Digital Scrapbooking: An Easier, Faster, More Economical and Environmentally Friendly Alternative
If you don’t have the skills, the time or the inclination to cut and paste tiny scraps of paper to create beautiful scrapbooks – and even if you are an expert who enjoys traditional scrapbooking, there are several reasons why you should seriously consider digital scrapbooking:
• Digital scrapbooking is far more economical than traditional, paper-based scrapbooking. All you would need is your laptop and whatever scrapbook software you will be using, much of which is absolutely free. Longtime scrap-bookers know how much supplies can cost (and how addictive the trip to the crafts supply store can be). Digital scrapbooking doesn’t even need to involve the use of paper, unless you opt to print out your creation. All the supplies you may need to create beautiful layouts are available on the Internet
• Using your computer to create scrapbooks is also faster – and you can doing it anywhere since all you need to take with you is your lap top.
• No waste of paper and other supplies – you’ll only print out the finished product. In fact, one primary advantage of digital scrapbooking is that you can easily correct any mistakes you do; not only do you save paper and supplies, you will be more willing to try out new ideas. With digital, you are free to be more creative. Most of the software used has a feature that allows you to ‘undo’ any step.
• Storage space, of course, is a major problem with traditional scrapbooking, but with the digital version all your lovely creations (books, personalized gifts, journals, calendars, invitation cards etc) will be stored on your computer, in electronic format. And there are virtually no supplies to store (except for the odd album or two if you plan to print out your scrapbook)
• It’s also much easier to share your scrapbooks if you create them this way. You can email your creation to family and friends (no scanning involved) or you could create a website and display your finished products there. You also have the option of copying your scrapbook pages on a CDs or even DVDs that you can offer as gifts. Finally, you can simply print out as many hard copies of your products as many as you like.
• Unlike paper scrapbooks, scrapbooks created using a computer and saved in electronic format won’t age and the colors will not fade.
If you are attached to your traditional scrapbooking method and cannot imagine giving it up, try using your lap top and the ideas on the Internet to create additional designs that you can use in your paper scrapbook (use various different fonts to embellish your text, clip art to add new designs, search the Internet for inspirational quotes etc). Just print out the clip art or text and use it in your regular scrapbook pages.
Don’t be surprised if this phase doesn’t last very long, however. You’ll soon find that it’s quite easy, and also thrilling, to create entire scrapbooks using your computer and digital photos. You can either create your own layout with the help of graphics or photo editing software, or (if you don’t even know what those are) you can use ready-made templates provided by the many simple-to-use scrapbook software programs that let you select a format, enter your text and digital photos, add any extra decorative elements (background patterns, borders, Clip art …) you choose and save (or print).
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