For quite some time now, Scrapbooking has been one of the fastest growing hobbies and it is easy to see why - creating scrapbooks is a creative and fun activity that allows people to express their creativity in imaginative ways, while creating a beautiful product that preserves memories and will endure for generations to come.

There are many reasons why scrapbooking is so popular among arts & crafts hobbyists. Scrapbooks are simply a great way to preserve memories. In 50 years, it will be difficult for people to know what exactly was happening in photos without someone who was there around to explain the scenarios. That picture with twelve people all trying to fit inside a two person pup tent will not make much sense to family members who were not there, and with no one alive that can set the context, the memory is essentially lost. To help these sorts of moments live on forever, putting them in a scrapbook and providing a contextual story will ensure that these memories endure.

Another great benefit to creating scrapbooks is simply organizing the photos that are stored in boxes in the attic or basement or stuck haphazardly in those old photo albums that no one looks at. Those pictures were taken for a reason, so putting them in a scrapbook helps ensure that people will actually look at and enjoy the memories they preserved. Also, getting those pictures out of boxes and photo albums, and therefore out of the basement, will help ensure that the photos actually last - attics and basements are very moist environments, and are terrible places to store photos.

So now that we know some of the reasons for creating scrapbooks, the next thing to do is to get started. Thankfully, it is very easy to do so!

One of the greatest things about creating scrapbooks is that anyone can do it no matter how talented one may think they are. With the myriad of templates and embellishments available commercially, even absolute beginners can create wonderful scrapbooks they will be proud of. It really does not take much at all to get started, and upon seeing the finished product, most people are instantly hooked on the craft of scrapbooking.

It is important when first getting started to understand some of the basics of the process of creating scrapbooks. If one is not going to be using old photographs to create a scrapbook, and will instead be taking new pictures, then an inexpensive digital camera is an excellent choice as they make it easy to download your photos into a computer and printed, or uploaded to an online photo shop to have them printed. Going digital allows for even more creativity, as the photos can be easily retouched and embellished with graphics and special effects.

Once the photos are in hand, the next step is matting. Matting is the process of applying the photos, embellishments, and any additional memorabilia to the pages. Many even double or triple mat photos for a more dramatic effect. Through the use of creative color choices it is possible to create designs that really make the photos pop off the pages.

One of the best developments in the world of scrapbooking has been the arrival of pre-made professionally designed papers and templates designed specifically for scrapbooks. These professional designs are color coordinated so even a novice can create a scrapbook that looks great and has a unified theme.

When starting out with creating scrapbooks, it is important to relax and have fun! This is not work - take it easy, use some of the great, inexpensive supplies that are out there to help, and enjoy the creative process! Just like anything else, the more one does it, the better the creations will be.