“Scraplifting” is a term used loosely by some scrapbookers. It describes the process of seeing scrapbook layouts or ideas in magazines or on the Web and copying them for your own layout(s).

Most scrapbookers are happy to share their ideas with others because they realize that they too have received inspiration, motivation or ideas from others in the past. Scraplifting can be the highest form of flattery when the person being copied views the “scraplifting” as an opportunity for someone else to have a creative experience with the help of another.

Other scrapbookers don’t see scraplifting the same way. They believe it to be unethical and call it CASEing (copy and stealing everything).

For those scrapbookers who believe scraplifting is okay, they say there are unofficial guidelines that should be followed. Scraplifting is a complicated subject too. The general rule of thumb is: if you use 70% of another person’s scrapbook, it’s a scraplift, under that it’s an “inspired by you”.

If you do scraplift, you MUST credit the original artist in your comments, possibly even linking back to the original, but do not try to pass it off as your own, unaided work.

This of course also means that you need to keep some kind of track of who the original poster was. Some will ask the artist’s permission first before scraplifting.

Scraplifting allows many a “starting point” when they are otherwise at a loss for where to begin. It is also a way for others to get ideas for color, placement, materials and embellishments they can use on their own pages.

Some scrapbookers view themselves as “creatively challenged”, but don’t want to give up on wonderfully unique way to organize and display their family photos, memorabilia, history and journals. Scraplifting can also be used as a time saver.

Rather than spending your precious time wracking your brain the whole night without any output to show for the next day, scraplifting is an option. There are scrapbook magazines and gallery websites that exist to allow scrapbookers to showcase their work, for inspiration and to allow others to scraplift.

Finally, remember that if you have copied a layout or a design, especially in full, do not submit the idea as your own to a magazine, idea book, layout contest etc. for any type of publication or compensation. Scraplifting is meant to share ideas and to be a fun and easy way to get your photos and mementos organized in a quicker fashion.