It seems like you can do just about everything on a computer these days, from shopping to banking, paying your bills, keeping in touch with family and friends, and yes even scrapbooking.  While those making up scrapbooks on the computer may be tempted to just follow the directions they find on those digital scrapbook tutorials, it’s also good to remember that like the instructions you get with actual scrapbook kits, these tutorials are just guides and suggestions.  You might just be happy with scrapbook ideas, but your scrapbook albums should be personal and unique just to you. Remember that an album is just like the photos inside – they should be something meaningful and personal to you!Yes, digital scrapbook tutorials make great guides, you shouldn’t consider them hard and fast rules for digital scrapbooking.

When you buy a software program for designing digital scrapbooks, it is a good idea to first review the digital scrapbooking tutorials that came with them.  This way you’ll know the basics of how to manipulate the clipart, wording, and other embellishments that may be included.You can also learn how to place your photos, resize them, and crop them.  Having that basic understanding you get from digital scrapbook tutorials can then help you to move on to the more advanced options of creating and editing your scrapbooks as well as start digital scrapbooking.  Again, use their templates and instructions as a guide.You might try moving around some page elements or taking some away, or maybe add items you have found online or you already have on your computer.  Also journaling or quotes for scrapbooking are other items where you’ll want to express your own personality.  Most digital scrapbook tutorials will tell you how to add wording and may come with a wide variety of fonts, or you can create wording in another program and upload it as you would any other element.

If you’re new to digital scrapbooking you may want to create one entire page with the instructions from those digital scrapbook tutorials so you can see the end result, but if you’ve been doing this for some time or are comfortable using computer programs, step away from their instructions and make up your own pages.  When following their instructions too carefully, pages usually come out looking contrived and somewhat artificial.  And isn’t half the fun of scrapbooking the ability to express your own creativity?So take the instructions from digital scrapbook tutorials and leanr the basics of how to move your elements on your page, but then adapt them so you can begin creatively making your own designs.