Scrapbooking is an art form that is part expression of creativity and part functional.  The whole point behind scrapbooking is to preserve memories.  You have photos that you have taken as well as trinkets and other keepsakes that you are trying to preserve for posterity.  Journaling allows you to explain in your own words what is taking place in the picture and why what you have included in the page is so significant.  Scrapbooking is also a creative outlet.  Many scrapbookers enjoy the preservation of keepsakes only because they get to embellish pages and decorate as they wish.  Scrapbooking just wouldn’t be the same if no one enjoyed themselves while they were putting together pages. 

So with the acknowledgement that creativity is central to the scrapbooking progress, so too is creating a functional scrapbook space.  Don’t worry there are ways to marry function and form without having to make too many compromises.  In fact, you may find that by increasing the functionality of your scrapbook page, you are allowed to devote your time to adding more intricate details and taking your scrapbooking pages to the next level.  Here are some simple tips for ways that you can easily increase the functionality of your scrapbook space.

A functional work area for your scrapbook page creations

When speaking of scrapbook space both your physical working space and the space that you create on your scrapbooking page must be considered.  You may be surprised at how the two correlate.  An organized work space makes it easier to find the items that you are looking to add to your page.  Disorganization leads to frustration when you cannot find what you are looking for.  It can also lead to wasted money if you loose items or accidentally dispose of something that you then have to spend money to replace.  A disorganized working space makes it more likely that you page will be accidentally damaged or needlessly procrastinated because of the stress that you may inadvertently add to an otherwise recreational activity. 

If you have ever seen the workspace of someone who does scrapbooking professionally or if you have even stepped foot in a scrapbooking store you will be able to see just how important having everything in its place is if you are looking for maximum functionality.  Doing the same thing in your home scrapbooking area is not too difficult.  Simply group like object together.  You may need to buy small bins or shelving units, which you can label, in order to make the best use of vertical space, especially in a small area.  Chances are that the investment of a little time and money to get organized will be well worth the end result in terms of saving time, reducing frustration and creating a much more enjoyable scrapbooking experience. 

Creating functional space on your scrapbook page

Just as organizing your materials is important, so too is organizing the layout of your pages.  While scrapbooking allows the creator with a great deal of artistic liberties, there are a few items of function that aught to be kept in mind if you are to stay true to the memory preservation portion of scrapbooking.  The rules are simple.  Photographs should be emphasized and clearly placed.  Journaling and captioning should also take center stage and as much room as is needed should be taken to ensure that you capture as much of the story as you wish.  These simple rules will help you to maintain the function and purpose of your scrapbooking page while at the same time giving you the layout that you need to have fun with embellishments.

Posted by Don under Scrapbook Embellishments , Scrapbook Techniques on Thu 31 Jan 2008 No Comments 

No two scrapbooks are exactly alike.  Aside from the fact that each person is going to have different memories, photos, and comments, the layout of each page is unique to the individual.  Furthermore, because there are not rules to what is and what is not acceptable for a scrapbook, scrapbooks can come in all different shapes, sizes, designs and materials.  Obviously there are too many different kinds of scrapbooks to be able to list all of them right now.  But below you will find some of the more popular examples of types of scrapbooks and some tips for how to start each one.

Baby book

Baby books are perhaps one of the most popular types of scrapbooks mainly because of how important a child’s first few years are.  A baby book is unique because it consists entirely of events and memories that the one who the book is for will have no way of remembering otherwise.  There are so many events and milestones that occur in a child’s first year that it is unlikely that you would run out of things to scrapbook.  Starting a baby book is easy enough.  All that you would need to do is start from the date of birth (or even the pregnancy) and chronologically work your way up. 

Themed

A themed scrapbook can be just about anything.  For example you can create a scrapbook with a sports theme or a theme on being siblings.  If you are looking to scrapbook memories from a while back (as in you are starting your scrapbooking long after events have taken place) a good way to decide on a theme for your scrapbook and to get started is to look at the assortment of pictures that you have available and see if there is an underlying theme that you can play off of.  Once you have your theme, you can choose to add sub-categories where photos from all different years are grouped together for a reason or you can scrapbook chronologically.  Remember to use titles and journaling to keep the theme running through the book.

Pre-made (layouts already created, just insert picture and journaling)

In a world of instant gratification, more and more ready-made scrapbooks are becoming available.  This type of scrapbook is great if you want the look of a uniquely created scrapbook but are unwilling to invest the time and effort into coming up with the layouts yourself.  All that you do to get started is to choose the photos that you want to include in the book and follow the directions to put everything together.

Year in review

A year in review scrapbook, or a scrapbook with no theme that simply follows a family or individual chronologically through the years, is a popular type of scrapbook for those who are good at keeping up with their scrapbooking by scrapbooking their photos and memories before too much time has passed.  You can start a year in review scrapbook on the first day of the year or by starting at any time during the year and simply recording events as soon as possible after they take place.

Individual

Scrapbooks made with one individual in mind are also very popular.  Those who are enthusiastic about scrapbooking will often make a different scrapbook for each child and then pass that scrapbook on to that child when he or she is grown and has a family of their own.  Again, the chronological method is usually best with this type of scrapbook.  By starting with the child’s birth, you and your children can look back on how you have grown and changed as the years have gone by. 

Posted by Don under Scrapbook Embellishments , Scrapbook Techniques on Thu 31 Jan 2008 No Comments 

Baby books are perhaps the one type of scrapbook that people approach with the greatest amount of trepidation.  A child’s baby book holds precious memories that they will have no way of remembering unless you take the time and care to put this book together.  In addition to preserving the memories of your child in the only way that will allow him to look back, there are a lot of very important milestones in a child’s life during the first few precious years.

The birth of the child is the first memorable occasion, there is a child’s first home and room, first teeth, first time crawling and walking, first words, and I am sure that you can think of dozens more firsts that you will want to include in your child’s baby book.  With all of the information and photos that are to be added to the book, it is often difficult to sort out what sort of embellishments should be used.  Here are a few things that you may want to keep in mind as you choose the right embellishments for your child’s baby book:

 Pink or blue - Baby books are typically filled with pastel colors in either a pink or a blue depending on the sex of the child whose book you are scrapbooking.  Using these soft colors as your guide, you can create an entire palate of colors and patterns that you feel add to the memories and photos that you have available to scrapbook. 

 Ribbon and fabric - Ribbons and soft fabrics are excellent additions to a scrapbook because of the mood that they can help bring to your page.  There is just something more personal about fabrics that paper can come close to but can never quite compete with.  Ribbons and fabrics are also generally simple to add to your pages without making them too busy or crowded.  Ribbons make great frames for photos or for the page itself and fabric can be used as the background pattern.

 Keepsakes (hospital bracelet, first hair cut, etc.) - Of course you are going to want to include some of the most significant keepsakes from your child’s time as a baby in your scrapbook.  Of course you will need to be selective as not all keepsakes will have the dimensions that allow for pasting them to paper, but keep in mind that you can always take a picture of a memento that you want to have in the baby book but there is no way to adhere it to the pages. 

 Baby animals - There will be a great deal of scraps, photos and journaling in your baby book.  So much so that you may not have a lot of room that you need to fill up with other things.  But if you do want to add some whimsy, a great way of embellishing is to include baby animals.  Baby animals are a great embellishment options because they are not gender specific nor are they hard to find.  Chances are that you have baby animals on some of your baby shower cards or congratulatory cards.  You can simply cut out these shapes and adhere them to the page as if they were stickers.  Of course there are also a large number of papers, cut-outs, stamps, and stickers available at your craft store. 

Of course there are no all encompassing rules that scrapbookers must follow when it comes to choosing embellishments.  So if you have an idea that could be considered a deviation from the norm, you should not feel any sort of pressure to conform.  After all, you are making this scrapbook for yourself and for your children.  You should be adding the types of things that you want.  The above suggestions are only intended to give you a jumping-off point or to start your creative juices flowing. 

Posted by Don under Scrapbook Embellishments , Scrapbook Techniques on Wed 30 Jan 2008 No Comments 

Having a scrapbooking habit can be expensive.  Even for a very simple scrapbook, the supplies are not cheap.  So where can you go to buy wholesale scrapbook supplies?

Your options locally will depend on where you live.  Sometimes there are places like Costco and Sam’s Club that carry a small selection of scrapbook supplies that can give you a great deal but not a great selection.

Another great place to look locally is at any craft store or scrapbook store that is going out of business.  They will be trying to get rid of all of their merchandise and it will all be marked down a lot.  They usually ask for what they paid for it when they are going out of business, that way they break even and they aren’t losing money in the end.  You might also find great organizers there too, they will most likely be trying to get rid of all of their displays and shelving.

Going online is your best bet for wholesale scrapbook supplies.  There are many websites out there that have wholesale scrapbook supplies.   Just a few of the ones that I found were: www.scraptrends.com, www.scrapbookclearance.com, and www.wholesale-scapbooking-supplies.com. 

Going over each website I found that there were very few repeats between the websites, meaning that each site had a different selection.  This makes it great for finding just what you are looking for.  Keep in mind that there was shipping and handling charges with most of the sites. 

There are a few things to consider when buying wholesale, starting with the quantity of your purchase.  If you are buying wholesale there is a god chance that you have to buy a lot, whether that is 500 sheets of paper or 3,000 of the same eyelet.  This can mean that even though you are paying less for each one, you are paying a lot more over all.

It also means that with that many of the same thing that your scrapbook will become redundant, you will be using the same things of every page.  You definitely have to think ahead before you buy wholesale.

One way to fix the quantity problem is to shop with friends.  Whether in store or online, have friends with you that you can share with.  You can all pick out the things you want and share them around.  This will lessen the quantity of what you have to use and give you a bigger selection than you could afford to buy.

Another wholesale problem you might come across is that some wholesale places are strictly for business owners who are buying for resale.  If you come across these places then you will need to either be a business owner or know one that can go with you.  But chances are if you know a business owner then they are going to want your business at their store!

Buying wholesale is great before a big scrapbook party or convention.  If you are going to be getting together with a group of scrapbook buddies then you can share the deals that you found.  Everyone loves a bargain!

When you aren’t paying a lot of your supplies, it is not as big of a deal if you mess up!  When you paid $3 for a piece of paper, there is a good chance that you only bought one, but if you got the same paper of $0.25, then you probably bought a few of them.  Now you can just start over with a new piece of paper instead of trying to find a way to fix what you did wrong.

Posted by Don under Scrapbook Embellishments , Scrapbook Products on Tue 29 Jan 2008 No Comments 

 
So you’ve just come home from 2 glorious weeks of vacation.  You took over three hundred pictures on your digital camera and have hundreds of priceless memories you don’t want to lose.   You’ve thought about just printing all your photos and stuffing them in a photo album, but somehow that just doesn’t seem to catch the spirit of your trip.   Or you could just download all your pictures onto a folder on your computer, but that could be a recipe for disaster if your computer ever crashes and all your memories are wiped out.   Luckily, there’s a better option: scrapbooking.  Making a scrapbook is an excellent way to preserve your memories in an attractive way.  And it’s even fun to do!  There are thousands of layouts to choose from, diverse types of paper, and many embellishments that you can buy to improve the look of your scrapbook.   Some people even use chip board in their scrapbook layouts, which can be especially nice-looking.  Learn more about scrapbooking in general, and more specifically, how to use chip board.

Now, if you’ve decided to start scrapbooking, there are a few things you should know.  First, there is no right or wrong way to make a scrapbook.   Some scrapbookers prefer to find a standard layout and stick to it, while others like to go wild with creative layouts, embellishments and journaling.   Some people love to jam as many pictures as possible on a single scrapbooking page, while others prefer to leave only one or two.  Still others like to incorporate a mixture of the two.  
When you’re scrapbooking, the only thing you should be aware of is preparation.  The best way to end up with the "perfect" scrapbook is by planning ahead.   You should plan what the theme of your scrapbook is going to be (ex- your 2 week vacation would be a perfect theme for a scrapbook).  Or you might want to choose one person to scrapbook (ex- the life of your spouse).   Or you might choose a series of events or a specific period of time.  It’s really up to you.  But as long as you have a plan in mind, you can allow your creative juices to run freely.  
Let’s move on with a description of what chipboard actually is.  Although it’s a fairly common item found in almost any craft or home office store, most of us do not know it by an actual name.   Chipboard has different meanings in different places.  In the US, it refers to a type of "paperboard" or type of cardboard that is used by printers to make notepads.   So if you get out an old notebook and look at the back, that thicker, harder material is indeed chipboard.  In Great Britain, chipboard refers to particle board that is commonly used in making furniture.   The chipboard we are discussing today is the type used in the US, not in the UK.  
Chipboard is one of the most versatile ways to add pizzazz to any scrapbook layout.  It adds depth and dimension.   You can find it in many shapes and colors (no, you’re not doomed to the grayish brown color of the back of your notebook). 
There are many uses of chipboard.  Here are just a few ideas that you might enjoy:
 Use chipboard to cut out shapes and letters to use as accents and embellishments on your scrapbook page
 Cut out photo mats or frames to place your pictures on
 Paint a large piece of chipboard to make a cool background to place your pictures on
 Find raw chipboard and then sand it down to a smoother surface- then add ink, sand, or glitter to add texture to your scrapbook page

Posted by Don under Scrapbook Embellishments , Scrapbook Techniques on Mon 28 Jan 2008 No Comments 

When you’re a scrapbooker you know that there are a few items of scrapbooking supplies that you simply have to have!  Take, for example, a nice scrapbooking album.  What’s the fun in making a scrapbook if the album is going to be drab and boring?  It’s worth it to spend a little money so that your end product looks good.  The same is true of paper, embellishments, stickers, tape, etc.  A good product makes all the difference in your scrapbook.  That’s why you should really put aside some money to invest in a great shape cutting system like Fiskars.  After all, there are so many ways to use this kind of system, and you scrapbook will really thank you in the end. 

Fiskars makes some great scrapbooking products.  The offer embellishments, embossing, craft tools, stamping, adhesives, scissors and shape cutting systems.  

Fiskars also has templates for cutting that are designed for the shape cutting tools.  Using a product like Fiskars’ shape cutters is a safe and accurate way to cut out crisp, clean shapes and letters.  Usually, when you purchase a shape cutting system, you also receive a cutting mat.  This prevents you from cutting the table or counter surface underneath your desired type of paper product.  The cutting mat and shape templates may even work well with other Fiskars products and come with accessories to help you work go easier. 

Using a Fiskar type shape cutter is really quite easy.  All you do is hold the base of the shape cutter system inside the template and follow around the edge or the template.  And voila!  You have a really cool, fun shape to use in your scrapbook!  You can also cut out free hand designs.  The easiest way to do this is to first lightly sketch what you want to cut out on the paper and then look down at the blade of the shape cutter and follow your traced line.  Remember that you can adjust the knob on the top of the shape cutting device for paper of different thicknesses.  

Now, once you’ve created these cool cut-out shapes, what do you do with them?  Where should you put them in your scrapbook?  How do you use them?  First of all, you should know that there really isn’t a "right" or "wrong" answer to your questions.  Your scrapbook is just that- yours, and no one can tell you that you should have done it any differently.  Sure, there may be certain styles or layouts that you want to follow, but even then, you should be aware that there is not a standard method that you should use in your scrapbook.  Just do what you feel looks good and displays your pictures in an attractive way. 

But in case you’ve been lacking in the area of creativity lately, here are a few suggestions for what you can do with your recently created shape cutouts. 
 Use shape cutouts as a background or photo mat for your pictures
 Use shape cutouts to accent a particular page
 Use them to write titles, headings, names or other letter shapes
 Use shape cutouts to create a themed page? for example, cut out balloons for a birthday page, trees for a Christmas page, fireworks for a 4th of July page, or ribbons for a new baby page
 Use shape cutouts to fill up a bare, open space on your page
 Use shape cutouts to make a border or frame for a page or a photo

The possibilities are endless.  But when you really get thinking about it, you’re sure to find many great ways to use your Fiskars shape cutting system!

Posted by Don under Scrapbook Embellishments , Scrapbook Techniques on Sun 27 Jan 2008 No Comments 

Top adhesives for mounting photos.  There are so many adhesives that sometimes it’s nice to have different adhesives for different scrapbooking jobs.  Make sure there is always plenty on hand and make sure they are acid-free.  Most  adhesives are these days, but just make sure.

The top adhesive for mounting photo’s for ease is glue.  It’s simple to put on the back of any photo and then stick to the paper.  It’s not a concern to not have enough.  Glue is not expensive and can be used freely.  It may not be wise to use glue on photo’s that might be taken out of a scrapbook.  It won’t look as smooth when it’s taken out like it did when the photo was put in. 

Glue sticks are easy to find and can be used on many other project in the house so there isn’t any drying out.  To apply glue it’s not necessary to lather the photo in glue, a nice even layer all across the backside of a photo will hold a picture to the scrapbook.  Glue stick are all a bout the same for price and effectiveness, just be sure the stick is acid-free.  The glue sticks found at scrapbook stores are typically a little better than the sticks found at a superstore. 

Glue dots are easy and a top choice for scrapbooking.  Anyone can put a few glue dots onto a photo or some paper and make a great scrapbook page.  The glue dots pull off a little easier than glue itself.  Glue dots come on paper rolls and the scrapbooker just puts the photo up to the dot and then pus the picture on the scrapbook page.  It’s usually necessary to put a glue dot on each corner of the photo.  One very nice thing about glue dots is that they are not as messy as glue.  They don’t get glue on another paper or photo before putting the photo in place on the scrapbook page. 

Glue dots come in different sizes.  The Zots, found at Wal-mart or any scrapbook store are great and the 1/4 inch are the top adhesive for many scrapbook needs.  They allow the user to get a hold of them easy and use them on small and large photos both. 

Double-sided tape is great but there is transfer tape, which is a top adhesive for mounting photos. 3M’s Scotch Adhesive Transfer Tape is a wonderful alternative to double-sided tape. Pull the trigger on the lightweight ATG-700 dispenser and roll out a strip of permanently strong, clear adhesive, sticky on both sides. It’s ideal for mounting, framing, and attaching flaps or covers. The dispenser applies the adhesive while winding the kraft liner inside. It’s easy and put’s any scrapbook together in no time. 

With transfer tape, the scrapbooker will use a dispenser and doesn’t really touch the tape at all.  Simply put the dispenser up to the back of the photo and put a small piece in each corner and then put the photo on the scrapbook page. 

Photo corners are the top adhesive for mounting photo’s that may want to be taken out someday.  Photo corners would be great on old photos that have writing on the back and it may be nice to read the back someday.  Photo corners also work great for school pictures that may be taken out and used at different times through out a child’s life.  Photo corners are small triangle shaped corners that hold each corner of a photo. 

So think of what your scrapbook photo mounting needs are then choose one of the top adhesives for photo mounting.  Glue sticks for ease of use.  Glue dots for less mess than glue.  Transfer tape to avoid touching the glue dots.  And photo corners if a photo ever needed to come out of a scrapbook. 

Posted by Don under Scrapbook Embellishments on Sat 26 Jan 2008 No Comments 

Creating a personalized scrapbook is a great way to record your memories in an attractive and interesting way.  It has rapidly become one of the most popular hobbies of people today.  But you don’t want to have a scrapbook that’s just like everybody else’s scrapbook.  You want your own, unique scrapbook.  And a great way to get the scrapbook that shows your personality is by using pre-made photo mats and frames.  The trick is simply to make them look unique.  Here are a few tips how to do just that. 

The first key step in the process of making a great scrapbook look unique is choosing the album of binder you want to use.  There are many options out there, depending on how much money you want to spend.  You can find very nice, leather bound albums that may be a bit more expensive, or you can find simple binders that are much cheaper and allow you to decorate the cover as you please. 

Next, you need to choose the topic(s) or your scrapbook and then choose the pictures you plan to use.  Then, briefly decide the general chronology of your scrapbook.  Then you can begin laying out a few of your pages at a time.  Remember that there is no "right" way to lay out scrapbook pages; it is entirely up to you.

One of the best ways to make pre-made photo mats or frames look unique is to complete the surrounding page in a unique way.  It’s not going to matter if you have the same photo mat as your neighbor, because your page will look totally different; you will have different pictures, handwriting, quotes, keepsakes, eyelets, and paper, all of which will make your scrapbook look totally unique, even if you feel like your photo mat or frames are too generic. 

Now, here is a brief list of suggestions for making your scrapbooking album or binder as unique as possible. 
 Include your own handwriting.  Your handwriting says something about you and adds a different dimension than a computer-printed font.  There are many ways to include your handwriting in a journal or scrapbook.  You can use pockets, folded cards, matchbooks, etc to hide your handwriting on scrapbook pages.  This way your handwriting is on the page, but isn’t seen by someone just flipping through the pages (in case you’re one of the many people who don’t love their own handwriting).  You might even consider writing on your photo mat to give it that extra something. 
 Use quotes.  Quotes are a great way to express a feeling or describe a moment without having to think of your own words.  They also make your scrapbook more personal and memorable.  They show your creativity.  Yes, there are very cheesy quotes out there.  But if you choose wisely, they can add greatly to your scrapbook or journal.  They can also add depth or meaning when accompanied with your photo mat or frame. 
 Keep special keepsakes.  Including a ticket to your favorite concert, the bracelet from when your son was born, cards you received for special occasions.all of these things can add depth and personality to your journal or scrapbook.  It’s just up to you to choose which ones!
 Choose the proper paper.  The paper you choose for each page in your scrapbook or journal can dictate the tone of each page.  It can also make your page look unique in a cheesy or interesting way, depending on your preferences.  Be careful of paper that is too busy or silly for the content that you wish to place on each page.  Just having interesting paper will really do a lot to help make your scrapbook more unique. 

Posted by Don under Scrapbook Embellishments , Scrapbook Techniques on Fri 25 Jan 2008 No Comments 

There are many great tools to aid you in your scrapbook extravaganza.  Different papers, embellishments, textured paper, funky scissors, and even craft knives.  And if you’ve ever wondered how some scrapbookers end up with perfectly shaped accents, titles, and shapes, your answer is simple: it’s all about the craft knife!  Sound scary and complex?  Not at all.  Here are a few tips for using a craft knife in a scrapbook that will leave you with the ability to make cutting edge designs. 

 Get a good quality craft knife.  Yes, a lesser knife will probably be able to do the job ok, but a high quality knife is much more likely to last a longer time and cut out your projects in a crisp, clear manner instead of leaving you frustrated and upset and your our paper snagged and torn. 
 Once you’ve chosen your high quality craft knife, be sure to change or sharpen the blade often.  A new, sharp blade will create a crisp cut, again keeping you happy rather than frustrated. 
 If you’re trying to cut a straight edge, be sure to use a ruler or other straight edge as a guideline.  Simply hold the craft knife along the edge of the ruler and press down gently.  This will leave you with the perfect line!
 If you’re trying to cut a shape, use a plastic template as a guide.  For example, if you’re trying to cut out some letters, you’ll have much more uniform, attractive looking letters if you have cut them out of a plastic template, which gives you more control and a better shape. 
 If you’re trying to cut out freeform shapes (meaning you’re designing the shape as you go along) hold the knife stead with one hand and use the other hand to turn the paper into the cut.  Try using a glass or thick plastic mat for increased maneuverability.  Or you could try using a self-healing mat to help you grip the paper.  Doing these suggestions will you make your freeform shape the shape you want, rather than having random cuts that are too large or too small. 
 When you’re cutting out letters for titles, you should start by printing them in reverse (meaning letters backwards) on the back of your paper that you wish to cut them out onto.  Print the letters in thick ink so that they’re wider and therefore easier for you to cut.  Another helpful suggestion is to cut the middle of the letters out first.  This will make it easier to do while the letters are still attached to the paper.  If you don’t do it this way, you run the risk of tearing or ripping the letter once you start cutting out the center. 

Now once you’ve made these great craft knife cut outs, what should you do with them?  Here are a few simple suggestions. 

 Use letters as titles, names, or even journaling (though that could take a ton of work).  Most people opt to use letter cut outs for titles and subheadings. 
 Use free form shapes to decorate and embellish your page or even as a mat or background for your photos.  Make balloons to decorate a birthday page.  Make animals to decorate a new baby’s page.  Make ball or athletic equipment to make your athlete’s page sparkle.
 Cut out standard shapes (squares, circles, triangles, etc.) to use as a journaling box.  Then you can write your thoughts, descriptions, etc. of the photos you’ve placed on that page. 
 Cut out confetti or little tiny shapes to decorate a celebration page. 

The possibilities are endless!

Posted by Don under Scrapbook Embellishments on Thu 24 Jan 2008 No Comments 

Tips for taking care of your stamps.  Stamps are a great way to add to any scrapbook, but they do require some care to prevent ruining them.  First tip,  always clean them.  Second tip, store properly.

Always clean any scrapbook stamps, care of your stamps is important.  By cleaning the stamps after each use it allows them to be used when they are wanted.  Clean each stamp when finished with each color being used.  This will ensure not mixing stamp pad colors, which can mess up stamps and the next scrapbook page that gets started on. 

There are a few ways to clean a scrapbooking stamp, there is the stamp cleaner in a spray bottle. This is bought at a scrapbook store with the stamps.  It is necessary to use a scrubber or stamp cleaning pad, after you spray the stamp.. The scrubber or stamp clener are also available at scrapbook stores.   A sponge can be used as a scrubber.  A stamp cleaning pad is a large looking white stamp pad that the stamp is rubbed vigorously back and forth on.  After spraying the stamp and scrubbing it off on the sponge or cleaning pad, the stamp needs to be blotted dry with a paper towel or something similar. 

Another way to clean scrapbook stamps, because you want to take care of your stamps, is to use a wet sponge (with plain water or a little bit of dish soap) and start scrubbing the stamp.  Be careful not to leave any little sponge pieces on the stamp .  Otherwise the next time the stamp is used it could have a blemish in the design. 

One of the easiest ways to clean and care for your stamps is to use a alcohol-free baby wipes.  They clean the ink up fast and there is no water close by to get spilt.  If the same color is always going to be used by one stamp, it is not require to clean the stamp after each use. 

Do not soak any stamps in water to clean, this can take off the adhesives of the stamps to the handles.  Clean the stamps quickly after each use to prevent dried on ink.  Ink dried onto a stamp will affect the coloring of the next stamping session wanted.  For example, if red was used and not cleaned off good then the next time when green is used , the green will have red showing through as the stamp is used.  Some inks do stain the stamps and the ink stains cannot be removed.  Just be sure the stamp is cleaned.  Maybe even get excess ink off the stamp by stamping on some scratch paper before cleaning. 

Where to store stamps is almost as important as cleaning them when caring for you stamps.  When storing rubber stamps keep them away from direct sunlight.  The sunlight can damage the rubber.  It’s a good idea to keep all the stamps together.  Get some containers for the stamps.   Containers keep the air from the scrapbook stamps.  Air deteriorates rubber.  One layer containers with see through lids is an ideal way to  store stamps and makes it possible to see where the stamps are and not require opening every container to find what is needed.

Keep in mind the wood handles on the stamps.  Don’t put them in a humid place.  Humidity ruins and warps wood.  Keep the storage area cool and dry.

Unmounted stamps can be stored in regular sized CD cases.  It would be easy to make a lable for these containers.  Lableing any containers saves time when finding the stamps need for a specific project. 

Enjoy the stamps you have and care for them by cleaning your stamps and storing them properly.  By taking care of your stamps you’ll be able to have them for a lifetime.

Posted by Don under Scrapbook Embellishments , Scrapbook Techniques on Wed 23 Jan 2008 No Comments