What are the most common mistakes of beginners?

Hi I am very very green at scrapbooking, but it looks like such fun! I have read the forums here and looked through the galleries and have already learned so much in just a few weeks.

My question is: what do you think are the most common mistakes of beginners? I'd like to try to avoid those, ha ha.

Also, what do you know now that you wished you had known when you were first starting out?

I know that everyone has her own scrapping style, but I'd love to have some advice beyond the generalities of "Look at layouts you like and get ideas from those...."

I'm figuring the #1 rule should be: "Don't buy too much stuff. You'll have no where to store it." Ya'll are killing me with your huge and elaborate scraprooms. Hee!

Thanks so much everyone.

I'm ashamed to admit it here, but I dove headlong into scrapping before educating myself, so I have early pages of photos that are glued to pages.

Your first idea of a good rule is right....TRY not to over buy BUT BE WARNED it is not easy to do!

Another would be do not cut all your photos in shapes of circles and stars...

And yet another......don't COMPARE yourself to anyone else..... everyone has their own scrap style!

ARE there mistakes????????? There are NO MISTAKES!!!!!!! THERE IS ONLY FEEDBACK!!!!

Grin,,,,,um,,,,what NEGATIVE feedback have I discovered on my very short journey,,,,

1)gluesticks are useless

2)wetglue STINKS for anything but a few small embellies, and FEW is the operative word,,,,,,certainly not for photos,,,

3)spending huge amounts of money on ANYTHING before you know your style and what you like and don't like is probably not a good idea

I've also learned that mistakes are a good thing,,,I've learned from them,,,,,,and there isn't a LO in my gallery INCLUDING the warped, crappy one that I haven't learned something from (see negative feedback number 2)

I've also learned that it's OK to ask questions and even if they laugh, they aren't laughing at you, they're laughing WITH you,,,,,,,,OK, so they're laughing AT you, but they're not laughing MEAN.

Really,,,,,,they're not

Holly

1) don't buy what you can try-out or borrow (until you know you want it for sure, or if it's tool/trend that will continue for you).

2) digitize all your photos, and find a safe place to store the files

3) organize your photos in a manner that works for you so you always can go back and get them

4) don't feel like you have to scrap chronologically; and don't feel like you have to scrap every photo. get the key photos and memories down.

5) develop your own style and don't worry if you don't like your first efforts. you will later, and then look back at your "charming" first efforts.

6) ENJOY and remember WHY you are scrapping.

• holly1965 Said:

Yeah, I've been scrapping for over 8 years now and it's pretty much what Holly said. Except that I would also add we're laughing because we've been there and it's true.

I agree....

don't compare yourself to others. it is so easy to look at the magazines, other scrappers and the gallery here and feel "inadequate". But I have found that my friends and family think even the pages I did 15 years ago are adorable and love them. And really....isn't that what matters?

Who knows, many years from now, when I am gone, my children may think...what the heck was she thinking. If she hadn't put so many flowers, buttons, beads, etc. on this page she could have fit so many more photos! Then proceed to take the books apart.

So, have fun! Do what makes you happy. Don't worry what others think. Realize that some pages you will love, others...not so much. But what is important is having fun and documenting the events, thoughts, and happenings in your life.

First of all to me one of my big mistakes have been buy too many stickers, I hardly use stickers in my LOs,
++buy too much stuff is very difficult to avoid but try to be very selective about what you buy, and try to use Coupons for the most expensive products like tools or pp stacks.
++If I could return the time back,I'd start seeing the gallery here and I'd try to "define" what is my style, so I would have saved a lot of $ $ buying things I have ever used and I do not know if I'm going to use it!!

• naf Said:

You know what, Naf, I was sooooooooooooo glad people said that when I started scrapping, because it's the first thing a newbie thinks of is STICKERS, because they are sooooooo prominent in the scrapping sections,,,,

but I read that here, that most scrappers really don't use that many, so I didn't BUY that many,,,,Oh, I've bought a few and I've used a few, mostly before I got my Cricut, but I've bought them as I needed them, not a whole bunch,,,

and believe it or not, I've STILL got a small baggie full that I haven't used,,,,,boy am I glad I didnt' spend HUNDREDS on them,,,

but I DID catch DH watching a HUGE bunch of them (like a lot of 2 thousand!!!) on EBAY and I was like "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO",, ,lolol,,,

I might use some really really cute ones for my DH's Xmas celebrations that someone gave me for a RAK,,,,really above cute, but beyond those, I just don't see myself using a ton of them,,,,,,here and there, sure, but not a ton,,,

Boy am I glad I watched my purchases on those,,,,i was sooooooooo sure I'd need thousands

Holly

Pick 1 or 2 good reference books to read Photo Freedom would be a good choice since every thing start with photos. I've change my scrap room organizing system 3 times so If I was starting over I would really look into different people organizing styles.If your going for a large all in one furniture piece start saving now.Actually this is a great time to start you can be further ahead then the rest of us and thier is so much stuff to get educated most importantly have fun no stress scrapping is the best.

Cindy

my bad!!!

• holly1965 Said:

Welcome to the wonderful world of scrapping, if your like many of us you will be hooked in no time Here are some of the rules I would of wanted to be told when first starting.

1have fun would be the first rule
2just because it's on sale doesn't me you'll need and or use it (lol my scraproom has exploded because of this thinking)
3Deco scissors + photos= bad idea for the most part
4 journaling is important even if its a name and date on the back of the LO
5. lay out your LO to exactly how you want it before glueing ANYTHING

I have to agree, don't over buy. And if can do that, please let me know how you did it. I've been scrapping awhile and still have NO self control.

If I had it to do all over I wouldn't go hog wild buying stuff. I think having the basics tools and an assortment of pps and cs and stickers is great and then buy papers and embellies as you go.
Of course it's easy to say what I would have done but really I probably would do the same thing all over again..which is buy buy buy. I have so much scrapcrap that's 4 and 5 years old. I do dip into my old stuff occasionally but I wasted a lot of money.

1. You can never ever scrap ALL your photos! Pic the ones that means something to you. If you don't know in what end to start, I would start with a vacation/trip or like a family gathering of some sort.

2. Remember to CROP your photos. Cut off busy backgrounds and people who you have no idea who they are!

3.If you use many pics on a LO,I like to group them together, rather than spread them out. That way your LO will have a natural focalpoint.

4. If your photos are really busy with lots of colors, I think black or white cardstock looks best.

That's all I could think of right now. Good luck and welcome to the neighborhood!

I have to agree with the advice not to go spending happy - because as you learn and create your style might change and you may not like the stuff you originally bought.

I wish I would've gotten a nice 12" cutter right away...this is a must-have for me.

My suggestions:

Avoid glue sticks. They are unreliable.
Take any photos you have in those magnetic albums out of them immediately.
Try a variety of methods. Some of them will set you on fire with enthusiasm while some not so much.
Don't worry about "catching up." Most of us never will and worrying about it reduces the fun.
Scrap for yourself. If others aren't supportive or appreciative of your hobby, don't share much with them.
Try going to a crop or a sales party. You may enjoy them as much or more than scrapping alone.

Maybe I'll think of more.

My biggest scrapbooking regret is bad adhesives. Don't cheap out on adhesives. That goes for letter stickers as well because you certainly do not what letter stickers falling off layouts as they age.

When it comes to wasting money, I do wish that I had not bought so many stickers. It's not that I never use them but in the beginning I bought them without knowing how I'd use them. Now I *only* buy them when I know how I'll use them (very specificially). The old stickers will probably go to waste.

I also have waaaaay more PP than I could *ever* use. I just love it soooo much. But I don't use very much. I *always* have a PP that works... and I probably always will. LOL My advice would be to keep a nice stash but be careful until you know what you use. For example I don't use much 'photo' PP at all.

OTOH, I do often run short on the colors of CS that I use a lot of. I would suggest stocking yourself well with CS but replenishing only with colors that you use a lot of.

I would agree with the patterned paper suggestion... don't buy too much of that until you know either what exactly you are going to use it for or at least what your style is. I have a lot that really isn't my style but can't convince myself to get rid of it and of course can't use it. So, it just ends up in my way a lot.

OMG, I lovvvvvvvvvvvvvve PP, and I seem to use it on EVERYHHING!!!!!!!!!! LOL, OTOH, I have purchased it to the detriment of everything else, and I realllllly need to go out and buy some plain ol CS,,,I did buy some Jewel colored CS but it gives my Cricut the hives, so I'm SOL and need to buy some MORE not textured CS sigh,,,,and shopping for scrappy stuff is sooooooooooo painfully difficult and a chore for me,,,,,I'm certain you all feel my pain Holly

Sure, Holly, the only pain you get from scrap shopping is in your back from hauling it all in! lol

I agree with everyone so far - I have overspent just because it was cute or on sale not because it was needed.

I also find that I never use my paper stacks or big sets of pp. I've only used one or two sheets from each so for me, that wasn't a good purchase.

As a newbie, I would say that you should try to avoid floating elements - i.e. putting stickers or emebellies in white space just to fill the page up.

• johnsusan8 Said:

nah, I've got a disc disorder,,,,I make my DH lug it all in,,,,,,grin Holly

I agree with all of the advice so I won't repeat it.

Before making any big-money purchases like a Cricut or other die-cutting machine, I'd scrap for a bit. Figure out what kinds of embellies and shapes you tend to use the most. Figure out what you have room and money for as far as tools go, then invest in a die cutting machine that suits you, your style, and your needs best. As an example, I doubt I'd get a die cutting machine that you use in conjunction with your computer. I know people have them and LOVE them, but I have figured out that something like that is not for me.

Get a good pair of scissors. Cutter bees are my fave. Invest in a good trimmer, too.

Don't get bummed if you have a no-mojo type day. That happens to everyone. The scrap mojo usually returns, especially if you look through galleries and magazines.

That's another one. I wouldn't subscribe to a ton of magazines at first. Go to stores like AC Moore or Joann's and buy copies of each mag you are considering. Take a peek through and see which you like best before subscribing.

As far as LO design goes, it's so hard to give advice on that because everyone is different. I'm a slap it down kind of girl, for the most part. I start with a sketch and then just keep finagling my paper and embellie placement until my LO looks finished. If someone asked me to define what that meant, I'd have no idea except to say that it "looks done. It feels done." LOL. One thing I have noticed that seems more visually appealing to me is to keep a focal point on your LO, like Helen was saying. Your embellies and papers should enhance your photos and bring the eye to them, KWIM? At least, that's what I think. I am sure others might disagree.

As you get photos developed, mark them with date and event. Feel free to put a note with that set of photos to remind you of something you may want to journal on a LO later, too.

Hope this ramble helps!

• missSweden Said:

I was going to say the exact opposite!

Don't over-crop. Years later, it's fun to see what the house looked like or what car you were driving. Sometimes the backgrounds of old photos are more interesting to me than the subject.

Find a happy medium.
I cringe when I see older scrapbooks and all the photos are cut with deco scissors in tight circles or funny shapes.

I agree with just about everything that's already been said and have a few to add.

1) Crop your photos, but use restraint. Crop out strangers, but not the details of your life.
2) Don't think you can or should scrap every photo.
3) As you said, don't overbuy.
4) Don't be cheap when it comes to scissors, trimmers, and other tools. You'll end up replacing the poor quality ones.
5) If you use stickers, use restraint. (Look up "sticker sneeze" and avoid it.
6) Read the reviews of products here at the superstore. You'll get great tips on which adhesives work for what, what manufacturers make great stuff, etc.
7) Include your own handwriting on your pages- the computer is a great tool, but even a word or two that is handwritten makes it more personal.

Cindy

Worst Thing I Did Was Not Enough Journaling and WAY To Many Stickers......The Crazy Spending Thing I Think Most People Do Its Almost Impossible....

Common Beginner Mistake--Buying TOO MUCH STUFF! That was mine anyway.

I think this is a mistake that some of us still make, but when you are beginning, you don't really have a good grasp of what your style and likes are going to be, so you end up buying a bunch of stuff that you won't use.

I would say buy only stuff that you have an immediate specific purpose for, at least for the first bit while you are still kind of ironing out and defining what style of products you'll want to use. Otherwise you'll probably end up with a bunch of stuff that you won't use and can barely even give away! lol.

If developing/printing photos print out doubles. This way if you over crop a photo, you can do over on the other one.

here is another to go with the photo printing, NEVER crop/scrap with a photo that you don't have saved or doubles of, and if its a really old pic, scrap the copy not the origional. Belive me, if you end up screwing the pic up with out it being backed up you'll be really upset.

mine would be all of the above... Especially the way over spending, sticker sneezing and cutting pics into weird shapes..lol

The biggest thing I did after I realized I was obsessed and this hobby was not going away...lol was get a photo printer so when the mood strikes, I can print my pics and not have to wait to get them developed. I have the type that is not hooked to the computer... you can just slide a flash drive into it. It sits on my scrap desk... when the mood hits.. I can create right away.

I want to add remember there is no right or wrong scrapping. To much advice will give you self doubt. I'm not going to tell you not to over buy when I still can't control myself. lol But other then what everyone else said I wish that I had used a coupon and bought a set of ABC punches and a Xyron 150 sticker maker. It would have saved me tons of money before I bought my cricut. It saved me so much money and I was able to match my title to my pages instead of the close enough effect. I still use my letter punch when I just want a quick word.

I am so enjoying reading the responses to this post. I am learning a lot.

In full disclosure, the only reason I am able to maintain a little shopping restraint in new scrapbooking hobby is because I went off the deep end last year buying beads and crystals for jewelry making. Ebay owned me. I don't know what happened, but I could set up a bead store in my home and not run out of merchandise for a long time..... I'm on an ebay diet now. :-(

So, I am trying really really hard operate on a buy-as-I-need-it philosophy for scrapbooking. I am doing pretty well, but patterned paper calls out to me in that same sweet voice as Swarovski crystals.

I can happily report, however, that I own only one pair of deco scissors (scallop) and about 12 packs of stickers. It's weird how the superstores devote so much square footage to stickers when stickers seem to be rarely showcased on layouts in the scrap books and mags (or in the gallery here).

I do have a few punches and I love them. I had no idea that there are ABC punches. That's a great idea. Where do I find them? Do they come in different fonts? I can see how they would be handy.

Please keep the tips coming. I am so appreciative to all of you for your advice and well wishes.

• PresentScraps Said:

You know what,,,,,,I'm beginning to think that might be worth the money,,,The other day, I wanted to scrap a pic I didn't have,,,had to wait for the car (DS had it),,,,,now today I find an SD card I havent seen in 6 months (yeah!) and now I want to scrap a pic on THAT,,,,,,now I have to wait til TOMORROW to go BACK to Walmart,,

I spend more bloody time WAITING to go to Walmart to develop pics than it is worth,,,,

Holly

• IzzyB Said:

so either you are still making jewelry,,,,

or you are going to RESELL your crystals on EBAY for lots of cash to buy scrappy supplies,,

or your LO's are going to look FAB with all those crystals and BLINGGGGGGGGGGGG MAMA!!!!

Holly

1. Before making big ticket purchases - i.e. tools, machines, etc - do some research. Compare different brands of the same tool and check out each one's capabilities. Then wait for sales, Coupons , and check ebay and other online vendors for the best price before making your final purchase. It's worth it!
2. Practice your handwriting. My sis is a leftie and had pretty wretched handwriting, but it has drastically improved over years of practice. Even when she was younger, though, seeing signature on a card or note always made me smile - it is uniquely hers, it's a piece of her. In years to come your family will really appreciate your handwritten journaling - so don't be afraid to use it just because your handwriting might not be perfect.

The E in Ebay stands for Evil. I also did the jewelry bead thing and now I have about 4,000 sheets of pp from Evilbay. I got my punches at Micheals with a 40% off coupon. They had two different sizes I got the larger ones and love them. Reg. price they are $39.99 and they also have the number set 0-9 for $19.99. I hate to say this but.. I got the smaller set on Evilbay for under $10 with shipping.

Holly as far as selling my beads it would be like selling my extra scrapping stuff hmm I might need it someday... LOL My kids will end up selling it at a yard sale after i'm gone like I did my mom's stuff saying why did she keep all this junk for so many years she knew she would never use it.

I agree with everything that has been said.

For me its having my own printer! I could not scrap without it! If you want a 5x7, just print it! You want wallet size, just print it!! I have two printers!!

Happy Scrapping!

The mistake is thinking only beginners make mistakes
I make at least a couple on every page!

One thing I did as a beginner was shop for materials specifically for photos I was working with. I would take the photos to my LSS and match patterned paper , cardstock, and embellishments specifically for those pictures. The sales gal would often help and offer suggestions.

Look for beginner's lists for tools suggestions. A good paper cutter, adhesives, some journaling pens, etc. are really all you need to get started. Once you learn about different techniques, purchase the tools needed as you go along. A pack of 8 1/2 x 11 white cardstock is also handy to have for printing out journaling from your computer.

One last tip...pick up some of the Simple Scrapbooks books. They are really great for beginners because they don't overwhelm with lots of different techniques. Cathy Zielske has some good ones.

Have fun, and treat each layout you complete as a learning process.

• Gelidy Gelato Said:

Oh, blessings be upon your little head What a lovely thing to hear,,,,,you have no idea Holly

Wow, these are such great tips! I wish that I had asked this question as a beginner! My biggest regret is that as a beginner I rushed through all my pages trying to "catch up" and I although I actually did catch up (I mostly scrap stuff from the previous month) I don't like a lot of my early pages. This would not be a problem except that there are SO MANY early pages. I just did alot of rushing and didn't pay attention to the details. Now the details to me are the most important part! Good luck in your scrapbooking journey!

1. Relax and have fun
2. Don't buy everything
3. Try many types of diecutters before you buy one.
4. Consider where and how you are going to store all the supplies.

when you see something you like get them in small amount to see if you really like them. I was dieing to try watercolor penicls for some of my stamp work and desided to get the 4.00 cheap set from M's to start out with Now that i know i love them later on i will pick up a better set. always go small when trying something new. Do not buy just scrapbooking stuff you can find a lot of stuff in the other parts of the craft stores.that is were i have gotten a lot of my templetes and other thing.

Ditto on all the above points...
..and one more...have fun and enjoy!

Great suggestions. I think it is also important to date the photo and/or journaling for every page, at least making the marks on the back. It is so simple to do in the moment and hard to do later. I have had fun looking back through my scrapbooks and finding connections between dates and what I was doing at that same time years ago.

Brush up on basic photo skills... turn off your flash, watch for distracting objects in the background, take lots of photos. A better photo makes for a better page, IMO.

Also, don't feel pressure to use a certain size or a certain die cutting system. Just do what you like the most and what makes you feel comfortable.

These are some great tips! I agree with everyone on most of them.
One thing I want to say about cropping photos: you may not always want to crop out the strangers in the photo and the surroundings. Like someone said, it may be fun to see that years later. I came across some photos of my dd from years ago! I think she was 4 - so about 8 years ago. She had the most precious look on her face and I remember thinking that I wanted to enlarge and crop to just have her face. I never got around to doing that and as it turns out, the other girl in the photos is my friend's daughter. We met a few years ago. Of course, if you crop a copy and save the original, this wouldn't be a problem!

Thanks to everyone for sharing! I think above all the most important thing is to have fun!

I agree with most of these comments especially about having fun. It is so easy to put pressure on yourself. But the other thing I would avoid is buying large paper pads especially seasonals. I use to buy the entire pad because I thought it was more cost efficient and then never use them and what's worse, not even like the papers in a few months.