographs in photo albums. They might also display special pictures in frames in their homes. But photos alone will have little meaning for your family or others if you aren’t around to share the memories that they capture. “Scrapbooking” is a way to display pictures along with text that explains their significance.

A scrapbook need not have anything other than photos and words arranged on background paper. However, one of the appealing things about this increasingly popular pastime is the opportunity to express your personal style by decorating the pages of your memory books. This can be done by using coloured paper for backgrounds, creative styles of text, and other forms of embellishment.

Getting started in creating your own unique keepsakes can be overwhelming, but it needn’t be. The following sections break down the components of scrapbook pages and explain a little about how to use them. The key thing to remember is that there is no right or wrong way to scrapbook. Your albums should reflect who you are and what’s important to you.

Photographs

There is no specific number of photos that should be included on a page. Albums with larger pages will obviously hold more photos (albums are available in a number of standard sizes). You can also fit more photos on a page by cropping (cutting) them. Photos can be arranged on single pages or on two-page layouts.

The number of photos that you use will depend on how many photos you have, how much you want to say about them, and your personal style. If you have a lot of photos from an event, you might want to include all of them. Alternatively, you might choose only one photo and have it enlarged. If you want to decorate your pages, you’ll have less space for photos.

Text

Using titles on your scrapbook page leads the viewer’s eye into the layout and immediately gives them an idea about its subject. There are many types of pre-made titles available. These include title stickers, page toppers, and rub-ons, to name a few. You can also make your own custom titles, using computer-generated text, letter stickers, chipboard letters, or your own handwriting.

Descriptive text known in scrapbooking circles as “journaling” can be incorporated into your pages in countless ways. Text can be as simple as captions added to convey information, but the best journaling records thoughts, feelings, beliefs or values. Beginners often have trouble finding the right words, but some easy starters include:

list journaling (e.g., your favourite foods or pastimes)
using song lyrics
using the words of a poem
writing a letter to the subject of the page

Backgrounds

If you use an album that has heavyweight paper included, you can mount your photos and text directly on those sheets. They typically will be white, black or grey. However, part of the fun of scrapbooking is using coloured or patterned paper to enhance your photos. The key to success is to use your photos as a guide when choosing your colour scheme.

Mats, Frames and Borders

Another way to enhance photos and to make them stand out from the background is by using mats and frames. These can be used effectively to create focal points on your scrapbook pages. Adding a border along the edge of a page or framing entire layouts gives a nice finishing touch. Many companies manufacture mats, frames and borders, but you can also make your own.

Embellishments

Almost anything you can dream of can be used to decorate your scrapbook pages. Whether or not you embellish your pages depends on your personal style, how much time you have and the mood that you’re in when you are scrapbooking. Some of the popular types of accents made specifically for scrapbooking include: stickers, laser cuts, tags, ribbons, buttons, silk flowers, brads and eyelets.

Example Layouts

Backyard Blooms (12” x 12” page). Photos were cropped to fit more on the page. Some photos were matted. Title was handwritten. Supplies: cardstock - Scrapbook Sally; laser cut flower - Scrapper’s Friend; white pen – Sakura
Waiting 4 Snow (two-page layout, 8” x 8” album). Journaling was handwritten on strips. Supplies: cardstock - Westrim Crafts, Making Memories; patterned paper - Paper Patch; chipboard letters - Heidi Swapp; snowflake brads - Making Memories; circle punch - Marvy Uchida; black pen – Tombow
Changes(11” x 8.5” page). Text was computer-generated. Strip of patterned paper was used for a border. Supplies: cardstock – Fiskars; patterned paper – Chatterbox; computer font – Book Antiqua (MS Word)
My Heart Belongs to Grandma (8.5” x 11” page). Page topper was used to title. Page embellished using coordinating frame and heart accents. Caption was handwritten. Supplies: cardstock – Provo Craft; page topper, frame and accents – Cock a Doodle Design Inc.; pen – Tombow

The copyright of the article What is Scrapbooking? in Crafts is owned by Adrienne Larocque. Permission to republish What is Scrapbooking? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.