Scrapbooking vs. Card making

I've had some interesting conversations and received some interesting emails from people concerning scrapbookers vs card makers.

I did create this blog primarily for sharing my card making. But making cards is a relatively new thing to me, I began about 2 years ago in early 2007. I have however been scrapbooking since late 1999/early 2000.

Scrapbookers can fall into many categories. The most common, I think, is the "get the story" scrapbooker. These are the ones that want to have their scrapbooks looked at, talked about, and in general pass on stories to distant relatives and future generations. They want their pictures protected for years to come, slap the pictures on some pretty paper and there you go, page finished.

Then there is another type of scrapbooker more focused on their creative journey and the process of scrapbooking. I call them the "artsy scrapbooker". (Please, no insults are implied, neither is "better" than the other, this is just how I classify scrapbookers.)

But these are what I consider 2 extremes on a continuum. Where am I? Somewhere in the middle. I'm not big on scrapbooking the birthdays/Christmases/big events (matter of fact, daughter's 5 year old birthday layout was the first birthday layout I have done for her since her 1st), but I LOVE scrapbooking the little stories that I might forget. Like my son's "tribicycle" layout. Those are so much more precious to me. And I like all the embellishments and pretty paper and things that go along with an embellished page, nothing wrong with making it "artsy".

Classes? I've only once taken classes, at Creative Escape 2008 last September in Arizona. If you can afford to go, then please go! I had the most fun and did some great stuff there. Most of my layouts and ideas come from magazines and online blogs. I think the hardest and yet most important part is to have a good layout. Sketches are great for this. And often card sketches can be adapted and used for scrapbook pages as well. Some people can just move things around until they mesh, but they are rare I think. 99% of the time I start a page with a sketch of where the photos and journaling will be.

Some good sites to visit. Well most of my sites are cardmaking sites. But Creating Keepsakes is one. Other scrapbooking magazines have their own sites as well: Scrapbooks, etc., Scrapbook trends. Also Close to My Heart and Stampin Up! have examples on their websites. I'm a bit more biased toward Close to My Heart, in addition to being a consultant, I think CTMH is more oriented toward scrapbooking than Stampin Up! is. Also, Close to My Heart has these wonderful idea/sketch books: Cherish, Imagine, Reflections, and Originals (for cards). These have so many sketches and can serve as a great starting point for your layouts.