How to Create a Digital Scrapbook

Srapbooking has become ever so popular in the last decade or so, and now with the computer there are even more improved and exciting ways to make our memories last by taking our scrapbooks digital. Going this avenue has many advantages, including, being able to share pictures, scrapbook pages, and entire scrapbooks online or through an e-mail. Gone are the days when we have to search through a ton of negatives in hopes of finding that one particular square we want to reprint for a friend or loved one who has requested it. Another advantage to going digital is we can change or alter the contents easily, without damaging the existing work. One other terrific element of digital scrap booking is that you can use this medium to restore work you have already done that may be falling apart, or at the very least, has seen better days. Finally, although there are many more elements to celebrate with digital scrap booking, if you choose to create your memory books in this manner, you have the ability to back them up entirely on a CD, which means, if stored properly, you will have the backup for a long, long time to come. If you prefer to use a portable back up stick, that can be done as well. Your options when using this type of scrap booking method, your options are boundless. So grab your supplies and get ready for hours, even days, of fun.

What you need:

A computer with a photo printer or color ink jet printer

A flatbed scanner

Acid-free scrap booking paper, found in any craft store. Mix and match. They come in so many varieties and styles. Make sure they are printer friendly.

Photo editing or scrap booking software. You can use the program that comes with your computer or digital camera, but the software is designed specifically for this type of use, so it will bring you many more options to get creative with.

An album (scrapbook) to put your finished work in.

Page protectors

Now it is time to get started.

Choose the photos that you would like to include in your album. You can upload them directly from a digital camera or you can scan them on a flatbed scanner.

Upload your scrap booking or photo editing software per manufacturer's instructions.

Scan whatever items you would like to include in your scrapbook. Remember that by going digital, you can scan any flat item, not just photographs, that you think will accurately tell the story you would like, giving it the feel you want it to have. You can use postcards (the side with the picture or the side with writing, or both), ribbons, ticket stubs, event program pages, newspaper articles, etc. Also be sure to utilize the template options that comes standard in the software. Use photo editing options to play with your items, being certain that you have always created and saved a backup copy of any originals. Try black and white, sepia, or any other variety of variations to create the look you like. You can also crop, resize, sharpen hues, remove unwanted items from a photograph, get rid of red eye, or create new looks with various tools available on the software.

Add your titles and captions or stories with the various fonts that come with the software.

Add page borders, if desired, again via the included software.

Remember to keep a theme going instead of just throwing a bunch of photos together. You can group by year, timeline, event, etc.

Once you have your page format put together the way you want it, either with or without templates from the software, print your page, slide it into the page protector and place in your album (scrapbook). Of course, if you choose to make the album entirely digital, for viewing on the computer or online, you won't need anything but your computer, software package, flatbed scanner, and a CD to store the work on (or back it up). You now have created a heartwarming or exciting scrapbook that you can have either digitally or physically by using digital means. The results are stunning!