Using the computer for scrapbooks...

[Keli]

I was wondering if anyone uses their computers and printers for their scrapbooks. I've read that the ink for printers will only last about 15 years so I've been really hesitant to use it in my scrapbook but I have terrible handwriting and I started to print out captions for pictures with different fonts and glueing them in my album. What does everyone think? Is this ok or will I regret this in the future?

 

[bananiem]

I don't care for my handwriting either. I tend to shake. I do use a lot of stencils and stickers for titles and large words.
My SIL has done her journaling on the computer for some of her books and it looks nice, but not as personal. I don't know how long the ink lasts. Maybe sombody else knows for sure?? I haven't tried this because where I scrapbook and my computer are on different floors and I like to finish a page, journaling and all, before going to the next.
Basically I'm saying I'm too lazy!

 

[lisaschu]

I don't have a lot of technical info, but I do know the life of the ink in your printer will vary depending on the manufacturer. I do know there's a printer out there that has archival quality ink. Can't remember the manufacturer, but I remember the price tag was outrageously expensive. I do think it makes a difference what kind of paper you're printing on.

I personally have not used this method for journaling, but since CM introduced new paper for just this purpose, I'm going to give it a whirl. I'm a big advocate of journaling in your own handwriting so I don't think this will be a big habit for me. I think I may do it more often for longer poems and/or quotes.

I think it all boils down to preferences. There's no right or wrong way to scrap. Do it the way you want and if it makes you happy, then keep right on doing it! Just be careful to use the right products (AF, LF, etc) and hopefully your work will last a long time!

 

[FergieTCat]

This idea probably won't be effective for journaling, but would make nice large letters and page toppers ...

Make your lettering on the computer. When it looks the way you want it, print it in outline form, in light grey. Then you can go over the letters by hand with permanent ink markers, color them in, etc.

I think I read that idea in CK.

Donna

 

[LindaBabe]

Sometimes I use the word art program to make the title in a particular format and then print it unfilled and use my light box to trace the letters on something else.

Sometimes I hand write my journaling.

But if I have a lot to say on a topic, I place my pictures on the page, measure the journaling spaces, and then write my story on the computer in text boxes sized to fit the spaces. It's possible to say more in less space and still have it readable. I print the boxes on regular acid free paper or card stock.

 

[bananiem]

DUH!! I'm so dumb sometimes!!! I did do a two page journal at the back of my Disney book. I had kept a log of what we saw each day, our favorite rides/ shows, etc. It turned out really nice with a border and a giant Mickey sticker.
So yes, I do believe in using the computer for some journaling and it does end up looking nice.

 

[Minnie's Mate]

I've never scrap booked before...it's just not a guy thing. But, I have been wanting to do more than just put pictures in a Disney photo album. I have looked at many of the layouts on this board and looked at supplies at Michaels and there seems to be so many tools that I am overwhelmed. I'm not sure I would enjoy scrap booking enough to buy all of the tools to produce the desired results. Scrap booking definately seems to be emerging or re-emerging in popularity.

I have a software application called Adobe FrameMaker. It is similar to Adobe PageMaker and I thought about doing a "virtual scrap book" or "digital" scrap book using digital images. I could e-mail this as a .pdf file or print with my color laser printer. I think I could produce the desired results if I can find the right clipart. Anyone know if you can print with a laser printer onto the scrap book pages...does the texture of the thick paper affect the quality of the print? Also, anyone know how long the laser print would last? Would I need to spray with sprayfix?

I also have The Printshop 5.0. Anyone use this software in any of their scrap booking?

 

[chessie]

About scrapping not being a guy thing.

About a month ago I was at the scrapbook store when a group of high school teens came in. There were three guys in the group. I thought that they had accidentally come into the wrong store but after talking to them I found out they were avid scrappers.

They scrapped all their sports pictures new items and memorabilia. They also scrapped their high school events. Home Coming and Prom. Since then I have encountered more males who scrap.

Yes, scrapping is probably more popular with females but guys have memories too.

Chessie

 

[SplshMtn99]

Before I started scrapbooking, I was doing a form of scrapbooking on the computer & didn't even realize it. During 1999, I made several different calendars for family members for the year 2000. I used & still use Printmaster to do it. I printed & bound over 50 calendars by years end. (My mom decided she wanted to give each of her friends a calendar rather than a xmas card!! AARRGHH! That's another story.)

The best looking calendars were the Disney ones - using pictures from that years trip & Disney clipart from the web. Each month had a photo page & a calendar page. If you simply make the photo pages, all you are really doing is scrapbooking. On each photo page, I picked a background that looked like a texture (I used one called "rice paper"). For each month, I simply changed the color of it. In the program, I cropped & sized my photos, framed them, arranged them on the page & embellised with clipart. Add a few comments. Viola! You scrapbbooked. You can get real fancy if you want & add features from other programs you may have too. You can have 1 photo per page or as many as you like. You can overlap, rotate, fade, ...... I've found I like the flexibility on the computer better sometimes. (and there's less stuff to buy)

I used a HP722C inkjet printer. I used white cardstock from an office supply store that was thick enough not to bleed thru since I was printing on both sides. Have since learned all about acid free...... I printed in normal quality. They were fine for a calendar.

You could do the exact same thing, but I would print on photo paper & in "best quality" if you want to put it in a scrapbook - that way they would look like real photos.

I received SO many compliments on the Disney calendars. People thought I had them made somewhere. I had people giving me pictures to make them a calendar. I had to put a stop to it.

Guess what I'm trying to say is, scrapbook the way you like to. There are no rules. And if you don't want to call it scrapbooking (because it's not cool for guys), then call it "desktop publishing" or "photo manipulation". That's what I was calling it.

By the way, it's been 2 years & those printed pages still look fine. I'm sure they won't last forever though. It wasn't acid free paper. I have since changed paper.

I still use Printmaster for most titles & just about all my journaling. I do the exact same thing some else mentioned. Measure the space available & make my journaling fit the box by changing the font size.

 

[chessie]

When I began scraping I used my computer for several things. My favorite was custom backgrounds.

I found a wallpaper sample of the haunted mansion with the glowing eyes and I blew it up large enough to leave about a 2 inch white border around it for the background of my haunted mansion pictures.

I also found a list of endangered animals carved on the tree of life. I put it in a fancy font, made the font go around a large blank oval, printed it on a rustic card stock and mounted a picture of the tree of life in the oval.

I took the lyrics to the song sung by the pirates in the pirates of the Caribbean and printed it edge to edge as the background for those pictures.

I double mounted all of my pictures that would come in contact with the printer ink.

I have since begun using 12X12's so now, I seem to use the computer mostly for journaling when I have a large amount to say or journaling that is not my own words.

Chessie

 

[Minnie's Mate]

These are such good tips, thanks so much. My wife wasn't looking forward to me starting a new hobby with lots of tools to buy. I think this may be a good way to start. I get photo CD's when I get the film developed so I already have the digital images without having to scan them.

Unfortunately, out of 13 roles of film on our last trip in April, I didn't get many photos that were great. This is a shame since it was my son's 4th birthday.

I am already planning some of the shots I want for a scrap book for our next trip in December. When I get them done, I will try and figure out how to post them to share with you all.

Again, thanks for the ideas and the encouragement.
Tom, AKA Minnie's Mate

 

[*Huey*]

I am in the planning stages of putting the better of my thousands of photos into a digital album. Not destined for print at all. (The screen will always look sharper than printed out photos... even with $3/sheet photo quality paper!!)

I will set up each "page" as one image file, complete with text, images, photos, etc. and do a simple slide show and burn them to a CD. (I'm really drooling over Apple's new iDVD so by the time I get around to making a dent in my big plans, I'll probably be on the DVD road.) Since I am a graphic artist by trade, I use high-end photo editing software, illustration software and animation software (the most fun!) and will compile it into a interactive multimedia experience! (Plus I can use my video clips!!!! I've gotten out of the habit of dragging my 35 mm around since I've got 5 years worth of photos dumped into a rubbermaid box!)

Since you need much better quality scans for printing vs. viewing on screen, I'll probably just deal with not ever having a printed piece. The file sizes are astronomical for a standard 8 1/2 x 11 page suitable for print! My old photo albums (around 1,000 pages total - eek!) are falling apart and the photos are not holding up. Once I get them scanned, I'll have them forever on a disk. (That will save me from the dreaded moment of fire, flood, hurricane, etc. and having two minutes to decide and gather what really needs to be saved... besides my family, photos and videos are top priority! Grabbing a few CDs would ease that burden! )

 

[scrappinmom_2000]

I use my computer for most journaling, titles & lots of clipart. I'm really enjoying the new Disney Mickey & Friends software, although it doesn't include any holiday stuff I have used PrintMaster for years, which has zillions of clipart ideas, & have only recently learned to use pre-made templates & nicer printing attributes. We recently bought a new HP scanner & HP932 printer.

I saw a "grandparent's" poem in a CM newsletter last fall that describes sending grandparents perpetual pages periodically. I've sent my folks about 20 sides in toploading page protectors for their easy to assemble 3-ring binder since last fall. Because it's 8-1/2x11 format, I just find printing out "busy" pages to send them easier than creatively finishing complex sides.

This week I printed on a fabric sheet made to slip thru color printers & attached it with velcro to a nylon lawn chair (gift). It just occurred to me that HP ink is not thought to be waterproof, so I'll have to have a plan B for rain.

Sadly, I don't think scrapping would have caught on with me if I couldn't use my printer.

 

[Minnie's Mate]

*Huey*,

I use CD's for archival purposes at work. My research indicates that CD's have a life expectancy of about 10 years before they degrade. You may want to remember to re-burn those precious memories from time to time.

I use a pc so I'm hoping that DVD burners for pc's will be cost affective in the near future.

Perhaps you can post some of your pages hear on the Diz as you complete them. I would love to get some ideas from a graphic artist before I start a project for our upcoming Christmas trip to WDW.

Also, scrappinmom_2000, where did you get the Disney Mickey and Friends software? Is it clip art only, or does it include other things, too? I've been looking for a good source of Disney clip art for some other projects I'm currently doing. I am especially looking for images from Disney animated movies.

 

[scrappinmom_2000]

Minnie's Mate: I got the software at Sam's Club & doesn't include anyone except Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy & Pluto. I mostly use http://www.disneyclipart.com/ for other characters. I'll check when I get back home, but I believe it's mostly "just" clipart. I have used some of their pre-made templates.

 

[Minnie's Mate]

Thanks, scrappinmom_2000. I'm going to Sam's this week end and I will look for it while I'm there.