Though scrapbooking has been something that people have done for many decades in recent years it has been enjoying a revival but with a modern twist. Today’s scrapbooking is far more artistic, with many people enjoying this exciting craft both as a hobby and to give as a gift.
What is a Scrapbook?
The dictionary definition of a scrapbook is simply a book of blank pages for sticking photographs, clippings and drawings in. Today’s scrapbook goes far and beyond the dictionary definition and becomes a work of art, a keepsake, a book of memories to be treasured. Though a scrapbook is indeed a book of blank pages for sticking things in by the time today’s craft-minded scrapbooker has completed his or her scrapbook it truly is something to hold on to and pass down to other generations. It is a book that is filled with treasures, photographs, newspaper clippings that tell of special moments, letters, art work, pressed flowers, poems, keepsakes, movie ticket stubs and pretty much anything else that lends itself well to be flattened and stuck onto a page. Scrapbooking today doesn’t stop at the placement of keepsakes etc. though. Today it is an art form that takes careful though and planning to put together in a way that is pleasing to the eye and something for the scrapbooker to be able to show off with much pride. The addition of special frames for photographs and clippings, little pieces of lace ribbon, stickers and a myriad of other wonderful adornments takes a scrapbook of little treasures and turns it into an artistic masterpiece.
Why Would You Want to Create a Scrapbook?
There are about as many reasons to create a scrapbook as there are people who have taken up the wonderful craft of scrapbooking. Many people create a scrapbook to give as a gift to a child or another family member to keep their memories in. Some scrapbooks are started by a parent with pages left blank so the child can continue to fill it with their own keepsakes and memories. Making a scrapbook to record memories of a special vacation is a common reason. Anyone who has travelled to a faraway place knows how easy it is to not only accumulate a large number of photos of their trip but also little mementos that are picked up along the way. Some people love to collect postcards of every town and city they stopped or stayed at during their travels. A scrapbook of such a vacation or journey is a great way to keep all those reminders of a fun time together in one beautiful book jam-packed with memories. Businesses sometimes create scrapbooks to display their awards and accomplishments. A newly married couple may create a scrapbook to keep all the little keepsakes from their wedding that they don’t want in their wedding album. There is no end to the ideas for a scrapbook.
How Can I Learn How to Scrapbook?
With this hugely popular crafting hobby there are now a lot of resources available online to learn how to scrapbook, giving anyone anywhere the ability to find out everything they want or need to know without having to leave the comfort of their home:
YouTube – Without a doubt YouTube is by far your top resource for not only finding out everything you need to start a scrapbook but you will also find a large number of tutorial videos that show you step-by-step how to make special pages as well as the basics. Skilled and experienced scrapbookers are only too willing to share their expertise with anyone who wants to learn more about this wonderful hobby craft. For ‘visual’ learners this is the best method of learning and it is free.
Pinterest – This visual search engine will provide you with more resources than you can possibly take in at once. If you haven’t done so already sign up for a Pinterest account (it’s free) and then type in “scrapbooking” in the search bar. What will show up then is hundreds of “pinned” images of scrapbooking pictures, articles, blogs etc. Click on any one of them to find out more information and if you like what you see make your own Pinterest scrapbooking board to save the links on for later.
Blogs – Almost everyone has a blog these days and it is no different with scrapbookers. They are only too happy to pass on their tips and tricks so others may enjoy the craft. While scrapbooking for the most part is something a person does alone there is a community of scrapbookers who interact with each other online through blogs. To find some good ones open a browser page and type in “scrapbooking blogs” into the search bar. From the results that appear choose which ones you want to investigate further. You can subscribe to their newsletters once you find a few worth following.
Facebook Groups – Facebook groups dedicated to scrapbooking are a great way to get to know other scrapbookers. Because of its interactive nature through commenting and sharing threads it is possible to learn a lot and questions can be asked if you have something you cannot figure out. It is highly likely that another scrapbooker has encountered this problem before and can provide advice. Facebook groups include people from all over the world but you may also be able to find one that is local to your area and then meet up in person for scrapbooking sessions.
Online Scrapbooking Classes – Scrapbook.com – has classes available to learn the art of scrapbooking. Many are quick tutorials that are free to access. As well as scrapbooking this site offers tutorials in stamping and greeting card making which use many of the same techniques as used in scrapbooking. Other sites offer classes also, both free and paid.
Where to Buy Scrapbooking Supplies in Australia – A quick Google search online reveals that Australia has a lot of places to purchase scrapbooking supplies, both online and in brick and mortar stores. For those living far from a large city or town online stores are likely to be their best resource, but for urban dwellers a quick trip down to your nearest large shopping center should provide you with a store or two to look around for scrapbooking supplies.
Some of the stores:
Scrapbook Mega Store (online only but ships nationally and internationally)
Amazon.com (online but ships many items internationally)
The Scrapbook Store (Store in Perth and online ships within Australia only)
Scrap Therapy (Store in Babinda and ships within Australia and to New Zealand only)
Crafts Online (online ships within Australia and to New Zealand only)
Make Friends through Scrapbooking
Whether you join a Facebook Group or meet up with other scrapbookers in your local area, scrapbooking is a fun way to get to know others. It is also a great craft to get children interested in at an early age as it is an easy craft to learn and wonderful creative scrapbooks can be made at any age.