The Online Helper

Scrapbooking Is Enjoyable
A Simple Guide To Scrapbooking
Ken Glauser

Take a notebook or a mundane daily diary or journal and add some decoration with a border and you end up with a scrapbook.

The notebook, diary, journal or scrapbooks have the same basis for production. They all are filled with thoughts, ideas and feelings. What separates a scrapbook from the others is the visual impact and beauty of the production. In a way, the scrapbook allows you to show off your events or thoughts so that other people will enjoy seeing it. All these mentioned items preserve memorabilia and legacies. It is just that the scrapbook dabbles in creativity and imagination whereas the other items are plain and simple.

Just as with many other facets of life these days, scrapbooking has also been changed with the advent of the computer, internet and things like printers and scanners.
These items of hardware have the same effect as the printing press on scrapbook presentations. They all make the process faster and easier. Desktop publishing and new software has also made scrapbooking easier for everyone. You could have a scrapbook and not use a single piece of paper. Doing this is known as digital scrapbooking and it has taken off in popularity. Whereas all these new-fangled computerized methods use to be the domain of geeks and techno-nerds, they have now branched out to the practice of scrapbooking. People of all ages from anywhere in the world now have access to many things to help them produce their own special scrapbooks. Because of the internet and lots of scrapbook oriented websites, the options have skyrocketed. Never in the past could someone do as much as they can now. Another facet of digital scrapbooking fits in very nicely with the world of social networking. Sites like Myspace and Facebook are a good match for displaying your scrapbooking skills.

Over the years, scrapbooking has gone from a hobby for elitists to today where it is a viable commercial activity.
Both brick-and-mortar locations and websites have mushroomed into what you see today. It used to be a small scale activity but now it is expanding day by day. With all the new entries into the scrapbooking industry, there are new scrapbooking techniques and lots of them. Because of the myriad of choices for scrapbooking, it is hard to pigeonhole particular scrapbooking techniques. There really is no right or wrong way to decorate a scrapbook. This leads to new and unique scrapbooking techniques every day. Don't get me wrong, there are scrapbook techniques that will definitely benefit your presentation but a little bit of imagination with a smidgeon of creativity will go a long way.

So where does one go to look for new and different scrapbooking techniques?
There are websites, books, and friends who also scrapbook. Scrapbooking is a learning experience and while you are creating your masterpiece, you will see interesting techniques you may not have thought of in the past. Go ahead use them and share them with your friends. Get them to share their scrapbooking techniques too.

When you plan your scrapbook, take some time and think the whole process through to the finished project.
You start out with the most important portion of the scrapbook; the paper. Paper should be sturdy with a long life and be acid-free. You want your work around for a long time and the correct paper is essential for long life. As you plan the design of your scrapbook, keep mental notes about different supplies needed. Supplies such as pens, inks and stencils should be carefully planned for to make your project. Go into each scrapbook with the correct planning and you will find it easier to express your thoughts and end up with beautiful presentations.

A lot of scrapbooking techniques highlight the need to have index pages or highlight pages.
They will inform you about where to locate them and how to display them. These special pages should be instantly noticeable as special pages with unique colors and symbols. Another way to distinguish pages is with bookmarks with tassels. Tassels are both decorative and functional in a scrapbook.

There are many elements to the art of decoration.
Decoration shouldn't be overdone as it will make your project look gaudy. The right type of decoration is critical in scrapbooking techniques. Choose decoration carefully with planning before you start. Visualize it and then go with it. There are many choices you can use. Stamps, embellishments, rub-ons, stickers, snow globes etc. can really glitz up your scrapbook if not done to excess. Choose carefully and use each appropriately.

Want more versatility for your scrapbook?
Here are a few ways to add impact to your project. You can add pop-up pages, trinkets that are attached to pages, punch craft, peek-a-boo and panoramic pages will make your scrapbook unique and wonderful. Scrapbook techniques are limitless and very diverse. Go ahead and explore these techniques and add versatility to your scrapbooks.

About the Author: http://www.funtoscrapbook.com
Been there, done that, scrapped a page about it.

Scrapbook Albums & How to Construct One
Author: Anna Hart

Honeymoon Scrapbook Albums can be fun to make, even if you have never tried one before.

Tropical scrapbook albums also are exciting.

When one combines the best of tropical scrapbook albums and honeymoon scrapbook albums, the results can be amazing. But how do you make scrapbook albums?


Let's look at the steps.

Step 1 - How to Construct a Scrapbook Album

Scrapbook albums come in a range of materials, sizes, and styles. The first step in constructing scrapbook albums is choosing the album itself.

1. Materials: Leather scrapbook albums are likely to be the most expensive. Honeymoon scrapbook albums are precious, however, and you may want to choose durable leather for yours. Cloth-covered scrapbook albums are also a good choice. Some have a window opening on the front cover for a special photo. The cloth used is usually book cloth, so it is strong. Cheap scrapbook albums are also available. These are usually made of heavy cover stock, plain or covered with paper.

2. Sizes: Standard scrapbook albums have a useable page size of 12x12 inches. The scrapbook album itself may measure 13x14 inches or more, but part of that is the book's spine. Some scrapbook albums are larger – as large as 18x20 inches. Smaller scrapbook albums are as small as 4x6 inches. As a novice, you may want to select from the standard scrapbook albums, since scrapbook supplies are made to that standard.

3. Styles: As the popularity of scrapbooking has increased, the variety of styles in scrapbook albums has mushroomed. Plain cover scrapbook albums come in many colors. Some scrapbook albums have a military-themed cover, featuring the military branch and a gold plated service medallion. Others have a Disney theme, with Mickey Mouse and friends adorning the cover. Tropical scrapbook albums, which you might choose for a honeymoon in Bora Bora, would be attractive in scrapbook albums with a bright red or blue Hibiscus-patterned cloth cover. You might even find unique Bora Bora scrapbook albums.

Step 2 – How to Construct a Scrapbook Album

Once you have selected a scrapbook album, you need to sort the photos and memorabilia you will use. Pay attention to the theme of each piece as well as the colors.

Step 3 - How to Construct a Scrapbook Album

Honeymoon scrapbook albums already have an overall theme – the honeymoon. Your next step will be to decide sub-themes for each 2-page spread. For example, you might have a theme of arrival at Bora Bora, with approach photos of the island from the air. This theme could also include photos taken upon landing. First impressions are important memories. Lay out your photos, deciding a theme for each page or 2-page spread. Then move to the next step

Step 4 - How to Construct a Scrapbook Album

Background papers are a good way to tie pages together. Scrapbooking paper in standard 12x12 inch size comes in a multitude of colors and patterns. Plain paper is also available. Be sure you purchase paper that is acid free to protect your photos and memorabilia. Choose paper to complement the photos on each page

Step 5 - How to Construct a Scrapbook Album

With your scrapbook album paper in place, arrange photos. Resist crowding your pages with photos. You will need space for notes and other elements. You might want to add a bit of torn paper beneath photos to set them off from the background. On come pages, you may want to put a paper frame around the photos. Such scrapbooking supplies are available at scrapbooking stores and websites.

Step 6 - How to Construct a Scrapbook Album

After you arrange and affix the photos, it's time to add journaling. "Journaling" is nothing more than notes or captions that help explain the photos. You may have a memory of what was said when a certain photo was taken – or a comment about what happened immediately before or after. Journaling can be done on small pieces of paper that are added to scrapbook albums much as photos are added.

Step 7 - How to Construct a Scrapbook Album

The final touch in constructing scrapbook albums is to add embellishments, charms, stickers, and other small pieces that add interest. Honeymoon scrapbook albums might include small hearts or kisses. Bora Bora scrapbook albums, or other tropical scrapbook albums, might include small sandals or seashells.

The Easier Route!

If construction of scrapbook albums "from scratch" sounds too complicated, or too time-consuming, you may want to purchase a scrapbooking honeymoon kit!

By: Anna Hart
About the Author: For More Articles Of This Author Visit
http://www.thearticleinsiders.com

How to Create Digital Scrapbooking With Adobe

Adobe is a great company for today's computer users. They provide a variety of software products. With these products you can create documents, but Adobe really shines when it comes to photos and other graphics. Using Adobe for digital scrapbooking allows you to create amazing pictures and page layouts for your own scrapbooks.

There are some common questions that you might immediately have when it comes to getting started with digital scrapbooking with Adobe, so hopefully we can answer some of those basic questions here, and get you on your way. Once you learn how to use Adobe Photoshop you will be able to add more creativity to your scrapbooking pages.

Most people think of the Adobe software program, Photoshop, when they talk about digital scrapbooking with Adobe. Many people use Photoshop to edit and enhance their photographs on their computer screen. The internet is full of some of the funny photos that have been altered by Photoshop - the President's head on a buff muscular weight-lifter's body or a cat riding on top of space shuttle - those photos are created with Photoshop.

One of the tools that Adobe Photoshop has is the selection feature. This allows you to take any area of one picture and remove it from its original setting, expand it, and so on. For example, suppose you have a favorite photo of your two children, but wish you could have them in individual photos to work with your scrapbooking projects.

Digital scrapbooking with Adobe Photoshop offers scrapbookers the ability to enhance and manipulate their photos into entirely new pictures. You are never limited by the photos you have. This software allows you to expand upon any photo and manipulate it to meet the needs of your scrapbooking projects.

Some of the most creative scrapbooking pages are those that have more than one copy of the same picture, or several shots that were taken right after one another, and so on. When digital scrapbooking with Adobe Photoshop, you can copy your pictures, reduce their size, expand their size, and add as many other pictures as you want, all with the click of a mouse. This way there is no damage done to your original photos, and you don't need to keep copying, cutting, pasting, and so on, until you get it right.

Whether you are a beginner or advanced computer user, Adobe Photoshop has a version that is right for you. Consider how long it takes you to learn a new computer program. Professionals use the full versions of Adobe Photoshop. However, these are much more expensive and offer more features than most digital scrapbookers will need. The Adobe Photoshop Elements version is much more practical and easier to learn.

Digital scrapbooking with Adobe is a terrific and versatile tool for creating beautiful photos and attractive scrapbooking pages. You can use the special effects to add interest to your layouts. It's worth the time to learn Adobe Photoshop and add new techniques to your scrapbooking skills.

About the Author
Christine Perry is an addicted scrapbooker and has more than 10 years of scrapbooking experience. Her favorite photography subjects are her two children. She welcomes you to her website, http://www.intoscrapbooking.com for more beginner scrapbooking and ideas for .

At 101inks.com you can save up to 85% on your Inkjet Cartridges and Laser Toners for your printers

Crafts & Supplies at joann.com!" border="0"/>

Crafts & Supplies at Jo-Ann !
Save Big and Save Everyday On ALL of Your Crafts / Hobby Needs!!

Cool Scrapbooking Ideas And Free Scrapbooking Software To Use

Crafts, especially unique and interesting ones, never go out of style. These also never run out of loyal followers. One very good proof of this is the continuous popularity of both cross stitching and knitting. Up to this day, these types of crafts still count thousands, if not millions, of devoted practitioners all over the world.

These days, another emerging type of craft is gaining ground - scrapbooking. Craft aficionados, especially those who love visually appealing products, have started to promote this. What makes scrapbooking interesting for a lot of aficionados is the fact that you can insert your personal style without any limitations.

Scrapbooking is a hobby wherein a person preserves photographs, cards, tickets and other symbols of memories in a very creative and unique way. A practitioner, usually called a "scrapbooker," protects and presents these symbols of memories through various themes, which may range from holidays to events to describing how it was like then. For instance, a mother may preserve memories of her newborn by preparing a single scrapbook spread with at least two photographs embellished with cut-outs, stickers and perhaps tags found on the baby's crib at the hospital. As you can see, the idea is to make the photographs more meaningful and more unique compared to just placing them in regular photo albums.

If you want to start developing your scrapbooking abilities, here are a few tips and ideas you may want to consider for your projects:

1. Use your favorite quotes and perhaps samplings of your diary as embellishments. Give your spread a personal touch by inserting your favorite motto printed in a nice, fancy font.

2. To give emphasis to the name of a person whose photos you want to preserve, you can make one or two letters bigger than all the rest. Alternatively, you can print one or two letters using a different font or a different color.

3. Go for the 3D effect! Arrange pictures in such a way that the end result will be a cool 3 dimensional effect.

4. Scan or insert actual tickets, menus, stubs or tags. If you're doing a photo diary of your recent travel to the U.S., for instance, saving and inserting the actual train tickets and airplane flight booking papers can add pizzazz to your project.

5. Use personalized templates. If you want to preserve photos of your family's first ever trip to the beach, you may want to use a background full of seashells, beach balls, slippers and sand.

You can also go to supplies stores or hobby shops to purchase ready-to-assemble scrapbooking kits. These kits usually contain ribbons, craft thickers, vellum quote stacks, rickracks and perhaps buttons and kitchen paper. You can use them based on the instructions based on the kit or add more embellishments. Just don't overdo it though!

On the other hand, you could first try your hand on scrapbooking via free scrapbooking software programs. Two free scrapbooking softwares which you can use are Picaboo and Scrapbook Flair.

Features of these two are basically the same - you can add personalized backgrounds to your spread, you can frame your digital pictures with stylish corners, you can come up with a photo collage and you can instantly create a 3D effect.

Given these, one can truly see why people are getting hooked with scrapbooking. It's a hobby where a person can exercise creativity, thought and imagination on meaningful projects.

About the Author:
James Kara Murat the contributor of Printer Paper & Photo Printer. A longer version of this article is located at Cool Scrapbooking Ideas and related resources can be found at PrintCountry Photo Printing & Sharing Ideas.

James Kara Murat

Collecting Found Objects For Vacation Scrapbooks

When it comes to scrapbooking your beach and vacation memories, you can do it the frugal way. While traveling on vacation, look for found objects along the way.

I like to pack in my suitcase a 2 pocket folder with 3 small zipper close plastic bags, as I collect things on our vacation, I can safely organize and store them until we return home.

Tip: For objects that are not acid and lignin free, you will need to purchase a small bottle of archival safe mist. You will want to lightly spray your items and let them air dry before scrapbooking with them.

Here are some objects to collect while on vacation.

1. Sand - Use an empty film canister or other small plastic container to collect a little beach sand. Once you are ready to scrapbook, you can place a little sand in a glassine envelope or paper pouch to use in your scrapbooking layout.

2. Restaurant Menu's - If you want to save some of those memories of dining out while on vacation, collect some paper menu's.

3. Beverage Coasters - Collect some paper or cork beverage coasters while eating out, these make great mats on your page layouts.

4. Tiny Seashells and Pebbles - Collect tiny seashells and pebbles while taking your beach walks in a plastic bag. Make sure they are small, smooth and flat in nature so that they don't bulk up your pages.

5. Hotel Room Keys - These days, a lot of hotels are using those flat plastic cards for room keys. Ask the front desk clerk if you can keep one for a souvenir since most hotels discard them after the guest leaves.

6. Travel Brochures - You can pick up a lot of travel brochures in the hotel lobby or at rest stops along the way. Some of these make great souvenirs for your scrapbooking layouts.

7. Door Knob Maid Service Hanger - I let the front desk clerk know that I collect those door hangers as a souvenir and I always ask for permission to keep one.

8. Travel Maps
- You can pick up free travel
maps at welcome centers and rest area stops. You can lightly spray them to make them scrapbook safe. I like to cut them up and use as a background accent or for matting vacation photographs.

9. Hotel Guest Goodies - These are the little things that the hotel gives to you that has their business logo on them such as pens, notepads and magnets. These items are left in your room and are free for you to take home.

10. Ticket Stubs - If you visit any movies, amusement parks, zoo's or other area attractions and get a ticket stub, make sure you keep them for your scrapbook.

Shelly Hill has been working from home in Direct Sales since 1989 and is a Manager With Tupperware. Shelly enjoys scrapbooking, cardmaking, cross stitch and sewing and can often be found in her craft room during the weekends. You can visit Shelly online at http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com her recipe blog at http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com

WebSite X5 Evolution 8
Short Review

What is Website X5?

Website X5 is quite possibly the best program you'll ever find to write a website, unless you spend thousands of dollars to have a professional do the code writing for you. We've tried many of the so called easy to learn and to use website software products but none of them can compare to Website X5's features and afforable price.


Website X5's interface is easy to learn, straight forward and offers a help section to get you through all of those not so sure moments.
Website X5 is honestly so easy that practically everyone who can read can build a website. It takes no time at all to install the program's software and it walks you through every step of the way with help sections and an online help community exclusive only to the Websit X5 website builders.

You can actually write your own website in only 5 steps.
You don't have to learn any complicated codes, html, java, or anything like that to have a website with graphics, animation, sounds or the other cool stuff. There are tons of website templates to choose from and many more online for free.

If you have a hobby, craft, or anything else that you've always wanted to share with others, or to make money from then Website X5 is the fastest most cost effective way to do it. Website X5 is totally affordable. Every day you use it you're bound to discover something else neat about it.

Want to LEARN MORE about Website X5
CLICK

PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, eBillme, Amazon Payments, JCB, Diner's Club & Amazon Gift Cards

Copyright ® 2010 The Online Helper.com All rights reserved.