Scrapbooking for Beginners: 3 Big Mistakes People Mostly Do In Scrapbooking and How to Avoid Them
For the first time I did my scrapbook, I hoped there was someone to help me, guide me and tell me what should and shouldn’t do for at least giving me useful tips for making good scrapbook. But in fact, there was no such as mentor to help me and it got me frustrated. Thanks god I found an amazing scrapbooking tutorials to help me. If you’re as confused as I was for your first scrapbooking, you might want to check this scrapbooking classes online to help you.
As the time goes by, I started to learn my mistakes and I’m getting more advanced in scrapbooking. I’m here to let you know those mistakes I learned so you won’t make them and know how to avoid them.
Mistake #1: Stocking up like there's no tomorrow!!
I was just got a newborn niece at that time and I was thinking it was the perfect time to make my first scrapbook to celebrate 1 Year her birth. I already thought about the concept and theme for what I want to make, so I thought that was a perfect to shop for scrapbook equipment.
I went to a craft store and I found many patterned papers, cute baby-themed-stickers, baby albums, page border with cute little bear on it and more accessories. They look adorable and interesting for me. That time I was pretty sure that I can put all those accessories well in my scrapbook.
By the time I was on the register, the cashier asked me a question: “Don’t you think it’s a little bit too much with all these accessories?” I was a bit startled with it but I ignored it anyway since she had completely no idea what I was going to do with this big-scrapbooking-project.
Once I got home, I immediately start my project. When it was done, I was so proud with my creation. But as my husband arrive and checked out my masterpiece, he gently told me that I was doing too much with those baby accessories.
Lesson No. 1: Less is More
Lucky me, I keep the first album to remind me of my mistake and I made another instead to celebrate 1 year my newborn niece. You might find tons of interesting stuff in store, but you just got to be careful in selecting the right accessories to buy. It’s better to use the same patterned paper than using different in every page.
Mistake #2 Using Cheap, Low-Quality Stuff
Everyone loves cheaper stuffs. I know I do. But when I use them in my scrapbook, I realized that it was very cheap easily-rip light paper and no matter how careful I was, it would break eventually. Finally I chose better, a little bit expensive paper with good quality. Not only the paper, I also use cheap glue that got me frustrated since it wasn’t stick good and I ended up making another paper since they’re no longer good to use.
As I started my journal, I preferred buying 3 different cheap markers to 1 good-quality marker with pretty much same price. You can guess how they ruin my writing. It was smudging and I had to make another one.
Lesson No. 2: Invest in Good Supplies
Having bad experience in papers, glues and markers I was really sure that investing good scrapbooking supplies is essential for maximum result. Check this to see good supplies you need: How to make a Scrapbook
Mistake #3: Trying everything at once
Looking back when I started my very first scrapbooking is a bit frustrated. At that time, I wanted to use all supplies I had. Every page had few elements such as patterned paper, all kind of frames, stickers, buttons, confetti and so many more. Well, it wasn’t few then. Even just thinking about it made me sick and frustrated already.
Lesson No 3: Focus... Focus… Focus
I believe you want to use all your supplies as much as I did, but you have to remember that the goal is to add pages not put all in one page. Having complete scrapbooking tools and supplies was a good investing, but you have to be really selective in using them.
When you learn how to scrapbook, you will find out what should use and not to use. Just relax and chill out while learning from your mistakes. Look for scrapbooking communities, take a scrapbooking course and talk to those who already done scrapbooking before you and learn from them. You’ll find yourself making more and more creative project that you will enjoy and be proud of for years.