Scrapbooking 101
 by Karen Wilson-Bonnar
Tapestry in Time

 * This is the text outline for the Scrapbooking 101 Class given by Karen Wilson-Bonnar of Tapestry in Time.
Welcome to Scrapbooking 101!
5 years ago when I heard that my sister-in-law was going to take a class about putting her photographs in albums, I laughed. What could you possibly need to know about putting photographs in an album! You put the pictures in and you write the date.
Today, scrapbooking is all about preserving your photographs, writing about them and enhancing them. For some, it is a way of connecting yesterday with today and the past with the future.
For me, it is the most rewarding hobby I have ever done. There are no wrong answers as long as I strive to use archival quality products.
If you leave here today with one idea, I want you to know that this hobby should not be looked at as an epic event. If you do a two-page layout per week, you will have over 100 layouts done in a year! That adds up to a lot of events documented and preserved by you!
Demystifying the Acid Free Issue
The basic information:
Acid is a chemical substance that weakens paper, causing it to brown and become brittle.
Lignin is a material found in wood fibers. If lignin is in the paper that you put in your album, it becomes yellow over time and creates an acidic environment.
I hope to pass on to you a sense of how much fun scrapbooking can be.  Most products are now marked "safe for photographs" and "acid and lignin free" designations are common among manufacturers of archival products.
JOURNALING
"My handwriting is awful." I hear this from so many people. If people decided not to write their family history down, because they didn not like their handwriting, so much would be lost forever..... If you absolutely don not want to write in your albums, please go ahead and type it.
Journaling in its simplest form is who, what, when and where. Journaling in its highest form, is story telling. You become the narrator. Future generations will not know what the stories were without your personal thoughts and feelings.
Imagine what it would be like to find a box of old photographs of your relatives and have no idea who they are? I believe it is through our journaling that we enhance our childrens' understanding of their heritage.
The Basics Product Orientation
1. Album choice - size and style
12x12 is the industry standard
Many people still work in the 8x10 size
2. Adhesives
Permanent - photo splits, Hermafix tab dispenser, two-way Zig
Temporary - truly archival (Hermafix)
3. Personal trimmer
4. Photo safe paper
5. Journaling pen -- There are two types of pens or markers:
Dye-based and Pigment-based
-The ink of dye-based markers usually breaks down over time and they are not waterproof.
-You should use a pigment ink pen or marker that is permanent. Pigment ink is fade resistant, waterproof and chemically stable.
Tools and Embellishments (all optional)
1. Stickers
2. Die cuts
3. Decorative rulers
4. Punches
5. Fancy pens and markers
The Basics of Creating an Attractive Layout
A scrapbook is not a work of art. It is a work of heart. It is an act of love. You are not a chef, but you cook dinner. You are not a fashion designer, but you get dressed every day. You are not Martha Stewart, but your home is a warm and inviting place. What is pleasing to your eye is as artistic as you should be. The person you ultimately need to please, is yourself.
Content: Giving your page a theme and balance
By arranging a page (or a two-page layout) based on one idea you can build a visual display that is pleasing to the eye.
If you have 30 pictures of the same event, you probably do not need to use them all. Pick the ones that tell the story best. Use your favorite picture(s) as you would the main character of a story and design the rest of the layout them.
Surroundings: Use background color to give strength to the layout
Color conveys energy and movement on your page. For me, choosing a color scheme for my layouts is the most time-consuming component. The colors ultimately define the spirit of your page. Use color to sustain the power of your favorite picture. You can duplicate the color(s) that are in your photographs, or use contrasting color(s).
Try to create a personality throughout your page that communicates the same feelings as the pictures. Follow through with texture, color, patterns and shapes. Or, display your pictures with opposing colors, patterns, texture and shapes.
Embellishments: Adding the trimmings
I call this pulling it all together! This is where I have the most fun. Your embellishments should project your original theme. They should provide the unity that connects the pieces together.
Above all, do not forget to journal. If you just put your pictures on the page without color or leave off all traces of fancy decoration, you have not broken any rules. If you leave without telling the story, you leave a glimpse or an impression of images and a yearning for the story that is missing.

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