When you go into a craft, or scrapbook supply store, it can be somewhat overwhelming as you stroll through the aisles. Just like grocery shopping, if you don’t have a list of what to get you can easily get distracted, or overwhelmed by all there is on the shelves. The “impulse shopping” bug can take hold, and you end up leaving the store with a lot of things that you did not intend to get. Or you walk out, utterly confused and frustrated, having purchased nothing.

Armed with a list of the basics, you will have a better idea of what you are looking for, which will help you be more focused. And you will have a more enjoyable experience. Below is your shopping list of some basic scrapbooking supplies.

1. Paper - Basic scrapbook papers are usually sold as individual sheets. They may be solid, patterned, or even themed. Cardstock is thicker paper that is often used for layout backgrounds. What you get may depend on the pictures you intend to put in your layout, and the size of your project. Scrapbook paper and cardstock is sold 12 x 12 inch or 8 x 11 inch sheets. What is most important, and a basic rule of scrapbooking, is the paper and cardstock must be acid and lignin-free.
2. Scrapbook Album - There are several sizes to choose from when it comes to picking out an album for your project. Standard album sizes are 12 in. x 12 in., 8 x 11, 6 x 6, and you may find smaller yet, 4 in. x 4 in. The larger sized albums offer more room for photos and layouts, and are good for archiving larger events, or chronicling a longer period of time. Smaller sized albums are good for scrapbooking a special occasion, and for gifts or brag books.
3. Paper and Photo Trimmers - Basically, if you have a sharp pair of scissors, you have what you need to trim paper, or crop photos. However, there are paper trimmers of varying size that will make cutting photos or paper to size a lot quicker and neater. These are similar to cutting boards, but are smaller and more specific in purpose. A paper trimmer also comes handy for cutting a perfectly straight edge, and is quicker and safer than using a craft knife with a ruler.
4. Photo-safe Adhesive - For basic scrapbooking, to adhere photos into your layout a glue stick, liquid glue pen, or double sided adhesive does the trick. As with other photo archiving supplies, the adhesive must also be photo-safe, meaning acid-free. Be aware, there are temporary (repositionable) and permanent types of adhesive. You may also choose to use photo corners. They all have their uses. As do liquid vs. tape adhesives. Ahhh-but that’s for another article.
5. Journaling pens - Telling the story or documenting the details of a special occasion in a scrapbook is referred to as journaling. While the writing can be done with a word processor, putting the journaling in your own handwriting adds a more personal touch and an added sentiment to your project. Look for acid free, archival quality pens. They come in a variety of colors, so you are sure to find the right pen to fit your scrapbook project.

These are the basic supplies that will get you started in laying out your photographs in a scrapbook. Having them at hand when you sit down to start your project will help the process go more smoothly. Pretty soon you’ll have your pictures arranged in your scrapbook, with the story told through your journaling. Be it a gift for someone else, or a book to hold your family photos, even using just the basic supplies, you can create a memento that is sure to be appreciated by all who look through it, for years to come.

About the Author: Lauren Haugh has been an Independent Scrapbook Consultant and is your Retreat Coordinator at Mom’s Online Retreat.  © 2008

As a woman who has been scrapbooking for over 7 years now, I have quite a nice collection of memories all preserved in various albums with nice stories to go along with photos. I LOVE these albums…they are a tangible piece of my past. But my husband…well, let’s just say that if he had a chance, we’d warm our home with some of them this winter!

My husband once asked me how much I have spent on all this stuff. You know, I really have no idea, but it’s probably in the $1000′s of dollars. It’s kind of embarrassing to think I have that much invested, but if my grandchildren can look through an album I made and learn a little about me, it is SO worth it!

Now, as to the question of why men don’t “get” scrapbooking…I’ll give you 5 reasons.

1. You know the feeling you get when you open the door of your local scrapbook or craft store? It’s a small, but unforgettable “rush” to know you are about to embark on a shopping adventure! Now, while your husband is in the car, listening to talk radio, waiting for you to emerge, all he is thinking is, “I wonder how much she’s spending THIS time!” They see lots of pieces of paper and stickers that are WAY over priced. We see the latest patterned papers and sticker embellishments. Plus, how many men do you know that actually love to shop? Need I say more?

2. That leads me to my next reason: scrapbook lingo. I told my husband about how I like to use certain embellishments on my pages. The look he gave me was probably similar to the look he gets when he talks about hunting or anything automotive! Scrapbooking has its own language that men just don’t understand.

3. Crops are a big part of scrapbooking that is outside the comprehension of most men. Why would anyone want to get together with a bunch of other women, cut up their photos, write what happened in the photos onto paper and stick them into books that, if you mess them up, you will be subjected to tortures yet unknown to mankind? Men have never really understood the need women have to be with other women, regardless of the excuse. Scrapbooking is just another one of those excuses!

4. Now, scrapbook retreats take the crop-confusion to a whole new level. Why women would want to leave the comfort of their own bed to go sleep on a hard mattress to cut MORE papers and MORE photos? And spend more of the family’s hard earned money? Men just don’t understand why we can’t get as much scrapbooking done at home with our 3 year olds constantly running off with our scissors, our 5 year olds using the tape runner on the cat and our teens raiding our sticker stash to spell “I love Parker” on their notebooks!

5. A party for scrapbook stuff? Are you kidding? Yes, even the direct sales parties are a mystery. I guess the name really throws most men off. After all, what kind of party, in the traditional sense, do you leave with less money in your wallet? A party is for free food, not spending money in their minds. They miss the point of chatting with friends, learning a new technique or playing with a new tool. It’s all just frivolity to them.

You know, now that I think about it, why do we spend $0.60 on one sheet of paper, $12 on a contraption that is basically a glorified glue stick and $30 on a photo album? You know the answer! WE LOVE IT! Scrapbooking is an addictive hobby and, men, you are allowed to join us, but you better learn the lingo and no sharing my tape runner!

About the author:
Susan Whitehead has been scrapbooking since the birth of her first child in 1998. Her love for the craft has grown exponentially since then and has resulted in her becoming a scrapbook instructor with her own online scrapbook business. Her website is http://www.BarefootMemories.net and her blog is
http://www.scrapbookbarefoot.blogspot.com