Wednesday Sponsor Giveaways: Elise Blaha, ReVa, Studio Calico, & SheyB

My advice is to just scrap and don't let yourself get overwhelmed by the incredible talent that is out there. Scrapbooking should ultimately be a reflection of you.
I would love either of those two kits or the camera strap and bag. Gorgeous.

The best advice I ever read was from Stacy Julian. She said, "Scrap the memories, not necessarily the pictures." Too often we feel that we have to put every photo in a layout - or every event, even if it wasn't truly meaningful. I need to take her advice more often when she said, "I only have enough time to scrap my most favorite memories." (paraphrase)

I wish someone told me, "Don't buy that! you'll never use it." This would have been helpful on a variety of items.

you will never catch up! just scrap the stories and photos that mean the most to you.

Wow! What great giveaways! My advice would be to purchase things that can be versatile and reuseable - like stamps and a good diecut system. That's how I began and joining a kit club is a good way to build up your stock without spending a bunch of money for extras that you won't use. =) It's also a fun way to get the trendiest new product and takes the stress off of trying to pull things together yourself.

Keep it simple and only scrap what inspires you right now. Put the rest of your photos in photo albums.
Love the camera strap and pretty papers.

My advice is: let's start, don't think too much! :)

Simply that there are no set rules, no have to's...
scrapbooking is all about putting it on the page, however it works for you!
A certain "special" instructor extraordinaire taught me this at CKU a few years ago...
:)
xoxo
Cristina

I wish someone would have told me to keep it simple, keep it fun. My initial pages were so complicated and laborious (and I still like it) and spend $$$ on expensive tools. These days, my pages are simplier and faster so I can enjoy the story and not the process. Thanks Ali.

If you love it--it's great! (Love your art, and don't feel like you have to follow someone else's rules). Don't feel like you have to buy everything right away--watch the trends to see if that super cool new tool stays super cool after people start to use it--and don't be afraid to experiment and try lots of different techniques, materials, and products. Share with friends who have amassed lots of different things to "play" with.

I wish someone had told me that my pages did not have to be perfect or look just like so and so's. I have found that it doesn't matter what tools, paper, embelishements you have. The end result is about you and the story you are telling. Each of us has unique style and that style will only develop after practice, trial and error and time.
So, be who you are and just do it. If you like it, if it looks good on the page to you then that's the most important thing.

I have heard so many say that just the thought is so overwhelming or that they don't feel creative enough... so my advice: just take a look at your pictures...which one is your favorite? Does it make you smile? Grab those ones first and lay it on a page... don't think you need to have the "perfect page" or "perfect touches"- no such thing- whatever you create is amazing because you did it! P.S. Advice: White cardstock for your background is much easier to start with! :)

Remember there is no wrong way of scrapping - that gives you such freedom to express yourself and no-one can therefore criticise you !
Don't get hung up on making everything absolutely perfect - definitely easier said than done !!
Anne:)

Not to stress about scrapping all your pictures. Just scrap when you feel like it and with your favorite photos. Scrapbooking is supposed to be fun. Not a chore. :)

Use three-ringed binders! These just give you so much more flexibility and I love the new Photo Sleeves from WeR Memory Keepers which alow you to scrapbook a lot or a little. Love these :) Thanks Ali for the great giveaways!

One piece of advice I wish someone had told me was that there are no rules, just do what you want. I have so many pages from when I first strated where all the pages look alike following certain "rules". So jsut go with it!

i would tell a new scrapooker that it's not about being caught up, it's about telling the stories. document your life so you don't forget all the good stuff!

Oh, there are so many things I could tell someone new to scrapbooking...
1. Spend most of your money on basic tools and adhesive.
2. Purchase your paper and stickers on a project by project basis.
3. Use up what you have before buying more stuff.
4. Focus less on "stuff" and more on your photos.
5. Have fun and know there are no rules when it comes to scrapbooking. It's your creative outlet, so let loose.

My best advice, mostly for those people who are really critical of themselves? STAY AWAY FROM TRENDS! Wait several months until you start looking at scrapping magazines, idea galleries, online forums, design team "examples", so you can develop your own style and process.
My first few weeks of scrapbooking were blissful and so productive. Then I made the huge mistake of buying a giant stack of scrapping magazines and looking at tons of layouts online, and I realized I was doing it "wrong". I'm ultra-critical of myself so since then haven't been able to scrap without judging every layout I make with a way-too-critical eye. Just do your thing and HAVE FUN!!

I wish someone had told me to take my photos with me to the store when shopping for supplies. That would have kept me from buying everything under the sun and just get the things I needed for that layout. I could have saved a lot of money!