Scrapbooking Materials

Scrapbooking can turn a simple photo album into a creative collage, telling the story behind the special moments you have captured in photographs. Choosing the right scrapbooking materials will add personality, style and dimension to any photo layout. There are six basic categories of scrapbooking materials. These include the album, paper, scissors, adhesives, embellishments and pens.

Acid free, lignin free

When purchasing scrapbooking materials -- including albums, paper and stickers, it is important to choose acid- and lignin-free items, as this will help keep your photo memories safe from deterioration over the years. What is lignin? Lignin is found in plants and "is the reason that timber pulp manufactured papers turn brown and brittle," according to Scrapbook.lifetips.com.

Album

Scrapbook albums are available in a variety of shapes, sizes and styles. A basic scrapbooking album will have pages encased in clear protectors that load from the top. One of the most popular sizes is the 12 x 12-inch album. This standard size allows ample room to create eye-catching pages. In addition, scrapbooking materials can be purchased in themed kits in this size. These ready-to-make pages are ideal for the beginning scrapbooker.

Paper

Think of the paper as a canvas, and use it as a key element in setting the mood for your photo layout. The choices for scrapbooking paper are vast. Choose from vibrant colors, pastels, patterns and even textured papers. As with any other scrapbooking materials, choose acid- and lignin-free papers. Use scrapbooking paper as a mat by placing a photo onto cardstock that has been shaped or cut to fit slightly larger than the photo. This technique can add a dimensional and even dramatic look to a page.

Scissors

The right pair of scissors is essential to your collection of scrapbooking materials. Pictures will often need to be trimmed or cropped to fit the mood and style of the page. A pointed, sharp set of scissors allows even the novice scrapbooker the ease of a precise cut. Funky-edged scissors create a distinctive cut that enhances the theme of the page. Fiskars makes several designs, including the Wavy, which is ideal for beach or water themes. Disney makes a pair of scrapbooking scissors that cut a Mickey Ears-edge into paper.

Adhesives

Every scrapbooker has their favorite method for attaching photos and embellishments. Adhesives range from glue sticks to glue dots to tacky tape. As with other scrapbooking materials, make sure the glue medium you choose is photo-safe and acid-free. A stick works great when covering expansive areas but glue dots are quick and easy for attaching photos to the page.

Embellishments

Stickers, stamps, punchies and three-dimensional papers add to the look and theme of the page. Sticker choices are numerous and include everything from the whimsical to the abstract. Stickers may be textured paper, glittery, 3-D or even fabric. They should always be acid- and lignin-free. Stamps are just as varied as stickers and can be found to fit most popular themes. Punchies are a paper shape made by a themed punch tool. These are usually attached to the page with a glue dot.

Pens

Materials like the Zigs Memory System archival markers are great for writing witty quips, dates or other information on your page. They are dual-tipped with a fine-point for detail work and a wider point for other enhancements. They are archival-quality, waterproof, lightfast, fade-proof, non-bleeding and acid-free. Sakura's Stardust gelly roll pens come in 16 colors and are pigment-based ink with sparkles.

Other than choosing archival-safe scrapbooking materials, there are no fixed rules. Scrapbooking is about preserving your unique memories in a way that showcases your personality and style.