By Melissa Papke -  Best Scrapbooking Shops in Huntington Beach, CA

Working in the Scrapbooking industry has been an exciting ride! Every day, without exception, a new customer walks into my store who has never been here before.  The most common question I hear from new customers is “How do I start a Scrapbook and what do I need to get started?”

The most basic tools needed to get started are a good paper trimmer, scissors, writing pens, a corner rounder, paper piercer, distressing ink, and various adhesives. The supplies are a little more individual to each Scrapbooker depending on the subject on which they choose to start their first scrapbook. Themed papers, matching embellishments, coordinating cardstock, their photos and, most of all, their creativity and imagination!

 A scrapbook can be as simple or as complex as each person wants it to be. There are people who can sit down and put together 25 pages in just a few hours because they have a clean, simple style. There are also people who, in that same amount of time, can only manage to do two or three layouts because their style is more complex and intricate. The lesson here is the sky is the limit. Basic or intricate, the look of each person’s pages is up to their imagination.

 Here are some basic tips to get started:

1. Start by gathering your photos together and then organize them by date or subject.

2. Take a trip to your local Scrapbook store to shop for your Scrapbook safe papers and embellishments. Anything used in a Scrapbook should be acid-free and photo safe to prevent your projects from turning brown over time. Just buy the basics to get started. Make sure you enjoy doing your first Scrapbook before buying all the must-have tools and supplies.

3. Never use anything but an acid-free pen on your photos and pages. If it doesn’t say acid-free on the pen, don’t use it!

4. Don’t be afraid to cut your photos! The background of a photo may not be important and can actually detract the viewer from seeing the main subject. Don’t be afraid to cut your photo down or crop the main subject so it takes up most of the photo.

5. Don’t forget to journal. Add dates, times, and places to your layouts. In 20 years, you may not remember where a photo was taken or why the person in the photo is laughing so hard. Write it all down! And feel free to journal in your own handwriting… it will be important to the people you some day leave behind.

6. The most important thing… have fun! Relive the days you are putting in your Scrapbook and remember the good times!

 Scrapbooking is a great way to preserve your family history. With your photos and a little imagination, anyone can make a great scrapbook that will be treasured for years to come.

The Scrapbook Garden has 1800 square feet of floor space completely dedicated to Scrapbooking!  We offer a wide range of amazing classes for everyone from the beginner up to the more experienced Scrapbooker and Cardmaker.  Every Friday The Scrapbook Garden hosts a crop night where Scrapbookers can come work on their projects and share ideas among friends.  We have an AccuCut diecut machine and a Cricut machine for use by our customers.  The Scrapbook Garden is open seven days a week and carries the latest and greatest product lines on the market today.  Earlier this year, we won First Place Scrapbook Store in Orange County in the MyFoxLA's Hot List!  We pride ourselves on our customer service and are known among our customers as the friendly store that offers service with a smile!