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

I've always suggested that beginning scrappers start with a small (8x8 or so) themed album. It's so much easier to wrap your mind around a finite topic--easier to plan it and shop for it, it feels manageable and complete-able. THEN once they have a feel for scrapping, they can decide if they like it enough to do more and bigger. (This way they also don't end up with a few random pages that don't "fit" anywhere IF they decide not to keep scrapping!)

I am a new scrapper myself (digitally). My advice to myself is to not get carried away by all the different products available.
For a few years I designed and printed my own daily planner (in Word, would you believe it...?), adding pictures on the date of someone's birthday, special pictures at the start of Summer etc.. Looking back, I like the simplest design best. The 1st year I was so enthousiastic about the whole idea, that I added way too many elements.
I'll keep this in mind when scrapping.

My advice to someone new to scrapbooking ---- JUST DO IT! often times it is very overwhelming and that can keep someone from actually STARTING. just do it. Be yourself. Tell YOUR story. Don't try to be someone else or do a page like someone else. it's okay ------ you can do this!
super great giveaways!

I wish someone would have said, "Don't over-analyze it. It doesn't have to be perfect. Just put on your big-girl panties and DO IT!" I bought and collected scrapbooking supplies for YEARS before I ever sat down and started creating.

Scrapbooking can be overwhelming - do not feel you have to have EVERY picture you have ever taken in a book - Pick your favorites, that capture the moment as well as your story.

my best advice from the beginning would be...GET LOTS AND LOTS OF STORAGE!! and stay as organized as possible. Before you know it you are way ahead of yourself and it helped me to finally get a hold on things.

Best advice? Try not to get overwhelmed and set aside any perfectionism. It's easy to think you're not as good as someone else, or to be overwhelmed by all the techniques, products, etc.
Do what you want, scrap what you want and ENJOY IT!

The advice I wish someone had given me-you do not have to scapbook chronologically!! Therefore, you are never "behind" and don't have to get overwhelmed & paralyzed like I did until someone finally said that to me.

if i were to give advice to a newbie, i'd say "start simple!" don't go out and buy a million things. get your pictures together, find some papers that match... maybe a few embellishments... write down your journaling and match that all up together. you'll develop your own interests, your own style... and then branch out and spend some more money after that- once you know it will be money well spent!

Let go and let it flow. Don't be afraid to be messy, make mistakes and trust your own creativity. In the same way that no two people are the same, no two scrapbookers (or life artists...ali!) are the same.
Look inside yourself and find the beauty that has been there all along, just waiting to come out and play!

Don't feel like you have to scrapbook everything. Don't feel like you have to scrapbook in order. Do what you want, when you want and enjoy the process.
Betsy

Sometimes 12x12 is a lot of paper to fill up. I wish someone had told me to try out 8.5x11 when I first started. Its a lot less space and a lot less daunting!

I would tell a newbie to go for a kit club! You get to sample a little bit of the latest stuff without it taking over your house...at least not at first ;). Plus it's all coordinated so you won't get overwhelmed with the choices out there and making everything work. It can be about the process of preserving memories not shopping overload.

it's never too late to start! so many friends tell me they haven't started and feel like its too late now (based on kids ages) i seriously doubt anyone scraps at the rate we live life!!!
CUTE giveaways!

I wish someone had said to me: if you are an indecisive type, go digital! That's been the best thing for me, because I need to be able to move and resize elements without feeling like I'm ruining supplies.

The best advice you can give a new scrapbooker is "you don't have to have everything." I spend too much time worried about my supplies and not enough time on the creative process.

My best advice? Don't ever use or buy into the words "caught up." This is a life long journey! Enjoy the ride. I would LOVE the Studio Calico kit, if I were picked and had a choice!

Don't worry about perfection, sometimes it's the imperfections that make a page look wonderful

That a big part of the hobby of scrapbooking is collecting supplies?

Advice for a newbie scrapper? Don't buy an album before you've done a good few LOs and found your style - you'll hate it by the time you come to fill it! Don't buy those bulk paper sets because you think they're cheap - ditto - you'll hate the papers after a short, short while.......