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My advice : don't buy a lot of stuff. You don't need a ton of paper, embellishment, etc. Use what you've got on hand, try different things, and when you'll find your style you'll know it !

Just Do It

I wish someone had told me to get more of my pictures printed or make backups before being spendy with supplies.

Don't buy everything you see just because it's a "good deal."

I wish someone would have told me to use the American Crafts D ring 12x12 albums when I first started. It would have saved me a lot of time moving everything over to them later :) I think they are an awesome way to store your layouts and allow you to move them around if needed. Thanks!!

My advice for a new scrapper is to let your story come before the product. Products are fun but they should add to your page, not take away from it. Also, use what you buy, and don't be afraid that the page you make isn't "worthy" of that great paper or embellishment that your'e saving.

I wish someone would have told me to keep it simple and stick to the basics until I figured out what my style was. I ran out and bought EVERYTHING I could get my hands on....then gave 75% of it away :)

Organize your photos for the project you are wanting to work on first.

Do what speaks to YOU, tell the stories that are genuinely expressive of you and your family-- never feel like someone else's albums dictate what you "should" do. Strive not for perfection, but for reality.
My goodness-- I love those camera straps!

I would figure out the direction in which I want to go first..then buy the supplies. I have bought a lot of supplies that were cute..but I never used. Research a little first then you won't be overwhelmed.

I wish I had realized earlier that it is my memories & the layout does not have to be magazine perfect. I wish I had realized my handwriting is not as bad a I thought & it needs to be on my pages.

Don't be too afraid to try new things because you think you'll do it the "wrong way".

There is some great advice in these comments. I particulary love:
"Don't buy everything you see."
"Use ring binder albums."
"Don't scrap in chronological order."
My advice is more broad: There are no mistakes in scrapbooking. If your page makes you happy, it's perfect.
Thanks for another great post!
AJ

I am new to scrapbooking so I guess for me I tell myself organize well otherwise you buy duplicate supplies over and over again!

I would say to find a magazine with ideas that you like and don't look at all the "other" stuff. Start basic and learn what your style is.

I wish someone had told me that there is nothing wrong from getting inspiration from other scrapbookers, like ALI :), it is still your own masterpiece. Thanks Ali!!

My advice would be to above all enjoy the process. Scrapbooking isn't about perfect pages or fabulous chronological books of Christmas' and Halloweens. Just scrap what is important, tell your story, and enjoy.

I wish someone had told me to take pictures of EVERYTHING, not just my kids. I wish now that I had pictures of the rows of bottles in the refrigerator and the assembly-line process we used for mixing formula each day. I also wish someone had dispelled the myth of the "Scrapbook Police." There is no ONE way to do this. If it pleases you, glue it down!!! My kids aren't going to look back at their scrapbooks and think they were "not in style" or that there should be an extra embellishment somewhere (I hope!).

My advice is that you don't have to buy everything all at once. I have boxes of stuff that I will never use, because I felt the need to have it all, and have it right now, before I even knew what my style was!

To go with your own style. Don't do things the ways friends do, just because they do. You'll like your pages more in the long run if you do your own thing, but if you don't know how to do something just ask. We're friendly people who like to help.