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What are Some Good Scrapbooking Gifts?

C. K. Lanz
C. K. Lanz

Scrapbooking has become a popular hobby in the United States as well as other countries and as a result there are many possible scrapbooking gifts. Supplies and media make thoughtful and useful scrapbooking gifts for scrapbookers of all levels of expertise and interest. Scrapbook and craft stores commonly sell supplies specific to scrapbooking that are coordinated or made to be used as sets. Albums, embellishments, photo corner mounts and mounting tape, background papers, stencils, rubber stamps and ink pads, eyelets, archival pens and paper trimmers are basic materials that all scrapbookers can use. Scrapbooking supplies should all be of archival quality and acid free to avoid decomposition and damage that can come with time.

Scrapbooking is a way of preserving and presenting photographs and other important personal memorabilia in an album decorated with mixed media. Scrapbooks typically are organized around a theme like a school year, vacation, wedding, college, new baby or other milestone.

Scissors for scrapbooking.
Scissors for scrapbooking.

Each page of a scrapbook becomes a collage of photographs and small mementos affixed to colorful backgrounds with embellishments such as stickers, letters and postcards, lace, beads, ribbon, sequins, wire, embossing and die cut letters and shapes. Digital scrapbooking allows for the creation of complex scrapbook pages in digital form that may be kept exclusively in digital form or printed and displayed in albums or bound in a hardcover volume.

Scrapbooking supplies can be nice gifts for those just starting out.
Scrapbooking supplies can be nice gifts for those just starting out.

Advanced scrapbookers may appreciate receiving specialized tools used to create more complex and elaborate layouts. Manual and computerized die cut machines can be used to create a wide variety of complex fonts, shapes, phrases and designs from different materials such as paper or foam. Craft punches make confetti in many shapes such as hearts or stars while lightweight heat embossing tools can melt embossing powder and puff up liquid applique among other uses. Gift cards or gift certificates to a craft supply store are possible scrapbooking gifts, especially if the giver is unfamiliar with the needs and tastes of the recipient.

Basic materials like albums are good gifts for scrapbookers.
Basic materials like albums are good gifts for scrapbookers.

Storage systems and organizers for supplies, tools and photos can be practical scrapbooking gifts. Some organizers are similar to wheeled carry on suitcases that allow scrapbookers to transport supplies to meetings or classes. Other storage systems include cabinets with drawers sized for scrapbooking paper and embellishments, roller carts with baskets or trays, large wallets or folders, folding tables with built in storage and plastic carrying cases of little drawers.

Glue is a useful scrapbooking supply.
Glue is a useful scrapbooking supply.

A scrapbooker interested in digital scrapbooking may prefer to receive supplies, software and hardware specific to this version of the hobby. Page layout programs, scanners and printers, digital scrapbook page templates and online storage are all useful scrapbooking gifts for digital scrapbookers. Enrollment in a short instructional seminar about digital scrapbook techniques and software can help the gift recipient master their new tools.

Discussion Comments

bythewell

@MrsPramm - I know in theory that's a good gift, but it just doesn't have the same appeal as giving something physical. I'd rather go a little bit further afield to get something special than just give them a download code or a file.

If you really want to give them a unique gift, you might go out and collect some natural materials and preserve them for use in scrapbooking, like leaf skeletons or dried flowers. Just make sure you preserve them properly.

MrsPramm

@Fa5t3r - Just be careful you know what you're buying. There are a lot of people who only sell the images for scrapbooking and don't actually sell physical products. You are expected to print out the images on your own paper. And most people don't have the right kind of paper and ink to print out decent scrapbooking supplies, as you really need for it to be waterproof and fairly lightweight or it won't work in the album.

Printable scrapbooking can be awesome though, if your friend already knows how to use images like that, or if they are involved in digital scrapbooking in general. You can get a huge amount of images, including plenty made particularly for scrapbooking, for a low price.

Fa5t3r

If you want to give someone a really unique scrapbooking gift, I would have a look online for something handmade rather than looking in local stores. If you live close to your friend, then they will have seen all the same scrapbooking supplies that you have to choose from locally.

But there are amazing handmade papers and embellishments and even albums offered online that will be one of a kind, or at least unique enough that your friend probably hasn't seen or bought them before.

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    • Scissors for scrapbooking.
      By: terex
      Scissors for scrapbooking.
    • Scrapbooking supplies can be nice gifts for those just starting out.
      By: Sergey Mostovoy
      Scrapbooking supplies can be nice gifts for those just starting out.
    • Basic materials like albums are good gifts for scrapbookers.
      By: SilviuFlorin
      Basic materials like albums are good gifts for scrapbookers.
    • Glue is a useful scrapbooking supply.
      By: Neiromobile
      Glue is a useful scrapbooking supply.
    • Scrapbooks are typically organized around a theme, such as a vacation or wedding.
      By: Monkey Business
      Scrapbooks are typically organized around a theme, such as a vacation or wedding.
    • Fabric can be used to add decorative touches to scrapbooking projects.
      By: nito
      Fabric can be used to add decorative touches to scrapbooking projects.
    • Twine, clothes pins, and card paper are examples of items that can be found around the house and repurposed for scapbooking.
      By: Sergey Mostovoy
      Twine, clothes pins, and card paper are examples of items that can be found around the house and repurposed for scapbooking.
    • An embosser can make a great scrapbooking tool.
      By: MaryPerry
      An embosser can make a great scrapbooking tool.