Frequently Asked Questions

What glue can I use on Vellum?

Brads and now mini-brads are a wonderful substitute to using glue on vellum but some glues that work best on vellum are: 3L Clear mounting Tabs- similar to double-sided tape but they are already cut into tabs- ideal for patterned vellum. Also try letting your Zig two-way glue dry a bit before sticking it down.

What does Acid Free mean?
Acid is used in paper manufacturing; it breaks apart the wood fibers that hold everything together! If there is acid in the materials you use for placing photos, it makes a chemical reaction causing accelerated deterioration. All products have a special pH factor, which is essential in all Scrapbook products like glue, paper, pens and stickers!

What is cropping?
Cutting and/or trimming a photograph.

Is Scrapbooking addiction hazardous to your health?

NO ! do not worry- Scrapbooking improves hand-eye coordination, keeps you in shape(no time to snack-scrap,scrap,scrap) and improves family relations. Scrap ahead....

What is Archival Quality?
Top quality materials, which have undergone laboratory analysis that their acid content is at a safe level.

What is journaling?
The text on your scrapbooking page: The description, story, questions and comments referring to that specific page. It can be done by your own handwriting, calligraphy, adhesive letters, alphabet templates and computer printouts.

What is a Die Cut?
Adhesive shapes that you apply to your pages, a shape that you cut your photograph in or a shape you have drawn, cut out and glued to your page.

What are some fun and informative magazines?
· Scrapping & Kie (SA)
· Scrapbooking Memories
· Creating Keepsakes
· Treasured Moments (S.A)
. CraftWise (S.A.)

What are pop up pages?
Pop Up Pages are like Children’s Pop Up Books, or Greeting Cards that unfold in a three dimensional manner.

What is Scrapbooking?

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Scrapbooking is the creative process of making beautiful photo albums using images, illustrative decorations and a range of craft techniques to enhance your photographs.
It’s a new and exciting way to organize and preserve those special photos tucked away in a shoebox somewhere- Yes! Those photos you’ve been promising yourself for years now to place in a proper album…… All you need to get started is some paper, scissors, glue and some of your favourite photos-
But!......pasting your precious memories in just any type of album with the normal glues and using the wrong kind of acidic paper will slowly but surely eat away at those special photo moments.

All our products are archival quality materials that will ensure that your memories will be preserved for many years to come.
Many commercially available albums can damage your precious photos by yellowing, falling apart or making it impossible to remove some pictures.
Speciality Scrapbook stores such as The Scrapbook Company provides the correct archival quality materials and products such as acid-free patterned paper, acid-free glue, decorative scissors, stickers, die-cuts, punches, templates and much more, that are chemically compatible with your photos, ensuring that they will last for future generations to enjoy.

Acid is used in paper manufacturing to break apart the wood fibres and the lignin which holds them together. If acid remains in the materials used for memory albums and pages, then the acid can react chemically with photographs and accelerate their deterioration. Over time, acid breaks the paper fibres down, causing the paper to deteriorate and become brown and brittle. It's imperative that all materials (glue, pens, paper, etc.) used in memory albums or scrapbooks be acid-free.
Scrapbooking can be described as the creative process of preserving memories for future generations using acid, PVC, and lignin-free products especially made for archival use in the memory album craft industry.
· Capturing the memories of friends and family…..
· The perfect hobby…. Definitely more than just arts and crafts.
· A medium that fulfills the need to create- a practical use for crafting time.
· It’s a hobby that easily crosses the boundaries of creativity into such as invitations, greeting cards and birth announcements.

Why should one Scrapbook?

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You can make a scrapbook for your children, grandchildren or your Mothers 50th birthday, your wedding, your favourite holiday………………
To Reminisce, record and relish are three of the most powerful motivators for why scrapbooking has captured the hearts and passions of a primarily female consumer base worldwide. Scrapbooking is important to those who value relationships as well as thoughts and feelings and the craft is currently the largest craft activity of the craft and hobby industry.

For passionate scrapbookers, pictures aren’t enough. Photos are typically kept in one place, organized loosely by year, or glued into albums, but those who scrapbook feel that it is necessary to capture the who, what, when, where, why and how behind the pictures. Your Scrapbook, a book which has been lovingly created becomes a heirloom to give others an insight into the lives of your ancestors.
A picture may paint a thousand words but a scrapbook tells the whole story.

3 easy-steps to get started

Step 1:
Choose your photographs and a suitable theme
A. Select +-20 good, clear, photographs pertaining to the chosen theme.
(i.e. wedding, honeymoon, rugbygame, baby, braai, family history, sports, friends, birthday,holidays or travel etc.)
B. Jot down names, dates and other detail on the back of the photos with a photo-safe pencil (purchased from your local Scrapbook Company store)
C. Set aside approximately R350.00 to buy the supplies you’ll need.

Step 2:
Buy the supplies from The Scrapbook Company (of course)
Acid free-photosafe-adhesive
Memory album
Paper
1 or 2 decorative scissors
1 or 2 basic templates
Journaling pen
Stickers
Brands and types of supplies to buy-
Adhesive: Hermafix, Zig memory system
Album: MBI, K & co., Pioneer, MM, SandyLion.......
Paper: Paper Adventures, K & Co, Making Memories, Chatterbox, Seven Gypsies, Deluxe Designs, SEI - multicoloured packs, cardstock (plain paper)
Scissors: Fiskars, Provocraft
Templates: EK success, ScrapPages, C-Thru
Pen: EK Success, American Crafts
Stickers: Mrs. Grossman, Stickopotamus, Jolees Boutique, Bo-Bunny

Step 3:
Find a private work space and get started!
A. Select a quiet place where you can organize all your thoughts, ideas and supplies! A folding table, desk, or side room area where work is fairly undistracted is ideal. You’re going to make a mess so be sure you get settled in wherever that’s acceptable to the family!
B. Begin laying out your first page ( Don’t panic, just enjoy yourself)
Try finding a logical sequence that is appealing to the eye. Lay everything out on the page as you like, then starting from the top, working downwards glue items on one by one.
C. Reference an idea book, internet example, or other source of Page Layout
examples when making pages. This helps you avoid getting in a rut, where all of your pages look the same and helps so much when you’re stumped for a new, creative idea! Wa ! La !

Have a look at the Tips&Techniques section for more tips on how to get started…..
Remember: To create a scrapbook, one only needs to give the scrapbook a purpose (i.e.) for your own enjoyment, to preserve a memory, to give as a gift, the ideas are endless) Pick a theme, select a few papers and embellishments, add descriptive journaling entries, and add a few more photos. A scrapbook can be arranged by person, theme or year.

Scrapbookers can start the hobby with limited supplies, although once the bug has bitten passionate crafters tend to live up to the stereotypical image of surrounding themselves with stacks of decorative paper, bottles of glue, mounds of stickers and piles of die-cuts. Lekker!
Why not host a “cropping party” at home or join one of our Scrapbook workshops at our store where you can Scrap with other addicts and learn more about different styles and techniques and how to best apply them. Be warned, most of the time the workshops do turn into a bit of a party…

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