How do I Choose the Best Scrapbooking Supplies?

Choosing the best scrapbooking supplies is crucial for attractive photo pages. The whole idea behind scrapbooking is to display photos in books to be kept through generations in a family. If cheap materials containing acids are used, scrapbook photographs won't be properly preserved. Always look for acid-free scrapbooking supplies to enhance your treasured photographs.

Most gift wraps and papers aren't acid-free unless they are marked as such. Scrapbooking papers are supposed to be acid-free, but always check before buying them. Buying and trading colorfully patterned scrapbooking papers and other supplies with friends or as part of a club can save you money.

Scrapbook clubs can provide a social atmosphere with friendly conversation while everyone works on scrapbooking projects as well as learns new techniques. Most clubs feature members trading good scraps of scrapbooking papers for free as well as other supplies such as stickers. Many of these clubs also buy scrapbooking supplies as a group to get bulk discounts. However, the downside of buying supplies this way in a scrapbooking club is that you may not love the colors and prints as much as if you picked them yourself.

Once you're familair with brand names of scrapbooking products, you may want to order online for convenience. Yet, if don't know the business or products, you may want to first purchase your scrapbooking supplies in person at your local craft stores. While many supplies are sealed up in packages, larger craft stores often have samples of the papers and other scrapbook items they sell, so you can see the goods up close as well as feel the quality of the paper. The display samples can be very helpful, as sometimes it's difficult to get a good idea of the exact texture and feel of the weight of the paper when various sheets are stacked together in a plastic-wrapped package.

When looking for supplies for your scrapbook projects, it's best to choose a day when you don't feel rushed. Both online and in-person, there are often thousands of different scrapbooking supply options. Try to allow yourself the time to pick papers, stickers, markers, ribbon and other supplies that you love rather than simply think will do. Also, if you're rushed you may spend more money on supplies than you planned. Remember that you can always go back and purchase more scrapbooking supplies another time, and you don't need a whole bunch of stamps, stickers and papers to get started on a few scrapbook pages.