Wednesday 11 November 2015

Scrapbooking your memories - how to get started


Earlier this year I thought I'd give scrapbooking a go for a couple of different reasons - one, I love photos. Taking them, printing them, looking back over them. This love intensified a LOT when Arlo arrived, when I realised how quickly he's going to grow up and how important photos are going to be to remember the little things. The other reason I decided to give scrapbooking a go is because I have a slightly-unatural-for-someone-in-their-thirties obsession with stationery. This new hobby of mine gives me a legitimate reason to buy new stationery supplies all the time and I LOVE IT.

I've talked about scrapbooking a couple of times on the blog so far, and I've had a few people ask about getting started and how it all works so I thought I'd do something of an introduction - about what works for me, what you need to get started and (maybe) some inspiration to have a go yourself. So here goes:

L-R: an empty Project Life folder and photo pockets waiting to be filled, and a selection of journalling cards in 6x4 and 3x4 sizes
1. Getting started - the basics
For me, there were two main caveats to scrapbooking when I first started out: 1. it had to be easy, and not time consuming, and 2. it needed to work with the photos I already had, which were all printed out in standard 6x4 photo format. after a bit of research I settled on Project Life, because the format is all geared towards those two things - making it quick and easy to do, and using 6x4 photos, which you just slip straight into photo pockets, it's dead simple. I bought a 12x12 album, which comes with photo pockets inside in two different sizes - 6x4 pockets, for your photos, and 3x4 pockets, for journalling cards. So I also bought a pack of journalling cards to get me started, which come in either 6x4 or 3x4 sizes, and I was off!


Simple layouts with lots of notes capturing everyday life - the little things I don't want to forget

2. Keeping note.
It was really easy to lay out my photos, pick the card designs I wanted, and write little memories on them to accompany certain photos. This was a really important factor for me because I want to remember all the little things along the way that I might otherwise forget, and that's why straightforward photo albums just weren't working for me. For example, I've got journalling cards with lists of Arlo's favourite foods at a certain time, the different words he uses to describe animals, all kinds of stuff. The stuff I want to always remember. And to show him some day.


Some recent subscription box goodies from (L-R) A Beautiful Mess and Studio Calico subscriptions

3. Keeping the supplies coming
Once I realised I was getting into scrapbooking, I wanted more supplies and I subscribed to a couple of monthly boxes that send me goodies once a month. They work really well because I get something different each month, I get to try lots of different supplies that I didn't even know existed, and let's face it - getting parcels in the post is the BEST EVER. So once a month I get a Messy Box from A Beautiful Mess, and Scrapbooking and Project Life kits from Studio Calico. Stationery lovers be warned - checking out these sites may result in some serious purchasing!


Two different layouts for a 12x12 album

4. Playing with layouts
After a while sticking to simple layouts using 6x4 photos, I started trying out new things - different photo layouts, new embellishments, cutting photos to different sizes... the one thing that doesn't change (except for the large shot of Alex and Arlo on the beach above) is that I always just print out my photos in standard 6x4 photo size, because I can't be bothered to faff around with different sizes for printing. Other than that, anything goes.


Recent shopping hauls from L: A Beautiful Mess Shop, and R: Tiger

5. My favourite supplies
Along the way I've tried out new things and picked up a few new supplies to help satisfy my stationery addiction me add more colour to my scrapbook layouts. There's load of amazing supplies out there to try, but if I had to pick my three absolute faves right now, they would be:

  • A great pen: my favourite is one I bought from the A Beautiful Mess shop, in the first pic above - it's an Extra Fine Messy Pen, and it's perfect for me, it writes over any kind of paper (including directly onto photos, which is fun), is the perfect thickness, and I swear it makes my handwriting better too!
  • A mini stapler: Also from the A Beautiful Mess shop (and I swear this isn't an ad, I just love that place!) This little stapler CHANGED MY LIFE* when I got it. Rather than using glue and leaving marks everywhere, I use this to attach things to journalling cards and photos and I love it - it's so quick, so neat, so pretty. It even comes with mini staples in lots of different colours (also pictured above) so you can match it to the page 
  • Alphabet stickers: These come in all shapes, colours and sizes, and I've bought these from loads of different places, and they're the quickest and easiest way to add some interest to a scrapbook page - more examples of this below:



So that's it for now - if you're a fellow stationery fan and fancy giving scrapbooking a go, I really couldn't recommend it more, it brings me so much joy to pootle around with a pen, some scissors and stickers and make layouts that I hope the family will look back on over and over again. If you like this kind of stuff, or enjoy perusing pictures of stationery on Instagram (who bloody doesn't?!) then I have a little side-Instagram feed which I use just to share scrapbook layouts and supplies - there's a whole little community online sharing awesome stuff so do come and check it out if you fancy it. Any other questions on anything scrapbooking, I would love to answer them (I could talk about this stuff for hours!), so do ask below in the comments.





*literally.



Home Etc

15 comments:

  1. This looks SO much fun and so therapeutic, I need to check out the A Beautiful Mess shop! It's a great idea to capture those memories and have something physical rather than everything being online always, thanks for the tips X #HomeEtc

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    1. Theraputic is right Lins! I never really thought about it like that but it's such a nice way to while away an hour or so at the end of a mad day. The A Beautiful Mess shop should come with a warning because it's got so many lovely things to tempt you! xx

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  2. Wow, these look great. Things like this can get addictive, can't they?
    I wish they had Tiger here in Germany. When I am in Ireland I load up on all sorts of great stuff there.
    #HomeEtc

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    1. Tiger's a real treasure trove, isn't it? I only very recently discovered it and evaded up having a real spree in there, so many lovely things. Thanks for reading Fionnuala xx

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  3. Ive just started scrapbooking however i accidently bought a mini album whicb has resulted in lots of cutting. So you just print your photos at rwgular photo places or at home? Im interested in what works out to be the easiest way

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    1. Oh I always love the look of mini albums because they look great but I don't really all the fancy re-sizing or cutting all my pics. I print all my photos at Boots online - usually a months' worth at a time so you get a big batch through at once. It's really easy to upload them and then they're with you in the post within a couple of days. I always print in 6x4 and that's the cheapest print they do. Sometimes I cut 6x4 photos down to fit 3x4 pockets, but only if the shot means it can be cropped. I have thought about getting a home printer because I know that's how a lot of people do it but to be honest, it's so easy to order the prints online that I'm happy with that for now! Thanks for question, hope you've been enjoying scrapbooking! xx

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  4. Oooh loving this post and I've been pondering 'scrap booking' for a while - you have inspired me. This is a really informative post so thanks for sharing with us. I've bookmarked your page!!
    Sammy x

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    1. Ah thanks Sammy! I did a lot of reading up on it all before I got started so I'm glad this was helpful. I would definitely recommend giving it a go - so much fun! xx

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  5. They look great - I love the idea of scrapbooking but never quite get around to it. I do buy some of the project life cards though and love how cute they are :) #homeetc

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    1. Thanks Stephanie - I agree, the hardest part is making the time to do it! I find the project life cards come in handy for all sorts of things, gift tags, cards, recipes, etc xx

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  6. I LOVE this idea - I think it looks so stunning and one day I will sit down and do this very thing! Thank you for linking to #PoCoLo x

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    1. Thanks Vic - I really recommend it, very relaxing! xx

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  7. I was only talking about this yesterday and must do it - have so much to record and keep. LOVE yours - it looks fab. Thanks for linking up and sharing with us - much appreciated :) Jess xx

    #HomeEtc

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    1. Thanks Jess - it really is so much fun :) xx

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  8. A couple of my good friends are really into scrapbooking — and, weirdly enough, my boy made a fab scrapbook of our honeymoon!! So clever — I don't think I'd have the patience myself but I love looking at what other people have done :) Thanks so much for linking up with us at #HomeEtc

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