Scrapbooking is a much neglected means of saving precious memories. In this age of technology, good old-fashioned hobbies such as this have been left in the background as mankind hurtles forward relentlessly in search of bigger and better things. Take the digital camera for instance. You can take hundreds of pictures on it but most people forget to print them out and one bad mistake will delete all your pictures. Scrapbooking is an ideal method of saving these pictures and showing them off to friends at a later date.

Another innovation in scrapbooking has been gadgets such as the Cuttlebug machines. These portable die cutting machines make the task of creating amazing designs for your scrapbook, as easy as pushing a few buttons!

What you should do first is buy a durable, high standard leather folder to place the pictures in. The whole point if scrapbooking is to preserve your photos for decades after they were taken, so you need something that will protect them. You can buy cheaper material but you’re better off sticking with something substantial. This folder should also be in a size of your choosing, although 12x12 is a good fit for any album.

Next comes the issue of theme, because scrapbooking is all about coming up with set idea and sticking to it. For example, you could have a scrapbook that is dedicated to baby pictures, another that is for your holiday photos and so on. Once you have decided your theme you should design the scrapbook to fit it. So if the album is about you and your spouse then maybe the cover could be adorned with hearts to signify your love. Then of course comes the paper that you will be placing your photos on. You will need acid-free paper, otherwise your pictures could be ruined and it needs to be of a high standard so that your pictures will not tear the paper if they fall off.

The final and most important part of scrapbooking is the photos themselves. Smart photographers will have already printed out their pictures from a suitable printer and have them ready to go. It is important to have a plan when putting the photos together. Placing too many pictures on a page makes it look untidy, whereas too few make the whole thing look sparse. You need to find a happy medium where you have plenty of pictures on the page, but enough room to jot done any descriptions of the photos.

While scrapbooking is not seen as ‘cool’ it is the single best way to keep your memories stored. When the book is completed, store it in a safe place so you can regale future generations with stories of your wild, free younger days.