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If you are thinking about scrapbooking as a hobby you may be overwhelmed! You go to a craft store and there are aisles and aisles of supplies. What do you really need? It looks like it would cost a fortune to get started.
You can spend a lot of money or a little money on scrapbooking. Like probably any other hobby…there are extremes! There are some scrapbooking essentials that really are important when you first get started. These items will help lay a foundation for your hobby that you can build on over time.
When I first started scrapbooking I didn’t have many supplies. I also had very little extra money. 
I started out with the basics.
Here is my top 10 list of scrapbooking essentials:
1. Photos: you need photographs in order to scrapbook. I have seen the occasional page that uses some kind of memorabilia instead of a photo…but in general…you need pictures! Luckily with the amazing cameras on phones…you don’t even need a camera if you have a nice phone! There are some really cheap places online that you can get your pictures printed for just pennies on the dollar! Check out the deals at Shutterfly! I use them all the time!
2. Paper Trimmer: this is a tool that I use EVERY TIME I scrapbook. Literally…every time. The first trimmer I had I used for YEARS! Last year for my birthday I got a Fiskars Rotary Trimmer that I am loving!! There are lots of brands and styles, but if you plan to do the large 12 x 12 books…it will pay to get a 12 inch trimmer!
3. Scissors: Although I do most of my cutting with my trimmer…I do use my scissors a lot. Yes…you have scissors in your house. No…they probably aren’t going to be the best for scrapbooking. I have a special pair of scissors that I keep with my supplies. No one can use them for anything else! 
Yes..I am mean like that! It really does make a difference….and I have tried using the household pair…they don’t cut sharply like they need to!
4. Adhesive: You need something safe to stick your pictures and stuff down to the paper. Many glues and adhesives have chemicals that are not photo safe. There are LOTS of different scrapbooking adhesives out there. The kind I use the MOST is just your basic tape runner type of adhesive. This will get you started. You can branch out more later!
5. Journaling Pen: Chances are good that you will want to do some journaling in your scrapbooks. You will want to write down dates, memories, etc. You need pens that are safe for these pages! Having a set of journaling pens will last you for years. The nice thing about this set from American Crafts is that there are 3 different sizes in the package. Your wording can be bold or delicate! Later you can expand and get colored pens to jazz things up.
6. Cardstock & Patterned Paper: Paper is a basic staple of scrapbooking. I have a lot of paper…a lot…I LOVE paper! You will need some solid colors of cardstock and some pieces of patterned papers that you can coordinate. It is easy to buy paper pads when you are starting out because they usually coordinate pretty well and you can get them on sale for a steal! I have lots of paper pads and use them all the time! If you plan to start off scrapbooking a specific theme…like a new baby girl…just buy a paper pack that has a baby girl theme and you will be set!
7. Album: You will want something to put your completed pages in. There are several styles of albums. I personally prefer the 3 ring albums because I feel like they hold more pages and it is easy to move pages around if I want to. You can get the albums in cloth, faux leather or even real leather! There are plenty of inexpensive choices.
8. Page Protectors: It would be a horrible waste to take the time to scrapbook some pages and put them in an album unprotected. Page protectors are a MUST for protecting the memories you have preserved! Depending on the style of album you choose…will depend on what kind of page protector you need. These are the page protectors for 3 ring albums. I am not brand specific on these either…I buy whatever brand is on sale and they will work with any 3 ring album that is 12 x 12.
9. Embellishments: The list of things you can use as embellishments is truly endless. You probably already have lots of items around the house that would be adorable. Here are a few common embellishments: stickers, buttons, ribbon, and brads. You can buy embellishment kits to start off with. Some paper packs come with sheets of stickers or die cuts that match the paper!
10. Ideas: If you are just starting out with scrapbooking you may not have very many ideas. There are lots of places to get ideas! You can look at my Pinterest Scrapbooking Board for ideas. You can just google “scrapbooking” and you will pull up different sites that have layouts you can look at. There are some really great books on scrapbooking that are definitely worth investing in. You will be able to refer to these books for years to come. I love my little library of scrapbooking how to books!
I hope this list of scrapbooking essentials helped you see that you can get started scrapbooking without breaking the bank. Many of the tools used in this hobby are reused for years and years.
What is your favorite hobby? Do you scrapbook? Have you ever thought about trying it?
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