So, you would like to dip your toes into the scrapbooking pool, but don’t feel you have the time, talent or know-how to put a scrapbook together easily. You have found your way to the right place for some straightforward answers that will save you money, time and frustration.

There really are no “rules” except, “have fun”!

It may be best to start with a simple scrapbook. Let’s talk about scrapping photos. In the beginning, folks can spend tons of money on scrapbooking supplies that will sit and gather dust. They have little to no idea of what they will need and so they waste money on things they think they might use someday. It’s better to choose a few photos you would like to start with and pick some simple designs. Personally, I like to look at the photos and then choose the background paper that will enhance that photo, or group of photos.

A very simple way of producing a fantastic looking page is to choose a patterned paper for the background and then a plain color card stock to frame the photos. You can also switch this technique and use plain card stock for the background and patterned paper for the frames. An easy way to finish this type of page is to add borders, quotes, even stickers.

Another easy scrapbook page is the collage or photos arranged in a patchwork group. I have even seen pages that have the “look” of a quilt with zigzag stitching that hold blocks of colored card stock together and photos on each block. This makes for a very warm and inviting scrapbooking layout.

Many beginners worry about the quality of their handwriting or printing. An easy way to produce beautiful handwriting is to use a computer font. There are hundreds of fonts and color choices. Print each one cut them in the size and shape you desire and they are ready to mount on your pages (be sure to use acid free scrapbook adhesive). You can even frame them to match the frames of the photos.

By using these simple techniques, you will get past your fear of doing something “wrong” and will find yourself moving on to pages that are more detailed.