Scrapbooking Free Idea

Ideas and tips towards Scrapbooking for free

By Wes Waddell

Scrapbooking may seem not an expensive hobby when compared to for instance golf, where in you have to buy a thousand dollars worth of equipment or perhaps dancing, the lessons of which, can be really hard on the pocket books; but that is where you are wrong...

If you don't watch it, scrapbooking can be even more expensive in the long run. This is because as you become more and more addicted with the scrapbook hobby, you almost always need updated tools and equipment.

What is scary for many though about your scrapbooking hobby is the fact that you can't really watch out for your expenses because it is relatively taken in small bites. You just end up paying more because of the quantity that you buy and the frequency that you buy the materials over time.

Still, if you really want to. You don’t have to shell out so much. Scrapbooking need not be expensive. Below are some tips and idea to help you scrapbook for free (or if not free, way below what you are spending now!).

Watch the tools

One of the things that make the "old" traditional hand scrapbooking so expensive for most people is their constant need to have every tool imaginable. Whatever is in the market that they don't already have, die-hard scrapbookers buy them. In many cases, even if they already have something close that performs almost the same functions.

It is important to remember that you don't really have to buy expensive tools to create great scrapbooks. With even the oldest and out of date materials, you can still create memorable eye catching pages with just your creativity in tow. And, with your computer as your partner... you can really save a bundle and do things that hand scrappers of only just a few years ago couldn't even imagine.

Recycle and reuse

There are a lot of things in your home that you can use to add flavor and texture to your pages. You don't have to, for instance, buy stickers for your scrapbook in craft stores. You can achieve the same look, maybe even a better look, if you cut out graphics in magazines and in old greeting cards. Stationeries are another great source of graphics that you can use. Use the computer to print out literally millions of digital scrapbook design elements.

Your old clothes can also be very useful. In fact, every inch of your old clothes can be used as decoration from the fabric to the zipper and the buttons. If you have an attic with a boxful of old clothes that you no longer wear, raid it and put those fabrics to good use. not only have you managed to rid the house of clutter, you have also put a lot of creative design into your scrapbook pages. Many of the same textured looks can also be accomplished now with the new digital scrapbook templates and elements and can be used over and over and over again that way.

Make your own scrapbook and cover or binder

Most people who do their own scrapbooks buy prepared ones in craft stores and then decorate them with added elements and stuff. Prepared scrapbooks that are blank can really cost you a lot and this is unfortunate as most of these scrapbooks that are being sold can be easily done and completed in the home.

If you have lots of time, just make your own scrapbook the old traditional hand scrapped way. The cheapest way to go is of course to make your own paper through recycling or printing it yourself from your computer using digital scrapbook templates and elements or backgrounds. When you use your computer, you are also always ensured that you'll never run out of the page you need, just print a new one. While the old traditional hand scrapped methods may take forever and may be really tedious to do... you'll find that creating scrapbook pages on your computer with digital templates and elements takes only minutes and makes creating copies of family and friends only a print button away. Talk about a cost savings over buying everything in multiples for a hand scrapped page.

If you still prefer the old hand scrapping methods... and that's fine, to each their own. Another way to save a little cash is to buy recycled papers in bulk or any kinds of paper in bookstores and then cut or tear and compile them yourself by sewing the sides or gluing them together. This will be cheaper than buying an already-made multi colored set. What is more, you get to choose the design that you want and put some spin on the kind of scrapbook that you are doing.

Of course, you can also achieve all of this digitally and not spend a dime on trying different designs until you hit the print button.

What's more, digital or computer scrapbooking is never an all or nothing proposition. User just the prints of art and the printed journaling titles and notes if that's all you need. Or, you can finish the entire page including the photos and just print the finished page when you are done. As much or as little as you want, it's totally under your control.

I'll tell you one thing though that you cannot do with an old traditional hand scrapped scrapbook... you can't have it made into a real hardbound book complete with custom designed cover like you can with a digital scrapbook. At least not without scanning it and turning it into digital format first... but that's a whole different story.

Now, it's time to get in there and get scrapping, while saving a little cash at the same time.

You can check out all the new digital scrapbook template designs at: www.PrincessCrafts.com and www.MyPrincessCrafts.com.  The first and largest digital membership site on the web today. 5000 plus designs with unlimited access and unlimited downloads. Membership has it's privileges.