Digital Scrapbook Paper: 2 Freebies

There are 2 Digital Scrapbooking Paper Freebies in the latest ScrapGirls Newsletter.

Can't be a bad deal for free!

Scrapbook Embellishments: Folded & Stitched Paper Ribbon

Hi Scrappers,

Just to get the creative part of your brain in gear, have a look at this fascinating technique from http://scrapbooking.about.com/b/a/255756.htm for folding and stitching strips of patterned scrapbooking paper to create "ribbon-look" embellishments.

This is similar to a project I did some time age. It really looks great. Try it!

What You Need To Know About Scrapbook Paper

Use acid and lignin free scrapbooking paper only.

If the lignin, a natural chemical in paper, is not removed during the scrapbook paper processing, yellowing and deterioration follows. By using acid and lignin free scrapbook paper, you can secure a sustained life span for you treasured photos and memorabilia. This sort of scrapbook paper comes in an assortment of textures and colors.

Beautify your scrapbook album by using specialist scrapbook paper.

Since there are numerous types of specialist scrapbooking paper available, you can build in lots of enthusiasm to your photos by using tasteful colors and textures as a background.

What sorts of specialist scrapbooking papers are there?

Vellum is one that comes in an assortment of colors and is translucent. You can buy it in a sort of ‘foggy,’ so called clear variety and with patterns such as ‘marbled. ’

Its translucent nature affords an intriguing illusion to anything placed beneath. Therefore it is superb for creating a ‘see through’ composition. An illustration of this is placing a photo beneath vellum and making it materialize like looking through a window.

Just envisage the fabulous effects that you could invent using vellum.

Another specialist scrapbook paper is silk wrapping paper. This scrapbook paper is just sensational to touch. It’s luxurious quality and texture is the outcome of the strands of silk that run through this paper.

The tasteful texture of this scrapbooking paper makes it a must for that romantic recollection.

Hankering a scrapbook paper that gives that ‘torn’ look?

Mulberry paper is a fibrous material that probably looks its greatest when torn. If you sketch your master on the paper with water, you can ease the fibers apart and obtain a superb appearance.

Make that layout truly outstanding.

To add exquisite images to your venture, you could use screen - print scrapbooking paper. Take advantage of the super designs to produce that special scrapbook album. It can be expensive and hard to locate but, well worth it.

How would you like to design your own scrapbook paper?

This is simple to do. Find the design that you want to use and scan it into your computer. Now, print it out on plain acid and lignin free scrapbook paper. Hey presto! You have created your very own scrapbooking paper.

Here is a couple of ways to use scrapbook paper to create something different without costing big bucks.

Using cardstock or textured paper, tear the edges or corners to yield jagged edges. This gives an impressive finish that looks striking. A design can firstly be traced with water if appropriate.

Explore crumpling scrapbook paper to produce embellishments or maybe green paper for bushes etc. A novel idea I read recently to build a special effect background paper is to crumple the paper, lightly spray with water, crumple for a second time, flatten out and iron it.

Whatever scrapbook paper you use, always appraise the look it gives with your photos and memorabilia before making any permanent fixtures. You are judge as what looks good in your scrapbook album so just enjoy it.

More Tips To Improve Your Scrapbook Layout

Are you struggling to come up with a scrapbook layout for your project?

It can be very frustrating when every scrapbook layout you try just does not seem to work.

First of all, it is worth taking your time when designing a scrapbooking layout because page appearance will make a difference to your finished scrapbook album.

Your scrapbook layout is really a personal preference so you can let your imagination be your creator. Try arranging your photos, memorabilia, journaling and embellishments on the page size you have chosen and see how they look. Move them around into different positions to try all combinations.

Consider using sketches to help you fit your memorabilia and embellishments on the page.

Lots of different layouts for various scrapbook page sizes can be found online and in scrapbooking magazines. It’s worth studying other people’s work too as you can see if their layouts and color combinations would work for you.

Keep your scrapbook layout simple. Just use two or three colors of paper and once you have decided on a style of frames and borders, keep them throughout.

For scrapbook pages, you could select scrapbooking paper that is color coordinated or scrapbook paper that has a background depicting your chosen theme.

Place your scrapbooking photos and memorabilia on the scrapbook page and see how they look. Try moving them around to different positions until you are satisfied. You may want to ‘crop’ your photos if they have irrelevant space around the main subject. Offer a frame to your photos, add stickers and embellishments, but don’t attach them until you are satisfied with the final appearance.

Remember to leave enough space in your scrapbook layout to enable you to insert your descriptions and notes. Journaling makes the scrapbook pages ‘come alive’ by adding your thoughts and emotions to the photos and memorabilia.

Make sure that the scrapbook page depicts the mood that you are trying to create.

Take the guesswork out of coordinating your scrapbook pages, by using a scrapbooking kit.

A scrapbook kit includes everything you might need such as stencils, frames and scrapbook paper, matched on a theme. A scrapbook kit saves you having to choose and purchase all your required materials separately. There are quite a variety of scrapbooking theme kits available especially for special occasions like birthdays and weddings.

Another way of designing a scrapbooking layout is to use your computer.

Digital scrapbooking as it is called is the use of graphics software to create layouts. This dedicated scrapbooking software contains many different layouts, usually geared towards themes, that you can use. The scrapbook paper, scrapbook stickers and all the other embellishments are coordinated to the particular theme that you have chosen.

You can then scan in your photos and other memorabilia and insert them onto the scrapbook pages. All the embellishments can be added to enhance the memorabilia and you know that it is all coordinated. Finally, your journaling can be inserted to finish the scrapbook album off.

Your layouts can be stored on your computer, shared online with others, or printed out. When printed out, digital scrapbook layouts look similar to the traditional ones.

Whatever method you decide on to create your scrapbook layout, you will have the freedom to be able to use your artistic talents and experiment with different looks.

By adding your personal touch to your scrapbook layout you can have real fun.