Scrapbooking is fast becoming a favorite hobby of men, women and children of all ages. A great way to tell a personal story or the story of an entire family, this hobby is much more than collecting photos, it involves the creation of a multimedia presentation.

Scrapbooks can include everything from pictures to journal entries, newspaper clippings, drawings and more. They all work together, however, to capture an event, a moment in time or an entire lifetime.

But, how does a person get started scrapbooking? That's pretty simple!

Some scrapbookers spend hundreds and even thousands of dollars on their hobby, but that's not really necessary to get started. There are a few materials that, of course, will be needed, but the most important one comes free - an imagination!

The following basic materials are generally needed to get started in the scrapbook hobby to make sure that imagination has an outlet:

* Scrapbook pages. These are special pages meant for mounting photos, papers and more. If you'd like photos and documents to last a long time, look into acid free pages.

* Photographs. The heart of any scrapbooks, photos tell the story of a person, event or even an entire school without the need for works. The photos chosen for a scrapbook can be anything the person making the book wants them to be, and they can even be cut down and shaped to create interesting collages and more. Generally it's not a good idea to use the only copy of a photo - especially you intend to cut it. Consider having copies made first.

* Adhesive. Scrapbook fans can use anything they want for this, but generally, it's a good idea to buy special adhesives to protect the integrity of photos and documents often included in scrapbooks.

* Embellishments. Sometimes people like to add things like stickers, glitter and so on to their pages. If these are of interest, they're easy to find at craft shops and other such locations.

* Scissors, pen and other stationary items. Scrapbooks are generally a combination of words and pictures. Stationary items will be needed to make sure the words that go along with a story can be present in the book.

As you get started, remember a good scrapbook is a personal reflection. There really are no rules to the game. Whatever you feel best tells the story you want the pages to reveal goes.

In general, however, scrapbookers follow a few pattern outlines for their pages. These include:

* Much like a newspaper layout, scrapbook pages tend to have a headline that ties the theme together. Whether it's actually a written word, words or a symbol, the headline tells viewers instantly what a page or series of them is all about.

* Central element. Also like a newspaper or magazine design, the central element serves as the focal point for the page. It might be the best picture or it could even be a poem or journal entry.

* Photo protection. Since a lot of scrapbook fans use irreplaceable photos and documents in their pages, they like to ensure these items will be protected. This involves the use of acid free paper, special adhesives and more.

No matter the design or what kind of story that needs to be told, a scrapbook is a great way to do it. Combining words and images, these books offer a better picture of the past than a photo album alone and are generally much more personalized.

Copyright (c) 2006