Scrapbooking - Lesson 1

Another deep dark secret of THE CRITIC: I teach Scrapbooking! I absolutely love my students and the art behind it more than I do the "Scrapbooking", but I think that is because my kids are grown now. There are so many more resources for this thann when I first started. Of course the cost is there too, unless you have a teacher like "ME". Only reason I haven't been fired is cause MY students love me and I have so many of them. If not the store would have sent me packing, see if I inspire or bore?





SCRAPBOOKING 101
by THE CRITIC
To get started, you'll need the following basic supplies:
Pencil
15 inch metal Ruler
Sharp, straight-edged scissors
Razor knife (box cutter)
Album or binder (optional)
Adhesives (Acid-Free)
Black journaling pen (Acid-Free)
Acid-Free paper and cardstock
Decorative scissors


With careful planning and shopping, all of these materials can be purchased for less than the $75 to $100 that the Scapbooking Industry wants you to spend. (Spend about $25 and your ready to go! Seriously ready!) Not including pictures!



I teach scrapbooking. I base my method of teaching on the premise that people want to save money, be creative, and not buy a dozen of the same items. This is in direct conflict with the premise of the store wherein I teach scrapbooking which believes: people should spend all their money, buy templates and other traceable items, and buy packages of 12 of everything. This conflict constantly leads me to remind the store manager that I am an instructor not a Sales person. The Store Manager then reminds me that I am required to use store product in my demonstrations. (Which I do, I just show them how to make them at home out of acid-free paper, and save a buck or two.)



When I occasionally have 12 students I then suggest, and only then, that they combine their buying power to purchase the fancy packets of page accessories. Now the package of 12 cost them each maybe $0.10 cents with tax verses the $1.29 plus tax they each would have paid to have 12 of something that they only needed 1 of to use on their scrapbook page. (Technically I guess you could say I teach Scapbooking Economics 101, but then I would want to make more than the mere $7.00 per hour that I make for what I consider to be an Art Class. We won't talk about the fact that the store charges each student $10.00 dollars each for the 2 hour class, not now anyway.)



I had a couple of students ask why my Lesson Plans on Scrapbook Page Designs were only in black and white. Why did I not give it to page designs in full color like all the scrapbook magazines? When I explained that I did not want to influence their color choices but to only offer patterns there seemed to be a better understanding of my approach and technique.



My classes have grown; I now have many teachers that take my classes. I work up full lesson plans that incorporate typical day-to-day school subjects and activities and give black and white suggested page layouts that they can copy and use as handouts in class. Some teachers are even incorporating these scrapbook activities into gradable work for their students.



Many of my Teacher Scrapbooking students have enough to do with their regular required teaching duties. I find that as usual these dedicated teachers are once again spending their own money for the benefit of their students. Realizing this requires me to give these educators the best value I can for their hard earned money. Many of these teachers are young, some have young families of there own, so they are able to incorporate the scrapbook lessons into their personal life as well incorporate into their classroom life. Like Martha Stewart might say, "It is a good thing" when you can get a double return on any investment (that does not put you in front of any type of an investigative committee.)



Here are my first and easiest suggestions to use in your own scrapbooking:



Age appropriate coloring books - use as templates to trace and cut out for patterns on pages; this also works well as a good group activity plan for a birthday party or other type function that will involve keeping children involved. Invest in a Polaroid camera and you can have "instant" pictures to put on your child's newly created scrapbook page.

Just make pages - I recommend that you set aside a couple of hours a week to make pages if you enjoy that as a creative outlet. I often scrapbook without pictures just by making the generic pages in advance.

ALWAYS theme your scrapbooks - By year, month, or activity; never just think "Family Album" because you will never finish, and you will be defeated before you get started. There must always be a beginning and an ending. Trust me on this one or you will live to regret it.

If you have children, GIVE CHILDREN THEIR OWN SUPPLIES - Outfit a shoebox with age appropriate scrapbooking supplies for your child or children. Do not expect to be able to share; it is not fair to you or the child(ren). And yes, of course encourage boys to scrapbook. Scrapbooking is not just for girls.

Work on as many or as few scrapbooks as you are comfortable working on - I have some students that have as many as 6 scrapbooks going contumeliously, others can barely handle just one. It is okay. Do what you are comfortable with. THIS IS NOT A TEST.

Surf the NET - There are plenty of scrapbooking ideas available for free; just for the looking. Don't be shy. Just about any search engine can provide more scrapbooking ideas and activities than you will have time to do in this lifetime and the next.

Take a class - If for no other reason to gain self-confidence or meet like-minded people in your own community. I have watched many friendships be born at the craft table that I know will last a lifetime.

Go to your local library - The public library is a wonderful under utilized resource in most communities. Give it a try. You just might be pleasantly surprised.