You have gathered up and sorted your photos (see Photo & Negative Sorting 101). Good for you! But now what?

Once you get all this basic chronological photo and negative sorting done, you will know where to go to FIND the photos you need to pull for any specific albums. At this point, now you can create the albums. Let's talk about albums. How much do you really want to do, what are the choices? And how do we find one that is just right for our needs? First of all, there is no right way or wrong way to scrapbook other than keeping things in safe acid free and lignin free environments as much as possible. Decide how YOU would like your albums to be set up for viewing. Imagine that they are ALL DONE and on the shelf in albums. Do you want them viewable by year, chronological, by sentiment, by person, or by holiday, etc. Perhaps you want them set up by emotion and sentiments. You have to have some idea in your head of how you would like these to be on the shelf. How do YOU want them organized as far as your viewing pleasure later? This will affect the types and amounts of albums you use. Read on to see how many choices you have in the volume that you decide to scrapbook.

Now that this chronological sorting is done, you know you have ALL the photos in one place. If you are doing every photo you own, you will need more albums in the long run than if you only do selected photos into albums. You can even decide to put your photos into simple basic slip in sleeve type albums in chronological order instead of storage boxes or photo boxes. Slip in sleeve albums can be for short term or long term use. This way the family can find and view and enjoy the photos while they wait for the 'official' scrapbooking of those photos to be completed. (I believe Becky Higgins does something like this too)

You can pick and choose how much to actually SCRAPBOOK more elaborately into layouts. If you feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the number of photos you have to scrapbook, you can always JUST scrapbook the first opening page or two page layout for each major event or each year of the slip in sleeve album. This cuts down by 1/100th the amount of page you need to do over a lifetime but yet still sets the theme for that photo section and you are still creating a legacy and giving info for those events. When I suggested this option to a dear friend recently, she almost cried with relief. For her it was the perfect blend of getting caught up, having photos viewable and safe, documenting the events, and still enjoying the creative side of scrapbooking a few layouts a month with her friends at crops. Remember, how much you want to do is entirely up to you. :

2x3 - mini - great for a brag book that you can keep in your handbag. These are often homemade and created from templates. Also great for gifts or secret pals!

5x7 and 6x6 - small - This is the new hot size for this year. Great for gifts, grandparent gift albums, short trip albums or coworkers. Not recommended that you choose this size for ALL your family scrapbooks as you would end up needing so many to cover all the years. Usually these fit only one or 2 photos per page.

8x8, 8.5x11, 10x10, 12x12 - regular sizes- These are the backbone of the scrapbooking industry. Great for getting more on the page and these are my recommendation for any family album. The smaller sizes fit about 3 photos per page and the larger can accommodate up to 5 photos per page with cropping. I love these!

12x15 and larger - large - These are usually found in stationery stores, industrial use and businesses. You can get a lot on a page here but it is also much harder to find papers, refills, and to store them. Some people love them.

Glued Spine-Used for short term journals. Even though I have seen these sold in photo depts. I would not advise for photo use over the long run.
  

 SUPPLIES

My "Dollar" Tip:  I am often asked how I know what to avoid in scrapbook land. How do I avoid tool fads or duds? There is SO MUCH tempting stuff to buy, try, and use! My rule of thumb is that I need to be able to use that tool or non consumable item to get at least one page per $1.00 spent on it. For example: Want a $25 template? Will you want 25 pages in your albums that are all done with THAT template? This informal 'rule' keeps me from buying some templates, punches, dies, and other tools I will ONLY really want once or twice in my album. Another example: I may love the cute new Sizzix die for a locomotive but if I am not willing to say yes I want 9 pages with that locomotive on them to equalize the $9 cost of the die, then I will find another way to add trains to my page. I will either cut my own (thus paying myself the equivalent of $9 an hour or more!) I could also buy a ready made die cut from another company, swap for the cutout I want with another Sizzix owner, or use another alternate train themed supply. Some tools and items are useful over and over again without looking the 'same' on every page. (lettering templates or paper trimmers, flower shapes, or some decorative scissors, etc) Others are not. Just remember the $1 spent for 1 page tool guideline.

Shopping Trip # 1: Basics

Basic Supplies Include (click on the links to see the products available at Jordan Paper Arts)

• 12 inch paper trimmer (I like the Fiskars for ease of use and portability. Other nice models are offered by Carl, EK Success, and CM.)
• A sharp scissors sort of smaller sized like the Friskers Microtip. It is too hard to maneuver a big scissor around small areas.
• Colored cardstock -a good selection will have at least 4 sheets of each basic color
• Patterned papers -see tips below in paper section. Patterned papers I would buy as you go and not stockpile as much.
• 1/4 inch hole punch (hand held is fine)
• black pen
• white gel pen
• a nice oval template (I use Coluzzles)
• Adhesives -- I use Manco Easy Stick; Tombow is another good one.  I do not recommend glue sticks (they dehydrate over time) or super wet liquid glues for photos. Liquids soak into backing paper and causes warping if you use too much. And that is easy to do if you are a beginner.
• White eraser- I get the kind on a stick that looks and holds like a pen in Wal-Mart school supply aisle.
• pencil- #2 for jotting notes to myself or sketching layouts ideas
• Photo pencils:  black for marking on the backs of photos, white for tracing on the fronts of photos when using cutting templates
• Red Eye pen
• notepad for sketching, etc.
• ruler

I recommend a rolling tote or tub or bin to carry your basic supplies out cropping. Getting the supplies from the house to the car to the store or crop can be a back-breaker. If you crop on the go, do your back a favor and invest in a tote with a lot of square inches of storage, a nice wide base and good sturdy wheels. For the small stuff like pens and scissors and adhesives, I recommend a flat pack such as the Cropper Hopper Flat Pack .

• Corner rounder
• Decorative scissor- deckle- everyone's favorite decorative scissor. A classic!
• Fibers if you like them. Start simple with one multi colored pack.
• Big eyed needle for sewing fibers, poking holes, etc.
• Glue dots are good for lumpy embellishments and fibers
• Chalk
• Makeup applicators or Q tips for chalks
• Gold brads
• Silver brads
• Eyelets in primary colors
• Eyelet setter
• UnDu brand liquid adhesive remover
• More solid cardstock colors in shades you know you will use. 
• Idea Books

PAPERS

I used to have a big stash of pattern and solid papers. Sort of a BIG stockpile. I had about 4 standard file drawers full. Then, I decided about 3 years ago I better get busy USING this stuff. I could see some of my pattern papers were getting 'dated' looking. So use them up I did. I am at the point now where all my papers fit into ONE file drawer. I currently let the store dust and store 'my' papers for me. How? I buy as I go. I buy for the upcoming next 10-20 pages instead of grabbing every paper that I think is beautiful. This method it is not for everyone --especially if you have limited stores available to you. But it will be more economical for me in the long run. I think I will use what I buy and buy what will really get used all a little closer to the actual date that I crop that page. I still end up shopping for paper almost weekly. Now I buy for upcoming short term use rather than "someday". I am happy to say I don't have to sit and watch last year's 'someday' papers turn into next year's dated looking 'has beens'. All the companies change the designs almost yearly anyway and so many lovely new ones come out each spring and winter with CHA tradeshows.

Cardstock - multi-pack or a variety of colors

Storage: Sort papers by rainbow order of color and file in files, totes, or shelving

Printed papers - buy as you go. These get 'dated' really fast

Storage: Sort pattern paper by theme if it has a definite and specific theme like dental, birthday, beach, garden, etc.

Note: Patterned papers with very generic floral, plaid, stripe, or textured designs can be sorted by color since they have no theme. I file mine by color in folders right behind the cardstock of the same color family. This way, making monochromatic pages is a breeze and I tend to use this paper more often.

To organize these paper supplies you can use:

• industria filing cart
• wire mesh cubes
• accordion files
• Rubbermaid 18 gallon bin

Decide on your paper storage based on how you feel you will most often be scrapbooking. If you feel you will only scrap at crops and away from home with friends, invest in the rolling totes or accordion style filing paper holders. If you work mainly at home or perhaps organize page kits ahead of time before crops, consider the industria cart or the cubes. Do you like to get up a lot or work completely sitting down? Consider these factors when you choose between a filing cart beside the desk or a wire rack or cube system that is standing elsewhere. Give it a little thought before you buy. You decide what is right for your work style.

• Stickers
• die cuts
• paper piecings
• punch art
• fibers
• titles
• pre-made items and frames
• hardware: eyelets, brads, gems,
• To organize these items you can use:
• 3 ring binders or PSB
• paper sticker binder and pages (Sample-shop)
• page protectors
• baseball card holders
• slip in photo sleeves 4x6 and 5x7
• Tackle box or small tool keepers - Artbin type

Think about what you like to use. Then think how much of it you have to store. Lastly, buy the container that fits the need. If you scrap at home, spinning racks may work better for your hardware. If you crop away from home, an Artbin or tackle box may be the ticket for you. Think first. Organize second.

I organize all my page additions by theme together in the same place. This was it is easy to see at a glance ALL my options for any one theme or page.

MORE TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

Don't worry that your pages aren't as fabulous as another persons yet. This should be a no guilt, stress-free hobby. Do it all YOUR way. Learn as you go-- but don't stress. Start with 4 to 6 photos that are not life or death important. :) Accept the fact that your style will evolve. That's ok! Don't try to make the PERFECT page! Just aim to make a nice page! :)

Check Online for Scrapbook Ideas:  ScrapVillage.com

A Yahoo group is a large email loop. When one person writes in, all the members see the post and any replies. Choose a large group or small informal close knit group--either one will help answer questions you have. I'd say start with a small group so you don't get overwhelmed or sidetracked. But big groups offer even more ideas and tips.

big

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Layouts/

small

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scrapbookingfriends/

organization

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ScrappersChallenge/

Happy Scrapbooking!