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

To a new scrapbooker I would say that the most important thing is to get your stories down on paper. That's what will give life to your photos and leave behind a legacy one day. The decorative part of scrapbooking is secondary.

I wish someone would have pointed me towards digital scrapbooking many years ago. The time and space saving is unbelievable! I love digital so, so much!

Don't just go out and over buy! Nowadays you can even find people selling their used tools..and that's great! Also always stock up on card stock when it's on sale...you will always need it for something.

I would advise a new scrapbooker not to try to make the 'perfect' page. Lots of times, just getting it in the book and journaled is worth more than the perfect layout with the perfect emnbellishments. Thanks for the chance to win. CindyML

My advice is to buy the following tools a paper trimmer and a bone folder. These two tools are my MUSTS

Do it for you! Whether you enjoy it as a journal, a record of family history or events, creative exploration or a chance to get together with girlfriends do it for yourself and enjoy the process. Life is too short to do something because you feel obligated to complete an album for every child or an album for every year's events! Have fun!

Wow - I am amazed at the number of comments! My advice is to not be hard on yourself- take yourself lightly and remember it's the photos that are telling the story!

Do whatever you want - there is no "right" way to scrap - they are your memories, do with them what you want!

I wish someone had told me that it's not about the products. The only thing that really matters is the stories. And it's really nice to have photos to go with the stories. But that's the only thing my daughter will care about in 20 years.

Thanks for the great giveaways! My advice would be to learn some basics or maybe take a class. Then gradually add to the things you want to learn and develop in your scrapbooking. And try lots of things--you never know what you might like!

My best advice would have to be that you don't have to buy every product out there to have great pages. Look around for neat, unexpected items to put on your pages.

Follow what inspires you and forget about following any "rules" such as using a specific page size, always doing a double-spread, going chronologically, etc. because the rules can eventually prevent you from doing ANYTHING!! (Let's just say I have a little experience in this area... :)

My advice: Don't worry about being perfect!

I wish someone had told me to use ring binder albums instead of the post-bound. And to spend more money getting decent trimmers etc rather than buying the cheapest and using the left over money to buy paper that Im never going to use!

Keep it simple and believe in yourself. And above all (to steal a certain company's tagline)--Just Do It!

What do I wish that people had told me when I started? Hmmm... well, I wish people had told me there was more out there than the kit somebody gave me ... then maybe my first scrapbook wouldn't be colors I hate ... but other than that? I wish people would have told me that it's okay to do your own thing. It doesn't have to look like everybody else's and it doesn't have to have the latest and the greatest and it doesn't have to be simple and rushed - it should be you. You're the one who has to look at it for the rest of your life :)

My best advice is this: don't buy a TON of stuff or you'll just get overwhelmed. Just buy what you need, when you need it. Simple is better.

Don't get sucked into making something just because it is trendy. Create things that you love and that are YOU. That way in the years to come you will still love your scrapbooks and you won't say "What was I thinking!"

That scrapbooking and photography would be such an awesome part of my life.

I wish some one had told me to not stress and don't worry about scrapping every picture.