Luisa’s Scrapbooking IdeasCapture Family Memories With Fun Scrapbooking Ideas

Digital Scrapbooking hits the main stream as software developers have created many different platforms for digital scrapbooking.

We could discuss the differences in the two but that is not the purpose of this article.  My goal is to address digital scrapbooking as an alternative to traditional scrapbooking.

For many years, we have opened our photo albums and looked page after page of photos placed on a tacky paper covered in plastic.  Now, many people are taking a different approach to make their memories more fund to reflect on.  Digital scrapbooking uses a vast array of decorations used in traditional scrapbooks.  Though the embellishments are digital, the use of things like stickers and characters is still part of the scrapbook page.  However, instead of creating the mess of cut paper, glue spillage and some of the hand drawn lines that can not be erased, digital scrapbooks are easy to edit or hit the undo button.

What sets the two apart is the method of achieving this principle. As mentioned, traditional scrapbooking uses material such as papers, pens, letter cut outs, adhesives, and other embellishments. Digital scrapbooking on the other hand uses computer graphics that replaces these traditional materials. You may say it is harder to work on the page design on the computer than on the actual page (traditional scrapbook). But, to be honest, it is almost the same.

Take the following for example:

The traditional scrapbook will work on a background or layout (sometimes called a template), pictures, texts, and embellishments. The process goes like this: you place the pictures on the background, place some embellishments of your type, and write some texts.

The digital scrapbook will work on software with all the available digital embellishments and texts. You have scanned pictures or digital images from your camera to be placed on a chosen background. Put some texts and add more design. Then, with some more editing on the colors and borders, you have created a scrapbook page.  Another great thing about digital scrapbooks is that you can use the same template for more than one page.  By simply changing the colors and moving some things around on the page, you have a new template without the cost.

Oftentimes, it is much easier to create a digital scrapbook than a traditional one. This is because software that lets you create digital scrapbook with ready to use templates for texts and backgrounds, not to mention the editing tools you need. These features make it easier to create one unique page. Downloadable templates are readily available over the internet to widen up your choices on text, embellishments, and background. This is unlike traditional scrapbook that every thing is yours to make; from the background to the cutting of the decoration.

To further illustrate how does a digital page is created, here are the steps to follow:

· Create a new image from a blank canvas

· Define the size of the page you will use.

· Enter the settings you want to adapt.

· Add the photo

Looking at the colors in the photos can help you choose the color scheme of the layout, therefore, you may want to see first what picture you are interested in using in the page scheme of the layout, therefore, you may want to see first what picture will best suit the page you are wanting to create and this should be done scheme of the layout, therefore, you may want to see first what picture you are interested in using in the page before determining the mat of the canvas.

To add a photo, you must first save one on a file. You can either scan pictures or take them from your digital cameras.

· Create the background

Now that you have a determined canvas and photo, it is time for you to select your background. Here, the choices are endless. You can download images from the internet or use your photos to be the background itself. You can edit the texture of the background to match the scrapbook theme you want to achieve.

· Create the photo mat

Photo mats let the background and the photo meet on a certain point.

· Add the text and embellishments

Ready made texts and embellishments are one good feature of digital scrapbooking software. This helps you to put important touches fast and easy.

· Apply some finishing touches

Final editing is as important as placing everything in order. Make use of built in features such as shadows, emboss, effects, and others. This would help your page look more attractive as it highlights whatever you want to be highlighted.

If you are the type of person that likes to scrapbook with others, digital scrapbooking is not as much of a group activity.  I have never heard of a digital scrapbooking weekend or digital scrapbook retreat.  However, there are scrapbook crops, scrapbook retreats and scrapbook weekends scheduled around the country all of the time.  If you enjoy this type of event, you may want to visit a site that lists scrapbook retreats to locate an event in your area.

Digital photos are the primary material to work with when it comes to free digital scrapbooking, yet it would be impossible to carry on with the projects in the absence of graphic softwares and computer programs. Such tools are absolutely necessary for digital scrapbooking because you have to add embellishments, graphic textures and special layouts. Such an alternative to traditional scrapbooking seems more time-effective not to mention that it saves you the trouble of using all the supplies and making a mess on your desk.

You can’t start free digital scrapbooking without special software programs like CorelDraw, CorelPaint or Adobe Photoshop. Other softwares work fine for digital scrapbooking too, they just have to allow you to operate with layered objects while also supporting PNG file formating. Besides the software as such, you may also need a scanner, a printer and even a digital camera. If you want to try free digital scrapbooking, there is a large number of tutorials that you can use.

There is a plethora of websites that provide step by step guidance for free digital scrapbooking. The number of resources is every day higher and no matter how much your read on a certain topic, you will hardly exhaust it. This hobby-like occupation has reached such an extent that you can even find digital scrapbooking kits advertised online. They include all the digital scrapbooking elements necessary, available in PNG formats. You’ll get a better idea if you search on Google for digital scrapbooking kits. By previewing some of the content available you can actually decide whether you need these kits or not.

Free digital scrapbooking could certainly provide a nice alternative to traditional scrapbooking. It is modern, innovative and it gives one all the benefits that technology and science can offer. Anyone who’s tried their hand at traditional scrapbooking will feel interested at least to try digital albums for a change. The only problem here is that some of the digital materials you get access to are not free. In some cases free digital scrabooking resources will work fine, while in other cases you may have to pay for some elements in a way similar to the purchase of regular supplies.

Free digital scrapbooking goes hand in hand with promotional advertising. The free variants of some softwares are a marketing strategy meant to improve traffic and win customers. Look into these aspects a bit further and see whether free digital scrapbooking can be real for you.

Digital scrapbooking relies on desktop editing and publishing technologies from layouts and embellishments to the very photos used for the process. The Internet now enables all kinds of users to upload personal digital images and create online albums starting from them. Computer processes thus replace traditional activities since digital scrapbooking has increased in popularity over the recent years. There is quite a long list of advantages we can identify for digital scrapbooking:

-as you no longer need scrapbooking supplies, you can make savings ;
-the finished pages can be shared with lots of people on the Internet;
-there are endless options to manipulate the page elements making various adjustments;
-the number of accessories used is definitely superior;
-the impact on the environment lowers;
-there is no deterioration of the pages;
-it takes almost no skill at all to create the albums.

Digital scrapbooking relies on a large number of visual elements. Computer layouts are very similar to regular paper layouts. Depending on what web-based digital scrapbooking program you use, various backgrounds and wallpapers may be included helping users create very rich albums. Moreover, the given elements and embellishments can be repositioned at will, with applications varying from user to user.

Digital scrapbooking has hardly any limitations, once your album is ready, you can decide whether to print it or store it in digital format. There are professional printing and binding services dedicated especially to digital scrapbooking and they usually depend on software that allows for a good work-flow and a really nice finite product. The first digital scrapbooking activities relied on digital photos uploaded on websites.

The advantage of working on a certain website is that you don’t have to download and install any program onto your personal computer. Once you have everything ready you can continue with the printing if that suits your needs. Thanks to digital technologies, scrapbooking makes the integration of pages and layouts much easier: albums look fresher and unique.

Digital scrapbooking is not too difficult, and you don’t have to be an Internet guru to create some nice personalized pages. The layouts are ready, and you just add several elements onto them. Plus, unlike paper and glue albums that follow traditional scrapbooking, you have the chance to play with all sorts of layouts, patterns, decorations and styles. You can follow some step by step instructions to cover everything in detail, or you can learn just the basics.

Digital photos are the primary material to work with when it comes to free digital scrapbooking, yet it would be impossible to carry on with the projects in the absence of graphic softwares and computer programs. Digital scrapbooking depends on such tools for creating layouts, adding graphic textures e.g. making unique with watercolor painting texture or background, and by using proper calligraphy, embellishing and even including text messages. This is the alternative to traditional scrapbooking that uses photos, paper, cardboard, stickers, ribbons, buttons and many more for creating all sorts of themed albums.

You can’t start free digital scrapbooking without special software programs like CorelDraw, CorelPaint or Adobe Photoshop. As long as you find a free program that allows you to operate with layered objects while it supports PNG file formating, digital scrapbooking is possible. Besides the software as such, you may have to use a digital camera, a printer or a scanner. If you want to try free digital scrapbooking, there is a large number of tutorials that you can use.

You just have to find the most relevant websites for free digital scrapbooking. Resources are more numerous every day and no matter how much your read on a certain topic, you will hardly exhaust it. Go for scrapbooking kits if you are not pleased with free digital scrapbooking. With kits, all the digital ’supplies’ will be ready to use in PNG format. There is plenty of information on scrapbooking kits on Google. By previewing some of the content available you can actually decide whether you need these kits or not.

Free digital scrapbooking could certainly provide a nice alternative to traditional scrapbooking. It is innovative, modern and it gives one all the benefits that technology and science can offer. Anyone who’s tried their hand at traditional scrapbooking will feel interested at least to try digital albums for a change. The only problem here is that some of the digital materials you get access to are not free. In some cases free digital scrabooking resources will work fine, while in other cases you may have to pay for some elements in a way similar to the purchase of regular supplies.

Free digital scrapbooking goes hand in hand with promotional advertising. The free variants of some softwares are a marketing strategy meant to improve traffic and win customers. Free digital scrapbooking may be rewarding for you, but you have to check all the aspects carefully.

You don’t have to be a computer pro to make a digital scrabook. The internet is full of resources about digital scrapbooking. One can read and have online tutorials to get to know more about scrapbooking.

Making a digital scrapbook is not expensive. There are hundreds of FREE resources on the net. There are free online tutorials, free digital scrapbooking kits and free page layouts.

Some ways to find digital scrapbooking freebies:

1.Make a search using popular search engines like Google, Yahoo and MSN. The search engines will generate a list. Go over the list and bookmark the sites that are relevant to your needs.

2.Become a member of a forum about digital scrapbooking. Forum members exchange digital scrapbook tools, backgrounds and layouts. Relevant URLs are also posted especially on sites where digital scrapbooking freebies are given.

3.Visit digital scrapbooking sites. Most sites have downloads that are free.

4.Subscribe to a digital scrapbook newsletter. In my newsletter I provide some great tips and advice. Newsletters also contain updates on freebies.

5.Find blogs about digital scrapbooking. If you are in to reading blogs, you have probably noticed that they feature links to freebies all the time.

Requirements to download freebies:

1.Sites that provide freebies often require memberships. After the registration, login name and passwords will be available.

2.Some sites require subscription to a newsletter before beginning a download.

3.A valid email address is needed for most sites before any download is allowed.

The following are freebies that can be downloaded:

1.Digital scrapbooking kits

2.Scrapbooking Fonts

3.Colors

4.Backgrounds

5.Layouts

6.Pages

7.Embellishments

8.Images

9.Templates

Here are the top five websites that supply digital scrapbooking freebies:

1.Digitreats Freebies  digitreats.typepad.com

Site offers some digital scrapbooking kits for free but only for personal use.

2.Free Digital Scrapbooking www.freedigitalscrapbooking.com

This site has everything needed to start digital scrapbooking including tons of freebies.

3.Shabby Princess  www.shabbyprincess.com

The site has both digital scrapbooking freebies and elegant digital scrapbooking supplies on sale.

4.Digital Scrapbooking Freebies  www.digitalscrapbookingfreebies.com

A digital scrapbooking website dedicated to digital scrapbooking freebies. Updates are made frequently.

5.Digital Scrapbooking Depot  www.digiscrapdepot.com

The site provides digital scrapbooking freebies and links to digital scrapbooking designer’s website.

These digital scrapbooking freebies are already more than enough to start the hobby. It is, however, emphasized that the freebies are only free if they are for personal use. If you are looking to have a great looking and unique digital scrapbook, you most likely want to purchase a kit. But for practice and simple needs to express creativity these freebies will suffice.