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

I started scrapbooking 12 years ago when decorative edge scissors first made their appearance. How I wish someone had told me not to use them on my photos!
Looking back at my first albums I have the oddest shaped photos with decorative edges.

A friend introduced me to scrapbooking. I would give the same advice to new scrappers as she did for me:
Follow your "heART."
If you are going to invest the time and money into this hobby, be sure you are creating what YOU like, not what someone else is doing or trying to sell you.
Enjoy the process!!

My best advice for a new scrapbooker would be to start small. Dont over do it with buying stuff, it can be quite overwhelming when you do.

I would say scrap because you enjoy the process and you like saving memories. Perserve your pictures, anything beyond that is your call.

I wish some would have told me to just let go and have fun-just do it and then let it be. I wasted too much time redoing things because I felt like they needed to be perfect. Oh, and you don't have to use every single picture. It's okay to edit out.

I think the best advise to give a new scrapbooker is this: Don't cut your photo's with fancy scissors (can you tell how long I have been scrappin"! ha ha) Also, scrapbook because you love it...not to try and be caught up!! It's a hobby, you will never be caught up as long as you are still taking photo's! Let your art shine through, and remember...there are NO scrapbooking police...anything is legal!!!

My advice would be buy as you go! MEANING buy for each layout instead of stockpiling. There will always be new stuff coming out and you will not be able to keep up. I managed to spend 10K over a few years time in 5 dollar increments- I couldve paid off debt and still scrapped!
( i love the studio calico kit but I only digi scrap now so please dont enter me for that, cause itd be wasted. Thanks so much!)

It doesn't have to be perfect. Just go with the flow and see what you come up with. Look online for creativity and let that start your juices. You don't need to buy everything. Start out with a small stash and build it up based on what you're using (even go to a friends house and use their products to see what you like and what you use so you don't waste money).

I wish someone had told me to just buy BASIC supplies and buy the rest when needed. I spend more time "looking for that paper or embellishment" or having 2 or 3 of the same thing!

Great giveaway as always!! The best tip I can give to anewbie is: don't buy too much and don't have fear to use it!!!

You don't need to spend a fortune on supplies. Buy good quality tools, and then slowly add things you love. And everyone has a style, your style might not be mine, and neither one is wrong.

My advice is that everything does NOT have to be perfect. I used to be stuck on everything being perfect that it used to get in my way...almost a creative stumbling block. Just tell the story any way you see fit.

Play by your own rules... Seriously. Do not worry about acid and lignin free. Use tape and paint and staples. Have fun!

That you don't have to have everything!

Don't bother with one page photo layouts, you'll end up with way too many scrapbook pages, don't burden your kids with overkill.

:) I would tell them to ignore trends and to make pages/books that they love...cause the trendy things will look silly later.

My advice for a new scrapbooker is don't go out and buy tons of stuff, just a few things you truly love. Journal as you go, don't think you will come back and fill it in :-). Add in things that are memorable to you and your story!

The first scrapbook I put together was for my parents 6oth Wedding Anniversary. I tried a little of all the fun techniques I had admired in magazines throughout that album. They all turned out and I got an idea of what my style would really be - so don't be afraid - it's just paper - try fun things - it will turn out great!

There is no mistakes, just opportunities for creativity. You are limited only by your imagination and supplies on hand.

I wish someone would have told me how addicting twopeasinabucket and scrapbooking blogs are! They're fun to look at, but it's more important to just start scrapping and get those words+photos documented!