My new scrapbook obsession is self-adhesive paper. The revolutionary product has opened up a new world to me, especially since I often scrapbook on the fly. Working with sticky back paper is convenient and mess-free. I purchased my paper at Michaels since I had a 40 percent off coupon, but you can also find it at Hobby Lobby, local scrapbook supply stores, and online. The Home Shopping Network has self adhesive cardstock, while Scrapbooking Supplies Online carries self-adhesive mulberry paper. Those options are only a couple of the dozens of varieties available. The sticky paper comes in a variety of … Continue reading →

My previous post about purchasing marked down leather scrapbooks may have led you to believe that I don’t care much about the type of albums I use to house my layouts. This could not be further from the truth. The books weren’t cheap or ugly. Rather, they retailed for more than $40 each, but I snagged super savings by shopping at a post-holiday sale and using a coupon for an additional 20 percent off my total purchase. Moreover, I enjoy working with leather albums, as they are extremely functional and durable. Leather scrapbooks are also aesthetically pleasing, and their sleek … Continue reading →

How many times have put the finishing touches on a layout, and then realized that you made a mistake? I have experienced that sinking feeling far too many times to count. Part of me wants to scream while the other wants to sob. In some cases I have lucked out and figured out a way to salvage the page design, but on many occasions I’ve had to start all over again. This is why I have spent a ton of time researching different adhesives. Avid scrapbookers know that some sticky substances are easier to get unstuck than others. For example, … Continue reading →

Whereas I am a huge advocate of repurposing leftover material to decorate my scrapbook layouts, I don’t go out of my way to embellish exclusively with environmentally-friendly products. To get me to “go green” my neighbor recently gifted me with a large stack of plain chipboard. The specialty scrapbook embellishment (very thick pressed cardboard paper) is made from recycled products. Chipboard is used to add color and dimension to layouts in a variety of ways, including letters for titles, photo corners, frames, decorative shapes, page borders and tags. Scrapbook supply shops sell a variety of chipboard accents. These vibrant embellishments … Continue reading →

I haven’t bought new scrapbook paper in more than a year. After crunching some numbers following the purchase of my new computer printer, I discovered I could save money by buying additional ink and simply printing out free paper offered on the Internet. For nearly a decade I spent wads of cash purchasing stacks of patterned paper from scrapbook supply stores. The selection at my local shop is incredible and I don’t regret my buys; however, these days the World Wide Web is the gateway to a plethora of paper options, some of which you don’t need to spend a … Continue reading →

Do you steer clear of using vellum in your scrapbook layouts because you have problems getting it to adhere to cardstock without looking messy? The transparent specialty paper has a bad reputation with some scrappers because most adhesives show through vellum. I mentioned some ways you can solve this issue in a previous post, but I neglected to suggest one of the easiest solutions: use thicker types of vellum. The thicker the paper, the less you can see through it. However, the downside of using thick vellum is that it can be hard to cut properly. If you’re having trouble … Continue reading →

In my last post I revealed that during the first few years of my scrapbooking adventures I used a traditional paper cutter rather than one designed specifically to trim cardstock, photos and patterned paper. You don’t know the depths of frustration until you’ve tried to trim 12×12 paper, with a tool designed to cut 8 1/2 x 11 paper. Thanks to Santa Claus I now use an EK Success Cutterpede for all of my scrapbook cutting and trimming. However, the Cutterpede was not the first “real” paper cutter I experimented with. My generous friend let me borrow her Fiskars trimmers … Continue reading →

Have you seen the viral video featuring the woman who lives in a 90-square-foot studio in Manhattan? Sure, it’s located across from Lincoln Center and a block from Central Park, but the place is smaller than most suburban bedroom closets. Lucky for her, she’s a professional organizer and her dad’s a bankruptcy attorney, so she knows how to make do with few things, and the items she does have are perfectly placed throughout the tiny apartment. Her story got me thinking about spring cleaning my scrapbook space. Sadly, my little scrapbooking nook is about the same size as the woman’s … Continue reading →

I ran across a different concept in scrapbooking that might be a great way for a person thinking about scrapbooking to try their hand at it. Although, this product is not specific to beginning scrappers, it can be used by anyone. I liked the idea of this as an avid scrapper myself, and thought I’d share. The product is called Project Life. Started by a Mom passionate about scrapbooking, this is a cool way to get started on your scrapbooking for the upcoming year, or start it right now! Basically, it is a kit that can be either digital or … Continue reading →

When it comes to scrapbooking there are some must have tools you need. Believe it or not you really don’t need a ton of stuff. I know many people who are reluctant to get into the hobby of scrapbooking because they think it requires spending oodles of money. Granted you certainly can invest a lot into your scrapbook supplies but there are some basic, must have tools that will get the job done just fine. First, you need an album. If you are short on cash you can find a nice album priced right at virtually any store. Walmart, Target … Continue reading →