If you're interested in sharing the joy of scrapbooking with someone special, consider creating the ultimate scrapbooking kit.
What to Include in the Ultimate Scrapbooking Kit
To create the ultimate scrapbooking kit, you'll want to include the following items:
- Patterned Paper: Thematic papers are a good choice if you know your gift recipient is planning to work on a project such as a baby or wedding album. Otherwise, stick to simple patterns that can work well with a variety of scrapbooking themes. Choosing from one particular patterned paper line is usually the simplest solution, although you may want to mix and match papers if you have a good eye for design.
- Cardstock: Include an assortment of black, white, and tan cardstock, as well as colors that coordinate with the patterned papers you've chosen.
- Embellishments: The selection of embellishments available today can be overwhelming for the beginning scrapbooker, so use discretion in this area. Stickers, brads, and some pretty ribbon are enough to jazz up a layout without seeming too intimidating to the novice.
- Adhesive: Include a general purpose adhesive for working with photos, cardstock, and patterned paper, as well as an adhesive suitable for dimensional embellishments. A glue stick, glue dots, and double sided tape are good choices for the beginning scrapbooker.
- Paper Trimmer: Although it's easy to create beautiful scrapbook layouts without paper punches or an expensive die cut machine, a paper trimmer is a necessity for any scrapbooker.
- Album: Once your gift recipient is finished with her pages, she'll need a safe place to store them. Select an album that coordinates well with the other supplies you've chosen.
Depending upon your personal budget and the previous crafting experience of your gift recipient, you may also want to include a few items beyond the basic scrapbooking necessities. Supplemental items may include:
- A gift certificate to a local craft or scrapbooking store so your recipient can pick up extra supplies as needed
- A gift certificate to a Web site such as Shutterfly to get her pictures developed
- An idea book that you've found particular helpful in developing your own scrapbooking style
- A list of scrapbooking Web sites to visit for ideas and inspiration
- A homemade "coupon" entitling the recipient to a day of cropping where you'll show her how to use the items in your ultimate scrapbooking kit
Packaging Your Gift
Once you've chosen the items for your special scrapbook kit, it's time to package your gift. Here are a few ideas to consider:
- If you expect your recipient to want to attend scrapbooking crops on a regular basis, consider packing the items into a small scrapbook paper tote. Look for sales at stores such as Hobby Lobby or Joann Crafts.
- If you know that your recipient has a special area of her home devoted to crafting, consider packing your gift in a pretty wicker basket that she can use for scrapbooking storage.
- If you're on a tight budget, a large pizza box is big enough to hold 12x12 papers and embellishments. Most pizza chains will be willing to sell you a clean box for a minimal fee.
Including Items from Your Stash
Although it is often considered taboo to regift items from your home to friends or family members, you may want to reconsider this policy when creating the ultimate scrapbooking kit. If you're like most scrapbookers, you probably have a collection of unused papers and embellishments lying around your home that simply no longer fit your style. If you think your gift recipient would be able to use these items, don't be shy about including them in your scrapbook kit.
