Scrapbook Expressions

Yappin' & Scrappin' Scrapbook Retreats

Friday, March 31, 2006

Arroyo Grande's finest Scrapbook Retreat House has finally arrived! Yappin' & Scrappin' is thrilled to offer you a chance to get away from it all.

Yappin' & Scrappin' offers Scrapbook Classes, Crops, Retreat Getaway Weekends and Relaxing packages for the avid Scrapbooker - and is just minutes away from Simply Scrappin'!

Get away for a weekend or just for a day to a cozy Tuscan Villa tucked away in the hills just 5 minutes from the beach and downtown Arroyo Grande, CA. Here you will have your own space and all meals provided so you can scrap undisturbed and relaxed for a long as you like!

Website: www.yappinandscrappin.com

Tags: scrapbooking scrapbook

Scrapbook Supplies to Get You Started

Thursday, March 30, 2006

Here is a list of essential scrapbook materials to get you started scrapbooking:

Albums: There are a variety of sizes, colors and styles of scrapbook albums available; the most popular continue to be the 12x12 and 8.5x11 sizes, which work best for family albums. Other available sizes are 9x9, 8x8, and 4x6, which are great for special themed or gift albums. Albums are available in the following styles: 3-Ring, Post-Bound and Strap-Hinge. Which one you choose is really a matter of personal preference.

Page Protectors: These are a must for every album to protect your pages from fingerprints, spills and wear and tear.

Paper: Paper is available in 12x12 and 8.5x11 sizes in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Cardstock is a bit heavier weight and works well for your scrapbook page background. Patterned and Printed papers are a best used as accent on your page and to mount pictures. Every scrapbooker should have a supply of neutral colors on hand, including black and white. You should use other colors that highlight your pictures, but not overwhelm them. When first starting out, it is helpful to purchase paper in multi-packs, so you have a wide variety of cardstock and patterns that coordinate. Then you can re-purchase your favorites in individual sheets.

Adhesive: You need something to adhere your pictures and accents to the page. Adhesives are available in glue sticks, glue pens, mounting squares, glue dots and more! Some scrapbookers use a variety of these products, depending on what they are adhering. Many prefer dispensers to glue pens, which have refill cartridges. They tend to work well on both photos and paper. The one you use is really a personal choice!

Trimmer: When choosing a trimmer, keep in mind both ease-of-use (comfort) and precision of cuts. A higher-end trimmer might be a bit more expensive, but worth the cost, since it will last longer and work better for you. A pair of sharp scissors are needed too, keeping in mind that you should only use them for scrapbooking!

Markers: Black and colored markers, pens and pencils are used for journaling and page titles. Some prefer to use the computer for journaling and titles, but when documenting your family's memories, it can be nice to add that personal touch with your own handwriting!

Tote: Most scrapbookers accumulate enough scrapbook materials that an organizer is required. If you attend classes or crops, you will also need something that is portable. Most scrapbookers find it best to start out with a large tote with wheels – one you can grow into.

Tools and Embellishments: Once you get a hang of the basics, you can begin adding stickers, stamps, stencils, die cuts, punches, crimpers, cutters, eyelets and more to your supply and to your pages!

Kits: Another great tool for the beginning or advanced scrapbooker is a scrapbooking kit. You can get album kits, where all of the basic materials are included to create one complete scrapbook, including the album. You can also utilize scrapbook page kits which include paper and embellishments for one or more complete scrapbook page layouts. These are great for getting more layouts done quickly and without having to purchase all the supplies separately!

Tags: scrapbooking scrapbook

Complete your First Scrapbook Page

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Photo Selection - Sort your photos and select a theme to work on. Generally, 5-7 photos fit on a two-page spread and 3-5 photos fit on a single page. Keep in mind that you don't have to scrapbook every photograph – select only the best photos to highlight the event, feeling or moment you want to convey. Choose a photo to be your focal point. As a general rule, select a photo with sharp images, vivid colors and well-lit subjects, or a photo that conveys the mood or theme of your layout.

Paper Selection - Select 2-3 colors of acid-free paper that will complement colors found in the photographs. Experiment with different color combinations to find the perfect colors to enhance your photographs. You may want to include stationery or decorative paper that supports the theme of your pages.

Cropping - While shaping your photos, keep in mind that simple shapes such as rectangles, ovals, circles and squares, are among the most eye pleasing. By cropping your photos down into different shapes, you are able to include more photos on a page, as well as being able to accentuate the subject of the photo more clearly. There are various tools available to aid in cutting shapes or straight lines.

Matting - Mat your photos, adding extra prominence to your focal point. Mat several of the photos. You may want to double or triple mat photos to add prominence to a special photo. Generally, it's pleasing when double or triple matting to vary the width of the mats.

Journaling - No page is complete without adding your thoughts, feelings and experiences. Take a few minutes to write down not only the "who" and "when", but also the "what" and the "why".

Embellish - Add a few extras. As you get more comfortable with scrapbooking, try your hand with some embellishments - stickers, die cuts, rubber stamps and punches are among the most popular page accents. Use these items sparingly - you don’t want them to over-power your photos.

Layout - Arrange photos, journaling, title and enhancements on your pages. As you arrange these elements, pay close attention to the direction your eye moves. In general, well-designed pages are well balanced and will lead the eye throughout the entire layout. To check the balance, imagine that your layout is on a scale. Does one side tip the scale? Once you’re pleased with the layout, simply adhere your elements to your page.

Tags: scrapbooking scrapbook

April 21 - Welcome Crop

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Plan to join us Friday, April 21st from 6:00pm to Midnight for our Welcome Crop and meet the new owners - Debbie and Merrily! Join us for 6 hours of cropping and make use of our Sizzix die-cut machine and punches. It is a great time to meet new scrapbookers and get new ideas! We will provide snacks and drinks.

Sign up now as space is limited. Call us at 489-3975 to reserve your spot, or send us an email.

We look forward to meeting and serving you!

Tags: scrapbooking scrapbook

Choosing your Scrapbook Album

Friday, March 17, 2006

Narrow definitions are often given to photo albums and scrapbooks. Scrapbooks have been considered books with blank sheets of paper, to which you attach your photos using a form of adhesive. The pages are often embellished using stickers, memorabilia, and other graphics. Photo albums have usually contained plastic pages with pre-made pockets designed to hold your photographs.

With the extensive photo accessories available at Simply Scrappin', however, the line between the two has blurred, because now you can do just about anything with what used to be considered a blank scrapbook page. Scrapbooks can be anything from very elegant and simple to elaborate and ornate. At Simply Scrappin' the selection of product is limitless to help you create exactly what you are looking for.

Once you've determined what photos, clippings, souveniers and other memorabilia will comprise your scrapbook, you can decide what size and theme to use for your album.

Here's some suggestions to get you started:

Size – Many scrapbookers work with either an 8 1/2 x 11 or a 12 x 12 scrapbook simply because decorative papers in these sizes are the easiest to find. Smaller sized albums (8 x 8, 6 x 6, 5 x 7, etc.) are great for gifts and small "themed" projects.

Photo-Safe – Some albums are made with plastics called PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) that emit gasses and can cause photo deterioration. Adhesives used to manufacture albums or to mount photographs can also be a problem. Check to make sure that any product you use is both acid and lignin free.

Expandability – Most scrapbooks, but not all, are made to be able to fit additional refill pages if you want to expand your scrapbook. If your project is ongoing, make sure your scrapbook handles refill pages.

Page Protectors – Page protectors protect your entire scrapbook page, along with your photos, from fingerprints, spills, wear and tear. Some scrapbooks come with page protectors included, others are sold separately, while some do not have page protectors at all. Be sure you are aware of what is available for the album you are purchasing.

Tags: scrapbooking scrapbook

Labels: Albums

Planning your First Scrapbook Project

Thursday, March 16, 2006

Once your photos are organized, it is time to plan your scrapbook project. There are three things to keep in mind when deciding what your first project will be.
First, start with recent photos so that it will be easy for you to remember where you were, who you were with and what you were doing - and they'll be easier to find. Second, keep it small by choosing a specific event or theme (e.g., wedding, vacation, birth) to start with rather than tackling an entire year's worth of photos. Third, use photos of an event that you were part of to help personalize the journaling.

Tags: scrapbooking scrapbook

Sorting your Scrapbook Photos

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Sorting your photos can be a huge undertaking. Most scrapbookers get started by organizing their photos by year or by theme. Many scrappers end up sorting photos by theme within each year.

If you choose to organize your pictures by theme, start with broad categories like family, baby, toddler, childhood, school years, wedding, Christmas, vacation, birthday, etc.

Once you have your pictures sorted, be sure to label them and store them safely in an acid-free container. Find a system that uses labeled dividers so you can find the pictures you are looking for easily.

Label and store your negatives too. You never know when you might need to make another copy to for a school project, to give to a relative, or to replace a damaged or lost photograph.

Digital photos can be organized too by creating folders on your computer named with year and theme names. Make sure to create backup copies of your digital photos on removable media such as CD-ROM.

Tags: scrapbooking scrapbook

Scrapbook Layout Ideas at flickr.com

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Sweetness by Shopping Diva

Our Ideas page contains new scrapbook layouts posted daily by other scrappers at flickr.com - like this one by Shopping Diva. Plan to visit our Ideas page regularly to find inspiration for your next layout design. You may also want to join flickr.com yourself and post photos of your own layouts. Happy Scrappin'!

Simply Scrappin' Under New Ownership

Saturday, March 11, 2006

Simply Scrappin' in Pismo Beach will soon be under new ownership! The new owners, Debbie and Merrily, come to Simply Scrappin' after enjoying many years as scrapbooking consultants and creating dozens of scrapbooks for their own families. The enjoyment they received by reliving special moments in their lives and the lives of others, whether creating the albums or looking through them, have been very rewarding. Scrapbooking offers everyone the chance to reflect on and celebrate their life, which is what Simply Scrappin' is all about. Plan to visit us soon. Our friendly and knowledgable customer service along with the Central Coast's best selection of the latest and greatest scrapbooking products is worth the visit!

Tags: scrapbooking

Labels: Store Information

25% OFF QuicKutz - Every Day!

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Simply Scrappin' offers 25% off on the popular QuicKutz die-cutting system every day! QuicKutz is an innovative portable die-cutting system composed of the QuicKutz Hand Tool & Cradle and QuicKutz Dies (alphabets, shapes, and embossing).

The QuicKutz Hand Tool is designed for use anytime, anywhere and by anyone. Just CLICK your die into the magnetic head, CUT your paper & POP out your die cut letter or shape!



QuicKutz Dies measure only 2/3 the thickness of a credit card and make a perfect, clean die cut every time! We offer fabulous alphabet stlyes in Classic, Mini and SkinniMini sizes. There are more than 350 fantastic die cut shapes currently available with new releases every month! GooseBumpz embossing dies add fun patterns and textures to already cut QuicKutz letters and shapes!

Come in and get your QuicKutz Hand Tool and Dies today!

Tags: scrapbooking scrapbook

Labels: Store Sale, Tools