getting started, what should I buy?

So funny I came home to your note! LOL I was at my friend's home borrowing some of her sizzix dies for my shaker swap. She gave me her list of basic needs for a new scrapbooker she gives at her classes.. She gives out the basic list then goes into more detail letting the ladies write down her info and their ideas.

Beginnger Scrapbookin Basic Needs: Scissors Paper Trimmer Adhesive Eraser sharp #2 pencil metal ruler UnDu Album Craft Knife

Just some basics to think about and of course, ADD to :)

welcome diem Shaz

I recommend scrapping for a while before you buy too many things. When I first started I bought tons of stickers, but after time I developed my own style and most of those stickers I'll never use. What a waste of money. For now just buy what you want for the pages you are doing.

Digital pictures developed by a processor and pictures from a printer are two completely different things. There is a significant difference in how long they last and especially how long the color stays true. One of the girls here figured out that with the cost of the printer, special paper, and ink, it may be cheaper to just develop them. If you have a Costco or a Sam's Club near you, they charge only 19 cents a print which is phenomenally cheap.

If you're going to photocopy, you won't be able to use 12x12 albums. Also the photocopies won't be nearly as clear, crisp, or colorfast as the original pages. Plus you'll need to supply a piece of thick paper to put behind the copy to keep the page stiff in the page protector. I've known scrappers who have made multiple copies of the same pictures and scrap however many duplicate pages they need. It's much more work but much better quality.

Welcome, Diem!! You will love it here. I scan photos and also use digital photos that I have in my pc... print out multiple copies and put in albums for our 4 kids. I dont know about longevity... but I hear they last well. Hugs, Neets, Memere Neets, Anita Connecticut, USA

The Blessed Fiddy, Patroness Saint of the Disorganized LC in Sunny So Cal Personality Development Specialist (Full-Time Mom!)

One of the ladies at our LSS had her copied album in that she did for her mom. There is another store that will copy pages for you, $2 each, cheaper in some cases than buying hte paper and embellishments all over again...

Anyway... she was talking to another lady this morning about the copies... the ones she has do fit to a CM album actually... seems to size down to a comparable fit. I imagine like most things, one must experiment to see how it would work out.

Hi, welcome to RCS!

I'd suggest that you get a trimmer. I have the cutterpede and love it. Fiskars also makes one and it's more readily available seeing as how WalMart sells them in the school aisle. You also ought to buy a couple of magazines and check them out. Look in your phone book and see if there're any scrapbook stores and sign up for a beginners class.

Katrina in KS

Welcome to our group Diem. I know you will find a lot of answers here. This is a great bunch and very helpful! Nice to have you with us!

Sabrina :-)

Welcome Diem.

Teresa in MD

I don't know of any printer or copier which produces a finished product which would be 12x12. Of course I could be wrong. ;-)

I saw that in a CK mag - has anyone tried it yet??

Did she just take it to a copy center and have them reduce the size, do you know? When I tried to copy a page for a contest a couple years back, to get it to be 12x12 was an extraordinary amount of $$. Perhaps that's changed now? Or maybe if you reduce the size...seems to me that using legal size would only cut 1 inch off one edge...hmmmm.....then you could have copies that were like 11x12....or is legal size 81/2 x 14???? I'm confusing myself and think I will stop now, lol......