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booking skills?
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Scrapbooking is the way we preserve our memories. As mothers, wives, and daughters we understand the importance of telling our life stories through photographs. Scrapbooking your memories is a commitment - a commitment of time, energy, and money. You want to make sure you get the most out of your efforts, not end up feeling frustrated because something 'just isn't right' with your page.
Follow your own style - It's OK to copy and incorporate tips and techniques from others, just don't let their style take over your own. Your pages won't ring true if you are trying to be someone else. After all, these are your pictures, your memories, and your life!
Don't feel you have to decorate - The point of the page is your photos, not your embellishments. Embellishments are there to enhance your photos, not overwhelm them. It's a photo album, not a sticker album. Don't make people search for your photos.
Choose the right color - Try pick a color from the photos that will bring out the main focus in the photos. Place your photos on different solid-colored paper and see the difference the colors make to the picture. Colors also evoke a mood; think of the mood you would like to create - fun, serious, heritage, formal, etc. Black and white photos are easy because nothing clashes with them!
Know how to use patterned paper - Patterned paper can add a wonderful dimension to a page, but too much is... well, too much! Use large patterns matched with complementary smaller patterns. Always, always mat your photos on a solid colored mat.
Balance - Imagine a line dividing your page in half, either vertically, or horizontally. When placing photos and embellishments on the page, try to have elements mirror one another. For an asymmetrical look, use the same technique, only divide the page into 1/3 - 2/3 instead of half.
Repetition - Try to repeat features from your photo on your page. You could do this with color and other embellishments such as flowers from a dress or buttons from a sweater. Even natural elements from the background (leaves for example) will work.
Grouping - When using embellishments such as buttons, brads, eyelets or just punched shapes, always place in groups of three. Uneven-numbered groupings are more pleasing to the eye than even-numbered groupings.
Finally - Have fun! The whole point of scrapbooking is to tell your life story and preserve those memories for generations to come. Any effort you make will not go unappreciated!!
Morgan Simons, owner of Photo Tales Scrapbook Designs, helps her clients preserve their
life stories by providing time-saving, hassle-free professionally designed custom-made and ready-made scrapbook
albums.
You can contact Morgan at (403) 386-2335 or sixsimons@shaw.ca