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

I wish someone had told me about all of the fabulous sketches out there! My early LOs had no rhyme or reason and look horible on the page. Once I found sketches, I understood how to better use my page and make a LO look complete! :)

My advice to a new scrapper is to embrace the imperfection of this art. Scrap when you feel like it, put it away when you don't. Don't obsess. This is about personal expression. Tell your story your way.

You don't have to scrap every photo. Also you don't have to scrap just events. Catch the moments!

AWESOME give-away Ali!!! When i just started scrapbooking and i was looking for inspiration on the web, i'd sometimes get overwhelmed by all the talent i encountered. I'd spend hours and hours on the web instead of just going ahead and play, without comparing myself to others. While i must admit i still have that sometimes i now say more and more to myself: PLAY! Have fun!

I would tell a new scrapbooker to make a kit of tools and don't let yourself get overwhelmed. All you need is a paper trimmer, a good pair of scissors, adhesive, a black or brown ink pad, a good scrapbooking marker, letter stickers, and photos. Buy a couple packages of basic cardstock and a few sheets of patterned paper, and it's really easy to get started. You just can't let yourself get overwhelmed- it'll come naturally after you get used to the basics.

I would tell a new scrapper that they don't have to buy up every product out there - to keep things simple with basic supplies plus a *few* extras.

I wish that someone had told me to only buy the stuff you know you'll use. I just purged a bunch of things I purchased when I started scrapping because I was never going to use them. Also, when I look back at my first pages, I didn't journal enough. I would tell new scrappers to write it all down.

There is no right or wrong way to scrapbook! The way you make your layouts and tell your story is always going to be perfect because it shows your unique perspective.

Don't strive to have perfect pages. Don't stress over every last detail. It's all about documenting the event, moment, holiday, etc. for future generations. As long as you are happy, it's all worth it.
Thanks for the chance to win!

You will spend a small fortune!!

Well... I'm not a scrapbooker - but I AM a papercrafter. I would just tell people to buy ONE sheet of patterned paper at a time. I made the mistake of buying 5-6 sheets of the same paper and never used it.

My advice would be "do not buy everything you see"...go to a crop and observe other scrapbookers. See what they use and ask them to demonstrate for you. I have so much stuff that I "had" to have and then used it once or twice and stored it away.

You don't need a lot of expensive supplies to tell great heartfelt stories about your family.

Don't worry about being perfect. It is the imperfections that make it special down the road. Let your true self show.

I wish someone would have taught me how to NOT be chronological---I'm beginning to think I'm OCD about that... still trying to "catch-up" & always feeling behind anyway! *sigh....

Documenting memories is much more important than the design of your page. My kids love my early pages as much as my later ones because they document their lives.

Start in the present! If you think of all the years that you want to scrapbook of the past...you will overwhelm yourself and quit. Just start with NOW and work forward...and then after you get a hang of it, if you want to work backwards...GO FOR IT!

Best advice to a new scrapper... don't worry about being "caught up" ... just take it easy and do one page at a time knowing that you preseved a memory forever. ... and don't buy every new tool out there ;)

Don't get cheap with essential tools - get a good paper trimmer, scissors, hole punches in a few sizes, a tape runner. They will make your life so much easier!

What an amazing Wed filled with great giveaways.
I started scrapping 2 years ago and I wish someone told me no too collect every piece of paper I loved in the store that I should only buy what I am going to use on a layout right now. As I have way too myuch paper right now as I started really scrapping pages 1 year ago & my style and pages are so different from those "pretty" papers. What a great post idea, I am looking forward to reading all the entries.