Have you recently decided to give scrapbooking a try? If you have, you may be curious as to what supplies are needed. What is nice about scrapbooking, is your options. Scrapbooking can be very affordable, but it can also be expensive. It all depends on what you buy. So, what do you need to scrapbook?

Required Supplies

A blank scrapbook album. Blank scrapbook albums are a required supply, as they are the foundation for your scrapbook. When making your purchase, you can choose from lose-leaf scrapbooks or those with a spiral bind.

Scissors. Scrapbooking involves a lot of cutting. You will cut your pictures, photo borders, and so much more. You have the option of using a traditional pair of scissors, but specialty scrapbook scissors are available for sale. They have different style cuts, which can improve the quality and uniqueness of your scrapbook.

Glue. Not only does scrapbooking involve a lot of cutting, but a lot of gluing too. Acid-free glue is needed, as it will not damage your work. For less mess, glue sticks are advised. You can find specialty scrapbook glue available for sale in most craft stores.

Paper. What sets a scrapbook apart from a traditional photo album is the decorations. To get started, you need paper. This paper can and should be colored or themed. For example, if you are making a scrapbook for you new baby girl, a page with pink baby bottles or a pink sheet of paper is advised. Specialty scrapbook paper is available for sale, but you can also use construction paper.

Optional Supplies

Stickers. Stickers add a lot of flair to a scrapbook page. What is nice about stickers is your options. Yes, you can find specialty scrapbook stickers, but you can also use stickers bought from the dollar store. As long as it has adhesive backing, you can use it. 3-D stickers are popular with scrapbookers.

Acid-free markers. A scrapbook page does not require any written words. In most cases, the pictures are enough to tell a story. If you do want to add a quote, poem, or caption, you can do so with acid-free markers, also known as scrapbooking markers. These markers will not damage your photos or poorly soak into your pages.

Adhesives. As previously stated, gluing is a big part of creating a scrapbook. Glue sticks work, but even they can be messy. To reduce the mess, purchase double sided adhesive tape.

Cardstock. At first glance, cardstock looks like small pieces of scrap paper. They are much thicker. In fact, it is the material used to make greeting cards. Cardstock makes great backgrounds for pictures. Glue the picture to a cardstock and then glue to your scrapbook page. When buying cardstock, you should buy bulk packages that may contain 20 to 100 sheets.

Rubber stamps. An alternative to stickers is rubber stamps. They come in a number of different size and shapes. You can purchase stamps with pictures, like flowers, or letters. In addition to buying rubber stamps, you need an inkpad.

The above mentioned scrapbook supplies are just a few of the items you can use, but they are a great way to get started. Look around your local craft store and you fill find a lot available for sale. Many of these items, like dried flowers or button shapes, fall into the category of accessories or embellishments. This is where your options are virtually unlimited.