Do You Digi?

Digi-Scrapbook, that is! Hey Everybody, Barb here.  I’ve been getting a lot of questions about digital scrapbooking lately. If you follow my blog posts, you’ll notice that my scrap pages are created digitally. This simply means that I use photo editing software and my computer to put together scrapbook pages.  To some, that may sound real technical, but it really is easy and for some projects it is my preferred method of getting my pages done quickly.

I started digital scrapbooking about 6 years ago. I am mostly self-taught, because back then scrapbooking on one’s computer was not very popular. I fell in love with the art form because I could scrap anywhere; in my car waiting for my daughters to finish dance class, or piano lessons. I could scrap while we were on vacation, even on the airplane, in a fast food restaurant, the library, the park, poolside…literally anywhere since all of the supplies I needed ‘lived’ inside my computer. And I could scrap without clean up! When I was finished with a scrapping session, I simply clicked ‘SAVE’ and walked away from the computer.

 

My traditional scrapbook pages are full of embellishments and lots of detail. I found that I could still get that same effect, digitally, with just a few clicks and without all the bulk. When my friends and family view my digital scrapbook pages, I see them touching the page. They can’t believe there is so much dimension on a ‘flat’ page. Don’t get me wrong, I still LOVE to scrapbook the traditional way, with patterned paper and card stock, but for certain projects, like Our Year With Disney album, where I took over 1500 photos…creating pages digitally was really the only way to get the album completed quickly and beautifully.

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A real plus for me with digital scrapping is the multiple use of products. When I purchase a digital kit or an embellishment, I can use it over and over and over again, it never runs out. This is especially nice because I know I will never use the last sheet of my current favorite paper…so if I’m scrapping at 2am and I need another piece of paper to finish the last page for an album, I simply click it again and I have a brand new sheet, ready to go! And here’s a little secret…the digital papers can be printed out on your home computer and used for card making and traditional scrapbook pages! Yes, it’s true! Just make sure you use quality printer paper and your print out will look just like you bought it from the store. I have done this many times and the results are beautiful. Digital kits are available in just about any theme you can imagine...

This one by Shabby Princess is called Sprout...it's perfect for Easter photos. It would also be a good choice for Mother's Day pictures.

And this one, Black Pearl by Misty Cato, would really showcase those pirate birthday party pictures. And it would also be great for scrapping your Halloween pirate pics.

Another plus for digi-scrapping is the use of Templates. I love templates; I use them all the time. This simply means that I don’t have to use my time designing a page. I just select a template, pull together my photos and digital kit, drag and drop these elements into the appropriate spot and voila! Page is completed. When I use a template, I think of it as a starting point. I usually add things to it to make it my own...embellishments, journaling tags, glitter, stickers or rub-ons. Yes, these elements are available in digital scrapbooking too!

When it comes time to pull together the album or pages, I send my completed work over to Costco. They are well equipped to print out 12 x 12 pages and they do a fantastic job of it. There are some programs that can be purchased to create special bundles for printing. I have one that allows me to put one 12 x 12 layout and two 6 x 6 layouts on the same page, giving me a 12 x 18 sheet. This way, I have a large layout for the family album and two small layouts, one for each of my daughters to put into their albums. In addition to that, I can print off multiple sheets or layouts for family and friends. There is also an option to print an 8 x 8 size, which is my personal favorite.

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If you’ve never tried digital scrapbooking, I encourage you to check it out. Maybe a take an online class with Jessica Sprague or search the sites that are linked above. And don't forget to look thru back issues of E:spire magazine, there are articles and digital FREEBIES in there. If you are a digital scrapper, leave your blog address in the comments, so we can come take a peek at your pages. You will also want to share some of your creations on the Scraps of Color site, which is a GREAT place to be inspired by many talented crafters.  Don’t be shy…we all encourage one another and there are some wonderful projects to view. And we would love to see yours!

There are a lot of photo opps coming up; Mother's Day, weddings, graduations and the 4th of July to mention a few. And having the knowledge of how to digital scrapbook will help make completing beautiful albums a breeze. I hope you give it a try.

Thanks for visiting with me. Until next time...