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Digital Scrapbooking Resource Guide
I frequently get questions about digital scrapbooking: how to get started, where to get freebies and kits, and how to make layouts in Photoshop. Since these questions can take weeks to answer, I have compiled a list of resources to make it a bit easier!
GETTING STARTED
Keep it simple!
There are several ways to get started with digital scrapbooking. To start, pick one event or theme to make a book. (ideas: Faithbook, Affirmation, Welcome Baby, Vacation!, Christmas, ABC's, etc.) Don't worry about trying to backtrack and scrapbook the last 47 years worth of pictures, in fact, you may not even want to worry about trying to even do 1 year. Just get started to see what you like and what works for you. I listed several web-based companies in this post to get started, as well as information on getting software to create your own pages.
Learn the language
When I first started I felt like I was lost with all the terminology. I knew what I wanted to do, but I had no idea how to get there, or even how to ask a question! This post from The Daily Digi is fantastic for learning the language. Design House Digital has weighed in with their glossary too. Each post has listed some different terms, so skim through both lists to get a good feel for Digi-scrapping.
To utilize most digital scrapbooking kits you have to create your pages using Photoshop, Gimp, or Paint.net, however, Mixbooks has an option to upload your papers, stickers, elements, etc into their program to create your pages. Currently they are the only company I know of that allows you to do that.
Here are some others I have found.
- Shabby Princess - this is where I started. SP has some wonderful kits for free, as well as beautiful items in her store, great tutorials, and fantastic info on her blog. She is doing the "Project Scrap" challenge, complete with 2 free templates every month, and encouragement to keep going.
- Simply Yin - I use almost exclusively templates from Yin. I love getting a lot of pictures on a page, and also adore the fact that Yin designs in 2 page layouts so that my pages flow well throughout my book.
- Suddenly Artistic - mostly wordart and inspiration
- Simply Tiffany - tutorials, templates
- Craft Cave Free Digi Search Engine
- oScraps
- Simple Inspirations - Allison Kimball
- Weeds & Wildflowers
- Design House Digital
- Everyday Mom Ideas
- Shabby Miss Jenn
- mscraps
- StudioGirls
- Digital Scrap Cafe
- blogtrainblog.blogspot.com
- The Daily Digi
- Hand Picked Freebies
- Fonts for Peas - Free Scrapbooking fonts
- Sugar Frog Fonts - more free fonts
- Additional Resource links
These sites do not always have giveaways, but frequently they do, or they are a site to buy kits that you need. Each blog is PACKED with information, so click around to the store, other links within their blogs, to the galleries, etc. to find inspiration, designers you like, tutorials, and of course, FREEBIES!
When I first started digital scrapbooking I saw a lot of "cluster" scrapbooking styles. Although I thought the pages were pretty, I was frustrated that I just couldn't make it work. My style is very driven by the photo, not the design around it, and it took me a while to realize that I really liked a simple clean-line design that focused on the pictures, not the elements. As soon as I figured that out, I started looking for stores and designers that shared my style, and recently I have been much more happy with the end result of my pages.
Check out the Gallery section on each store's page for ideas for your next layouts. These have been tremendously inspirational to me in the past. For a little sneak peak, check out Gallery Standouts.
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