DIGITAL SCRAPBOOKING BUDGETS
There’s no doubt that digital scrapping is one of the fastest growing crafts in the world. On my last Google search, I came across more than 46,000 websites! My problem, however, is that I’m a very tactile person and just love to hold a scrapbook in my hands to pour over with friends and family – it’s just not the same when you plug in your laptop to show off your layouts. As a paper scrapper, I am amazed at the amount of items you could add to your scrapbooks. Papers of different textures, slides, ribbons, eyelets, brads, diecuts, and the millions of stickers available are beautiful, but costly. How can a scrapper keep up with all these goodies and not go broke to create beautiful layouts? For me, digital scrapbooking elements were the answer.
Like many scrappers, I use a digital camera, photo-editing software (I use
Adobe Photoshop), and a photo printer to help me cut costs on photo developing.
It was not until I ran out of letter stickers that I realized I could use my
photo printer to print out any "stickers" I needed. At first I just used Word to
alter text, printed and cut it out, then stuck it on my layout. Then I found my
first digital alphabet and my scrapbooks have never been the same since!
Suddenly with my photo-editing software, I could alter color to match my papers,
make the letters as large as I wanted, get fancy letters in all kinds of shapes
with just click of the mouse, even just print out the exact phrase/title I
needed and not have all those extra letters taking up space in my sticker binder
(like those 10 letter X’s that I’ll never use).
If you think I stopped
at letters and words/phrases, then you’ve no idea of all the elements that
digital scrappers have to offer! I started printing coordinating embellishments
and my layouts looked more polished and professional. I found an endless supply
of patterned papers, diecuts in any size and shape, stickers that I could use
more than once, shaped buttons, and bottlecap elements and tags I could
personalize in seconds. Using my embossing tool and a few pop dots gave these
digital elements even more of a 3D look. In fact, once these elements are in my
album under a page protector, others can hardly tell they started as digital
elements!
Here are a few tips to make the most of digital elements in your paper
scrapbook:
- Print your elements out using the photo quality settings on your printer. This provides more detail and realism. Most photo printers use acid-free inks, so these elements will be safe for your scrapbook.
- Print on cardstock. Cardstock gives your elements more weight and helps lessen the amount of creasing and tearing.
- Print on photo paper. I use glossy photo paper for some elements for that "shiny" look. Photo paper also insures your additions are acid-free.
- When cutting out the printed elements, be as precise as possible. A digital bottlecap will look more real if you cut all the edges carefully than if you just cut out a circle shape.
- Emboss the printed elements for depth. I like to run my embossing tool around the backside of my slides and bottlecaps to give them that little extra detail.
- Use pop-dots or foam tape to add even more depth and realism.
- Mix paper and digital elements on your layouts. Attaching a digital tag with a real brad or eyelet gives the tag more realism.
Digital scrapbooking elements have increased my paper scrapping supplies and
enhanced my layouts at a fraction of the cost and without the bulky lumpiness of
"real" elements. The little bit of work to make your digital elements more
"real" is definitely worth the savings.