Do You Have The Right Scrapbooking Tools?
By Dee Marie, Fri Dec 9th

If you've decided to start as a hobby, you'll want to be sure you have the right tools. Using a variety of tools will help your projects go smoother and be more professional in their appearance. These will also help you enjoy your projects more and fuss less over techniques!

An essential element in is the right album. Be sure that the album you choose is acid and lignin free. Popular sizes are the 12 x 12 albums or the smaller 8 x 8 albums. I really like to use the Bazzill Albums because of their picture window on the cover!

Next, use pre-done templates and patterned paper. These are great time savers and can turn a bland page into a page with flair. Coordinate colors and templates but try different layouts before adhering them to your pages. You can even use the same theme throughout all your pages in a scrapbook, which can help you put together a fabulous looking album in a minimal amount of time.

If you aren't that handy with calligraphy or prefer a faster method for writing, use the lettering forms. There are many styles available from rub-on letters in a fancy cursive script to alphabet cut-outs and even dimensional letters. I especially like the Heidi Grace glass effects as they offer so many options for creating unique lettering and make it very easy to attain a custom look.

Make sure you use a proper adhesive (acid free) for making your scrapbook pages. Some time savers are a glue pen or a glue stick. You can add dimension to the pages by using some of the foam strips or foam circles.

You'll need an assortment of scissors and die cuts. Stock up on at least a couple of different ones to add some special details.

For a great time saver, use stickers. You can literally put together a great page in as little as 10 minutes. Start a nice collection of stickers and you'll be ready to put pages together on the fly!

Now that you have all the essential tools to create your fabulous pages, keep all your items together in a scrapbooking organizer. This will keep your tools neat and orderly and ready to go when the urge to create a page hits! I like the large wheeled Mimi tote because it has tons of storage space and makes it quite easy to take your supplies anywhere you would like.

About the author: Dee Marie is a freelance writer who enjoys scrapbooking. Visit Scrapbooking Bugfor more ideas and tips on creating scrapbook pages!