Digital Scrapbooking saves me time AND money:

I found a love for scrapbooking when I was 12 years old...  this was back when we used disposable cameras,  8.5x11 pastel cardstock, jelly roll pens, stencils and who can forget Mrs. Grossman Stickers!  {Those scrapbooks are in storage right now or I would have included a picture}

I went 12x12 in 2002... and here they are.

I was in a Scrapbook Page Swap Group where each of us would make ten 12x12 - 2 page layouts (20 pages total) and swap each month.  Great deal right?

When buying in bulk to make 10 of the same layout, I spent an average of $3.50 per layout back then. ($30-$40 for 10 two-sided layouts)  Then there was the cost having to print my pictures and hope they fit the layouts that were given to me. 

Depending on the layout and my creative flow that day I could spend well over an hour on one layout! One thing that took me the most time... (if it got done at all) was my TITLING and JOURNALING!  I have a love/hate relationship with my penmanship so I would type my journaling in word and cut and paste it into my book.  Titles were often made with the beloved Cricut Machine and glued individually to the page... So Time Consuming!!  To this day I still have layouts that aren't titled or journaled :(  So sad!!!  This one isn't even embellished!

The Conversion to Digital:

Peer Pressure.  Pure Peer Pressure.  I bought a laptop, installed PSE 6, learned a few basics from a friend and have been hooked ever since!

• I finally have completed pages with perfectly straight "cuts", titles and journaling!  
• My kitchen table is no longer covered with scrapbooking supplies.
• Clean up consists of saving my work and shutting down the laptop!  No mess!
• I can ink around the edges of my papers with a single click...  and my fingers come away clean!
• I can make one page and print it multiple times for each kids own scrapbook or for grandparents.
• If I lose my scrapbooks due an act of nature (flood, fire, etc) or over-viewing (ripped, wrinkled, spilled on or whatever)  NO WORRIES!  I can print them again because they are backed up in 3 different places!
• My family who lives far away can enjoy looking through my scrapbooks because I can upload them to the web.
• Now I can create a page in as little as 15 minutes!
• I can comfortably fit up to 10 images on one 12x12 page.  - I tend to take ALOT of pictures with my digital camera... why not? My memory card is big enough and I want to make sure I get the best shot possible and don't want to miss a special moment!  {You laugh because you do the same thing. Admit it!}
• A Digital Kit costs anywhere between FREE and $7.99 and they can be used over and over!  I don't know about you but I never use every single piece in a digital kit on one layout...  you can make umpteen layouts with the same kit and get an entirely different look from it!
• I print my pages when prints are on sale and usually end up paying under $1.29 per page!! (that includes tax and shipping)
• I can fit at least 50 more pages in a 12x12 binder

Traditional Scrapbook 34 pages (68 layouts crammed in there!) - Digital scrapbook 60 pages (120 layouts!)

Did you know that when your child is able to look at pictures of themselves it could foster good self esteem?  It makes sense.  I know my kids LOVE to look at pictures of themselves, their family and the good times we share.

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