Hello, new to the site and have a couple questions. I have been scrapbooking since my son was born in 1990 but I've never done digital scrapbook. How do you get started and do you like it? I assume once you are done you can print the book? Was looking to see if this would be a better option since some many stores have closed and you have to search online for anything scrapbook nowadays. But I want to be able to print/order a book to give to my kids or leave for them one day. Is that possible. Is this a cheaper route than doing actual books? Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! Kristine
Welcome, Kristine! So glad you are considering digital scrapbooking! You can create digital pages using any imaging software, some being more limited than others. Photoshop and Photoshop Elements are the most commonly discussed, but there are a lot of other options as well. If you are already familiar with software for editing your photos, assuming it can handle layers, that is probably the easiest to start with. If you let us know what your level of experience is or what you already use, we can better try to guide you in getting started. As far as printing, there are a lot of options for that too. You can order bound books from services such as Shutterfly. You can also just print individual pages and put them in page protectors in binders. You can print at home if you have a good quality photo printer, or you can order prints online at places like Persnickety Prints. I've never done any paper scrapping (although many here have and still do, or do hybrid scrapping where they print out bit and pieces to build physical pages), but digital scrapbooking can be pretty affordable when compared to some traditional scrapbooking, especially if you watch for sales on book printing. I really enjoy digital scrapbooking and hope that you will too!
Hello Kristine and a big welcome!! You'll get so much help here! I can tell you what I do. I scrap (digi) 12x12 and have my pages printed in 8x8. The ladies here use lots of different printers, but I use Persnickity Prints. I usually wait until they have a sale and get lots of pages printed at once. I buy 8x8 albums when they're on sale, too. You can have a book printed up of your pages and I've had a few, but basically, I print my pages. Digi scrapping is a whole lot cheaper than paper! I was a paper scrapper for years, and I'd never go back! Again, welcome to TLP!!
Hi there, a lot of us, myself included, started as paper scrappers & haven't really looked back, it's that affordable (with really no clean up!). If you love the creative process, you can still 'paint', use 'stickers' or have a traditional looking page or still create a mixed media look or a very clean, crisp & minimal page - there really is not much limitation, it's more about deciding the look your going for & learning how to get there with which ever computer (or iPad or phone) program you use. And we can help with the 'how' & any specific questions. Whole albums can be pretty quick with a digital template album set (it's like a sketch but layered so instead of physically cutting out a circle shape, for example, you can 'clip' your paper to the shape or 'copy & cut' the shape from your paper, it's as quick as a few clicks) And pocket card/project life style pages are just as quick, compared to how slow I was with real scissors & positioning & stuffing up my tape roller etc. I'm adding pages into Snapfish at the moment (I'm using the Australian one but I'm guessing the US site is very similar) because they have a 40% off the base book (20pages is usually the base size & is included in the book cost) and 40% off each extra page so I'm putting in as many pages as I can (in the last few years, photo book companies have increased how many pages they can fit in a book; it's over 100 now in hardcover books for most places). The books also take up less shelf space than my old post bound & D ring albums. AND you can order multiple copies, say one for you & one for the grandparents etc. Hope that helps some & welcome
WELCOME TO THE PAD! Do we love it? WE are totally addicted! Is it cheaper.... well.... did I mention we are addicted to this craft!??!?! Do you have any software to alter pics? Also, some ladies here do APP scrapping. I have no idea how they do it though.
Kristine, Welcome to The Lily Pad Others are giving you great information. Not sure if anyone else mentioned.... you need to start with what software you want to use for creating your pages. I started with an early version of Photoshop Elements - quickly upgraded that to the current one at the time and then moved onto Photoshop CS6 which I bought back in 2012 and still use. There are free programs like GIMP which some use and have used since they started digi scrapping. It might be something you could start with or a trial version of Photoshop Elements. If you know your way about the web with doing google searches you can find tutorials of all forms of digital scrapbooking software. Do not hesitate to ask for any help you may need.
OOOOOO, I"m curious to know about the app scrapping, so any of you all who app scrap drop a comment to let me know which apps you use.....
Welcome. I'm fairly new to the Pad and love it here. I've only been digitally scrapping for about 7 months now. I'm a big time traditional scrapper and paper crafter. I'm currently working on our family vacay album and will be sending it to print, hopefully in the next several weeks. I think this will be cheaper for me in the long run as I have the ability to reuse all my purchases. I use Photoshop 2020. I've been using presto print for my album as it will be bound for me. I can also see my using my purchases in the traditional format as well. I like to use my cut files for accents in my layouts as I can make the cut files match my layouts (Silhouette Design Space). I've learned a lot from these gals and love the camaraderie and support they give to me and that we give to each other. I've also started really defining my style of scrapping as well.... soooooo much inspiration to be found here and the challenges......I'm addicted.......
Welcome to The Lilypad Kristine! I see that you have lots of great answers above already. I too started as a paper scrapper and switched to digital when I had two small babies who made it really hard to get any scrapping done. Once I switched to digital I could start a layout and just save it when they woke up from their nap and then go back to it later without having to get all of the paper stuff out again. When you make a digital page, you pull in all the papers and elements and alphas into one layered file and when you're done with your page you just save a flattened .jpg version of your layout. You can then print them all together in a book like Shutterfly or you can print the individual pages and slide them into a regular scrapbook album. I personally think it is WAY cheaper to scrap digitally because I can reused all of my kits as many times as I want and I never run out of a letter on an alpha like I always used to when I paper scrapped.
Here is a thread that talks about two of the different "apps" for scrapping. I think the ones I've heard most about are Procreate and Affinity. There's also the Project Life app for pocket scrapping. https://the-lilypad.com/forum/threads/procreate.63058/
Thank You! I’ve heard of procreate... actually want it for painting..... wonder if I can convince my husband I need an iPad Pro?
Welcome to TLP and to digiscrapping, Kristine! You've got some great info here. Shutterfly just had a big sale on their albums. IMO, DS is less expensive than traditional paper scrapping: you can reuse papers/embellishments and it takes up less space...you just need your computer and software of your choice and an external hard drive to back up your supplies and finished pages. There is a bit of learning involved no matter what software you choose, but once you get started, it's so fun and worth it!
Check out the Challenge Forum for some great template freebies in the Template Challenge and the Designer Challenges. They are a great place to start. Keep asking your questions. Also, the Tutorials section has lots of inspirational examples. Cheryl of Fiddle-dee-dee has a YouTube channel called "Watch Cheryl Scrap" which you might enjoy.
tell him the APP is only $10.... shhhh about the iPad Pro. LOL!!!!! Hubby choked on his drink when I told him I wanted an iPad Pro just to use a $10 APP. LOL!!!!
He's used to me wanting gadgets....it's always been that way..... he bought me the 1950 typewrite that works just because I wanted it for journaling scrapbook page layouts.. (I prefer to not write if I can type or cut). lol. I can hear this conversation now...babe, I want this app that is $10, I then need some brush bundles for $5......oh and the iPad pro to use both! LOL.
Me to!!!!! My husband swears I do nothing but look at a computer.... I tell him creative at work and leave me alone!! LOL!
