Wednesday Sponsor Giveaways: Elise Blaha, ReVa, Studio Calico, & SheyB

don't feel like you have to have hours of free time to be able to scrap, if you are short on time, do your scrapping in steps, pick your photos & paper, next time glue stuff down, the next time do your journaling etc. so what if you can't get a layout done in one sitting at least you are working on it!
love the give away -would love the camera strap cover -so cute!

My advice is to enjoy the process of being creative. Don't get caught up in making your pages perfect or with the latest 'must-have' products. Use what you like and what feels comfortable to you. Enjoy recording all of these wonderful memories!!

The advice I needed but never got was....don't buy too much. I have soooo much stuff now that it inhibits me sometimes. I am trying to work around that now and purge things that either aren't me or I have too much of to ever use it all.

My advise is to take more photos of our daily routine. I am mostly inspired to start scrapping when I saw those photos.

You don't need much...a black pen, a little paper, memorabila and of course journaling! Sometimes I wish I was back just having a small box of supplies.

K.I.S.S. ...or Keep it simple, scrapper. ;) The photos and the words matter most. The rest of it is just extra fluff. Focus on your story and let the rest come to you as you grow in your craft.
Challenge: Limit your purchases to a paper trimmer, corner rounder, and maybe some circle punches, along with a really good adhesive. Limit embellishments and get creative with stuff you already have...and best of all, relax. Enjoy. Life is an adventure - scrap it and love it.

I think this one has been said a bunch already, but the best tip I can think of is to just be true to yourself. Know that your family and friends will appreciate whatever you do, that there is no right or wrong way to do anything, that you can never create too much or too little. Let your self and your love come through and try to forget about the rest!

Don't buy TOO much stuff!! Stay true to yourself and find your own style and comfort level.

I wish someone had told me to just create with what I enjoy creating with. If I want to add bits and bobs - do, if I don't - don't. Don't feel like you have to scrap a 'certain way' to make it good. Just enjoy the process.

Organize everything so you know what all you have. If you don't you will buy more of the same thing!

It's all about documenting life and enjoying the process . . . not about the number of photos or the amount of supplies or what dates you are working on---and every page you create is leaving a legacy, so if you've started, you are already reaching your goal.

I wish someone had told me I did not need to own everything-my first pages were random and hodge-podge. With the coordinated products available today-scrapbooks are faster, easier and wonderful keepsakes!

I wish someone had shared with me that the focus should be in the photos not in all the other stuff! The embellishments should just be accessories!

i would have to say start scrappin now and keep current. when you need a little change of pace then scrapbook a baby book or older pics ect. don't try to go back and start at the beginning and do it all.

My best advice: remember that the patterns and themes that repeat themselves throughout your life are very important to document, even the seemingly small ones -- a specific colour, for example, or a tradition of going out for Sunday brunch, or a love for choral singing that you share with an older relative....
Carmen.

My best advice would be NOT to run to big box stores and buy a bunch of stuff on clearance before you figure out how you like to scrap. I think all 100 sheets of M's pp that I first picked up ended up in my daughters art box.

I have been scrapbooking for more than 10 years now and so much has changed. I recently started digitally scrapbooking. When I started, I wish someone had told me that I didn't need to download every free item I came across. There is plenty of great stuff out there, it just make take a bit to find it but you will be grateful that you have a bunch of great items to choose from instead of a few good and most mediocre.

I started scrapbooking by taking a class at a scrapbook store. One of the things the teacher said has always stuck with me, and I hope new scrapbookers learn as well: scrapbook your current photographs first. If you try to start from a "beginning" (birth, marriage, etc.) and work your way up to the present, you'll never be caught up. Work with what you have in your life now, and as you feel more comfortable, spread your wings into your or your family's history.
Jennie

Scrapping with a group or even one other person is so much more fun than doing it solo! Also a great way to broaden your creative horizons.

I wish that if someone did happen to tell me that I didn't need to buy everything I could get my hands on, that I would have listened. Oh what fun it was to shop, shop, shop!

Relax!! Do your own thing. Do what makes you happy. If you aren't having fun. Then don't do it.
That is my advice. Keep it fun!!
Katie

I wish someone had told me to keep it neutral. I have piles of stickers and patterned paper that are based on a theme that I hardly ever use anymore. What I wish I had more of (and always run out of) are the basics that could be used on any page. I can do so much more with plain cardstock and basic shape stamps than I could ever do with all those frames and stickers and kits. Also -- I wish someone had taught me how to organize my things so they'd be easier to use, not just so they'd fit into my space.

buy less & scrap more! shopping was addicting to me at first. i bought far too much stuff for "future pages". then changed my mind. now that i know my style, i can use what i have on hand and shop very little.
thanks AE for sharing your talents with all of us!

For the newbie, just get it on and start scrapping even if you are with the wrong paper or embellishment, you'll get the hang of it later and don't worry about how ur handwriting looks like, that is part of the memory and don't worry too much on how good the page will turn out. 'cos later you can always improve on it and learn what you have been missing. Get it started first and the rest will be easy and fun.

I've been scrapbooking for a number of years now, and my 'style' has definitely evolved. My advice to a beginning scrapbooker is to get it on paper. By that I mean to get started, crop some photos, and tell the story. The most important part of making a scrapbook is preserving the memory, not having a fabulous layout (that's a bonus!). I would also advise a beginner to start with basic supplies and to not feel as if he/she has to have all the latest embellishments, etc. Start simple!