Preserve your memories by learning to 'scrapbook'

By Kristin Forsyth Bishop

May 4, 2005 | As a broke and busy college student with a demanding schedule and not a dime to spare, the time and money available to start a new hobby seem impossible. Luckily, there is a perfect hobby for you. Scrapbooking can be an enjoyable, affordable, and time-efficient hobby that allows you to expand your creative ability while preserving your memories.

Robert Kirby, a Salt Lake Tribune columnist, wrote: "Although a national phenomenon, scrapbooking was an immediate hit in Utah. Long counseled to keep personal journals, Mormons were a ready market for a past correlated with pinking shears and stickers."

Although that analogy rings true for many, people still fear the daunting and overwhelming task of compiling a scrapbook and prefer to keep their memories "in a Hungry Man frozen dinner box cleverly adorned with duct tape, shrink wrap and marine glue," Kirby wrote. Surprisingly, by following a few simple tips, scrapbooking is an easy and affordable hobby. As you begin channeling your own unique creativity into the art of scrapbooking, you will immediately recognize the benefits of taking a moment from your hectic agenda to reflect on your life's happy moments.

"Scrapbooking helps me unwind and relieve stress," Fara Putnam, an avid scrapbooker and mother of two, said. "I love to sit down with a stack of pictures and reflect on how much my life and children are changing."

First, you must recognize the valuable and irreplaceable benefits scrapbooking provides. Scrapbooking can greatly contribute to your overall sense of emotional well-being. Creating a family or personal scrapbook allows you a place to gather thoughts, capture creative ideas and release stress by expressing your internal emotions. Creative expression doesn't only heal the mind; it is a powerful tool for healing the body as well.

Second, you may find it helpful to partner with other beginners. According to Susie Cortright in Scrapbooking on budget, this is a great way to share tools, supplies, ideas and techniques as you both begin to add to your individual scrapbooking collection. It is also helpful to set a monthly budget for supplies. If a trip to the scrapbook store is considered a treat, first accomplish certain goals or tasks then reward yourself with a deserving night of doing what you love guilt-free.

Third, beginning scrapbookers who have a limited stock of supplies should gather the specific pictures they plan to scrapbook before heading to the store. According to Erica Oesterreich, categorizing pictures into pages and layouts is more cost-effective and allows you to purchase only the required supplies for that particular page or layout. As you become an expert and more educated on the standard scrapbooking supplies most often needed, you can purchase items more regularly and slowly to add to your growing collection. Visiting thrift stores and dollar stores is another smart way to slowly add bargains to your scrapbook supply collection.

"I prefer to visit the local dollar stores before shopping at the expensive specialty scrapbook suppliers," Chelsea Christensen, a Utah State student, said. "They have a great variety and I can always find something to liven up my layout for under a dollar."

Fourth, take time to clip coupons and take advantage of special sales. Scrapbooking stores and warehouses often offer special holiday discounts and at different times of the year are forced to get rid of inventory. Take advantage of these opportunities to stock up and save money.

"We are continually marking down items," Marie Andersen, a Memories employee, said. "The few weeks after holidays are the best time to come and stock up on great holiday items for cheap."

Fifth, Use the Internet as a resource. The Internet is the largest source of information available and is easily accessible. Visiting websites such as dmarie.com, scrapjazz.com, and creatingkeepsakes.com provides you with countless ideas to get you jump started and your ideas flowing. Also, take advantage of the thousands of free fonts available to you on the web. Searching for new fonts on a search engine such as Google should provide you with an excess of the latest fonts used in scrapbooking. Books are also a great guide and a readily available resource. An inexpensive suggestion is "Budget Scrapbooking: Great Ideas for Scrapbooking on a Shoestring" by Mary Jo Reigers, which can be purchased at Amazon.com.

Lastly, have confidence in your abilities. Scrapbooking is a process, it takes time to get acquainted with the basics and by then technology has come up with something new. It is continually changing, which makes it an entertaining and interesting hobby. Stick to it and within a matter of months you'll begin seeing immense progress. Think outside the box and use your inner unique creativity to integrate these budgeting tips into your scrapbooking.

"Scrapbooking is one of the fastest growing hobbies in America," Brooke Walker, a scrapbook club advisor, said. "Your imagination is the limit."

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