How did Inkie start out scrapbooking?

In February 2003 Graeme and I were married. It was a simple but perfect day in every way. The weather was not too hot and the sky was overcast - perfect for photos. Because I had to wear a uniform the first time around (I was a Salvation Army Officer at the time), Graeme was adamant that I should wear a proper wedding dress with all the trimmings. Graeme's Mum organised the photos as our wedding present (200 of them!) and of course, they were beautiful.

While we happily showed the photos off in an ordinary album, it was a year or so before we really thought about what to do with them. Getting them professionally mounted in an album seemed so boring, and so expensive! However, about the same time I also heard about scrapbooking and thought, why don't I create the album myself? Great idea - but where to start?

Gathering Scrapbook Information and Supplies

I tried Googling for "scrapbooking" on the internet and was blown away by all the information I found there. Tutorials existed about everything from adhesives, papers and tools to the various techniques that scrappers used. Not only that, but it seemed that anything and everything was acceptable, as long as it passed the acid-free, archival-quality test. That meant that I could incorporate other crafts as well, such as sewing, painting, stamping, beading and anything else I could think of. I was hooked!

I started browsing art and craft shops for supplies and equipment, purchasing things little by little until I had the beginnings of a scrapbooking kit. I also spent a day looking around the Stitches and Craft Show for inspiration and bargains.

My First Scrapbook

It was while I was at the show that I passed the idea of doing my wedding album by a few other scrappers, and they all looked horrified! "Don't do your wedding album first! It's too big a job! Start with something else to get some practice!" they all said. I'm glad I listened to their advice! I temporarily changed direction and decided to scrap the honeymoon photos. This gave me the opportunity to experiment with various techniques and when I surveyed the end product, I felt quite capable of doing a good job with the wedding photos.

Scrapping My Wedding Album

The wedding album, however, was not going to be such a pushover! With two hundred photos to choose from, it took me almost a year, and not one, but two albums! It was a mammoth job, but it looks great. Graeme absolutely loved watching the pages as they developed. It has become a very special keepsake of our wedding and we both love to show it off.

Scrapping and Genealogy

Of course, scrapbooking and my interest in genealogy go hand-in-hand, so after Graeme's father passed away in July 2005, my daughter Beth (who also got the scrapbooking bug) and I decided to compile an album about him for Graeme's Mum. Although we were pressed for time (we didn't get started until November) we got it finished in time for Christmas. Graeme's Mum was so touched - it was worth all the late nights!

Scrapping and Child Sponsorship

A couple of years ago we started sponsoring a child in Indonesia through Compassion.  At least three times a year we get a letter from her and it always includes something that she has made.  Not wanting to lose these precious items, I decided to display them in a scrapbooking album devoted to her. Each gift is carefully displayed on a page together with a pocket holding the letter, photos or other information it came with. Maybe one day we will have the opportunity to meet her and I can show her what I've done with her precious things.

Scrapbooking Links

On the left you'll see some of my favourite sites for tutorials and free scrapbooking graphics which you can use digitally or print out and use in the traditional way. If you have trouble finding the freebies, check the forums or galleries. For more links, just click here, or type "scrapbooking" in your favourite search engine.

If you've ever thought seriously about scrapbooking, I'd encourage you to have a go. It is a tremendously rewarding pastime which can incorporate all the things you already love to do. Better than that, this is a hobby you proudly share with family and friends and can remain as a treasured keepsake for generations to come.